💡Eric Samdahl

GHSD Group

Eric Samdahl, the charismatic and ingenious mind at the helm of GHSD Group, revolutionizing business consulting with a zest unmatched. 

Imagine a blend of Gary Vaynerchuk's engaging enthusiasm and Simon Sinek's insightful storytelling, sprinkled with Ryan Reynolds' playful charm. That's Eric for you, transforming decades of visionary leadership into actionable insights that elevate, innovate, and infuse joy back into your business ventures. 
As an acclaimed author of "It's Not Just a Journal or Adult Coloring Book" and the upcoming "The Intuition Effect," Eric doesn't just talk business; he redefines it through the power of intuition, sharing this groundbreaking approach on international stages. 
 
With a track record that includes:

- Skyrocketing a CPG company's profits by $1.1M in just 5 months
- Boosting sales for a product-based company by $950K within 6 months
- Unveiling an additional $200K profit in 20 minutes for an e-commerce brand
- Growing revenue by $1M in 6 months for an International service-based company

...and many more victories 

The essence of the Intuition Effect thrives among those with the audacity to dream big and the courage to actually do it. Tailored for entrepreneurs and CEOs who recognize that growth is propelled by consistent, repeatable processes, it resonates with the intellectually curious—those unafraid to probe deeper, question the status quo, and embrace a bold approach to business. This methodology is not a one-size-fits-all solution; it's designed for the visionary willing to explore beyond traditional boundaries, not for those hesitant to take decisive steps towards transformation.

Ready to infuse your life with The Intuition Effect? Let's grab a Coke and a smile (IYKYK)! No really!!!

Founder

Madison Green

I believe that golf is more than just a sport—it's a tapestry of character, values, and timeless moments. It's where everyone, regardless of background or status, can come together and share a passion. A game that tells tales about a person more than words ever could. It's a realm where you should be unapologetically you, whether that means sporting the quirkiest attire or simply enjoying a chilled drink as you wait for your turn. In this world, a hearty laugh is just as crucial as a 300-yard drive, and while being able to count your strokes is handy, cherishing each one is everything.

Golf stands as a testament to our beliefs: that traditions can be honored, while making room for innovation; that the sport should be accessible; and that it's high time the greens echoed with more laughter, flair, and vigor. We hold onto the conviction that every round should be an adventure, everyone’s attire a statement, and every player a testament to the joyous, fun-filled future we envision for golf.

In Texas, we're known for our tenacity, our ability to forge ahead with vigor and determination. It's this very Texas spirit that breathes life into Madison Green. Texas has given the world legendary golfers like Ben Hogan and Byron Nelson, who not only mastered their craft but also embodied the spirit of golf as we see it – a blend of grit, grace, and unyielding passion. Their legacies remind us that golf is more than a game; it's a testament to the enduring spirit of those who play it.

This; is why I started Madison Green.

Be you, play fast, and remember... slow golf really does; suck.

Founder 

ZADASI LLC

At the core of every business or entrepreneurship challenge is a personal limiting belief.

Our work at ZADASI is geared toward creating a better, more equitable future where women founders and women in business have the tools and resources they need to reach the next inflection
point and succeed both in business and in their personal lives, by offering a safe, confidential community that facilitates the elimination of blocks that hinder business growth and a network of experts that foster it.

We provide speed to clarity for women founders and women in business.

Co-Founder 

The HT Group

Working alongside existing leadership teams to evaluate the organizational structure, build/evaluate systems and processes, evaluate comp plans and bring the different functional areas of the business to bear in order to act on the intent of the leadership team. 

HT Group, our mission has always been about changing lives. This isn’t just a marketing catch-phrase! To us, this is a way of life. When the pandemic started, our leadership gathered together to brainstorm on how we could impact our community and change lives while so many were hurting around us.

Executive Advisor

VERCO Group

Designed and drive corporate strategy, help set the strategic direction, define and refine the key questions, prioritize initiatives and resources against key performance metrics, and work cross-functionally to operationalize initiatives.

Distill complex ideas from data, research, and trends into compelling stories for who, what, why, and how.

Identify, Organizational, and prioritize initiatives based on data, customer feedback, and other inputs.

COO | Director of Strategy

Fringe Sport

Ecommerce and retail company.
Directly responsible for all warehouse operations, including shipping and receiving, safety, managing, development of the team that ships 4000-5000 items per month.  Work on various projects that include Finance, ERP systems, marketing, and sales. Created new warehouse flow and systems that increased efficiency by 20%. Also reduced order cycle time by 5%. Negotiated with shipping vendors to save 20% on a volume of over 1M.

