How I Coach

Dear President, CEO, or Founder,

If you've heard of a Business Operating System, you're in the right place. If you haven't, then you're still in the right place.

That's as long as you can answer yes to these questions...

are you a Founder, CEO, President, or other-named leader of your business?
do you have an executive team or the makings of one?
do you have between 20 to 500 employees?
are you ready to make concrete changes in your life and business?
are you tired of quick fixes and flavors of the month?
will you lead the way, and I mean genuinely commit?

Have you heard of EOS®, the Entrepreneurial Operating System®, before?

Or maybe Scaling Up™, eMyth®, or Business Made Simple? Or, any one of a slew of systems and platforms designed to help you systematize your business?

As a former Professional EOS Implementer and lifelong entrepreneur, I've spent years digging into what makes a great Business Operating System.

I've been an EOS Implementer™, sat in your seat multiple times as an entrepreneur, and helped companies create custom Business Operating Systems — focused on lifelong solutions versus quick fixes.

Nothing against EOS or any of the other systems out there. They're all pretty great.

The problem isn't the system. The problem is you.

And the problem is your team.

Until you realize that, you can try as many systems, tools, widgets, platforms, coaches, self-help books, and courses as you like, but nothing will change.

You have to decide to have had enough.

You have to decide to do the hard things.

You have to get frustrated enough to stop spinning your wheels.

And you have to stop trying to blame everyone else for your problems.

You are the captain of your ship — will it go on a fantastic voyage, or will it sink?

Now, that's entirely up to you.

I'm not a magician.

I just speak plainly and clearly.

I got tired of all the marketing fluff.

So, I'm telling you like it is.

Would you like to know if EOS or any other system is 'right' for you?

I can help you decide,

but I'll also tell you why it will fail.

Let's start with why you'll fail at your Business Operating System.

It's because you don't know how to commit.

Everyone gets pumped and jumps onto the bandwagon.

They get sold on the idea of what a great BOS will do.

But, when it gets hard, there are 1,000 excuses.

I've heard them from the best of CEOs and executive teams.

I've made them myself.

If you're sick of making excuses, let me ask...

When will it change?

The answer is, when will you decide for it to change?

You can start today by launching your own custom Business Operating System.

Your BOS can change your future, your company's future, and the future of everyone you reach - your team, your partners, your customers, and your impact.

But none of that will happen with a half-hearted attempt.

None of that will happen if you think I'll do it tomorrow.

None of that will happen if you dodge the tough questions.

None of that will happen if you can't hold yourself accountable.

None of that will happen if you can't hold your team accountable.

All of it will happen if you decide you're finally ready to do the hard work.

But again, you have to commit fully.

And know that you don't yet fully understand.

There will be harder moments that challenge you.

But, if you do this, you'll be better equipped to face those moments.

This is not a sales pitch. Actually, this is the opposite.

I don't want to talk with you if you're not ready.

You'll only waste my time and yours.

Most of you aren't ready. That's just the truth.

All of you can be ready. But, again, that's just up to you.

And, if you haven't done enough soul-searching, then do that first.

Before you read on, go visit these other options: (tap the logos to visit their sites for more info)

EOS® - The Entrepreneurial Operating System® by Gino Wickman (Traction)

EMyth® - Developed by author, Michael Gerber (E-Myth)

Business Made Simple - by author Donald Miller

Scaling Up™ - by Verne Harnish, founder of the Entrepreneurs' Organization (EO)

The 4 Disciplines of Execution® - by Chris McChesney, Sean Covey, & Jim Huling

The Great Game of Business® - by author Jack Stack

Empire Operating System™ - by Eddie Wilson & Gary Harper

Fireproof Performance™ - by Mike Morse and John Nachazel (for law firms)

Gravitas Impact™ - by Keith Cupp

Pinnacle Business Guides™ - by Greg Cleary and Duane Marshall

System & Soul™ - by Benj Miller & Chris White

TrueSpace™ - by Charles Fred and Jamee Fred

Top Teams™ - by me, Zack Swire, and peer coaches. No fluffy marketing. Instead, read on to learn more.

You can also look at the following BOS platforms:

Ninety is the only Business Operating System software I use with my clients.

Now, I hope you didn't get lost down a rabbit trail, deep into a rabbit hole.

Believe me, I've spent years in a deep dive on Business Operating Systems.

It's easy to get lost.

I've also consulted with Mark Abbott and the team at Ninety, which, to me, is the leading platform for your Business Operating System.

You can't go wrong hiring a great EOS Implementer and using Ninety.

That is if you want to use the EOS language and approach and fully commit to it.

If that's what you'd like to do, great.

My top picks for EOS Implementers are:

Shane Spillers - Personal friend and Certified Implementer in the Dallas Area.

