Are You Stuck in the Day-to-Day Grind?
You started your business to gain freedom—over your time, your decisions, and your life. But now you’re stuck in the grind: juggling cash flow, managing employees, and making endless operational decisions.
There is a Better Way...
There is a way to break free. With the right framework, you can take control of your time by confidently making decisions that free you up from operations. Independence by Design™ is a framework that helps you align your decisions with your time, cash flow, and equity goals.
Transform Your Relationship with Your Business Through the iBD Framework
Most business owners feel stuck in the day-to-day grind, overwhelmed by operations, and unsure how to align their decisions with their long-term goals. This workshop was created to solve that problem by providing:
The Independence by Design™ Workshop is based on the iBD Ownership Framework and designed to help you take control of your time, cash flow, and wealth as a business owner.
- Regain Your Time: Build a business that operates without relying on you, giving you the freedom to focus on what matters most in your life.
- Master Cash Flow: Learn how to create consistent, predictable cash flow to fund your goals and provide financial stability.
- Grow Your Wealth: Develop an ownership framework that increases equity value, creating options for reinvestment, distribution, or future opportunities.
Transform Your Relationship with Your Business Through the iBD Framework
Most business owners feel stuck in the day-to-day grind, overwhelmed by operations, and unsure how to align their decisions with their long-term goals. This workshop was created to solve that problem by providing:
The Independence by Design™ Workshop is based on the iBD Ownership Framework and designed to help you take control of your time, cash flow, and wealth as a business owner.
- Regain Your Time: Build a business that operates without relying on you, giving you the freedom to focus on what matters most in your life.
- Master Cash Flow: Learn how to create consistent, predictable cash flow to fund your goals and provide financial stability.
- Grow Your Wealth: Develop an ownership framework that increases equity value, creating options for reinvestment, distribution, or future opportunities.
The Foundation of the Workshop:
The iBD Ownership Framework
The iBD Workshop is built on a decade of hands-on experience, actionable strategies, and the proven Independence by Design Framework™ that has helped 2,000+ business owners achieve clarity, cash flow, and confidence. The iBD Framwork™ is built on three steps to align your business operations with your personal goals for time, cash flow, and wealth: Understand the Game, Choose the Game, and Play the Game. Each step guides you to make informed decisions, reduce stress, and design a business that works for you—not the other way around.
The Foundation of the Workshop: The iBD Ownership Framework
The iBD Workshop is built on a decade of hands-on experience, actionable strategies, and the proven Independence by Design Framework™ that has helped 2,000+ business owners achieve clarity, cash flow, and confidence. The iBD Framwork™ is built on three steps to align your business operations with your personal goals for time, cash flow, and wealth: Understand the Game, Choose the Game, and Play the Game. Each step guides you to make informed decisions, reduce stress, and design a business that works for you—not the other way around.
1. Understand the Game: Shift Your Mindset from Operator to Owner
Feel stuck in the grind? It starts by shifting your mindset from operator to owner. This step is about educating yourself and focuses on clarifying your goals for time, cash flow, and equity, while laying the foundation for confident decision-making.
2. Choose the Game: Align the Business with Your Goals
Struggling to connect your business operations with your personal goals? This is how you make it happen. This step focuses on using the Ownership Roadmap™ to connect your long-term goals with actionable strategies that guide financial clarity, succession planning, and operational alignment.
3. Play the Game: Master the Game of Business Ownership
Once you’ve clarified your goals and built your roadmap, it’s time to execute with confidence. Step 3 is all about creating a system to keep you focused, accountable, and consistent. Even the best strategies can get lost in the chaos of day-to-day operations, but with the right cadence in place, you’ll stay on track.
1. Understand the Game: Shift Your Mindset from Operator to Owner
Feel stuck in the grind? It starts by shifting your mindset from operator to owner. This step is about educating yourself and focuses on clarifying your goals for time, cash flow, and equity, while laying the foundation for confident decision-making.
2. Choose the Game: Align the Business with Your Goals
Struggling to connect your business operations with your personal goals? This is how you make it happen. This step focuses on using the Ownership Roadmap™ to connect your long-term goals with actionable strategies that guide financial clarity, succession planning, and operational alignment.
