Cultura Coaching, LLC

Founder and leadership coach helping service-based business owner/operators grow their business with clarity, structure, and purpose—one business at a time. 

Through my initial 90-day Growth & Profit Accelerator ($3,995), I deliver a proven, strategic framework that aligns teams, improves culture, and drives measurable results. 

Clients consistently see 25%+ revenue growth, 3%+ profit increases, and stronger retention through clear SMART goals, actionable steps, and full accountability.

Profitable Growth Coach

Cascadia Global Security

Led regional security operations across Oregon, managing 60+ client accounts, 90+ employees, and $5.2M+ in annual revenue with a consistent 18%+ profit margin. Achieved a 47% gross margin improvement within 3 months by optimizing workforce scheduling and reducing labor inefficiencies. Successfully lowered direct labor costs by 9.8% and overhead by 58% while maintaining 100% client satisfaction through strategic hiring and responsive service delivery.

Regional Operations Manager (Oregon)

Premier Services Group

Directed administrative operations for a $40M+ company servicing 110 Lowe’s stores across 6 states, overseeing 800+ daily activities for 1,500+ weekly customers. Led a 30+ person scheduling team, HR, and training functions, enabling 300% revenue growth by formalizing recruiting, onboarding, and customer support systems. Improved customer satisfaction scores by 11% and eliminated overdue scheduling commitments through strategic process design, data-driven accountability, and scalable operational structures.

Director Of Operations

Dovetail Coffee

Brought in by a potential investment group as a business operations expert to partner with the CEO in scaling a specialty coffee business. Oversaw 3 café managers, 12 staff, and 1 roaster while developing and executing a growth strategy that led to the opening of two new locations. Built and optimized internal processes for recruiting, hiring, and training, resulting in a 100% increase in trained team capacity prior to COVID-19-related closure.

Vice President of Operations

G.W. PAULSON COMPANY

Managed operational projects for a construction services provider, leading a team of 12 installers and overseeing all estimating, ordering, and scheduling functions. Handled 100+ daily requests from project superintendents while streamlining processes to increase home builds by 85% and set a 30-year department revenue record at $1.5M/month. Maintained 100% client retention through consistent, high-level service and execution.

Account/Project Manager

Renewal by Andersen of Oregon

Led and developed a high-performing sales team of 15 for a premium window installation company, generating 90+ quality leads per month and driving 30%+ revenue growth in just 6 months. Recruited and trained 25+ new team members in one year, built client satisfaction tracking systems to improve NPS, and optimized field rep placement to achieve record-breaking monthly sales. Recognized by leadership for strategic execution and sales excellence.

Marketing Manager

First Response Security

Oversaw organizational strategy, vision, and execution of operations, client services, human resources, accounting, and business development processes, people, and systems.  
Primary driver of B2B firm delivering 5K+ weekly guard and security services with team of 4 direct reports and 130+ customer-facing security officers. 
Generated revenue by performing all sales activities. Conceived of and implemented new recruiting structure. 

> Executed organizational goals through business process improvement resulting in 842% growth over 8 years and 2 highest years of revenue and profit in 25 year history.  
> Led, coached, and motivated 8+ critical client-facing operational staff and managers overseeing 130+ employees, providing 3 different services to 500+ clients at 6,000+ accounts exceeding client expectations, resulting in 95% client retention and 10%+ annual growth. 
> Analyzed operating budget of $5M+ annually focusing on P&L opportunities resulting in 10% revenue growth and 1%+ of increased net profit year over year.  
>  Increased revenue from -16% loss during recession (2007 -2011) to 27%+ growth over 5 years through strategic planning and execution
>  Improved customer satisfaction and mitigated business risks through the project management,  strategic planning, budgeting and implementation of a proprietary customer facing software and technology for 50+ accounts

Vice President of Services

Negotiated and sold B2B contracts growing revenue by 842% from $360k annually to $3.25M. Achieved 84% revenue growth in 2 years after 3 years of negative profit. Recruited, trained, and onboarded a staff 
of 4 direct reports and 95 security officers.

Oversaw all branch operations to include administration, operations, human resources, customer services, sales and scheduling. In addition, played a leadership role in the client services approach for the company.

Sr. Director, Client Services | Branch Manager

Customer Service Representative

You didn’t start your business to stay stuck—scrambling to make payroll, buried in the weeds, guessing at your margins, and wondering why your bank account doesn’t reflect your hard work.

Yet here you are.

When it comes to building a profitable business, there are two common paths:

1.  Keep pushing, hoping next month will be different—ignoring your numbers, chasing more sales, and reacting to cash flow chaos.
2.  Get strategic—plug profit leaks, build a financial system that works, and create a scalable growth plan based on data, not gut instinct.

Most business owners fall into the first camp.  Not because they’re lazy—but because no one ever taught them how to manage the financial side of the business like a CFO.

Even if you're brilliant at what you do, the numbers can feel intimidating.

Margins are shrinking. Cash is tight. Expenses creep up. And you’re not even sure where the money goes.

You know how to work hard.

You just don’t have a route—a clear, proven path to take back control.

Now, imagine this instead…

▪️ You know your numbers—and exactly where your profit is leaking
▪️ Your cash flow is steady, predictable, and growing
▪️ Your pricing, margins, and offers are optimized for sustainability
▪️ You have time to think, plan, and lead—not just put out fires
▪️ You finally feel in control of your business—and your future

That’s what I help growth-focused business owners do.

What I Offer: The 90-Day Profitable Growth Route™

Inside this high-touch 1:1 program, I guide you from 'Basecamp' to 'Peak'—through a proven route to gain clarity, confidence, and control over your business finances.

