An open letter to Founders of SMBs:
I'm Zack Swire, lifelong entrepreneur and executive coach — I've been in your shoes and I've coached numerous exec teams. Yet, I've been disappointed at the state of coaching and consulting since I began down this path a few years ago. Although there are some truly great coaches and programs in existence, few focus on long term growth that actually achieves notable outcomes.
Why is that?
- coaches and consultants are expensive and not easily accessible
- existing programs and methods are focused on selling their programs
- leaders need greater support during their journey to change for good
What are your options today?
- figure it out on your own (aka, try harder)
- pay top dollar for a great coach and/or consultant ($5k/day or more is typical)
- take a course, read a book, sign up for a tool, and/or join a cohort
Why don't these options work for most?
- you've already tried numerous times (you don't know what you don't know)
- you've been burned on spending the $$ in the past (w/o great outcomes)
- you get a quick win or two, but making it stick is the hard part
When will it get better?
- when you decide to truly own the solutions internally
- when you commit fully to the actions needed for the long term, at every level
- when you have the support to stick w/ it and overcome the challenges
If you're tracking with me, then you've probably experienced much of this first hand.
You're a founder, CEO, or exec team leader of a small to mid-sized company.
I've worked with you.
I understand the pains you've gone through.
And, I've been you.
I've built companies from the ground up. I've succeeded. I've failed. I've picked myself up, dusted myself off, and gone for it again.
Coaching and business operating systems are ripe for disruption...
Back in 2019, I had the privilege to be in Professor Clayton Christensen's Harvard course online for Disruptive Strategy.
At the time, I wasn't a coach.
I was a founder who was looking for what to do next.
I had done some consulting work and was enjoying it, but during my time in the class, I decided to research the state of coaching and consulting.
What I found wasn't pretty...
...yet, I uncovered a silver lining.
The 'job to be done' of founders and their teams is often misunderstood by most coaches, consultants, software tools, and solutions that exist today.
As a problem solver by nature, I wanted to fix that.
But, before I could consider creating a solution to the problem, I had to learn invaluable lessons to get to the heart of the issues.
To start, I became a coach.
I wanted to create my own coaching company, but my wife, Gwen, gave me solid advice. She said better to learn from the best than to stumble through. She knew me. She knew I would work hard to fix anything and to learn whatever was needed. But, she also knew that my experience was in being an entrepreneur, not a coach.
So, I became a full fledge business coach and joined the ranks of EOS, a world-renowned group of coaches, which they call Implementers.
I spent the next two years in the trenches with executive teams and their people.
I dove right in to helping clients by leveraging the EOS approach.
But, there were holes.
And, as EOS switched to a franchise model, I said my goodbyes nicely, as any good visionary leader would do when stuck in a corner.
I left and launched Top Teams.
At this point, I had done a lot more research, training, and self-development on my own coaching skills. And, I had the client recommendations to prove my worth.
Even still, I knew I still had a lot to learn (and always will).
I surrounded myself with 10 advisor coaches with decades of coaching experience.
I spent the next year and a half building the Top Teams framework.
Meanwhile, I began working with the founder of an incredible software company whose vision aligned with mine, in terms of where coaching needs to go.
But, that still wasn't enough.
I was lacking knowledge in terms of the issues facing coaches themselves today.
So, I launched Top Coach...
...which, is a private membership group built for professional coaches, with the focus on helping coaches grow in community.
In Top Coach, I've learned about the struggles of coaches and their clients.
Additionally, I learned how so many coaches didn't enjoy the 'sales' process.
Just because they're a great coach, doesn't make them a great marketer or salesperson. Oftentimes, they actually pretty bad at those two things.
Most coaches can't reach their full potential of positive impact on their own.
Boom!
It was like a bolt of lightening hit me ⚡️
In order to build a solution that would have a long lasting impact, I had to consider...
- founders/CEOs and leaders of SMBs
- coaches who support them
- software & community that makes the entire process better
It was about all three of them in tandem!
Not just one. Not two. But, all three.
Deeply understanding the 'job to be done' and how they interrelated.
I'd be lying if I didn't say I wanted to provide a solution sooner.
But, there was a nagging feeling that wouldn't go away.
One that kept telling me...
...any possible solution I could offer at the moment was just more noise.
Yet, today, I don't have that nagging feeling.
Instead, it's quite the opposite:
- it's a feeling of hope and excitement
- it's a confidence coming from endless hours of conversations
- it's seeing the outcomes come to fruition in my practice and community
- it's knowing that there is a better way
- it's understanding the motivations of the existing players
- and, it's about being bold and willing enough to make a change
So, I have a new option for all of us to consider:
Be your own coach.
I know it's scary.
But, you can do it.
I'll support you.
And, others will too!
Here's how! You commit to...
What will this look like?
- you join Top Teams and follow our checklist
- you leverage the community for real-time support
- you grab 1:1 time whenever needed
You'll do three things...
- RSVP to a coach training / prep sessions
- Hold your team meetings
- Share your retros where you learn & grow
The beauty is that you can start today! (once we launch, that is)
- you learn what to do
- you put it into practice
- and then you learn from your experience
It's an iterative cycle of growth.
You're probably wondering, why not just hire a coach and have them do it?
Well, that's a good question. And, the answer is up to you. A good coach is totally worth it. I'll never argue against that. I'm still a coach and I work with just 5 select teams at a time. But, the real win is in a client not needing a coach any longer. So, I'm starting with the end in mind. My clients know that's my goal with each of them.
Most companies can't or won't decide to pay for a coach.
And, even if they do, they often won't stick with it long term.
So, let's change that for good.
I want to give you the best of all three worlds...
1 - The path to build your own custom operating system
2 - The coach and community support for you need for the long-haul
3 - The tools to make it stick and work at every level of your org
If you'd be interested in learning more, drop your name, email, and a detailed message below telling me why you'd love to join me on this journey.
IMPORTANT If I get 1,000 emails and good reasons why, I'll launch Top Teams for all of us. So, do us all a favor. If this resonated with you, share it with another founder or member of an exec team that you know. I believe in it wholeheartedly after my last few years of diving into the world of coaching. But, before I do any more, I want to know that you want to join me and why. Most Sincerely,
Wanna join me in TopTeams?
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