Warehouse Operations Manager

COLORADO FASTENERS

Colorado Fasteners, Edwards, CO, 2004 – 2018
COO / OPERATIONS DIRECTOR
B2B and Ecommerce company
●	Responsible for sales management functions for both outside and inside salespeople, including training and performance management, developed metrics and programs that increased sales by 6% 
●	Operational responsibility for a 35-employee construction fastener company with two physical locations and eight mobile locations, driving more than $10M revenue selling and delivering product direct-to-customer. 
●	Assessed and selected a vendor, negotiated terms, and managed implementation of a new industry-specific ERP system resulting in an ROI of 14 months.
●	Accountable solely for managing supply chain and associated vendor negotiations in excess of 30,000 discrete SKU numbers. Increased inventory turn to 4.3
●	Navigate negotiation, purchase, and integration of a market competitor into the organization, including staff, inventory, and adding new systems into the existing location within 6 months of acquisition.
●	Integrated full-scale E-commerce website with existing ERP, which decreased inbound customer call volume by 18%.
●	Managed WMS for multiple locations, for both mobile and brick and mortar. This includes Picking, Receiving, and Cycle Counting. Implemented a metrics-based bonus system for warehouse staff. Increasing productivity by 8% and decreased errors by 4%.

 COO / Operations Director

Bouquets

Bouquets, Beaver Creek, CO, 2002 –  2004
Retail, B2B, and E-commerce luxury good company
GENERAL MANAGER
●	Directed profit, loss, and operations for high-end floral and home décor business at a single resort location with annual revenue of $1,500,000. 
●	Increased floral delivery by 13% through process improvement and delivery practices while maintaining design.
●	Negotiated and produced holiday décor for Park Hyatt and Ritz Carlton Resorts these two accounts contributed 14% to annual sales.

General Manager

The Golden Bear

The Golden Bear, Vail, CO 1999 – 2002
E-commerce and Retail Luxury goods company
COO/OPERATIONS MANAGER
●	Profit and loss responsibility for two luxury jewelry, clothing,​ home décor and E-commerce stores with 17 employees and annual sales of $14,000,000 
●	Generated complimentary lines by utilizing contacts within the jewelry industry, resulting introduction of 3 new lines yielded an additional $200,000 profit the first year
●	Responsible for hiring, and sales / process coaching, providing reports and presentations on health and performance of all aspects of the business to Owner
●	Developed sales goals, budget and market planning yielding growth of 12%

COO / Operations

𝗘𝗿𝗶𝗰 is the visionary force behind 𝗚𝗛𝗦𝗗 𝗚𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗽 and the creator of 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗜𝗻𝘁𝘂𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗘𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗰𝘁™, revolutionizing business consulting. Imagine the dynamism of Gary Vaynerchuk, the narrative prowess of Simon Sinek, and the wit of Ryan Reynolds. That’s Eric, channeling decades of leadership into strategies that elevate and reinvigorate businesses.

Eric has a unique ability to see what others cannot. His deep analytical skills and creative vision enable him to diagnose and optimize businesses with precision.

Here are some notable and remarkable achievements:

​​✅ Catapulting a CPG company to a $1.1M profit surge in just 5 months.

✅ Elevating a product-based business with an ADDITIONAL $950K in sales within 6 months.

✅ Unlocking an additional $200K profit for an e-commerce venture in just 20 minutes.

✅ Amplifying an international service-based company’s revenue by $1M in 6 months.

To illustrate the impact, one company owner above wanted to travel at will. Eric showed her how that could happen with systems and processes, allowing her team to run the business.

His genuine care for clients results in solutions that are both effective and impactful. Working with Eric is a game-changer. His blend of empathy, expertise, and visionary leadership uncovers hidden potential and drives sustainable growth.

With 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗜𝗻𝘁𝘂𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗘𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗰𝘁™️, Eric champions an innovative paradigm harnessing intuition to redefine business success. This philosophy has captivated audiences worldwide, positioning Eric as a luminary on the international speaking circuit. 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗜𝗻𝘁𝘂𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗘𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗰𝘁™️ is a call to those bold enough to dream and act with conviction. It's designed for entrepreneurs who recognize that growth is fueled by consistent, repeatable processes and appeals to the intellectually curious, those unafraid to question the status quo and adopt a daring approach to business. 

Eric’s experience allows him to grasp both the big picture and finer details, providing insights that transform businesses from the inside out. By uncovering inefficiencies, identifying growth opportunities, or realigning strategies to market demands, Eric's approach is strategic and intuitive. His solutions are innovative, practical, and results-driven.

