I'm The Real Jason Duncan, back with another edition of Beyond the Grind – helping entrepreneurs like you stop being slaves to your businesses. 🚀

Remember our friend in Omaha?

The one with the 47 color-coded goals?

Well, I checked in on him (hypothetically, of course).

He's now added a vision board, hired a "life coach," and is manifesting his way to $10M.

But… his actual business blueprint still looks like IKEA instructions written in crayon by a toddler having a sugar crash.

No judgment – mine used to look the same way.

The Real Problem

Here's the difference between a real blueprint and what most entrepreneurs call their "business plan":

A blueprint shows you exactly what to build first, second, and third.

A wish list shows you everything you want someday, in no particular order.

A blueprint says: Foundation, then frame, then walls, then roof.

A wish list says: Marble countertops! Solar panels! Smart home system! (But no mention of, you know, walls to put them in.)

Most entrepreneurs treat their business like a buffet – grabbing whatever looks good at the moment.

They'll hire a CMO before they have a solid assistant.

They'll implement AI automation before documenting basic processes.

They'll chase strategic partnerships before their own team knows who does what.

It's like trying to install a chandelier in a house with no ceiling.

Pretty? Sure.

Functional? Not even close.

That's why I developed the XOS™ Method – a legitimate architectural blueprint that builds in the only sequence that actually works.

Seven stages, each one supporting the next:

Stages 1-3: Breaking Free from Operations

• Stage 1 – Basic Delegation: Reclaim 10-20 hours weekly

• Stage 2 – Assembling Your Support Squad: Build your operational foundation

• Stage 3 – Developing Your A-Team: Empower leaders who own entire areas

Stages 4-5: Building the Machine

• Stage 4 – Mastering Systems & Automation: Create self-sustaining operations

• Stage 5 – Creating a Passive Profits Machine: Generate predictable revenue without you

Stages 6-7: Strategic Freedom

• Stage 6 – Exit Without Exiting: Own an asset, not a job

• Stage 7 – The Ultimate Sale: Position for maximum value (if and when you want)

You can't skip stages any more than you can skip floors in a building.

Trust me, I tried.

Why This Matters

Years ago, I thought I was smart enough to jump straight from Stage 1 to Stage 5.

I had delegated some tasks (Stage 1) and figured I'd just automate everything else and create passive income.

You know what happened?

Complete operational meltdown within six months. (Not really that bad, but it was bad!)

Why?

Because I didn't have a Support Squad (Stage 2) to handle daily operations.

I didn't have an A-Team (Stage 3) making strategic decisions.

I was trying to automate chaos instead of systemizing order.

Fast forward to our Gatlinburg retreat.

While I was teaching and working with members, my Support Squad handled every logistical detail – venue coordination, member communications, materials, meals, transportation.

My A-Team made real-time decisions about schedule adjustments, member needs, and problem-solving.

They didn't check with me.

They didn't need to.

That's what happens when you build in sequence.

Each stage creates the foundation for the next.

But here's what I want you to understand:

Stage 2 (Support Squad) isn't about hiring random help.

It's about assembling the specific operational roles that handle execution while you focus on strategy.

Think of them as your construction crew – each person owns a specific trade.

Your assistant is the project manager.

Your bookkeeper is the foundation specialist.

Your customer service lead is the finishing contractor.

Stage 3 (A-Team) isn't about promoting your best workers.

It's about developing leaders who think like owners.

These aren't employees who need permission.

They're leaders who take ownership.

In construction terms, these are your architects and engineers – the ones who can modify the plans when reality hits.

When you have both stages in place, something magical happens:

You stop being the foreman who has to be on-site every day.

You become the developer who checks in on multiple projects while your teams handle the actual building.

Now What?

Here's your blueprint for the next two weeks:

Week 1: Map Your Support Squad

Take out a piece of paper and draw three columns:

• What I'm doing (that someone else should)

• Who could do it (role, not person)

• What it costs me to keep doing it myself

Be honest about that last column.

If you bill at $500/hour and you're doing $50/hour work, that's a $450/hour loss.

Every. Single. Hour.

Week 2: Identify Your Future A-Team

Answer these questions:

• What decisions do you make that someone else could own?

• What areas of the business could run without your daily input?

• Who on your current team thinks like an owner, not an employee?

The answers reveal your Stage 3 opportunities.

Words of Wisdom

"Suppose one of you wants to build a tower. Won't you first sit down and estimate the cost to see if you have enough money to complete it?" – Jesus (as recorded in Luke 14:28)

Jesus understood what most entrepreneurs don't: Hope is not a blueprint.

You need an actual plan, in the right sequence, with the right resources.

Otherwise you end up with a half-built tower and a fully depleted bank account.

Stop collecting wish lists.

Start following blueprints.

Until next time...

Go beyond the grind,
The Real Jason Duncan 🚀

P.S. The difference between a blueprint and a wish list? A blueprint shows you what NOT to build yet. That's why Stage 4 comes after Stage 3, not whenever you feel like buying new software. Your business isn't a buffet. It's a building. Build accordingly.