Well, right out of the gate I want to get this off my chest. I absolutely love the book "Traction" and all the books that Gino Wickman has wrote afterwards like "Rocket Fuel" and "What the heck is EOS?". The book has changed my life personally and professionally. I need to make it abundantly clear to the powers that be that, and anyone who reads this that I am not an EOS implementor, not a former one, not a licensed one and do not practice in the act of implementing traction for a fee. (The reason I say that, and why I wrote this blog, can be referenced HERE in this blog if you want to skip the TLDR fandom of the book, and its origin story if impact on my life)
What I am however, is a massive fan of the Entrepreneurial Operating System that is detailed in the book Traction that you can find in any bookstore or Entrepreneurs list of top 10 books to read. We entrepreneurs are a small group of insane individuals who wake up every day and still decide to go leave our own fingerprint on a world that will inevitably forget about us. (Do you remember the exact date that Queen Elizabeth Died? How about Charlie Munger? How about Val Kilmer...? He played bat man AND ice man for crying out loud and it was 13 days ago as of the time of writing this! Exactly.) We are all going to die someday and 99.99% of humanity will barely remember us... but for whatever reason... we entrepreneurs still want 'to build our legacy' through building a company. As this crazy subsection of society we have some predictable habits, one of which is the nature to reach down to those behind us and extend a helping hand to those struggling - and offer hard earned lessons to those we like, and want to see do well.
That is in fact how my exposure to traction came about. Years ago I owned a Roofing Company called Sargeants Roofing with a business partner, and as is typical with Partnerships there can be difficulty getting consensus around certain decisions in the day to day and long term vision or goals of the business. One meeting I had every year was with Keith Riley, of RenovationFind.ca. This was a Canadian (you know I am Canadian right?) site similar to Angi's list or Directorii that is designed to help connect Home Owners and Contractors to meet home services needs and secure customers for their businesses. We paid RenovationFind a fair bit of money for our listing and taking advantage of the myriad of additional services that they released to help contractors and it was a great investment. One thing that they did every year was invite us to do a Annual Business review to discuss our growth goals and how we could use the platform. (This was usually where Keith showed me his SEO wizardry and sold me the latest feature upgrades... smart guy). Keith at that time owned a Granite company as well, so he knew the life of a Home Services Contractor so we would talk about the usual challenges of our industry. (Why is it every home services contractor has to deal with guys who can't seem to wake up to a Effing Alarm Clock consistently?!)
but I digress...
Every year for about 3 years Keith would hear my challenges and tell me;
"Dude, you gotta read Traction. It's gonna change your life."
At the time I had read a LOT of books. For about 2 years I read a book a week and I was in this "Action Taking" phase of life and been somewhat closed minded to any more damn books. Eventually I conceded to read it and I picked up Traction from a book store. I was immediately impressed and OBSESSED. See, in my book reading Journey there is one book I came back to about 3 times - Good to Great by Jim Collins. I love data and process, A LOT. I grew up poor as dirt and my mom was a serial entrepreneur but being a woman in a Rural Industrial based part of Canada she didn't find a lot of that success but she was very smart and she read a lot of business books. We grew up in the country where there was not good radio service. Since we were poor, the last thing that made it to the family budget was buying Adam music tapes for entertainment - (remember those?) What my family did believe in was Education. My Father couldn't read and worked in the oilfield and used the reasonably good income that he had and the tax savings of small business to fund my moms entrepreneurial endeavours which either ended in a small exit as she moved to the next thing, or a loss that resulted in good tax refunds for my Dad. That meant that she was allowed to buy as many books on tape that she wanted. I was one of those Level 0 Functioning Autistic kids that slept better with sound in the background so I tend to take those business books and fall asleep listening to them. While Good to Great was not published at that time, my love for learning started early. The book Good to Great is something I found when I was about 20 years old and owned a tanning salon. I loved this book because it was basically a university study told as a story, documenting the findings of a multi year study. They looked at a pool of 1435 companies to find 11 companies that made the significant leap from average performance to great results, defined as three times the stock market level over a 15 year period. They studied what made those companies tick and identified through a force ranking the commonalities between those companies which served as a principled look at how to build a business that would go from good - to great. Which is a bit of Foreshadowing for why I was a little surprised when I woke up to a slack message from one of my employees at 11:06 PM that woke me up out of bed, stating that we got a threat of potential legal action from the EOS team.
