How Cadence Travel rebuilt structure and clarity with EOS after the pandemic

Executive overview

Cadence Travel grew to 70 employees by early 2020, then the pandemic cut the team to 32. Coming out of it, they surpassed their prior peak and reached 85 people — but rapid growth exposed a broken org structure with no real accountability.

They adopted EOS (Entrepreneurial Operating System) with a professional implementer to build an accountability chart, define ownership, and create clarity on direction and execution.

The core insight: an org chart without accountability is just a picture — EOS turns it into an operating system.

Rebuilding after the pandemic

• Peak headcount of 70 in early 2020 collapsed to 32 by mid-March
• Refunds outpaced new bookings; emotional toll was significant
• Came out of the pandemic at 85 people — a resurgence, not just a recovery
• Hired a VP of Operations to support the next growth phase

Why EOS became necessary

• Rapid growth exposed a gap: an org chart existed but functioned as nothing
• One leader carried 15 direct reports with no real structure beneath them
• Needed an accountability chart, not just a hierarchy on paper
• Had identified the need before the pandemic; started EOS implementation in late 2022

How they implemented EOS

• Chose a professional implementer rather than a self-guided approach
• Implementer fast-tracked the process and kept them on the right path
• Established rocks, issues lists, and accountability structures from the start
• Avoided the rework cost of doing it wrong the first time

What EOS delivered

• Clear answers to: where are we going, who owns what, how do we get there
• Restructured the company in a short period to support future growth
• Simplicity is the system's strength — hard to argue with the outcomes