What Founders & CEOs Say About Working With Robert Lee Goodman
For more than four and a half decades, I have devoted much of my professional life to starting, financing, operating, and helping build businesses. Along the way, I have worked with thousands of startup companies and entrepreneurs throughout the United States and around the world, helping founders transform ambitious ideas into practical business plans, identify costly assumptions before those assumptions became expensive mistakes, develop financial strategies, raise capital, and confront the countless operational challenges involved in getting a company started and keeping it started.
Many people find it surprising that about 98% of those startup clients never met me in person. In many cases, hundreds or even thousands of miles separated us, sometimes across different countries and time zones. Much of this consulting took place long before Zoom, Teams, and modern videoconferencing became commonplace, when building productive remote relationships meant relying on telephone conversations, email, written questionnaires, shared documents, and the ability to ask precisely the right questions. Despite those distances, we developed detailed business plans, financial models, funding strategies, operational solutions, and enduring professional relationships.
That experience taught me something important: a founder does not necessarily need an experienced CEO sitting in the next office to benefit from decades of hard-earned executive judgment. What matters is access to the right questions, the right sequence of decisions, an understanding of how those decisions affect one another, and the ability to recognize critical problems while there is still time to act. This accumulated experience is what I call Compound Knowledge™, and it is the foundation of the W Cubed™ methodology.
Today, W Cubed™ — WHO + WHAT + WHEN organizes much of that knowledge into a practical startup execution methodology that founders can use to understand what must be accomplished, who should be responsible, when each activity belongs in the sequence, and how important decisions and milestones connect across the entire company. Its companion, AI Arsenal™ Lite, introduces 50 guided AI workflows designed to help founders begin producing the action plans, analyses, financial tools, and other deliverables required to move their businesses forward.
My objective in making the complete W Cubed™ Founder Launch available free is to place much of the knowledge accumulated over my career into the hands of entrepreneurs who might never otherwise have access to an experienced startup CEO. The methodology cannot replace judgment, experience, or the founder’s responsibility to make sound decisions, but it can help founders ask better questions, recognize dependencies they might otherwise miss, and avoid having to discover every expensive lesson for themselves.
Client Evaluations — In Their Own Words
These recommendations come from founders, CEOs, executives, investors, and business owners who have worked with me across many industries and business challenges. Some describe developing a business plan or financial model. Others reflect long-running advisory relationships, virtual executive responsibilities, strategic problem-solving, financing preparation, and hands-on implementation.
What I find particularly meaningful is the consistency of the underlying themes: detailed planning, direct and candid advice, the willingness to challenge assumptions, understanding the financial and operational consequences of decisions, and helping founders take practical action. Several clients engaged me repeatedly, and some relationships have continued for many years.
From Virtual COO to an Invitation to Become the Company’s Full-Time CEO
Internet Community Concepts, Inc., based in Cocoa Beach, Florida, was one of the relatively rare consulting engagements in which I had the opportunity to work directly with the company’s management and employees in person. Unlike approximately 98% of the thousands of startup clients I served remotely, this client company flew me from Austin, Texas, to Cocoa Beach, Florida, approximately every three weeks, paying my travel expenses so I could work on-site as its Virtual Chief Operating Officer and provide direct executive leadership to its approximately two dozen employees.
Those visits were not ceremonial meetings or occasional consulting presentations. I was involved in the practical work of helping lead the company, including business strategy, operational management, organizational systems, procedures, planning, securities-law-related issues, and the many decisions and problems that arise while building and operating an emerging business. Between visits, I continued providing executive guidance remotely, demonstrating that distance did not have to prevent an experienced executive from becoming an integral part of a company’s management team.
After approximately one month of working together, the company’s primary investor and chairman was sufficiently impressed with my executive judgment and management approach that he wanted to hire me as the company’s full-time Chief Executive Officer and relocate me permanently to Florida. Although I was genuinely appreciative of his confidence and the opportunity, I graciously declined because I was not yet prepared to move from Austin to Florida.
