Crankset Group

Crankset Group Crankset Group works with CEOs and founders to create a culture of success and turn managers into le

We help leaders engage everybody, by turning managers into leaders and employees into Stakeholders. The result is faster growth, higher profits, exponentially lower employee turnover, and greater stability and longevity as a company. There is no downside to becoming a Participation Age company. Crankset Group founder, Chuck speaks 100+ times a year from experience, having built nine businesses in

seven industries on four continents. Our Chief Participation Officer, Anita Laurence, built a $50 million division of an international company from the ground up, and a software based company sold after exponential growth. All of our Crankset Group Facilitators have decades of experience in building successful businesses and creating cultures of success.

07/08/2026

Leadership isn't just about what you think, it's also about what your body knows.
In this episode of Get Off The Treadmill, Chuck Blakeman welcomes somatic literacy expert Kelly Burns for a fascinating conversation about the connection between our bodies, our leadership, and the way we show up in business. Together, they explore why stress isn't just a mental challenge, it's a physical one, and how learning to recognize your body's signals can help you make better decisions, build healthier relationships, and become a more effective leader.
In this episode, you'll learn:

What somatic literacy is and why every business owner should understand it
How your body communicates stress before your mind recognizes it
Why awareness is the first step toward lasting change
How slowing down can actually improve decision-making
The connection between emotional regulation and effective leadership
Why authentic leadership starts with knowing yourself
Practical ways to build resilience in business and life
How leading yourself well helps your entire organization get off the treadmill

Chuck and Kelly discuss why many leaders ignore the signals their bodies are sending until stress begins affecting their relationships, health, and business. By learning to recognize those signals early, business owners can respond with intention instead of reacting out of habit, creating healthier teams, better cultures, and businesses that don't depend on constant hustle.
If you've ever felt overwhelmed, emotionally drained, or stuck in survival mode, this episode offers a refreshing perspective on what it really means to lead in the Participation Age.
🎧 Listen now and discover why the best leadership strategy might begin by simply listening to your body.
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đŸ‘€ About Kelly Burns
Kelly Burns is a speaker, coach, educator, and founder of Earth Eagle Somatics, where she helps leaders build resilience, manage stress, and lead with greater authenticity through Somatic Literacy. With over 20 years of experience, she teaches individuals and organizations how to better understand the body's signals to improve leadership, well-being, and performance.
🌐 Website: www.kellyburns.net

07/01/2026

What if the key to getting off the treadmill isn't becoming a better manager, but stopping management altogether?
In this episode of Get Off The Treadmill, Chuck Blakeman takes the next step in his Participation Age leadership series by exploring what leaders should do instead of managing. He shares practical strategies for replacing control with trust, telling with asking, and supervision with ownership.
In this episode, you'll learn:

Why great leaders ask questions instead of giving answers
How to delegate decisions and eliminate the "management tax"
The three responsibilities of every strategic leader: guard the values, champion the people, and pilot the results
Why trust is a leader's greatest asset and consistency is its foundation
How to create a culture where people think, decide, and contribute for themselves
Practical habits that help leaders build ownership throughout the organization

Chuck challenges the traditional belief that leaders exist to make decisions and instead argues that making decisions is often a failure of leadership. When people are trained, trusted, and empowered to think for themselves, businesses become more resilient, more productive, and far less dependent on the owner.
If you're ready to stop managing people and start building a company that can thrive without constant oversight, this episode provides a practical roadmap for leading in the Participation Age.
🎧 Listen now and discover how to replace management with leadership, and build a business that produces both time and money.

