I think most small business CEOs least favorite subject is finance. The cheat sheet here is provides 6 tools to help CEOs better navigate their companies finances.

The biggest challenges in scaling a business are rooted in the idea that the thinking, people, systems, sales, that got you to where you are will take you to the next level. From what I see, the opposite is true, relying on what worked will often keep you at the same place.

Here is a tool I created for CEOs and entrepreneurs of small businesses. It can help you see where you might be relying on an approach that is keeping your business stuck. It also includes tips for elevating your way of looking at it, so your business can flourish.

Some of the tips on the pdf are:

1. A business model that doesn’t work.
More sales can starve cash if the margins aren’t there. Understand your margins and business model. Cash in the bank is not the KPI.

2. Believing scaling is mostly about external strategy.
Weak systems, undefined roles, and leadership gaps are often the real constraints. A scaling business is always improving it's people and how work gets done  

3. Believing “I can do this alone.”
This doesn’t mean there are no employees. It means most major decisions still run through the CEO, the CEO stays in the weeds, and the team is expected to execute rather than think. Scaling requires delegating decision-making, not just tasks.

You don’t have to be the best at everything if you have the right people, systems, and support around you. Take a growth mindset as your business grows your thinking and capabilities need to grow with it. The instinct that has worked will not scale.

Take a look at the pdf and reach out if you want to discuss which might be holding you back. No pressure, no pitch.
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Vistage's approach to accountability extends beyond group meetings to include one-to-one executive coaching sessions. This dual structure means that members are accountable not only to their peers but also to a professional coach who helps them set realistic goals, develop implementation strategies, and track progress over time. 

What kind of leader do you want to be? Do you want to keep the status quo because it’s easy? If you develop someone and they become exceptional and move on to do great things, is that really a bad outcome? Trying to contain your people is exhausting, and it never works in the long term. What if you develop them and they become exceptional and stay?

Carrying it alone isn’t strength. It’s just habit. CEOs are so used to figuring it out alone that sometimes all I have to do is get them to say the thing out loud to the group.

Take a read of our Vistage Wall of Results. Members sharing the impact their CEO peer group has had on their business and themselves.

The thinking, people and resources that got you to where you are, will not get you to where you are going. If you are solving the same problems repeatedly, you are working harder not smarter. The members of my Vistage CEO peer group hold one another accountable to hire right the first time, come up with viable strategies for growth, and to have work life balance.

Allan also explains how listening with real attention can open the door to deeper conversations and better outcomes.

What makes Allan’s story especially interesting is the path he took to get here. From Capitol Records and entertainment startups to coaching and Vistage, Allan’s career path has been anything but conventional. This Chairwaves episode is a thoughtful conversation about leadership, self-awareness, and personal reinvention.

The thinking, people and resources that got you to where you are, will not get you to where you are going. If you are solving the same problems repeatedly, you are working harder not smarter. The members of my Vistage CEO peer group hold one another accountable to hire right the first time, come up with viable strategies for growth, and to have work life balance.