Operational excellence isn’t just about avoiding disasters — it’s about unlocking your organization’s full potential

I’m excited to introduce Excellence.is, a new program from Purple Pen Labs designed to help leaders transform their operations from solid or struggling to outstanding. With the right insights, focus, and innovations, excellence isn’t just an aspiration — it’s achievable.

Here’s how it works:

1. Self-Assessment: Leaders start with a 30-minute self-guided evaluation to rate their organization in key areas like strategic alignment, leadership, and financial sustainability.
2. Tailored Recommendations: Based on the results, participants will receive a customized report with specific insights and practical suggestions in their key focus areas a few days after completing the evaluation. 
3. Strategy Session: Finally, leaders can book a complimentary one-hour session with me to brainstorm actionable ways to implement these improvements.

We’ve already begun lining up organizations for the program, and I’d love for you to be part of it. Sign up here to learn more, or begin your journey at https://excellence.is

Because operational excellence isn’t just a nice-to-have — it’s the foundation for everything else you want to achieve.

How we got here

Six months ago, I shared a story about one of my biggest operational failures. We missed a single — but critical — detail, and it nearly derailed our biggest source of revenue. It didn’t, thankfully, but it definitely added a few more gray hairs to my collection.

When I started this work, my focus was on preventing the worst failures and alleviating the biggest pain points. I wanted to help leaders shore up their operations so they wouldn’t find themselves in crisis mode. Because let’s face it — when operations fail, everything else falls apart.

Over the last six months I shifted — what if, instead of just preventing the worst, we aimed for the best?

Through my research and conversations, one thing has become clear: organizations that run exceptionally well don’t just avoid failure — they thrive. Strong operations aren’t just a safety net; they’re a springboard. When the foundation is solid, teams can be more innovative, employees are more engaged, and financial resources stretch further. Simply put, good operations keep the lights on, but excellent operations can create real impact.

Thank yous

This project would not have been possible without everyone who contributed to my research surveys, articles, calls and beta testing. Thank you to Kris Holmes and Yukari Kane of the Prison Journalism Project, Jared Liederman, Julie Drizin of Current, Michael Badalov of Dakin Ventures Consulting Group, Sam Adamson, Clare Spencer, Nancy Shute of Science News, Maritza L. Félix of Conecta Arizona, Jennie Ewing Liska of Public Source, Jeffrey Garcia (formerly of Documented), Joel Abrams of The Conversation US, Annie Chabel of The Intercept, Siri Carpenter of Open Notebook, Aliyah Cotton of Charlotteville Tomorrow, Amy Kovac-Ashley of Tiny News Collective, and Corinne Colbert of the Athens County Independent. 

Thanks also to Kat Duncan and the rest of the RJI team, and my amazing fellow travelers: Katherine Lewis, Aura Walmer, Andy Lee Roth, Dana Amihere, Zoli Csernatony, Michelle Kanaar, Alyssa Schukar and Alex Partida.

Are you ready to reach for excellence? Begin your journey at Excellence.is.

Cite this article

Myers, Kate (2025, Feb. 28). Excellence.is within reach. Reynolds Journalism Institute. Retrieved from: https://rjionline.org/news/excellence-is-within-reach/