Consider what that experience represents. This was not simply a client expressing satisfaction with a completed business plan or giving a consultant a favorable rating. The company was willing to invest in regularly flying me across the country to lead its people and operations in person, and its chairman subsequently wanted me to assume responsibility for running the entire company. His detailed evaluation, reproduced in full immediately below, offers an unusually revealing perspective on the value of experienced executive leadership in a startup environment.
CLIENT TESTIMONIALS
Internet Community Concepts, Inc.
“Thank you for the great job you did for the past four months during your consulting contract as the Virtual Chief Operating Officer of Internet Community Concepts!
As I have mentioned to you several times, you are one of the best business persons I have come across in more than 23 years of starting and running my various businesses. The breadth and depth of your insights and acumen, your consistently cool and logical problem solving abilities, your quick and decisive “dragon slaying” and your management style – along with your honesty, integrity, outstanding charisma and leadership skills, have continually impressed me as you have used those talents to help ICC as our VCOO.
Between your work on our business plan, establishing our web presence, bringing focus to our systems, procedures and management approach, dealing with securities law issues, handling operations, doing “whatever it took” to get the job done, and meeting every commitment – on time – that you ever made, it has been a real pleasure working with you.
As I have also mentioned to you several times during the past four months, you have been a stabilizing force that has kept the company together as we have moved forward toward our ultimate goals for success.
My only two regrets are that we didn’t hire you as our VCOO a year earlier – and that I have not been able to convince you, yet, to become the company’s full time CEO!”
More Than 10 Years. Multiple Companies. Multiple Projects. Still Working Together Today.
Some of my most rewarding engagements have not been one-time assignments. Michael Petrone, MBA, associated with eXp Realty LLC, has been a client for more than 10 years across a variety of projects, companies, and business challenges, and our professional relationship continues today. His LinkedIn recommendation explains why he has continued to seek my advice, particularly for startups, real estate, self-storage investments, and capital raising.
“Robert is always very detailed and to the point, with concrete examples of what you need to do to accomplish your goals. I have been a client for over 10 years, and his input has been critical in so many ways because of his vast business experience and actually having run and started several businesses in addition to raising capital.
He helped with many brainstorming sessions to flesh out ideas that were just ideas and get to the root of what action items I needed to focus on.
He is great with start-ups, technology, and real estate. But that’s just the tip of the iceberg, as he has vast experience in life and all aspects of your business, and there is nothing he cannot handle.
I focus on self-storage investing and raising capital through syndications, and since he has bought and sold many of these self-storage facilities by raising money for his syndications, he has been a gold mine of knowledge and experience.
He is an asset who helps me avoid business landmines.
I highly recommend him, and I recommend you work with him if you need assistance.”
— Michael Petrone, MBA • eXp Realty LLC • Long-Term Repeat Client
Sportsman’s Rights Org. — Scott Drummond
“I contacted Robert to discuss my issues with my ongoing startup. His advice was precise and to the point! It was relevant to my situation, unlike many others with buzzword bingo. He gave me points I had thought about but hadn’t acted on, and he also gave me new ideas I hadn’t used before! Thank you, Robert. I have been working on every angle since that day. I expect to give you a good update in the next 6 months! I believe this man has the care and abilities to support new and ongoing businesses, and I highly recommend his services!!!!”
— Scott Drummond • Sportsman’s Rights Org. • LinkedIn Recommendation
Narrable Health
“Working with Robert has been a great experience that taught me to push myself and figure things out for my own startup. In other words, his style is very much like Morpheus (The Matrix reference): “He can only show you the door, but it is you who has to walk through it.” Robert helps you identify the universe of choices you, as a startup CEO, want for your company and motivates you to consider the countless steps you’ll need to piece together to make sense of those multiple, unknown variables.”
— Narrable Health • LinkedIn Recommendation • LinkedIn profile →
Miller Public Relations Inc.
“I felt that it would be appropriate if I took the time to share with others just a hint of your talent and impressive business leadership style. This is my recommendation of you, I hope the reader will glean from this the invaluable resources you afford each and every one of your clients. I genuinely appreciate what you have been able to help us accomplish on behalf of our clients around the country. About Robert….
