Dan Wallace, Partner, Tailwind Discovery Group
Dan’s Contact Info: 630-803-6625 or Dan@twdgrp.com
MidwestHR: What are the products and/or services that your company provides?
Dan Wallace: We help entrepreneurial and privately/family-owned businesses implement a set of tools and processes that help owners get more of what they want from the business. This is usually some combination of increased growth, more profit and a better balance of life for the owner and others who work in the business. We accomplish this by helping the company build a strong vision that gets everyone in the company rowing in the same direction, implementing tools that increase traction, which means getting more done in less time and building a truly health, cohesive leadership team in which the turf wars and water-cooler conversations go away and everyone works for the greater good of the business.
MHR: What are your company vitals?
DW: Location(s) -My partner and I work from our homes, which are, respectively, in Libertyville and Naperville
DW: Number of years in business – 3
DW: Number of employees – 2
MHR: Who does your company specialize in working with? Do you have a niche market?
DW: The common themes among our clients are that they are owners who want to get more from their businesses and that they are open to outside help. “Want to get more” often means that they feel stuck, frustrated, feel like they’ve hit the ceiling. Sometimes it means that the business is growing really fast and they want to make sure they stay in control of that growth. And sometimes it means that the business is doing fine, but they know it could do better. “Open to outside help” means just that. Not necessarily convinced that they need it, but willing to listen. We work on the most foundational layer of “how you run your business,” so what we do is not industry specific. With very, very few exceptions, if there are people in the business, this stuff will work. Our client companies generally have at least $2 million in revenue and 10 people. $4 million and up is more common, and our largest current client is close to $40 million.
MHR: What sets your company apart from your competition?
DW: We use a system called EOS®, the Entrepreneurial Operating System®, to help our clients. EOS has been around for about 10 years, is in use in more than 450 companies and consistently has proven to generate great results. What that means for our clients is that this isn’t an exercise in theory. These are proven, practical tools that work. No one should think this is easy, however. Our client teams learn to become truly open and honest with each other. That takes time and effort because it’s something we’ve all been taught socially not to do. They learn to confront ALL of the issues in the company, including the ones no one wants to talk about, get to root causes, and then solve them ONCE, permanently, so that they stay solved. When teams learn to do these things, the progress the company can make is extraordinary. I should add that both my partner and I have run businesses, which gives us empathy and appreciation for entrepreneurs and owners that people in advisory roles don’t always have.
MHR: What are the best ways for people to receive information/updates from your company (i.e. website, blog, twitter, etc)?
DW: They can visit our website at www.tailwinddiscoverygroup.com. We send out the occasional “newsletter” email, which visitors can sign up for. Or email us using the Contact Us page and we’ll happily add them to our mailing list.
MHR: What do you personally love about your job?
DW: I am truly passionate about helping people and companies do better. My great days are the ones when a client, whether it’s an individual or a team, has that flash of insight where all of a sudden they ‘get it,’ and they commit to change something that will have a real, positive impact on the business.
MHR: What is one thing about you that most people don’t know?
DW: I’m a frustrated rock star – a good enough guitar player to do a little bit of bar band stuff. Wish I could do more!
MHR: What is your favorite…?
DW: Book – Guns, Germs and Steel by Jared Diamond (does more than any other book I’ve read to explain how our world got to be the way it is)
DW: Movie – Soldier of Orange (a terrific film about the Dutch resistance in WWII)
DW: Type of Music – I listen to (and play) jangly, suburban white-guy rock
DW: Food – Anything Asian
MHR: Away from work, what do you do for fun?
DW: Music (as mentioned above), golf, travel, and more.
MHR: If you could travel anywhere in the world, where would you go and why?
DW: I’ve been fortunate to travel to, and even live in, some fantastic places. My favorite cities are Hong Kong (lived there briefly) and Rome, both of which I would go back to any time. I spent a couple of weeks in Africa and found it life-changing – would go back in a heartbeat. And for a new place, I guess I would like to see India because it is at the center of so much of the change that is happening in the world.