Here’s what we build together:

▪️ A clear financial map—so you know what to track, fix, and measure
▪️ A 25%+ increase in profit by plugging leaks and optimizing your pricing
▪️ A cash flow system that ensures you're never surprised by your bank balance
▪️ Operational clarity so you stop spinning and start scaling
▪️ A repeatable, scalable 90-day growth framework to stay on track year-round

Backed by Two Guarantees:

1.  Confidence: If after 2 sessions, you don’t feel confident in the value I bring—I refund you in full.
2.  Completion: If by Day 90 you don’t have a complete plan and time to execute it—I work with you up to 2 additional sessions, at no extra cost.

You Deserve a Business That Pays You Well—Not One That Drains You

If you’re ready to fix your financial foundation and start building toward real, sustainable growth—I invite you to shoot me a DM or schedule your 20-minute clarity call.  

Start your profitable growth journey today!

Damien Foglio

82% of businesses fail due to lack of cash. 
One big reason? They run their business backwards...

Revenue comes in → 
costs and expenses get paid → 
whatever is left is called “profit.”

Which usually means... there isn’t any.

No cash reserves left in the bank and no money to absorb slow months. 

The smarter way? Flip the order.

Decide the profit you want first.
Build your budget around it.

Then run the business with what’s left.

When you plan this way, profit isn’t an afterthought.
It’s built into the system.

👉 Do you treat profit as what’s left over—or as the first line in your plan?

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Talks about #business, #coaching, #leadership, #management, and #productivity

Driving Profitable Growth for Service-based Owner-operators ($500K–$5M) by Hands-on Goal setting, Growing revenue by +25%, Increasing profit by +25% — Without working more hours — in just 8 weeks.

Last night, my wife Larissa Gates and I did something we do every month. 
We got Chipotle and caught up with Matthew Magee and Melissa (Chapman) Magee, PMP. 

It is in our calendar as a recurring event and all we have to do is show up.
It takes time, intentionality, and energy. But it is worth it. 

Truth is, it can be tough to be a friend of mine. 
And to be honest, not many make the cut. 

Not just because I am picky on who I invest my time in (I am), but also what I expect from my friends. 

The people I chose to surround myself need to have some goals. They need to know their purpose. And I expect them to lean into both of these. 

And, perhaps why there are only a select few that make the cut. 

But in the end, when I am on my death bed, to me, nothing will matter more than my relationships. And surface level relationships are not valuable to me. 

Just like a 401k does not hit $1M at 65 without starting your investment at 21, 
Your friends won’t be there then if you don't invest in them now. 

That is what it is like having a friend who is a coach: 
Specific questions
Clarifying questions
Notes for future reference
Healthy accountability 

I know my friends have goals. And I want them to achieve them. 
And I know that speaking them out, specifically, discussing them with others, will help them achieve them. 

Rather than having hundreds say I was a “good guy”, 
I am choosing to have tens say “he made me a better me”. 

That's it. 

Who are some people, individuals or couples, you can invest in starting next week? 

I encourage you to reach out to them and schedule something. 
Take it a step further and schedule something recurring for 2026.

Product Line Manager | Strategic Planning & Lifecycle Ownership

Revenue Operations & Optimization that Scales 10x | GTM Architect & Ops Director | I help businesses run faster, smoother, and smarter - with fewer moving parts | Strategic Problem Solver | Process & Data Nerd

Bilingual Project & Portfolio Manager | PURE PM & PM Accelerator Instructor | Prosci Change Management Practitioner | I help career changers pivot into Project Management

The biggest marriage hack? It's simple: solve 90% of money issues before they even start.

My wife and I have been married for a year and a half. 
Not long, but enough to see the power of a good system. 
We've never argued over money, and that’s not by coincidence.

We set aside a weekend each year to align on our goals. 

We talk about what we want to accomplish, what we want more of, and what we want less of.

Then, we prioritize. 
Not everything can happen in a year, so we pick what matters most. 

From there, we build our monthly budget, one line item at a time, around those goals.

Almost two years in, we’re already hitting our three-year targets. 

Sure, we wish we traveled more. 
We’d love two cars under 70k miles. 
And yes, sometimes our card declines because we’re running a tight budget.

But those sacrifices are short-term. 
They’re investments in the future we want.

Our biggest goal? Being prepared for the unknown. 

You never know when tragedy might strike or opportunity might come knocking.

𝗪𝗵𝗲𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝗶𝗻 𝗺𝗮𝗿𝗿𝗶𝗮𝗴𝗲 𝗼𝗿 𝗯𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀, 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗸𝗲𝘆 𝗶𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝗮𝗺𝗲: 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝗻 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗹𝘆, 𝗽𝗿𝗶𝗼𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗶𝘇𝗲 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗽𝗿𝗲𝗽𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘂𝗻𝗲𝘅𝗽𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗲𝗱.

That’s how you build a future where money stops causing conflicts and starts fueling progress.

What’s your approach to financial planning for your long-term goals?

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Every Monday night between October and May for the last three years, I’ve been attending and co-leading a men's small group at my church. 

Honestly, at first, my goal was to meet more men in the church. 

But what I’ve discovered is something way more valuable: Sharpening. 

I am walking away each Monday night with ideas that I wrestle with throughout the week. 

Iron sharpening iron isn’t just a saying. It’s real.

And here’s the truth: I am challenged—every single week.

Challenged to be better Husband, father, friend, and business coach.
Challenged to listen to all of those around me.
Challenged to lead my wife and girls by example.

Because when you surround yourself with other people committed to growth, it pushes you to grow too.

It’s not always comfortable.
It’s not always easy.

But every time I walk away, I’m more aligned, more prepared, and more ready to face the week.

So a question for you: Where are you being sharpened? 

It could be a specific friend or friend group. 
A community or group. 

No matter what, if you intend to go far, do it with others. 

Don’t wait for the “perfect” moment. 
Build it. Lead it. Grow it.

Because in the end, that’s where real strength comes from.

I make it a priority to have lunch with my dad every other month. 
Last week was our time. 

We meet at the local golf course restaurant for a good meal and to catch up. 

Our past has had some ups, some downs, and we have not always seen eye-to-eye, but that is a-okay with me. 

