"It's rare that a business book provides unique insights, and at the same time, is compelling throughout and entertaining to read. Believe in Better hits all of these high marks and covers a broad spectrum of topics that founders and executives struggle with every day. Not only a must and informative read, but a pleasurable one."
David Turner
CEO, Velocity Now
"What sets Believe in Better apart is its raw honesty. Damon doesn't shy away from the missteps and the hard-earned lessons that shaped the success of his company. This isn't a story of a company that got it right from the start, it's a far more relatable and valuable narrative about a company that dared to believe it could be better and then did the hard work to make that belief a reality. A changemaker at heart!"
Deke Copenhaver
Former Mayor, Augusta, Georgia; Bestselling Author, The Changemaker: The Art of Building Better Leaders
"In Believe in Better, Damon Stafford provides leadership principles that have been developed through the highs and lows of his remarkable journey as an entrepreneur. This book delivers inspiring and universal strategies in relatable, experience-driven, and humorous ways. In my career, I have advised hundreds of business owners and executives across a wide variety of industries. Damon's principles are relevant and valuable to any leader regardless of career stage, industry, or size of company."
Phil Colaco
Retired CEO, Deloitte Corporate Finance; Retired Global Leader, Deloitte Corporate Finance Advisory
"Believe in Better is a testament to the power of resilience, adaptability, and the relentless pursuit of excellence. Damon Stafford's candid recount of his company's meteoric rise to an industry titan is not just inspiring-it's a blueprint for any entrepreneur who finds themselves navigating the treacherous waters of business growth and scaling. This guy is the epitome of a professional problem solver."
Marc LaFleur
Bestselling Author, True Founder
"Believe in Better by Damon Stafford is a masterclass in entrepreneurial resilience and innovation, embodying the GRITT principles of being Goal-Driven, Responsible, Involved, Team-oriented, and Tolerant of failure. Stafford's corporate journey resonates with the core of my own philosophy in Keeping Score with GRITT. This book is an essential read for anyone looking to navigate the complexities of business growth with tenacity and a steadfast commitment to evolving core values."
Shawn Burcham
Founder and CEO, PFSbrands; Bestselling Author, Keeping Score with GRITT
"Believe in Better is a compelling and insightful exploration of the entrepreneurial journey, resonating deeply with the challenges and triumphs I've witnessed in the HR industry. Stafford offers a masterful guide to evolving business principles in a rapidly changing corporate landscape. His story is a testament to the power of adaptability, continuous improvement, and the relentless pursuit of excellence. This book is an invaluable resource for any business leader striving to scale their company while maintaining a steadfast commitment to their core values."
Bill Lyons
Founder and Executive Chairman, Lyons HR; Bestselling Author, We Are HR
"As someone who has spent decades helping companies scale up, I can say with confidence that the principles Damon shares are the very essence of what it takes to build not just a successful business, but a sustainable one. From fostering a culture of transparency to embracing change as a constant, Believe in Better is a clarion call to leaders and entrepreneurs to never settle for being the best. They need to be better."
Verne Harnish
Founder, Entrepreneurs' Organization (EO); Author, Scaling Up (Rockefeller Habits 2.0)
“As someone who has spent decades helping companies scale up, I can say with confidence that the principles Damon shares are the very essence of what it takes to build not just a successful business, but a sustainable one. From fostering a culture of transparency to embracing change as a constant, Believe in Better is a clarion call to leaders and entrepreneurs to never settle for being the best. They need to be better.”
Verne Harnish
Founder, Entrepreneurs’ Organization (EO); Author, Scaling Up (Rockefeller Habits 2.0)
"Execs and professionals in any field will be motivated."
BookLife by Publishers Weekly
"Believe in Better covers all the fundamentals of building and running a successful enterprise."
Readers' Favorite
“It’s rare that a business book provides unique insights, and at the same time, is compelling throughout and entertaining to read. Believe in Better hits all of these high marks and covers a broad spectrum of topics that founders and executives struggle with every day. Not only a must and informative read, but a pleasurable one.”