Scott Rusnak - Personal friend and Expert EOS Implementer in Southern California

Patrick Metzger - Personal friend and Certified EOS Implementer in North Dakota

🐘 If you reach out to any of these awesome Implementers, please tell them Zack sent you.

I'm also a fan of System & Soul™, as Chris White was my personal EOS coach when I was an Implementer. He and Benj have built a fantastic system. Check them out.

So, why am I no longer an EOS Implementer?

Simple. A massive ~500 pg. franchise contract I couldn't sign.

I went all-in to EOS. My time there was worth every penny. Mostly.

I loved the Implementer boot camp experience. I met a ton of great people.

And, I kicked off my exec team coaching as an Implementer.

But, when they franchised, I couldn't go that route.

The day after signing, I would have been out of compliance.

EOS purity is there for a reason, and it's often needed.

And, for many companies, EOS is a perfect fit.

For many business coaches/consultants, it's perfect as well.

But, it's not how I approach the creation of your BOS with you.

So, I created Top Teams and Top Coach when I left EOS.

I didn't launch my approach to build custom BOSs quickly.

I didn't go after the spoils of the early split when numerous Implementers left.

Instead, I took time to work with a few clients as I read, tested, iterated, and built.

I surrounded myself with incredible business coaches.

I dove in deeper with my existing clients.

And we focused on the results.

Not every company made it. Here's why.

Some companies got complacent and wouldn't do the hard things.

Some forgot that the business still had to meet critical metrics to stay in business.

It wasn't like they didn't know. They did. We discussed it in our sessions.

They committed to do the work but failed to follow through.

They didn't take decisive enough action when it mattered most.

Other companies were able to predict the future and take decisive action.

They are doing incredibly well today.

One of my clients has gone from up-and-down quarters to nearly 30% profit in a competitive industry, where the best-performing companies are at the benchmark of 15%.

Another client of mine recently sold for $30mm more than they tried to sell for just a year prior. That same team had massive employee turnover until we dug into every layer.

And another client of mine recently won Best Place to Work, which was an important goal for their team, in continuing to strengthen their culture and team bonds.

Why do some companies and leaders thrive while others don't?

Is it that some are just lucky?

Or, is it that the ability to predict and take decisive action are both critical leadership traits?

It's the latter.

And the executive team members know it.

They also know when they are choosing to just show up instead of leading forward.

Without a fire for their vision, they're just paid workers and low-performing teams.

I only work with pioneering leaders.

I only work with leaders who know they aren't perfect.

I only work with leaders who want to grow and get better.

I only work with leaders who know that learning and growth never end.

I only work with teams who don't think I'm their magician to fix it all.

I only work with teams who will own their business and their lives.

I love working with a handful of teams that love working with me.

I'm sure some days they don't love working with me. And that's okay, too.

Just like a good parent, I'm sure my kids don't always feel the warm and fuzzies for me and their mom every single day. Discipline is there for a reason.

I can't make anyone do anything.

But, I can speak plainly and be willing to enter tough conversations.

Just like a dentist will tell you...

When there's something stuck in your tooth, you've got to get in there and floss it out.

That's why my approach includes 3 critical pieces that are missing in the BOS world:

1 - The Company Way

2 - The Customer Journey

3 - The Company Wiki

All three of which I built and used in my own companies, along with the help of incredible team members that I was blessed with at the time.

In my decades as an entreprenuer and now coach...

I've never met an exec team that was even 50% in alignment on their Company Way.

I've never met an exec team that had a fully functional Customer Journey.

I've never met an exec team that's built a real Wiki that's used daily.

Let me state it clearly...

If you and your executive team aren't in full alignment on: - how you run your business - and how you serve your customers best ... then how do you think a great BOS is going to solve your problems?

It won't.

I take that back, it will, somewhat.

A great BOS will help you on some fronts, but without full alignment on your

Company Way, Customer Journey, and Company Wiki...

You are making everything you do in your company harder.

You are achieving less profitable growth.

You limit your chances of reaching your vision.

And you won't scale in a healthy and repeatable way.

My Top Teams approach is simple ...

Your customer Business Operating System includes:

Your Company Name BOS

Your Company Name Way

Your Company Name Customer Journey

Your Company Name Wiki

All four of these are ACTUAL and tangible deliverables.

Not marketing fluff.

Not promises that are left undone.

I've known plenty of great BOS coaches, Implementers, Guides, and such, yet I've never met one that does all four of these critical aspects of moving your company from and unintentional to a fully integrated Business Operating System.

They're too busy.

They typically shoot for 20+ clients and are in the session room 2 to 3 days a week. They're pumping out sessions like a teacher who has gone over their lesson a thousand times. Don't get me wrong, it's super helpful and worth it. And every coach is unique.

But, it is different.

It's not my approach.

When we work together, you get the entire package.

