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.
I’ve been where you are.
When the whole business runs through you, it’s exhausting — a team that isn’t aligned, no time to think, growth that’s stalled despite the long hours. I’ve sat in that seat. I’ve also learned how to build a business that runs like a well-oiled machine — with clear leadership, real accountability, and systems that hold — and I’ll guide you to do the same.
Pinnacle Client Testimonials
The Pinnacle approach changes the way you view and operate your business on a daily basis. It helps you to build a foundation of A-players that live your core values, create winning playbooks, and drive clarity and alignment around your purpose and goals. If I could change one thing, I would have started working with Pinnacle earlier.
Brandon Mensink
COO & Co-Owner of Tonna Mechanical, Inc.
The Pinnacle approach is customizable, nimble, and applicable to any business challenge. It layers the latest business thinking on top of tried-and-true practices. This unique combination continues to take my company and leadership to the next level.
Kristi Piehl
Founder & CEO of Media Minefield
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.