Why So Many Business Owners Feel Stuck and How to Break Through

Hello again for the feedback. Please like, comment, subscribe. Ellie Gold Ring in and on. Ellie Gold Ring is a is a growth coach. in basically the focus in the business and of the business of the business in the business. So I felt 2026 would be the right time to init 2026 and I think we have a lot to discuss and yeah let's dive in. So my first question is what is inon? What do you do and let's take it from there. >> Excellent. So I'll introduce myself as Ellie Goldring. Correct. Growth coach is the title. My identity is the 25 plus years of business development and sales and I recently partnered to create the Inanon group with Abdubat Potesh. His expertise is the implementation structure processes and systems. My strength is the growth, the strategy, the vision and the planning in and on came from the sense that I've recognized and reflected and worked with many companies that were getting stuck. There's a frame out there that's known as hitting the ceiling and then we're very well >> then we know sky's is the limit. SK is the limit. And then the question is how do you reflect and make sure that you're standing at the right floor and you set yourself up right which we'll talk a little bit later in regards to goal setting in and on is a service that we provide that allows people to get clarity what has to get done in the business to see themselves being able to work on the business. However, they don't get there overnight. So we provide the resources, the people and the systems for them to be able to do it. So we do fractional work for companies on a short-term interaction so that they could focus in the business, straighten everything out, allow us to work on the business and then hand it over to them and they could work on the business. So it's something in the sense of what I call a speed process because these are companies that are growth oriented and they want to get further faster. Some of them are stuck, some of them have a urge to grow. Those are my ideal clients of people that are reaching out and the people that we're currently working with. >> Very nice. Very interesting. Can you give me the basic process how that works? >> So the basic process is that we >> let's say I'm a prospect. >> Correct. So we have what's called a 30-minut introduction and then we have a 30-minute discovery. Sometimes we get it done allin one and we understand what their pain point is. I'll give you an example. Yesterday we had a discovery call and the prospect asked me, "So what do you do?" I say what is it that you need done? So he understood some of his pain points in the sense that he has a partner that he wants to buy out. He wants to see himself out of the day-to-day of the back office execution. He wants to be more at the business development side. So we took all the notes. We understand his pain points. We're going to address it with understanding what does a plan look like for the next three months. What are the areas that he should focus on? How do we provide him the value and the resources for him to be able to get out of the partnership that he's in? because he's looking to and his partner is willing to get out of it. So, we're just going to give him the guidance to be able to see himself in a better spot in 90 days with some of the resources to actually set things up in the sense of systemizing and getting clarity around the roles and descriptions of what he's doing and what he's not doing. How much of his time is he spending in which function of his company? How do we ultimately get him to sit in that seat that he loves doing? because we know that everybody performs better when they're in their unique ability. >> 100%. >> So that's that's a little bit of that process of who is the ideal client, those that are feeling stuck or those that are very eager to grow. >> Can I be honest? >> Yeah, >> it's very nice. It's very nice what you said and it's and for me it's very clear, but I still think that the person that is looking looking for your service out there doesn't understand what they said. >> Exactly. Does that make sense? >> Yes, it makes sense. >> So, so, so let's go on. Let's dive in a little bit in the technicals. >> You come into a business and you said the business owner is busy with the back end. What do you do? You start making invoices? I don't believe so. >> So, very good. So, yes, we'll provide the right people to do the invoicing. We're going to do uh the estimating for him. We're going to also streamline everything and figure out how he can automate certain things. those softwares and buildouts to be more productive. Yes. We take those on as 90-day projects in that person's budget and we figure out how far we can get how fast. >> Wow. >> Yes. So, we do everything from invoicing to estimating >> which you don't do you don't do by yourself and I don't >> I don't do it. Yes. We we we launched publicly three weeks ago. We have eight employees already working for the Inon group. >> Wow. from all different >> aspects >> aspects and different skill sets and experience in different areas. So from fractional CFOs to bookkeeping to fractional COOs to director of operations to operation management, you know, from a management position versus a leading position and then from secretarial work of just invoicing and collections. >> Wow. I never heard about this idea. How did how did you get the idea? >> So, the idea came from working and coaching visionary business owners recognizing that they have a tremendous amount of talent and they spend most of their time in the areas that they don't appreciate