Have you ever wondered how to create your business system? Or how to create your company culture and values? Or maybe you have done some of this and you are wondering why it isn’t working the way the news headlines say it should. If this is you, then today’s podcast is for you.
Our guest today, Chris White, and he shares how he and his partner help businesses gain clarity and control by figuring out their business system and soul. Chris is a successful entrepreneur, business coach, podcast host, and author.
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ABOUT OUR GUEST:
As a third-generation entrepreneur, Chris White grew up with a strong sense of vision and drive to build businesses with great impact. In his 25+ years of experience, Chris successfully built four companies but says his journey took a massive turning point when, at 44, he discovered his unique ability as a teacher and business coach. Now, he’s expanded that journey. He’s the co-founder of System & Soul, the only operating framework that combines the system and soul of your business to create breakthrough.
He now passionately pursues radically candid conversations with a relentless drive to mastery (and plenty of fun along the way) as he coaches his clients through the System & Soul Framework. As co-founder and Head Coach, Chris has helped over 140 companies and hundreds of other coaches gain skills that transform their businesses on the path to breakthrough.
Outside of his coaching practice, he founded and hosts the System & Soul podcast, co-founded the EOS® software, Ninety.io, and is a co-author of the Clarity Field Guide. Chris lives in Orlando, FL with his wonderful wife Darlene.
LINKS FROM THE EPISODE:
- Check out the System and Soul website: https://www.systemandsoul.com/
- Learn more about Chris: https://www.coachchris.io/about
- Check out Chris’ book: https://clarityfieldguide.com/
- Check out Chris’ System and Soul podcast: https://www.systemandsoul.com/podcast
- If you are ready to franchise your business or take it to the next level: CLICK HERE.
ABOUT BIG SKY FRANCHISE TEAM:
This episode is powered by Big Sky Franchise Team. If you are ready to talk about franchising your business you can schedule your free, no-obligation, franchise consultation online at: https://bigskyfranchiseteam.com/ or by calling Big Sky Franchise Team at: 855-824-4759.
If you are interested in being a guest on our podcast, please complete this request form or email podcast@bigskyfranchise.com and a team member will be in touch.
TRANSCRIPTION:
Tom DuFore, Big Sky Franchise Team (00:00):
Welcome to the Multiply Your Success podcast, where each week, we help growth-minded entrepreneurs and franchise leaders take the next step in their expansion journey. I’m your host, Tom DuFore, CEO of Big Sky Franchise Team. And as we open the episode today, I’m wondering if you’ve ever wondered how to create your business system or to create your company culture and values, or maybe you’ve created some of these or parts of it, and you’re wondering why it isn’t working quite the way the news headlines are telling you that it should. Well, if you’ve ever thought that, then this episode is for you. Our guest today is Chris White, and he shares how he and his partner helped his businesses gain clarity and control by figuring out their business, System and Soul. Chris is a successful entrepreneur, business coach, podcast host, and author, and you’re just going to love, love, love this interview. It is jammed with great nuggets. So, let’s go ahead and jump right into my interview with Chris White.
Chris White, System and Soul (01:00):
I’m Chris White for more Orlando, Florida, and I am the co-founder of an organization called System and Soul.
Tom DuFore, Big Sky Franchise Team (01:08):
Great. Well, thanks for being here. And I’ve had the good, I guess, fortune of being associated and knowing your co-founder for quite some time now, and had the opportunity to learn and train with him. And one of the reasons I was excited to have you on is really to talk about your new program called System and Soul. And just for an overview, I’d love for you to just give a high-level overview of what your program is and how it works.
Chris White, System and Soul (01:35):
Sure. So, in a nutshell, System and Soul is the only business framework that combines both sides of a business; the system side, if you think of that like the brain, and then the soul side, and if you think about that as the heart. So, what System and Soul does is it brings your people in synchronicity with your design. Most business frameworks are operating systems. We all share some of the same foundational tools; an organizational chart, a scorecard, quarterly priorities, a weekly meeting. So, those tools have been around for hundreds of years. And people will modify or manipulate them, and that’s fine. There’s nothing new really in business, but what our observations were…
Chris White, System and Soul (02:28):
And I worked with over 150 companies, small to medium size companies over the last 12 years, and there was a huge gap. And to be honest with you, we recognized that gap a while ago, but the pandemic certainly put it under a microscope. And the realization was that most entrepreneurs don’t design or engineer or realize they could design and engineer the culture that they want. The culture that attracts the right kind of people and also can help unhire those that don’t fit, because, we’ve all been guilty holding on to people too long. And so, the System and Soul was birthed to meet the needs of our clients on both sides of their business. And we started about a year ago, and it has been a wild ride. We are absolutely filling a gap that’s out there in the industry.