The reason I became obsessed with the book Traction is because after reading the book Good to Great three times I was always left with the discomfort of;
"Okay... but how? I know I need to take advantage of Hedgehog Concept... but how?"
When I finally heed Keiths advice and read Traction I was like "Holy Sh*t... this thing is like a fricken' Field Guide for Good to Great!"
Good to Great and Traction are like two cousins at a family reunion—different vibes, same gene pool. Both books aim to help businesses stop sucking and start thriving, with practical frameworks grounded in real-world experience. Here’s a rundown of their commonalities, with a nod to how EOS’s ideas aren’t exactly reinventing the wheel (sorry, not sorry).
Focus on Core Identity: Hedgehog Concept vs. Three Uniques
Jim Collins’ Hedgehog Concept in Good to Great is all about finding the sweet spot where your passion, what you’re best at, and what drives your economic engine intersect. It’s like telling a business, “Stop trying to be a jack-of-all-trades and figure out what you’re genetically encoded to dominate.” Traction’s Three Uniques (part of the Vision/Traction Organizer) is basically the same idea with a different haircut. It asks you to define three things that make your company stand out—your “secret sauce” that keeps customers coming back. Both are about laser-focusing on what makes you special and not chasing every shiny opportunity like a caffeinated squirrel.
Right People, Right Seats
Collins hammers the idea of getting the “right people on the bus” and in the “right seats” before you even figure out where the bus is going. It’s about hiring folks who fit your culture and can actually do the job, not just filling chairs with warm bodies. Traction’s People Component echoes this with its Accountability Chart and the mantra of “right people, right seats.” Wickman’s People Analyzer tool is like Collins’ bus driver with a clipboard, making sure everyone’s aligned with your values and competent enough not to crash the company. Both books agree: a great business starts with great people, and no amount of strategy saves you if your team’s a clown show.
Data-Driven Decision Making
Good to Great emphasizes confronting the brutal facts—using hard data to face reality and make decisions, not just gut feelings or wishful thinking. Collins wants you to track metrics that matter and act on them, even if the truth stings. Traction’s Data Component is cut from the same cloth, with its Scorecard system for monitoring weekly metrics that keep your business on track. Both books say, “Numbers don’t lie, but your ego might,” pushing leaders to lean on objective data to steer the ship.
Disciplined Execution
Collins’ Flywheel Concept is about consistent, disciplined action over time—small pushes that build momentum until your business is unstoppable. It’s not about flashy moves but grinding out the right actions daily. Traction’s Traction Component (shocker, it’s in the title) is all about execution through Rocks (quarterly priorities) and Level 10 Meetings to keep everyone accountable. Both books preach that success isn’t sexy; it’s about doing the boring stuff well, over and over, until you’re crushing it.
Clear Vision and Alignment
Good to Great stresses a BHAG (Big Hairy Audacious Goal) to give your company a unifying, long-term vision that rallies the troops. It’s about everyone knowing where you’re headed and rowing in the same direction. Traction’s Vision Component, with its Vision/Traction Organizer, does the same by defining core values, a 10-year target, and a clear plan to get there. Both books know that a business without a shared vision is just a bunch of people running in circles, yelling at each other.
Simplify and Systematize
Collins talks about the “stop doing” list—cutting out distractions and focusing on what truly matters to achieve greatness. Traction’s Process Component is obsessed with documenting your core processes (your “Way” of doing things) to ensure consistency and scalability. Both books want you to simplify your operations into a repeatable system so your business doesn’t implode when you’re not micromanaging every detail.
