Book

“Goodner provides useful tips for businesses of all sizes and suggestions for how to implement the practices he outlines with real-world strategies. While the chapters do reference previous sections, each can be read on its own, and the author even supplies a guide to which chapters to focus on to address specific challenges businesses face. The well-organized text makes the advice easily digestible. In a crowded field, the author sets himself apart by using a unique angle to frame the issues of business: Goodner asks, how does a well-organized, world-renowned military run, and how can your business use the same methods to get ahead?”

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Sam Goodner’s Like Clockwork brilliantly captures the essence of disciplined execution. Drawing deeply from his unique experiences as a Swiss Army officer and tech entrepreneur, Sam provides practical, battle-tested principles every business leader needs. I’ve spent decades coaching entrepreneurs on the importance of structured growth and consistent execution—Sam exemplifies both. Packed with clear insights and vivid storytelling, this book doesn’t just theorize about efficiency; it equips you with actionable strategies to scale your business systematically and sustainably. If you’re serious about execution, read this book, apply its principles, and watch your organization thrive.

You did some heavy lifting and some really good work here.  The considerable time, effort and thought you put into it is obvious.

Well organized and chock full of strong operating principles, with great takeaways and relevant case studies.  You made the complex simple.  That is no easy feat.  Should I be surprised?

I also loved the way you cross referenced the chapters to read based on the business challenges the reader might be facing.  Clever, and very useful.

“Where LIKE CLOCKWORK scores over its competitors is in the less intuitive aspects of Goodner’s experiences. Chapter 6, which claims that “the best defense is a good defense,” made for surprising reading: in the ultra-competitive industry of IT, where so many businesses seek high turnover in the short term, Goodner advocates for planning for the rainy days that come with recessions, a conviction borne out of bitter experience when the dot-com bubble burst in the early 2000s.”

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“While the prose is not especially literary or stylistic, it is clear, direct, and well-paced. Goodner writes with a sense of purpose and humility, often acknowledging his own missteps and the lessons they provided. This reflective tone lends credibility to his recommendations and makes the book feel grounded in real-world experience rather than theory. His Swiss Army anecdotes are particularly effective, they serve not as gimmicks, but as thoughtful parallels that reinforce his belief in discipline, preparation, and systems thinking.

Like Clockwork is best suited for entrepreneurs, managers, and business leaders who are actively responsible for building and running operational systems. It offers a highly practical, experience-based framework for leading teams, scaling efficiently, and minimizing chaos through intentional design. While it is not an inspirational read in the traditional sense, its insights are actionable and repeatable. For those seeking lasting operational effectiveness over short-term motivation, this book delivers exceptional value.”

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Like Clockwork is a unique blend of autobiography, storytelling and a textbook with plenty of actionable takeaways. I learned more from this book to help grow my business than I did in my entire time in business school.

I love reading business books, a fortunate habit I started a long time back. Like Clockwork is unique among books I have read in that it provides succinct insights into many critical aspects in running a company.   Also unique is that each insight is lived, researched, and secondary stories from other business tied in to show that Sam’s observations are needs shared in many organizations. The fact that each chapter also provides further reading recommendations is simply wonderful and matches my love of well thought and referenced books. This format makes it incredibly valuable for company leaders, and for those leaders who desire to pass along valuable lessons to their staff.  Each chapter both builds on the other but also written to stand alone – this makes Like Clockwork incredibly handy as a quick reference guide that allows it to be used daily, something very few business books could claim. Highly recommend this book, we have already procured a copy for all our staff.

I had the good fortunate in working with Sam at Catapult for almost a decade, so the stories in this book hold a wonderful shared history, and it has been enlightening reading these critical business lessons from the executive point of view. As a co-founder now in my own company, my business partner (also a former Catapulter) and I have utilized many key things we learned about company and culture during our time at Catapult Systems in the founding, operations, management, and cultural foundations of our own company. Our junior staff can look at each of the lessons in Like Clockwork as a window into a deep and broad aspect in running a company. This also makes the book invaluable for building a shared understanding across our leadership team and delivery staff. I believe one of the strongest testaments to the value of the lessons in Like Clockwork is the number of Catapult alumni that have gone on to create and run their own successful companies – my co-founder and I are but one group of many!

I read and enjoyed your book.  The focus on execution and quick action items are refreshing.  Nice that folks can do deeper if they want to as well.  Will definitely recommend to others and probably buy a few gifts.

This is the book I wish I had when I started my last business!

Sam Goodner’s ‘Like Clockwork’ is a tour de force in the art and science of business strategy and execution.

As a serial entrepreneur and now CEO coach for a decade across 60 businesses, I have seen countless companies struggle with scaling their leadership and operations. Sam’s book offers a refreshing, systematic approach and tools to overcome these challenges. Drawing on his experiences as a Swiss Army officer and a successful entrepreneur, Sam lays out a series of practical, proven strategies that can transform even the most chaotic organization into a well-oiled machine. This book challenges conventional thinking by demonstrating that the secret to lasting success lies not in a flash of brilliance, but in the disciplined, methodical implementation of robust tools and systems.