Fast Track Your Business OS • 7-Step Cheat Sheet

Explore

Fast Track Your Business OS
Fast Track Your Business OS

Coach Zack's 7-Step Cheat Sheet

Coach Zack's 7-Step Cheat Sheet

Zack Swire

⁠

Loading…⁠

⁠

Transition from an Accidental to a Fully Integrated Business Operating System (BOS) swiftly.

Before you begin, create a copy of this Cheat Sheet for your personal use:

Copy this doc

⁠

My Personal Mission

Hey there, I'm Zack Swire, and I've had the incredible privilege of working closely with a select group of businesses, coaching them toward exponential growth. But why stop at a handful when the need is universal?

My mission is to scale from empowering a handful of companies in person to energizing thousands across the globe.

This guide—your guide—is the first step on this exciting journey. It encapsulates the wisdom and strategies I provide in my $7K/session coaching, making it accessible to all. So go ahead, dig in and let's make business magic happen together!

Start by taking a moment to expand and review the three topics below, which set the stage for your 90-day journey:

Why I’ve Created This Guide: A Message from Your Executive Coach

As an Executive Coach who is passionate about guiding teams towards success, I have been limited to helping just a handful of businesses in person—leaving me concerned for the 95% of businesses that miss out on the transformative power of a solid Business Operating System (BOS). This guide aims to bridge that gap, offering you the same insights and support I provide to my clients. In it, I’ll take you through every step, just as if we were having a cup of coffee in my local Village coffee shop. I’ll share all of the options available to you and help inform you on which path is best for your unique situation.

The Issue with the Coaching Industry Sadly, in the coaching world, a good sales pitch often overshadows actual coaching skills. Companies might hire mediocre coaches dazzled by their sales abilities, while genuinely talented coaches go unnoticed because they lack selling skills. Additionally, those who try to Self-Coach without proper guidance often end up struggling.

The Solution: This Guide That's where this guide comes in. I've broken down the entire process into 7 manageable steps. By following them, you will receive a comprehensive roadmap for building a strong BOS — irrespective of whether you're eyeing EOS, ScalingUp, eMyth, System & Soul, or any other program. Each has its pros and cons, and I'll help you navigate through those.

Additional Support And I'm not just leaving you with this guide. In Step 4, you'll find an invite to my community where I host weekly live sessions and provide real-time support. Consider it your extended support system on this exciting journey toward organizational excellence.

Why This Guide is Free: More Than Just Goodwill

The Information is Already Out There The resources exist, but what's often missing is personalized, step-by-step guidance. Your journey to an optimized Business Operating System (BOS) will be as unique as your company, and this guide aims to be the adaptable roadmap you need.

Breaking Down Financial Barriers Don't let the cost of coaching prevent you from enhancing your BOS. This guide empowers you with the essential knowledge to make an informed decision—whether you want to Self-Coach or bring in a professional.

A Step Beyond Marketing Funnels Fancy marketing funnels often offer more style than substance. I could have turned this guide into another sales channel, but instead, it's my gift to you—straightforward, actionable advice with no strings attached.

My Dual Objectives: Heartfelt & Wider Impact: As a lifelong entrepreneur, I know firsthand the challenges and uncertainties of running a business. Back when I was juggling a marketing agency and then a tech company in my 20s & 30s, I wish someone had clued me in on the transformative power of a strong Business Operating System (BOS). That's why I've created 'Fast Track Your Business OS.' My mission is not only to educate but also to give that extra handholding and support that I wish I'd had. The goal? To impact tens of thousands of companies, reaching millions of team members, partners, and customers. Together, we can break down barriers to entry and expand our collective Circle of Impact, enriching companies, employees, and communities worldwide. Personal Connection: I have two driving forces for creating this content. Firstly, it allows me to continue my in person coaching work with just five clients per year. These clients see such transformation in their businesses that they happily pay my session rates of $7,000 per day or $10K/month retainer. Secondly, as a Ninety partner, I get to share the platform that I believe makes the transition from an Accidental OS to a fully Integrated OS ‘almost easy’. So, when you engage with my Ninety links, you're not just getting a great platform—you're supporting me in creating more meaningful content for businesses like yours.

