Who Is This Coaching For?
The Independence by Design™ Coaching Program is for owner-operators who are ready to break free from the day-to-day grind and take their businesses—and their lives—to the next level.
You’re an ideal fit if:
- You feel stuck in operational details and want to refocus on strategic ownership.
- You’re committed to achieving personal goals for time, cash flow, and wealth but need guidance to get there.
- You value actionable insights, clear financial strategies, and a proven framework for decision-making.
- You’re motivated to align your business operations with long-term equity goals.
- You’re ready to leverage expert advice, tools, and a supportive community to achieve your vision.
I work with only 20 clients at a time to ensure each receives dedicated attention and maximum value from the program. At this time, I am only looking to take on a few additional clients who are the right fit. After that, new spots will only open as space becomes available.
If this sounds like you, let’s connect to see if we’re a good fit.
Maximum 20 Clients
Working with Ryan has been revolutionary. I have more clarity and less anxiety regarding the financial health of my business. I’m so grateful that I can now use my new mindset, tools and knowledge to grow my company’s equity value.
Steve Schaffer
Owner, Schaffer Manufacturing
The most concrete business practice I learned and adopted in Ryan's workshop was starting to think about our company as a financial asset and realizing we can forecast the business’s value into the future. We now understand that the future cash flow and equity value are the real metrics behind the health of the company.
Anne Dougherty
Owner, ILLUME Advising
As a business owner, I sometimes get into a rhythm or maybe a rut and do things in a certain way, almost methodically. Ryan's workshop allowed me to intentionally disrupt the rhythm and look at things through a different lens.”
Jamie Gmach
Owner, Evolving Solutions
An incredible resource for M&A pros
Ryan's podcast is a weekly ritual for my team. The insights and conversation topics. Ryan and his guests touch on issues that are highly relevant and actionable. We even find ourselves simply forwarding episodes to our clients to help them navigate the exit process. Thanks for the thought leadership!
Steve Gerten
Partner & Advisor, Paradise Capital LLC
Purposeful and Authentic
Ryan never fails to deliver excellent content that is useful and helpful. He asks questions that draw the best out of his guests. Ryan is motivated to help people achieve their purpose and his enthusiasm is tangible. He brings experience and authenticity to every episode.
Jenna Fromm
CEO, Palmer Bus Service
“Ryan Tansom walks the talk. He is incredibly dedicated to helping business owners and leaders ‘grow the value of their business with an end in mind’. My Vistage Members, EOS Clients and Coaching Clients leverage Ryan’s tools, education, workshops, and podcasts. My only regret about Ryan, is that I did not meet him earlier in my professional career.”
Katina Koller
Vistage Chair and EOS© Implementor
Working with Ryan has been revolutionary. I have more clarity and less anxiety regarding the financial health of my business. I’m so grateful that I can now use my new mindset, tools and knowledge to grow my company’s equity value.
Steve Schaffer
Owner, Schaffer Manufacturing
The most concrete business practice I learned and adopted in Ryan's workshop was starting to think about our company as a financial asset and realizing we can forecast the business’s value into the future. We now understand that the future cash flow and equity value are the real metrics behind the health of the company.
Anne Dougherty
Owner, ILLUME Advising
As a business owner, I sometimes get into a rhythm or maybe a rut and do things in a certain way, almost methodically. Ryan's workshop allowed me to intentionally disrupt the rhythm and look at things through a different lens.”
Jamie Gmach
Owner, Evolving Solutions
An incredible resource for M&A pros
Ryan's podcast is a weekly ritual for my team. The insights and conversation topics. Ryan and his guests touch on issues that are highly relevant and actionable. We even find ourselves simply forwarding episodes to our clients to help them navigate the exit process. Thanks for the thought leadership!
Steve Gerten
Partner & Advisor, Paradise Capital LLC
Purposeful and Authentic
Ryan never fails to deliver excellent content that is useful and helpful. He asks questions that draw the best out of his guests. Ryan is motivated to help people achieve their purpose and his enthusiasm is tangible. He brings experience and authenticity to every episode.
