Al McBride 0:02
Welcome to the dealing with Goliath podcast. The mission of dealing with Goliath is to sharpen the psychological edge in negotiation, ethical influencing and high impact conversations for business leaders who want to be more effective under pressure, uncover hidden value and build greater connection all while increasing profitability. With expert guests across the business spectrum, we deliver Gems of Wisdom delving into their methods, so thinking and approach to business life and problem solving. This is the short form espresso shot of insight podcast interview to boost business performance using our five questions in around about 15 minutes format.

My guest today is Crisco Egan, Chris is the founder of engineered growth systems, he helps entrepreneurs get to multiple six, seven and even eight figures, while enjoying more time and more freedom with his engineered growth systems and engineered marketing.

Over the last 30 years or more, he’s worked in more than 100 industries, with many industry and thought leaders, including his friend, Michael Gerber of E Myth, fame. First States there are only three core growth systems separating you from the growth that you want. He lives in California, but he’s originally from Canada. So he talks funny, as he says, is married to his wife Naomi and his four kids at a lab the door called Scout, Chris, welcome to the show,

Chris Goegan 1:27
yeah, thanks. All. Yeah, yeah, I got some clean instead of Scout to be coote. Scoot scoot.

Al McBride 1:33
Excellent stuff. Excellent. So Well, look, it’s pleasure to have you on. So let’s dive right in. So who’s your ideal client? And what’s the biggest challenge they face?

Chris Goegan 1:43
Yeah, good question. So ideal client, there’s really, the both have one thing in common, there’s two main categories, but they both have one thing in common. The main categories is one, one category, right? Like a million to 5 million range, they want to get to like 10 2050 plus million. And they want growth.

The second category is they’re in like, like, six, multiple, six figures, and they want to get to seven figures. So so the commonality with them is, they’re really good at what they do. But they want to take what they do and bring it out on a much bigger level. And, and they, they want that growth. So, so that’s that’s the first part of the question.

Al McBride 2:27
That’s the first question. So that’s your client. What are some of those challenges that they face?

Chris Goegan 2:33
Yeah, you know, I think probably the, the biggest challenge these days is just overwhelm Hmm. Like, just like someone when you want to grow a business, like, there’s so many things you could do, right? Like, like, you look at like, like, look at all the stuff that we all get pitched you, I get these emails too. And all these LinkedIn spams and stuff like that, and all the things that you could do.

And you hear all the buzz is this, this, you got to do this, you got to do that you got to do content, AI is the ticket and kind of using chat GPT and content and posting on social media and Facebook and LinkedIn and Twitter. And it just gets overwhelming.

You know, and once you’ve hit multiple, six figures, or seven figures, you just don’t have time, you know, that like to get involved, because you’re so busy worrying so many different hats doing so many different things, that a lot of people they just get stuck spinning, the wheels are so busy being successful, that they don’t they don’t know what they should do with all the things that they could do. And then that that that causes, like stagnation, and it gets really frustrating.

Al McBride 3:36
Excellent. So what are some of those common mistakes people make when they’re trying to solve that problem? So as you said, a lot of listeners might be going, Oh, this is sounding more and more like me here. So you know, so that as you say, they’re in this situation.

There’s an element if I’m hearing it, right, that you know what, got them here won’t get them there that won’t get them maybe to that next level. And they’re getting the sense of overwhelm, because they’re wearing so many of these hats and running around doing all these different things. So what are some of the common mistakes they tend to make in trying to solve that problem?

Chris Goegan 4:09
Yeah, great question now. And so it when I was a young engineer, we used to do a work with this company called AFM. We did a lot of work. These guys are just like brilliant, brilliant, brilliant, brilliant craftsmen. They were mold makers tool and die makers are excellent what they did. So I was my engineering manager. I said What does AFM stand for? And he smiled and he laughed he says, anything for money. And then like finally, like, wow, it was yeah, when they first when they first started, they would show up.