These overlaps show that Traction isn’t some revolutionary gospel; it’s a practical remix of timeless business principles, many of which Collins articulated in Good to Great. Heck, Traction even name-drops Collins’ Hedgehog Concept as inspiration for its core focus idea. So, EOS, maybe chill with the proprietary language and legal threats? Great ideas belong to everyone, not just your franchise.
Look, I’ve been a die-hard fan of Traction for over a decade. It’s a damn good book that helped me turn my business from a chaotic dumpster fire into something resembling a well-oiled machine. Since reading the book and implementing it in my Roofing Company helped so much, I’ve sung its praises in blog posts, recommended it to every entrepreneur I know, and basically acted like a free marketing intern for EOS (Entrepreneurial Operating System). The unintended consequences of that was gaining some notoriety in the Roofing Industry. It started as me selling facebook ads training to roofers, that mutated into my running a facebook Ad Agency for roofers, that evolved further into me helping roofers get their CRM's sorted out because "Too many leads" is a thing when you don't have good Systems. That resulted in me witnessing some incredibly well run companies that just needed better technology to operate. This took me all over the country speaking on stages about the lessons learned and the experiences I had. One of those experiences was witnessing how many other great businesses run on EOS. Everywhere I went I carried the book with me everywhere and I would share it with people everywhere I went and you can see my tattered copy in this Interview I did with Dmitry Lipinskiy on Roofing Insights youtube channel. The ONLY retraction I make from that video is that Traction is no longer my "Bible". The Bible is my Bible.
So yeah, I talk about Traction a LOT. I have worked with a lot of companies who wanted me to work for them in that context. If my service was to offer weekly support for their evolving CRM needs, they would prefer that weekly meeting be my joining their L10 meeting remotely so I could be participatory in their IDS track of identifying issues, discussing them, and solving them. I've shared my journey of self implementing EOS in two of my own businesses, falling off track, and getting back on and why I always come back to it as a foundational part of owning and operating a business.
But apparently, my love for Traction has landed me in hot water with the EOS corporate overlords, who sent me a helpful email letting me know to change how I position our services because my enthusiasm might look like I’m posing as a licensed EOS implementer. Spoiler: I’m not. I’m just a guy who read a book, applied it, succeeded, and now helps other businesses while occasionally mentioning said book, and reviewing their implementation against my own experiences. (Which is something I supposed I cannot really do now.) In fact, if you a looking for an EOS implementor for your business, you can talk to Jackie Ware. She is a roofing industry colleague and licensed implementor, I have recommend her publicly on facebook in the past and she tags me in her posts regularly because she knows I am a fan. I highly recommend if you want guidance and support through the process of implementing the teachings of the book I encourage you to seek her services. Also, to show there's no bad blood with EOS Worldwide, I also want you to go click on their website link HERE, one of their blog posts where they share excellent advice on the most important tools of the Entrepreneurial Operating System. So, let’s clear the air, I compare Traction to Jim Collins’ Good to Great (because, surprise, they share a lot of DNA), and I'll take a tongue-in-cheek stroll through the evolution of Traction’s business model from a humble book to a franchise empire with an implied need for IP protections for their franchisees that could result in legal shakedowns.
Now, let’s talk about how Traction went from a helpful book to a corporate machine that sics lawyers on fans like me. For the record I did a search on Perplexity for my Facts, so don't sue me if I misrepresent any of the facts, I am trying to save time because it's now 1:01 AM and I am thinking I might be able to sleep soon having got this off my chest and feel like I have adequately addressed any mis-representation I have unknowingly and inadvertently committed in my desires to build a business helping others. Gino Wickman published Traction in 2007, and it was a hit—over 1 million copies sold, with practical tools for small to mid-sized businesses to get their shit together. The Entrepreneurial Operating System (EOS) outlined in the book was battle-tested by Wickman, who turned around his family’s struggling business at 25 and later sold it. The guy knew his stuff, and entrepreneurs ate it up.
