Will The Next 12 Months Be Your Greatest, Yet?
Or will those months be entangled in day to day distractions, problems and procrastinations… again?
Watch the video above to discover why I decided to create a live, interactive, virtual masterclass after years of guiding my clients to grow exponentially to their Next Level.
(Like Rackspace Hosting that grew 5x in 4 years to $500m.)
I am speaking with Garrett Takach, founder and owner of Ninja Park & Fitness Gym. We are colleagues at Live Truly Free.
I’m George Black, author of The Next Level Entrepreneur: Focus your Passions ∙ Map your Direction ∙ Build a Great Company. Since 1992, I’ve been guiding entrepreneurs to create their best strategies, create sustainable profits, and build a great company.
I would like to be your guide out of the "valley" and onto the "precipice" where you will be refreshed, inspired, and guided into implementing great strategy that will propel you and your company to its Next Level.
Garrett Takach is an entrepreneur who is the founder and owner of Ninja Park & Fitness Gym, since 2014 in Albuquerque, NM. He has competed on NBC’s American Ninja Warrior. Garrett and I have been working together at Live Truly free and he will be coming alongside me in the masterclass to help.
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...George led all our corporate off-site meetings for many years using his Next Level Navigator process... George delivered great results. I recommend him and [his company] to any business.
~ Graham Weston, Co-founder and former Chairman of Rackspace
Do you remember when you first started your business?
How strategic were you? Probably, ALL strategic. You had to be if your company was going to succeed. To start a business requires lots of planning. Then you launch, and you start executing the plan.
At first there's some 'doing' and some strategizing. But, as we experience any kind of success, more 'doing' the business is required. After a while we find ourselves sucked into the day to day until our planning ceases altogether.
Here's what weird: All our planning and strategizing paid off! We were successful, and so we stopped doing it!?! What?????? How does that make any sense?
We know that doesn't make sense, but how do we find the time to keep the business humming and strategize the future. The urgent overwhelms the important, every time!
From page 174 of my book The Next Level Entrepreneur Mr. A writes:
“Max, I believe you will find that most wars are won or lost at the strategic level, not the tactical level.” And the same holds true for companies!
Great companies are built by creating and acting on great strategy.
Without strategy you just live in the day to day grind."
That’s why, I am offering my new live, interactive, virtual masterclass:
Strategies to Actions
The goal of the masterclass:
Our design is for the Strategies to Actions masterclass to propel you into your greatest 12 months ever, and on to your Next Level!
Imagine you leading your business using strategy, like a plane taking off.
The masterclass is to help you achieve altitude and keep flying, strategically. How?
You will have internalized the process! And you only land to refuel for a new Next Level.
Limited Offer...
Limited number of seats!
I am NOW offering my new live, interactive, virtual:
Strategies to Actions masterclass!
We ONLY have 12 entrepreneur "seats" available,
Starting Now!
I will personally lead each group.
Each group ONLY has 4 entrepreneurs "seats".
Each group will begin the masterclass, once the group is filled.
Invite others to join you in your class and receive a $210 discount per sign up.
These groups are perfect for companies with a key team, partners or co-founders, as they could purchase 2 to 4 seats in a group.
This discount also applies to companies who buy additional seats.
There are only 3 groups left.
(If all the groups are filled, we do have a wait list!)
OR
“
We had the good fortune of bumping into George at just the right time as we built Rackspace from an idea into a global company. George's ideas and passion helped us really elevate our ability to build a great company. I'm grateful for the contribution George made to us and recommend his work to anyone aspiring to build a great company.
~ Lanham Napier, former CEO of Rackspace
Let Me Tell You a Secret About "Strategy Tips and Techniques”
Are you following advice that has failure built in?
Everybody wants to know the latest “silver bullet” that will solve everything.
And you know what?
All those hacks, tips, techniques, etc. are massively overrated.
I’ll bet you've tried some of them yourself. You've read the articles, you've tried another new strategy method or app. And little to nothing changed.
Does this sound familiar? Maybe it goes like this:
You decide to begin the week with a new plan to make your business better and before you sit down there’s a crisis that needs solving or some other interruption, and when it’s over you have to jump on to your daily responsibilities and late that night as you stumble into bed you vaguely remember the plan you wanted to start the week with. Instead you roll over thinking, “I’ll do it next week”.
