A year ago, I made the decision to self-implement EOS in my business (check out my blog for details on the journey). Over the past year, we’ve encountered numerous challenges, tested our resilience, and come out stronger. The most notable achievement? Not a single team member left during the process. However, it was far from easy. Learning while executing felt like building a plane mid-flight. There were countless moments of revisiting Traction to ensure we were on the right path. It was an intensive process.

I considered hiring an EOS Implementer, but after evaluating the cost, I decided to move forward with self-implementation. Instead, we committed to being diligent students, learning and applying the system as thoroughly as possible. The deeper we got into EOS, the more I realized how effective it was in helping us organize the business.

Initially, we tracked our L10 meetings using a shared document. My team is excellent at creating simple processes, and this approach worked—until it no longer met our needs. That’s when we explored EOS ONE, a basic but functional tool. Eventually, we transitioned to Ninety.io, a more comprehensive platform that provided better visibility into our business. If you’re using EOS and haven’t explored Ninety, I highly recommend it.

Adopting a new system takes time, but Ninety’s free webinars made the learning process smoother. One webinar featured Becky Fromkes, an EOS Implementer, and I was impressed by her expertise. After the session, I reached out to her, and we had a great conversation about her journey as an Implementer. That discussion reinforced my appreciation for EOS and even sparked a personal interest in potentially becoming an Implementer myself.

As we approached our 2025 annual planning, we faced a new dynamic—transitioning from a leadership team of two to three. I remembered how difficult the previous year’s planning was and asked my team how they felt about bringing in an Implementer. The response was a unanimous yes.

I reached out to Becky, and she suggested starting with a complimentary 90-minute session. It was incredibly valuable, as it validated that we had implemented many EOS components correctly. Seeing the benefit of her guidance, I asked if she would facilitate our two-day annual planning session. While it’s not typical to start with annual planning, she saw our progress and agreed to help.

We flew her in, booked an off-site conference room, and got to work. The first day focused on big-picture topics—team health, vision, and refining our Vision/Traction Organizer (V/TO). Becky made it clear: “I’m not here to fix your business—I don’t know your business as well as you do. I’m here to teach and align your team.” That perspective resonated deeply.

Day two was all about execution. We outlined our one-year plan, set Rocks, and addressed long-standing issues. By the end of the session, we had a clear roadmap for the year ahead.

As we wrapped up, Becky asked if the experience met our expectations. The response was an enthusiastic yes. We even joked about setting up a “Becky Budget” to bring in her expertise again in the future. Hiring an Implementer proved to be one of the most valuable decisions we’ve made.

If you’re self-implementing EOS and considering professional guidance, I highly recommend it. The clarity and alignment it brings to your business are well worth the investment.