06/24/2026

Why do so many business owners stay stuck on the treadmill?
According to John Heenan, it comes down to three things: clarity, hope, and risk.
In this episode, Chuck Blakeman and John explore why business owners often get trapped in survival mode, reacting to urgent demands instead of pursuing meaningful goals. Together, they discuss how clarity creates hope, how hope fuels the courage to take risks, and why lasting success starts with knowing where you're going.
In this episode, you'll learn:

Why survival mode keeps owners stuck
The difference between urgent and important
How clarity improves decision-making
Why hope is essential for growth
The connection between purpose and risk-taking
How lifetime goals create better businesses
Why making a difference matters more than making money
How to build a business that produces both time and money

If you're feeling overwhelmed by daily demands or uncertain about what's next, this episode offers a practical framework for getting off the treadmill and building a more intentional business and life.
🎧 Listen now and discover how clarity, hope, and risk can help you build a business—and a life—that truly gets you off the treadmill.
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đŸ‘€ About John Heenan
John Heenan helps business leaders get off the treadmill through outcome-based mentoring and peer advisory. With decades of experience in sales, marketing, operations, fulfillment, and business ownership, he has helped companies of all sizes grow through stronger leadership, clearer vision, and better business systems.
A passionate advocate for small business, John owns multiple companies, including TDS (The Distribution Solution), and works with business owners worldwide to help them build businesses that create both freedom and impact.
Specialties: Business Ownership ‱ Vision & Leadership ‱ Sales & Marketing ‱ Operations Development ‱ Growth Strategies ‱ Mergers & Acquisitions

06/17/2026

If managers aren't necessary, what takes their place?
In Part 2 of this thought-provoking series, Chuck Blakeman continues exploring one of the most challenging ideas in modern business: that leadership and management are not the same thing—and that truly healthy organizations don't depend on managers to function.
Building on the foundation from Part 1, Chuck dives deeper into how Participation Age organizations create accountability, alignment, and results without relying on traditional management structures. Instead of controlling people, leaders create clarity around mission, values, expectations, and outcomes, allowing team members to take ownership of their work and contribute at a higher level.
In this episode, you'll learn:

Why management often creates dependence instead of ownership
What replaces managers in a mission-centered organization
How clear expectations drive accountability without supervision
The difference between compliance and engagement
Why ownership thinking helps businesses get off the treadmill
How Participation Age organizations unlock greater creativity and contribution
The leader's role in building systems, culture, and alignment

Chuck also explores how traditional management evolved during the Industrial Age—and why many of those assumptions no longer serve today's businesses. As work becomes more collaborative and knowledge-driven, organizations that embrace ownership, engagement, and mission-centered leadership are better equipped to thrive.
If you're ready to stop being the bottleneck in your business and start building a company that can operate without constant oversight, this episode offers a powerful roadmap for creating a culture of responsibility, participation, and freedom.
🎧 Listen now and discover what happens when leaders stop managing people and start building owners.
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đŸ“ș Missed Part 1?
Be sure to listen to Episode 75: Leaders Are Not Managers, And Managers Are Not Necessary to hear the foundation behind the ideas explored in this episode.

06/10/2026

Most onboarding processes leave new employees figuring things out on their own.
In this episode of Get Off The Treadmill, Chuck Blakeman and Brandon Rains explore how Freedom Mapping helps new team members quickly understand their role, connect to the mission, and contribute with confidence from day one.
Brandon shares how documented systems, process maps, and clear expectations create stronger culture, faster integration, and greater ownership—helping businesses get off the treadmill and grow without constant management.
You'll learn:

Why onboarding has a measurable impact on productivity for years to come
How Freedom Mapping helps people quickly understand where they fit
The difference between macro maps, micro maps, and process descriptions
Why community and interdependence matter during onboarding
How documented systems help businesses get off the treadmill
Why consistency creates a better experience for employees and customers alike
How to build onboarding processes one step at a time—even if you're busy
Practical ways to keep your maps alive and relevant as your business evolves

Chuck and Brandon also discuss why so many businesses treat onboarding as an afterthought and how that mistake creates unnecessary friction, confusion, and turnover. By helping people see the bigger picture from the beginning, business owners can create teams that engage faster, contribute sooner, and thrive longer.
If you want to build a business that produces both time and money, onboarding isn't an HR task—it's a strategic advantage.
🎧 Listen now and discover how Freedom Mapping can help new team members find clarity, community, and contribution from day one.
đŸ‘€ About Brandon Rains
Brandon Rains is an estate planning attorney who founded his firm in 2016 and has grown it to serve hundreds of clients with a team of attorneys and staff. A longtime member of the 3to5 Club, Brandon focuses on helping families pass on not just financial wealth, but also their stories and values, so inheritances become true blessings for future generations.
📧 Email: [email protected]
đŸ“ș New here?
Catch Brandon's first appearance on Get Off The Treadmill:
Episode #64: How to Hire People You'll Never Have to Manage with Brandon Rains