Chris White, System and Soul (03:33):
And the way we look at it, Tom, is it’s an evolution. You can go back throughout the years, there’s been a lot of successful business books written by a lot of different authors. And System and Soul is just the next evolution in that line, and we feel that the timing has been perfect to share our message because not many people spend that much time. Most people in business, they’ll create a list of core values; “All right, we got culture.” And I’m like, “Mm, not yet.” Because when you design a culture in an organization, you really have to have your core values, which are your guiding principles and behaviors, but what’s missing is organizational habits; the way that we move as an organization to reinforce our culture.
Chris White, System and Soul (04:29):
So, that if you look at it like a mathematically equation, in System and Soul, we look at culture as your core values plus your organizational habits, equals your culture. So, that’s one of the areas that we go deep when we look at the systems and frameworks that are out there; very strong on the system side, but extremely weak on the soul side. So, the way we look at it is we could be a mile wide and an inch deep, or we could be an inch wide and miles deep, and that’s where we prefer to reside.
Tom DuFore, Big Sky Franchise Team (05:05):
Yeah. Well, that’s interesting. I love this idea of soul that you’re talking about here. And certainly, over the last several years, this idea of knowing you why and having a purpose, and lots of famous others, like Simon Sinek being probably the most popular one with his Start With Why and so on. And a lot of business leaders have gravitated to this and they’ve created a purpose statement and they’ve created core values, but then the really hard part is incorporating that in. So, I’d love for you maybe to get share how do you help a company that’s maybe done those things, but isn’t quite diffusing that all the way through the organization?
Chris White, System and Soul (05:46):
Yeah, that’s right. And that’s a really great question, Tom, because, unlike other systems and frameworks that are out there, we don’t force our clients. You have to start at point A and then go to B and C. No, our culture is fun, fearless, and flexible. So, we’re here to meet our clients where they’re at in their journey, and then come in and help them polish… They might have core values, but they never really thought about, “Hey, what are the attributes of our culture?”, So we help them define those attributes and then the organizational habits. And that’s the cultural vision so that every employee can see it, and it paints a picture in their mind; their mind eye can see it. That’s a great step; getting those in place. But it’s like to my comment earlier, once we have that in place, how do we know we’re attracting the right people for our organization?
Chris White, System and Soul (06:49):
Because obviously, we want to get right people right seat, we want to be a cultural fit. So, we have a tool that’s called Healthy FIT. And the F and the I and the T is an acronym. So, the healthy side of the tool, it’s a way to lay out the company’s core values and then the employee’s names, and then you grade your employee, once a quarter, on their alignment to that core value. And that’s the cultural piece on core values, but then, the F-I-T, F stands for fuel, I stands for impact, and T stands for Timing. So, if we break that down and if I’m looking to fill the head of operations seat, I want to make sure the candidate that I choose meets both criteria. They’re a healthy fit, they understand who we are through our values, they’ve been able to share with me times, maybe in their past, where they demonstrated that core value, maybe under a different title, but it’s the behavior behind it.
Chris White, System and Soul (08:00):
Then we go to the F-I-T. And the question is, for each one, will this seat fuel their unique ability. Dan Sullivan talks about unique ability being like the crossroads of what your world-class [inaudible 00:08:15] and what you love to do, and that’s your unique ability. And so, that’s what we want to know. Will this seat fuel this person’s unique ability to be head of operations. Then the next question is, can they make an impact if we put them in this seat? Do they have, not only the skills, education, and expertise, but do they also have the EQ quadrant, the emotional quadrant? And so, we ask if they can make an impact. And then the last one, the T, is timely. And this has two vantage points. One, is it the right time for the company to put this person in the seat? And two, is it the right time in their trajectory within the organization, is now the right time to put them in that seat? So, it’s a little filtering mechanism that you can use to ensure right people, right seat, using the Healthy FIT tool.
