EOS® (Entrepreneurial Operating System) is a framework designed to help $1 million+ businesses run more efficiently. It covers all the major components required for running a business professionally, including people management, forming the right organizational structure, aligning the team under a clear strategy, and executing systems. An EOS Implementer is an external consultant or coach hired to help organizations adopt the EOS system. Certified EOS Implementers in the EOS franchise receive appropriate training and act as official representatives of EOS. They follow the "EOS process" and usually conduct full-day sessions with the leadership team once a month (in the beginning) and quarterly after an initial period. By using a managerial system like EOS, businesses mature and become more focused, more decisive, and proactive.

Like an EOS Implementer, a Fractional Business Partner also works on building a stronger business and maturing the operation. Similar to an EOS implementer, a Fractional Business Partner implements a holistic business operating system called “The 4 Clarity Questions,” – a system specifically designed to scale and grow businesses. A fractional partner professionalizes the business through this system by cleaning the org structure, developing systems and SOPs, developing the growth strategy, and ensuring professional execution. However, unlike an EOS Implementer, a Fractional Business Partner takes a greater hands-on approach to helping your business scale and grow. A fractional partner participates in the process, rather than simply facilitating, and becomes part of the leadership team to help you answer questions and develop the growth strategy. Because a fractional partner is more hands-on, you’ll get significantly more face time with meetings at least twice weekly compared to once a month or a quarter.

In this article, we will explore the roles and responsibilities of a Certified EOS Implementer. While EOS Implementers are an excellent option for some businesses, they may not be the right choice for others. Continue reading to learn if you should engage with a Fractional Business Partner to help your business scale and grow.

How do certified EOS Implementers help businesses grow?

The primary objective of certified EOS implementers is to educate businesses (starting with the leadership team) on how to use the EOS framework. They achieve this by:

Facilitating sessions to gain clarity, alignment and solve issues

An EOS Implementer serves as an external facilitator guiding the team in engaging discussions to achieve alignment and resolve issues professionally. These sessions are typically highly structured full-day sessions that cover various aspects of the business, such as developing the vision, building the correct organizational chart, solving issues, and creating an environment of clarity and accountability.

Teaching the leadership team how to use the EOS Toolbox™

The role of the EOS Implementer is to teach the business and the leadership team how to use these tools and put the methodology into execution mode. The EOS system is composed of six components, each designed to be holistic and address key aspects of a business. Each component requires different tools and aids for implementation. For example, EOS utilizes a tool called "The Accountability Chart™" to create the appropriate structure for the business and clean and organize the org chart. This and its many other tools help the implementer (and the business) connect the different components and bring the framework to reality.

Holding the team accountable from session to session

A significant aspect of an EOS Implementer's role is providing external accountability. Business owners typically don't have someone to hold them accountable, so having an external facilitator fulfill this role is valuable. EOS Implementers also ensure that the organization learns to hold everyone accountable for their actions. Accountability is achieved by ensuring that roles, goals, and expectations are clearly defined, as well as making sure that every employee within the organization has and understands their expectations.

How is EOS implemented?

EOS Implementers follow the EOS process. After an initial 90-minute meeting, the Implementer will meet the team for a full Focus Day. Focus Days are designed to introduce basic tools and establish basic execution systems. The team will clean the org chart, set the first quarterly plan, and develop forward-looking metrics to track progress during Focus Day.

After 30 days, the group will meet again for Vision Building Day 1 where the rough strategy and vision will be addressed. A second Vision Building Day usually occurs 30 days later and allows the team to answer more basic strategic questions, knowing as “The 8 Questions.” Such questions like Who’s the ideal customer and What are our differentiation points will be explored and answered.

Once the basic systems and rough strategy are outlined during Vision Building Days, the EOS Implementer will meet with the group once a quarter for a Quarterly Planning Session Day, and once a year for a two-day Annual Planning Session. Overall, the business will meet with the Implementer once a month during the first quarter and once every 90 days after that. Businesses are expected to "graduate" after 2-3 years. Graduation means that the business is able to run its own planning sessions and address its own issues without the facilitation of an external Implementer.

Why EOS Implementers aren’t the best option for growth stage businesses

Professional EOS Implementers provide a lot of value and are generally a positive thing. However, it's important to note that the EOS model may not be suitable for every type of business, particularly those in the $1-5M stage that are also looking to grow and scale. Here's why:

They’re facilitators, not participators

A professional EOS implementer facilitates but does not participate. Their role is to help the team figure out how to develop their own strategy and decisions, not actually develop the business strategy or make decisions. They actively refrain from sharing their opinions. While this may sound good, it doesn't solve the root problem: many small businesses lack the experience or skillset required to make the right strategic decisions or do not have a professional staff to make those decisions. The system will help them focus and enhance decisioning, but it won’t help them prioritize the right decisions.