Our relationship is not about agreement or even alignment. 
In fact, it really doesn't have a goal, per se, and that is okay too. 

We get together, catch up on life, talk business, the future, etc. 
Not too much more, but definitely not surface level either. 

The older I get, the more important these types of events play a role in my life. And I welcome them with open arms. 

I recommend this to anyone to who has keep a specific some one at arms length...Life is short. 

Take the first step, Reach out, schedule it, make it happen. 
Trust me, its worth it.

I just spent 5 hours over the last two days building a from-the-ground-up spreadsheet for owner-operators to make 2026 the best year yet. 

As my goal for 2026 is to help 100+ owner operators build better business in less time, ones they love to run versus running then, it starts here. 

As cash flow is the #1 killer to businesses, this is my focus: 
Build a business that creates consistent cash flow ith enough reserves to whether any storm. 

But the truth is, cash flow is a result of many other business decisions: 
Pricing, services, costs, payroll, expenses, owners salary, etc. 

And I address each one of these in the 1-Page PGR Gameplan. 
PGR is my "Profitable Growth Route" model I coach.

As growth without profit just magnifies the mess...
Profitable growth is the sweet spot. 

But the only way to get the 1-page PGR Gameplan is to attend my free webinar this Monday, November 24th, at 7 pm EST. (Signup link is in my featured section). 

This is not 100 pages of PDF’s to read through. 
Not countless hours of content to consume. 

Just 1 actionable plan we work together to build for you and your business. 

Afterwards leaving you with steps you can take tomorrow to get a jump start on 2026. 

No fluff. Just action. 👊

Most prospects I talk to aren’t eager to jump on a 20-minute call just to see if we’re a good fit. 

Nor do they want a 50-minute strategy session that feels like another sales pitch. 

They’ve been burned before. 
They’re tired of wasting time on calls that don’t deliver real value. 

But that’s not how I do it. 
I genuinely want to help. 

My approach is simple: I aim to provide so much value in 50 minutes that it’s ridiculous to not keep exploring what we could accomplish in just six weeks together. 

In my last strategy session, we ran out of time, and the client asked, “So, what’s it cost to start?” 

I wasn’t even thinking about selling. 
I wanted to solve his problems. 

Yes, I’ve been burned before with tire-kickers and free info seekers. 
But I believe in showing real value first. 

Because if I can’t help you see the potential in just one call, what’s the point? 

The truth is, most people just want to know someone who can actually help them — not waste their time. 

That’s what I do. 

And the best part? Once we start, I know you’ll see how much more we can get done — fast. 

No fluff. 
Just real results. 

What’s your take?

Last Monday was a complete failure. 

5-minutes prior to a webinar that I had spent over $300 promoting, I was told that the 22 people that had signed up for it, were not actually people - but bots.  

Not a single one.  

The week prior, I had stayed up every night, building the workbook gameplan, the webinar slides, and prepping my talking points.  

My goal was to over-deliver to those that showed up.  
Providing value they could use in the business the very next day.

I managed to get through the webinar to the few actual people that did show up.  
But it was a far cry from the amount of people I thought I was going to help.  

Within minutes of the webinar concluding I packed up my car with my wife and we left for the week to spend Thanksgiving with my wife’s family.

Instead of spending the week basking in a successful webinar, I was left considering what went wrong and what to do next.  

Was this a Meta issue?  An Ad issue?  Or something else?  

In the end, I am not sure and I am not sure I care.  The result was not achieved.

But just because it failed, does not mean the idea, execution, and plan was not a failure.  
It does not mean that webinars are not a great way to showcase value to potential clients.  

But too often, small business owners try something.  
And if it fails, they give up on it.  Chalk it up to being a bad idea.  

Someone might even spit out, “See, I told you it would not work”.  
Most likely to consider it again a few years later.  

But just because something fails, does not mean it is not a bad idea.  
It means that something within it failed.  

I love the old saying, “No need to throw the baby out with the bath water.”  
Just change the water.  

So that’s what I have decided to do.  
  
Run it back, but with some new boundaries and new parameters.  

Join me and some other real business owners on Tuesday, Dec 16, 2025 at 7 pm for my 1-hour workshop Profitable Growth Gameplan™.  

Cost is $25.  Replays will be available.  

If you are a business owner who wants a plan to make 2026 far better than 2025, then this is for you. 

Link is in the comments...

Isn’t it crazy that there are only 6 more weeks left in 2025?! But more importantly, Q1 of 2026 is just around the corner. It’s time to be prepared to hit the ground running...

During this time of the year, for my own business and those I coach, I like to refer back to Gino Wickman “Traction” as it offers a powerful blueprint for shaping our future. 

Here is my plan to take a step toward achieving my goals in 2026…

🕒 Set aside 2 hours of focused, uninterrupted time. 
Just a notebook and pen. 

Think about the year this year: What do you want more of? What do you want less of? 
Remove the bad. 
Double down on the good. 

Think about what you can do over the next year to bring your 3 year vision to life?
(If you don’t have a 3 year vision - time to build one.)

1️⃣ As this is a one year plan, you have a date: Dec 31, 2026

2️⃣ Define the metrics to improve

Most often they include Revenue and Profit. 
But don’t forget, billable hours, your working hours, and other numbers that move the needle.

Right those numbers out and be specific. 

3️⃣ From those goals, what needs to happen in the next 90 days to make them happen? 

Remember, not everything needs to be done right away!
Decide what your priorities are in Q1. Spread out your other goals into different quarters. 
Keep them SMART (specific, measurable, and attainable)

4️⃣ Define the weekly habits that achieve the 90 day goals. 

This is where the magic happens. 
Break your 90-days goals into 12 weeks. 
Monitor weekly and execute relentlessly. 

I use these exact steps. 
These steps are not just theory. 
These steps are the tools that turn your goals into real life.

Ready to carve out your path to success? 
Share your thoughts in the comments!

