| When Boris first called me he was living every entrepreneur’s nightmare.
He was on the verge of burnout...
His staff had become toxic and ineffective…
What was working in 2019 was no longer working in 2020…
He needed my help - big time.
Boris Enzel is the CEO of Nutri Solution — a supplement company in France - a notoriously difficult place to be an entrepreneur on a good day… let alone with these additional problems.
He knew where he wanted to get to in his business…
But he didn’t know how to get there.
I built him a game plan… showed him how to double his productivity, become an expert negotiator, and improve his leadership… so that he could get back on track to building his business into an empire.
The result?
In January his business made over $1,000,000. His biggest problem now is keeping his products in stock. And he’s on pace for becoming what I call a “Small Business Unicorn” … hitting that elusive mark of 8-figures.
Oh, and he did it ALL…
… while strengthening his already happy marriage, spending quality time with his two young kids, and hitting his regular workout sessions.
Boris and I recently sat down and recorded an episode of Early to Rise Radio.
It’s loaded with brilliant insights and was one of our best podcasts yet.
☝️ I highly encourage you to listen to it (and all of my shows)...
But in case you can’t, I’m giving you 3 of Boris’s 5 biggest lessons from his 2020 business transformation…
And how he did it without burning out or sacrificing his family life.
1. Create a foolproof “family time” schedule
Boris is just like you and me.
The reason he is working so hard is because he wants to provide his family with an amazing life.
You see, Boris spent five years of his childhood growing up in Florida… he fell in love with the idea of the American Dream.
He wants to have it all… a great business, a beautiful home, a vacation home, and time to enjoy it with his wife and kids.
Here’s how he’s doing it...
Boris says his secret has been following a strict routine.
He designates his morning time from 6 to 7:30 am for focused work before everyone wakes up. (I call this “NUI work” in my book, The Perfect Week Formula.)
From 7:30 to 9 am is dedicated family time. He feeds his kids breakfast, gets them ready, and takes them to school in Paris.
Similarly, Boris sticks to a strict work cutoff — ending his days by 7 pm… when he sends me a short accountability email summarizing his wins, lessons, and questions for me to answer while he sleeps.
Boris blocks 7 to 9 pm for family dinner and story time.
On Sunday mornings, he plans special things they can do for fun together. Kids museums, park outings, trips to his other home in Normandy, and other adventures. (COVID lockdown permitting, of course.)
Following this structured, yet simple schedule is how Boris grew his business while still creating lifelong memories with his family.
As I said in my first book, The Perfect Day Formula, “Structure equals Freedom!”
2. How to Become a Great Leader
Boris and I share an affinity for World War II history. We often discuss the books and events from that era that inspire us today.
It was a time of great leadership, of course, and that is what is required within an 8-figure business as well.
But when Boris first started getting coaching from me and my team at Early To Rise (ETR), he was, by his own admission, clueless about leadership.
He couldn’t motivate his team to do better or keep good people. In fact, he let a passive-aggressive relationship nearly bankrupt his company.
His first breakthrough came from recognizing the importance of listening - the #1 skill in leadership…
In his words, he had to “become a better person” to become a better entrepreneur.
But his biggest breakthrough came from using ETR’s Management Rhythms Blueprint system for weekly staff meetings. This course was created by Matt Smith, my business partner, and the man who turned me into a better leader (and person).
Every week Boris schedules time with his key team members…
This builds closer personal connections and highlights areas where Boris can provide more support so that his team members can reach their work goals.
The culture in his company has shifted dramatically and Boris now has a stronger team and culture - allowing his business to scale without the demands on his time growing exponentially too.
3. How to Negotiate Like an FBI Agent
Early in 2020 I recommended Boris read the book, Never Split the Difference, by former FBI agent, Chris Voss...
Like most people, Boris avoided conflict.
But within weeks of reading the book, he became an expert negotiator, saving over $70,000 at the end of a tense, year-long negotiation with a vendor.
One of Boris’ favorite techniques was the Ackerman Model…
... where you “anchor” the other party at a low number — starting your initial offer at 60% of the maximum you’re willing to pay, then slowly moving up only as needed.
Both Voss and Boris also stress that “no deal is better than a bad deal.”
It’s better to walk away than rush into making a bad deal just because you want to get it done.
Which is why you should avoid deadlines.
Always enter negotiations expecting they will take some time, and ALWAYS be prepared to walk away.
These strategies and others from the book, have saved Boris hundreds of thousands of dollars since reading it. --- Those 3 lessons are just a small sample of the BIG lessons that Boris shared in our podcast...
So if you want to hear more of the winning methods Boris used to scale to 8-figures - during COVID! - while still having plenty of time for his family…
-> You can check out the full episode here
While you’re there please share the episode with someone you think will enjoy it and leave a review!
For more weekly secrets and insights on what’s working in the lives and businesses of 7-figure + entrepreneurs…
-> Click here to subscribe to the podcast
To Your Success,
Craig |