working. So, I asked myself, how do I get these people unstuck? How do I differentiate to say how can I be the recipient of their delegating? How do I show them that their delegation could be masterful? But if they don't have the resources, even the time to go out and hire, recruit, even reflect, understand what's the next thing they should work on, then they need what I call the discovery. They need the therapeutic side of it of what I call unpacking. Just give it all to me. One of my friends that I worked with five years ago said, "Even a boss [clears throat] needs a boss." >> 100%. Not a question. So that's where a coach comes in from the sense of listening, understanding, asking good question and giving direction. Okay, direction is a reflection of something. Coaches don't tell people what to do. They show them how it could be done. Now what's the beauty about in andon? We're not just coaches and advisors. We also provide the resources to get them through the exercise. So, if you have a task, let's call it, that you're sitting on for three years that you said you want to do it, you want to do it, you want to do it. I'll give an example. A client of mine always wanted to outfit a CRM system for his sales team. >> Okay? >> Three years later, he never got the encouragement and said, "I'm going to get it done." I worked with him for eight weeks. The CRM system is up and running and implemented. So, we did the buildout, we did the training, we did the review and the encouragement with every single saleserson. And now he's systemized. Now he has reports. Now he's following data. Hundreds of decisions that he's making now every day as the visionary owner are coming from facts versus theories. >> Very strong. So recognizing that every business has four main functions which is sales, marketing, operations, finance, you do all this all you do this feed basically or only one of them or only two of them. >> So very good. So I'm going to add to those four functions >> and then there's a fifth growth as well I believe which that's what >> right that everybody understands that it requires an engine of growth in order to be able to build out a company to hit a certain destination or achieve a certain goal. So let's talk about that first. Okay. So typically that's the founder, the visionary, the CEO that's his okay growth culture and achieving the big vision. That's his role. That's his responsibilities. Now, we do coaching in that sense. Like we said, we'll work with the owner one-on-one and then we'll recognize from each of the functions depending on how big the company is. We'll dive in and take one project at a time or maybe sometimes two to three projects depending how big the company is and we'll provide the resources and the clarity around that thing that they're stuck. So, I'll give an example. I have a company now that I do coaching one-on-one with the owner. I do coaching with the sales team. I'm working with the director of operations of streamlining things. And I'm working with their head of finance to make sure that their receivables and their cash flow is on par. >> Wow. >> So, yes, we're touching all those different functions. And as people build out bigger companies, there's a HR department, an IT department, and so on, logistics. So, depending what type of business you're in, it could be multiple functions. Now, I'm not an expert in each function, >> but the question is, can I ask them the [snorts] right questions in order for them to be able to become better at what they do? >> 100%. And then you said you have eight people and in and in and on, that means they're experts. If you have a good C, fractional CFO, I believe he's expert. Um, same with the fractional CMO. One more question we you don't need to answer, but I'm going to ask. How does pricing work? So pricing is customized per person based on their needs and how much work we're going to get done in what time frame and how many people are going to be involved in the project. So there isn't an hourly rate. There isn't a package >> I think and it's too new to say oh I recognize so many companies need A B and C from my list of services so it cost X Y and Z. Eventually I'll get there. I think there'll be packages, but right now I'm focused very much. >> What's the minimum that you start looking at a company if I may ask? Or >> Okay, so my target market is companies that are between three and $15 million. Although I have a client that's 50 plus million and I'm also engaged in a client that's at startup stage an idea. So we're working through the vision, the plan and where he should focus on time, how should he launch it, what type of investors he needs. So we're going through the whole vision building and discovery where it's pre-revenue. >> It's an idea still. So I can say that my target market is three to 15 million but I deal with startup >> and my largest client let's call it is a 50 plus million 40 years in business 300 employees. >> So >> anybody who feels stuck there's a opportunity to ask yourself can I work within and to help me get unstuck? >> Beautiful. But I want to tie that back to my uh uh passion, okay? What drives me every morning, right? So Simon calls it the why, right? My why is to inspire people to tap into their unique ability to feel fulfilled to help others. So when I work with any client besides my target market, let's call it to for me to understand that it's a good fit, they have to be a leader because they're helping others. They have to want to feel fulfilled. They want they should have a a cypic in what they do and they have to recognize that I bring a tremendous amount of