On Halloween, I sat down with my first EOS client – and best client (standing joke) Michael T. H. LeBlanc Founder & Visionary of CCi Voice.
You can watch the entire episode here.
3 journeys (hero’s, entrepreneur’s, EOS) all told by the sweet talking LeBlanc. But it wasn’t always sweet talking and smooth sailing. We discussed hitting rock bottom and deciding to build a foundation on it, about transforming chaos into clarity, and about rediscovering joy in leadership. Michael’s story is the perfect metaphor for the entrepreneurial condition: the never-ending dance between ambition and anxiety, vision and discipline, heart and habit.
In our conversation, we explored everything from near-bankruptcy to rebirth, from stuttering to public speaking, from the limits of working alone to the liberation of structure. His EOS awakeningwasn’t just an operational upgrade – it was a spiritual one touching on the Law of Attraction.
EOS Worldwidebecame a mirror, revealing who he was as a leader, what he valued, and how much potential was waiting once he stopped fighting against himself.
We also talked about ADHD as a hidden gift, about curiosity as a compass, and about gratitude as the fuel for confidence.
If you’re an entrepreneur leading a privately held business (10–250 employees), I hope you get inspired by this roadmap for rebuilding your company and reclaiming your soul.
My “why” aligns inextricably with EOS: Run a better business so you can live a better life. Michael LeBlanc’s story proves that truth. He’s the archetypal Visionary: imaginative, impatient, impulsive, and unstoppable. But what he’s learned (often the hard way) is that adrenaline is not a business strategy. Chaos doesn’t scale. And burnout is not a badge of honor.
Before EOS, Michael was managing from the gut. Every problem felt urgent. Every idea demanded attention. Every fire felt personal. Then EOS arrived – not as a consultant’s gimmick but as a life raft. It gave him rhythm, language, and the ability to slow down enough to think.
He moved from flat hierarchy to Visionary/Integrator harmony, from micromanagement to leadership, from surviving each quarter to strategically scaling each year. He replaced hustle with health, transactions with recurring revenue, and gut feel with grounded confidence.
EOS gave him more than meetings; it gave him meaning. And that’s the point. Growth without clarity isn’t growth – it’s drift.
Entrepreneurs often chase freedom, but true freedom comes from structure. Michael’s story is a reminder that the bridge between ambition and peace is process.
EOS as the governor (and the gas)
Michael’s eloquent line – “Structure lets me slow down” – belongs in the EOS Hall of Fame. It’s elegant, counterintuitive, and true. EOS didn’t cage his creativity; it cultivated it. The structure became his strategy. Weekly Level 10 Meetings gave his team consistency. Quarterly Rocks created direction. The Accountability Chart clarified ownership.
The more EOS was implemented, the more oxygen he found. The meetings didn’t drain him they focused him. The dashboards didn’t stifle him – they freed him. The system gave him what every Visionary secretly craves: the permission to breathe.
EOS turned intuition into execution. It took all his instinctive brilliance and gave it form. Instead of reacting, he began responding. Instead of spinning, he started steering. And perhaps most importantly, he rediscovered joy in leadership.
Entrepreneurs often mistake chaos for creativity. But order is not the opposite of innovation—it’s the platform for it. Michael’s lesson: when you create space for reflection, inspiration has room to land.
WFH vs Office: Earn the commute
Long before remote work became a movement, Michael was ahead of the curve. In 2005, he built an office above his garage, running cables while raising kids and serving clients from his driveway. When the world shut down, CCi didn’t flinch – they’d been remote before remote was cool.
But years later, something started to feel off. Productivity remained, but connection waned. Zoom fatigue set in. The team culture began to flatten. That’s when Michael realized something profound: you can’t build chemistry over bandwidth.
So, he invested in a new Bethel HQ – not an office, but an experience. No cubicles. No fluorescent isolation. Just open spaces, creative corners, and a sense of belonging. It’s where collaboration happens by accident, where laughter and mentorship coexist. It’s where leaders remember they’re human first.
As I told him during our chat, “Zoom ends when the meeting ends; culture doesn’t.” Michael nodded – because he knows culture isn’t made of walls; it’s made of moments.