I know that's I've done that before!
Or, you hear of some great new inspirational idea: we’ll call it the "bright shiny object”. You actually get it started, but it turns out that it’s not producing the expected results or is as sustainable as you thought.
It's not about what you do. It's about what kind of person you become.
If you want to succeed in business and in life, it's not about learning the hottest tips or using the shiniest apps or doing the 5 things. It's about becoming a focused, intentional, strategic kind of person.
Strategies to Actions is not a “silver bullet” or a collection of hacks or tips.
It's a systematic process that turns you into a highly effective, strategy person, who I like to call a Next Level Entrepreneur.
And I've got good news: you don't have to be gifted or especially talented to be one. I sure wasn’t and neither were my clients (no offense meant towards them).
Over the years, I’ve “CFO’d” (Chief Financial Officer) multiple clients simultaneously. And I did it using my strategic process. But it wasn't always like that.
In fact, I was pretty much the opposite. I'm the kind of guy who loves the latest idea (bright shiny object) or a great problem to solve (crisis).
I've become a successful entrepreneur and guided many others to success despite the obstacles. And I've done so in a intentional, strategic way. That means I have a repeatable process. A process that has worked for me and for the people who I’ve worked with and it will work for you, too.
Moving from stuck to strategy
invigorated the whole company!
Here's what else Garrett had to say, when the camera wasn’t rolling:
"After talking with George, it became clear to me just how stuck in the day-to-day I had become. I was so stuck, I had stopped using The Next Level Navigator that I used to launch and operate my business for years. Lately, I have been operating with no real strategy and had lost sight of the direction of the company.
When I got back from the “precipice” with George, I talked to the team about doing a strategic price adjustment. Their reaction was great! Excitement filled the air as everyone began to throw out ideas as to how to strategically position our prices. We began to shift into talking about how we could proceed into a strategic marketing plan after finishing the pricing strategy.
I realized that they were stuck in the day-to-day, too! Like me, they had also lost sight of our vision and Next Level. And we had all become dull and sluggish.
To be honest, I had accidentally led them there. I had to change first! With George’s guidance, I did. Then, by simply bringing everyone together to pause and lead them back into strategy, the spark I brought from strategy sessions with George caught on. That spark ignited passion, creativity, and joy throughout the entire organization!”
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The Next Level Navigator is strategy without all the BS!
~ Shaun Lee, founder of Truckin' Tomato
Why Strategies to Actions is Different from Other Strategy Processes
In the past, when I signed up a new client for my CFO services I’d typically ask: “Where are you headed?”
Not surprisingly, many of them would give me some sort of metric, a number, like more sales or adding employees or expanding
locations or higher production quotas.
Rarely, was I given a direction. So, years ago I created the strategic process: The Next Level Navigator®.
This is the same process I used at Rackspace Hosting, and is contained in my book: The Next Level Entrepreneur: Focus your Passions ∙ Map your Direction ∙ Build a Great Company.
You see, as a CFO, I delivered my best results when the client had a clear direction, and I knew
what it was. The return on their investment with me was always many multiples more than what they paid.
So, why not just get a copy of The Next Level Entrepreneur and follow its guidance and create The Next Level Navigator on your own?
You absolutely can! That’s why I wrote it. But, for some of us there is still a problem:
We still have the crises that interrupt, the “bright shiny objects” to chase, and the day-to-day operations to run.
May I shoot straight with you? To create great strategy and achieve it, you have to change the way you’ve been operating. Forever! And, you can't never go back to your old ways.
Furthermore, just like learning any skill, creating great strategy takes practice.
What you need are NEW, unshakeable habits!
So unshakeable that if you skip one week, you’ll feel it. Just like when you skip a meal, you’re hungry; or if you skip a good night’s sleep, you’re groggy.
Strategies to Actions will:
- Develop and strengthen the skill to think and write great strategy.
- Develop and strengthen weekly strategic habits to continuously accomplish strategies.
“
George has a process [The Next Level Navigator] that brings order to disarray and can help any organization focus its efforts on the key drivers of success.