Initially, Traction was just a book with free downloadable tools on the EOS Worldwide website. Wickman, a hands-on entrepreneur, started working directly with companies as an EOS Implementer, coaching leadership teams to apply the system. He built a small network of certified EOS Implementers—folks trained to guide businesses through the EOS framework. It was a consulting model, not unlike what you’d see with other business gurus. Fans like me could read the book, use the tools, and spread the word without anyone batting an eye. Hell, it was encouraged
As EOS gained traction (pun intended), Wickman saw dollar signs in scaling the model. He formalized the EOS Implementer certification, creating a licensing program where coaches paid to be trained and certified to deliver EOS to clients. This was smart—Wickman could reach more businesses without cloning himself, and certified implementers got a proven system to sell. The catch? EOS started getting protective about its intellectual property, with proprietary terms like “Vision/Traction Organizer” and “Level 10 Meeting” trademarked. Still, fans could recommend the book and use the free tools without much hassle.
Here’s where things get spicy. Around 2021, EOS Worldwide reportedly transitioned into a franchise model, selling territorial rights to implementers and tightening the screws on its IP. What was once a loose network of coaches became a corporate juggernaut, with EOS Worldwide now boasting thousands of client companies and a growing army of implementers. Wickman stepped back, and the new owners (or investors) turned EOS into a profit machine. Wisely I suppose, they've hired lawyers to patrol the internet, sniffing out anyone mentioning Traction or EOS in a business context, ready to slap them with cease-and-desist letters or demands to buy a franchise.
This is where I got their attention. As a successful entrepreneur-turned-consultant, I’ve been shouting Traction’s praises for years, crediting it for my growth. But now, because I help businesses and dare to mention the book that helped me as tool I use, EOS interprets that as stepping on their turf. Fair. So Newsflash: I’m not an implementer, licensed or otherwise. I’m a fan, not a franchisee. Yet, their legal goons see my blog posts as a threat, assuming I’m profiting off their precious IP. It’s like getting sued by your favorite band for singing their songs at karaoke. I know its different in that you usually don't get paid to sing at Karaoke so maybe it's more like a cover band? What if your friend's buy you a drink before you go up on stage, is that a benefit that could be misconstrued as compensation? I don't know. I am learning the finer details of Intellectual Property law at 1:30 in the morning. 🤣
Here’s the rub: Traction’s lessons are universal business wisdom, much of it borrowed from folks like Jim Collins, Patrick Lencioni, and Stephen Covey. EOS didn’t invent the idea of clear vision or accountability charts; they just packaged it nicely. So why the witch hunt against fans? The franchise model thrives on control—every implementer pays for the right to use EOS’s tools, and any “unlicensed” praise that smells like consulting is a potential revenue loss. It’s a classic case of capitalism eating its own tail. Wickman’s original mission to help entrepreneurs can feel like it morphed into a corporate cash grab, where even loyal customers like me can get threatened for spreading the gospel.
To be abundantly clear: I am not a licensed EOS Implementer. I do not offer EOS implementation services. I’m a business consultant who loves Traction and recommends it to clients, just like I recommend Good to Great or a strong cup of coffee. If you want EOS, go to eosworldwide.com and hire a certified implementer. I’m just here helping businesses with my own expertise, which—shocker—includes ideas from books I’ve read.
