Insights from Sean Griffey on the Real Forces That Move (or Stall) a Media Business
Heather Holst-Knudsen
Every B2B media CEO I speak with feels the same tension. Their teams are pushing hard, their strategies look sound, and their tools are in place, yet the business still is not moving the way it should. Growth feels harder than it should be.
My conversation with Sean Griffey, Co-founder ofIndustry Dive, made something very clear. Many companies are not struggling because of external forces. They are struggling because of an internal blind spot that is both simple and costly.
Most Leaders Are Solving the Wrong Problems
Sean put words to something I see in boardrooms across the industry. Leaders often fixate on restructuring, technology, or new initiatives while ignoring the one issue that drives everything: clarity.
Teams are busy. Communication looks active. Meetings are happening constantly. But when you ask people to define success, ownership, or priorities, the answers do not align. That gap becomes the silent drag on the entire organization.
Sean and I both know this: lack of clarity is not loud. It does not create a visible crisis. It quietly slows everything down.
Why Clarity Beats Complexity
Sean has built companies by staying grounded in fundamentals. He believes leaders overcomplicate growth. They add layers, tools, and processes when they should be simplifying how teams think and operate.
When leaders communicate clearly, teams move faster. When they define expectations simply, decision making improves. When they eliminate confusion around ownership, performance rises.
B2B media companies do not lose momentum because the market shifts too quickly. They lose momentum because their internal systems cannot support the pace.
The Talent Gap Is Not About Headcount
Another blind spot Sean called out is talent. Leaders often treat hiring as a staffing task rather than a strategic lever. They fill roles instead of raising the bar.
Strong performers bring clarity with them. They ask better questions, reduce friction, and amplify output. Weak performers do the opposite. They create drag, confusion, and misalignment that ripple across departments.
Sean’s point was sharp. If you want a company that moves fast, start with people who know how to move with intention.
Structure Without Purpose Slows Companies Down
Reorganizations are the industry’s favorite reflex. A structure changes, titles shift, and leaders expect progress. But Sean highlighted the flaw. Structure only matters when it reflects clearly defined work.
Most problems are not structural. They are unanswered questions masquerading as operational issues. When success criteria are unclear, any structure collapses under its own weight.
Clarity must come first. Structure follows.
Trust and Alignment Drive Real Growth
Sean’s experience reinforced something I have seen for decades. High-performing companies do not win because of bold strategies alone. They win because their teams trust each other, operate with aligned expectations, and share the same definition of winning.
Trust shortens timelines. Alignment increases output. When leaders create those conditions, growth becomes predictable instead of accidental.
This is the blind spot slowing down the industry. Not technology. Not resources. Not competitive pressure. Clarity.
Join the Conversation
This is the kind of leadership shift our industry needs. Leaders who address alignment before chasing change, who bring clarity to their teams, and who understand that strong decisions come from strong fundamentals.
That is exactly why we built RevvedUP 2026 and Revenue Room CXO. These are not typical events. They are working sessions for CEOs and senior executives who want to strengthen their operating model, sharpen decision making, and surround themselves with peers who push their thinking. If Sean’s perspective helped you see your own organization more clearly, then you belong in a room built for leaders who want to move faster. Join us and experience the environment where direction becomes obvious, decisions gain traction, and your next stage of growth forms with confidence.