~ Lew Moorman, former President of Rackspace
The Rackspace Hosting Case Study:
The Navigator Works!
At Rackspace Hosting I help guide the development of their corporate strategy using my proven, strategic process: The Next Level Navigator. Furthermore, I helped many departments do the same. In this way we were able to align every 'Racker' and department to the company’s Next Level.
Once The Navigator creation process was completed resulting in a one page document, we formed teams across the company to accomplish various strategies.
Then came The Navigator action phase. Over the next 6 months, I would work with a host of teams to implement their assigned strategy. Every 6 months we would update The Navigator and the teams would tackle new strategies all tied to reaching Rackspace’s Next Level.
Just like any of us, the teams at Rackspace needed an outside force (me) to come along side them to keep them on track and build their strategic habits, so they could bust through obstacles with great strategy. You can't imagine all the day-to-day distractions constantly going on.
What I noticed was that after 6 months the teams had internalized the process so well that they did not need much assistance from me. Which was great! I could move to newer teams that had been formed.
The Results: Rackspace achieved their Next Level in 4 years, instead of the planned 5 years! During these 4 years revenues grew from $100m to $500m and they went public (NYSE:RAX).]
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For Rackspace, Intigro [George Black's company] helped the leaders of a critical new business unit create its strategy for success, and helped roll out key financial metrics.
After that success, George led all our corporate off-site meetings for many years using his Next Level Navigator process...
...George coached many members of our leadership team to keep our strategy on track while we grew more than 50% per year.
George delivered great results. I recommend him and Intigro to any business.
~ Graham Weston, Co-founder and former Chairman of Rackspace
So how do you develop a new habit?
We’ve all heard if you do the same thing for a certain amount of time you will develop a habit.
Some say it takes 21 days or is it 4 weeks? or was it 3 months? to establish a habit.
Well whatever it is, just do it and SHAZAM! You'll have a new habit, just like that. It's magic.
What we NEVER hear, is what it really takes to establish a new habit: a systemized process with some structure, NOT just time.
More about The Next Level Navigator strategic process
"It makes my company’s Next Level seem more real and more achievable."
~ This is the most common comment I hear from people who have been through the process, including me for Live Truly Free (my company)!
It is a proven, strategic process that provides a systematic approach to strategy that results in a one-page document from which to lead the company at every level.
It is a dynamic tool that is designed to “bend” with the changing circumstances any business faces, while at the same time “not breaking” from the direction the company is headed.
It is sourced in the passions of the entrepreneur(s) who lead the company.
It is designed to be an inward facing tool from which to lead the company.
It can be used to align the entire company to work on achieving its Next Level.
It provides great talking points to help anyone understand what your company is about, where it’s headed, and how it will get there. This is great for recruiting or on-boarding new employees.
It’s a great fundraising tool with bankers and investors, and even strategic partners, because talking from it provides clarity about the company and instills confidence in the listener.
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I used The Next Level Navigator at age 20 to beat out 400 other companies to win $25,000 in the SCORE and Sam's Club competition and was named the 2016 American Small Business Champion.
~ Garrett Takach, founder of Ninja Park & Fitness Gym
The Strategies to Actions masterclass is designed for today’s entrepreneur.
It's a process that recognizes this crazy digital environment we now all live in and the fact that we are all perpetually distracted beyond just crises, shiny objects and the day-to-day.
Furthermore, it’s a dynamic tool that is designed to be worked weekly, not put in some drawer and forgotten about until the next annual meeting.
How do I know? We are using this very same process at Live Truly Free.
I find myself looking forward to our next weekly strategy check-in meeting. It sets my direction for the next 7 days.
But even better, I am experiencing greater freedom, more energy and increased creativity with productivity!
And, I expect the same for you. I’ll bet you will naturally want to do more on your strategy during and after this masterclass.
It’s just like working out in the gym. After a little while, you start to notice your muscles are more cut and begin to bulge in all the right places! And you are inspired by those results to do even more.
Let me tell you, you can become a Next Level Entrepreneur! And it can be exhilarating!
You may be asking, how much time will this take?
First let me ask you, how much time do you lose feeling exhausted, burned out, stuck in a rut, and emotionally overwhelmed…?
What other aspects of your life are you sacrificing?
