Supporting Business Growth

With a focus on growth and development, EO’s programs are designed to support members in various phases of their entrepreneurial journey. In this “EO Q&A,” we interviewed two members who found success through uniquely different programs. EO St. Louis’ Derek Weber used Accelerator to get his business beyond the US$1M mark (and enter EO), while EO South Florida’s Jorge Partidas engaged EO Quantum Leap to take his US$15M+ business to the next level.

ACCELERATOR

What has the Accelerator program taught you about better business?

DW: Wow, I could write a book on all of the take-aways I’ve put into action thanks to Accelerator. For example, I’ve learned that execution is the only thing that matters in business. Nothing will ever be perfect when starting out, so stop talking about what you’re going to do and just do it— settle for good enough, fail forward, figure out how to do it better and improve each iteration time and time again.

How would you describe the value of Accelerator?

DW: The Accelerator program offers two types of value— tangible and emotional. Emotional: being surrounded by other successful, driven, positive people who inspire you to continue to be better and push through the low points. Having a group of peers and mentors that are fighting the same fight gives you an extraordinary level of confidence! Tangible: I have implemented dozens of ideas and concepts picked up from Accelerator that have helped make my business more efficient, effective and scalable.

What has been your favorite experience since joining EO?

DW: It’s not as much of a singular event as it is looking back to the time of my first Accelerator event, and seeing the progression and growth both my business and I have made over the past two or so years. It’s absolutely amazing, and it would not have been possible without Accelerator and EO.

QUANTUM LEAP

Why did you decide to join Quantum Leap?

JP: I have had such a great experience in my EO Forum that when I heard about a new program that brings together strong EOers from different cities, I was all for it. I was looking for specific tools and resources designed for the high-growth stage in my business, as well as an outlet for sharing issues and ideas. I found that in Quantum Leap!

What value do you receive from this program?

JP: EO’s Quantum Leap provides me with much-needed tools for success and enhances my ability to learn from a new group of entrepreneurs who have bigger businesses. When I joined, I was projecting US$20-30M a year, and others were projecting US$200M! That pushed me to learn and grow. The learning process is critical and well-complemented with experience sharing on a very high level.

How has Quantum Leap impacted your life or business?

JP: The program pushed me to become a better person and gave me more confidence about going into bigger projects in life— business and personal. In addition, the program gave me strategy tools—from Gazelles Systems—that helped me create a brand promise that was 100 times better than what I had. It also provided me with resources to help restructure my business, develop a better company culture and ensure better execution across the board.

To learn more about Accelerator, visit http://accelerator.eonetwork.org. To learn more about Quantum Leap, formerly under the EO Injected umbrella, go to EOaccess/My Benefits/Quantum Leap.