Helping entrepreneurs and leaders maximize their freedom, creativity and impact | Entrepreneurial Leap, Rocket Fuel, EOS (Entrepreneurial Operating System), The EOS Life, and The 10 Disciplines

Writing LinkedIn posts that truly communicate your message can be harder than it looks. 

You have a story to tell, a point to make, or a lesson to share. 

But the noise is loud, the attention span is short, and standing out feels almost impossible. 

It’s not just about writing; it’s about making people stop, listen, and understand—every single time. 

That’s the real challenge. 

What’s your take on how to cut through the noise?

A few lessons I learned while starting and scaling my coaching business to $100k in its first 10 months. 🚀

1. Nothing is as easy as it looks on the internet. 🌐

There is quite a bit we do not see from the successful" people. Their network, grit/work ethic behind the scenes, funding, etc.

2. Hiring a coach is the shortcut no one tells you about. 🎯

I had not started a coaching business before, so I hired a coach who had. 

I built an offer, a pricing strategy, a website, and started reaching out to my network.

3. I never took my foot off the gas.

Every morning, I woke up and asked myself, "how am I going to get 1 new client today." I was determined. 💪


Within my first 90-days, I had 5 monthly clients and shifted my focus to execution, while maintaining my momentum in client acquisition.

1. I put the customers' goals as my primary priority.

2. I helped them solve the "unsolvable.

3. I took my learning seriously, reading twice as much to help me have a greater reach of context when providing options and recommendations. 📚

I love coaching and honestly feel for the first time I am in my calling. 

Since going all in on coaching, I have more than replaced my W-2 income of my past while working from my home. 🏠

But more importantly, I have helped over 30+ business owners and solopreneurs build better businesses that take far less of their time while scaling. 🌟

The most underrated habit small business owners can adopt? 
Reviewing your Profit & Loss Statement every month.

It’s simple, yet powerful. 

If you have a P&L and aren’t reviewing it regularly, you’re flying blind. 

If you don’t have a P&L yet, you’re leaving profit on the table—and risking your business’s future. 

Here’s what to do today: 

1. Get your most recent P&L statement.
If you don’t have one, make it a priority to create it. 

2. Schedule 30 minutes this week to review it. 
Look at your revenue, expenses, and profit margins. 

3. Identify one area where you’re leaking profit or where margins can improve. 

4. Make a small, specific plan to fix it—whether it’s renegotiating a vendor, cutting unnecessary expenses, or optimizing pricing. 

Reviewing your P&L isn’t just bookkeeping; it’s a strategic tool to control your cash flow and grow profitably. 

Start today, and watch your business become more predictable and profitable. 

What’s your take—how often do you review your numbers?

While meeting with a client earlier this week, he asked me: 
“Should I run ads to the funnel we just built?”

His instinct was to go big—buy traffic, scale fast.

But here’s the truth: 
The materials weren’t tested. 
He hadn’t even run one call yet.

So we paused the ad idea and focused on something more important: 
→ Building a contact list 
→ Testing messages 
→ Validating the offer with real people 

Because boosting a great post after it works? Smart. 

Pouring money into an untested funnel? Waste.

You don’t want to pour gas on a fire that’s not burning yet.

Validation comes first. 
It’s what turns a good idea into a sustainable one.

Have you ever tried to scale something that wasn’t ready? 

Remember: Don’t rush to scale until you know your offer works in the real world. 

Test. 
Validate. 
Then scale confidently. 

That’s the way to grow smarter, not faster.

When I started coaching in June of 2023, I had no idea what I was doing. 

I mean, I had scaled a business +627% in revenue while 5.5x its profit. 
But I had never coached another business owner on how I did it. 

I felt I had the knowledge after going grading business school, 
But I never turned my results into a written and step-by-step gameplan. 

However, now, after coaching 30+ business owners the exact gameplan I built and used, I am ready to start sharing my program with more business owners in a more cost-effective investment. 

In 2026, my goal is to coach 100 business owners to build better businesses in less time. 

A business they run, rather than runs them. 
One with revenue on repeat of +25% annually. 
One that increases profit to at least 10%.
One that pays the owner-operator what it would cost to replace them. 
...All while not adding more hours. 

One client I spoke with yesterday, is determining their new pay rate (from $30k last year to around $100k in 2026) as they made more revenue, more profit last year and didn't work any extra hours. 

If you find yourself overworked and underpaid, I would love to help you. 
Trust me, it's not magic, just a different way of seeing your business. 

Starting December 1st I am running an 8-week pilot group coaching program for 10 owner-operators who want 2026 to be much better/different than 2025. 

If you relate to any of the above, I would love for you to be a part of this. 

My goal is to provide so much value in this first pilot program that the investment is 10x within 6 months. 

Selflessly, 10 business owners will walk into 2026 with more plan, hope, restful nights, and more money in the bank. 

Selfishly, I will build a rock solid program during our 8 weeks together that I can provide to 90+ more business owners with your feedback. 

This pilot program will be 50% of my price for the next time I run it - January 1, 2026. 

And if you don’t love it within the first 7 days, leave it. 
I will buy back the program from you. No harm, no foul. 

Shoot me a DM “Freedom” and I can send you more details. 

If you still might be on the fence, I am running a free 60-minute webinar on Monday, November 24th at 7 pm EST “Cash Flow Gameplan 2026. 

If interested, send me a DM “Webinar” and I will send you the link to sign up.

Let's make 2026 the best year yet.

Be in the 18% of small businesses that continue. 
Not the 82% that will die.

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The two life hacks for entrepreneurs that no one talks about:

1. Eating the same thing every day 
2. Wearing the same outfit every day 

At first glance, these might seem like small, trivial tips. 

But they are powerful tools to free up mental energy and reduce decision fatigue. 

When you're constantly making endless choices—what to eat, what to wear—your brain spends a lot of bandwidth on trivial decisions. 

