Shifting from working “in” a business” to instead working “on” it is one of the most common (and sometimes most difficult) challenges CEOs and entrepreneurs face. They’re used to doing a little bit of everything, and it can be hard to zoom out for a bird’s-eye view. But if business owners want their companies to reach their full potential, making this shift is one of the most important changes a CEO can make.

Our guest this week is an expert on helping entrepreneurs do just that. As a former IBM employee, a multiple successful entrepreneur, a nonprofit technology executive that helped Louisiana become one of the fastest growing technology states in the country, Mark coaches and consults entrepreneurs and small businesses for success by moderating multiple CEO Roundtables each year.

Tune into the full episode for more on how Mark guides CEOs and entrepreneurs on growing their business, some of the most common challenges he sees small business owners face as they try to scale their companies, how to develop a strong company culture that people want to be a part of, and more.

Here’s a Glimpse of What You’ll Learn: 

• More about what Mark does, including what the CEO Roundtables are, and how they help CEOs develop their leadership
• The structure behind Mark’s CEO Roundtable, and the step-by-step approach he takes participants through in order to grow their businesses
• The one paradigm shift Mark says CEOs need to have in order to give their business the best chance at success
• One of the most common stumbling blocks that CEOs experience
• How to define your company culture
• The exercise Mark often uses to help CEOs develop the core values of their company
• The challenges Mark sees companies experience as they try to set goals for the business
• The difference between leading and lagging indicators, and why they’re so important for setting goals
• Why Mark says so many strategic plans end up failing
• More about the CEO Facilitator Playbook, and why Mark put the program together
• Why Mark doesn’t believe in work-life balance, and how he still manages to measure success in his personal life

Resources Mentioned in This Episode: 

• Mark Lewis LLC’s website
• “Give a Damn!: The Ticket to Cultural Change” by Mark S. Lewis
• “Good to Great: Why Some Companies Make the Leap and Others Don’t” by Jim Collins
• “The ONE Thing: The Surprisingly Simple Truth About Extraordinary Results” by Gary Keller
• “The Obstacle Is the Way: The Timeless Art of Turning Trials into Triumph” by Ryan Holiday
• 40 Strategy
• Contact 40 Strategy
• Carl J. Cox on LinkedIn