When I first consult with an owner on how to make their business better, their initial reaction often goes something like, “I see what you’re saying, but I can’t do that.”

That’s what happened with Greg Christy, co-founder and CEO of Brite Ideas, Inc. in Rancho Santa Margarita, California. Brite Ideas is a technical production company that’s been around for the past 34 years.

You Can Do More Than You Think You Can

I’ve worked with Greg for about eight or nine years. He originally hired me for what I call a “look under the hood” consultantship. This is when I go on-site to check out a company by looking through all aspects of the business: financial, operational, sales, and production.

In Greg’s case, I went to California for about a week to get a good look at the company and generate a report with three key recommendations. Greg’s first reaction was — wait for it — “I can’t do any of that.” So, he set the recommendations aside and went about his business.

Fast forward to about a year ago. Greg had just turned 60 and decided he needed his business to run more smoothly, especially if he was going to think about an eventual exit. He gave me a call and I began collaborating with him and his leadership team.

Challenges of Success

The key challenges Greg wanted to address at this point were operational and organizational. Like many owners in our industry, Greg doesn’t have a fancy MBA or formal business training. His background is in production and design.

Brite Ideas had grown organically over three decades. The company was making money, but it was more of a reactive than a proactive process. Greg had to hold on to the company with both arms to keep it going on a daily basis. It wasn’t sustainable.

Greg re-engaged with me because he knows I understand the industry. He reads my weekly emails and enjoys my industry-specific insights. And, once we started working together on a daily basis, he made a shocking discovery:

As unique as we think we are, we’re not. There’s definitely themes throughout our industry. Owners have the same challenges. It really goes a long way when you’re working with somebody that gets your business.

Remember the three key recommendations I’d given him years earlier? We made them our highest priority and saw positive results in a matter of months. Greg embraced a new team management approach, with leadership from each of the company’s major departments. Within a short time, he felt he was working in partnership with others instead of all on his own.

“It has been an amazing transformation,” Greg told me later, “an excellent experience.”

As we continue to work together, the organizational structure of Brite Ideas has become even more proactive.

Results for the Long Haul

The results aren’t just short-term, either. The main long-term result for Greg is that he can now see a path forward for the company without him being involved neck-deep on a day-to-day basis.

I see ownership from key individuals of the company. I see good ideas coming out every week. I see us beginning to create sustainable processes and have a repeatable result time after time without every show being a reactive experience.

“It’s been a little over a year now,” he continued. “I feel so much better about how the company is going.”

Conclusion: The Vacation Metric

The improvements to Brite Ideas are encouraging and setting the stage for greater improvements in the future. We still have work to do. But that’s not the only reason Greg and I continue working together.

One of my initial questions for Greg was, “Can you take a vacation, come back, and the company is still running?” He couldn’t before — but that’s changed.

I was gone for a week recently, and when I came back there wasn’t a beat missed. Everything was moving along. Everybody was in a good mood. All the goals were being met. It was really amazing.

Greg continues to work with me because it allows him to live life in a more balanced way. For owners, that’s one of the best metrics of success.