I'll handhold you through the journey where needed.

And I'll teach you how to fish so you can do it on your own.

In terms of the tech side of things, I keep it simple, yet current.

Your Custom BOS running on Ninety - everyone in sync and working in real-time.

Your Company Way - a 1-page visual where everyone is in absolute alignment.

Your Customer Journey - a 1-page spreadsheet that guides your game-changing strategy.

Your Company Wiki - a real-time AI-driven Wiki that's used daily in your operations.

Plus, it's also critical that we improve your flow of communication.

I love Slack but will also use Teams (if you make me).

Here's what we don't do:

We don't use email for core communication.

Why? It's siloed and flooded.

We don't use Excel or Google Sheets versions of a BOS.

You'll waste your time, and it won't work.

Lastly, we don't create hacked versions of a BOS.

You can try to replicate one and make it stick.

Hats off to you if you actually succeed.

Many have tried and failed.

Don't waste your time.

Benefit from my time and investment.

I spent years...

learning,

building,

testing,

iterating,

coaching,

and improving.

I tried various platforms.

I tried various approaches.

I took the courses.

I read the books.

I made the mistakes.

But go ahead, take that time if you wish.

Just remember that time is your most precious asset, and you can't get it back.

As a dad of 17-year-old triplets, I feel it more every day. My wife, Gwen, and I will soon wonder where the time went, as our three head off to college.

How much time is wasted in your business and life today?

Serious question. Stop what you're doing and think...

How many stupid emails do you get a day?

How many useless pings hit your phone a day?

How many times are you distracted from what matters most?

How well are you achieving your vision at your work?

How often do you have to step in to fix things?

How often do you not hit your goals?

When will enough be enough?

Only you can answer that question.

All I can say is that when you finally make that decision, there are good options...

The Business Operating Systems I mentioned above.
You can go the DIY route and self-coach; just know what you're in for.
Or, for a few of you, I might be a good fit.

Who do I work with?

1 - Executive teams of small to mid-sized companies

2 - Between $5 to $200 million in revenue (sometimes smaller or larger)

3 - Pioneering leadership teams who are ready for all of what I mentioned above

4 - Able to meet with me in person at my session room in Southern California

5 - Ready to fully commit at every session and between until they graduate

What is the cost?

1 - Your commitment and your time (you'll get more time back by doing it right)

2 - $10K per session + support between (no contracts, we work together to produce results)

3 - Optional profit share of 3% (of attributable gains for 3 yrs)* *Profit share model only available to two clients at a time due to my deeper involvement.

How do you get started, and how often do we meet?

FIT - 5-minute call (goal is for me to see if we're a potential fit)
MODEL - 1 hour on Zoom (w/ your exec team - free - complete overview)
PLAN - 1 full day at my session room with your exec team
DESIGN - 2 full days at my session room
BUILD - 1 full day quarterly and annually
DREAM - As-needed sessions (client specific)

What do you do in those sessions and beyond?

You transform your business and your lives.
You show up for your team, for yourself, and for your families.
You do the hard work that builds your custom Business Operating System.
You get on the same page about your unique Company Way.
You get on the same page about your Customer Journey.
You establish a game-changing Company AI Wiki.
You work through the hard moments together.
You challenge your best thinking.
You keep showing up daily.
You reach your goals.
You enjoy the journey.
You become what you've dreamed.
You inspire your team and those around you.
You leave a lasting legacy that defines your industry.
You look back and thank yourself for doing the hard work.

Okay, so specifically, what do we do together? We...

Create/use an Org Chart that actually works.
Create/use a Strat Plan that actually works.
Create/use a Scorecard that informs and predicts.
Create/use a Company Way that drives your business.
Create/use a Customer Journey that serves your customers best.
Create/use a Company Wiki for a central source of knowledge.
Learn how to bring/ideate/solve your issues, items, & ideas.
Build habits for the future that actually stick this time.
Solidify your unique Business Operating System.

Can you do it on your own?

Sure, self-implement EOS or hire an EOS Implementer.

Or choose any of the other systems.

Or create your own BOS.

Just remember what I said about the time and commitment needed to do it and actually succeed. It's extremely rare. I'm not saying you can't. You can.

But, it's often not done for a reason.

You have to know what you're getting into.

You must add 'self-coach' to your role and carve out time to do it well.

You have to follow through even when it's harder than you thought...

even when your team pushes back with tough questions,

even when you question if you chose the right path,

and especially when you feel like nothing is working.

Can you do it? Sure, you can, but you have to completely commit.

You must be willing to face it head-on and work through every challenge.

Can you use a tool online?

Sure, I recommend Ninety®. I use it with all of my clients.

I've worked with the team at Ninety and wholeheartedly back what they're doing.

Does that tool replace having a coach, guide, or Implementer (EOS)?