They’d knock on your door and say you have any work and I’d say what do you do this? Well we’ll do anything for money. And and I love that because it’s what get what got you to what you started off saying I was like what got you to one level? Like you say yes to everything and anything when you when you get going because you got to pay bills. You need cash flow you You know, like, like, you know, you gotta pay the mortgage wife wants new shoes kids want to eat, you know, like, like, preposterous things like that, you know, so, so then you just bust your butt and you work your tail off.

But once you once you get depends on your business, once you get into like multiple, six figures, and definitely no seven figures, you can’t say yes to everything and anything. And also to while you’re building that business, you become a control freak. Like, because you’re so good at getting stuff done, that you can’t let go of stuff. So you so you got two things, it’s like one you like, you can’t let go of stuff. And two, it’s, it’s, you’re used to just doing everything and doing so much stuff.

So So what typically happens when people want growth, they’re like, oh my gosh, it’s like we’re doing so well, we’ve barely scratched the surface. But that but then that’s that’s where the problem comes in. Because then they’re like, they’re stuck with how they used to do stuff, which is just doing everything. And then so but they don’t have time, now they’ve got limited time.

Because they’re there, you know, maybe they’re the ones running the phone calls are involved for film, and they’re hiring, they’re doing management meetings, or they’re trying to do all the stuff, they’re doing the marketing and, and so they just start throwing mud against the walls, but with no with no rhyme or no reason. And, you know, and then and then the other side of it is, you know, once you start bringing people on, they can’t let go of control, they have a hard time with that. So, so if they’re just throwing mud against the walls, and they can’t let go control, they’re gonna stay, they’re gonna stay stunted, you know, and then they’re not going to be able to get the growth.

Al McBride 6:30
So it sounds like another symptom, there might be that you’ve frustrated staff, you know, because because you’re not handing out you’re not giving some of that control, you’re not using the staff for their talents, their skill set.

Chris Goegan 6:43
So here’s Yeah, here’s something that I hear regularly, I hear, I’ll like the same battle with the owner. And we’ll hit a point. And their their voice will drop, their tone will drop. And you know, and then they’ll they’ll just say, like this, like Chris, I’m having a really hard time with this. Like, I don’t know, if I could do this. Like, it feels like there’s a freight train run out, it feels like I’m running down the tracks, and there’s a freight train behind me. And I can’t stop, can’t slow down. If I slip, if I stumble, I’m gonna get smeared. And all these people, they all rely on me. You know, I can’t I can’t live like that. But I can’t stop.

Al McBride 7:26
It’s amazing. You say that because it was something when I, when I started a number of years ago, I did a lot of discovery conversations. And this was the thing that surprised me about owner operator entrepreneurs, the two greatest fears, one of them was very much letting down their staff having to let their staff go or close their jobs because of their, what they perceived as their potential failures. I find that it’s kind of heartwarming in a way that, that that’s the concern. You know, of course, there are other concerns as well. But as you said, it’s a very infrequent and it’s a great description of the feeling of overwhelm. That’s just if they trip once, they’ll drop some of the balls that are in the air, and all hell will break loose. it’ll all fall to pieces. Yeah, it’s a horrible fear. So what might be one valuable free action that the audience could take that will input that will help with this issue. So it might not solve it, but it’ll get them at least moving in the right trajectory, or at least thinking looking in the right way.

Chris Goegan 8:31
You know, I used to tell people, my extra now is different than what I used to do. So like, I used to tell people, well do this, do that, you know, give them things to do. Because, you know, we’re we’re all problem solvers. Right? Listen, this every business owner, we’re all problem solvers. But But I changed that a while ago, it’s just like, You know what? It’s like, like, step back from your business. Just just step back, unplug, you know, whether it’s for an afternoon, whether it’s for a day, whether it’s for weekend, I had clients, like Chris, we just went to Mexico for a week. And, and he goes, I thought I was thinking about which but what you asked me, which is always like, what do you want? What do you want? What do you want to do with your business? It’s like, well, what’s, what’s your vision? What do you want? And a lot of people I work with, they’re on their 20s and 30s. They’re maybe 40s 50s. You know, maybe some of their 60s they’re like, I don’t have many pushes left in life. I maybe got one one more push, you know, and this is okay. But what do you want? What do you want your life to look like? You know, because you can’t keep going on the seat. You already told me you can’t keep going the pace you want you want right now. So like, step back, unplug, you know, have a have a glass of wine, go for a walk in the woods, you know, and just like, like, just like get with your spouse just like like what do you want? What do you want your business to look like? You’re