3. Play the Game: Master the Game of Business Ownership
Once you’ve clarified your goals and built your roadmap, it’s time to execute with confidence. Step 3 is all about creating a system to keep you focused, accountable, and consistent. Even the best strategies can get lost in the chaos of day-to-day operations, but with the right cadence in place, you’ll stay on track.
iBD Owner's Workshop Overview
This workshop focuses on Step One—helping you understand the game and master the Five Pillars of Ownership.
Why? Because clarity on these pillars is the key to better decisions making that allows you to break free from the day-to-day grind and design a business that aligns with your long-term goals.
The Five Pillars of Ownership
During the workshop, you'll fill out the iBD Ownership Scorecard™, where you’ll evaluate your strengths, uncover key areas for growth using the Five Pillars of Ownership, This will help you gain confidence to move from operator to owner by focusing on what matters most
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
8:00
Kickstart Your Day: Registration, Coffee, and Connections
Arrive early to check in, pick up your workshop materials, and enjoy freshly brewed coffee and light breakfast options. This is the perfect time to meet fellow attendees, start building connections, and set the tone for an impactful day ahead.
8:30
Workshop: Uncover the Path to Independencebwith the iBD Framework
Discover how the Independence by Design™ Ownership Framework can help you take control of your business and your future. In this session, you'll learn to align your business with the life you want—one that’s defined by sustainable cash flow, growing equity value, and the freedom to focus on what truly matters.
Ryan Tansom
Workshop Facilitator
12:30
Lunch Break: Recharge, Connect, and Reflect
Enjoy a curated lunch that accommodates dietary restrictions and provides an opportunity to recharge while fostering meaningful connections. Take time to reflect on the morning’s insights and share your thoughts with fellow business owners.
2:30
Panel: Real Stories, Real Strategies: Learn from Those Who’ve Been There
Join Ryan Tansom as he facilitates an interactive panel featuring business owners and advisors who have navigated the full life cycle of business ownership—from growth and scaling to stepping back or selling. This is your opportunity to gain invaluable insights, ask pressing questions, and learn firsthand how to align your business with your ownership goals.
Mike Formmelt, Tracy Bech, Corey Tansom, Ken Sanginario, Roger Roundy, Adam Webb
Business Owner & Expert Panelists
4:30
Happy Hour: Unwind, Connect, and Build Lasting Relationships
Wrap up the day by connecting with business owner workshop participants, the owner panel, and the advisor panel in a relaxed, casual setting. Enjoy drinks and light snacks as you deepen relationships, exchange ideas, and reflect on the day’s key takeaways.
Grab Your Spot Now
There are only 30 spots available for the event. Please grab your spot now or email info@ryantansom.com if you have any questions.
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Over 2,000 Owners & Executives Have Attended the iBD Workshop
Hear from Business Owner Attendees
"Been only exciting so far"
We transformed an experience, digitalizing the whole process to the point when customer's team were completely able to manage it themselvers
Joan Siewert-Cardona
Partner & CFO/Sales of Ideal Printers
"Would definitely recommend it"
We transformed an experience, digitalizing the whole process to the point when customer's team were completely able to manage it themselvers
Jimmy Fritz
CEO/Owner of the Wedding Shoppe & Kennedy Blue
"Price / quality ratio is unbeatable"
We transformed an experience, digitalizing the whole process to the point when customer's team were completely able to manage it themselvers
Dave Hoeffel
Owner of Endurance Technologies
Owner & Advisor Panel
Learn from seasoned experts who’ve been in your shoes. Each owner and advsior has been in the trenches and understands what it means to own and operate a business. They have "been there before" and tell real stories of successes and failures that are hard to come by.
Mike Frommelt
Mike Frommelt brings over 30 years of experience helping business owners transform their companies through strategic leadership hires and talent consulting. As the Founder and Co-Owner of Strategic Talent Partners (STP) and previously the owner of KeyStone Search for 22 years, Mike has worked with hundreds of privately held businesses, guiding them through critical transitions and the hiring of C-level leaders.
