I help small business owners 2X their profits in 12 months without feeling overwhelmed and lost.

Founder | Investor | Managing/Operating Partner | Fractional COO for low and mid-market SMBs. I have bought, sold, and invested in the growth of 160+ businesses. I now help service-business owners streamline operations, grow profits, integrate AI-powered solutions, and build real value - so they can create scalable businesses, create real wealth, and empower others. Want me to help you grow your business? Click the link in my bio or shoot me a DM to get started.

Evan Gove

This is the #1 reason 99% of businesses never pass $5M/yr in revenue.

Founder dependency. 

Solution: 

Document, Automate (AI-enabled), Iterate (repeat), and hire great people to support your systems. 

If you are not good at the above, start by hiring someone who is.

Documentation is boring. 

But boring scales. 

Fastest way to onboard more team members? 

Documentation. 

Fastest way to remove yourself from 90% of day-to-day processes in your business? 

Documentation. 

Fastest way to increase the enterprise value of your business? 

Documentation. 

Do the boring work, and reap the rewards.

Once you understand this about money, you will always have plenty of it. 

Money follows attention. 

Not aimlessly though. 

Intentionally. 

In order for people to buy from you, they must know about you. 

Once they know about you, they need to know you can help them fix a problem. 

Once they are in your ecosystem, you need to stay relevant and top of mind. 

So how does this turn into money? 

Simple. 

Give value to get attention. 

Give value to keep attention. 

Ask for your audience to choose you to solve their problem. 

Give value while solving their problem. 

Repeat.

"I want to take care of my people" 

Great.

Then do this... 👇🏼

Set clear standards for what success looks like in your business. 

Set clear and measurable outcomes each person is responsible for. 

Equip and enable each team member with proper resources for their role. 

Clearly communicate when someone is underperforming. 

Give them a plan for improvement, and hold them accountable. 

If they still do not improve...

Offboard them immediately. 

This will do two things for you. 

Eliminate underperforming team members dragging your business down. 

Free up resources and create motivation for those who are the driving force behind your growth. 

Remember, taking care of your people sometimes means getting rid of those who are not a good fit. 

Underperformers do not like to work with high achievers, and vice versa. 

You will be doing everyone a favor (and what is best for your business).

A lot of business owners have forgotten the primary purpose of their business.

TO MAKE MONEY. 

Say what you want about the altruistic reasons you are in business for. 

If you are not making money, you cannot help anyone (even yourself).

“That’s not my job”

OR

“I will figure out how to solve this problem”

Which would you rather hear from your team?

If you want a top performing team, get rid of anyone who responds with the first statement.

Selling your business does not have to be a terrible and painful experience. 

But you must do these things first 👇🏼

Document all of your systems. 

No investor is going to pay top dollar for a company without documentation. 

Professional management in place. 

If your business cannot run without you, it is a job. Investors buy assets, not jobs.

Clean books. 

Investors want to see strong cash flow. Make it easy for them by keeping clean books that show where the money comes and goes. 

Strong customer relationships/reviews. 

Your business is significantly more valuable if you have a strong customer base. Focus on your customers and you will make a lot more on your exit. 

Build your network. 

Don't wait until you are ready to sell your business to start talking to investors, brokers, etc. Often your investor network will tell you what they are looking to buy and what is valuable to them. Use this information to your advantage. 

Do your own due diligence. 

Make sure you are knowledgeable on the process you are getting involved in. Find a mentor, a business transaction attorney, a solid tax accountant, and a CPA who understands Mergers and Acquisitions (or is accredited in business valuation). 

With the right team, tools, and systems in place you can sell well. 

Thinking about exiting your company in the next 3-5 years? 

Let's talk. 

Shoot me a DM or leave a comment on this post.

Business growth only has two directions…

Up or down. 

This also means:

If your business is not growing.

It’s shrinking. 

Make sure you know which direction you’re going.

The best and worst part of any business…

Is people.

If you run a traditional service-based business, you should follow this equation: 

Revenue > expenses = good (profitable) business

If you don't, you end up with this...