inspiration. I don't always do the execution. I have someone that I did a discovery for. Okay. And I told them I'm not going to provide any of my services, but now you have clarity where you should spend the time and let's see in three months if you can execute on your own. >> You're you're you're good. If you see yourself getting stuck, then we'll revisit and that will be the next opportunity. >> Got it. Very nice. So I think we should go to the next topic. We spoke a few minutes when when we met and you told me you're you're a strategic coach. You're a client of whatever member of strategic coach. How how does that work? What do you say about it? Do you think people should join mention? It's like a sec. What do you say about it? >> Very good. So I have a lot of principles I call them in the sense of areas that I focus with my clients, my friends, people know that for [clears throat] know me for that. So number one is what I call self-reflection and growth. Are you asking yourself what did I learn yesterday and how am I applying it to tomorrow? Right? I'm also very much in the forward thinking mindset. If I'm doing something today, how am I going to be able to grow and accomplish more tomorrow? And when I went through that uh reflection myself, I embarked with Benjamin Hardy and Dan Sullivan. >> Yes. >> At that point, they were together, let's call it, and they co-authored many books like Be Your Future Self Now, Who Not How, 10X is Easier Than 2X, >> and so on. And I said, "Okay, that's a program that really talks to me." >> And it really, really helped me. So, I first self-implemented, let's call it. I listened to the books because I'm dyslexic. I don't read. I actually listen to books. Year to date, over the last four and a half years, I listen to 140 books. >> Wow. Impressive. >> Right now, I'm on target for a book a week. How do I make time? Because it's a priority. One of my main things. >> So, >> what are you reading this week from >> time? Time is a tool. >> That's this week's book. Time is a tool from from Benjamin Hardy. Yeah. It's one of his recent books. So, Benjamin Hardy has now a new platform. let's call it a new group called scaling scaling.com as this company and I'm a huge fan of that because I was always in that growth right I was in sales so people ask me okay so when I'm going to hire a salesperson what should I look for people sometimes run for the money some people appreciate challenges I get a tremendous uh satisfaction from challenges working through them and overcoming them so Benjamin Hardy is uh into psychologist right [clears throat] he's a PhD he's a doctor so that talks to me >> Dr. Benjamin >> Dr. Benjamin, that's right. So, it talks to me. I listen to hundreds of his podcasts, listen to all his books, and then I said, "Okay, great. I need to engage in the world of this mindset, of these tools." At that point, only strategic coach was around. So, I joined as a member and I've grown through that tremendous. Wow. for 2027, which most people don't know what their goals are yet. My goal is to be a member of scaling.com because I believe I'll be able to implement the tools then in a better place. When I went to strategic coach, I wasn't even an owner of a company at that point. Wow. I was still working for someone else, but I was preparing myself because I knew my vision was to be an owner of a company. >> Impressive. How long are you How long are were you in strategic coach? I'm currently in strategic coach for two and a half years. >> Okay. >> And I can say that almost I think it was like third quarter or second quarter that I was part of strategic coach I had an opportunity that someone came to me and asked me if I would partner with them and provide my resources that I had that was before I launched in and on and he would make me a partner in his company. So that was the very first time that I found myself to be a partner owner of a company and I said if that can happen that quick just by learning these tools and living in this world of be your future self now I said this is something I want to be part of for the rest of my life. >> Wow. Very nice. Um let's go to the next subject. I think we spoke about it and I heard you speaking a lot about it is about accountability part partners and um I cohorts that means like group like people working together what's your what's your input on that >> okay so like I said I am currently part of a cohort strategic coach is a quarterly cohort where we get together about 40 to 50 visionaries business owners and operators from all different sects >> we meet in person >> we meet in person. I specifically go to Chicago. There's multiple areas that you can go to and different sects, different places of the country, different size companies and everything. So, it's a very very good environment community. I built a lot of relationships. I learned a lot from the system, let's call it, from strategic coach and the tools and being in that sviva let's call it right. So, from that I actually created my own cohort. I have specifically for construction people in Lakewood also quarterly three hours. It's a mastermind let's call it six business owners come together and through that I created what's called an accountability partner group. So what's the difference between an accountability partner and what's the difference between a cohort or a peer-to-peer group? Peer-to-peer group is when you're in a group setting, you take away your takeaways and you set yourself some goals or tasks and you execute. An accountability partner is there to be the person that encourages you and holds you accountable on those tasks. So, I