Complete Your Fast Track in Just 90 Days: Your Roadmap

Preparation Phase (Start Now) Steps 1 to 4: Laying the Foundation Familiarize yourself with the basics and decide on your approach. This is your preparation for the fast track journey ahead. Day 1 Step 5: Your Setup Session Official kick-off. Fine-tune your Business Operating System (BOS) setup, ensuring everything is aligned for success. Day 30 Step 6: Set Your Strategy - Vision Session Your business's 'North Star.' You will outline your long-term vision and start aligning your team towards it. Day 60 Step 7: Set Your Strategy - Goals Session More tactical. Here, we'll identify measurable goals and confirm responsibilities, aligning them with your overarching vision. Day 90 & Beyond 1st Quarterly & Ongoing Rollout / Iterative Growth The rubber meets the road. You'll start implementing, reviewing quarterly progress, and continuously adapting for growth.

Next, check out these instructions and ways to connect with me:

Who is this guide for?

For business owners & execs of

small-to-mid sized businesses,

who are ready to go from stuck to scaling.

Want help along the way?

Join my

ScaleOS Club free⁠

for 30 days.

Book a

1:1 Intensive⁠

free 15 min Zoom⁠

Get on

my waitlist⁠

for prospective clients.

Instructions

Watch the quick intro video for each section.

Utilize the resources linked for each step.

Mark each step as completed when done.

Three more ways I can help you.

Get my weekly letter:

How We Scale⁠

⁠

Subscribe to my new

YouTube⁠

channel

Connect with me on

Twitter⁠

LinkedIn⁠

⁠

Ready to get started? Start with Step 1 below...

⁠

⁠
⁠
Step 1: Get Up to Speed 📚

⁠

Loading…⁠

⁠

Watch the intro video above

Review Ninety’s

BOS Brief⁠

Stages of Development Brief⁠

⁠

Complete Ninety’s

Baseline Assessment⁠

⁠

Select your current BOS Level

L1: Accidental

⁠

Start a BOS Journal (Paper or Digital)

Write down your initial thoughts and sparks after completing Step 1

Pro Tip:

Review the following Guides for a deeper dive before you start your journey or bookmark them for later reference. There’s a ton of wisdom and helpful resources in these Guides, but I don’t want you to get caught up trying to comprehend it all. -

On Business Operating Systems Guide⁠

Getting Up & Running on Ninety Guide⁠

On Stages of Development Guide⁠

Work 9.0⁠

⁠

Coach Zack’s Notes:

What is a Business Operating System in plain language?

A Business Operating System is a comprehensive framework or set of processes, tools, & principles that guide the way your company operates, manages resources, and achieves its goals. It provides a structure for decision-making, communication, and execution throughout the organization.

The purpose of a BOS is to create alignment, efficiency, and scalability within your company, enabling it to grow and adapt in a rapidly changing business environment.

Benefits to your business and your people include these 8 benefits and more:

1. Enhanced alignment: 🙋 A BOS aligns the entire organization around common objectives, ensuring that all departments and employees are working towards the same goals. This improves collaboration and reduces instances of conflicting priorities.

2. Improved efficiency: ✨ By providing a consistent structure for decision-making and communication, a BOS streamlines operations and reduces redundancies. This results in more efficient use of resources and improved productivity.

3. Scalability: 🚀 A well-designed BOS is adaptable and can scale with the growth of the company. It provides the foundation necessary for businesses to expand without losing control of their operations or sacrificing their core values.

4. Clearer communication: 💬 A BOS establishes communication channels and protocols that ensure information flows smoothly across the organization. This leads to more informed decision-making, better collaboration, and increased accountability.

5. Greater accountability: 🥳 By defining roles, responsibilities, and performance metrics, a BOS holds individuals and teams accountable for their actions and results. This promotes a culture of ownership and results-driven performance.

6. Enhanced adaptability: 😎 A BOS promotes a culture of continuous improvement and learning, enabling businesses to quickly adapt to changing market conditions or new opportunities.

7. Increased employee engagement:🥰 When employees understand their role within the larger organization and see how their work contributes to the company's success, they are more likely to be engaged and committed to their work.

8. Better decision-making: 🤓 A BOS provides a structured framework for analyzing data, setting priorities, and making informed decisions. This enables businesses to make better choices and reduce risk.

What are some of the well-known Business Operating Systems?

EOS Worldwide's Entrepreneurial Operating System (EOS), Pinnacle, System & Soul, Top Teams (that's mine), Scaling Up, eMyth, Ninety, and more...

Each system offers unique tools and methodologies, but all share the common goal of helping businesses create a cohesive, efficient, and scalable operating structure.

⁠

⁠
⁠
Step 2: Commit to Your Path 🛤️

⁠

Loading…⁠

⁠

Watch Step 2’s video

Review the

On BOS Coaches Guide⁠

⁠

Choose a path:

Blank

⁠

If you chose Status Quo, you’re done here.

