The first year or two was mostly brute force since cash was tight.. Right when we landed manufacturing clients and a public company with $2 billion in annual revenue, Covid hit. We lost most of our business overnight.

But instead of pivoting fast, Dan shared how we held on and hoped. But hope is NOT a good strategy.

In this episode, we tackled:

→ How Covid forced a full pivot

→ Why implementing EOS changed our partnership and the way we ran the company

→ How we’re rebuilding our team model around AI to create more leverage without losing culture

→ What "AI Thursdays" looks like and why we started it

Though it’s taken 10 years, it really does feel like something shifted three years ago. Like we went from hustling through the work to actually building something with intention.

Dan, thanks for coming on the show and sharing the story of Drive Creative!

Chapters

0:00 - Introduction

1:10 - Who Is Dan Dulka and What Does Drive Do?

3:15 - Building the Team: AI as Leverage, Not a Replacement

6:00 - Training AI Like You'd Train an Employee

9:23 - AI Thursdays: How Drive Is Getting Their Team Up to Speed

13:33 - How Drive Started 10 Years Ago

15:20 - The Early Grind: Cash, Clients, and Brute Force

17:05 - How Covid Devastated Their Manufacturing Focus

18:37 - The Three Pivots That Turned Things Around

23:06 - How EOS Fixed a Fractured Partnership

27:47 - What the Operating System Actually Does for a Small Business

33:18 - What Entrepreneurship Gives You That a 9-to-5 Doesn't

39:55 - Facing Fear: Everest Base Camp With a Heights Phobia

44:21 - Bravery in Business Is the Same as Bravery on a Mountain

49:12 - What We'd Tell Ourselves on Day One

~~~

This episode is powered by Drive Creative

🌐 https://drivecreativeagency.com/

Subscribe for more conversations with entrepreneurs and innovators who push Beyond The Hustle.

Prefer to watch?

YouTube → https://youtu.be/0WBF1-0kicU

Do you have a story to tell? We’d love to hear from you!

Learn more about being a guest on Beyond The Hustle by visiting https://www.beyondthehustle.show

We also discuss the importance of long-term financial planning, building trust with clients, navigating career growth, and practical financial advice for professionals and business owners looking to create stability and wealth over time.

Connect with Jake:

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/jake-smith-mba-cpfa%C2%AE-71197a38

M1 Capital Management: m1capitalmanagement.com

Subscribe for more candid conversations with entrepreneurs, business leaders, and innovators pushing beyond the hustle.

Interested in being a guest on Beyond The Hustle?

Visit: beyondthehustle.show

We also talk about the trials and growing pains of entrepreneurship, and how Sterling Construction and Roofing has grown into a trusted provider in the industry.

Connect with Sterling:

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/sterling-hughey-685099186

Sterling Construction: sterlingconst.com

Subscribe for more candid conversations with entrepreneurs and innovators who push beyond the hustle.

Do you have a story to tell? We’d love to hear from you! Learn more about being a guest on Beyond The Hustle by visiting beyondthehustle.show

We also talk about the lessons she’s learned in the staffing industry, the challenges she’s overcome, and how emerging technologies like AI will shape the future of staffing.

Connect with Kathy:

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/kathy-camara-0410754

Entech Medical Staffing: entechstaffingsolutions.com

Subscribe for more candid conversations with entrepreneurs and innovators who push beyond the hustle.

Do you have a story to tell? We’d love to hear from you! Learn more about being a guest on Beyond The Hustle by visiting beyondthehustle.show

We also talk about the challenges of starting a new company, what motivated him to take the leap, and how Shepherd Safety Consulting has grown to support manufacturers, construction companies, and warehouses across Michigan.

Connect with Dominic:

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/dvendittelli

Shepherd Safety Consulting: shepherdsafetyconsulting.com

Subscribe for more candid conversations with entrepreneurs and innovators who push beyond the hustle.

Do you have a story to tell? We’d love to hear from you! Learn more about being a guest on Beyond The Hustle by visiting beyondthehustle.show

We also talk about his career journey, commitment to innovation, and how compassionate care and excellence have become the foundation of Miller Vein’s success.

Connect with Dr. Miller:

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/millervein

Miller Vein: millervein.com

Subscribe for more candid conversations with entrepreneurs and innovators who push beyond the hustle.

Do you have a story to tell? We’d love to hear from you! Learn more about being a guest on Beyond The Hustle by visiting beyondthehustle.show

We also talk about how the hardest year in his business turned into a turning point, and how the pandemic pushed Provisio to grow into a trusted service provider.

Connect with Patrick:

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/patrick-oja

Provisio: provisiosolutions.com

Subscribe for more candid conversations with entrepreneurs and innovators who push beyond the hustle.

Do you have a story to tell? We’d love to hear from you! Learn more about being a guest on Beyond The Hustle by visiting beyondthehustle.show

We also talk about how EOS shaped Drive Creative Agency’s growth and how implementing systems like EOS can help propel growth in businesses.

Connect with Dave:

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/david-feidner

EOS Worldwide: eosworldwide.com/dave-feidner

Subscribe for more candid conversations with entrepreneurs and innovators who push beyond the hustle.

Do you have a story to tell? We’d love to hear from you! Learn more about being a guest on Beyond The Hustle by visiting https://beyondthehustle.show