Al McBride 9:51
really a piece of that. Yeah. And I love that that as you said you used to go to solving the problem, do this do that today. Whereas

Chris Goegan 9:59
delegate Are you So you need to come up with these processes. I’m a Systems guy, but you know, you need to, like, do you need it’s like, it’s like, none of that matters. You know, none of that matters. It’s like, because it’s like, like, like God asked question. You know, like, substitute whatever number you’re at, like, like if you know, someone was at, you know, like multiple, six figures, seven figures are thrown at 10 million let like, it’s like, you know, hey, if you’re at, you know, like, like a million dollars or 10 million ours, you know, and and what value would it be to, if you know, developed a plan to take your business from a million to 5 million or 200,000 to a million or 10 million to 50? million? What value would it be to you to increase your, your your net worth a minimum of five fold, increase your income, probably 10 to 10 to 20 fold, and give you more time more freedom of a worth, is that to you? And as important as that question is, until you answer the first part, like what’s, what’s your vision? Think nothing else matters like that, that that doesn’t matter until until until your vision is clear. And your vision matters?

Al McBride 11:04
Absolutely. It’s the purpose is the Hawaii, that’s the engines roll out. That’s the clarifier Absolutely. Absolutely. So that’s a fabulous point. So what might be one valuable free resource that you could direct people to that will help them on this course?

Chris Goegan 11:24
Yeah, good question. So I’ve got a number of free resources on my website. One is, is three systems guide. My background, as an engineer, I built high volume manufacturing lines for Florida, adult parts of International Space Station Program, gotten sales, you know, made a ton of cold calls and sales and gotten marketing in for the internet, and, and then the internet came along. So anyhow, long story short, is like I blend engineering, sales and marketing together. And I look at it from a system standpoint, a systematic standpoint, you know, where if you want growth, you need systems. But systems aren’t the way that people think about systems. And so this free guide that I have three systems, there’s only really, there’s three core building blocks to build your business. And this this free guide, the three systems guide, it helps you like understand what these systems are, and helps you determine like, like, if you want to get into, you know, if you want to go like all green, which is a video I’ve got on YouTube about how to go all green, which, which defines what we do anyhow, not sure if I answer your question on that. Excellent.

Al McBride 12:29
Excellent, excellent. And what’s one question I should have asked you, that will be of great value to our audience.

Chris Goegan 12:41
Know, like, what, like, What do I love to do? So, here’s, here’s what, here’s what I love to do. I love to help people. My purpose, my mission statement, my purpose statement story is helping good people build great businesses, and I love to work with people who have something inside of them that have like they’ve done so well, on one level, but they’re looking at Oh, my gosh, there’s so much more potential out there. Look at Could you imagine if I, if we could take this we could take this lead, you know, make this go regionally or nationally or internationally? You know, like, could you imagine all the lives we could impact? Could you imagine like the good we do? Could you imagine your lives we could change? Could you imagine? Like, could you just imagine what we could do? You know, that’s that’s what I love to to to help bring out another or sorry, bring it out to like, the bring that out to the world, the practical, the practical, tactical, strategical stuff to bring that out. So it’s like, Man, I just get so fired up seeing people take what they do and bring it out on a really, really big scale. To me, that’s that that’s fine. So

Al McBride 13:47
absolutely, it’s it’s visionary, but it’s also has that full empathy, as you say that you’re helping good people do good things. Outstanding stuff. Well, thank you so much for your time, Chris. It’s been fabulous to have you on.

Chris Goegan 14:01
Awesome. Thanks for having me out. Thanks for allowing me to share. Thank you

Transcribed by https://otter.ai