Revenue < expenses = bad (unprofitable) financial anchor

Don't make business more complicated than it has to be. 

Make more money than it costs you to get and service customers and you are winning the game.

It’s not that you don’t have time. 

It’s that you don’t make the right priorities. 

I used to be terribly inefficient and had a low capacity for getting things done. 

My priority? 

I didn’t have any. 

Then I chose to make priorities. 

At the top? 

First, learning how to prioritize.

Second, learning how to be more efficient. 

Then, learning how to leverage. 

Now I do 15x what old me could do, more efficiently, and at higher quality. 

We all have the same amount of time…

Prioritize accordingly.

Business mastery starts with the ability to learn... and it never stops.

Want to make more money? 

Provide more value to the marketplace. 

Don’t overcomplicate it.

Without these, your business will fail. 

👇🏼

Aligned Expectations + Accountability 

Enable your team to succeed from day one by providing clear expectations. Clarity is King. 

Hold them to the standards that you aligned on from the start. Without this, culture will flop and your team will backslide. 

Not sure where to start? 

Do this. 

Create clear role descriptions and have a meeting with each team member to create clarity around what is expected of them in their role. 

Create clear Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) for their role to define what success looks like. 

Give them the tools and training needed to successfully obtain their KPIs. 

Have clearly defined accountability measures (rewards when achieved, hard conversations and consequences when not achieved). 

A lack of accountability hurts your company and the person who needs accountability. 

Do yourself and your team a huge favor by setting the expectations and keeping everyone accountable.... early and often.

Communication -> Alignment -> Clarity 

This is the essential path for getting the most out of any relationship.

Most individuals and organizations struggle so much with the first, they never get to the next two.

There is only one thing that leads to success in business… 

Speed of implementing learnings. 

The fear of failure and setbacks slow down many. 

The same fears stop most from even trying. 

The ones who understand the process know failure is inevitable. 

Those who have mastered the process know this:

Failure = learning opportunity

Learning opportunity = opportunity to adjust

Opportunity to adjust = another attempt at success

Potential success × Speed of (fail → learn → shoot) repeated = eventual success

That’s all you need 👆🏼

This week, think long and hard to yourself…

Could this meeting be a memo? 

Could this 1,248 word email have been an internal voice note?

Could I be clearer in how I communicate with others? 

As a leader, your job is to communicate as effectively and efficiently as possible. 

When you do so, you improve everyone’s lives (especially yours).

Destructive incompetence.

The silent killer of many SMBs. 

Many business owners tolerate incompetence far too long. 

Reality is, incompetent teams kill far more businesses than any market shift or competitors ever will.

#competentpeopleonly

The best time to make changes in your business is now. 

Small decisions?

Think for 30-60 seconds. Decide. Act.

Big decisions? 

Think on it for 30-60 minutes. Decide. Act.

Major, life-altering, universe splitting decisions?

Think on it for a few hours…

Sleep on it. 

First thing the next day. Decide. Act. 

It is a lot easier to redirect with momentum than it is at a stand still.

Trust, but verify…

If you delegate something to someone, they are responsible. 

But, you are accountable. 

Always follow through and train your team to do the same.

Fullsteam

This strategic role was created to strengthen the alignment between cybersecurity initiatives and overall business objectives in response to rising cyber threats and regulatory demands. I serve as a key liaison between business units and the centralized security function, ensuring that security is embedded across operations and decision-making.

Key Responsibilities:

Act as the primary security advisor to business unit leaders, driving collaboration and shared accountability.

Identify and mitigate risks across cybersecurity, IT, operations, compliance, and strategic initiatives.

Develop, implement, and oversee security policies, procedures, and control frameworks.

Monitor and enforce compliance with security regulations, industry standards, and internal policies.

Partner with cybersecurity teams to respond to incidents and minimize operational impact.

Collaborate with IT and business stakeholders to embed security into new technologies and business processes.

Report on risk posture and mitigation strategies to senior leadership.

Manage security budgets, ensuring effective resource allocation.

