Meet
Scott Wheelock
Family Business Advisor
Early in my career, the right mentor changed everything for me. Now I get to be that person for family business owners, a trusted sounding board who helps them think more clearly.
I spent over the last 20 years in leadership roles at the Cintas Corporation, working my way up from managing 13 routes in Dayton, Ohio to running a $400M regional business with 1,600 employees as a Vice President in Texas.
Along the way, I ran many different organizations such as route delivered rental uniforms and facility service products, document destruction & storage, first aid & safety, customer service and accounts receivable call center and acquisition integrations. Each one stretched me and taught me something new.
Why I became an advisor: I want to give back what was given to me.
Early in my career when working as a Project Manager at Turner Construction, I was the guy they'd leave on a job site because they knew I'd figure it out. I was scrappy and resourceful, but what I really needed was a strong mentor. When I got to Cintas, I was fortunate to work for a general manager who personally took me under his wing. That relationship changed the trajectory of my career, and I still talk to him to this day.
Over the years, many people have poured into me and the part of my job that always gave me the most satisfaction wasn't the awards, bonuses or promotions but rather was developing my team and watching them achieve things they didn't think or know they could. Those are the milestones and moments I remember and treasure.
When I stepped away from the corporate world, I knew I wanted to find a way to get back to my purpose and it’s important that I give back the knowledge and experience I've accumulated. Whether that's a nugget of insight or directions to the gold mine.
A mutual friend connected me with Rob Ferguson, and once I got to know the firm and the people around it, it just felt right. This wasn't the big corporate consulting I wanted to avoid, where you're mining data and dazzling people with the latest buzzwords. This was knee-to-knee work with business owners who are passionate about winning and finding prosperity. That is exactly what I wanted and where I thrive.
My strength: Teaching people how to think, not what to think.
The best mentor I ever had didn't just tell me what to do. He helped me understand how he thought through decisions. And once I understood his framework for thinking, it didn't matter what situation came up, I had the tools to figure it out.
That's the approach I take with the people I develop. It is not a formal playbook, rather I want to show you a thinking style so that no matter what comes your way, you stay on the road. You might pick up a few scars along the way, but you won't end up in the ditch.
For five years at Cintas, I designed and led the leadership training program for every newly promoted General Manager in the division. But in my experience, the lessons that stick the longest don't come from just a training curriculum. They come from storytelling and sharing real experiences of wins and mistakes. I can convey a lesson in a 15-minute story that sticks with someone far longer than a stack of recommended books or a weekend seminar.
Two pieces of wisdom: Purpose, Passion, & People, and you are who/what you surround yourself with.
I have learned that when you identify your purpose, lean into what excites you, and surround yourself with winners, business success appears in abundance. The more you focus on the things that create energy, curiosity, and momentum, the more passion grows and compounds over time. The people you choose matter most. When you align purpose, passion, and people, you don’t have to chase fulfillment. It shows up on its own.
The second is this: you are who you surround yourself with. If you surround yourself with sixes and sevens, you're going to become a six or a seven, or in the case of your business, it will perform at that level. If you surround yourself with 10’s or people who are smarter than you, more experienced than you, more interesting than you, over time, you start thinking like they do. At the very least, they challenge you to be your best version of yourself. Opportunities show up that you never would have seen before. If you are the smartest person in the room with your leadership team, they may make you feel good in your meetings, but they're not going to get you where you want to go.
About me personally: golfer, fisherman, and proud Texas A&M dad
My wife April and I have been married for the last 22 years, and our daughter Emily is a freshman at Texas A&M studying nursing. She wants to be a nurse practitioner, and we're incredibly proud of her.
I grew up in the Midwest and studied construction management at Bowling Green State University before finding my way into the service industry. These days I live just north of Houston, and I'm fortunate enough to live on a lake. When I'm not working, you'll find me on the golf course or out on the water bass fishing. Those are my two favorite ways to recharge. And I'm not tired of either one yet!