Jenna Fromm
CEO, Palmer Bus Service
“Ryan Tansom walks the talk. He is incredibly dedicated to helping business owners and leaders ‘grow the value of their business with an end in mind’. My Vistage Members, EOS Clients and Coaching Clients leverage Ryan’s tools, education, workshops, and podcasts. My only regret about Ryan, is that I did not meet him earlier in my professional career.”
Katina Koller
Vistage Chair and EOS© Implementor
Are You Stuck in the Day-to-Day Grind?
You started your business to create financial freedom and independence—but instead, you’re stuck managing operations, putting out fires, and constantly making reactive decisions.
Signs You’re Stuck in the Grind:
➡️ The solution? It’s time to step into the role of an owner.
There is a Better Way...
Scaling your business doesn’t mean just working harder—it means making ownership‒driven decisions that create freedom, financial clarity, and long‒term wealth.
The Independence by Design™ Framework helps you:
➡️ See how the iBD Framework™ guides this process.
iBD Ownership Coaching
Achieve Independence of Time, Cash Flow, and Wealth
Through my iBD Ownership Coaching, you’ll get where you want to go faster. Through accountabiliy in our 1-on-1s, group calls, special resources, and network, you can create a business that generates sustainable cash flow, grows equity value, and gives you the freedom of time do more of what you love.
We get you onboarded in three easy steps and use The iBD Ownership Framework to move you from being stuck in the day-to-day to confidently leading a business that works for you—not the other way around."
Fill out the iBD Owner's Playbook
Schedule Your Monthly Ownership Meetings
Access the Weekly Ownership Accelerator Group Calls
Unlock the Power of Being a Business Owner
While countless systems help us "work in" the business, few focus on how to "work on" the business and truly “win” the game of ownership.
Four Steps to Independence:
Build a Business That Runs Without You
The Independence by Design™ Framework provides a structured path to achieving true ownership freedom. Instead of being trapped in the daily grind, this framework helps business owners create a financially independent, owner-optional company by focusing on four key steps:
- Ownership Mindset – Clarify what you want from your business and align your decisions with your long-term goals.
- Financial Roadmap – Build a three-statement financial model that supports growth and sustainable cash flow.
- Value Growth Strategy – Implement strategies that increase cash flow, reduce risk, and drive enterprise value.
- Leadership Team & Pay – Develop a leadership team and compensation structure that reduces founder dependency.
Each step moves you closer to Escape Velocity—where your business creates time freedom, financial clarity, and long-term equity growth on your terms.
Ryan Tansom
Founder of Independence by Design™
Most business owners build a company to create freedom—but end up trapped in the daily grind. Independence by Design™ is a structured framework to help you transition from being stuck in operations to building a business that works for you. It aligns your time, cash flow, and equity goals so that you can make strategic decisions with clarity and confidence.
The goal isn’t just to grow revenue—it’s to create Escape Velocity: a business that generates sustainable cash flow, financial clarity, and long-term wealth, giving you the freedom to scale, sell, or step back on your terms.
This framework is built from my experience as an entrepreneur, investor, and advisor to business owners navigating ownership transitions. Whether you want to grow, exit, or build a self-sustaining company, Independence by Design™ helps you take control of your business instead of letting it control you.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. What is the Independence by Design™ Framework?
The Independence by Design™ Framework is a proven system designed to align your business operations with your personal goals for time, cash flow, and wealth. It’s structured around three steps—Understand the Game, Choose Your Game, and Play the Game—each focusing on specific strategies to help you achieve independence and take control of your business.
2. Who is this coaching program for?
This program is specifically for owner-operators of privately held businesses who want to:
- Break free from being stuck in the day-to-day grind.
- Build a business that can thrive without them.
- Gain clarity on financials, cash flow, and growth strategies.
- Transition from "operator" to true "owner."