Tom DuFore, Big Sky Franchise Team (09:15):
Yeah. And I really like how that seems to tie in to really make sure that you’re tying in your company culture and values, and so when those new people come in… And I’m even thinking, I always have franchising on my mind because I’m in the franchise business, this may be even something a franchise org could filter perspective franchisees through, just kind of a little checklist, going through that.
Chris White, System and Soul (09:36):
Yeah. Absolutely. I’ve worked with a number of franchises around the country, and the great thing about System and Soul, I kind of mentioned to you earlier, our manifesto, if you will, is we believe in small business because they’re the lifeblood of their communities. Now, those could be solopreneurs, they could be a company of 10 people, 50 people, but it also can be a franchise model as well. Whether it’s franchise or individual, or what have you, you need a system in place that gives a framework for everybody in the organization to get on the same page and rowing in the same direction, getting everybody aligned around the vision and the culture.
Chris White, System and Soul (10:32):
Because if you’ve ever read Culture Code by Daniel Coyle, employees seek three things. In order to have a great culture, you have to understand what your employees want. And in Culture Code talks about, number one, employees want psychological safety. They want to know that the company’s going to provide a platform so they can have a voice in the organization and they can share good and bad, working and not working, without fear of retribution. Secondarily, they need to feel connected to the vision of the organization. And then third, they need to understand, how will they be successful within that vision and the level of autonomy that they get. So, that’s baked right into our philosophy at System and Soul, because, we really do want to ensure, more so now than ever.
Chris White, System and Soul (11:33):
So many cultures are fractured. We have the great resignation, we have people literally changing careers and going into different skill sets. People are chasing maybe their entrepreneurial dream or what have you. And so, there’s options out there, but the great thing is, by using framework and tools like this, you can ensure, one, you’re going to attract the right people, but more importantly, you’re going to keep them, they’re going to want to stay. Richard Branson talks about, train your employees so well, they could leave you at a moment’s notice, but treat them so well that they never do. And you know what, you can’t do that if you’re only focused on the system side of your business.
Tom DuFore, Big Sky Franchise Team (12:22):
That’s really, really fascinating, how you’ve described that. And it’s the balance, right? It’s like the yin and the yang. You have to have that balance there.
Chris White, System and Soul (12:32):
Exactly. You heard me say earlier, what System and Soul does is it brings your design and your people into synchronization. And kind of like the image that you just said, like the yin and yang, the idea here is to create harmony. If our people are clear on expectations, and their bosses, if they’re clear on the corporate vision, like the big picture, what we’re all trying to achieve here, and they have clarity around accepted behavior, core values, and organizational habits, and then finally, they’re [inaudible 00:13:12] clear on their role in the organization. People call hierarchical structures and companies a bunch of different names, but everybody knows what an org chart is. When I say organizational chart, paints a picture in everybody’s head. So, we keep things simple at System and Soul.
Chris White, System and Soul (13:31):
But here’s the difference. When you think of a standard org chart, Tom, you basically have a hierarchical structure of boxes, and then you have a title and then a name. And that’s really sad because an org chart can be so much more powerful of a tool. And so, what we’ve done in our organizational chart, every box in the chart represents a function in the business. That function, each independent function, will have a mission, a description of what success looks like as the head of operations, three KPIs, key performance indicators. At System and Soul, we measure everything. What gets measured, gets done. And then finally, we have three to four roles and responsibilities. So, if you envision that box, and inside the box, you have the function name, operations, and then underneath it, mission, KPI. And then under the core responsibilities, you might have three or four bullets that list the most important responsibilities they have to focus on. So, when you pull all that together, Tom, one, it gives the employee absolute clarity.
Chris White, System and Soul (14:52):
I mean, I would be as bold as to almost say you don’t need a job description because the only thing that’s really missing is the financial piece, the compensation piece. But the idea here is we want to provide maximum clarity into every role in the organization. You and I know, and your listeners know, people come and go in your business. So, we never build a business around people; we build it around function. And the more clarity we can provide to the person who’s going to be in that function, the more we’re setting them up for success.
Tom DuFore, Big Sky Franchise Team (15:32):
Wow. Well, I love how you’ve walked through that and described it, and really, what it sounds to me, you mentioned early on, used the word, I think, evolution and this change and shift. And one of the things that I like, is it sounds like your system and the System and Soul process here, allows for also an organization, for their evolving and evolutions that they go through as a company, whether it’s a high growth, whether it’s maybe a mature company or a brand that’s pretty static, or others that are maybe starting up, and it’s just that, like you mentioned, solopreneur now growing to four people or 10 people. That’s a significant growth for that solopreneur.
