Meet Chuck Blakeman of Crankset Group in Denver Tech Center

Today we’d like to introduce you to Chuck Blakeman.

Chuck, before we jump into specific questions, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
Graduated near bottom of high school class with HDHD, Dyslexia. No one knew what that was at that time. Had a full music scholarship – went to conservatory for two years, then into the Army, thinking they were the only ones who would hire me. Started my first business while in the Army and began thinking I might have something to offer. Continued to build businesses after I left the Army. Took 19 years to get a bachelor’s degree, largely to please my mother (there is no correlation between higher education and success).

In the last 35 years, I’ve built 12 businesses in eight industries on four continents, all bootstrapped. We sold one of them to the largest company in the consumer logistics business in 1999. Since 2006 I have focused on helping other entrepreneurs and business owners start and build businesses, along with speaking, writing, and advising larger organizations. In 2010, I started 3to5 Clubs in Denver to help small business owners learn how to make more money in less time, get off the treadmill, and get back to the passion that brought them into business.

We now have eleven of those in Denver, a growing number in other states, and they are spreading around the world in countries like Ireland, Kenya, and the UK. Our goal is to have 3to5 Clubs in every city in the world with a functioning Chamber of Commerce (just about every city in the world). It will be a billion-dollar organization, but we are measuring it more on the impact we will have on the lives of millions of business owners.

Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
No – it’s never a smooth road, and anyone who tells you it has:
1) Has forgotten, or 2) is delusional, or 3) wants to impress you. Struggles.

1) Being the lonely visionary 2) Finances 3) Infrastructure 4) Learning what our customers want 5) Clarifying our vision. 6) Building a brand and a solid reputation 7) Bootstrapping 8) Doubters 9) Self-focused scarcity-minded people (not many) 10) and just about everything else that business owners all struggle with if they start a business.

Please tell us more about your work, what you are currently focused on and most proud of.
Yes, we are unique in that. We are very proud of the fact that we don’t focus just on helping you build a successful business because too often, that just means you’re life is out of control. We focus on the business owner, and what they intend to get out of building a business (legacy, security, impact, etc.), and then we help them build a business that reflects those personal objectives. Almost everyone else focuses just on helping you grow a business that turns you into a hostage.

What is “success” or “successful” for you?
My life vision is to Live Well by Doing Good. I define success that way, and then I find ways to measure that each year, largely by helping business owners learn how to make more money in less time and get off the treadmill. We want to have 3to5 Clubs in every city of the world impacting the lives of millions of business owners. We have specific and concrete objectives each year for how many more clubs, and how many more business owners we impact. I also have a vision for solving poverty in Africa through small business (not micro-finance, and not non-profit).

Success isn’t defined by what you accumulate, but by what you give. The happiest people on earth are solving other people’s problems, not their own. We measure success by solving other people’s problems, specifically small business owners worldwide.

Pricing:

• $249/mth to join a club and learn together – we would rather focus first on the benefits vs. the pricing

Contact Info:

• Website: www.3to5Club.com www.ChuckBlakeman.com
• Phone: 720-641-2033
• Email: grow@CranksetGroup.com
• Facebook: ChuckBlakeman
• Twitter: ChuckBlakeman

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