That’s energy you could be channeling into your core business goals.

By sticking to simple routines, you:

- Save time every morning that can be used for strategic thinking or client work 
- Avoid decision fatigue, so your mental clarity remains sharp for the big stuff 
- Create habits that support focus, discipline, and consistency 

Imagine starting each day with your mental energy fully dedicated to solving problems, closing deals, or developing new strategies—rather than stressing over minor choices. 

The truth is, success often comes down to discipline and focus. 

Small routines like these aren’t about being boring; they’re about removing friction from your day so you can concentrate on what truly drives growth.

So next time you’re feeling overwhelmed, consider simplifying your routines. 

Sometimes, less choice means more clarity and energy for your business goals. 

What routines do you have that help you stay focused? 

(Yes, I have 3 black t-shirts and joggers I rotate through, which are the exact same. Funny thing is, I do the same thing for my gym/workout outfits - All black, all day.)

Linda came to me with a really good business, but bad profit. Her business partner and herself wanted something different, but weren’t sure how to get it. 

They had really good revenue. Great demand. A lot of potential. 
They knew they could be improving their business, but where? How? 

So, in our first two meetings, we built a perfect 12-week gameplan to execute to get them where they wanted to be. Or so we thought. 

After the second meeting...we pivoted. Hard. 

Not because we were wrong in our gameplan, but because as we dug deeper into each item, we would find another layer of items to address. 

These needed to be fixed prior to moving forward. 

But that’s how business is sometimes. 
You think you have a great plan and then, you actually need to re-build the foundation. 

For them specifically, we started with their pricing, in an effort to improve their profit, and ultimately their cash flow. 

Once the price was fixed, we focused on the sales process, which required a lot of time, many customer touches, and was a bit clunky. 

We started with a VSL, created a filter for clients, and only met with qualified prospects. 

Once the pricing and sales were in order, we focused on the financial aspect of the business. 

We plugged everything into my 5-minute CEO dashboard and saw exactly where our profit leaks were, rising costs, etc. No wonder cash flow was stalled. 

The wild part: They weren't the issue. Their systems were. 

Once we stabilized their foundation, their numbers took off: 

👉 Revenue increased by 12% (+$10k /mo)
👉 From a 6-month average of .9% (yes, point 9) to now averaging 16%
👉 Rather than using their savings, they doubled it with 3x Operating expenses saved

The crazy part: All of this was really without doing that much more work. 

If you want to see the exact plan we used — step-by-step — I’m teaching it inside Cash Flow Freedom to a limited number of business owners starting Dec 1. 

Prior to that, I am sharing some valuable nuggets in my free workshop: 

👉 Cash Flow Gameplan tonight (Mon, Nov 24) at 7 pm EST

No fluff. Small pitch. Tons of value. 

Link is in the comments.

Here is what people think hiring a small business coach looks like:

❌ Fast wins and instant money in the bank
❌ A magic system that is a quick fix
❌ No stress — ever again
❌ Perfect team, perfect clients, perfect life
❌ Working 10 hours a week, sipping margaritas by 12 pm every Friday

Here is what it actually looks like:

✔️ Starting with the person in the mirror
✔️ Tracking real metrics weekly instead of trusting your 'gut'
✔️ Firing underperformers fast and hiring systematically
✔️ Fixing offers, pricing strategy, and delivery — again and again
✔️ Admitting your success needs a new direction and plan

In service-based businesses, sustainable growth is rarely glamorous.
Oh, and don’t get frustrated if you realize you’re the bottleneck.

Instead, remember:

1️⃣ Facing the truth is step one
2️⃣ Broken systems can’t scale — fix them before you grow
3️⃣ Long-term profit > short-term ego boosts

What was your biggest reality check on the road to real growth?

Time and money—our two most valuable resources. 
And honestly, we rarely get to keep both at the same time. 

In the beginning, we pour our time into the business, trying to make every dollar stretch. 

We work nights, weekends, and then some, just to keep things afloat. 

Once we’ve worn ourselves out and accumulated some cash, it’s tempting to start buying back our time. 

But here’s the catch: 

If owners do this too soon, they risk becoming too top heavy—spreading themselves thin across every task. 

If they do it too late, they start losing quality because they’re still doing everything themselves. 

And at the end of the day, the business is only as strong as the owner allows it to be. 

You can’t outsource your passion, your vision, or your leadership. 

So, when is the right time? 
It’s when you’ve built a solid system, not just a paycheck. 

That’s when buying back your time becomes an investment, not a gamble. 

Because the real leverage? 
It’s in your ability to focus on what only you can do. 

What’s your take? 
When did you realize it was time to step back?

Helen Yu

CEO @Tigon Advisory Corp. | Host of CXO Spice | Board Director |Top 50 Women in Tech | AI, Cybersecurity, FinTech, Insurance, Industry40, Growth Acceleration

As the founder and CEO of Tigon Advisory, I help tech companies of all sizes multiply their growth opportunities by leveraging AI, cybersecurity, IoT, supply chain, and customer experience. With over a decade of technology industry experience, I offer CXO-as-a-service and guidance to organizations through digital transformation, strategic planning, enterprise risk management, go-to-market optimization, and influencer marketing.

I have worked with enterprise clients such as SAP, IBM, Salesforce and Microsoft, as well as B2B SaaS, Fintech, Insuretech, and Martech startups. I also serve as an independent board director and a venture capital advisor, where I bring a unique perspective on technology thought leadership, cybersecurity risk management, go-to-market strategy, and customer experience. I am a certified cybersecurity expert from MIT Sloan School of Management, an MBA from Loyola University of Chicago, and a respected industry thought leader, a Wall Street Journal best selling author, a keynote speaker, and a host of CXO Spice podcast. I am passionate about empowering and mentoring the next generation of technology leaders, especially women and minorities.

