Americans are pretty fond of the idea of retirement — when we get to quit working and just do nothing.
That may be a useful framework for some people, but not for 48 Days Eagles like Rich Allen. For Rich, retirement was just the beginning. Rich is someone who’s on a mission to help people “create and sustain a Legacy Business” built on their core values and “unparalleled principles.”
He’s changed the trajectories of hundreds of businesses for the better. And all of that positive impact started after he thought he was “done working” and realized that the next phase of his life could have a whole new purpose.
Regardless of where you are in your business or career journey, I want to share Rich’s story with you because it really highlights how when we embody our true purpose, our potential is limitless.
Retirement Is More of a Beginning Than An End
Rich told us that when he retired from a “corporate job,” as an executive, he thought he was “done working” because he’d reached the age where most people in his career simply retired in the classic sense. But he quickly realized that “I was too young and too energized to simply play golf for the rest of my life!” Believe me, there’s nothing wrong with playing golf, but for someone like Rich who still had passions and purposes to pursue—retirement signaled more of a beginning than an end.
He says, “I decided to use my skills and knowledge of how a business works to become a business coach focused on small, owner-operated businesses.” That’s the beauty of Rich’s business! By the time he reached the point in his career where most people stop working, he had acquired the skills, talents, and abilities that he knew others could use.
The golf course is great, but it wasn’t going to fulfill that passion he still had when he left his corporate job.
Rich’s Transition Into Coaching
When he first started out on his entrepreneurial journey, Rich was “just out to help small business owners with no aspirations of growing revenues or profits.” He was “on a mission to help” by offering coaching services when he realized that he could do so much more by expanding into consulting and advising. Rich “came to the realization that those I was helping NEEDED to make an investment in their growth and development in order to take it seriously,” and after a career in the corporate world, he knew what those investments needed to look like.
Today Rich’s business, Tour de Profit Business Advisory Services, offers that much-needed consulting and advising support while maintaining the personal connection that a coach can offer. Rich describes himself now as “a business coach, business investor, author and speaker.” He finds fulfillment and personal growth by working with small businesses and business owners and getting involved in his local business community.
Success = A Combination of Activities
In other words, Rich is someone who grows, learns, and finds fulfillment in positively impacting the lives and businesses of others. And Rich’s message isn’t limited to those he can reach with Tour de Profit and in his local community—he’s also written several books, joined the National Speakers Bureau, and even founded the Eagles Innovation Group. He told us that “it is the combination of activities that has brought me to the success I have today.”
I actually met Rich through the connection our wives have. Joanne is a mentor to Drew, Rich’s wife, and these amazing women brought us together over a dinner in Nashville a few years ago. Rich and I connected right away, and now he’s an amazingly valuable member of the 48 Days Eagles Community. When we connected, Rich says he “realized quickly I was missing the kind of connection and mentorship” that 48 Days and the Eagles provide. Now, Rich is a major facilitator and provider of that value for others.
The Value of a Like-Minded Community
To me, this part of Rich’s story really showcases the ethos and value of 48 Days and the Eagles community. It’s never been just about me or my books and message—it’s the community that strengthens all of the individuals in it, and strengthens the group as a whole. Rich says he initially tried the “go it alone” strategy and “made a few very bad business decisions” that “cost me a lot of money and destroyed my self-confidence.” Because he has that experience and that insight, he can be a supportive force for his fellow Eagles, as well as grow and learn himself in our group.
Needed: A Willingness To Fail Along the Way
To get where he is today, Rich says there’s “no one single thing” that made it happen. Rather, “it’s a focused dedication to becoming a more complete and aware leader.” For Rich, and many others that have achieved his level of success, “it required a mindset change, new skills, and feedback from those I trusted,” as well as “opportunities to test and explore new ideas.” He also highlighted what is the hardest part of this journey for many people, which is having a “willingness to fail along the way.”
In his business and in his role in the Eagles community, Rich is there to help others develop that willingness, make those mindset changes, and get on the path to sustainable growth. He’s especially good at this because he recognizes that “no one is smart enough to be successful on their own.” Rich says “Many have tried, but it is just not possible. You need to surround yourself with people who think bigger, have their own hopes and dreams, can challenge your thinking and encourage you when you’re down.”
Rich’s Advice For Others
For those of you at the beginning of your journey, Rich emphasizes the importance of making “a decision to move forward” and “identify 4 or 5 strategies you are going to use to make yourself better everyday” like reading, listening to podcasts, going to conferences, and joining masterminds. The common thread in all of those recommendations from Rich is to “surround yourself with those who will encourage and support you, especially when you feel like quitting!”
The rewards on the other side of the challenges that make you want to quit are often great, as they’ve been for Rich. He has “built a business that works on my terms,” and says “I set my schedule, block my personal time, take vacations with my family, and designate times when I am going to focus on business.” That time freedom sounds a lot like what people dream of when they think of retirement, but Rich has all of that now as a business owner, author, speaker, and coach. He says “this control of my calendar has been a game-changer for my life.”
“I set my schedule, block my personal time, take vacations with my family, and designate times when I am going to focus on business.”
If you’re dreaming of retirement, I challenge you to think about all that Rich, and many others, have accomplished after “retiring.”
Ask yourself: Are you really dreaming of retirement, or are you dreaming of time-freedom and fulfilling your goals and passions?
You can find out more about Rich and all the great things he does with Tour de Profit at https://tourdeprofit.com/