His expertise lies in helping owners hire Presidents and CEOs who can step into operational leadership roles, allowing business owners to step back from day-to-day responsibilities while retaining ownership. This approach has empowered countless entrepreneurs to achieve personal freedom, focus on long-term goals, or transition into retirement—without sacrificing the integrity or success of their businesses.
Mike’s deep understanding of privately held companies and his hands-on approach to leadership transitions make him a trusted advisor for owners navigating the challenges of growth and succession planning.
With a bachelor’s degree in Psychology and Business Administration from the University of St. Thomas, Mike combines behavioral insights with business acumen to deliver exceptional results. His decades of experience and personalized methods have made him a go-to expert for business owners who want to align their leadership team with their ownership vision.
Tracy Bech
Tracy Bech is a dynamic entrepreneur and educator with a proven track record of starting, running, and successfully selling two businesses. Her passion lies in helping business owners and leaders thrive by demystifying financials and providing strategic insights to drive long-term success. Through her work, Tracy aims to lower the business failure rate by equipping owners with actionable strategies that align with their goals.
As the CEO of Starboard Collectives, Tracy leads CEO peer groups in niche industries, facilitating transformative discussions around financial performance, best practices, and business development strategies. Her ability to distill complex financial concepts into practical, actionable steps has earned her recognition as a sought-after speaker on small business finance.
In addition to her national speaking engagements, Tracy also leads a Women in Business group in Hood River, Oregon, fostering growth and collaboration among female entrepreneurs.
When she’s not working with business owners, Tracy brings her passion for exploration and balance to life, enjoying boating, biking, and skiing in the great outdoors near her home in Hood River.
Corey Tansom
Corey Tansom is an accomplished entrepreneur and the founder of CBT Group, a company dedicated to helping business owners navigate the complexities of tax strategy, risk management, and long-term wealth building. Corey's entrepreneurial journey began in the 1990s when he started an office technology company from scratch, growing it to $21 million in revenue, earning spots on the Inc. 5000 and Fastest 50 lists, and ultimately selling the business for eight figures to a competitor.
While the sale was a significant milestone, Corey’s journey taught him invaluable lessons about the critical role tax strategy plays in business growth, cash flow, and exit options. Reflecting on his own experience, he realized how much more he could have achieved with the right tax planning and strategic advice. This insight ignited his passion to ensure other entrepreneurs don’t face the same challenges he did.
Through CBT Group, Corey combines his real-world entrepreneurial experience with advanced tax strategies to help business owners protect and grow their wealth. His mission is to empower entrepreneurs to make informed decisions that not only optimize their tax planning but also align with their broader goals for growth, risk management, and legacy building.
Roger Roundy
Roger Roundy is the CEO and Director of Operations at Strategic Associates, a firm dedicated to helping business owners and individuals mitigate risk, reduce tax liabilities, and preserve wealth. With decades of experience in tax strategy and risk management, Roger has worked with hundreds of entrepreneurs to develop innovative solutions that protect their income from the wealth-eroding effects of taxes and other risks.
Roger thrives on transforming complex tax challenges into actionable strategies that create long-term financial stability and growth opportunities. His approach focuses on not just reducing tax burdens but also positioning those savings for reinvestment, future growth, and wealth-building opportunities that align with his clients' goals. Known for his commitment to providing exceptional value, Roger brings both practical insights and visionary thinking to every client engagement.
In addition to his professional expertise, Roger is a passionate advocate for the entrepreneurial spirit. His mantra, "Work hard, play harder, and create opportunities for others to do the same," reflects his dedication to helping business owners maximize their potential and build legacies that extend beyond their balance sheets.
Outside of work, Roger is a devoted husband of 24 years and father to five children. An avid outdoorsman, he spends his free time biking, skiing, snowmobiling, and hunting—finding balance in life while pursuing his passion for adventure.
Adam Webb
Adam Webb is a Managing Partner and Owner at Quazar Capital, where he specializes in leading the sale and acquisition process for privately held businesses in the lower middle market. With decades of experience, Adam has successfully negotiated and closed transactions totaling hundreds of millions of dollars, delivering exceptional outcomes for his clients through a collaborative and results-driven approach.