Director Board of Directors

CEC is a security service integrator with focus markets in manufacturing, healthcare, SLED and Corporate Campus.  Customers with complicated organizations and physical plants rely on CEC as extensions of their teams in making strategic investment and management decisions related to their technology and infrastructure. I serve as Culture and Compensation Committee Chair. 

How do you ensure autonomous vehicles are safe when you can't possibly test every real-world driving scenario?

At NVIDIA GTC, I explored AI-powered autonomous vehicles and discovered NVIDIA Halos, a comprehensive safety system that's redefining how we approach this challenge.

Here's how Halos solves this challenge:
✅ Photorealistic virtual simulations generate countless driving scenarios
✅ AI-powered contingency plans activate when anomalies are detected
✅ Continuous monitoring ensures safety and reliability

Three-Pillar Validation Approach:
✅ NVIDIA DGX for AI development with advanced curation workflows that filter out undesirable behaviors before they ever reach the road
✅ Omniverse with Cosmos for photorealistic simulation, generating massive variations in our safety test data
✅ DRIVE AGX for deployment, where modular redundancy ensures safety even when AI models show uncertainty

Industry Recognition:
✅ First AI systems lab to earn ANAB and TÜV certification
✅ Internationally certified technology for end-to-end AV safety

Complete Safety Stack:
✅ A2le-decertified Drive OS and automotive-grade hardware
✅ Modular redundant architecture with third-party validation
Every layer designed to handle critical driving tasks safely

The future of autonomous vehicles is certified and validated safety systems.

#AutonomousVehicles #AI #Safety #NVIDIAGTC #AVDevelopment #Innovation 

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What will separate AI leaders from AI laggards in 2026?

Pleased to contribute to the 2026 DATAcated Trends & Predictions Report, and the insights from 14 data and AI leaders point to a transformative year ahead.

My prediction? AI agents evolve from tools to true workplace teammates.

In 2025, we saw AI become multimodal - processing text, images, and voice simultaneously. Agentic AI systems began handling complex multi-step tasks autonomously, with reasoning models showing dramatic problem-solving improvements.

Here's what I see for 2026:
✅ AI agents as colleagues - Independently managing projects and workflows end-to-end
✅ Real-time data processing becomes critical - AI systems require continuous learning from live streams
✅ Synthetic data generation explodes - Addressing data scarcity for specialized training
✅ Federated learning scales - Training across distributed datasets without compromising privacy
✅ Data governance intensifies - Lineage tracking under regulatory pressure
Organizations treating data as dynamic fuel will be the ones that thrive.

Special thanks to Kate Strachnyi and DATAcated for assembling perspectives from Cassie Kozyrkov, Marinela Profi, Bernard Marr, Lara Sophie Bothur, Stijn (Stan) Christiaens, Christina Stathopoulos, MSc, Serena H. Huang, Ph.D., Helen Yu, Pascal BORNET, Jess Ramos ⚡️, Kristen Kehrer, Andreas Kretz, Sadie St Lawrence.

👉 Download the full report FREE: https://lnkd.in/eMevgwDH

What are you most excited about for AI in 2026?

#AITrends2026 #CIO #CTO #CEO #BoardDirectors #Data #AI

To stay current with the latest trends in #Technology and #Innovation, Subscribe to 👉 #CXOSpiceNewsletter https://lnkd.in/gy2RJ9xg Or 👉 #CXOSpiceYouTube here https://lnkd.in/gnMc-Vpj

2026 AI Trends & Predictions

How do you deploy AI infrastructure before the AI systems even arrive?

Schneider Electric's new reference designs, co-engineered with NVIDIA, provide the answer.

Industry-First Controls Framework Bridges OT and IT systems through standardized MQTT architecture, enabling seamless interoperability between power management, liquid cooling, and NVIDIA Mission Control. Real-time optimization across every layer of the stack.

NVIDIA GB300 NVL72 Reference Design Supports rack densities up to 142 kW with validated frameworks for the next-generation Blackwell Ultra architecture. Digital twin capabilities through ETAP and EcoStruxure IT Design CFD enable pre-deployment simulation.

The focus on redundancy, power quality monitoring, and validated engineering directly addresses the industry's deployment bottleneck.

I look forward to attending Schneider Electric's Innovation Summit in Las Vegas next Tuesday and Wednesday, touring their switch data center and examining these solutions firsthand.

Watch the keynote: https://lnkd.in/gxuRQGjm
#Energy #Tech #AI #Grid #Automation #DataCenter

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How prepared is your organization to bounce back when an AI-driven disruption hits?

That’s the focus of my latest CEO newsletter, following Commvault Shift Virtual, where I outlined why AI resilience is becoming a top priority for executive teams and boards.

AI is accelerating decision-making, increasing identity complexity, and tightening the margin for recovery. Resilience is a strategic imperative.

In the newsletter, I break down the shift toward Commvault Cloud Unity and Resilience Operations (ResOps), and why unifying security, identity, and recovery is essential for organizations building on AI.

👉 Read the full newsletter for the board-level perspective and what this means for the years ahead. Watch the replay here: https://lnkd.in/gN6WmZ9C

What’s the biggest AI-resilience concern on your radar right now?

#CommvaultSHIFT #CyberResilience #CISO #CIO #CTO #CEO #BoardDirectors

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A Message from Sanjay Mirchandani, CEO, Commvault “The question we’re addressing today is simple: how fast can you recover in a world where breaches a

Open article: Commvault Shift Virtual: The Dawn of AI Resilience by Helen Yu • 4 min read

Commvault Shift Virtual: The Dawn of AI Resilience

What's it like watching the Las Vegas Grand Prix qualifications from the T-Mobile Magenta tower?

Unforgettable.

Huge thanks to T-Mobile for hosting such an incredible experience—the views from the Sphere Magenta Club were unmatched, and the magenta glow fit right in with The Sphere's spectacular light show. Started the evening with my first-ever aura reading, then tried on a racing suit and helmet. My AI-generated racing persona? Nano Banana 🍌.

