The hold is 1,000 days. Most CEOs don't make it. You did.
What it's like — and what to expect
We'd like you on The 1000-Day CEO — the podcast where operators who actually hit the number tell the story of one play: a deal, a turnaround, an exit, and the math behind it.
Sixty minutes. Remote. Guest-first, and built to make you look as sharp as the work was. You brag about the execution; the host maps it to the frameworks.
Hosted by Bill Canady — operator, best-selling author, $3B+ in value created.
Where are you in the 1,000 days?The first 1,000 days are the sweet spot. The average hold runs about seven years — but the return rate fades the longer you hold.
250
500
750
1,000 · sweet spot
~7 yrs · avg exit
Day 1
1 HOUR
on your calendar
1 PLAY
deal · turnaround · exit
BY INVITATION
a selective guest list
A FREE BOOK
your pick, yours to keep
The partnership
Two sides of the same coin.
Nobody runs the 1,000 days alone. The sponsor is the financial power behind the deal; the CEO is the operating power inside it. Different seats, one goal — buy it, fix it, sell it for more. Both sides have a story worth telling here.
The financial power
The Sponsor
Capital, thesis, and the board behind the deal. Partner MDs, operating partners, and value-creation leads who set the destination and back the play.
&one number
The operating power
The CEO
The team, the plan, and the daily execution. The operator who takes the thesis and turns it into the result on the ground.
Come on together and tell it from both seats — or take the mic solo. Either way, it's the same win. Pick a date →
The stakes
The clock is unforgiving. The odds are worse.
Running a PE-backed company is one of the hardest seats in business. The data is sobering — which is exactly why the operators who win are worth listening to.
70%+
Replaced before exit
More than seven in ten PE-backed CEOs are replaced during the average hold period.
Heidrick & Struggles · AlixPartners
<20%
Survive the full hold
For over a decade, fewer than one in five founding CEOs has lasted from investment to exit.
AlixPartners PE Leadership Survey
58%
Gone within 2 years
Most departures happen early — within a year of close, or a year before the sale.
AlixPartners
Unplanned turnover adds 6–12 months to the hold — and cuts returns in nearly half of cases.
The CEOs who beat that math didn't get lucky. They ran a specific play, in a specific window, and hit a specific number. This show is where they explain how — one operator at a time.
No gotchas, no debate, no host grandstanding. You set the table with one play; we surface how you built the result.
01
One play, well told
Pick a single deal, workout, carve-out, buy-and-build, 100-day plan, or exit. Depth beats breadth — we go deep on the one that made the number.
02
You brag; we frame
You describe the execution. The host maps it to named operating frameworks — without hijacking your story or renaming your work.
03
The number leads
EBITDA, margin, MOIC, multiple, days. Every episode is anchored to the one figure that proves the result. Come with your number.
04
You control the record
We only cover what you're comfortable making public. Flag any no-go areas up front, and review any specific claims before release.
05
Zero logistics on you
Remote on Riverside — one link, headphones, a quiet room. A producer handles prep, scheduling, and everything after the mic.
06
You leave with assets
A polished episode plus a clip package and quote card, built for you to post — content that makes you look good to your own audience.
Where it lives
Your episode, everywhere they listen.
Your episode is available on every major podcast service — the apps your peers already use — so your play travels well beyond the recording.
Apple Podcasts
Spotify
YouTube
Amazon Music
iHeartRadio
Auto-distributed to every major podcast app the day your episode drops.
40 minutes, mapped
The run of show
Conversational, not scripted. You'll have this in advance so there are no surprises.
0:00 · Cold open
Your single best numberWe open on the figure that proves the play.
Act 1 · Origin
How you got to the seatThe short version of the road that put you in the chair.
Act 2 · Day 1
The company when you arrivedThe diagnosis and the "before" — what you were actually handed.
Act 3 · The play
How you ran itThe main event — the deal, turnaround, or exit, in your words.
Act 4 · The number
The quantified resultWhat it produced, stated plainly.
Close · Rapid-fire
Best advice for a Day-1 CEOPlus your biggest mistake and one tool you swear by.
Why say yes
The upside is all yours.
✓
A flattering, guest-first platformDesigned to make you look as good as the work was — in front of an audience that recognizes it.
✓
Content built for you to postA tightly edited episode, vertical clips, and a quote card that raise your profile with your own network.
✓
The right audiencePE-backed CEOs, group presidents, operating partners, and value-creation leads. The people whose respect matters.
✓
Sixty minutes of your time, totalForty on the mic, twenty in prep. Everything else is handled.
Your host · Bill Canady
Your host
An operator, not a journalist.
Founder & CEO, The 80/20 Institute · Chairman & CEO, Arrowhead Engineered Products
Bill Canady has spent 30+ years leading and scaling companies past the billion-dollar mark. Across global industrial markets he's turned complex, underperforming businesses into profitable, durable ones — work that has generated over $3 billion in shareholder value.
He built the Profitable Growth Operating System (PGOS), the framework behind every 80/20 Institute program, and he's the best-selling author of The 80/20 CEO and The Rule of Three. He interviews guests the way an operator would — because he's sat in the same seat.
No application to fill in. Pick an hour that works on the calendar below and it's booked — the studio link and the run of show come with the confirmation. Whenever you record, your book is on its way.
One story. One number.Sixty minutes · remote · recorded in Riverside
No episodes yet — so here are the receipts. These are the operators and owners who worked with Bill and the 80/20 Institute, on camera and unscripted, plus the readers who put his books in five-star territory. The same operator who'll map your story is the one they trusted with their business.
On camera
Operators, unfiltered.
“We grew revenue, increased profitability, and outpaced the market — with clear, proven results from 80/20.”