06/03/2026

One of the most deeply held beliefs in business is that growth requires management.
More people. More managers. More oversight.
But what if that's exactly what's keeping you stuck on the treadmill?
In this episode of Get Off The Treadmill, Chuck Blakeman challenges one of the foundational assumptions of traditional business: that people need managers in order to succeed.
Drawing on the principles of the Participation Age, Chuck explains why leadership and management are not the same thing—and why confusing the two creates dependency, limits innovation, and keeps business owners trapped in the day-to-day operations of their companies.
True leaders don't manage people. They create clarity, establish purpose, and build systems that allow people to make decisions, solve problems, and contribute at a higher level. When businesses move from a management mindset to an ownership mindset, everything changes.
This episode explores how replacing management with mission, culture, and clear expectations can help organizations become more adaptive, more engaging, and ultimately more capable of running without the owner at the center of everything.
In this episode, you'll learn:

Why leadership and management are fundamentally different roles
How traditional management creates dependency instead of ownership
Why managers often become bottlenecks rather than multipliers
How Participation Age organizations operate without relying on management layers
The connection between mission-centered leadership and employee engagement
Why ownership thinking helps businesses get off the treadmill
How to build a culture where people solve problems instead of escalating them

If you're tired of being the chief firefighter, decision-maker, and bottleneck in your business, this episode will challenge your assumptions about management and offer a better path forward.
🎧 Listen now and discover why great leaders don't manage people—they create environments where people can lead themselves.

05/20/2026

Most people think sales is about persuasion.
But what if great business development has nothing to do with “selling” at all?
In this episode of Get Off The Treadmill, Chuck Blakeman sits down with returning guest Jessica Agopian and 3to5 Club leader Mark Bellestri to unpack a radically different approach to growth: serve first, sell second.
Jessica shares how she transformed her view of sales—from cold calls and pressure tactics to relationship-driven business development rooted in trust, support, and genuine care for people. Drawing from her experience growing multiple Sylvan Learning centers, she explains why connection-based sales creates better results, stronger culture, and businesses that actually change lives.
Together, Chuck, Jessica, and Mark explore how the best business development happens when you stop chasing transactions and start helping people solve real problems.
This episode is packed with practical 3to5 Club principles around trust, service, relationships, and building a business that grows through reputation—not hustle.
In this episode, you’ll learn:

Why “serve, don’t sell” changes everything in business development
The difference between transactional sales and relationship-based growth
How trust and empathy create long-term business success
Why people want understanding—not pressure
How purpose-driven businesses naturally attract growth
Why focusing on impact helps you get off the treadmill

If you’ve ever felt uncomfortable with traditional sales tactics, this conversation will help you rethink business development entirely—and show you how authentic service creates lasting growth.
🎧 Listen now and discover why the best sales strategy is simply helping people win.
đŸ‘€ About Jessica Agopian
Jessica Agopian is the founder of 33 Services & Consulting and a multi-center Sylvan Learning franchise owner. Known for culture-driven growth, community engagement, and connection-based sales, she has rapidly expanded her business while maintaining strong systems, team culture, and operational excellence.
Jessica helps business owners build freedom through systems—not hustle—proving that intentional leadership, process, and culture create businesses that change lives.
đŸ“ș New here?
Catch Jessica’s first Get Off The Treadmill episode here.

