36.2 million
Small businesses in the U.S., 99.9% of all firms.
Source: SBA Office of Advocacy, 2025 Small Business Profile / FAQ 2026
ROOKIE RUNWAY, SPONSORED BY THE PROPER GROUP
The field guide for going out on your own.
You got licensed. Nobody taught you how to run the business.
The mini MBA they skip in licensing school. Your business in a box: checklists, a daily plan, a simple CRM and the playbooks a COO, CFO, CMO, CTO and CHRO would give you, built for licensed pros and tradespeople going out on their own.
Presented by
The opportunity. The reality.
By the numbers
82.3%
Of small businesses (29.8 million) have no employees: most owners start solo.
Source: SBA Office of Advocacy FAQ 2026 (2022 data)45.9%
Of private-sector workers (62.3 million) are employed by small businesses.
Source: SBA Office of Advocacy FAQ 202649.2%
Of new employer establishments survive five years; 33.9% survive ten (1994 to 2022 averages).
Source: SBA Office of Advocacy FAQ 2026, from BLS Business Employment Dynamics5.64 million
New business applications were filed in 2025, a record.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau Business Formation Statistics via FREDStart where you are
Your license. Your next chapter.
New: resource libraries for every profession
A field guide built around the business you actually want to run.
Live now
Real Estate Agents
Open your field guideFounding waitlist open
Insurance Agents and Agency Owners
Open your field guideFounding waitlist open
Solo and Small-Firm Lawyers
Open your field guideFounding waitlist open
Physicians Opening a Private Practice
Open your field guideFounding waitlist open
Dentists Opening or Buying a Practice
Open your field guideFounding waitlist open
Spa, Esthetics and Massage Owners
Open your field guideFounding waitlist open
Salon, Barber and Booth-Renter Owners
Open your field guideFounding waitlist open
Electricians, Plumbers, HVAC and Contractors
Open your field guideFounding waitlist open
Financial Advisors and Tax/Bookkeeping Pros
Open your field guideFounding waitlist open
Mortgage Loan Officers and Brokers
Open your field guideFounding waitlist open
Chiropractors, Physical Therapists and Allied Health Practices
Open your field guideFounding waitlist open
Veterinarians Opening or Buying a Practice
Open your field guideFounding waitlist open
Architects, Engineers and Design Firms
Open your field guideFounding waitlist open
Independent Consultants and Fractional Professionals
Open your field guideFounding waitlist open
Landscaping, Cleaning, Pest and Home Service Owners
Open your field guideFounding waitlist open
Therapists, Counselors and Personal Trainers in Private Practice
Open your field guideBusiness education, built for working owners
The mini MBA they skip in licensing school
Your business in a box: practical work, not a degree or credential.
COO
Operations
- ✓ Map inquiry to delivery.
- ✓ Write a repeatable weekly routine.
- ✓ Spot handoff bottlenecks.
Covered by: Business basics launch checklist
CFO
Money
- ✓ Calculate cash runway.
- ✓ Find your pricing floor.
- ✓ Track costs and collection timing.
Covered by: Runway and pricing calculators
CMO
Marketing
- ✓ Define your audience.
- ✓ Write a clear service promise.
- ✓ Choose a focused referral channel.
Covered by: Profession field guides and CMO playbook
CTO
Technology
- ✓ Choose systems around work.
- ✓ Keep a clean contact list.
- ✓ Plan exports and controlled access.
Covered by: CTO playbook and My People guide
CHRO
People
- ✓ Define a support role.
- ✓ Document review responsibilities.
- ✓ Create an onboarding checklist.
Covered by: CHRO playbook and profession checklist
Owner
Sales and Relationships
- ✓ Practice a useful introduction.
- ✓ Set the next follow-up.
- ✓ Review inquiries and appointments.
Covered by: Profession checklists and My People
Think like an owner
Your C-suite in a box
You can't hire a full-time COO, CMO, CTO or CHRO yet. Here it is in a box, and when you're ready, The Proper Group can put a seasoned fractional executive beside you.
COO
Operations
- Set up your booking and scheduling system.
- Write SOPs for your top 5 tasks.
- Put a weekly review on your calendar.
- Build a vendor list with a backup for essentials.
- Map your client intake flow from inquiry to delivery.
CFO
Money
- Calculate your runway in months.