Always two steps ahead of the “rest of us” is certainly how I would describe this brilliant visionary and trend interpreter. Robert has the unbridled passion for entrepreneurship unlike anyone I have ever met. His foresight and ability to predict consumer responses and project successes make him my go to guy on a consistent basis. I highly recommend Robert as THE business consultant for anyone looking for intelligent start-up advice, business expansion and most importantly in today’s current economic environments, increased profitability.
Don’t be afraid to ask Robert the hard questions, the ones others will dodge. He is a real BOTTOM LINE guru! You will enjoy his candor and forthrightness!”
Westport Investment Group LLC
“Robert Goodman is a complete professional, and holds nothing back as a mentor and advisor. Robert has helped me develop my real estate business with great acceleration. He is trustworthy, reliable, very patient, has high integrity, is very willing to share his experiences and knowledge, and is a true expert in real estate and business in general. I recommend him highly for your real estate business or any other business.”
Design Works Software, Inc.
“We hired Robert Goodman on two separate occasions as a business consultant. Each time, he has provided superior service and outstanding results. Robert’s keen insight into the unforeseen complexities of corporate business, and his ability to communicate these obstacles in a strategic plan, is second to none.
Because of Robert’s extremely diverse background, he is able to roadmap very detailed and easy-to-follow guidelines that greatly improve upon the mission trajectory. Robert is a very intelligent and gifted individual that any company would benefit from his involvement.
Through Robert’s involvement, our company was selected by Silicon Valley Bank as one of the top ten emerging technology companies in the United States. Robert provided the business and financial plans that were presented to the venture capital panel which eventually lead to People Soft giving us a verbal commitment of involvement. We were highly praised for our preparation and presentation because of Robert Goodman.
I am reminded of the words of Jim Abrams; “A smart businessperson is one who makes a mistake, learns from it, and never makes it again. A wise businessperson is one who finds a smart businessperson and learns from him how to avoid the mistakes he made”.
I would recommend Robert to any company that believes they could benefit from an honest, extremely intelligent, effective leader.”
Jase & Co., Inc.
“Robert L. Goodman is a tremendous resource of information! Whether it’s getting your company off the ground, or completely restructuring your company, Robert brings veteran experience that will support you/your company to the fullest! When you hire Robert, you are bringing an immense skill set into your organization, and you can count on his experience and knowledge to propel you/your company to the next level of success! Clearly, a 5-Star Experience!”
Alaska Neurology Center LLC
“Robert has been an invaluable resource for our short- and long-term business plans. He is honest and upfront and acts as the “Devil’s Advocate” in order to develop a bulletproof business plan and pro forma.
I have worked with him on 2 projects, and the second one had multiple parts that took almost a year to complete. Robert was there when we needed him, asked the right questions, completed things in an expeditious manner, and delivered a top-quality product.
We no longer asked how much Robert’s services cost, but how much it would cost our business not to involve Robert in every step of Planning. Every business will benefit from Robert’s services….I can’t recommend him enough.”
Recruit Inc.
“Robert should be allowed to carry the suffix MCS (Master of Corporate Strategy). Whenever a descision that will affect the direction of my firm is required, his is the first number I call.”
DropItOff.com
“Robert is one of the most professional, patient and diligent individuals I have ever worked with. It’s unfortunate that there is nothing higher than a 5.0 (out of 5.0) to award CEO RESOURCE. If CEO RESOURCE bids on your job, stop right there as you will not find anyone better! We look forward to working together in the future.”
Gold Stream Assoc.
“Robert Lee Goodman of CEO RESOURCE is an excellent colleague to work with, and collaborate on the details of your business needs. He is highly professional, and will far exceed your expectations. Mr. Goodman listens to your needs as a businessperson, and knows exactly what it will take to implement your business, introducing various questions and concerns (variables that could affect your business) that every businessperson should be aware of. He is a pro-active thinker, who establishes a plan of attack of what you will need to fulfill on your concerns and have all of your needs handled, and does not waste unnecessary time. I would highly recommend Mr. Robert Lee Goodman/CEO RESOURCE to anyone who is looking to launch their business, or who needs a person to trouble shoot their problems with existing structures of their business. A definite 5 STAR performance!!!”
Ozmoziz Corp.
