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Listen "Episode 23: Whiteboards, Whiskey, and 12% Conversions with Michael Rager"
Episode Synopsis
Show Notes:
What happens when you mix strategy, accountability, and a glass of whiskey? In this episode of Beyond Six Figures, we sit down with Michael Rager - founder of Teach Your Business to Fish and creator of the fast-growing Whiteboards & Whiskey franchise. After a 26-year career in oil & gas environmental consulting with clients like Exxon, Shell, and Chevron, Michael pivoted into business coaching with a mission: help small business owners cut through bottlenecks, scale smarter, and build companies ready for sale.
From identifying hidden inefficiencies to creating community-driven growth experiences, Michael reveals how he’s built a scalable coaching empire and why his Whiteboards & Whiskey events are changing the way entrepreneurs think about growth.
Episode Highlights:
Why Michael left high-paying consulting to empower small and mid-sized businesses.
Why chasing leads isn’t always the solution, and how to spot the real growth killers in your business.
How a pandemic frustration and a love for teaching turned into a global franchise opportunity.
What really happens during a Whiteboards & Whiskey session and why it converts attendees into long-term clients.
How other coaches can plug into the system and build their own recurring revenue streams.
Michael’s focus on six key performance indicators and why every business should always be “ready to sell.”
How Michael’s team uses AI-powered tools to keep clients accountable and on track with growth plans.
The Whiskey & Wisdom Collective and how creating the right ecosystem can drive $7M+ in referrals.
About Michael Rager
Michael Rager is an entrepreneur, strategist, and business coach who specializes in helping business owners eliminate bottlenecks and build companies that scale. With over 15 years of coaching and consulting experience, Michael has guided leaders across industries — from oil and gas to law, finance, construction, and healthcare — to consistently double revenues and profits in 2–3 years.
Michael is the founder of Teach Your Business to Fish, where he blends relatable storytelling with proven business strategy to help entrepreneurs “reel in” growth and freedom. He created Build It World Class, a coaching framework that equips 7-figure owners with 3-year planning, KPI discipline, and leadership development to transform their companies into scalable, sellable assets. And as the creator of Whiteboards N Whiskey, Michael pioneered a trademarked lead generation and mastermind model that puts business owners in high-level collaborative environments where ideas become action.
Michael’s coaching philosophy is simple: most businesses don’t fail because of the market — they stall because the owner is the bottleneck. His programs challenge leaders to get out of their own way, build accountability into their culture, and create businesses that work with or without them.
His mission is clear: help local businesses become world class — with systems, strategies, and communities that drive measurable growth.
Resources & Links Mentioned:
https://builditworldclass.com
https://teachyourbusinesstofish.com
https://whiteboardsnwhiskey.com/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/mirager/
What happens when you mix strategy, accountability, and a glass of whiskey? In this episode of Beyond Six Figures, we sit down with Michael Rager - founder of Teach Your Business to Fish and creator of the fast-growing Whiteboards & Whiskey franchise. After a 26-year career in oil & gas environmental consulting with clients like Exxon, Shell, and Chevron, Michael pivoted into business coaching with a mission: help small business owners cut through bottlenecks, scale smarter, and build companies ready for sale.
From identifying hidden inefficiencies to creating community-driven growth experiences, Michael reveals how he’s built a scalable coaching empire and why his Whiteboards & Whiskey events are changing the way entrepreneurs think about growth.
Episode Highlights:
Why Michael left high-paying consulting to empower small and mid-sized businesses.
Why chasing leads isn’t always the solution, and how to spot the real growth killers in your business.
How a pandemic frustration and a love for teaching turned into a global franchise opportunity.
What really happens during a Whiteboards & Whiskey session and why it converts attendees into long-term clients.
How other coaches can plug into the system and build their own recurring revenue streams.
Michael’s focus on six key performance indicators and why every business should always be “ready to sell.”
How Michael’s team uses AI-powered tools to keep clients accountable and on track with growth plans.
The Whiskey & Wisdom Collective and how creating the right ecosystem can drive $7M+ in referrals.
About Michael Rager
Michael Rager is an entrepreneur, strategist, and business coach who specializes in helping business owners eliminate bottlenecks and build companies that scale. With over 15 years of coaching and consulting experience, Michael has guided leaders across industries — from oil and gas to law, finance, construction, and healthcare — to consistently double revenues and profits in 2–3 years.
Michael is the founder of Teach Your Business to Fish, where he blends relatable storytelling with proven business strategy to help entrepreneurs “reel in” growth and freedom. He created Build It World Class, a coaching framework that equips 7-figure owners with 3-year planning, KPI discipline, and leadership development to transform their companies into scalable, sellable assets. And as the creator of Whiteboards N Whiskey, Michael pioneered a trademarked lead generation and mastermind model that puts business owners in high-level collaborative environments where ideas become action.
Michael’s coaching philosophy is simple: most businesses don’t fail because of the market — they stall because the owner is the bottleneck. His programs challenge leaders to get out of their own way, build accountability into their culture, and create businesses that work with or without them.
His mission is clear: help local businesses become world class — with systems, strategies, and communities that drive measurable growth.
Resources & Links Mentioned:
https://builditworldclass.com
https://teachyourbusinesstofish.com
https://whiteboardsnwhiskey.com/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/mirager/
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