FEATURED POST OF THE WEEK

Our long-form article of the week. You can always view the current and past featured posts on Empower’s blog.

Sweating out those business hurdles

This week’s newsletter inspiration? The sauna!

I know, not a typical space to gather business insight, but stick with me.

I prefer a quiet, contemplative setting for my 15 minutes of dry heat, but, that’s not always what I get. Last month, I didn’t mind because I overheard a local business owner say to another sauna mate:

I wasn’t trying to eavesdrop, but I couldn’t help overhearing (small spaces, you know?).

My first thought: Should I pitch this guy? I decided this wasn’t the place, but the comment stuck with me.

This owner felt his team wasn’t pushing hard enough in the direction he envisioned for the business. Leave aside whether real performance or fit issues exist, the comment reminded me of a key tenet of the People pillar in EOS (the Entrepreneurial Operating System)—GWC.

What is GWC?

GWC stands for:

• Get it

• Want it

• Capacity to do it

The idea is that when you’re analyzing your existing team, or hiring, you use this framework to help get the right people in the right seats.

• Get it: They understand the role, people, culture and systems. They also understand how their job fits into the organization.

• Want it: They genuinely want to do the job they’re assigned.

• Capacity to do it: They have the time, mental, physical and emotional capacity to do the job well.

For my sauna stranger, one reason he may feel frustrated and alone in trying to make the business 1% better each day could stem from a poor role fit.

If you’re also reading this and thinking, “Yes, I understand this guy,” here’s what I suggest.

Step 1: Clearly define roles

Before conducting individual evaluations, make sure you’ve documented the following for each role on your team (full-time, part-time and contract):

• A clear job description

• Key responsibilities

• Reporting structure

• How the role aligns to strategy and core values

Step 2: Evaluate individuals against GWC

Assess several key questions across GWC:

Get it

• Does this person understand what success looks like in this role?

• Does this person know how the role fits into the bigger picture?

• Does this person frequently get confused about expectations and require consistent clarification?

Want it

• Does this person show enthusiasm for the work required?

• Does this person exhibit internal motivation, or are they just going through the motions?

• If given the choice, would this person actively pursue this role?

Capacity to do it

• Does this person have the technical skills required to execute?

• Does this person have the EQ and leadership ability required?

• Does this person have the time, energy and will to fulfill what’s expected of the role?

If you answer “No” to any of these questions, you likely need to dig deeper to assess whether there’s a training gap, a better-fitting seat for that person or if you have a more difficult decision ahead.

The impact of poor fit

For any team, but especially small ones, a poor fit can have significant ripple effects, including:

• A hit to overall morale, productivity and engagement.

• Weakening the culture you’ve made an effort to cultivate.

• Slowed down decision-making and execution.

• Being unfair to the team member in question.

• Weakens accountability and erodes trust in leadership.

The business owner in the sauna knows something is off, but I think he’s yet to pinpoint the root cause. With the right team and strong leadership in place, you shouldn’t feel this drag. Instead, you should experience everyone pushing alongside you. When everyone understands their role, aligns to your vision and has the right tools to execute, it will be more than a 1% push forward you experience each day.

P.S. - If you’re not familiar with EOS and want to learn more, I highly recommend reading Traction as a primer.

WEEKLY DOSE OF EMPOWERMENT

If you would like to submit a tip to be shared with the Empower community in a future newsletter, please reach out at [email protected] with the subject line “Weekly Dose of Empowerment Submission.”

Expand your mind

At the end of last year, The New York Times published an article titled, “10 Ways to Keep Your Mind Healthy in 2025.” One key takeaway? Challenge your brain.

Whether it’s a crossword, a puzzle or learning a new language, engaging in mentally stimulating activities sharpens problem-solving skills, boosts creativity and enhances focus. All of these things can make you more clear-headed and creative when it comes to business, too.

The tip?

Make it a habit by choosing weekly activities.

I have The New York Times game app and challenge myself with Spelling Bee, Strands and Wordle multiple times per week. I spend anywhere from 5-20 minutes per session. My husband and I also engage in games like Scrabble and Backgammon, which require strategy, pattern recognition and, for Scrabble, increasing vocabulary.

JESSICA’S READ, OR LISTEN, PICK OF THE WEEK

A little something that got my gears turning this week and might pique your interest as well!

From Acquiring Minds podcast: How to Buy Franchise Businesses, Then Sell to PE

TL;DR

I’ve enjoyed this podcast recently. The host, Will Smith, profiles stories of entrepreneurship through acquisition and listeners get a wide perspective of what it takes to purchase, operate and drive success for existing small business and franchise models.

In this episode, Smith interviews Alicia Miller, an entrepreneur who left her corporate career and built a successful portfolio of Sylvan Learning Centers. She talked at length about how she evaluated franchise models, why she chose education, the acquisition process and learning, private equity’s role in the franchise ecosystem, as well as key observations related to franchise trends today.

It’s a good one for anyone interested in becoming, or currently is, a franchise operator.

JUST FOR FUN

Really, this section is just for fun. Who knows what will be in store each week?

In the spirit of Valentine’s Day tomorrow, I combined the power of Claude and ChatGPT to write a poem for all my entrepreneurs out there. Be my business Valentine 💓.

Roses are red, your startup's delightful,
But your manual processes? Slightly frightful.
Let me automate your daily grind,
While growth opportunities we find.

Your customer base makes my heart soar,
But together, we could reach so many more!
I dream of scaling what you've built,
With systems running smooth as silk.

Your potential gives me butterflies,
Like watching market share rise.
From operations to team success,
I'll help remove that startup stress.

So be my business Valentine,
Let's make your systems more streamlined.
With strategies both smart and new,
Your business dreams will all come true!

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If you’re ready to take the step, reach out to discuss how we can support your goals. 

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