Like in your marriage, or with your children, or meeting up with friends, sleep, free time, and even happiness?
You can’t build a great company by living overwhelmed in the day-to-day.
Or should I say “trapped”? Yes, I think “trapped” is the right word!
As you practice the Strategies to Actions masterclass, I believe you will actually gain back lost time from being submerged by the fatigue and begin to restore those aspects of life you may be sacrificing.
How can I make this claim?
I know personally the toll of the day-to-day, and the change that occurs when I focus first on strategy. My engagement and productivity begin to soar.
Specifically, we will meet for 55 minutes with the first 5 minutes allotted to gathering and catching up with each other.
After our session I’d encourage you to work on implementing strategy: 1 - 2 - or even 3 hours a week.
For most us, that takes some time to build up to, just like adding weights in the gym.
Here’s the key: If you could spend several hours a week, working on the right strategies for your business that will move you in the direction of your Next Level, you will reach it sooner than expected.
FACT: Great companies are built by creating and acting on great strategy.
What Strategies to Actions is NOT…
I want to set the right expectations, here. Strategies to Actions is not what you expect from your typical, average masterclass or online coaching.
Strategies to Actions is NOT an online course.
If you don’t want to engage with George and 3 other entrepreneurs in a live, interactive, virtual masterclass that meets regularly for 55 minute per session, then don’t sign up for this masterclass.
Strategies to Actions is NOT a course that you can answer a few questions, and George will give you a completed Next Level Navigator.
If you aren’t willing to dig in with George to develop your own Next Level Navigator with strategies and actions, and begin executing those strategies right from the beginning, then this masterclass is not the right one for you.
Strategies to Actions does NOT develop a business plan.
If you want a static planning tool, instead of a dynamic tool and process from which you can lead your company, then you will be frustrated in this masterclass. However, The Navigator can help you create a great business plan.
Strategies to Actions is NOT a Passive “Information Download”.
This masterclass is not about just sitting back, learning some theory and then doing nothing with it. This masterclass is not for “info product tourists”.
This is an implementation-focused, action-oriented masterclass. The purpose is to guide you through a process with actions to take, that lead you to real results moving your business forward. Don’t sign up for this if you don’t want to experience real results.
Strategies to Actions is NOT a Quick Fix System.
As you’ve probably guessed by now, this masterclass is not about putting out fires or letting circumstances dictate what you work on day to day.
If you aren’t excited about looking to the horizon and accomplishing those strategies that will move you in the direction you’ve been wanting to go, then Strategies to Actions is not for you.
Sure, throughout the masterclass you'll get some great practical advice from George to help solve some of your “burning issues”, but that’s not what this masterclass is about.
Are You Ready to Become
a Strategic Badass?
Let's make it happen. I'll bet you've got a bunch of distractions, and I'm itching to help you solve them.
You've got an idea of what you’d like to have happen for your company that I want to help you achieve.
Instead of just making “New Year's resolutions” that will be forgotten and abandoned before the football games are over, or trying some bright, shiny new idea that will solve everything that you’ll get to “tomorrow”, which never comes, join me in the Strategies to Actions masterclass and make the next 12 months your best year, yet!
Here’s what you can expect:
- I will lead every session. My style is interactive.
- I will provide focus and experience for your Navigator and guidance on implementing your strategies with creative, experienced problem solving.
- You will receive access to all the Next Level Navigator instructional videos, so you can develop your full Next Level Navigator at the pace of the masterclass or faster.
- We know your time is precious, each session will be a jam packed 55 minutes.
- All sessions will be recorded on zoom.us, so you can refer back to them.
- Your best results will occur when you invest time, at least 2 to 3 hours each week, including our session.
- There be an off week every few weeks to give you time to catch up.
- Before the masterclass begins you’ll have done a quick Navigator to determine your first strategy using The [One Hour] Next Level Navigator, a guidebook to The Next Level Entrepreneur.
Bonus: Receive a FREE private consultation session (45 minutes) with George on any aspect of your business. You may use this time any time during the 6 months of your masterclass group.
- Instruction on writing great strategy and tactics, specific to your business.
- Practical business guidance each week on accomplishing every strategy you go after.