Finished the night watching qualifications light up The Sphere while hanging out with a creative bunch—turning online connections into real ones, surrounded by the T-Mobile team and fellow F1 fans.

Sometimes the best experiences come from saying yes to the unexpected. 🏎️

#LasVegasGP #F1 T-Mobile For Business #SphereMagenta 

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What’s Driving AI from the Lab to the Real World?

Bridging the gap between experimental AI models and industry-scale applications became the theme of my time exploring NVIDIA’s presence at Amazon Web Services (AWS) re:Invent; from a VC Startup breakfast at Osteria di Brera to hands-on demos across the Expo floor.

NVIDIA unveiled several breakthrough technologies this week:
✅ NVIDIA DRIVE Alpamayo-R1: The world's first open, industry-scale reasoning vision-language-action model for autonomous mobility
✅ Mistral Large 3: Now 10x faster on NVIDIA infrastructure
✅ Nemotron models on Amazon Bedrock: Bringing specialized agentic AI for text, code, images, and video directly to AWS customers
✅ Cosmos Cookbook: Practical resources for scaling physical AI development

The convergence of cloud infrastructure and AI is accelerating. NVIDIA's focus on open models, optimized performance, and accessible tools is democratizing AI development, making sophisticated applications available to startups and enterprises.

My conversation with Dave Salvator, Director of Accelerated Computing Products, reinforced how NVIDIA is addressing the entire AI lifecycle, from data generation to deployment.

We're witnessing a pivotal moment where physical AI, reasoning models, and open-source approaches are creating possibilities that seemed impossible just years ago.

I am thrilled about the opportunity to interview two startups founders from the NVIDIA Inception program: Diligent Robotics and Distributional, where we'll explore how they're leveraging these technologies to solve real-world challenges.

#Startup #Inception #AWSreInvent #NVIDIAPartner

Stay current with the latest trends in #Technology and #Innovation,
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Building the future of AI but struggling to access the compute power and expertise you need?

That's exactly why NVIDIA created Inception and the Inception Tour was my favorite part of Amazon Web Services (AWS) re:Invent this year.

Since my Marketo days, I've been passionate about scaling startups. As an advisor, I've had the privilege of guiding several from early stage to exit. The most thrilling part is watching founders create something that solves real pain points and finding that repeatability to scale.

In my book "Ascend Your Startup," I talk about conquering 5 disconnects to accelerate growth with principles that are relevant to startups building what's next in AI.

At the NVIDIA Inception Pavilion, I got to interview two incredible #startups leveraging the Inception program:
✅ Adam Allevato from Diligent Robotics
✅ Scott Clark, CEO of Distributional

Stay tuned for their stories to see how they're scaling their innovations.

My key takeaway: NVIDIA operates like a startup when it comes to innovation. They've built an incredible ecosystem and genuinely care about giving back to the community. That's what sets them apart.

Inception gives startups access to:
✓ State-of-the-art GPU computing
✓ Direct collaboration with NVIDIA engineering specialists
✓ Invitations to GTC conferences worldwide
✓ Connections to NVIDIA's venture arms
✓ A community of 30,000+ startups globally

The only criteria is that your company must be less than 10 years old. No equity required. No cohort limits. Just continuous support as long as you're building.

Heartfelt appreciation to the NVIDIA team for making this experience possible: Hanako Tonozuka, Daman Oberoi, Ashutosh Joshi, and Amy Kaplan.

Is your startup ready? Join 15,000+ innovators: https://nvda.ws/48xgtEh

#NVIDIAPartner #AWSReInvent #Startups #Inception #Founders

The gap between data and AI success? Context.

SaaS brought agility but broke cohesion. Enterprises now have powerful data islands that don't speak the same language.

On November 18, discover how SAP Business Data Cloud unifies data across finance, supply chain, HR, and procurement—creating the semantic layer your AI models need to deliver real business value.

Register 👉: https://lnkd.in/g5VYih_7

Hear from Accenture's Terje "T" Sorlie and SAP's Justin Ham & Orla Cullen on building AI-ready data foundations, plus live demos:
✅ Intelligent applications in action
✅ Agentic AI with SAP Joule
✅ Predictive planning powered by AI-ready data

SAP and SAP S/4HANA Cloud ERP #Event #AI #Data

To stay current with the latest trends in #Technology and #Innovation, Subscribe to 👉 #CXOSpiceNewsletter https://lnkd.in/gy2RJ9xg Or 👉 
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Want to know what kills most transformations?

After sitting through 82 acquisitions at Oracle, I learned it's not strategy. It's not talent. It's not even budget.

It's legacy infrastructure that no one wants to talk about.

I keep seeing the same pattern in boardrooms:
CEOs are betting big on AI. But most are burning 35% more on cloud than they should.

Here's why:
Data platforms built 20 years ago were designed to store information.
Today you need to access data instantly, wherever it lives, to drive AI outcomes.
That fundamental shift broke the old model.

I've lived this.
In a previous role scaling a SaaS company, our infrastructure costs outpaced revenue growth. We upgraded systems. Added capacity. Getting smarter about how we accessed data was the secret source.

Companies like Zetaris are solving this differently.
Intelligent systems that optimize how data gets accessed and processed.
The impact:
✅ Cloud costs drop 30-60%
✅ Performance improves
✅ Data becomes an advantage, not a drain

Is our infrastructure investment aligned with our AI strategy or working against it?

Explore more: https://bit.ly/4mGo0W4 or Follow Zetaris

#DigitalTransformation #AIStrategy #Governance #DataAnalytics

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What's the one thing you can't teach in business? Experience.

In the final part of my conversation with Richard Howells, VP of Solution Management at SAP, we talked about what sets SAP apart after 50 years in the industry.

That’s Earned trust through experience.

SAP offers 400+ pre-built models, so companies don't have to start from scratch. Plus, with 300 million users in the community, you have access to a wealth of shared knowledge from companies at every stage of their supply chain journey.

