How a visionary-integrator duo at Haven Creative built trust and scaled together

Executive overview

Running a growing agency as a solo visionary means ideas pile up with no one to catch them. Adding an integrator transforms that chaos into execution — but only when both sides understand their wiring.

Jenny Bucholt (visionary/CEO) and Jessica Blackshaw (integrator) at Haven Creative codified how they work together using a handful of custom tools: the "wow and the how," the cake batter list, monthly same-page lunches, and a shared accountability scorecard. The result: 125% growth in one year and one of the lowest turnover rates in their industry.

The integrator doesn't just execute — she translates the visionary's raw ideas into something the team can actually receive.

The wow and the how

• Jenny is the wow: paints the picture, generates ideas, processes out loud
• Jessica is the how: narrows options, executes, and delivers finished work to the team
• The complementary wiring is a feature, not a problem to fix

The cake batter framework

• Jenny's half-baked ideas were stressing the team; Jessica described the feeling as being hit with cake batter
• The pair made "cake battering" a verb — a signal that an idea is unformed and not yet an action item
• Ideas go onto a visionary-integrator wish list (their version of the EOS parking lot) rather than disappearing or overwhelming the team
• Jenny now self-checks: "Is this cake batter?" before sharing with the broader team

Getting team buy-in on EOS

• Initial VTO rollout landed with deadpan silence — the team hadn't been part of the conversation
• Fix: pull the team into quarterly sessions with the EOS implementer early, not just after decisions are made
• Core values got buy-in fastest; the full VTO took roughly a year to sink in
• True alignment came at a mountain retreat where the team co-wrote the purpose statement together
• New hires get What the Heck is EOS? as part of onboarding; core values are re-communicated every quarter

Making mavens

• "Making mavens" is Haven's 10-year purpose: educating clients and team to become experts in their own right
• Named as a nod to "making mustangers" from Jenny's first business mentor, and because "maven" rhymes with "Haven"
• Currently at ~2,300 mavens tracked; target is 70,000 — measured by direct educational impact, not social media followers
• Cross-training, streamlining handoffs, and eliminating buzzwords are how they build mavens internally

Building trust through hard times

• Big wins built the relationship, but the real bond came from surviving COVID, client downturns, and personal losses together
• Both describe the VI relationship like a marriage: easy when things are good, trust is built when things get hard
• Radical candor and regular hard conversations are the foundation — not just positivity

Staying on the same page

• Level 10 meeting (leadership-only, Jenny and Jessica) runs weekly for two years
• Monthly same-page lunch: 90+ minutes, no agenda pressure, covers high-level goals and harder conversations
• Jessica came back from the EOS Integrator Masterclass and introduced the same-page meeting format
• Jenny noticed that before the lunches, seeing Jess's name on her phone caused dread; the lunches removed that fear
• Jessica communicates with Jenny by leading with headlines, clear bullet points, and a bold red ask — Jenny doesn't need to know how the sausage is made

Visionary-integrator report card

• Jessica attended the EOS Integrator Masterclass and adapted the integrator scorecard for their specific needs
• Combined elements from multiple scorecards; Jenny is accountable for three people-and-culture areas, Jessica owns operations
• The pair felt both sides needed to be held accountable — not just the integrator
• EOS has since released a formal visionary report card alongside the integrator version

What's next for the duo

• Current challenge: scaling without diluting culture or losing the founder's values through new leadership layers
• Next step: build out a leadership team beneath Jenny and Jessica
• Five-year vision: pull Jessica further out of day-to-day operations the way Jessica once freed Jenny
• Planned: doing a lifeline exercise together at their next retreat to deepen personal trust before expanding the leadership team