- A complete (full) Next Level Navigator by the end of the masterclass to guide you and your company over the next 3 to 5 years.
- With up to 3 other entrepreneurs in the group, you will certainly pick up even more ideas based on their situations. Plus, you all can continue to collaborate, even after the masterclass is over.
- Should you need any additional guidance on business matters, there will be the option for "1 on 1" time with George at a special rate for Strategies to Actions participants.
Bonus: Receive access to all the modules of the "How to Create Sustainable Growth" Course. To be released late summer of 2020.
Hidden Bonus: Undoubtedly, I will spontaneously share ideas and resources with you that will help grow your business and create sustainable profits, even if they don’t have anything to do with strategy, based on my 25+ years of practical business guidance and creating sustainable profits.
How The Strategies to Actions masterclass works:
You are making more than a dollar investment in the Strategies to Actions masterclass. You are making a time investment, as well. Therefore, I have done my best to give you time estimates on all the activities, so you can calculate your total investment in the masterclass.
By the end of the masterclass you will have a complete Next Level Navigator to guide you for the next 3 to 5 years. Plus, you will have already started on 1 or 2 strategies for the first year of it.
Masterclass Prep before your group meets:
We recommend you read The Next Level Entrepreneur through in its entirety. (about 3 to 4 hours). It’s a fast read, and I believe you will really enjoy it.
I suggest you skip all the exercises in the book called “Sage Advice to Apply”. You can always come back and do them later.
Complete the guidebook: The [One Hour] Next Level Navigator:
- Watch the masterclass exclusive instructional video.
- Prep for your One Hour Navigator (about 30 - 45 minutes)
- Complete the guidebook. (note: It may take longer than an hour, because you will probably need to reference the pages of explanation in The Next Level Entrepreneur. (about 1 to 2 hours)
Email a copy of your completed One Hour Navigator to me.
In Session 1 we will identify your first Strategy and Actions to work on, and how to track your progress!
Each 55 minute session will follow a similar pattern:
My goal in each session will be to bring you as much value as possible in 55 minutes or less. I believe you will find that we will do more in this time than most could do in 2+ hours!
- Up to the first 5 minutes: Gather and catch up.
- About 15 minutes (max): I will introduce another part of the Navigator, and answer questions about it. This will be based on the letter(s) you read during the previous week and the Next Level Navigator Instructional videos you have watched.
- About 7 to 10 minute for each “seat” to present and discuss with George and the others their “Heads Up” questions and issues sent in advance.
- Last 5 minutes - I will wrap up and review the weekly assignment.
All of our sessions will be a video call on zoom.us. They will be recorded and posted only your group to review.
All participants will sign a Non-Disclosure Agreement to protect each other’s information. However, if there is ever a sensitive matter you wish to discuss and don’t want it recorded, just say so and I will stop the recording.
Each week you will be assigned to:
- Read / review a letter(s) from The Next Level Entrepreneur. (about 15 minutes)
- Watch the next set of Next Level Navigator instructional videos.
- Work on another part of your Navigator based on the most recent session’s explanation by me that was based on the previous week’s reading assignment. (about 30 min to 1 hour)
- Work on your Next Step strategy. (as much time as you can spare, 1 or 2 hours is suggested)
- Write your “heads up” questions and issues before the next meeting in the Slack channel. (about 15 minutes)
Total time per week: About 2 to 3 hours, including our session. (Of course you can do more, if you so choose).
If you have a team, fantastic! Get them involved with your assignments.
Lead them in helping you develop The Navigator for your company, and assign them actions to help complete the strategies you are working on in the masterclass.
We can discuss how to involve your team and who would be best to include, or not include in our first group sessions.
Involving your team will really leverage your efforts, begin to embed strategy into your corporate culture, and get team buy in for your company’s Navigator. That’s a win-win-win!
OR
Here's What You Get When You Buy the Strategies to Actions Masterclass
After your purchase, we will send you 2 books: The Next Level Entrepreneur and The [One Hour] Next Level Navigator.
You will receive access to a private video that coaches you through The [One Hour] Next Level Navigator.
You will receive access to the private Next Level Navigator instructional videos that coach you through developing The Navigator.
Bonus: 1 FREE private session (45 minutes) with me on anything related to your business to be used any time during your 6 month masterclass.
