As a veteran, you know discipline, structure, and teamwork. You’ve operated in high-stakes environments and gotten the job done when it mattered most. So when you start or run a business, you’d think those skills would carry you all the way through—and honestly, they get you pretty far.
But then, out of nowhere… you hit the ceiling.
It’s not a character flaw. It’s just business.
At some point, every business owner—yes, even the battle-tested ones—hits a point where things stall. Growth slows. Team alignment slips. You’re working harder than ever but getting less return. Sound familiar?
The good news: there’s a playbook for breaking through. In EOS®, we call it the 5 Leadership Abilities. If you’re running a veteran-owned business, these aren’t just abstract concepts—they’re mission-critical.
- Simplify
In the military, clarity saves lives. In business, it saves time, money, and frustration. The longer you’re in business, the more complicated things can get. Simplifying your processes, your vision, and your communication helps your team know what matters most—and lets them execute with precision. Sometimes simplicity can mean focusing on fewer things but doing them better. Do less, better.
Bottom line: If it feels complicated, it probably is. Strip it down to what really matters.
- Delegate
This one’s tough for a lot of vets. We’re wired to take responsibility—to carry the load. But in business, trying to do it all burns you out and bottlenecks the company. Delegation isn’t weakness. It’s leadership. Effective delegation also provides you with more capacity to spend time in thought (strategy stuff) so you can better guide your teams.
Your mission: Get the right people in the right seats and let them own it.
- Predict
Planning ahead is second nature in the military. You don’t walk into a situation without assessing risk and planning for contingencies. Business is no different. Whether it’s spotting issues on the horizon or forecasting for next quarter, prediction keeps you proactive instead of reactive. When shbeep (tm according to my son) hits the fan do an AAR after you’ve cleaned up the mess and think through what info would have been helpful to know that can prevent it from happening again. There’s probably some solid scorecard stuff in there somewhere.
Use tools like your Scorecard and Quarterly Rocks to stay sharp and forward-focused with leading indicators.
- Systemize
Every effective unit runs on standard operating procedures. Same goes for business. Once something works, lock it in. Document your core processes and make sure your team follows them consistently.
Systemizing doesn’t mean turning your business into a machine—it means creating freedom through structure. The special ops community is one of the most nimble orgs on the planet AND one of the most process driven. (We’re not talking about bureaucracy and creating a 700 page SOP that nobody will read. Think grandma’s cookie recipe… index card version… 1-2 pages with bullet points… what needs to be done not how.)
- Structure
Your business might’ve started with you and a buddy doing everything. But that won’t scale. As you grow, you need the right org chart, the right roles, and clear accountability. Not based on titles or ego—based on what the business needs. We call this an accountability chart.
Pro tip: Build your structure for the future, not the past… 6-12 months out.
Final Thoughts
Veterans are built for leadership. You’ve already proven you can lead in the toughest environments imaginable. But business is its own battlefield, and the tools are different.
Mastering the 5 Leadership Abilities helps you lead your business with the same clarity, courage, and command you brought to your service.
If you’re a veteran-owned business feeling stuck, you don’t have to stay there. These five tools are your way forward. And if you want a guide who speaks your language, you know where to find me.