David Turner
CEO, Velocity Now
“What sets Believe in Better apart is its raw honesty. Damon doesn't shy away from the missteps and the hard-earned lessons that shaped the success of his company. This isn't a story of a company that got it right from the start, it’s a far more relatable and valuable narrative about a company that dared to believe it could be better and then did the hard work to make that belief a reality. A changemaker at heart!”
Deke Copenhaver
Former Mayor, Augusta, Georgia; Bestselling Author, The Changemaker: The Art of Building Better Leaders
“In Believe in Better, Damon Stafford provides leadership principles that have been developed through the highs and lows of his remarkable journey as an entrepreneur. This book delivers inspiring and universal strategies in relatable, experience-driven, and humorous ways. In my career, I have advised hundreds of business owners and executives across a wide variety of industries. Damon’s principles are relevant and valuable to any leader regardless of career stage, industry, or size of company.”
Phil Colaco
Retired CEO, Deloitte Corporate Finance; Retired Global Leader, Deloitte Corporate Finance Advisory
“Believe in Better is a testament to the power of resilience, adaptability, and the relentless pursuit of excellence. Damon Stafford’s candid recount of his company's meteoric rise to an industry titan is not just inspiring―it's a blueprint for any entrepreneur who finds themselves navigating the treacherous waters of business growth and scaling. This guy is the epitome of a professional problem solver.”
Marc LaFleur
Bestselling Author, True Founder
“Believe in Better by Damon Stafford is a masterclass in entrepreneurial resilience and innovation, embodying the GRITT principles of being Goal-Driven, Responsible, Involved, Team-oriented, and Tolerant of failure. Stafford’s corporate journey resonates with the core of my own philosophy in Keeping Score with GRITT. This book is an essential read for anyone looking to navigate the complexities of business growth with tenacity and a steadfast commitment to evolving core values.”
Shawn Burcham
Founder and CEO, PFSbrands; Bestselling Author, Keeping Score with GRITT
“Believe in Better is a compelling and insightful exploration of the entrepreneurial journey, resonating deeply with the challenges and triumphs I've witnessed in the HR industry. Stafford offers a masterful guide to evolving business principles in a rapidly changing corporate landscape. His story is a testament to the power of adaptability, continuous improvement, and the relentless pursuit of excellence. This book is an invaluable resource for any business leader striving to scale their company while maintaining a steadfast commitment to their core values.”
Bill Lyons
Founder and Executive Chairman, Lyons HR; Bestselling Author, We Are HR
From the Back Cover
Being the best is fleeting; striving to be better is forever.
There are endless books out there about businesses that had their core principles for success baked right into their corporate DNA from the beginning. This is NOT that book. Believe in Better: The Evolution of Core Principles That Pioneered an Industry is the business book for the rest of us.
In this captivating narrative, industry pioneer Damon Stafford shares the journey of his company, Alpine Intel―a bootstrapped business that exploded to over 1,000 employees and a valuation of over half a billion dollars in just over ten years. He had the vision, and the courage, to bridge a massive gap in the marketplace between insurance carriers and technology. By leaning into the axiom Believe in Better, Damon defined an industry and created a culture of customer-focused success.
Follow Damon and Alpine Intel’s journey as their core principles evolved―evergreen business values like transparency, seeking to understand, and embracing change. Whether you are a C-Suite exec or senior leader embedded deep in the unique InsurTech space, or maybe a hungry entrepreneur who is simply looking for tried-and-true guidance on evolving your own core business principles, Believe in Better: The Evolution of Core Principles That Pioneered an Industry is a journey that is certain to entertain and inspire.
About the Author
As CEO of Alpine Intel, DAMON STAFFORD is responsible for creating strategic direction, executing growth initiatives, and overseeing the executive management team. He leads the organization with his passion for building scalable, profitable growth through a combination of people, software development, and process automation.
He is the founder of two market leaders in the property claims space, HVACi and StrikeCheck, as well as CCG IQ, which houses shared services. Damon’s leadership skills guided CCG IQ through six merger and acquisition transactions.
Prior to founding CCG IQ and its suite of services in 2011, Damon held roles at IBM and EMC. He became devoted to solving problems with technology and data software, which established the philosophy of the CCG IQ and Alpine Intel technology platform.
Damon is a North Carolina native and holds a degree in Business Management from East Carolina University.