I suppose, I mean the book has taught me a LOT through the years. I guess I wouldn't want to pigeon-hole myself as an EOS implementor. I looked into it way back in the day when it was more of a licensing thing, and occasionally I fall into their funnel (They are very good at Conversion Optimization on their website, I am more aware of this now) whenever I go read the blog or end up on the site because again - I am a fan. I remember asking Jackie when she became an EOS implementor what it was like and she said that she had to maintain certain price point and I think it might be confusing if they want Franchisors to charge a certain price for implementation and where that might overlap with what we currently coach around and implement in our regular course of business consulting, revops consulting, and CRM implementation services. I vaguely remember a few members of my team looking into it - because again - we use it and I endorse it weekly in our Level 10 meeting. Just this week I told a newer member of the team to go read "What the Heck is EOS?" and in that same minute one of our team mates said there is an EOS GPT that she uses to help her day to day. Now that I pulled the link up and looked at it, I don't think the guy who made it is an EOS implementor either and I wonder if this guy and ChatGPT are the next people to get a letter in the mail.
Here's what I will say, I am going to look into it. I might have just burned the bridge because I have no idea if anyone at EOS will read this, and if that person will have a sense of humor to see the humanity in this blog post or if they will send me another letter claiming this is disparaging. I would think that would take some pretty serious mental gymnastics given how many recommendations, statements of praise, testimonials and direct links to their paid products. The hope was to have some fun and emulate that Eminem song "Killshot" if the plan was to try and say I was too heavy handed.
Wait, you just dissed me, I’m perplexed
Insult me in a line, compliment me on the next, damn
To be clear, I believe in law and order. I wouldn't want to feel "Taken from" if I were an EOS implementor or EOS Worldwide. So if they deem that I broke the "Do's and Don'ts" I feel personally morally and ethically obliged to comply and correct it. They honestly handled it pretty gently, and only got more firm because for whatever reason their Contact in our Hubspot was owned by another employee, and the email went to him instead of me so I didn't get the first message or the second until he sent me the DM in Slack.
Dear EOS Worldwide,
I get it. You’ve got a shiny franchise to protect, and every dollar counts. But maybe ease up on the legal brass knuckles? Fans like me are your best marketers, giving you free word-of-mouth hype for years. Threatening us because we’ve built successful businesses using your book and now help others is like suing a chef for using your cookbook to open a restaurant. Let’s make a deal: I’ll keep recommending Traction (because it’s awesome), and you stop sending lawyer-shaped stormtroopers to my inbox. Cool?
Also, maybe take a page from Jim Collins. Good to Great has been out for decades, and I’ve never gotten a cease-and-desist for mentioning the Hedgehog Concept. Collins knows great ideas spread when fans share them, not when you lock them behind a paywall. Just a thought.
(PS.. yes, you were fair and gentle in your approach but your big-ness as an organization was scary when I read the email half asleep at 11:00 pm. Now that its 1:36 and I am fully awake and engaged I view it as pretty reasonable.)
Good to Great and Traction are cut from the same cloth—practical, no-BS guides to building great businesses. Their shared emphasis on focus, people, data, execution, vision, and systems makes them must-reads for any entrepreneur. But while Collins’ work feels like an open-source gift to the business world, Traction’s evolution into a franchise fortress has left fans like me dodging legal bullets for daring to be enthusiastic. I’ll keep recommending Traction because it changed my life, but I’m not here to steal EOS’s thunder—I’m just trying to help businesses without getting my kneecaps busted.
If you’re an entrepreneur, read both books. Apply their lessons. Just don’t be surprised if EOS sends you a bill for quoting their book in a blog post. And to my fellow Traction fans: keep spreading the word, but maybe put a disclaimer in your emails: “Not an EOS Implementer, just a guy who read a book.” Stay safe out there.
Disclaimer: I am not affiliated with EOS Worldwide, nor am I a licensed EOS Implementer. I am a business management consultant who recommends Traction by Gino Wickman as a valuable resource, alongside other business books like Good to Great by Jim Collins. For official EOS services, visit eosworldwide.com
I used ChatGPT Pro to find any time I have mentioned Traction online, and I guess I should go post this blog post to make sure I keep in the good graces over at EOS. Deep down - I love you guys.