With Eric by your side you'll work smarter, not harder. 

Experience the transformative journey with Eric and see the profound impact he can have on your business. 
𝗦𝗵𝗼𝗼𝘁 𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝗮 𝗗𝗠 𝘁𝗼 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻.

Co-Founder, CTO

𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘁𝗿𝘂𝘁𝗵 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗮𝘃𝗼𝗶𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴?

Most meetings fail for one simple reason:
no one is naming the real issue.

So here’s the reset I teach inside The Intuition Effect:
𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗚𝘂𝘁-𝗖𝗵𝗲𝗰𝗸 𝗠𝗲𝗲𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴.

 Ten minutes.

 Three questions that remove the fog:

🟣 What feels off?
🟣 What are we avoiding?
🟣What would we do if fear wasn’t steering the call?

The moment those answers hit the table, the room changes.

Direction sharpens.

Tension drops.

People stop performing and start communicating.

Leaders move faster when they stop negotiating with what they already know.

If you’re ready to build a company that operates from grounded truth instead of hesitation,
this is the work.

This is 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗜𝗻𝘁𝘂𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗘𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗰𝘁™.

💡𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗜𝗻𝘁𝘂𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗘𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗰𝘁™🚀
𝗗𝗲𝗰𝗶𝗱𝗲 𝗹𝗶𝗸𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗺𝗲𝗮𝗻 𝗶𝘁. 𝗬𝗼𝘂 𝗮𝗹𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗱𝘆 𝗸𝗻𝗼𝘄.


#TheIntuitionEffect™
#IntuitiveLeadership
#FounderMindset
#BusinessExecution
#TeamPerformance
#StrategicLeadership
#GHSDGroup

💡 Founder, Strategist & Builder | The Intuition Effect™ | Madison Green | Ledlow Security Group (Boutique Executive Services for Leaders & Families)| Forklift Driver & Mountain Bike Racer 🚵🏻‍♂️

What are we hiding?

𝗪𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝘂𝗽 𝗳𝗮𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿.

I saw something this week that made me stop and think about how quickly things shift in business.

Big players don’t wait for trouble to get loud. 

They move when the signs are still small. 

They stay awake, even when things look steady.

That’s where most founders fall behind.

Not from lack of talent — from believing they still have time when they don’t.
This video is about that moment.

The moment when pressure shows up quietly… and leadership either kicks in or falls asleep at the wheel.

If you’re feeling a shift in your space and you’re not sure what it means, that’s the work we do inside 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗜𝗻𝘁𝘂𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗘𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗰𝘁™.

Reach out.

Let’s get you ahead of the curve again.

💡𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗜𝗻𝘁𝘂𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗘𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗰𝘁™🚀
𝗗𝗲𝗰𝗶𝗱𝗲 𝗹𝗶𝗸𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗺𝗲𝗮𝗻 𝗶𝘁. 𝗬𝗼𝘂 𝗮𝗹𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗱𝘆 𝗸𝗻𝗼𝘄.


#TheIntuitionEffect™ 
#IntuitiveLeadership 
#FounderMindset 
#BusinessMoves 
#LeadershipDevelopment 
#StayAhead 
#GHSDGroup

BeneficCapital LLC

Benefic Capital is a private family office investment firm dedicated to building generational wealth by transforming business cash flow into long-term, income-producing assets.

My Role:

Lead investment strategy across small business acquisitions, real estate, and alternative assets.

Apply a “business-as-an-asset” framework to create scalable wealth beyond active income.

Partner with other entrepreneurs to design holistic wealth strategies that combine operating businesses with investment portfolios.

Document and share lessons learned to help other business owners think and act like investors.

Highlights & Results:

Structured investment vehicles that reinvest profits from coaching and marketing ventures into appreciating assets.

Expanded holdings into both operating companies and long-term real estate assets.

Developed frameworks for owners to turn their businesses into wealth-building engines rather than jobs they’re stuck in.

Founder & Managing Partner

ActionCOACH Central Texas

At ActionCOACH Central Texas, we help ambitious business owners scale beyond themselves, building companies that create freedom, profit, and long-term wealth.

My Role:

Lead strategy as Sr. Partner across coaching, operations, and growth initiatives.

Coach business owners directly on scaling systems, building high-performing teams, and driving profit.

Train and mentor other coaches within ActionCOACH, focusing on podcast hosting, storytelling, and engaging client communities.

Serve as CFO/CMO-level strategist for select clients, bringing a systems-first approach to marketing, finance, and operations.

Highlights & Results:

Supported multiple business owners in scaling from ~$1M to $5M+ revenue.