encourage that a lot because we're all human. We all get distracted. There's a concept of the signal and the noise, which is a whole different conversation. We'll come back to another episode on that. And due to the fact that everyone's human and so am I, we need our own encouragement. And sometimes we're not in the state of mind to be able to encourage ourselves. So if you have a friend, a shvuga, a father, a mother, anybody can be your accountability partner. It's very simple. I tell people an accountability partner is either daily five minutes or 15 minutes every week. It's one question and you ask it from each other. So the value that you're getting from the partner is the value that you give to the partner. So you ask them one question. in the last task that you prioritized, where are you stuck and how much did you get done? And then you just have a three to five minute conversation and something's going to come out that's going to give you the power to move forward. And then the week later, start by reflecting and saying, "Yes, I achieved it. No, I'm still stuck." And then just repeat that. The consistency is the golden key to the accountability partner. It's not who is it, it's doing it consistently. >> Consistent. Got it. Very strong. I have one question. I know a lot of coaches say they're accountability partners. So if the point of accountability partner is being this that means you're giving and you're taking how is a coach account an accountability partner. >> Very good. So number one I believe most coaches and I'll just reflect on myself and I'll tell you where I got it from. my father always says any podcast anytime I'm on stage I should start with that but >> he's right >> he's right the other thing that he taught me is and I publicly share this a lot when I became a salesman I was very young and he told me Ellie if you're going to be willing to learn from everybody every day you're going to be an old wise man. So as a coach I learn new things every single day. I take notes what I learned and I take notes what I shared from that it creates that accountability partner. But I'll tell you where the secret source is. The secret source is that when I start the next conversation I ask them how did that go? Where's the followup? How much of it did you achieve? That empowers them to stay accountable. I don't have an expectation of them staying accountable. There's an agreement. The agreement is created from that consistency and checking in from the follow-up. >> Got it. Beautiful. So basically what you're answering it's better to take a friend or a family member or whatever as a accountability partner than a coach. I thought that I were going to be accountability partners. I'm going to go to Veni. I think >> you're going to go to Venie. But let me tell you, it's not either better or worse. The question is where are you on your journey? If you could afford a coach and you're going to get the additional value that you're looking for from the coach, take a coach. But every employee could have an accountability partner. Okay, everyone has tasks. Everybody should learn the art of prioritizing, right? And time management. The person that sits next to you or behind you could be your accountability partner. Now, that doesn't mean that you should sit and smoo a whole day. a set time, five minutes a day or 15 minutes a week to just help you get past your stuff >> very strong. Um, let's wrap it up. One more question that I have. Um, 2026 around the corner. It's actually not. It's here. What should someone do that still doesn't have goals for 2026? This episode is released two days before January 1st. What should I do? So let's start with the concept of goal setting >> before we're late. Let's wrap it up. >> Wrap it up very very very quick. So goal setting. >> Have a busy day I have is going to kill me. >> That's right. Your uncle I owe him a piece of my day today. So let me tell you >> goal setting. There's a great book that I'm going to recommend that everybody listens to or reads. It's called the four C's from Dan Sullivan. Goal setting should be simple, easy, and achievable. So, make it realistic. Which means if you're going to set a goal to grow your company 30% in 2026, great. But that's not the actual goal. That's the result. It's very simple. You have a timeline that you added to it, which is very important. But then go deeper and ask yourself, who has to be involved? What has to happen? how much finance is going to be involved. Identify the key pointers and that becomes your plan and that becomes your things that you prioritize. So that goes into the second part which is if you're going to set a goal remember that you have to leave time of the day every day to prioritize and make sure you're working on the goal. Something increase the value by 1% so that you overachieve your goal sooner than you expected. Got it very strong. >> I enjoy the conversation. I I got a lot of knowledge and I'm happy we be we're able to give it out and hope I hope people will enjoy it. >> Excellent. anything that you want to >> the la the last takeaway in goals I just want to say is for those that are visionaries and those that can do far thinking and forward thinking to a next level set yourself a 10 year goal a 20 year goal a 30-year goal and then work backwards and turn them into one-year plans >> and if you need help they should call you >> thank you yes it was an honor I hope people recognize that from this interview there's small little takeaways that they could implement on their own >> absolutely >> that's the point away use it Reflect. Enjoy. Thank you so much. [music]