Build the Foundation.
Reach the Summit.
We help CEOs and founders build companies that run like well-oiled machines — and keep growing — with strong leadership, real accountability, and a proven system.
Clarity
Create an actionable plan to grow your business.
Alignment
Get your leadership team rowing in one direction.
Momentum
Achieve real results with a proven system.
You didn’t build a business to be trapped by it.
Trapped in the Weeds
The business can’t run without you.
No Real Systems
You’re holding it together by hand.
Stalled Growth
Working harder, but stuck in place.
The Pinnacle Principles
Learn a proven Operating System for growing your enterprise based on these Five Principles. Master them and watch your business climb.
PEOPLE
Get the right people in the right seats, right away. Then equip and coach them in a unified direction.
PURPOSE
Start with why. Set a compelling mission, clear visions, and authentic values. Then develop a winning strategy.
PLAYBOOKS
Document and optimize your core processes from top to bottom, both internal and customer-facing.
PERFORMANCE
Measure what matters, then manage it. Plan and track key goals on an annual, quarterly, and weekly cadence.
PROFIT
Profit comes as a result of mastering the other Principles, and fuels growth in a virtuous cycle.
WE KNOW THE CHALLENGES OF RUNNING A BUSINESS.
It can feel overwhelming — misaligned teams, stalled growth, and uncertainty about the next steps. I’ve helped countless CEOs like you implement a clear, proven system to regain control, drive momentum, and achieve the success you envision.
Pinnacle Client Testimonials
Working with our Guide has allowed us to think bigger, differently, and become aligned as a team. Our Guide allows for adjustments and customization for what works best for us. I recommend Pinnacle Business Guides to leadership teams who want to reach their goals but feel stuck.
Missy Ramberg
Director of Marketing, Acucraft Fireplace Systems
Pinnacle gave us operational intelligence to be able to assess the people around us and determine their skill sets. Most importantly, identifying who the A-players are and the cultural effects the B and C-players have on an organization.
Jonathan Dworsky
Owner, Park Chrysler Jeep
We incorporated our whole team into the Pinnacle system, which gives everyone empowerment, and we’ve created a leadership team out of this. So now, we can step back and be leaders and allow them to also lead the rest of the team, and it really funnels down through the entire company. It’s made a great difference in a very short period of time.
Linda Smith
Director of Sales, AK Material Handling Systems
You’re going to climb a mountain, but you’re doing it with someone who’s going to help lead you there. The Guide helps provide a pathway, so I know that’s where my hand is going to go; I know that’s where my foot is going to go. Pretty soon, you’re at the top of the peak, cheering on and wondering what’s the next peak, what’s the next climb? That’s really exciting.
Josh Smith
Founder & President, AK Material Handling Systems
SERVICES
ANNUALLY, YOU RECEIVE:
One: 2 or 3 Day Base Camp Session (First Year Only)
Will be replaced by the Annual Summit in subsequent years
Three: 1 Day Quarterly Sessions
One: 2 Day Annual Summit
Monthly: Altitude Checks (One-on-One calls with the CEO and/or Leadership Team)
Ongoing: Access to 80+ Pinnacle Business Tools and Resources
BASE CAMP
DAY 1
Right from the start we get set for the journey, lay out the brutal facts facing the company, assess the team and their ability to climb, and reinforce culture foundations we’ll build from.
BASE CAMP
DAY 2
We review the territory covered in Day One and begin looking out to the future to cast vision, define a compelling purpose and set milestones, growth plans and Rocks.
Quarterly Lookouts
Every quarter we reconvene to look back at all we’ve accomplished and learn from both the highs and lows. We then set our sights on the quarter ahead and gather new tools to climb even higher.
ANNUAL
SUMMITS
Each year we take two days to rise above the daily grind and think bigger, make plans, and gather the needed tools to set out on a new year, toward the Pinnacle we set our sights on from the start.
certified Pinnacle
Business Guide
ABOUT Todd Douds
I’ve sat in the seat you’re in now.
For twelve years I helped build a wealth management firm — rising to Managing Partner and COO, and living through every stage from early-company chaos to the operational discipline that finally made the business worth building, and ultimately worth acquiring. I didn’t read about those challenges in a book. I lived them. For a long stretch, the whole thing ran through me: every decision, every fire, every ceiling we hit. I was working harder than ever, and the business wasn’t catching up to my ambition.
What changed wasn’t more effort — it was clarity. I learned to build a company that was clear on its vision, consistent in execution, and run by a team that didn’t need me in every room. I got my life back before we ever sold. I’ve come to believe that clarity enables consistency, and consistency compounds results — and that’s the climb I now guide other founders and CEOs through.
I came to Pinnacle the long way. For years I implemented and customized business operating systems under real pressure — as an operator using these tools to solve real problems, not someone who discovered a framework and built a practice around it. That distinction matters when you’re trusting someone with your company. My CFA charter and Master’s in Applied Economics mean you get a guide who understands the financial story behind your business, not just the operational one.
Coaching has been the constant of my life — from competing on the US Freestyle Ski Team to developing athletes for nearly two decades. I lead with an open mind and a direct hand: I’ll make room for honest debate, then make sure the team walks away with a decision, not just a conversation. I work best with leaders who aren’t looking for a quick fix — who are building something meant to grow and last, and are coachable enough to be held to the plan.
I’m based in Chicago with my wife and three children, and I work with clients nationally. If you’re committed to building something great — not just managing what you have — I’d like to help you reach your pinnacle.
Free tool
Discover where your Business Stands on the path to the Pinnacle.
Take our Baseline Assessment to determine how your company performs across the Five Pinnacle Principles and receive a PDF report with practical recommendations to help you and your team climb to the next level.
– RECEIVE Your Scores Across ALL Five Pinnacle Principles
– Learn How Each Principle Unlocks Business Growth
– Get Actionable Recommendations and Tools
Learn More about the Pinnacle Approach™
The Pinnacle Approach™ is detailed in a series of three books that share stories and principles real businesses have used to grow faster than they ever thought possible. Download Peak Performance today as a FREE audiobook to learn more.