05/13/2026

In the last episode, Chuck Blakeman introduced the idea of the mission-centered organization.
In this second part of the series, he unpacks exactly how this organic structure works and why it outperforms the traditional "factory system" every time. Because if you don't find a new boss for your company, you’ll never truly get off the treadmill.
When the mission becomes the only boss, the entire organizational structure shifts from a "pyramid scheme" to a high-performing community. Chuck explains how this move replaces departmental rivalries and "border wars" with a laser focus on one thing: the results you want your customers to get. This isn’t just theory—it’s a proven model used by massive corporations to achieve higher growth, productivity, and staff retention.
It’s about moving from a boss-centered world to a Participation Age structure where everyone serves at the pleasure of the mission.
In this episode, you’ll learn:

The "Add before you Subtract" Rule: Why Google’s 2003 attempt to remove managers created chaos and how to avoid that trap.
Imposed Hierarchy vs. Organic Leadership: A side-by-side comparison of why distributed decision-making is superior to top-down control.
Abundance vs. Scarcity Mindsets: How mission-centered organizations replace "budget envy" with collaboration.
Real-World Success Stories: How companies like Haier, Morning Star, and GE Aviation thrive without traditional managers.
The Death of Fiefdoms: Why removing the "gun" of firing power from a single boss leads to better leadership.
The Participation Age Filter: How to run every decision—from buying a copier to hiring—through your mission statement.

If you are ready to stop being the "hero" and start building a distributed leadership model that thrives without you, this episode shows you the way.
🎧 Listen now and discover how to build a business where the mission leads, the team contributes, and the owner finally finds freedom.
Missed Part 1? Catch up here: The Mission-Centered Organization: Part 1

05/06/2026

Most business owners believe their job is to manage people.
But what if that belief is exactly what’s keeping them stuck on the treadmill?
In this episode of Get Off The Treadmill, Chuck Blakeman sits down with Henry McCrory to challenge one of the most ingrained habits in business: management.
Together, they unpack why managing people creates dependency instead of ownership—and how shifting to a participation-based model transforms your team from employees into engaged contributors who think, decide, and act like owners.
Henry shares real-world insights on what happens when you stop trying to control outcomes and start building an environment where people are trusted, accountable, and aligned around a clear mission.
This conversation brings core 3to5 Club principles to life, showing how moving away from management and toward ownership is the key to building a business that produces both time and money.
In this episode, you’ll learn:

Why managing people keeps you stuck on the treadmill
The difference between employees and owners
How to create an environment where people choose to engage
Why control limits growth, and trust unlocks it
The role of mission, clarity, and expectations in building ownership
How participation-age thinking transforms your business

If you’re tired of being the one who has to push, remind, and oversee everything, this episode will challenge your assumptions and show you a better way to lead.
🎧 Listen now and learn how to stop managing people, and start building a business of owners.
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About Henry McCrory
Henry McCrory is the business development lead at Creative 3 and the guy who turns conversations into clients. With years of experience in sales, partnerships, and commercial growth, he focuses on building relationships, spotting opportunities, and making sure the right deals get done.
Known for being direct, likeable, and relentless about doing things properly—not just quickly—Henry works closely with brands to understand what they really need, then helps shape the offer, pitch, and plan to drive revenue. If you’ve ever wondered how great marketing becomes real business, Henry is the bridge.

04/22/2026

Most businesses say they have a mission.
But very few actually run on it.
In this episode of Get Off The Treadmill, Chuck Blakeman unpacks what it really means to become a mission-centered organization and why this shift is essential if you want to build a business that runs without you.
Because if the mission isn’t the boss
 then you are. And that’s what keeps you stuck on the treadmill.
Chuck explains how businesses operating in the Participation Age replace personality-driven leadership and top-down control with something far more powerful: a clear, lived mission that drives every decision, behavior, and outcome.
This isn’t about writing a mission statement and putting it on the wall. It’s about building a business where the mission becomes the filter for everything, so your team can think, decide, and act without waiting on you.
In this episode, you’ll learn:

Why most mission statements fail to impact the business
What it actually means to be mission-centered (not just mission-driven)
How a clear mission helps you get off the treadmill
Why the mission, not the owner, should be the boss
How mission alignment creates clarity, consistency, and accountability
The role of mission in building a Participation Age organization

If you’re tired of being the bottleneck in your business and ready to build something that runs on purpose, not personality, this episode lays the foundation.
🎧 Listen now and start building a business where the mission leads and you’re no longer the one holding everything together.

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