EP44: A realistic look at the Entrepreneurial Operating System (EOS)

One of the biggest pain points for first-time founders is a lack of structure within their business. One of the most popular frameworks for quickly creating structure is the Entrepreneurial Operating System (EOS), but does it really live up to the hype?

In this episode of In Demand, Asia and Kim do a deep dive into EOS. They break down its key components, where it works (and where it doesn’t), and why most founders should treat it more like a toolbox than a strict rulebook.

Got a question you’d like Asia to unpack on the podcast? Record a voicemail here.

Links:

• DemandMaven
• EOS Worldwide
• Traction by Gino Wickman - the book introducing EOS

Chapters

• (00:00:25) - Rediscovering campaign anxiety.
• (00:06:00) - EOS overview: what it is and why a client recently reached out asking about it.
• (00:11:00) - “Right person, right seat” explained.
• (00:15:45) - Issues tracking.
• (00:20:00) - Where EOS can fall apart for small teams.
• (00:29:30) - The parts of EOS that Asia likes and uses.
• (00:32:00) - Rocks vs. OKRs: what’s the difference and when does it matter?
• (00:39:15) - SOPs vs. “The Way”: document your processes, whatever you call them.
• (00:42:15) - When are core values useful and when are they just performative?
• (00:52:00) - Picking and choosing from EOS: take what works, leave the rest.