Adam is deeply passionate about advocating for privately held businesses, a sector he believes has been underserved by traditional investment banks. His mission is to bridge this gap by providing tailored guidance to business owners navigating the complexities of mergers, acquisitions, and exit strategies. By aligning his clients’ goals with market opportunities, Adam ensures they maximize their business value while maintaining the integrity of their legacies.
Known for his ability to simplify complex deals, Adam is committed to getting deals done while maximizing value for his clients. His hands-on approach, deep understanding of the lower middle market, and focus on fostering trust make him a sought-after advisor for business owners preparing to sell, grow, or transition their companies.
Ken Sanginario
Ken Sanginario brings over 35 years of experience helping privately held, middle-market companies maximize their potential through strategic leadership, business improvement initiatives, and value growth strategies. As a seasoned advisor, Ken specializes in turnaround management, corporate valuations, mergers and acquisitions, and securing growth capital. His holistic approach equips business owners with actionable strategies to improve operational performance and achieve sustainable growth.
In 2015, Ken launched the Certified Value Growth Advisor (CVGA) program, a groundbreaking initiative that has since trained hundreds of advisors to help business owners elevate their practices and drive value growth. As the creator of the Value Opportunity Profile, Ken has developed a proven framework for identifying growth opportunities, mitigating risk, and increasing enterprise value.
Ken’s passion for education and sharing his expertise has made him a sought-after speaker at regional and national conferences, as well as private business owner events. He has authored numerous articles and appeared on podcasts, where he shares actionable insights on value growth, corporate valuations, and M&A strategies.
Frequently asked Questions
Who should attend this workshop?
The Independence by Design™ Workshop is great for partners and key executives so everyone can get on the same page. This workshop is designed for business owner-operators who feel stuck in the day-to-day grind of running their company. Whether you’re looking to step back from daily operations, gain clarity around cash flow, or create a long-term equity strategy, this workshop will provide the tools you need to succeed.
What if I’m new to the Independence by Design™ Framework?
No problem! The workshop is designed to meet you where you are, whether you’re completely new to the framework or already familiar with the concepts. We’ll guide you step by step through the process and provide actionable strategies you can start implementing right away.
This workshop is ideal for business owner-operators, their partners, and key executives. This material is geared toward people who own some or all of their company and want to learn how to generate more sustainable cash flow while growing the equity value of the company. This is not a workshop for startups who want to raise money.
What will I walk away with after the workshop?
By the end of the workshop, you’ll have:
- A clear understanding of your ownership goals.
- A personalized Ownership Scorecard to evaluate your current standing.
- A roadmap to align your business operations with your long-term goals.
- Tools and strategies to build consistent cash flow and grow equity value.
- Confidence and clarity in making ownership decisions.
Can I bring a team member or business partner?
Yes! Bringing a team member or business partner can help align your team’s vision and accelerate implementation. We also offer discounts for group registrations—reach out to learn more.
What makes this workshop different from others?
Unlike generic business workshops, the Independence by Design™ Workshop is tailored to owner-operators. It combines proven strategies with real-world examples and focuses on aligning your business operations with your personal ownership goals for time, cash flow, and equity. You’ll leave with a clear, actionable plan to break free from the day-to-day grind and build a business that works for you.
Are meals included in the ticket price?
Yes! Your registration includes light breakfast, lunch, and refreshments during the day, as well as drinks and snacks at the Networking & Happy Hour.
What is the dress attire?
Business casual is perfect! We want you to feel comfortable and ready to engage in meaningful conversations and activities.
What if I can’t attend in person?
Currently, the workshop is only offered in person to maximize networking opportunities and hands-on learning. However, we’re exploring virtual options for the future. If you’d like to stay updated, let us know!
Will there be any hard sales pitches?
Absolutely not. This workshop is focused on delivering value, not selling services. Our goal is to provide you with actionable insights and tools to take your business to the next level—no strings attached.
What is the ideal audience size for this workshop?
We intentionally limit attendance to 30 participants per session to ensure a personalized and interactive experience. This smaller group size allows for deeper discussions, real-time feedback, and meaningful networking.
How can I learn more about sponsorship opportunities?
If you’re interested in sponsoring the workshop or collaborating, email us at amber@ryantansom.com, and we’ll be happy to provide more details.