Define and track metrics to measure the success and business value of the risk governance program.

Senior Information Security & Compliance Business Partner

SecurIT360

As an accomplished vCISO, I help organizations craft and implement security strategies that align with their business needs. With a deep background in regulatory compliance, risk management, and security program development, I focus on protecting sensitive data and systems while driving business success.

What I Bring to the Table:
Strategic Planning & Security Strategy: I don’t just set security measures; I develop strategies that fit the business, enhancing the security posture while supporting growth.

Regulatory Compliance: Navigating complex standards like HIPAA, PCI-DSS, ISO, and FTC is second nature to me, ensuring companies stay compliant without getting bogged down in red tape.

Security Audits & Assessments: I conduct thorough audits—including cloud environments—to spot vulnerabilities and promptly address them.

Leadership & Cross-Functional Collaboration: I partner with teams across the organization, from IT to leadership, to proactively identify and manage security risks.

Security Awareness Training: I deliver training programs and phishing simulations beyond check-the-box exercises to improve employee awareness.

Project Management & Budgeting: Skilled in managing security initiatives from planning to execution while monitoring budgets and maximizing resources.

Core Competencies:
Information Security & Risk Management
Security Policy Development & Implementation
Vulnerability Management & Incident Response
Budgeting for Security Programs & Strategic Initiatives
Project Management & Operational Leadership
Security Awareness Training & Phishing Simulations

I’m passionate about building security programs that do more than tick off compliance boxes. I believe in finding the right balance between keeping things secure and supporting the organization’s goals. My strong communication skills and practical approach help bridge the gap between technical requirements and business priorities, making security a team effort across all levels.

Information Security Officer

Hoar Construction

In my role as an Information Technology Support Manager at Hoar Construction, I led a dedicated team responsible for delivering comprehensive IT support and services. Key responsibilities included:

	•	IT Support Operations Management: Ensured high levels of service availability and performance, reducing downtime and enhancing user satisfaction.
	•	Systems and Infrastructure Oversight: Directed the implementation, configuration, and maintenance of IT systems and infrastructure, including servers, networks, and software applications.
	•	Technical Assessments: Conducted regular evaluations to identify and resolve potential technical issues, implementing proactive measures to prevent future problems.
	•	Cross-Department Collaboration: Partnered with various departments to understand and meet their IT needs, ensuring seamless integration of IT solutions with business processes.
	•	Best Practices Implementation: Applied industry best practices for IT support and service management, leading to improved efficiency and effectiveness of IT operations.
	•	Vendor Management: Negotiated and managed relationships with IT vendors and service providers to ensure cost-effective and timely delivery of products and services.
	•	IT Project Management: Led IT projects from inception to completion, including planning, execution, monitoring, and closure, ensuring projects met deadlines and budget constraints.
	•	User Training and Support: Developed and delivered training programs to enhance user proficiency with IT systems, providing ongoing support and troubleshooting.
	•	Security and Compliance: Ensured compliance with industry standards and regulations, implementing robust security measures to protect company data and systems.

Information Technology Support Manager

Brasfield & Gorrie, LLC

•	Managed and mentored a team of IT professionals supporting 1,800 end-users across multiple locations, providing comprehensive technical support ranging from general inquiries to incident response.
	•	Cultivated a collaborative team environment centered on trust and open communication, fostering a culture of teamwork and continuous improvement.
	•	Implemented robust incident tracking systems that enhanced IT service management capabilities, improving response times and resolution efficiency.
	•	Spearheaded the planning and execution of a widescale Data Management Solution, optimizing data storage, retrieval, and security protocols to meet future organizational needs while aligning with strategic business objectives.
	•	Led the strategic planning and rollout of Multi-Factor Authentication systems, significantly bolstering company-wide cybersecurity defenses and aligning with corporate security strategies.
	•	Successfully implemented and integrated a company-wide ticketing system, improving service desk operations and user satisfaction metrics by 20%.
	•	Proactively engaged with hardware and software vendors to negotiate contracts and optimize procurement processes, resulting in a 15% reduction in IT expenditure while maintaining service levels and supporting overall cost-saving strategies.
	•	Collaborated cross-functionally with departments to assess IT needs and align technology solutions with business objectives, ensuring seamless integration and operational efficiency.