The new rule of hybrid work? Earn the commute. Make the office a destination, not an obligation. Build connection worth traveling for. CCi did, and the results are palpable: energy up, creativity up, alignment up. The lesson is clear – people don’t crave ping-pong tables; they crave purpose.
New Tech, Old School Service
CCi’s mantra, “Not just talk,” isn’t a slogan – it’s a statement of intent. They’re redefining what a communications company means. Michael’s team has evolved from analog wiring to cutting-edge integration: AI-powered call analysis, real-time sentiment monitoring, and video intelligence that identifies patterns by color, face, or license plate. Their technology empowers clients to prevent crises, protect assets, and personalize experiences.
Yet, for all their innovation, their competitive edge remains beautifully old-school: They show up. When something breaks, they’re there. When a customer needs clarity, they listen. When a problem feels impossible, they solve it with empathy.
That’s the secret. In a world racing toward automation, CCi wins through humanity. They’ve married digital sophistication with analog dependability. The tech is their tool, not their identity. Their local presence and hands-on approach make them indispensable.
National providers can’t drill cables through your walls or coach your staff on-site. CCi can – and does. Their magic lies in proximity, accountability, and a level of service that no chatbot can replicate.
The mindset shift
Confidence, Michael believes, isn’t the absence of doubt – it’s the management of it. His journey from self-conscious stutterer to confident leader is the heart of his transformation. He once hid behind humor and speed. Now he leads with stillness and substance.
Singing taught him rhythm and breath. EOS taught him cadence and clarity. Gratitude taught him patience. ADHD taught him self-compassion. Each piece of his story – every scar, every stumble – became a stepping stone toward authenticity.
He said it best: “When I focus on what’s working, more of it shows up.” That’s not self-help – it’s systems thinking. Positivity isn’t passive; it’s productive. The Law of Attraction, for Michael, isn’t wishful – it’s operational.
He learned that mindset isn’t motivational fluff – it’s a management strategy. Confidence creates calm. Calm creates clarity. And clarity creates culture.
The punchline for owners
Let’s not sugarcoat it: entrepreneurship is brutal. The wins are intoxicating, but the loneliness can be crushing. There are no shortcuts, no magic hacks – only frameworks, habits, and humans.
EOS is one such framework, but what makes it powerful isn’t its simplicity – it’s its integrity. It forces you to face your truth, to name your issues, to own your gaps.
Michael’s story proves that when you embrace structure, you gain freedom. When you build accountability, you build culture. When you create alignment, you unlock growth.
You stop spinning and start scaling. You start working on the business instead of drowning in it. You reclaim your peace, your evenings, and your weekends. That’s not just growth – that’s liberation.
So, if you’re reading this and feeling the weight of it all—don’t go faster. Go deeper. Find your system. Find your people. And remember: Progress compounds when you pause with purpose.
Find out more about CCI Voice and some of their innovative products.
Curious about EOS? Book our complimentary, signature 90-Minute Meeting at www.calendly.com/jaffejuice
Top 10 Takeaways
1️⃣ Structure Creates Speed– The rhythm of L10s, Rocks, and Accountability Charts transforms chaos into choreography. Structure doesn’t kill creativity – it conducts it.
2️⃣ Earn The Commute– The modern office must inspire energy, not extract it. Connection is the new currency.
3️⃣ Visionary + Integrator = Rocket Fuel– When dreamers meet doers, companies lift off.
4️⃣ Margins and Residuals Matter– Recurring revenue isn’t optional – it’s oxygen.
5️⃣ Local Beats Distant– In a world of digital detachment, proximity is power.
6️⃣ AI, Practically Applied– Technology should amplify humanity, not erase it.
7️⃣ Confidence Is A Practice– Strength comes from reflection, not perfection.
8️⃣ Gratitude Attracts Momentum– Appreciation fuels acceleration.
9️⃣ Let Go To Grow– Empower your people, then step aside and watch them soar.
🔟 Run Business, Live Life – EOS isn’t about more control – it’s about more capacity for joy.