Bonus: Will receive access to all the modules of the "How to Create Sustainable Growth" Course. To be released late summer of 2020.
Once we fill the seats in your group, your group will begin.
Our model is to have all the seats filled for the best interaction over the 6 months.
Remember, 1 company can buy several seats in a group and receive the referral discount! I highly recommend that for co-founders and key teams!
Your group will meet on the same day and time throughout the 6 months for 18 sessions. You will be given a calendar of all the dates at the start of the masterclass.
In the rare event, that George is unable to make a session we will reschedule at the convenience of the group.
All sessions will be recorded for your review.
In the case of your absence, you can submit your questions / issues in advance and George will address them, just as if you are there, and you can view the answers in the recording.
Of course, as entrepreneurs we have learned (or will learn) there are no guarantees of success, no matter how well it worked for someone else. The same holds true for The Strategies to Actions masterclass.
But, I truly believe that if you apply yourself fully, you will be amazed at the transformation of you and your company as you spend only a few hours a week working on your company, and getting out of the day to day details.
I believe, you will be inspired and encouraged, and old enthusiasms will return.
I believe that by the end of the masterclass you will be living more freely in the habit of creating and executing strategies that are propelling your company to its Next Level.
In fact, just imagine, how would your business be impacted:
If in 6 months you could know your Next Level (3-5 years from now) and had accomplished 1, 2, or even 3 major strategies towards that Next Level, plus you have cultivated the habit of how to work strategically on your company every week;
What would that be worth to you and your company?
in increased sales?
in increased profits and cash flow?
in free time?
How about your emotional well being: to know and see progress to your Next Level?
To each week stand atop the precipice and look to the horizon, breathe the “fresh mountain air”, escaping the day to day for a while?
To NOT do it alone, but with 3 others and a guide?
To be able to talk to others who are on the same trek with you and truly understand.
What would all that be worth to you?
If you are ready to get relief from the day-to-day, learn to operate strategically, and take your company to the Next Level, click the button below to fill out a short application and we will send you an invoice.
How to Get this Limited Offer
Remember, this is a Limited Offer for
The Strategies to Actions masterclass!
We ONLY have 12 entrepreneur "seats" available,
Starting Now!
I will personally lead each group.
Each group ONLY has 4 entrepreneurs "seats".
Each group will begin the masterclass, once the group is filled.
Invite others to join you in your class and receive a $210 discount per sign up referral.
(pro-rated based on payment plan)
These groups are perfect for companies with a key team, partners or co-founders, as they could purchase 2 to 4 seats in a group.
This discount also applies to companies who buy additional seats.
There are only 3 groups.
(If all the groups are filled, we do have a wait list!)
Invest in yourself, NOW!
ONLY $647 per month
(6 months paid in full),
If you prefer to invest monthly,
it's only $697 per month.
Our 30 Day Guarantee:
If you are not satisfied for any reason, we will refund 100% of your payment, less $50 for the books, shipping and handling. The 30 days begins 7 days prior to your 1st session when the prep begins. You must cancel at least 5 business days before the end of the 30 days, after which time there can be no refunds.
I look forward to seeing you in the next masterclass, and may you Live Truly Free!
P.S. You love the idea of Strategies to Actions masterclass, but you’re not sure about pulling the trigger.
I totally understand! The internet can be like the Wild West. I want you to feel great about your investment in me and this masterclass.
So, click the button below and book a time with me and let’s talk face to face. We’ll do it over a zoom video call.
Also, you can shoot me any questions you have in the comment box below. Plus, if you go to the LiveTrulyFree.com home page you can download a free sample from my book The Next Level Entrepreneur. Plus, let’s connect on linkedin.
More About George:
George Black is a business expert focused on "stuck" entrepreneurs, and the author of The Next Level Entrepreneur: Focus your Passions ∙ Map your Direction ∙ Build a Great Company, available on Amazon.
Drawing on more than 25 years of working with businesses of all sizes and his know-how of building great companies,
George guides business owners to experience:
- more fulfillment living into their true abilities and passions,
- gain clarity on how to run their businesses, and
- take their growth to the Next Level.
Copyright 2019-2020, Live Truly Free - Disclaimer