Helped owners regain 10+ hours per week through delegation and systemization.

Guided companies through successful exits and acquisitions, creating legacy wealth.

Recognized as a top ActionCOACH team worldwide for performance and impact.

Visit us online at https://actioncoachcentraltx.com/

Sr. Partner & Business Growth Strategist

The Business Spotlight Series

The Business Spotlight Series is one of the largest business owner driven education series in the world! Business Spotlight provides an outlet for business owners to speak about their journeys, their challenges and successes in order to drive brand awareness and help others learn.

Host - Business Spotlight Austin

Benefic Marketing

Benefic Marketing is a Client Acquisition Intelligence™ firm helping small businesses, franchises, and agencies turn chaos into clarity through CRM automation, dashboards, and strategic marketing systems.

My Role:

Design and implement scalable systems that give owners clarity on sales, marketing, and operations.

Lead product innovation for our SaaS dashboards and reporting platforms (BeneficIQ, Leadflux).

Oversee custom CRM builds, automation workflows, and lifecycle-based campaigns tailored to local businesses and franchises.

Partner with owners to shift decision-making from guesswork to data-driven growth strategies.

Highlights & Results:

Built fully automated dashboards that reveal which products, services, and campaigns actually drive profit.

Helped local business owners cut marketing waste by 20–40% through better attribution tracking.

Designed CRM systems that improved lead response times and increased conversion rates by up to 2–3x.

Developed white-labeled solutions for agencies, enabling them to scale client acquisition and retention.

Learn more at https://beneficmarketing.com/

Founder and CEO

ActionCOACH WilCo

*ActionCOACH WilCo is NOW OFFICIALLY ActionCOACH of Central Texas!* 

Award Winning Sr. Partner & Marketing Manager 🔹 Founder 🔹 Entrepreneur 🔹 Business Strategist 🔹 Speaker & Educator 🔹 Certified Business Coach

Co-Owner, Global Sr. Partner, & COO (Merged to ActionCOACH Central Texas)

Bank of America

Wealth Management Lending Officer - NMLS 1510701
tanner.obrien@bofa.com

https://mortgage.bankofamerica.com/tanner-o'brien

At Bank of America, I am responsible for assisting High Net Worth and Ultra High Net Worth families in the purchase of new homes, restructuring/refinancing current mortgage debt to access equity or improve cash flow.  Prime responsibilities include: engaging with clients and Merrill Advisors on topic of home loans, coaching team partners (bankers, financial advisors, and other associates of the firm) in recognizing home loan solutions for clients, loan origination, pipeline management, and achieving company targets.  In addition to my role within the firm, I own my part of the business and develop relationships with outside agents within the real estate sector.

VP - Wealth Management Lending Officer, NMLS 1510701

Mortgage Loan Officer - NMLS 1510701
tanner.obrien@bofa.com

https://mortgage.bankofamerica.com/tanner-o'brien

At Bank of America, I was responsible for mortgage loan sales within my assigned financial centers.  Prime responsibilities included: engaging with clients within financial centers on topic of home loans, coaching team partners (personal bankers, financial advisors, and other banking associates) in recognizing home loan solutions for clients, loan origination, pipeline management, and achieving company targets.  In addition to my role within the Financial Center, I owned my part of the business and develop relationships with outside agents within the real estate sector.

Mortgage Loan Officer, NMLS 1510701

CENT Credit Union

I was responsible for all mortgage loans: accepting applications, quoting rates, verifying credit, determining appropriate mortgage programs and originating loans, underwriting, processing, closing, funding, and all communication between borrower, buying and selling agents, appraisal companies, title companies and attorneys, insurance agents, and other representatives as needed.  I was also responsible for the management of all escrow accounts at CENT, managing a team of five employees, consumer lending (personal and auto loans), management of collection/delinquency, monthly reporting of Lending Department statistics, member service and front line transactions as needed, and other financial duties as assigned by the CEO.

Mortgage Loan Originator & Consumer Lender

Main Street Mason City

I was responsible for the development, conduct, coordination, and documentation of the Main Street Mason City Program. I served as the principal on-site individual coordinating Main Street Mason City activities that recognize historic preservation as an integral foundation for downtown economic development. 
As the Director, I was also responsible for grant writing, committee coordination, building and maintaining relationships with downtown businesses, managing the administrative tasks of the organization, volunteer coordination, and working with Mason City Chamber of Commerce, Economic Development Agencies, Mason City CVB, and the City of Mason City.

