It might seem like chess has nothing to do with business. But Elliott Neff, Founder and CEO of Chess4Life, blows that misconception out of the water.
He’s built a business that teaches kids how to play chess, yes, but it equips them with the skills of life. And in this, there are lessons for us as leaders and entrepreneurs.
Plus, Elliott is a national master in chess, so we definitely wanted him on the Stride to Freedom podcast! Check out his full interview on episode 58 and read the main takeaways here.
Elliott’s Journey: Chess Master to Business Owner
Elliott learned to play chess with his dad. At just eight years old, he fell in love with the game and dedicated himself to improvement. Between the ages of 12-16 years old, he committed to practicing chess four hours a day! Talk about commitment.
This dedication and passion for the game earned him the position of High School State Champion. He wanted to support his team, so also began coaching and mentoring other chess players. This organically grew into many opportunities to coach players of all ages.
At this point, Elliott never expected to make a career from chess. But he received so much positive feedback from parents—chess helped their kids focus on their studies, make better decisions, and become more resilient.
At that point, Elliott knew chess can make a difference in people’s lives. Chess4Life was born out of that goal to positively impact others through the power of chess.
Life and Business Lessons from Chess
Chess is a game of strategy and decision making. You start by coming up with a plan based on the rules, your skill, and chess strategy. But you’re playing against someone—things change and there are endless possibilities. So, you need to pivot and be open to a new goal.
And this is the same for business—you have a plan, a strategy, but are continually adapting it and improving things to make it better.
There are many other parallels between business and chess that Elliott made throughout the interview. Here are two big ones:
- FAIL is an acronym for “First Attempt In Learning.” In chess, life, and business, use your “failures” as learning opportunities to improve.
- We’re better together. Each chess piece has its role—the Queen might be the most powerful, but they all work together and bring something unique. This is the same for business—embracing difference and learning to collaborate is so important.
Elliott Neff
Pivoting During a Pandemic: How to Scale a Business
Pre-pandemic, Chess4Life held in-person chess clubs and classes, primarily in the Greater Seattle area, where Elliott lived at the time. But in those first weeks of the COVID19 pandemic, all in-person meetings shut down.
Elliott and his team had to pivot—fast. In just three weeks they were able to make a massive pivot to online meetings and virtual classes. This has continued to grow over the last years, helping Chess4Life scale and grow to reach more people all over the US.
The pandemic was a catalyst for change. But how can companies pivot or scale without such a catalyst? Here are some of Elliot’s ideas:
- Cut the fluff. Organizations tend towards inertia—we’ve always done it this way, so let’s keep doing it. Instead, fix problems by simplifying and eliminating red tape.
- Have an extremely clear vision. Be singularly focused on what you want to achieve and ensure it aligns with your company’s big goals and values.
- Empower everyone to make changes. Change is not the responsibility of just one person—everyone needs to be part of it to make it work. So, empower employees to be creative and autonomous in their decision making.
Elliott had so much more to share with us during our interview. It made us want to go out and start playing some chess! The lessons learned in chess, life, and business are invaluable to all business leaders and entrepreneurs.
Catch Elliott’s complete interview on episode 58 of the Stride to Freedom podcast. You can also connect directly with Elliott on LinkedIn or see what he’s up to with Chess4Life.
This Stride Live Webinar is hosted by Stride Services. Stride is a comprehensive financial solutions provider, specializing in outsourced bookkeeping, accounting, tax, and advisory services for Managed Service Providers.
If you’re interested in being a featured guest on our Live Webinars or if there’s a subject matter expert you’d like us to interview, please let us know!
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Show Notes + Transcript:
Elliott Neff: LinkedIn
Chess4Life: Website/LinkedIn
Elliott Neff: Email
A Pawn’s Journey: Amazon Link
Webinar Transcript:
Leadership Lessons through Chess with Elliott Neff, Founder and CEO, Chess4Life
