Often, business owners rely on themselves to run their business and will avoid doing the things that they need to do. Darin Myers from The Alternative Board is here to help solve those issues. The Alternative Board, TAB for short, offers peer-to-peer advisory boards that give business owners a forum to hear diverse thoughts and experiences and hold business owners accountable to doing things in their business that they should do.
“I retired from the position of site Vice President at Plant Vogtle about two and a half years ago and decided that I wanted to do something different. I started The Alternative Board to go after similar issues that I saw in my own organization at Plant Vogtle. One of the things I look for in TAB prospects is people that say ‘my business drives my personal life or I don’t have time to do anything else.’ The TAB boards force business owners to work on their business as much as they work in their business,” says Darin.
TAB helps forward-thinking business owners grow their businesses, increase profitability, and improve their lives by leveraging local business advisory boards, private business coaching, and proprietary strategic services. “What makes us different from a lot of other coaching consulting firms is that we are a peer-to-peer advisory board consisting of business owners, CEOs, and key decision makers from non-competing sectors which I recruit. We form a board of directors where we meet in a group setting in a confidential, non-disclosure agreement where we bring our issues or opportunities to the table and use each other as a sounding board. For example, one of my current boards has over 150 years of local business experience. Eight minds put together are better than one,” Darin explains.
His experience in the nuclear power industry has given him the skill set needed for managing a business. “I spent my entire professional career in corporate America in the nuclear power industry. Running a nuclear power plant can be difficult at times, but so is running a business. There are similarities in both large and small teams; you need to do strategic planning, hire excellent employees, and develop the talent to establish great teamwork and a healthy culture,” says Darin.
Jason Rueggeberg, owner of Evans Sport & Spine Chiropractic Center, is a member of TAB. “As a small business owner, I didn’t have access to what large businesses have or advisory boards where you tell them ‘these are my goals, these are my challenges, I need some advice, and I need you to help me set realistic goals’. I’ve developed some great relationships with TAB and the wisdom is well worth the price of admission. Darin’s mentorship has helped me focus and create a plan to get where I want to be.”
Another member of TAB is Tom Mastny, owner and CEO of The Pennant Group. “Being a company that is looking to grow, and grow the right way, it made a lot of sense to join a peer-to-peer advisory council. What TAB gives me is an outside perspective from business owners that have either been in business longer or are giving outside perspectives of what’s helped them,” says Tom. “It’s been an invaluable resource for me. I think as a business owner, it’s important to surround yourself with mentors that are in your industry, but also mentors that are outside of your industry.”
If you would like more information on The Alternative Board or would like to become a member, please visit tabcsra.com or call 706-755-0606. To schedule an appointment with Jason Rueggeber at Evans Sport & Spine Chiropractic Center, please call 706-305-9046. For more information about The Pennant Group, please call Tom Mastny at 706-723-8423.