Chris White, System and Soul (16:14):
You’re exactly right. I have a client, and they’re a family-owned business, they do a billion dollars in revenue a year with over 1200 employees. And I typically don’t work with clients that large. I’m really more in the smaller entrepreneurial space, companies, 5 million to 50 million, with 10-plus employees, kind of our target market. So, when I had this initial conversation with the owner, what I realized was even though as big and successful as they were, their house wasn’t in order. They were out of synchronization. Their people were not in sync with the vision of the organization, they were not in sync with the design, and they were multiplying. I mean, 32 rooftops, it was a big deal. So, their issue was, “We need to get our house in order on a framework that will scale with us.”
Chris White, System and Soul (17:22):
Because, to your point, they had core values. I came in and polished everything up by putting it into a framework form. And I tell you, multiple returns on investment, but the biggest one for the owner, which is, the owner is third generation, and he said that by implementing a framework, the System and Soul framework, it gave him clear visibility into… He hadn’t thought of looking at his business as two sides. He just thought ops, ops, ops. Systems, processes, legal, HR. And so, when he brought in System and Soul, he realized, “Okay, we need to heal our soul.” Because culturally, it was getting a little fragmented, and he wanted to pull it back in tightly. And so, System and Soul just happened to be the perfect fit for what he was looking for because I addressed both sides. And a year later, he was saying, “Our culture has been 10X and I have a happy, healthy workforce.”
Chris White, System and Soul (18:44):
And I mean, that’s just… I’m good. That’s music to my ears. Because so many entrepreneurs, they struggle with that piece. And so, now they don’t have to struggle anymore because we’ve taken our collective 30 years of experience, of both Benjamin, my partner and I were serial entrepreneurs, I’ve had six organizations with four exits. Benj, I think he’s at 10 organizations now, with multiple exits. And really, we just pooled our collective knowledge to really look at what is the next evolution for operating systems or frameworks for business. And so, it was pretty obvious. And I’ll tell you a quick story, Tom. So, when this was all starting, Benj was like, “Hey Chris, I’m going to disappear for a couple days. I’m going to pray on this, and I’m just going to start noodling.”
Chris White, System and Soul (19:47):
And I said, “Okay. Go do your thing and I’ll keep grinding over here.” And within a couple of days, Tom, he called me and he goes, “You’re not going to believe this, but I think a gift was just handed to me. I think it’s like a tap on the shoulder.” And I said, “Okay, don’t tell me anything. Just tell me the name. Do you have a name? Did a name come to you?” And he said, “System and Soul.” My jaw hit the floor. I’m like, “That’s it. That’s what we’ve been talking about. We just hadn’t put words around it yet.” And that’s what’s really resonating in the entrepreneurial community; is, “Hey, there’s finally a framework that…” The tools that everybody else has that have been around for a hundred years, yeah that’s great, there’s a lockdown, but holy mackerel, this focus on culture, your destination, your why, what’s your purpose?
Chris White, System and Soul (20:44):
Just like you were saying earlier, what’s your ethos of your business? What’s your identity? Who are you as a business and then what are you doing to build that culture, so those people can get in sync with your design? It’s just an amazing thing. I’m turning 57 next month, and I am probably more invigorated now than the other, maybe, five or six companies that… I mean, it’s just so exciting because it’s the right time and it’s an evolution. Will there be another one after me? Of course. The earth doesn’t stop spinning on its axis, but for this season, it’s the most gratifying work I’ve ever done.
Tom DuFore, Big Sky Franchise Team (21:40):
Wow. Well, thank you for sharing that story. And this is a great point for us just to make a little transition into the same questions we ask every guest before the go. And the first question we like to ask, Chris, is, have you had a miss along the way? You’ve had a lot of different things you’ve done in your career, and something you learned from it.
