We conclude the BASICS framework with S for Sustain, tackling the core question that determines business valuation and legacy: "If the company can't live without you, do you have a company or do you have a job?".

Sustain is the ultimate exit strategy. The entire BASICS process (Brute Force, Analyze, Structure, Improve, Culture) is the path to raising a self-sufficient organization. Dean’s goal is to remove himself as the bottleneck; he signs no checks and has no deliverables. Sustain is achieved when maintaining the company requires only an "extraordinary small amount of effort".

We discuss how culture ensures sustainability: when the leader sets high standards (like keeping all pallets straight), the abnormal (a crooked pallet) is rejected immediately, maintaining order. Without Sustain, the owner is trapped and becomes a slave to the organization, just like the owner who allowed employees to stand around the time clock for 20 minutes every day.

The power of a sustainable culture lies in trust. Dean’s employees willingly stop working to wave at him and answer honestly when asked "How busy are you?" because they know he is invested in them, not just inspecting them. Leaders must be the person the business needs them to be.

If you are unwilling to be the leader your company needs, be honest about it. Otherwise, you owe it to everyone to make the courageous changes required to build a lasting legacy.

Your future depends on the change you make today.

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This episode focuses on C for Culture, starting with the challenging question: "Are you even the person who should be running your company?".

Culture defines who makes decisions. Dean describes a highly effective meeting where he served as a facilitator, providing zero data value but successfully guiding his team to the root problem, demonstrating that they are the experts. This trust allows him to literally push himself out of his own company.

A healthy culture must be opportunistic, not defensive. Dean shares a powerful turnaround of a toxic union shop (where management and staff hated each other). By asking the union leaders, "What can I do for you?" and prioritizing collaboration, Dean fixed the culture and achieved zero grievances.

We discuss the Cost of Bad Culture: 99% of owners would rather lose money than admit they are the problem. Leaders must be courageous enough to show vulnerability (like Dean admitting he was not emotionally stable), which builds essential safety and trust within the team.

Moving forward requires right-sizing relationship and results. If you are working in the business, you've created a job, not a company, and you are trapped.

Join us next time as we conclude the BASICS framework with Sustain—the ultimate goal.

Find the courage to transform your business and your leadership.

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Welcome to I for Improve, the stage where we stop fixing major problems and start refining a company that is "functioning successfully, but not efficiently". Improve is about getting granular: moving the company from a "Camaro to a Ferrari".

Improve begins by establishing and tracking KPIs (Key Performance Indicators). Dean shares how detailed analysis (Part I) revealed massive profitability gains by cutting products outside their "wheelhouse" and correcting pricing errors (like raising a pen price from $1 to $2), increasing margins from 24% to 56%.

Improve focuses on cutting hidden waste. Dean found one company was wasting $30,000 a year on obsolete IT services for just 15 computers. Many owners resist cutting underperforming products due to fear of customer loss, but Dean's experience shows that being honorable—even when saying no—builds greater trust.

Leaders must recognize the common trap: 70-80% of businesses fail at improvement because the owner is afraid and feels alone. This is why the mindset chapters are crucial: if you haven't dealt with fear, you are not ready for this stage. If you hire experts (like a controller) who are better than you, they will pay for themselves by finding these massive inefficiencies.

Next time, we tackle the most important foundational element: Culture.

You don't have to be afraid to fix what's wrong. Your company is worth it.

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Today, we tackle S for Structure, the vital phase where you build the company's organizational foundation. After clearing chaos (Brute Force) and analyzing problems (Analyze), Structure establishes the necessary processes, policies (BOPs/SOPs), and organizational clarity.

A cornerstone of this phase is documenting the Quote-to-Cash process, which Dean notes is likely described five different ways by five different people in your organization. Structure is essential for accountability: shared responsibilities cannot exist. Clear org charts must assign responsibility for every task, such as PO execution.

Documentation is critical. Without written policies (BOPs/SOPs) for historical knowledge—which is valuable intellectual property built over years—the company falls into chaos when someone leaves or gets sick. The leader is accountable for setting and enforcing these documentation standards.

We discuss how documentation removes emotion: if an instruction is documented and clear, not following it becomes a person problem, not a process problem. Dean shares how he fixed a major safety and efficiency liability by physically moving the shipping office next to the dock doors, proving that investing in structure saves money and improves perception. Structure sets the definition of what the company should be, which is necessary before attempting to improve.

Next time, we discuss the Improve phase: turning a functioning company into an efficient powerhouse.

