Turn Quarterly Credits Into A Career Plan

Playing to Win

November 25, 2025

newsletter-title

Welcome to the latest newsletter
of Playing to Win!

My newsletter is designed specifically to help business owners like you grow your companies with tried & applied bits of business knowledge, all communicated in actionable, bite-sized chunks. I will share insights and advice aimed at enhancing your business operations, boosting your success, and allowing you to focus more on what truly matters. Let's work together to achieve your goals and make your endeavors a reality.

Key Points of the Newsletter

  • Convert $1,250 per quarter into a 90-day skill sprint with a single business outcome.
  • Sequence learn → apply → document → teach to cement the change.
  • Use a one-page plan and a weekly cadence to keep improvements on track.

Turn Quarterly Credits Into A Career Plan

Treat every quarter as a mini-apprenticeship.
 
Pick one capability that would meaningfully change your output—advanced data analysis, CX journey mapping, vendor negotiation, line-leader fundamentals—and write a one-page plan: the outcome you’re targeting, the training you’ll use, where the hours will live in your schedule, and the metric you’ll improve.
 
Secure manager alignment in ten minutes by focusing on ROI: “I’ll invest the credit here, block four hours a week for six weeks, and aim to reduce X by Y%.” Now you have a contract with yourself and your leader.

Run the sprint in four phases.
 
Weeks 1–2 are Learn: consume the core material and book a brief shadow session with the best operator you know. 
 
Weeks 3–4 are Apply: pilot the new approach on a narrow slice of the work and measure the result. 
 
Weeks 5–6 are Document: update the relevant standard operating procedure and create a checklist or template teammates can use in the moment of work. 
 
Week 7 is Teach: run a short lunch-and-learn or screen-share to show the team how to replicate the result. 
 
Teaching forces clarity and multiplies your impact.

Protect the time by scheduling learning during business hours with clear deliverables—no guilt, no hiding.
 
The organization cares about output, and upgrading your capability is how output gets better, faster, and more reliable.
 
Close the quarter with a short write-up: the baseline, what you changed, the outcome, and the next skill you’ll chase. Stack four of these sprints and you’ll have a portfolio of improvements that justify bigger responsibilities and better compensation. 
 
That’s a career plan built on evidence, not aspiration.

Stay tuned for more insights in our next newsletter. Remember, it's the small adjustments that often make the biggest impact on your business's profitability. Here's to your continued success!

Stay driven to push your business forward,
Ryan Niddel