Chris White, System and Soul (21:57):
Yeah. Well, I wear my entrepreneurial proudly. My entrepreneurial scars, that is; scars, post-stories, and I’ve got my share of train wrecks and misses like every entrepreneur. When you ask that, one that sticks out is, early in my career, I worked for Motorola. Now, I grew up in a entrepreneurial family. I’m also a third-generation entrepreneur. My grandparents, my parents, all were entrepreneurs, and I grew up in that environment. Okay. Problem was, I’m the eighth boy in my family. And I grew up working in those companies. So, that was in the ’70s and early ’80s, so I rode probably three economic waves, and my impression was, “Oh, hell no. I don’t want to be a business owner. I’m going to get a good job with two weeks vacation and security.”
Chris White, System and Soul (23:02):
And so, I got a job with Motorola. And I’m from Chicago, and they sent me to Green Bay, Wisconsin. And if you’re a football fan, that’s like the last place on earth I want to go. But here’s the thing, I had a wonderful run with Motorola, and I closed millions of dollars of deals; Ford, Honda, GM, Harley Davis. And it was during that time, Tom, that I sort of had my entrepreneurial epiphany. I went into work one day, and my order would come across a fax machine, and I was bored. I had this realization; I did a good job with my territory, I did a great job building strong, deep relationships, but I was bored. Orders would just come across and I’m like, “Okay, this can’t be the rest of my life.”
Chris White, System and Soul (23:52):
So, I started searching, and that’s when I decided to make my entrepreneurial leap. And so, I went into point of sale software. We built that company up, we sold the software rights, we eventually sold the company. We replicated that again in another small vertical niche market. We went into electronic medical records, built that company up, eventually sold the right, sold the company. And that’s when I got a little tap on the shoulder, and it said, “Hey, you and your wife could combine your expertise and build a company, an online company, online education.” So, we did it. And I’m great at starting things, Tom. I’m great at getting things started and off the ground, but what I quickly realized, it wasn’t feeding my unique ability. And so, I had this realization, I came home to my wife after work one day, and I told her, “I’m going to leave the company. You’re going to have to take it over because it is not feeding me.”
Chris White, System and Soul (24:58):
And so, that’s when I kind of took my leap of faith, and that’s when I started becoming a business coach. And I know at 14, I was going to be a teacher. And then when I got to college, I found out how much teachers make, and I was just disgusted by it. I’m like, “Oh my gosh, how am I going to raise a family on…” Well, at that time, $27,000 a year was the salary. And so, anyway, so fast forward, and that business with my wife, as fun and awesome as it was to have my wife as a partner, that part worked out good, believe it or not, but it wasn’t for me. I wasn’t able to maximize my gifts of, one, being an entrepreneur and sharing and giving back. And two, a coach and a teacher.
Chris White, System and Soul (25:55):
And so, I left the company and I took a year to go figure out. Now, that’s not a train wreck story, but that’s like a personal awareness. I was doing something that I wasn’t passionate about, and I just couldn’t sink my teeth into it. And it was a tough decision because my wife’s the other half of the whole business, and if I go, she’s going to have to figure that out. And so, I learned a lot about myself. And the takeaway here is, I made the tough decision to be true to myself. And I think people that are in business or owning and running businesses, you got to be true to yourself, otherwise, you’re not going to be effective and you’re not going to make an impact. So, that was a big epiphany for me, and a tough decision, but boy, am I glad I made it because I ended up, a year later, working exactly in my unique ability as a teacher and a coach.
Tom DuFore, Big Sky Franchise Team (27:02):
Well, one of the questions I have to ask, I’m sure anyone who’s going to listen to this at some point, so how’s the marriage? Did everything go fine post you separating?
Chris White, System and Soul (27:15):
Yes. And it’s rare. But as I mentioned earlier, I’m a third-generation family entrepreneur, so I grew up watching my parents behave, demonstrate what it’s like to be at home like mom and dad, husband, wife, and then at work, where my dad was in charge. And I can say this with all honesty, it sounds crazy that I’m going to say it, but I can tell you with a hundred percent accuracy, I never heard my parents argue. I’m sure they did, like every other married couple on the planet, but when I became an adult, I realized how important that was to them. Because work is work, home is home. We have husband and wife relationship, and we have father, mother relationship with the kids. So, my parents were a shining example, really of, if you’re going to go into business with your spouse, you want to make sure you act in this way. So, no, we’re strong as ever. And my wife totally got it. Because she can see I didn’t have the passion or the drive. I wasn’t bringing my true, authentic self, and so she actually made it pretty easy for me.