“The service that CEO RESOURCE provides has been incredible. Robert has added wisdom and experience that my company needs to truly be successful. Best of all, his work demonstrates his dedication to the success of his clients. Now that the first segment of our project is complete, I have retained Robert to assist me with the complete implementation of our business plan. When something works this well, I stay with it!”
247365, Inc.
“Outstanding service, significantly over and beyond the scope of the project! Robert Lee Goodman provided more than excellent results with very comprehensive financials and charts. Our company is already gearing up to work with him on the next project and we can’t wait to use his ImpleMentor Management Consulting Services! 247365, Inc. whole heartedly recommends this gentleman and his services without hesitation. We feel comfortable in knowing that if your company employs his services you will have the same results if not better!!!”
BioTecHQ
“Prior to starting on my Business Plan, I could only see the big picture. Since working with Robert, now I see the details as well, AND I have it clearly documented for my investors! Don’t bypass the Chief Dragon Slayer, I have the best Virtual CEO/COO I could have ever asked for! So can YOU!”
America’s Real Estate Center
“CEO RESOURCEs was the best! Did more than I expected…didn’t know writing a business plan could be so complicated…thanks for all the help Robert!”
Vertour
“Robert’s extensive experience will give any start-up a jump start. His valuable advice will not be limited by the scope of work but will benefit your business across the board. His step by step brainstorming Worksheet will put you back into the driver seat to better envision your business. I found it very helpful to spend the time and effort to think through the general business and hard financial number to find the right pitch to investors. Sometime when you have this great idea, you tend to focus on how great it is and forget all other aspects of a successful business requires. Robert will help you look at those aspects and come out with something that has a much better chance of attracting potential investors.”
Washington Catholic Radio
“CEO RESOURCE did a great job for my company on our business plan. He was highly professional, very responsive, and produced a quality product for us. Very knowledge, easy to get a hold of, very quick turnaround. I was very pleased with the work Robert did for me, and his professional attitude. I would certainly recommend this company to others, and will certainly use it again if the need arises.”
Senior Solutions
“Worth every penny!! I am pleased with the work completed by CEO RESOURCE. I found this company to be highly professional and very customer service oriented. I had never done a business plan before and this company made the process easier. I changed many parts of my initial business concept based on answering the Worksheet that CEO RESOURCE sent me – I now have a more solid action plan and feel more confident in my company’s ability to succeed. It was a great experience and I highly recommend this company – especially to people new to the business world.”
J Christ Clothing
“In spite of many changes as we went along, CEO RESOURCE was quite patient with us on this project. CEO RESOURCE was able to give us advice – not only a business owner’s view, but also an investor’s point of view as well. Considering all the time Robert spent with us, and the quality of work he did, we are very satisfied. I would highly recommend CEO RESOURCE due to their knowledge, responsiveness and willingness to brainstorm. They are professional, courteous, and extremely patient. I would definitely use CEO RESOURCE again!”
iGym TV
“Great business advisor, very knowledgeable. CEO RESOURCE helped me bring my vision to life. HIGHLY recommend his services, its worth every penny. Thank You Robert!”
Job Software Inc.
“Extremely satisfied. Fast. Accurate. Helpful. Will outsource again in the future as well as tell my business partners and connections about him.”
Romney
“Wonderful guide. Knows business. Helped even when I had unrelated questions. Knowledgeable. Use him.”
Price Right, Inc.
“ABSOLUTELY THE BEST, A+++ #1”
Enhance Dental
“Great job. Nice attention to our needs and timeline. We consider Robert a valuable part of our team. Will work with him again!”
Kathode Ray Records
“I loved working with CEO RESOURCE! I was unprepared for how thorough the business plan would be, but Robert was great and spent the time with me to work everything out.”
Propellant
“CEO RESOURCE was a very good resource for information and guidance in writing a business plan. For being my first time it was a very educational and rewarding experience.”
Rokko
“Once again CEO RESOURCE did an outstanding job. Robert worked closely with us and delivered a professional, well thought out group of documents. With Robert’s work, I am now confident that we have a Business Plan that will allow us to reach our goals!”
Affluent Cities Advertising
“Robert is a great resource for myself and our new business. He is professional, timely, and knows all of the best questions to ask. We now have an advantage because he understands our model, knows our goals, and will be a part of our team moving forward.”