Only if you self-implement/coach. Ninety has lots of great resources. You could spend months going through it all. Happy reading. Get up to speed and go for it.

Is there a course online where you can go step by step?

Probably.

Do they work?

Maybe.

Will you actually stick with it?

Well, that's the better question you should ask yourself, isn't it?

I can tell you from experience. I wanted to change the mold.

I built a program called ScaleOS, where I gave leaders everything they needed to successfully implement/coach on their own. And anytime access to get help from peers and from me directly.

Do you know what happened?

Nothing.

Do you know why?

CEOs and leaders like you and me don't need a course.

We just need to make a commitment and stick with it.

ScaleOS gave them everything they needed to self-coach.

But it wasn't perfect. It didn't solve the real 'job to be done'.

It tried to replace an in-person coach with recordings and chats.

So, I killed that project and wrote this letter instead.

So, is a coach like me worth it?

Absolutely.

Why?

Because I only work with clients who are ready to truly commit.

And, I must tell you that I'm not cheap. Yet, I will be your best investment.

Let's play out the math, assuming we spend 2 years together.

$10k/session * avg of 12 sessions = $120K for 2 years.
Optional 3% attributable profit share (available for 2 clients)

That's $120K and 3% of the increase in profit that you wouldn't have had otherwise.

What $28/hr employee can help you transform your entire company?

At $10K per session, that's equivalent to one mid-level employee in your org.

On an annual basis, that's roughly one $28/hour employee or $60K salary.

The work we do together far exceeds the investment in value to you.

Why do I charge per session?

Because it's simple. We do the work together and my work is guaranteed.

I additionally support you between sessions at no extra cost.

It's why I'm selective in the clients I choose to work with.

I teach you 'how to fish' and focus on graduating your team.

If you're worried about the cost, don't worry.

Either we produce results, or we don't.

And, like I said, I guarantee each session.

It's not magic and doesn't happen overnight.

Well, sometimes, I've helped teams 'find' money overnight.

One team 'found' $250K from one quick conversation.

That was double my session rate for two years.

Yet, that's just scratching the surface.

What we do is transformational.

It reaches everywhere.

Take it from those I've worked with and coached over the years...

Visit my Wall of Love for the words of my clients, peers, teams, and more.

One of my current clients just received the Best Place to Work award for the third year and has had record-breaking profitability that doubles their industry benchmark.

A family business client of mine was able to sell to his team and move on to other dreams he had considered pursuing but didn't want to hand off the company until it was solid.

Another of my clients recently sold for $30 million more than expected.

What are my promises to you?

I promise to give you my very best in every single session.
I promise to show up and help you show up even when you don't feel like it.
I promise to call out the tough situations when it's imperative that we do so.
I promise to help you create your own custom Business Operating System.
I promise to help you instill your BOS throughout every layer of your org.
I promise to help you learn how to fish - I'm not doing the work for you.
I promise to help you put words to your vision and work to achieve it.
I promise to help you grow as a leader in a way that inspires others.
I promise to help you get unstuck and learn how to do it yourself.
I promise to help you overcome the tough moments.
I promise to help you, help you.

What is my guarantee?

If your personal and professional transformation isn't what you'd hoped, you don't pay moving forward. I won't refund for past work, but I don't have any contracts. Everything is based on our results. If, after our first full-day session together, you're not fully happy with your choice to work with me, I won't charge you.

If you happen to be one of my two profit-sharing clients, it's based on attributable growth, which we'll map out together. It's only paid when you do better than you expected.

I'm results-driven. Of course, I don't have control over how well you follow through when I'm not there. But, I'm confident enough in my abilities to choose solid teams to work with to provide my personal guarantee. I help you learn how to take care of yourself. In turn, you take care of me as thanks for helping you do so. It's that simple.

What's a typical engagement?

If we pass the 5-Minute FIT Call and 1-Hour MODEL meeting, we're typically together for 1 to 3 years, depending on your team's readiness and abilities.

We'll kick off our adventure together with three setup sessions done over three months. Then you'll be with me for BUILD sessions quarterly and annually.

Between sessions, I'm present for GROWTH meetings as needed per your teams' specific developmental needs. This includes our Company Way, Customer Journey, and Company AI Wiki workshops, which are woven into your BOS.

To quote Forrest Gump, "that's all I have to say about that."

So, what next?

Choose to: - Do Nothing - Self-Coach - Hire a Coach

If you're interested in working with me, let's start with a five-minute FIT Call.

PS.

I welcome you to subscribe to my weekly letter, How We Scale. Illustrated by Jenna Brown. I share my business and life lessons in a way that you can put to good use each week.

PPS.

If what I shared resonated with you, and you know of other executives who could benefit from this letter, I'd greatly appreciate it if you shared it with them. My sincerest thanks.