Tom DuFore, Big Sky Franchise Team (28:37):
Oh, that’s great. Well, and look, to be fair, I work with my wife. And in our business, she’s our project manager, so I can relate. When it goes well, it works out great. Why not? It makes sense.
Chris White, System and Soul (28:50):
Yeah. It does take extra effort, and you have to set up levels of communication, and when and where you can have certain conversations. We always said, “We’ve got our people and all that, but we’re going to have an owner’s meeting.” Separate from the other people in the company, her and I had an owner’s meeting where we basically would just come in and we had two lists; what’s working, what’s not working. And we started with those lists, and just systematically, with no ego involved, to set it up and solve those kind of things. So, you got to have some kind of framework or boundaries, and then you have to respect those. But I tell you, it can work. I mean, if this is your spouse, this is your best friend… And doesn’t work for everybody, but I’m glad it worked for me and I’m glad it’s working for you.
Tom DuFore, Big Sky Franchise Team (29:58):
Yeah. Well, thank you. Yeah. And thank you for sharing that. And the next question we’d like to ask is about a make. And you’ve had, certainly, great stories you’ve already shared. Is there another make or two that stands out you’d like to share?
Chris White, System and Soul (30:12):
Well, my first few companies, I targeted very small vertical niche markets because the markets that I chose, the larger software companies weren’t paying attention to. So, I think you got to really do your due diligence on two things. One, who are you as a company, what is our purpose, what’s our destination, what’s our ethos? Really get familiar with who you are. And that could be for an established company, that could be for a startup, that could be for a franchise. You have to define who you are. And then once you can define that, then I think you can move forward because you’re going to express your authentic self to the target market.
Chris White, System and Soul (30:57):
And that’s what we really did in my first few software companies; is we came in, identified the gaps… And here’s a funny story. So, in my first company was point of sale for independent bicycle stores in America. There’s not a lot, but when I entered that market, the number one software program, I’m going to date myself here, but was DOS. Now, DOS was bombproof right. It was great. But Bill Gates came along and he was handing out Windows like jelly beans, changing the whole landscape. Well, our software was written for PC.
Chris White, System and Soul (31:45):
And my first year of grinding it out, I was knocking on doors and knocking anywhere. And I got so desperate, I actually called the owner of that the DOS-based software company, and I said, “I’m Chris White. I think you know who I am because I’m converting some of your clients, but I don’t have a taste for this industry, and I’ll sell you my software for a very cheap price. I’ll sign a lifetime noncompete. I want out…” And I was serious because I knew I had a better product. And that owner laughed on the phone. And the rest is history. I sold the rights to my software Trek Bicycle company, the largest North American bike manufacturer, and they put it in their stores worldwide. So, I always start small and get the flywheel turning, and then build the momentum from there. But I tend to focus on the underdogs, the people who are being served appropriately.
Tom DuFore, Big Sky Franchise Team (32:59):
Yeah. Well, what a great story. Thank you for sharing that. And the name of the show’s Multiply Your Success. So, we always ask everyone, “Have you used a multiplier as you’ve grown in multiple companies?”
Chris White, System and Soul (33:10):
Oh my goodness, yeah. Well, in System and Soul, we’re recruiting coaches from around the country and the world, actually. We have about 40 coaches domestically and two or three internationally now. And these are generally men and women who have maybe had a corporate career or were professionals, but at the next stage of their life, they want to take that entrepreneurial leap, they want to give back to small businesses, that’s where their heart is. And so, I have a 10X freedom formula to show our coaches how, within three years, you can build a strong, consistent coaching practice, but still having time to chase other passions that you might have, and that could be professional or personal. And so, I get the coaches to think in that 10X mindset.
Chris White, System and Soul (34:23):
When I started my first company, the last thing I thought about was, “Oh, can I grow by 10X and then get position to sell?” No, I had my head down, I was providing… At the time, I’m like, “I got the answers that this industry needs.” So, I figured, solve that and the money will come. And that’s been my mantra all the way through. And sometimes, you get an eight multiplier, sometimes you get a 12 multiplier. Just depends, but I do use that mindset for my coaches, because, these are men and women who are looking to start a business, solopreneur, and I have a framework that shows them, “Hey, you actually can 10X in this timeframe doing this system, following the system.” With age comes with wisdom, so I’m much more aware of it and talking about it more and getting our coaches to have that multiplier mindset.