Executive Director

Mason City Chamber of Commerce

I was responsible for over 20 successful events and 4 new programs. My biggest success to date was the successful relocation of the North Iowa Band Festival to Downtown, Mason City.  I was the staff liaison to following standing committees: Agribusiness, Blue Zones Project Worksite, Business Resource, Events, and the North Iowa Band Festival, I was the Coordinator of the North Iowa Band Festival (Mason City's signature event) and all other programs/events hosted by the Chamber of Commerce, I was involved with fund-raising through events, sponsorship, and grant writing, my other duties include budget setting, media relations, volunteer coordination, and marketing for each of the Chamber events as well as the development of new programs and increasing profits of current events.  I was also responsible for implementing all policies and procedures necessary for the Chamber of Commerce to become a designated Blue Zones Project worksite.

Program Director

Life Time Fitness

Metabolic Specialist
 ◦	I provided technical leadership and training to Personal Training department, Metabolic Technicians, and members in the areas of metabolic testing, heart rate monitors and RiskPoint. Consistently provided metabolic testing and heart rate monitor services.  Managed inventory, new hire check list, implemented marketing and promotional strategies.  I also ensured our club hits revenue needs for the program.  
 
 Personal Trainer
 ◦	Worked with individuals of all ages and abilities to help them accomplish healthy way of life goals.  Provided clients with education, nutrition, and training to foster progress towards individual goals.  Responsible for customer service, sales, and member engagement of all members in the fitness club.  Track own business and strive to hit business goals set for myself.   Lead one on one training, small group, and classes of 12+ individuals.

Metabolic Specialist/Personal Trainer

Award Winning Sr. Partner at ActionCOACH Central Texas | Entrepreneur, Business Owner, & Coach | Host of 'Business Spotlight' Austin

Most business owners don’t fail because they lack drive.
They fail because they become the bottleneck.

They’re working harder than ever, yet the business still depends on them for every decision, every sale, every fire that needs putting out.

That was me, too. I left a high-paying career in banking to join my family business and quickly learned: success at scale doesn’t come from working more. It comes from building a business that works without you.

Over the last decade, I’ve:

Helped business owners replace chaos with clarity through scalable systems and dashboards.

Partnered with leaders to build teams who take ownership instead of adding more management layers.

Guided entrepreneurs through the messy middle of growth to unlock time freedom, financial clarity, and long-term wealth.

Today, I wear a few hats:

Sr. Partner at ActionCOACH Central Texas – leading one of the fastest-growing business coaching firms.

Founder of Benefic Marketing – building CRM, automation, and dashboard solutions for local businesses and franchises.

Investor at Benefic Capital – turning business cash flow into long-term, wealth-building assets.

But titles aside, here’s what matters:
I help ambitious business owners buy back their time, scale beyond themselves, and build lasting wealth and freedom.

If that’s the journey you’re on, follow me here.
Every week, I share frameworks, stories, and systems to help you move from operator… to owner.

— Tanner

Tanner O'Brien

Two years ago I was asked to help emcee 1MCups. Yesterday we wrapped the final event of 2025 — and the growth has been wild.

When I first stepped in, we averaged about 20–25 people each month.
Now we’re consistently seeing 50–60 entrepreneurs show up.

That matters.
Because every new person brings a new perspective, a new question, and a new insight that helps the presenter (and the room) get better.

Watching dozens of founders step up and share their businesses has been one of my favorite things this year. The energy, the honesty, the willingness to learn — it makes the whole community stronger.

Huge congrats to the Round Rock team for building something special.
And a big shoutout to Priscilla Luzader Pipho  for an awesome presentation yesterday.

Looking forward to an even bigger 2026.

Round Rock Chamber 
Adriana Nunez-Young 
Bill Combes 
Bryan Eisenberg

Building businesses that run without the owner through systems and AI-driven execution. | ActionCOACH | Benefic Marketing | Benefic Capital

No alternative text description for this image

Become Undeniable
Be the version of yourself that cannot be ignored.

Every day I remind myself of one rule:

You’re not competing with the world.
You’re competing with the guy you were yesterday.

And when I look back, the gap between old me and current me is clear.

Yesterday-Me (the real version):

Thought I knew a lot more than I did because I learned fast
Believed waking up at 5 AM was the only way to be successful
Filled downtime with music, TV, and stories
Worked because I had to pay the bills
Chased “work-life balance” like it was a finish line

Today-Me (the man I’m building):

Approaches everyone as someone I can learn from
Focuses more on what I do after waking up than the exact time
Chooses podcasts, YouTube, and skills that make me better
Works because I love what I’m building and who I’m building it with
Lives in work-life harmony, not work-life tug-of-war

None of this came from a dramatic moment.
It came from slow, steady upgrades in how I think and how I show up.

