The Placers 500, the race to our critical number, and how we win by putting people first
Every year at Placers, we choose a theme that’s more than a phrase on a slide or a poster on a wall. It becomes a lens, a story, and a way to see our work, our people, and ourselves more clearly.
A good theme doesn’t just organize goals; it gives them a heartbeat.
If I put on my coaching hat for a moment, here’s why leadership teams do this in the first place: because spreadsheets and business plans are hard to remember. You can build a great plan, but if your team can’t feel it, picture it, or repeat it in their own words, it won’t carry the energy you need to move forward.
Themes bring emotion to where we’re headed as a company. They help us simplify what matters, keep score, and stay aligned. And honestly, they make it more fun. A good theme creates healthy momentum, not in a gimmicky way, but in a way that helps people see progress and celebrate wins.
Now, themes aren’t for every leader or every business. Sometimes a theme can be distracting. But a good theme doesn’t distract; it clarifies. It helps people remember what we’re aiming for and how we want to show up while we chase it.
Over the years, our themes have carried us through joy, growth, uncertainty, and loss. They’ve helped us make sense of hard seasons and bold seasons alike. Some years felt like road trips full of hope and detours. Some were about small habits adding up. Some simply called us to be present, grounded, and open.
This year, our theme is about taking things to the Nth Degree and running the Placers 500.
The Placers 500 is our race, not against each other, but together. It’s our shared pursuit of a critical number, a finish line that represents thousands of lives changed through work, opportunity, and trust. But like any great race, it’s not just about the trophy at the end. It’s about how you run it.
“To the Nth Degree” means going all in, not just on speed, but on care. It means choosing excellence in the small moments that define the big ones. It’s the recruiter who remembers a candidate’s nerves before their first day. The consultant who slows down when a client feels overwhelmed. The teammate who notices when someone needs support, even if it’s not on the agenda.
The Placers 500 reminds us we’re in motion. The Nth Degree reminds us how to move.
We don’t win this race by cutting corners. We win it by choosing people first, even when things are busy. By treating every interaction like it matters, because it does.
When someone looks back on their experience with Placers, they won’t remember our systems. They’ll remember how we treated them when they were unsure, hopeful, or ready for change.
For me, this theme is personal.
I’ve learned that the moments that matter most aren’t always tied to milestones. They’re tied to presence. To show up fully when it would have been easier to rush. To care when it would have been easier to move on.
This year, my word is Freedom.
Freedom to lead with clarity instead of fear. Freedom to choose what matters most. Freedom to trust our people, our values, and the direction we’re heading.
For me, Freedom isn’t about doing less. It’s about doing what matters with purpose, courage, and heart.
So here’s my question for you:
As we run the Placers 500 together, what does the Nth Degree look like in your world? And what’s the one word you want to guide you through this year?
When we run this race with heart, not just hustle, we don’t just hit a number. We change lives along the way.
Until next time, friends,
Chris
P.S. If you want a great framework for how themes can help businesses scale (and how to do them the right way), check out Scaling Up: How a Few Companies Make It… and Why the Rest Don’t.
If this resonates, share it with a friend or colleague. Insight is meant to be shared. A quick like, comment, or repost helps, too.