Adam GibbsCEO, OTC
“80/20 brought strategies I'd never heard of. I made a few tweaks and it immediately paid for itself — and showed me how much opportunity I'd been leaving on the table.”
Tyler FraserCEO, UPD Urns
“The insight, expertise, and support from Bill and the 80/20 Institute have been incredible. I can't say enough about the value they've brought to our business.”
Jerry DewberryOwner, 1-800 Radiator & A/C of Sarasota
“After one year of implementing 80/20, we're north of double-digit growth. It's been a very profound impact on our business from a profitability standpoint.”
Travis SpringsteenPresident, Western Power Sports
“The team that coached us was absolutely excellent. Self-implementing would have been very difficult — the implementation succeeded largely because of them.”
Aaron AbreuVP, Product Management, WPS
“Focusing on a few big opportunities, we grew new-product revenues from $1 million to $5 million in 14 months.”
Eric Buechele80/20 Leader
“The success we're seeing is time management — the right time with the right dealers and salespeople. We had a lot of time-wasters; this process eliminated them.”
Troy OziasSr. Director of Field Sales, WPS
“The 80/20 framework replaced our guesswork with logic — disciplined decisions that grow both top-line revenue and margin.”
Curt TueffertVP, Sales Development, DXP
“When we dug into the numbers, there were real surprises. We thought we had 200 customers — turns out we had a thousand.”
Ted MedfordCo-Owner, Profoam Corporation
In print
Praise for the books. ★★★★★
A sample of 150+ five-star reviews across Bill's best-sellers on Amazon.
★★★★★
10/10 Recommended. A Diamond.
This book is one of the best business books I've read. I have hundreds of business books on my shelf. The concepts he discusses such as MOIC and strategic selection of products is excellent.
Stephen G. CullenVerified reader
★★★★★
From Overwhelmed to Overachieving
Revenue doubled in 3 months! After following the advice in this book, I cut the noise and focused on what truly matters. The results speak for themselves.
Alayna BryantVerified reader
★★★★★
It Works.
There are so, so many tools and approaches out there -- without much available that pulls it all together coherently. What Mr. Canady has done here is curate a business system of complementary processes that make a material impact on business performance. If you are looking for a way to pull your business together and get your teams focused on the few things that truly matter, start here.
MJMVerified reader
★★★★★
Playbook for Increasing Profits
Bill Canady not only describes how to implement 80/20 and analyze data to give your teams a clear understanding of what products make money, he also explains how he has deployed it in his businesses time and time again to increase EBITDA. I’ve been a part of the executive team that incorporated all his steps he describes in the book, AND IT WORKED!
Monique Verduzco, CSO, COOVerified reader
★★★★★
Awesome Book!!!
Perfect book for entrepreneurs, CEOs, and their teams to figure out how to profit grow their business in four straightforward steps using 80/20
PG NobelVerified reader
★★★★★
Profit Like a Pro
Game changer for small businesses. Whether you're just starting out or scaling up, this book delivers the clarity and focus you need.
Stephany CamachoVerified reader
★★★★★
Revenue Growth Made Simple
What I love most is how straightforward and effective the advice is. After implementing just a few of the strategies, our team saw a measurable boost in performance and client satisfaction. This book is worth its weight in gold.
Misti JamesVerified reader
★★★★★
An essential handbook.
An essential handbook for any business leader looking to apply the Pareto Principle to their strategy and operations. The book’s approach to the 100-day plan is innovative, providing CEOs with a clear, actionable path to amplify their impact. It’s a practical guide to redefining leadership success.
NevaehVerified reader
★★★★★
Clear, Actionable, and Refreshing
What I liked most about this book was how grounded it felt. The examples made the lessons stick, and the writing kept me engaged throughout. It’s one of those books you’ll want to refer back to when things get off track. Highly useful and refreshingly honest.
Charles GarlandVerified reader
★★★★★
Clear, Practical, and Highly Motivating
This book breaks down complex problems into simple, actionable steps. It’s perfect for anyone feeling stuck or overwhelmed. The writing is focused, no fluff, and incredibly motivating. I’ve already recommended it to several colleagues—great for professionals who want real results.
Dillon PerezVerified reader
★★★★★
Great Book, Helped Me Understand Changes at Work
This is a great book. It helped me understand the mindset and goals of our new CEO since this is basically his bible.
Jason HVerified reader
★★★★★
Beneficial
This book offers numerous insights on operating an efficient and successful business. It guides readers in prioritizing key aspects of their business strategy and advancing to the next level. The emphasis on a company's mission, vision, and values is particularly beneficial.
Emma PayneVerified reader
Video and text testimonials are verified client reviews from 80/20 Institute engagements (via Senja). Book reviews are verified Amazon purchases.
The companion series
Four books. One thousand days.
The show tells the stories. The 1000-Day CEO Series is the playbook behind them — one book for each phase of the hold, from the first hundred days to the exit.
Sixty minutes total — about 40 on the mic and 20 to prep. You bring one story and one number; a producer handles scheduling, tech, and everything after the recording.
What if some of it is confidential?
You only cover what you're comfortable making public. Flag any no-go areas up front and we steer around them, and you can review specific claims before the episode is released.
What do I need to prepare?
Just one play worth telling — a deal, turnaround, carve-out, 100-day plan, or exit — and the single number that proves the result. You'll get the run of show in advance. It's a conversation, not a script.
Who actually watches and listens?
PE-backed CEOs and presidents, operating partners, value-creation leads, and sponsor deal teams — the operators whose recognition is worth having.
What do I get out of it?
A polished episode plus a clip package and quote card built for you to post, a spot on a selective guest roster, and a copy of your choice of Bill's books — sent whether or not the timing works out.