Here’s what I’ve learned:

Discipline compounds
Identity shifts quietly
The small reps shape the big outcomes

Most people wait for motivation.
But the people who become undeniable?
They stack tiny wins until the old version of themselves can’t keep up.

I’m not trying to be perfect.

I’m just trying to become a man my future self would point to and say:
“He kept going. He kept growing.”

Keep going. Your future self is watching.

Round Rock State of the Coty update. 

Great things in progress here in Round Rock!

Round Rock Chamber

Some parts of business look chaotic, even when the work is solid.
Marketing is one of them.

For years, I kept trying to “fix” my marketing.
New platform.
New ad.
New idea.
Same inconsistency.

Some weeks everything moved.
Other weeks…nothing.
And I’d find myself asking questions that weren’t helpful:

Is it the market?
The algorithm?
Me?

Here’s the part nobody tells you:

Most of the buyer’s journey happens where you can’t see it.
And that invisibility makes good owners doubt themselves.

It’s not that your marketing is broken.
It’s that you’re reacting to the final 10 percent of someone’s decision as if it’s the whole story.

When I finally understood that, the weight shifted.

I stopped expecting every lead to move the same way.
I stopped assuming slow weeks meant something was wrong.
And I stopped treating every inquiry like they were starting from zero.

Because they weren’t.

If you want a clearer view, try this:

Think of the last customer you closed and write three simple lines:
	•	TOF: Where they first came across you
	•	MOF: What they looked at before trusting you
	•	BOF: What pushed them to act

Then drop this into ChatGPT:

ROLE:
You are a small-business marketing strategist who explains things simply.

CONTEXT:
Here is the real path my last customer took:
TOF: [YOUR EXAMPLE]
MOF: [YOUR EXAMPLE]
BOF: [YOUR EXAMPLE]

COMMAND:
1. Show me how this funnel handles warm vs cold leads.
2. Identify the biggest blind spot in how I’m viewing my buyer.
3. Give me 3 improvements I can make this month.

FORMAT:
- Warm Lead Analysis
- Cold Lead Analysis
- My Blind Spot
- Top 3 Improvements


Seeing the whole path won’t magically remove the ups and downs.
But it will give you something far more valuable:
perspective.

And perspective is what turns stress into strategy.

What part of your buyer’s journey feels the most invisible to you right now?

“Happiness is seeing progress, not being perfect.”
That line stuck with me all week.

I had the honor of presenting at the Business Leader Series workshop the other week — 40+ entrepreneurs in the room.
We talked about how to reverse-engineer your 2026 Game Plan:
profit first, then activity, then action.

Afterward, a few people came up and said,
“That finally clicked for me.”
That’s the win. When something you’ve learned the hard way lands for someone else.

Between that, watching our team hit new milestones, and volunteering with the Round Rock Chamber…
I was reminded that fulfillment isn’t found in the “finish line.”
It’s in the motion. The little forward steps.

We’re now 13.8 months away from retiring my parents from our family business.
Every system built, every team member empowered, every client served — it all adds up.

If you’re building something big, don’t chase perfect.
Just make progress today.

What’s one small win you’re celebrating this week?

In business, in real estate, in life, the things that look like upgrades can often be traps.

I sold the house. I shouldn’t have. My first real estate win felt like a triumph. Bought a house for $68K. Fixed it up. Sold it for nearly $90K. Not b

Open article: The Lesson That Cost Me $50,000 by Tanner O'Brien • 1 min read

My dreams had been too small.

Not because I lacked ambition. But because I hadn’t seen enough examples of what was possible.

I held a gold bar in my hand… … and I didn’t feel successful. I felt surprised. Because I never expected to hold one. Not at this stage of life. Not i

Open article: Your Dream is Too Small by Tanner O'Brien • 1 min read

There’s no panic like checking your bank account and realizing your paycheck wasn’t really yours.

I was a psychology grad in a sales job. It didn’t go well. When I graduated, I didn’t want to go to grad school. So I became a personal trainer. The p

Open article: You Don't Need to Know Everything by Tanner O'Brien • 1 min read

13 months from now, my parents retire from our family business.

Not "someday." Not "when we're ready."
December 2026. Hard stop.

That deadline changed everything.

Here's what I realized:
Without a forcing function, I was building a business that could run without me.
With a deadline, I'm building a business that must run without them.

The difference? Urgency kills perfectionism.

