Michael Erath

About Michael Erath

Michael Erath doesn’t just teach entrepreneurs how to build elite organizations—he’s lived it, lost it, and built it back stronger.In his late 20\'s and early 30\'s, Michael took an $8 million domestic family manufacturing business and turned it into a $45 million global organization with over 200 employees and sales offices on six continents. Then came 2009—the housing market imploded, and a trusted business partner’s fraud and embezzlement (which landed the guy in federal prison) wiped Michael out.Flat on his back, with nothing left, he did what real entrepreneurs do—he fought back.In 2010, he bet it all on a new venture. That’s when he found Traction®—and saw the gaps he’d missed the first time. But instead of blindly and purely following EOS®, he did what real entrepreneurs do—he made adjustments and customized it to fit his organization. In doing so, he made it better.Michael pulled in strategy and cash mastery tools from Scaling Up. Brought in A-Player systems from Topgrading. Stacked elite tools he learned from his years in YPO. The result? A custom business operating system that was tailor-made for his organization and fueled rapid growth, landed his company on the Inc. and let him exit—on his terms.Now, he’s sharing everything he’s learned with the rest of us.Michael first told his story in RISE: The Reincarnation of an Entrepreneur (available on Amazon). Now, his newest book, FIVE OBSESSIONS OF ELITE ORGANIZATIONS is the ultimate guide for entrepreneurs who refuse to settle. He’s even built an AI Clone to help you go deeper.Ready for a bigger, bolder future? Michael and his team of elite partners and business guides at Next Level Growth can get you there.

Experience

1. Author

   Five Obsessions Of Elite Organizations

   Mar 2025 — Present · Phoenix, AZ, US

Education

• High Point University

  BS, Business and Economics

  1992 — 1994

• Guilford College

  Business/Managerial Economics

  1990 — 1992

Skills

• Entrepreneurship
• Strategy
• Import
• Contract Negotiation
• Marketing Strategy
• Timber
• Training
• New Business Development
• Furnishings
• Purchasing
• Business Planning
• Operations Management
• Hardwood
• B2b
• Wood
• International Sales
• Business Development
• Business Strategy
• Export
• Leadership
• Negotiation
• Strategic Planning
• Product Development
• Supply Chain
• Flooring
• Furniture
• Manufacturing
• Warehousing
• International Business
• Sales Management
• International Trade
• Team Building
• Management
• Pricing
• Wholesale