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.

• Find the comprehensive guide to transformation: Pick up your copy of Trojan Horse: The Unseen Solution to Critical Business Problems at your favorite book retailer.

• Get a complimentary discussion: DeanSvarc.com

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.

• Get the book that unlocks change: Trojan Horse: The Unseen Solution to Critical Business Problems.

• Get an outside perspective: DeanSvarc.com

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.

• Learn the BASICS framework: Pick up Trojan Horse: The Unseen Solution to Critical Business Problems.

• Schedule a complimentary discussion: DeanSvarc.com