create better work.
6 effects on a businesses without a performance system.
How we secure your growth potential:
1) Clarity: Strategic Direction
First, we clearly define and document objectives alongside the structures and processes that will get you there. Using simple frameworks, we’ll document and organize your ideas into a focused and actionable strategy. Without this clarity, we risk reacting to daily demands instead of proactively leading our business with intention.
2) Calendar: Strategic Plan
Next, we implement a four-part strategic calendar that drives your effort toward your objectives all year. There are specific things you need to be thinking about at the right times throughout the year to stay on track, stay productive, and make the best use of your time and resources. To support this, we’ll implement a custom calendar designed to keep you focused and drive progress toward your business goals.
3) Conversation: Strategic Thinking
Finally, and most importantly, we establish strategic conversations. The worst thinking we do is alone in our heads, while the best thinking happens out loud with a trusted strategic partner. In this phase, we define the type and frequency of strategic discussions you need to support your focus, decision-making, and accountability—ensuring you are ready to be the best leader you can be for the work that truly matters.
fron•tier
noun. The edge of understanding and achievement.
aka... "So, what do we do next?"
You see where you want to go and set objectives in that direction while navigating the day-today grind, knocking out endless behind the scenes tasks, and addressing the “urgent” needs of everyone around you.
It takes a high degree of focus to weave these strands into a smooth operation that thrives. This type of frontier is not for everyone. You know that. You started because you know it is thrilling and meaningful to create something of value, not because it would be easy.
For 15+ years, I thrive when I partner with people that take on "frontier" level work and ambitions. I’ve helped them transform chaos into clarity, freeing them up to focus on what matters most.
Defining "Better Work"
5 Part Blog Series
Meet Jeremy Rivers
For the last 15+ years I've been a team leader, operator, strategist and "the other guy". I like being "the other guy". A role where I get to partner with someone with high-potential, setting them up for high-peformance and success. It's how I'm designed, wired, and where I thrive. Do you have "the other guy" in your line up?
I've experienced firsthand the stress and pressures of not having enough time and money, juggling endless responsibilities, ambitious objectives, and teams that rely on you. We could probably swap some fun stories.
My services address these tensions by focusing on two key areas: operational effectiveness and building strong team leadership.
Bottom line... I discover, provoke, support, align and empower the God-given potential in people and ideas. Who do you have keeping you accountable to what you're capable of?
Below you can read more about my story and experiences.
MY STORYMy Story
In my early twenties I experienced the harm caused by good ideas, with good strategies, implemented with weak work practices. Notions of “purpose”, “faith”, and “passion” were used to justify gaps in skill and poor oversight, leading to dysfunctional cracks in the culture. Those cracks allowed over-spiritualized, over-idealized mindsets to give way to a toxic approach to work. My wife and I experienced the fallout firsthand, facing mistreatment that nearly shattered our faith. Because of this, we vowed never to work for a faith-based organization again. Be careful of the promises you make in haste and pain.
Years later I was given the chance to lead a faith-based non-profit with the role of leading the operations and team. I accepted, anxious and determined to not repeat past mistakes. Drawing on my experiences, I researched and implemented best practices from smart people to build a healthy, high-performing team and culture. Over eight years, we refined this approach and developed a model for an adaptable, effective, and purpose-driven operation that could thrive under wild circumstances.
As COO, I led the operational strategy and team culture as we grew from a team of 3 employees to 45, across 10 departments inside a complex 8-figure non-profit. As our work was set in the college international travel industry we found ourselves navigating and adapting around challenges to our business such as the global pandemic and the recent Israel/Hamas war. In those eight years, we successfully sent over 11,000 young leaders on life-changing experiences to the Holy Land.
We accomplished things I will be proud of for the rest of my life. At the top of the list is the operation we ran. An operation with amazing people that I’m proud to call friends today. We tackled unscripted challenges relentlessly and punched far above our weight.
It was the ride of a lifetime, and I’m honored to have been a part of it.
I learned a lot through these two significant chapters of my life. Right at the top of that education was, “If you’re not keeping the score, you're just playing games.” Playing games with your time, your money, your people, your talents, and your purpose.
My Experience
Today I am an executive coach certified through the International Coaching Federation (ICF) and the John Maxwell Company, with leadership and business strategy certificates from Harvard, MIT, and the University of Illinois on how to implement strategies and measure performance.
Before stepping into executive leadership, I served as a Student Pastor for five years as an ordained minister and owned a small fitness business. I’ve experienced firsthand the stress and pressures of not having enough time and money, juggling endless responsibilities, and holding the weight of it all.
My professional services and coaching focuses on two key areas: operational effectiveness and building strong teams to address these tensions. I help leaders develop sustainable and effective approaches to leading their work and teams by aligning clear visions with actionable day-to-day plans and measurable outcomes.
Wishing you the best,
Jeremy
I can confidently say Jeremy is one of the most insightful and impactful individuals I’ve ever worked with. What truly sets Jeremy apart is his ability to operate at both the 30,000-foot view and in the trenches. His knack for connecting dots others might miss, combined with his gift for asking insightful questions, is nothing short of a superpower.
Since working alongside Jeremy for nearly a decade as a soloprenuer, my business has grown substantially, thanks to partnering with his strategic insights and practical solutions that inspire and drive meaningful change. His experience, track record of success, and deep relational approach make him both relatable and highly effective.
Ben J.
Business Owner, Jacobson Events
I had the privilege of working alongside Jeremy Rivers for nearly seven years, and he stands out as one of the most exceptional leaders I’ve known. Jeremy’s deep compassion and empathy are the foundation of his unparalleled ability to align people with mission and strategy. His expertise in change management, conflict resolution, and leadership efficiency is matched by his ability to communicate complex ideas with clarity. As a master of organizational development, he listens intently, diagnoses challenges with precision, and delivers actionable insights that inspire confidence. "
Luke B., Ph.D.
CEO at Bray Strategic Solutions & Former Colleague
Mattanah D.
Business Owner, Inquire Marketing
"Jeremy has an incredible way of cutting through the noise and helping me focus on what truly matters. As I navigate growing my Chiropractic business with a small team, his coaching keeps me out of my head and moving forward with clarity and purpose. Working with him has been a game-changer for my personal and professional growth.
Matt M.
Business Owner, M2 Chiropractic
Tiffany W.
Non-Profit Leader & Former Colleague
Jeremy is a right Good Will Hunting when it comes to organizational leadership! His ability and expertise have helped me grow as a professional and seek success beyond what I thought possible for myself. Under his coaching, I began to see the potential I truly had, and it was Jeremy who had pulled that out of me. My friends and family ask how I’m able to do the things I’m now doing, and I credit Jeremy with unlocking that path forward for me. He took what I had, helped me see how to be better — exemplified it even — and gave me the tools to make it happen for myself. I cannot recommend enough working with Jeremy to maximize your professional and personal advancement!
Harrison K.
Non-Profit Leader & Former Colleague
Keeping the Score
This short guide addresses these questions:
- What is the research on performance measurement?
- How does a Score help me with my current challenges?
- What exactly does a score look like in action?
- How do I design and use a score?
When I was a executive, this is the approached I used to equip my own decision making and leadership. I've captured all I've learned and the exact framework I used here in this short guide.
DOWNLOADNewsletter: The Operator
A proactive pause in the middle of your work day with questions and ideas to get you thinking differently as we create better work.
You're safe with me. I'll never spam you or sell your contact info.