Provast
“I chose CEO RESOURCE to help me with developing a new business plan (critical to the funding of my company’s 2nd round of equity financing) based upon previous recommendations — which were outstanding. Now I know why everyone of Robert’s previous clients were so enthusiastic about the service they received. I highly, highly recommend CEO RESOURCE if you are serious about the future of your business planning!”
MORE VOICES FROM FOUNDERS AND BUSINESS OWNERS
Across many different industries, startup stages, and consulting assignments, the same themes appear repeatedly in the experiences clients have shared: the value of asking better questions, developing more realistic plans, challenging assumptions before they become expensive problems, and having an experienced adviser who understands how the pieces of a business must fit together. The following additional comments reflect those experiences in the clients’ own words.
“Great business man. Really knows his stuff. Robert makes you think hard about your business and that is a good thing. Highly recommended.”
“CEO RESOURCE is a uniquely qualified business resource. His deep experience helps him pull and cultivate ideas from his clients in a way that is very enlightening and empowering. I will certainly be working with this talented provider in the future.”
“Robert has done a terrific job and has given me a LOT of things to think about. I am still working on coming up with answers to all of the issues he’s posed and I know that my business plan, and my business, will be the better for it. If you’re looking for someone with the knowledge and experience to help you with your business, look no further. I have no reservations in giving the highest possible recommendation to CEO RESOURCE. Thanks Robert!”
“This was a very educational and positive experience! I would recommend this company to anyone needing these types of services.”
“This team is top notch. They are professional and really know what they are doing. We recommend this organization. You’ll love working with them.”
“CEO RESOURCE was truly outstanding and found that all work was exemplary and above the level that I expected. The company responded quickly to all emails and requests and I would recommend to all other potential customers.”
“Robert is one of the best in this business. I think he is very knowledgeable and very thorough. There is no doubt in my mind that I will use Robert in the future.”
“Robert’s extensive experience will give any start-up a jump start. His valuable advice will not be limited by the scope of work but will benefit your business across the board. His step-by-step brain storming will put you back into the driver seat to envision your business…and come out with something that has a better chance of attracting potential investors.”
“CEO RESOURCE did a great job for my company on our business plan. He was highly professional, very responsive, and produced a quality product for us. I would certainly recommend this company to others, and will certainly use it again if the need arises.”
“Worth every penny!!I changed many parts of my initial business concept based on answering the questionnaire that CEO RESOURCE sent me – I now have a more solid action plan and feel more confident in my company’s ability to succeed. It was a great experience and I highly recommend this company – especially to people new to the business world.”
“Great business adviser, very knowledgeable. CEO helped me bring my vision to life. HIGHLY recommend his services, its worth every penny. Thank You Robert!”
FOUR AND A HALF DECADES OF EXPERIENCE. NOW AVAILABLE TO FAR MORE FOUNDERS.
After more than 4½ decades of starting companies, raising capital, mentoring entrepreneurs, and advising startup and emerging-company CEOs, I am now semi-retired and deliberately limit the consulting engagements I accept. Rather than rebuilding a large consulting practice, I am concentrating on preserving and sharing as much of my accumulated startup Compound Knowledge™ as possible through W Cubed™ Founder Launch, the AI Arsenal™ workflow libraries, and a limited number of direct advisory relationships with founders who can benefit from more personalized assistance.
The complete W Cubed™ Founder Launch methodology is available free, and AI Arsenal™ Lite offers 50 guided workflows to help entrepreneurs begin doing the work themselves. For founders who want direct access to my experience, I am also making a limited number of ten-hour consulting retainers available at $2,500, subject to current availability and the terms described on the consulting and payment pages. My intention is to give more founders an opportunity to benefit from the same questioning discipline, strategic thinking, and practical executive experience that earlier clients described throughout these evaluations.
Best wishes for stellar success,
Robert Lee Goodman, MBA
CEO & Chief ImpleMentor™
CEO RESOURCE LLC
“Robert is worth every penny – He works hard at determining what your best strategy is, and he is truly gifted at making you think through your venture. I would highly recommend him and his services. I’m looking forward to hiring him again.”