Our Course for Presidents alumni have consistently told us over the years that this program is a life-changing experience for the private business owner. It delivers insight and knowledge from people who get it, and everyday tools that impact their professional and personal lives alike. But, taking two days away from your business to work on your business can feel like a real obstacle. You need to know what you’re investing in and how it can make an impact.
The content and tools you’ll learn will transform how you approach your business — and even change your life.
As Course for Presidents alumni David Crnkovich of Quantifi Digital said: “I’m a skeptical person. I’ve been through a bazillion seminars. By the end of the Course for Presidents, I knew Aileron’s system was exactly what I needed to grow as a leader and to set our company up for our next season of growth.”
David is right: Course for Presidents isn’t a sit-and-listen lecture or a dry seminar. This dynamic two-day program includes immersive learning, actively working on your business, and growing the confidence and clarity you need to lead your business forward and solve your greatest challenges.
What is Course for Presidents?
Course for Presidents is Aileron’s flagship program that teaches you key skills in directing, operating, and controlling your business. Areas of focus include leadership, strategy, people development, business structure, organizational performance, and culture.
Course for Presidents is an in-person, hands-on learning experience that’s been transforming businesses for more than 25 years. For business owners looking to create sustainable, tangible change in their businesses and teams, Course for Presidents is the best place to start.
“If you own or operate any business and are looking for help growing your business, look no further than Aileron! I just recently finished Course for Presidents. I feel like I got a master’s degree in business management in two days.”
– John Dahl, President, Tri-County Feed Service
What will I learn?
Course for Presidents is an introductory deep dive into professional management — a proven system to running a thriving business with intention, clarity, and confidence. Aileron’s DOC System of Professional Management is our unique approach to professional management that helps business owners navigate their business through the DOC System’s six disciplines.
You’ll focus on three disciplines each day and begin learning how to transform each of these parts of your business. Course for Presidents is an introduction to professional management, and when professional management is implemented and used to its full potential, real transformations occur — like the ones outlined below.
Day one:
- Strategy: Go from aimlessly stuck in the day-to-day to having a clear direction and a path to get there
- Business structure: Trade an outdated or accidental business model for a concrete path to profit and a distinct competitive advantage
- Organizational performance: Abandon guesswork and lack of accountability in favor of transparency, results, and continuous improvement
Day two:
- Culture: Replace cultural chaos with intentional, actionable, observable values
- People development: Turn underdeveloped, apathetic team members into continuous learners who want to stay for the long-term, and turn attrition into retention
- Leadership: Grow underdeveloped managers into active listeners, empowering coaches, and self-aware leaders
Who is in the room?
Course for Presidents is a facilitated experience; your two days will be guided by a member of the Aileron team who deeply understands the power of professional management and how to implement it across an organization.
Surrounded and supported by like-minded individuals, you’ll learn alongside a small group of peers (think 10-15 people) who are business owners themselves, who are in your shoes, facing your same challenges. You can use this space to be candid and vulnerable with people who don’t work in or know your business, and expect honest, constructive feedback and perspective when you need it.
Where will we be?
Course for Presidents takes place on Aileron’s Campus — a 71,000-square-foot facility situated on a 114-acre natural setting in Tipp City, Ohio.
Campus was designed to be a philosophical manifestation of what it takes to run a thriving business: focus, leadership, big-picture thinking, and dreaming. Every detail of Campus was designed to embody those themes and support the meaningful work you and your team are here to do.
“It is a place where the noise of everyday life quiets down and the pace of business slows down so that visitors can focus on their most important things.”
– Doug Wissman, Triad Technologies
You and your peers will be in one of our workshop rooms. During lunch and breaks throughout each day, you can explore Campus: Take a moment of reflection at our Waterfall Terrace, enjoy a walk around our pond, stop by our café for a coffee or snack, or find focus in one of our many workspaces.
What happens next?
Course for Presidents is the beginning of your professional management journey, and that journey continues in a Business Coaching session: one-on-one time to process what you learned and actively work on your business with an Aileron Business Coach.
You can also continue to learn alongside other business owners and Course for Presidents alumni in one of our Peer Groups — small cohorts that meet 10 times per year to learn together, create shared accountability, and develop in professional management. This time and space are your opportunity to connect with business owners outside of your organization and tackle the most pressing issues you’re facing through judgment-free, outside feedback and perspective.
Ready to transform your business?
Course for Presidents is our most popular service; we offer it 8-10 times per year to maximize your opportunity to invest in your business and yourself. Visit the service calendar to find a date that works for you. We hope we’ll see you soon!