This is what we've done in the last 90 days:
✅ Documented every role my parents currently fill
✅ Hired and trained 2 new team members to absorb their responsibilities
✅ Automated weekly reporting so leadership decisions don't require their input
✅ Built an AI training system so new hires onboard faster
✅ Systemized our sales process so it's duplicatable across future locations

The goal isn't to replace my parents.
The goal is to make the business an asset, not a job.

And here's the uncomfortable truth:
If your business can't run without you, you don't own a business.
You own a high-paying job with unlimited hours.

This deadline forced me to ask hard questions:

What decisions am I making that someone else could make?
What's in my head that should be in a system?
What am I doing that I'm not uniquely suited to do?

Every answer became a project.
Every project became a system.
Every system bought back time.
The best part?

We're tracking everything. Every system. Every hire. Every process.
Because if we can retire my parents in 13 months, we can help other owners do the same.

If you want to know if your systems actually work, give yourself a deadline.
Not "eventually." Not "in a few years."
A real date. Real stakes. Real accountability.
That's where theory meets execution.

13 months. Let's build.

Last Tuesday a franchise owner called me, frustrated.

"We've got 10 locations. We've automated everything. Why can't we scale?"
I pulled up his dashboard.

10 locations. 10 different CRMs. 10 different definitions of "qualified lead."

That's when I realized:
He didn't have automation. He had 10 expensive silos pretending to be a system.

Here's what I told him—
Automation ≠ Systemization

You can automate workflows all day.
But if every location defines "Marketing Qualified Lead" differently, your data is fractured.

You can't compare performance.
You can't deploy universal solutions.
You can't scale insights.

The real problem?

His general managers kept saying: "My location is different. I need custom systems."
And he kept nodding.

That's where scale dies.

Here's why customization kills leverage:
Different systems = different training

Now you need 10 onboarding programs instead of one.
Different naming = different reporting

Before you can analyze anything, you spend hours normalizing data.
Different processes = different support

Every location needs custom troubleshooting. Nothing is replicable.

Think about McDonald's.
They don't let franchises customize the Big Mac by location.
Why? Because sameness creates economies of scale.
Same menu. Same suppliers. Same systems.
That's how they went from 1 location to 40,000.

Here's what I see over and over:
Business owners confuse "flexibility" with "strength."
They think accommodating every location makes them supportive.
Actually? It makes them stuck.
One great system deployed 10 times = efficient.
10 custom systems = expensive nightmare.

If your general managers are all demanding customization, you have two choices:

Keep accommodating and stay stuck at 10 locations
Standardize the system and scale to 100

The companies that win don't have the most flexible systems.
They have the most duplicatable ones.
True systems are identical. Processes can flex.

McDonald's: Same burger. Different languages.
Amazon: Same warehouse system. Different products.
FedEx: Same routing software. Different cities.

Sameness at the foundation. Flexibility at the edges.

Most teams don’t need more meetings. They need better reflection loops.

Thanksgiving week slowed the business down, but it opened my brain up.
And I realized something: the biggest unlock for my team this year wasn’t a strategy…it was a simple AI-powered routine we installed inside ChatGPT.

Every day at 4 or 5p, my team now gets automatically prompted with:
• What did you actually accomplish today?
• What was the biggest win?
• What needs to happen tomorrow?
• What are you carrying mentally that needs to get out of your head?

They answer → ChatGPT formats → and, their Daily Activity Report is generated.
No friction. No chasing. No forgetting.

The outcome:
• More clarity.
• Better handoffs.
• Fewer “Oh shoot I forgot…” moments.
• Managers spend less time checking in.
• Team members feel in control of their day.

But the real win was this: it taught the team how to use AI as a personal operating system.
We even built role-specific instruction sets so ChatGPT knows their job and becomes a context-aware assistant.

This is what AI in small business should look like.
Not hype. Not magic.
Just consistency.
Just execution.

If you want your team to adopt AI…don’t start with big tools.
Start with one daily workflow that removes friction and gives them a win within 24 hours.

What’s one routine in your business that would be easier if AI just handled it for you?

This week had everything — wins, chaos, and a few fires that reminded me just how unpredictable business can be.

We onboarded our 8th team member (welcome, William 👊), and for the first time, I didn’t feel buried by it. (yay - starting to fill the spaces in the office!)

Why? Because our systems, and my executive assistant, Taylor, made it feel easy.
That’s the unlock: when you finally build a business that doesn’t need you in every step.

Hiring someone new always exposes gaps. Missing videos. Unwritten SOPs. The steps you forgot existed.
But those gaps are gold, they show you exactly where to strengthen your systems.