If you think you’d like to hire a coach,

book a free 15 min call⁠

w/ me. I will help you decide if hiring a coach is the right path for you and if so, I can explain your options and make recommendations.

If you chose Self-Coach, continue on.

Decide who is on your initial Senior Leadership Team (may change in this process)

How do you decide?

Typically, senior leadership team meetings should include members of the executive team and department heads — those who would be essential to achieving your company’s goals and who should be included in the meeting.

Later, we’ll dive into your Structure and this group may change. Thus, if you don’t already have a formalized SLT, be sure to let them know that your Structure most likely will change as we go through this process.

Smaller is better. Five to seven SLT members is generally adequate, but it does depend on your needed structure, which we’ll cover in Step 5. Early on in my coaching days, I had clients with 12 to 15 SLT members, which was certainly too many. If you’re not sure, invite a few folks to be on the team to help you decide who your SLT will comprise. Be cautious as it’s harder to pull people off the SLT than it is to add them.

Self-Coaches: Sign your formal commitment:

My Self-Coach Commitment⁠

⁠

Pro Tip:

If you’re not sure which path to take, you can start with the Self-Coach path today. You can always decide to bring on a Coach if you decide that Self-Coaching isn’t for you. Just make sure you complete the Self-Coach Commitment first. If you don’t feel you can, then

book a time with me⁠

and I’ll help you work through your decision.

Coach Zack’s Notes:

What are the attributes of a good Self-Coach?

Self-Discipline: This is non-negotiable. The self-coaching process demands a consistent and disciplined approach.

Strong Communication Skills: As a self-coach, you'll need to facilitate conversations, raise questions, and resolve conflicts—both with yourself and your team.

High EQ (Emotional Intelligence): The ability to manage your emotions and understand the emotional dynamics of others can greatly enhance the coaching process.

Learning Agility: Are you quick to adapt? Are you proactive about seeking new insights and weaving them into your business strategies?

Visionary Yet Pragmatic: You must be able to see the bigger picture while still having the practical skills to implement changes on a day-to-day basis.

Accountability: The willpower to hold yourself (and your team) accountable to set actions and commitments is vital.

Previous Exposure to Business Frameworks: My experience as an EOS Implementer taught me that familiarity with business operating systems, like EOS, can be a great advantage for a Self-Coach. You don’t have to reinvent the wheel; you can adapt existing frameworks to fit your unique situation.

How do you know if hiring a Coach may be a better option for you?

Lack of Time: Being an executive or business owner is already a full-time job. If you can't allocate dedicated time for coaching, then it's wise to bring in an expert.

Limited Expertise in Coaching: If you've never coached anyone or been coached, the learning curve can be steep. This is where a professional coach can fast-track your progress.

Objectivity: A third-party can often see issues or opportunities you may not be able to see because you're too embedded in the day-to-day activities of your business.

Specialized Needs: Sometimes your business may have challenges that require specialized skills or experience you don’t possess. A specialized coach can provide just that.

Accountability: Having a dedicated coach ensures that there's someone whose job it is to hold you accountable, which can be an essential motivator for many people.

Complex Team Dynamics: If you're dealing with interpersonal issues within your team, an external perspective can often be a game-changer.

Investment in Growth: Think of a coach as an investment, not an expense. If your business is at a stage where a little investment can result in exponential growth, then hiring a coach can provide an excellent ROI.

Validation of Readiness: As someone who's been in your shoes and has been both an EOS Implementer and an executive coach, I can say that if you're ready to deeply invest—in terms of time, money, and emotional energy—a coach can be your catalyst for transformative change.

The Multi-Role Balance: Facilitator, Coach, Teacher, Consultant

One of the unique challenges and advantages of being a good Self-Coach in the context of a Business Operating System (BOS) is your ability to wear multiple hats. You'll need to: 1. Facilitate Discussions and Sessions: Lead conversations in a way that invites participation and navigates through complexities. This helps to uncover the collective wisdom of the team. Keep your team on track and accountable to your meeting cadence, structure, and agenda. 2. Coach for Performance: Ask powerful questions that challenge your team and yourself to think critically, solve problems, and optimize performance. The art of asking good questions is critical skill in coaching and it’s important that you focus on coaching more than consulting. Your role is to teach your team how to fish, not catch the fish for them. 3. Teach Principles and Tools: A good Business Operating System has key principles and tools that everyone should understand. You'll be responsible for ensuring your team not only knows them but also knows how to apply them. You’ll ensure this is the case through every layer of your organization. 4. Consult When Needed: While coaching is often about asking the right questions to guide discovery, there are moments when you'll need to shift into consultant mode and provide specific advice or direction. And, if you don’t have the advice needed, you should use your resources to find and share it with your team. Mastering the balance among these roles is critical to successfully implementing a BOS. I learned this firsthand during my time as an EOS Implementer and continue to apply this multi-role approach in my current executive coaching practice. Top Teams. It's not enough to excel in just one of these roles; a good Self-Coach must be adept at navigating between them based on the needs of the team and the situation at hand.