- Align their personal goals with their business operations.
I only work with 20 clients at a time to provide highly personalized coaching and support. I currently have limited availability, and new spots will only open up as space allows.
3. What makes this coaching program different from other business coaching programs?
Unlike other programs that focus solely on operations or scaling revenue, my coaching dives deep into aligning your business with your personal goals for independence. By combining:
- The iBD Framework™ for actionable strategies.
- One-on-one coaching for tailored guidance.
- Access to top-tier guest experts in areas like financial modeling, valuations, and succession planning.
- A comprehensive client portal with tools, videos, and resources. …you get a personalized roadmap to achieve sustainable cash flow, equity growth, and time freedom.
4. What kind of commitment is required to see results?
Success requires both commitment and implementation. Here’s what’s involved:
- Optional Weekly Ownership Accelerator™ calls with expert guest speakers.
- Monthly 1-on-1 coaching sessions tailored to your goals.
- Quarterly group calls for accountability and collaboration.
- In-person workshops twice a year to dive deep into your roadmap. While the time commitment varies, most clients find that investing this time saves them far more in the long run by gaining clarity, reducing stress, and unlocking opportunities.
5. How does the iBD Client Portal help me?
The iBD Client Portal, hosted on Skool, is your one-stop shop for:
- Educational videos and resources to guide your decisions.
- Tools like the iBD Ownership Scorecard™ and Roadmap to measure progress.
- Recordings of your 1-on-1 coaching calls.
- Access to additional insights and materials from guest experts. It’s designed to support you every step of the way, so you can revisit strategies and stay on track.
6. What can I expect from the weekly Ownership Accelerator™ calls?
The weekly calls are a unique feature of this program. Each week, I bring in vetted experts who specialize in key areas of the iBD Framework™, such as:
- Business valuations.
- Succession and executive compensation planning.
- Scaling sustainable cash flow. These calls are not just informative; they provide actionable takeaways you can implement immediately.
7. How do I know if I’m an ideal fit for this program?
You’re an ideal fit if you:
- Run a privately held business with a proven track record.
- Are ready to shift from “operator” to “owner.”
- Want to align your business with your personal goals for time, cash flow, and equity growth.
- Value personalized guidance, accountability, and expert insights. If you’re serious about taking your business to the next level and achieving true independence, let’s connect for a strategy call to see if this is a good fit.
8. What kind of results have other clients achieved?
Past clients have:
- Gained clarity on their financials and cash flow.
- Transitioned leadership and stepped back from daily operations.
- Aligned their business goals with personal wealth-building strategies.
- Successfully scaled or sold their business while maintaining independence. Check out the testimonials and success stories to hear more about what others have achieved.
9. What’s included in the coaching program?
Here’s what you get as part of the program:
- Weekly Ownership Accelerator™ calls with industry-leading experts.
- Monthly 1-on-1 coaching sessions with me to review goals and progress.
- Comprehensive tools and resources, including the iBD Client Portal, Scorecard, and Roadmap.
- Access to in-person workshops for hands-on collaboration.
- Ongoing accountability through quarterly calls and strategy reviews.
10. What if I can’t make every call or meeting?
I understand life and business can be unpredictable. Every call is recorded and stored in the iBD Client Portal, so you can revisit the content anytime. Additionally, our in-person workshops and quarterly calls provide opportunities to catch up and stay aligned.
11. How much does this cost and do I get started?
A monthly engagement is $1,500 and it starts with a strategy call. During this call, we’ll:
- Assess your current situation.
- Identify your biggest opportunities for growth and independence.
- Determine if this program is the right fit for your goals. If we’re aligned, you’ll join a group of driven owner-operators and get started on your journey to independence.
12. How do I secure one of the remaining spots?
Since I only take on 20 clients at a time, spots are limited. I’m currently looking to add a couple more ideal clients, after which new spots will only open up as availability allows. If you’re interested, book a strategy call today to secure your place.