This approach may be too hands-off to satisfy most founders

Based on my own experience, I have found that this level of contact is not enough to have the strongest impact. An EOS Implementer following the implementation process will provide a full-day session once a month for the first quarter, followed by a quarterly session after.

A full 8-hour session can be too much for a given team, and diminishing returns can be expected after only 4 hours. Interacting once every 30/90 days isn't hands-on enough to ensure that the tools and procedures are correctly used by the team. Many times, owners find themselves "figuring it out as they go," resulting in subpar execution and a lot of frustration.

I’ve implemented the EOS framework many times over in my experience as an Entrepreneur in Residence at a venture capital firm. What I found is that simply providing the system to the team wasn’t enough. Founders needed help with using the new system on a daily basis as well as actively participating in discussions themselves.

Forced only to use the EOS framework and tools

An EOS implementer is often considered a "purist." This means that they adhere strictly to the EOS framework and methodology without deviating from it. However, this approach may be limiting. By forcing the team to use only EOS tools, it assumes a “one-size-fits-all” approach that the system can solve any problem – which is rarely the case. There are many other tools that can help businesses with specific challenges, tools that an EOS implementer may not be aware of or may not share with the business.

Unfocused on growth strategy

EOS is a business framework, not a strategic one. The "strategy" page (i.e., the "vision" section) contains only eight questions, focusing on basic aspects of the strategy such as the ideal customer profile, differentiation, and guarantee. This is not sufficient for business growth as it only aligns the whole business around a shared vision and not a growth strategy. EOS implementers are strategists who are professional in implementing the framework. To address the gap in strategy, they refer businesses to other tactical professionals who specialize in specific strategic challenges, such as marketing and sales consultants.

How much does an EOS Implementer cost?

‍

EOS implementers charge by the session, with fees differing by the experience level of each implementer.

• A Professional EOS Implementer® (just started) charges an average of $4,500 per session.
• A Certified EOS Implementer® (worked with at least 10 clients) charges an average of $5,200 per session.
• An Expert EOS Implementer™ (completed 500 sessions) charges an average of $6,600 per session.

During the first year following the EOS implementation process, a business can expect to have 8 full-day sessions. Here is the breakdown:

• First 90 days (Q1): First meeting (free), Focus day, Vision Building Day 1, Vision Building Day 2, and First Quarterly Planning Day - 4 sessions ($18k-$26.4k)
• Q2-Q3: Quarterly Planning Day - 2 sessions ($9k-$13.2k)
• Q4: 2 Annual Planning Days - 2 sessions ($9k-$13.2k)

Total cost for the first year: $36,000-$52,800.

After the first year, the business can expect to have 5 full-day sessions, ranging from $22,500 to $33,000.

For an average 36-month engagement, the business should plan to pay anywhere between $81,000 to $118,800 to the external implementer.

A Fractional Partner isn’t incentivized by fees

Unlike an EOS Implementer, a Fractional Partner is not interested in collecting consulting fees. Instead, the Fractional Business Partner model uses a "rent-me-before-you-buy-me" model. This means they charge a flat fee of $6k per month for three weekly touch points (compared to a single EOS day) for 6 months. The goal is to either become real partners (and remove the fee) or part ways as friends. The objective is not to "keep businesses on the hook," but to deliver the greatest value in six months, build trust, and convert into a real partnership.

Get the right growth strategy with a Fractional Partner

Both EOS Implementers and Fractional Business Partners provide business operating systems, but the latter takes a more hands-on approach. While EOS Implementers facilitate the implementation of the EOS system, Fractional Business Partners hyper-focus on scaling the business by providing structure and participating in the process of developing a growth strategy and even help the team execute weekly. In addition, EOS Implementers charge by the session, while Fractional Business Partners charge a flat fee for twice-a-week touch points for six months.

If your business has a strong leadership team with a clear vision and an experienced founder who just needs a little bit more structure and efficiency, an EOS Implementer is the right choice and will provide a lot of value.

However, if your business lacks a strong team, the founder is inexperienced, and you are interested in scaling your small business into a powerhouse, a Fractional Business Partner is the better choice. Fractional Business Partners will help you focus on building a leadership team, developing a growth strategy, implementing systems, and helping the team execute weekly from within, Fractional Business Partners

Interested? Click here to learn more about what Fractional Business Partners can do for your small business.

^{Disclaimer and Trademarks}

^{I want to make it abundantly clear that EOS®, Professional EOS Implementer™, Certified EOS Implementer™, and Expect EOS Implementer™, as well as some other words mentioned in this article, are registered trademarks that belong to the EOS franchise. Fractional Partners is not associated with EOS and does not offer implementation services for EOS.}