The Liberated CEO: The 9–Step Program to Running a Better Business so it Doesnt Run You

Praise for The Liberated CEO "Scott Leonard did what many business owners merely dream about. He ditched the desk and set sail on the sea. His bold move challenges the daily office routine and proves that technology can set you free. Scott shares his experience sailing around the world with his family on a 50–foot boat while simultaneously keeping his financial advisory business ′afloat.′ Scott demonstrates the importance of embracing technology and new ways of thinking. This book documents one business leader’s amazing journey to reinvent the workplace and create a mobile, versatile and sustainable business model. It′s a must–read for anyone who has ever said to themselves, ′wouldn′t it be great if . . . ′" —TOM NALLY, President, TD Ameritrade Institutional " The Liberated CEO is a compelling read for anyone who sits in a leadership position within a company. Mr. Leonard has outlined a strategic yet personal account of a method to run a company while having a life that all business leadership should embrace. If you have ever wanted to run a company while having a great life, this is a must read." —ANGIE HERBERS, President of Angie Herbers Inc., a global consulting firm "Success isn′t just making more money. It′s building a business that realizes your dreams on purpose. The Liberated CEO is packed full with secrets to build a great quality life not only for yourself and your family but all stakeholders." —JOHN BOWEN, Founder and CEO, CEG Worldwide, LLC " The Liberated CEO offers great strategies for the successful entrepreneur. Yet Scott′s book goes further than many experts in detailing how you can make world–class customer service the core of any business. He addresses the delicate balance between an efficient company and the personal touch—much as he found a way to balance his personal family goals with his financial services firm." —DAVID L. HANCOCK, Chairman, Guerrilla Marketing International "Everyone talks about work–life balance, but Scott Leonard has done it. The Liberated CEO  shares how you can build a great business with the freedom and flexibility to meet your own unique needs, illustrated with stories and examples from the incredible life adventure Scott had with his family." —CHIP SAWICKI, author, The Gift of Success and Happiness

Author’s Notes ix Preface xi Acknowledgments xiii Introduction Setting Free the CEO (Why a Business is Like a Bowline Knot) 1 Smashing the Service Ceiling 4 Living Proof 6 Chapter 1 Chart Your Rhumb Line (Plotting a Three–Dimensional Vision) 13 Plan in Three–D 15 Pretest Your Plan for Failure 17 Building Milestones 19 Notes 23 Chapter 2 Know Your Peak Zone 25 The Peak–Zone Manager 27 Finding Your Peak Zone 28 Hiring a Blended Team 30 Trusting the Ropes 34 Notes 38 Chapter 3 Smart Sourcing: Hire the Best—Outsource the Rest 39 The Hidden Costs of Full–Time Staff 41 Insource Customer Relationships 42 Competing on Knowledge 45 Managing the Experts for Accountable Results 46 Notes 50 Chapter 4 Give Your Crew Preflight Checklists 51 Automated Workflows 55 Set It and Forget It 59 Notes 62 Chapter 5 How to Build a Service Brand (It’s Not About You) 63 Hiring the Right People 70 Empowering People to Help 71 Embracing Disruption 73 Anticipating and Closing the Customer’s Loops 76 Sweating the Small Stuff 79 Notes 81 Chapter 6 Break the Service Ceiling with Systematic Customization 83 Applying the Vitals Worksheet to Your Business 84 Customization is Sweeping Key Industries 91 Note 96 Chapter 7 Keeping a Loyal Crew 97 The Virtues of the TLO Mindset 100 Viewing Employees as Assets Like Clients, Not Liabilities 101 Communicating the Big Picture 104 Fixing the Process Before You Blame the People 105 Linking Compensation to the Appropriate Performance 109 Participation, Training, and Transparency 114 Notes 117 Chapter 8 Made to Sell: Changing the Watch 119 If You Own It, You Don’t Break It 121 Profits and the 60–20–20 Formula 126 The Pillars of Valuation 128 Notes 132 Chapter 9 Become an Expert in Your Field 135 The Rewards of Thought Leadership 139 Notes 145 Chapter 10 Afterword: Ready for the Next Peak 147 RIA Firms in Major Growth Trend 148 Notes 151 APPENDIXES Liberated CEO Extras 153 Appendix A Notes and Observations from Our Three–Year Global Sailing Trip 155 An Ode to Telemedicine 155 Jetliner Travel Know–How 158 Papa Sherpa’s Five Golden Rules of Traveling Around the World with Kids 160 Wireless Communications at Sea 162 The Balancing Act 168 Appendix B Further Reading and Related Resources 171 About the Author 175 Index 177

SCOTT A. LEONARD, CFP, is the founding partner of Navigoe, LLC, a leading, full–service wealth management and investment advisory firm. He has a degree in Economics from UCLA. Mr. Leonard has been an instructor at UCLA Extension, teaching courses in the financial planning certificate program. He was the Dean of the School of Investments for NAPFA University, and is a national speaker on topics addressing investments, wealth management and business best practices. Mr. Leonard is a frequently published author, specializing in advanced investment theory, and has been the featured financial planner for the Los Angeles Times weekly “Money Makeover” column. He is often looked to by the media as an expert in a breadth of financial, business and entrepreneurial topics. Away from the business, Mr. Leonard is busy working with his wife helping to raise their three boys and acclimate to the U.S. after spending 2 ½ years sailing the world with his family.