And here's Richard’s advice for those just starting out: Think cloud first.
When you're in the cloud, you can leverage the latest AI innovations, keep up with evolving regulations automatically, and stay current without constant manual updates. As Richard put it: "The time is now for cloud."

In times of business uncertainty, you need a foundation built on decades of experience and a platform designed for tomorrow's challenges. That's how you Pivot Fast, Run Lean, and Grow Strong.

Ready to build your future on proven experience and cutting-edge innovation? Explore how SAP helps you navigate uncertainty: https://lnkd.in/gzkffikz 

Thank you, Richard, for sharing these invaluable insights on the future of supply chain and business transformation.

#SAP #CloudFirst #SupplyChain #DigitalTransformation #Innovation
 
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Can AI infrastructure be both sovereign AND scalable?

NVIDIA and Amazon Web Services (AWS) proved it can.
At #AWSreInvent, they announced a partnership that redefines enterprise AI:
✅ NVLink Fusion on Trainium - massive model training, unleashed
✅ AWS AI Factories with Blackwell GPUs - your data, your control, infinite scale
✅ Nemotron on Bedrock - serverless agentic AI, no infrastructure headaches
✅ GPU-accelerated vector search - Amazon OpenSearch + NVIDIA cuVS = 10x faster indexing at 25% of the cost
✅ Physical AI at scale - NVIDIA Cosmos world foundation models now on AWS for robotics and simulation

I will be hosting Dave Salvator, Director of Accelerated Computing at NVIDIA, to unpack what this means on CXO Spice.
We're talking:
✅ Why sovereign AI infrastructure just became enterprise-ready
✅ What 20K+ Blackwell GPUs unlock
✅ How to protect your models while scaling fast

The AI infrastructure conversation just got rewritten.

Learn more: https://lnkd.in/gTUeW_hy
What's holding back your AI deployment—compute, sovereignty, or both? 👇

#NVIDIAPartner #AWS #AI #Blackwell #Enterprise

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What happens when intelligence becomes the most powerful fuel in energy?

We saw the answer unfold at #ADIPEC2025 where AI is transforming how energy is produced, managed, and delivered.

The AI Zone & Digitalisation Conference showcased ~10,000 products embedding intelligence into energy systems.

Key takeaways:
✅ AI reshaping leadership - driving efficiency, resilience & smarter capital allocation
✅ Industry leaders (SandboxAQ, Cisco, ENERSOL) calling for bold, coordinated AI investment
✅ Workforce shift: 92M jobs displaced, 170M created (Cisco) — reskilling is critical

Tech highlights:
🐕 Laika (MBZUAI) - AI robot dog
🖥️ G42's Project Stargate - UAE's hyperscale AI backbone
🏭 Accenture's Refinery of the Future
🌐 AREONEX, GeoCruiser, CleanConnect.ai, Senergetics

Energy delivered at scale requires AI deployed at scale. That’s pragmatism meets innovation.

#ADIPEC #Energy #AI #Sustainability

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What if you could scale your security program without expanding your team?

Most companies face a painful reality: as they grow, compliance becomes a resource black hole. 

75% of executives admit their security programs are too complex, stretched thin by thousands of controls and drowning in duplication.

Continuously hiring people doesn't scale.

Here's what's really happening:

Your InfoSec teams are burning out on manual evidence collection, juggling multiple frameworks with overlapping requirements, and struggling to give executives the visibility they need to make informed decisions. Meanwhile, 30% of employees don't even understand their role in maintaining your security posture.

I recently came across Sprinto, a platform that scales compliance through automation.  Here are some highlights of their capabilities:
✅ Pre-built framework overlaps remove duplication automatically
✅ Automated control monitoring, and evidence collection
✅ Real-time dashboards that give executives and security committees visibility
✅ Step-by-step guidance that turns compliance from a burden into a
shared responsibility

When you remove duplication, automate evidence, and give everyone visibility into risks, something remarkable happens: your security program becomes a competitive advantage.

Learn more: https://lnkd.in/g4qDmvVD

#Cybersecurity #Compliance #InfoSec #Sprinto

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How do you find partners you can trust in #cybersecurity, #AI, and influencer marketing? 

I created these three curated directories with Clutch to help you cut through the noise:
✅ Go-To Cybersecurity Companies – Protecting your organization requires partners with proven expertise. These companies bring tested capabilities in threat prevention, security infrastructure, and risk management. Check out top 5: Sekurno | Cybersecurity, Foresite Cybersecurity Packetlabs Ltd. Software Mind and XRAY CyberSecurity https://lnkd.in/gzE4EDjc

✅ Top Innovators in AI – As AI reshapes business operations, choosing the right innovators is critical. These companies are at the forefront, helping organizations harness AI's potential while staying secure. Check out STX Next, BlueLabel, eSparkBiz, Quytech, and Neoteric
https://lnkd.in/gK5nZ_VP

✅ Influencer Marketing Agencies – Authentic engagement drives results. These agencies master the art of building genuine connections and delivering measurable brand impact. Check out top 5 Zorka.Agency | Influencer and Performance Marketing Agency, NinjaPromo: Your All-In-One Marketing Solution, PartnerCentric, Inc.,  Our Own Brand,  Fresh Content Society
https://lnkd.in/gTh8mzy9

What makes these directories different:
✅ Every company and agency featured has been vetted for performance, credibility, and consistent results. 
✅ My recommendations are backed by trust - helping you cut through the noise and make confident, informed choices.

Check out my directories and DM me if you want to add your company to those directories.

To stay current with the latest trends in #Technology and #Innovation, Subscribe to 👉 #CXOSpiceNewsletter https://lnkd.in/gy2RJ9xg Or 👉 #CXOSpiceYouTube here https://lnkd.in/gnMc-Vpj

#AI #Cybersecurity #InfluencerMarketing #ClutchDirectory

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