My dad and I are sitting down next week to record the missing sales training videos.
Not glamorous, but that’s how we build the machine that will one day let him (and Mom) step out.

Progress over perfection. Every week, one more brick in the wall.

What’s one system in your business that still depends on you?

You are a culmination of the people you choose to surround yourself with…

This has been one of the most powerful pieces of advice I’ve received to date. 

Episode 4 is live on YouTube - a bit of fun on this journey to retire my parents from our business before the end of 2026. 

The week opened with a ride in a Lamborghini at Circuit of the Americas, thanks to a mentor who is living at a level I’m working toward. It was a reminder I needed: get around people who are further ahead, who think bigger, and who show you by example what’s possible.

From there, the week shifted into deep strategic work. We mapped out multiple pathways to hit the 13.5-month goal, challenged our assumptions, and clarified what the future business needs to look like if it’s going to run without me.

A big part of the vlog is the system buildout:
 • Real-time recorded trainings
 • Turning transcripts into SOPs
 • Rolling out full AI project folders
 • Custom GPTs for call reviews and call notes
 • Building an AI sales role-play bot
 • Setting tighter boundaries with scope creep

This wasn’t a “flashy” week. It was a systems week. The kind that compounds.

Why who you surround yourself with matters
https://lnkd.in/gwRnzgfG

Open video: Why who you surround yourself with matters on youtu.be

Why who you surround yourself with matters

I hate to break it to you, but your marketing isn’t underperforming…your offer is unclear.

That was a hard truth for me to swallow the first time I realized it.

I kept trying to fix things at the surface level.
New copy.
New graphics.
New ideas.
More posting.
More activity.

But the real issue wasn’t my marketing.
It was the way I was explaining the value behind what I did.

Here’s what I eventually learned:

People don’t buy activity.
They buy outcomes, clarity, and confidence.

And when your offer feels fuzzy to them, they don’t reject you —
they simply hesitate.

That alone can stall an entire business.

Once I understood that, I stopped chasing noise and got honest about my 4Ps:

Problem: Most owners feel stuck because nothing in their marketing feels predictable.
Promise: I help them build simple, clear systems that create visibility and consistent sales.
Path: We break it down one piece at a time — funnel, offer, CRM, follow-up, AI.
Proof: Real businesses using this approach reduce chaos and finally understand how growth works.

When I started speaking from that level of clarity, everything else aligned.
My content had direction.
My conversations got lighter.
People understood what I actually helped them achieve.

If you want to get clearer on your own offer, start with this:

Write these four words on a blank page:

Problem
Promise
Path
Proof

Fill them in honestly.
Right now.
No polishing.
No clever phrasing.
Just the truth about the real value you deliver.

If you want to refine it, drop this into ChatGPT:

ROLE:
You are a small-business offer strategist who keeps messaging simple and clear.

CONTEXT:
Here is my offer using the 4Ps:
Problem: [TEXT]
Promise: [TEXT]
Path: [TEXT]
Proof: [TEXT]

I serve [TYPE OF CUSTOMER] in [INDUSTRY/LOCATION].

COMMAND:
1. Point out anything vague, generic, or confusing.
2. Create two improved versions of my offer:
   - Version A: Simple and clear.
   - Version B: Bolder but still realistic.

FORMAT:
- Offer Audit
- Version A
- Version B


Clarity is the multiplier.
It’s what turns scattered effort into steady progress.

I’m convinced most businesses don’t have a lead-generation problem.
They have a lead capture consistency problem.

I used to walk out of networking events with 6–7 business cards…
…and then life would happen.
Calls. Kids. Meetings.
By the time I sat down to log everything, half the details were gone.

The other week, during some quiet Thanksgiving downtime, I finally built the tool I wish I had.

We’re calling it Prospect Voice (for now).

Here’s how it works:
• You leave an event.
• You tap one button.
• You talk through who you met, what was said, and any follow-ups.
• Hit stop.
• AI transcribes everything, pulls out each individual lead, fills in details, and creates cards automatically.

Then you can:
• Scan business cards to fill any missing data
• Add teammates as followers on shared leads
• See lead scoring + smart suggestions
• Store call transcripts and meeting notes in one place

No more “I’ll log this later.”
No more missed opportunities.
No more scattered notes.

If your growth depends on relationships, your follow-up system can’t rely on memory or motivation.
It has to be automatic.
It has to be immediate.
And it has to be easy enough that your team actually uses it.

If you want early access once it goes live, comment "Prospect Voice" and I’ll send the details.

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