The Five Books (and One Nerdy Equation) That Built Our Blueprint

You’ve already mastered the art of growing your clients’ wealth. But who’s elevating the value of your firm? Too often, you’re stuck as their firm’s most overworked employee, mired in daily chaos, inefficient processes, and team misalignment. The pressure to scale is unrelenting, and your own capacity becomes the choke point. You know your firm has greater potential, but the path to a thriving, sustainable business feels out of reach.

This challenge is all too common, and it sparked the creation of the TGC Growth Blueprint—a proven system to transform advisory firms into scalable, resilient enterprises. This blueprint wasn’t conjured from thin air; it’s built on the profound insights of five transformative books.

Five Books, One Vision

In my San Antonio office, five well-loved books are always close at hand: Good to Great by Jim Collins, The Infinite Game by Simon Sinek, Atomic Habits by James Clear, Traction by Gino Wickman, and The E-Myth Revisited by Michael E. Gerber. Each is highlighted, annotated, and foundational to our approach.

1. The Infinite Game by Simon Sinek

Why it matters: This book comes first for me because it arrived exactly when I needed it most. After struggling with significant life events for over a year and finally finding the courage to write about them 16 months ago, Sinek's wisdom felt like a revelation. You can read more about that time here. Sinek reframes success as an infinite game, moving beyond short-term wins like quarterly AUM growth toward a lasting legacy. His "Just Cause" inspires firms to pursue a purpose that unites clients, employees, and communities for generations. This philosophy forms the heart of our blueprint, guiding firms to create enduring, purpose-driven practices.

2. Good to Great by Jim Collins

Why it matters: Collins’ data-driven insights reveal what elevates companies from good to great. His “Hedgehog Concept” helps firms pinpoint the sweet spot of what they can excel at, what fuels their economic engine, and what ignites their passion. His “First Who, Then What” principle underscores the need for a disciplined, self-managing team before setting strategy. This book anchors our focus on building exceptional teams and clear priorities.

3. Atomic Habits by James Clear

Why it matters: Clear’s practical framework shows how small, 1% improvements—like refining client onboarding or standardizing meeting agendas—compound into transformative results. While other books define the “what” and “why,” Atomic Habits is the “how,” making change sustainable and actionable. It drives our emphasis on consistent, incremental progress.

4. Traction by Gino Wickman

Why it matters: Wickman’s Entrepreneurial Operating System (EOS) turns vision into reality with tools like the Vision/Traction Organizer, which clarifies purpose and aligns teams around measurable goals. His “Right People, Right Seats” principle ensures a disciplined team that thrives without constant oversight. This book shapes our focus on operational clarity and accountability.

5. The E-Myth Revisited by Michael E. Gerber

Why it matters: Gerber’s revelation that most businesses fail because owners work in their business, not on it, resonates deeply with advisors. His systems-driven “turnkey” approach creates standardized, replicable processes that free owners from daily chaos. This book informs our commitment to scalable systems that let firms run independently of their founders.

The Synergy: A Unified Formula

Pardon me while I nerd out for a moment—because this is where it gets fun! When a client challenged me to boil down our methodology into one clear idea, I had a lightbulb moment. The magic isn’t in any single book but in their combined brilliance. Picture me scribbling on a whiteboard, coffee in hand, trying to crack the code for an Infinite Practice. Here’s what emerged, and brace yourself—it’s a doozy:

∞ = [Longevity + (Drive × Clarity)] × [(Capability × Culture) + (CulturalFit × RoleFit)] × [Systems × Habits] × [(Accountability × Cadence) + (Focus × Consistency)]

Confused yet? Don’t worry, I’ll break it down! This formula is like a recipe for your firm’s secret sauce—multiplicative, not just additive. It’s like compounding interest on steroids: Purpose sets the vision, while People, Process, and Persistence crank up the horsepower to make it unstoppable. Together, they create a firm that’s not just successful but infinite—scalable, purpose-driven, and built to outlast us all. Let’s unpack it! Go ahead and skip to the 7-Step process if you’re not fully committed to learning some math today!

• Purpose [Longevity + (Drive × Clarity)] (Sinek, Collins): Think of this as your firm’s North Star. Longevity (Sinek’s “Just Cause” from The Infinite Game) is the big-picture vision that keeps you going for generations. Add Passion (Drive × Clarity from Good to Great’s Hedgehog Concept), where Drive is your heart-pounding love for your mission, and Clarity is the laser focus to nail down what that mission is. It’s like dreaming big but with a GPS.
• People [(Capability × Culture) + (CulturalFit × RoleFit)] (Collins, Wickman): This is your dream team! From Good to Great, Team (Capability × Culture) means hiring rockstars (Capability) who vibe with your firm’s values (Culture). Then, Traction’s Alignment (CulturalFit × RoleFit) ensures those rockstars share your ethos (CulturalFit) and are in roles where they shine (RoleFit). It’s like assembling the Avengers, but for financial advising.
• Process [Systems × Habits] (Gerber, Clear): Here’s where the magic happens daily. Systems (Gerber’s turnkey operations from The E-Myth Revisited) are your standardized playbooks—think client onboarding on autopilot. Habits (Clear’s 1% improvements from Atomic Habits) are the tiny tweaks that make those playbooks better every day. Multiply them, and you’ve got a well-oiled machine that scales like nobody’s business.
• Persistence [(Accountability × Cadence) + (Focus × Consistency)] (Wickman, Collins): This is your firm’s grit. From Traction, Action (Accountability × Cadence) means everyone knows their goals (Accountability) and keeps the rhythm with regular check-ins (Cadence—like weekly meetings that don’t suck). Add Discipline (Focus × Consistency from Good to Great), where Focus keeps you on track and Consistency ensures you never quit. It’s like training for a marathon while staying laser-focused on the finish line.

Still with me? Good, because this formula isn’t just math—it’s a blueprint for a firm that’s unstoppable!

The TGC Growth Blueprint: From Chaos to Clarity

Our 7-Step TGC Growth Blueprint translates this formula into a practical roadmap for advisory firms. Each step leverages insights from these five books to tackle your toughest challenges—team alignment, operational inefficiencies, and sustainable growth—while honoring your firm’s unique identity.

The 7-Step Blueprint

1. Define Your Just Cause: Craft a purpose (Sinek) that inspires clients and aligns your team for the long term.
2. Assemble Your Team: Use “First Who, Then What” and “Right People, Right Seats” (Collins, Wickman) to build a self-managing team.
3. Systemize Operations: Apply Gerber’s turnkey principles to standardize processes like client onboarding or portfolio reviews.
4. Set Clear Goals: Leverage EOS tools (Wickman) to establish 90-day “Rocks” for measurable progress.
5. Optimize with Habits: Implement 1% improvements (Clear) to streamline workflows and eliminate bottlenecks.
6. Embrace Longevity: Embed an infinite-game mindset (Sinek) to prioritize lasting impact over short-term gains.
7. Execute Relentlessly: Combine systems, habits, and EOS discipline (Gerber, Clear, Wickman) for consistent, scalable growth.

Real Transformation, Real Firms

This blueprint isn’t theoretical—it’s been refined through real-world partnerships with advisors like you. Every firm we’ve worked with faced a crossroads: stay trapped in overwhelm or embrace a path to clarity. Those who acted transformed their practices, achieving not just operational efficiency but TruStrategic Growth.

Your Moment Is Now

Your firm’s turning point is here. The TGC Growth Blueprint can guide you from chaos to an Infinite Practice—one that’s scalable, purpose-driven, and built to endure.

Schedule Your Free Discovery Call Today to Explore the TGC Growth Blueprint