Tom DuFore, Big Sky Franchise Team (35:33):
Yeah. Well, and Chris, the last question we ask every guest is what does success mean to you?
Chris White, System and Soul (35:40):
Freedom. Real simple. Freedom. As an entrepreneur, I don’t have to control everything. Listen, I’m a blue collar kid from the Midwest, and I got some smarts, but the smartest thing I ever did, Tom, is I surrounded myself with smarter people. People who had areas of expertise that I had not. When you’re an athletic coach, your job is to bring these men and these women together to become a strong help cohesive team. And you can look at all the winners, from the Chicago Bulls, the Patriots, Alabama, there’s lots of examples out there, and the real key is you’ve got to bring people together and they got to be locked arm and arm. That’s why being a solopreneur… My coaching company is separate from my other organization, and that’s just me.
Chris White, System and Soul (36:51):
But I’m a team player and I love to surround myself with diversity of people, diversity of thought, diversity of background, diversity of culture, because, leveraging that kind of knowledge is going to make you successful, I believe. So, the real definition for me is if I get all those things in place, I’m going to create freedom for myself and freedom for my employees, freedom for my clients. Let’s face it, entrepreneurs, we put our blinders on, we put our head down, and we plow. And nobody’s lying on their death bed, Tom, saying, “Boy, I wish I would’ve worked another day.” So, I want to bring freedom to my clients, so that they’re controlling their businesses instead of the business controlling them. And I want to give people who have a passion and a desire to give back, and teach and coach small to midsize companies, again, whether they’re franchise or solo, I want to help them 10X their life and get that freedom that I’m talking about. It’s the freedom of choice.
Tom DuFore, Big Sky Franchise Team (38:05):
Well, I love that and I love the idea of freedom. And certainly, doing what I’ve done over my career has been focused on helping other people find that through various forms of entrepreneurship. So, I love what you’re doing. I really do.
Chris White, System and Soul (38:18):
Thank you.
Tom DuFore, Big Sky Franchise Team (38:19):
And what’s the best way, Chris, for someone to learn more about System and Soul or connect and learn about what you’re doing?
Chris White, System and Soul (38:25):
Sure. Thank you. Yeah. So, website is systemandsoul, all spelt out, A-N-D. Systemandsoul.com. And all of the information around who we are as an organization and what we do and who we’re serving is there. But our whole purpose is to help these businesses get clarity and control because we believe if you can do that, you’re going to have breakthrough.
Tom DuFore, Big Sky Franchise Team (39:00):
Chris, thank you so much for a great interview again. And let’s go ahead and jump into today’s three key takeaways. So, takeaway number one is really this whole idea of the System and Soul program that Chris talked about. And I love the description that he said, that it combines the brain and the heart, that they are working together, your system and your soul, that they are in tandem, working with one another and that they are not mutually exclusive. They actually should be working and operating in tandem; is one.
Tom DuFore, Big Sky Franchise Team (39:34):
Take away number two is that culture is not just core values, it’s organizational habits. And I loved how Chris gave this kind of arithmetic problem. He said core values plus organizational habits, equals organizational culture. I thought that’s a phenomenal takeaway, especially for so many people that have maybe tried, myself included, on implementing company values and so on into your company. But really, it’s the core values plus the organizational habits, equals organizational culture. And takeaway number three is to train your people so well, they could leave you at a moment’s notice, but treat them so well that they never want to leave you. I thought that was a great quote that he gave to us, that I believe he said Richard Branson said that. And now it’s time for today’s Win/Win.
Tom DuFore, Big Sky Franchise Team (40:28):
So today’s Win/Win, is when Chris talked about having to be true to yourself, otherwise you are not going to be effective and you’re not going to be able to make an impact. And ultimately, I think that’s really at the core of what most of us probably are trying to do; is to be effective and to make an impact. And if you’re not being true to yourself, well, then you’re not going to be able to make that impact. And impact in your community and your business and your personal life, professional life, with your children, with your friends, wherever you’re trying to make that impact, it’s not going to be as effective in doing so. So Chris’s lesson and takeaway is; be true to yourself. And that’s the episode today, folks. Please make sure you subscribe to the podcast and give us a review. Remember, if you or anyone you know might be ready to franchise their business or take their franchise company to the next level, please connect with us at bigskyfranchiseteam.com. Thanks for tuning in, and we look forward to having you back next week.
