For established business owners

Built to Run Without You: A Course for Business Owners

A step-by-step course for owners who want a business that scales, runs without them and is worth more. It follows the same Map, Find, Plan, Review path we use in our consulting.

Coming soon. Joining the waitlist is not a purchase and does not commit you to anything. Your first consultation is free, by phone or Zoom.

Coming soonComing soon

Planned outline. The course is not yet available.

MapFindPlan

Who it is for

Made for owners whose business should not need them every day

Businesses of all sizes are welcome. What matters is that the business already earns and the owner wants to build on it.

This course is for you if

You own an established business with customers, revenue and people doing the work.
Too much still waits on you, and you would like that to change.
You want to understand what makes a business like yours worth more or less to others.
You prefer clear steps over a one-time fix.
You want to be ready for what comes next, whenever you choose to move.

This course is probably not for you if

You are still looking for your first customers or an idea to test.
You want someone to carry out the work for you. We deliver plans and recommendations only.
You want a buyer found or a sale handled for you, which we do not do. We are not brokers and do not advise on M&A.
You want a guaranteed outcome, such as growth, a sale price or contracts, which we cannot offer.
You are looking for legal, tax or accounting advice.

What you will be able to do

Six things you can do by the end

The course is built around results you can use in your own business, not theory for its own sake.

Map how the business really runs

Show on one page where decisions, tasks and relationships still depend on you.

Find the constraints that matter

Narrow a long list of problems to the one or two holding everything else back.

Hand work off with clear steps

Write routines, name owners and set limits so others can decide without you.

Explain what drives value

Read EBITDA, tell it apart from SDE and name the value drivers in plain language.

Build a short improvement list

Rank the changes that make the business steadier and easier to hand over.

Be ready for what is next

Hold one written plan and a review routine, so you can choose your next move on your own timeline.

Course roadmap

One path, six modules, one optional bonus

The modules follow the OOTB Path: Map, Find, Plan, Review. You see where you are, what you work on and what you leave with at every step.

Course roadmapComing soon

Map

Find

Plan

Review

Optional

1See how it really runsOne-page map

2Find what holds it backConstraint list

3Build steps and handoffsWritten steps

4Learn what drives valueValue summary

5Raise value early onFix list

6Be ready for what is nextWritten plan

+Bonus: new revenue optionsFit decision

Each module ends with something you can use. The last core module pulls it all into one written plan.

Planned outline for a course that is not yet available. Titles and order may change before launch.

Planned curriculum

Module by module

This is our planned outline. Titles, lessons and order may change before the course opens. Each module ends with something you can use on your own business.

See How the Business Really Runs

Outcome: You can show, on one page, how the business earns, delivers and decides, and where it leans on you.

Where the business leans on you
List the decisions, tasks and relationships that still land on you.
How a sale becomes delivered work
Trace the path from a new customer to finished work and cash in the bank.
The few numbers worth watching
Choose a short list of measures you can read in minutes.
What "runs without me" means for you
Define your own goal, your role and your timeline.

Module 11

Map

Ends with

One-page map

Find What Holds It Back

Outcome: You can name the one or two constraints that limit everything else.

Growing vs. scaling
Tell the difference between more work and more capacity.
The constraint hunt
Narrow a long list of problems down to the few that matter most.
Decisions waiting on you
Sort decisions into keep, share and hand off.
Single points of failure
Spot the people, customers and know-how the business cannot afford to lose.

Module 22

Find

Ends with

Constraint list

Build Steps, Owners and Handoffs

Outcome: You have a first set of written routines and clear owners for the work that depends on you.

Write the step down
Turn how things get done into short routines others can follow.
One task, one owner
Give every recurring task a named owner and a clear finish line.
Hand off a decision safely
Set limits and checkpoints so others can decide without you.
A simple weekly rhythm
Set up a short, regular check-in that keeps work moving.
First, next, later
Put the changes in order so the plan fits real life.

Module 33

Plan

Ends with

Written steps

Learn What Drives Value

Outcome: You can explain in plain language why one business is worth more than another.

EBITDA in plain language
Read earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization with confidence.
EBITDA or SDE: which one fits
Know which earnings measure suits a business like yours, and keep the two separate.
The value drivers
See how steadiness, customer mix, margins and record quality shape risk.
Value that can transfer
Tell what a successor could pick up without you, and what would stay with you.

Module 44

Plan

Ends with

Value summary

Raise Value Before You Need It

Outcome: You have a short, ordered list of improvements that make the business steadier and easier to hand over.

Make revenue steadier
Look at customer mix, repeat business and how predictable sales are.
Records others can trust
Tidy the books and documents so a lender or successor can follow them.
A margin and pricing check
Find where pricing and costs are quietly costing you earnings.
Your value-improvement list
Rank the fixes by effort and impact, and pick what comes first.

Module 55

Plan

Ends with

Fix list

Be Ready for What Comes Next

Outcome: You have one written plan, a readiness view and a review routine, so you can choose your next move on your own timeline.

Pull it into one written plan
Combine your findings and priorities into a single plan you can share.
Your readiness view
See what would make the business easier to hand over, finance or sell, whenever you choose.
Who else to bring in
Know when to involve your accountant, attorney or other licensed professionals.
Review and keep going
Set a regular review so the plan stays alive after the course.

Module 66

Review

Ends with

Written plan

Optional Bonus: New Revenue From Government Work

Outcome: You can decide whether government contracting is worth exploring for your business.

Is it a fit for you?
Weigh the effort and the rules against what you want from new revenue.
Six readiness areas
Get a high-level view of registration, NAICS codes, certifications, capability statement, finding opportunities and proposals.
Official sources and independent specialists
Know where requirements are published and when outside specialists help.

Government contracting is delivered through independent partners for the specialist steps. They are not employees or agents of Out of the Box Consultants. We currently have no referral or compensation agreements with them, and we will disclose any in the future. We are not a government agency and are not affiliated with any government entity.

Optional bonus+

Bonus

Ends with

Fit decision

Planned outline only. We have not set a launch date, and the final lessons may differ.

How it connects

The course teaches the method. A consultation applies it to your business.

Take the course on its own, book a free consultation on its own, or do both. You choose the pace, and you are never required to move to the next step.

How it fits togetherEach step stands alone

1Learn the methodWork through the Map, Find, Plan, Review method on your own. The course is coming soon.
2Talk it throughA short phone or Zoom call about your business. Your first consultation is free.
3Get a written planA plan built around your numbers and goals.

Each step stands on its own. You can book a consultation without taking the course.

We deliver plans and recommendations. Carrying them out is up to you and your team. We do not offer implementation support at this time.

Format and what is included

What we are planning, and what is still open

The course does not exist yet, so we would rather be plain about it than promise details we have not settled.

What we are planning

Still to be decided

What the course is not. It is education, not coaching, and not legal, tax or accounting advice. It is not an appraisal, and it is not a brokerage or M&A service. It does not promise any result. For a plan built around your business, book a free consultation.

FAQ

Straight answers about the course

Still have a question? Ask us during a free consultation.

When will the course open?

Will the course be free or paid?

What format will the course take?

Who is the course for?

Is the course the same as your consulting?

Will the course tell me what my business is worth?

Will it help me sell my business?

Is government contracting part of the course?

Do you guarantee results?

Can you help me carry out what I learn?

Next step

Be first to know when the course opens

Join the waitlist to hear when it is ready. In the meantime, a free consultation can help you see where your business stands.

Coming soon. Joining the waitlist is not a purchase and does not commit you to anything. Your first consultation is free, by phone or Zoom.