- Open a separate business bank account.
- Set aside taxes from each payment with your advisor.
- Price for profit, not just hours.
- Review a monthly P&L in 30 minutes.
CMO
Growth
- Write your positioning in one sentence.
- Set up an eligible Google Business Profile.
- Build a website with a clear next step.
- Ask for and reply to every review, within professional rules.
- Write and practice a referral ask script.
CTO
Tools & tech
- Own your phone number, email and domain.
- Choose one CRM and keep it current.
- Use a password manager and 2FA.
- Set up backups and test a restore.
- Use an AI assistant for writing and admin, without sensitive client data.
CHRO
People
- Review contractor versus employee basics with an advisor.
- Write a scorecard for your first hire.
- Create a simple onboarding checklist.
- Describe your culture in three sentences.
- Decide when a VA can take recurring admin off your plate.
$105,770 / $213,990
A full-time general and operations manager earns a median $105,770 a year; chief executives $213,990 (May 2025).
Source: BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook, Top ExecutivesRookie Runway gives you the playbook now. When you are ready for real executive help, The Proper Group can put a seasoned fractional executive beside you.
Explore the playbooksFree tools, useful decisions
Before you spend, run the numbers.
Local context
Find your state
Ohio
- Small businesses
- 1.1 million
- Share of businesses
- 99.6%
- Share of employees
- 43.8%
Your next local step
Grow at the pace of your business
Launch now. Grow into the rest.
From your first plan to your own hub.
A real website plus a private team hub with CRM, sales hub and team hub, live in days not months.
Rookie Runway members get a free website audit.
A website, reputation tools, local discovery and executive help each have their time. Add what solves the next real problem, not everything at once.
Explore the growth stack →Launch guides and practical lessons, not promises
From the Runway desk
Launch guides
How to launch your real estate business: the first 90 days
Build a broker-aligned routine for local conversations, transaction handoffs, and irregular commission income.
The Rookie Runway desk · 7 minute read →
Launch guides
How to launch your insurance agency business: the first 90 days
Organize prospect conversations, approved quoting handoffs, renewal ownership, and agency cash planning.
The Rookie Runway desk · 7 minute read →
Launch guides
How to launch your law firm business: the first 90 days
Build a focused firm with careful inquiry routing, matter administration, and cash visibility.
The Rookie Runway desk · 7 minute read →
A practical path forward
How it works
- 01
Pick your profession
- 02
Get your 90-day runway plan and checklists
- 03
Run your people and follow-ups in the built-in CRM
- 04
Add a real website and hub, reviews and local visibility when you're ready
The full member plan and CRM are live for real estate. Other professions start with the free field guides and founding waitlist.
Bring a stronger start to your community
A launch benefit for your next cohort.
For brokerages, licensing schools, associations, chambers and banks: sponsored seats, co-branded field guides and monthly owner workshops.
Explore partnerships →A little business school in your inbox
We use your email for practical lessons and launch updates. Unsubscribe anytime.
Before you start
Good questions.
Who is Rookie Runway for?
Newly licensed real estate agents in their first 90 days, or anyone restarting their business.
Does this replace my broker's training?
No. Your broker teaches the software and the rules. Rookie Runway gives you a daily plan to reach real conversations and your first client.
How do I get access after paying?
Sign in with the same email you used at checkout. Your access appears right away.
Can I cancel any time?
Yes. Open your account page and choose Manage billing to cancel or update your plan.
What happens if a payment fails?
You keep access for a short grace period while you update your card in Manage billing.
How do I reach a person?
Use the contact form on this page and we will reply by email.
Which professions are live?
Real estate is live today. Other professions have checklists and playbooks now; the full member app is coming. Join the founding waitlist for your profession.
Is this connected to Front & Hall?
It is part of our growth stack. Members can request a free website audit and export contacts for a guided move into a Front & Hall hub. There is no live contact sync.
Do I need to be in Ohio or Indiana?
No. Every state and DC has a small-business snapshot and official local-help links. Licensing and practice requirements still vary by location.
The Proper Group is a collective of 200 vetted fractional and interim executives who help growing companies lead through change.
Source: The Proper Group
For brokerage owners and team leaders: The Proper Group places seasoned fractional executives in operations, growth and finance so you can scale without a full-time hire.