Your current structure might be costing you millions.

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We continue the BASICS framework with A for Analyze, where the focus is on datadriven analysis. This phase involves collecting all problem data onto a large whiteboard, ranging from missing screws to inefficient processes. Analysis focuses on the medium-class issues missed during Brute Force.

The main priority is gathering information—literally watching employees and questioning the process flow. Dean uses measurement to expose massive inefficiency: an employee walking across an 80,000-square-foot facility for a tool means a dollar Allen wrench becomes a $50,000 Allen wrench over time due to lost production hours. Owners who claim they lack time are often losing a quarter of the day, every day, in wasted efforts like searching for fixtures or tooling.

Dean stresses that this level of analytical thought is not innate; it must be taught and practiced. Resistance often stems from ego—the owner refusing to admit their processes are deficient. The solution is to move machines, fixtures, and processes to reflect the optimal process flow, measuring walking distance and time delays, not just putting equipment where there's a "hole".

Once you start measuring (e.g., the two-week delay from order to floor time), you can manage the problem. If you are willing to spend the best years of your life working, you should be willing to learn how to do it effectively.

Next time, we move to the foundational building block: Structure.

You are not alone in your challenges. Find the roadmap to effective analysis.

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Today, we initiate the BASICS framework with B for Brute Force, defined as bold, decisive action to overcome inertia. Brute Force is the wake-up call for the organization, focusing solely on the lowest hanging fruit.

Brute Force must be rapidly executed, like pulling off a band-aid. The faster you run into the storm (the problems), the faster you get through it. Examples of low-hanging fruit include: scrapping highly inefficient equipment, removing unused storage facilities (saving $6,000/month), eliminating random stock placement, and organizing raw materials.

Crucial Warning: Brute Force is not dictatorship. Doing this without first changing your mindset (Part One of the book) results in panic and rumors, destroying morale. Leaders must communicate the plan (though not asking for approval) and quickly remove employees who fight the new system.

To counter the habit of employees running to the leader for every answer, Dean teaches them to think first. When asking a question, employees must provide three options and suggest one, empowering them to eventually become self-sufficient. Many owners claim they "have no money" to invest in change, but Dean notes they are simply underutilizing existing resources and wasting time.

Next time, we transition to the second phase: Analyze.

Are you ready to stop being the bottleneck in your business?.

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We move to the second foundational question of Trojan Horse: Is your company ready for change?.

Dean warns that external consultants often fail because they skip the mindset shift, leaving leaders unable to implement tactical changes. You cannot succeed if your foundation is built on a lie (e.g., fooling yourself about reality). A critical indicator of failure is nepotism—being unwilling to fire a family member who undermines the business or telling lies to employees.

We address why many founders are emotionally immature in business interactions. This is often because they were never taught EQ or security, and they lead erratically, creating an "us and them" attitude where one set of rules applies to the owner and another to employees. Dean outlines the necessary approach: be inquisitive, not accusatory, when addressing employee issues. By patiently asking why an employee is late, you might discover a simple, fixable reason (like changing their start time) rather than firing a good person.

A company cannot succeed if the leader hasn't communicated the 12-month goal and how to get there. Employees' brains must be engaged toward a common destination; otherwise, every subsequent functional action fails.

Next time, we kick off the tactical BASICS framework with Brute Force.

Recommended Components

Your company deserves to move from chaos to clarity.

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Are you feeling stuck, thinking you don't have the pedigree or background to succeed? Dean Svarc shares his inspiring history to give you hope. He began as an apprentice machinist and mechanic, holding two or three jobs simultaneously for years. He reveals his traumatic past: growing up in an "extremely abusive household," leaving home at 17, and facing times when he was negative $115 in the bank with no food.

Dean insists: You are your only limiting factor. If he can move from that traumatic background to becoming a multi-time CEO and author, anyone can. His success stemmed from two non-negotiable characteristics: he fought for the right thing and he persisted.

The fundamental key to his evolution was a conscious mindset shift: choosing not to mimic the toxicity of his past, and learning emotional intelligence and security. Dean is proud of his mistakes, including losing hundreds of thousands in investments. He tells his children only of his failures, so they know it is okay to fall down and learn.

Stop listening to the inner voice of self-doubt. Don't take advice from people who haven't lived the life you want. You are a winner just for trying. Read the book, change your mindset, and recognize you are not alone.

Next time, we discuss the tactical indicators that tell you if your company is truly ready for change.

If you've made it this far, you are a winner! Get the guidance you need to succeed.

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