⁠

⁠
⁠
Step 3: Join Ninety 👩‍💻

⁠

Loading…⁠

⁠

Watch Step 3’s video

Ninety here⁠

(With this link, FREE 30 Day Trial. Plus, my support if you decide to join ScaleOS)

Review the

Settings Brief⁠

and adjust your Ninety account accordingly.

Prefer not to use Ninety?

Everything we discuss can be done without Ninety, I just don’t recommend it. I’ve already tested the various platforms for building a better BOS and Ninety is hands down the best in the world with the fastest and best Customer Support I’ve ever seen and the most visionary leadership, meaning more great things are coming.

You can create your own templates based on what you see in my Fast Track Your BOS, but it will take you quite some time to try and replicate what you’ll get in Ninety at a fraction of the time and cost it will require you to do on your own. I’ve seen people try and then still go to Ninety. Nonetheless, if you prefer, you can do it on Google Sheets and Docs, digital platforms and more. The important part is that you continue on.

Coach Zack’s Notes:

Don’t reinvent the wheel.

Time is a finite resource, especially for busy executives and entrepreneurs.

The temptation to custom-build solutions might be strong, but that often results in massive time investments for something that a dedicated platform like Ninety has already perfected.

When you're looking to implement a Business Operating System, you don’t need to start from scratch. Ninety offers a robust framework that’s based on best practices and has been time-tested.

Go with the best.

Choosing the right platform isn't just about features; it's about the ecosystem, reliability, and scalability.

Ninety isn't just another tool; it's a comprehensive solution built specifically for entrepreneurs and executives like you. It’s backed by years of research and real-world application, effectively streamlining the complex processes involved in running a business.

By opting for a platform that’s already proven to be effective, you're not just buying a product; you're investing in your team's future success.

If you don’t go with Ninety, do this...

If for some reason Ninety isn't the right fit for you, make sure that whatever platform you choose can adequately support your Business Operating System needs.

Ensure it allows for easy tracking of your Meetings, Rocks, Scorecards, and Responsibilities Chart. Examine its scalability, collaborative features, and data reporting capabilities. Lastly, consider the platform's adaptability to your specific needs and whether or not it offers the flexibility to evolve with your business.

These notes aim to help you make an informed decision about implementing your Business Operating System. After all, the platform you choose will become the backbone of your organizational processes. Make the choice wisely. If you want to talk through your choice,

grab 15 minutes with me⁠

, but know that I might just convert you into a Ninety fan. Nonetheless, if you choose a different path, I want you to understand all that is involved.

⁠

⁠
⁠
Step 4: Join ScaleOS 🤝

⁠

Loading…⁠

⁠

Watch Step 4’s video

ScaleOS Club here⁠

(With this link, FREE 30 Day Trial.)

Once you’re in, RSVP to the

ScaleOS Weekly here⁠

Prefer not to join ScaleOS?

That’s perfectly okay. You can do it on your own, but I don’t recommend it. There is a huge power in having a place to go and ask questions, help you when you’re stuck, and assist you on your journey to strengthen your Business OS. In our Weekly meeting and in our community spaces, you have direct access to me and self-coaching peers.

To make it easy for you to join us, I’ve given you 30 days for free. If you decide ScaleOS isn’t for you, cancel anytime and you’ll never pay a dime. We only want self-coaches who want to be in community to learn and grow together. We understand it’s not for everyone, but I think you might just find that it’s an invaluable and needed resource.

Pro Tip:

Book an Optional

1:1 Intensive With Me⁠

To Help Kickstart Your Journey

Coach Zack’s Notes:

Why I believe in the power of community for a Self-Coach.

Self-coaching, by its nature, places a lot of responsibility on you. You're both the coach and the coachee, and while it’s incredibly empowering, it can also be isolating. When you join a community like the ScaleOS Club, you open yourself up to the collective wisdom, experience, and challenges of others who are on a similar journey.