More Than a System, EOS Ensures We Always Do the Right Thing, for the Right Reason

For the past 10-plus years, Millerbernd’s success and growth have become turbocharged and it's a direct result of the focus, accountability, and mindset of the Entrepreneurial Operating System.
 

Millerbernd’s manufacturing legacy spans more than 90 years — a multi-generational, family-owned success story in the small farming community of Winsted, Minnesota. That kind of staying power is reason enough to celebrate and is a testament to the company’s ability to overcome challenges and setbacks and to keep moving forward. Yet, over the past 10-plus years, Millerbernd’s success and growth have become turbocharged, and it’s directly linked to a change in mindset courtesy of the Entrepreneurial Operating System (EOS).
 

While many organizations employ the operational toolkit often simply called “EOS,” Millerbernd views EOS as more than just a system. According to Millerbernd President Eric Stack, EOS is a mindset that shapes and guides everything the company does. 
 

“This is our 11th year of running our company using EOS,” said Eric. “It quite literally shapes how we lead…how we stay focused…and how we build healthy and accountable teams.”
 

According to Eric, EOS not only helps define how the organization is run, it also ensures they find the right people for the right positions.
 

“We’re a people-first organization,” said Eric. “Nothing is more important to our success and growth, so that means we need to have the right people in place. With EOS, we create a culture at Millerbernd, and with that, we can find people who align with our values. When you do that, you end up with really powerful teams who are pulling on the rope in the same direction…everyone is set up to win, both in terms of helping the company succeed and in their personal careers. I believe it’s (EOS) the biggest reason we’ve been so successful over the past decade.”
 

Creating accountability is a key component of EOS. Using tools with names like “rocks,” “scorecards,” and weekly “L10s” are all designed to keep people and teams on track, focused, and hitting key deliverables. In addition, EOS works to reduce the amount of emotion driving key decisions and instead leans into data and open discussions grounded in the organization’s values.
 

“The goal is to create traction,” said Eric. “That’s the term we often use to describe progress. A lot of times, a project or initiative can stall out, and as an organization, you can spend a lot of energy talking about what you want to do, but you fail to move the ball forward. With EOS, you have real metrics that compel you to make real progress or sometimes, cut bait.”
 

Having EOS as a framework has allowed Millerbernd to stay consistent and move as one team, even as the business expands with new facilities in new communities and with new employees. And while EOS provides the framework, the real difference-maker, according to Eric, is how you use it. 
 

“EOS is the toolkit, but what the tools are and how the organization accepts and embraces them is what really matters,” said Eric. “We’ve created a culture here that is people-driven and truly grounded in our core values. By doing that, it inspires all of us to do the right thing, to run this business the right way, and to always do what’s right for our customers. When that happens, everyone wins.”