We’d like to think that this book can be both a handbook for life, but also a North Star to follow when your business gets complicated. As businesspeople we make tough decisions every day, oftentimes on the fly and most often without a lot of feedback from our ‘multitude of counselors’. Our hope is that business leaders will keep a copy of this book on their desk and refer to it often as they face each day with all that it brings.
Sharpen
A Guide Book for Business Ownership and Adventures in Leadership
Timeless Wisdom and Modern Application for a Sharper Edge in Business.
Explore thought-provoking principles and fundamental truths for decision-making and leadership development. Be a better version of yourself - a better leader - in ways that resound in your personal life, your business, and your community.
Make Better Decisions. Be a Better Leader. Sharpen your edge.
This book isn’t about fuzzy buzzwords words like “trust” and “culture” and “brand.” This is real-world, actionable, do-tomorrow (and don’t-do) perspective from the book of wisdom: The book of Proverbs.
An outline of Proverb’s fundamental truths and how they apply to business and leadership
A relevant way to digest Proverbs through real-world case studies
Actionable insights on business processes, frameworks, mental models, andapplication exercises
An Index of the entire book of Proverbs by topic for easy search and applicationGet Wisdom.
About the Authors
Dan Cooper co-founded ej4, a video-based online training company, in 2003, and was its CEO until selling in 2012. During his time with ej4, he grew the company from a startup to a nationally-recognized firm, serving Fortune 500 clients. As of the 2012, ej4 was serving 1,000+ customers, delivering millions of program views, was highly profitable and debt-free. Dan took his leadership and technology experience to work on and in the Sparklab startup business accelerator as well as lead change management and profit building initiatives for mid-market companies. Today, he is the President and partner of Acumen, an accelerator community experience built for CEOs and Owners of strong and growing companies. Dan is also a certified Executive Coach credentialed through the International Coaching Federation. He and his wife, Ali, have been married for 19 years, have three children and attend Cure of Ars church in Leawood, KS. Dan enjoys all things soccer, snowboarding, and burning meat on the backyard barbecue grill.
Drew Hiss launched his outsourced payroll and HR technology solutions company, Checkdate Solutions, in 1994. The entrepreneurial venture was a classic bootstrap start-up whose launch plan underestimated capital needs and ramp up time by significant multiples.
The adventure predictably included scrapping for cash, overhauling the business model, rebranding, refocusing, redirecting resources, shifting tech platforms, praying, seeking counsel and wisdom, etc..
Not surprisingly, deep entrepreneurial scar tissue was forged. Ultimately Checkdate Solutions became one of Kansas City’s fastest growing companies and was named one of the Greater KC Chamber of Commerce Best Businesses not once, but twice. Additionally, Checkdate Solutions ranked as one of KC’s top 100 fastest growing companies for nine consecutive years and was in the top 25 nationally in its industry.
Today’s workplace culture tends to compartmentalize personal virtues from commerce, creating silos and compartmentalization between business, family, community, values and faith. But as a CEO, Drew and his company grew when he “decompartmentalized:” on his journey, he learned to integrate his life of commerce and his life of family, faith and values.
Drew merged Checkdate Solutions with payroll industry leader Paycor, stepping away from the company in 2008 and serving on its board for eight years. Drew remains an owner in the firm. Today, Drew’s heart to help business owners leverage the influence of their business platform for eternal impact is at the core of Acumen which he founded late in 2015. Acumen is a catalytic iron-sharpening-iron environment forged from the fiery furnace of entrepreneurial battle, marketplace survival and integration of the timeless wisdom of the ages.
Drew and his wife, Sarah have been married for 30 years and have four children (plus two beautiful daughters in law) ranging in age from 25 to 20. He is a raving distance congregant of Flatirons Community Church in Lafayette, CO. Drew enjoys snowboarding, hunting, cycling, hiking and a variety of outdoor activities and adventures including running with his three dogs.