Information Technology Manager

•	Developed and implemented security policies and templates for various security solutions.
	•	Designed and deployed comprehensive security solutions to safeguard organizational assets.
	•	Conducted security assessments, network scans, and vulnerability assessments to identify and mitigate risks.
	•	Contributed to business continuity planning and testing to ensure operational resilience.
	•	Provided technical expertise on access control, security models, disaster recovery, and security awareness training.
	•	Planned, implemented, monitored, and troubleshooted internal IT security policies, application security, access control, and corporate data safeguards.
	•	Analyzed and defined security requirements for both local and wide area networks.
	•	Updated secure configurations by monitoring vendor sites, bulletins, and notifications for security updates.
	•	Reviewed and enhanced security internal control procedures to meet regulatory requirements.
	•	Installed and maintained content filtering and encryption systems to protect sensitive data.
	•	Educated personnel on the importance of computer data security and safe usage practices.
	•	Interfaced with internal and external audit functions, as well as security and regulatory examiners.
	•	Collaborated with law enforcement and legal representatives during investigations of potential security breaches.

Information Security Administrator

•	Provided technical support to 1,500+ end-users across hardware, Windows 7, Microsoft Office, network connectivity, copier installations, mobile devices, and Cisco IP Phones.
	•	Served as Chairman of the ISS Security Committee, overseeing strategic security initiatives and policy development.
	•	Installed and maintained content filtering systems to enhance network security and compliance.
	•	Implemented and managed encryption systems to protect sensitive data and ensure regulatory compliance.
	•	Administered Active Directory user accounts, ensuring secure access and permissions management.
	•	Developed and updated the Information Systems and Services Security Policy to align with industry standards and organizational needs.
	•	Conducted vulnerability assessments and network scans to identify and mitigate security risks proactively.

Systems Technician

HealthSouth

•	Expertly troubleshooted and resolved issues with Windows 2000 and Windows XP operating systems, ensuring smooth operation of critical business applications and systems.
	•	Installed, configured, and maintained local and network printers, optimizing printing capabilities and minimizing downtime for 500+ users.
	•	Led the initial setup and configuration of desktop machines, including hardware and software installations, ensuring all systems met performance and security standards.
	•	Provided comprehensive troubleshooting and support for Microsoft Office 2000 and 2003 environments, addressing software issues promptly to maximize productivity.
	•	Successfully set up, configured, and troubleshooted wireless connections, implementing secure protocols and resolving connectivity issues to support 300+ mobile devices.

Tier 1 Support Technician

As a seasoned virtual CISO, I work with organizations to shape security strategies that align with their unique goals and challenges. I’m not just here to “check the compliance box”—I’m here to help solve real business problems by building security programs that make sense at every level. My approach spans everything from targeted risk management and data protection to hands-on incident response efforts and comprehensive security audits, including cloud environments.

Over the years, I’ve guided cross-functional teams through vulnerability assessments, penetration testing, and security awareness training, ensuring everyone understands what to do and why it matters. I believe in clear, actionable communication—breaking down complex security issues so executives, IT teams, and stakeholders can make informed decisions quickly.

Ultimately, my goal is to craft robust, adaptable security frameworks that blend seamlessly into the organization’s day-to-day operations. By working closely with different parts of the business, I ensure that the solutions we develop are both secure and sustainable. After all, it’s about more than just meeting standards—it’s about protecting what matters most while empowering the business to thrive.

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The Battle

Evan Gove

Zach Sims, CISSP

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The Battle

Evan Gove

Zach Sims, CISSP

Followers

Posts

Engagements

Likes

Performance Score.css-goub6s{font-size:var(--chakra-fontSizes-md);font-weight:500;color:var(--chakra-colors-gray-600);display:block;margin-top:var(--chakra-space-1);}Evan Gove's LinkedIn Performance

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