Financial leader and advisor trainer encourages individuals to think less about hustle and more about structure

Arizona, US, 28th October 2025, ZEX PR WIRE, After two decades leading nationally recognized advisory firms and coaching financial professionals across the country, Joshua D. Mellberg is raising awareness for a growing problem: professionals are burned out, reactive, and mistaking activity for progress. His message? Fix the system first.

“Most people don’t need more motivation. They need a better framework,” Mellberg says. “If your days are built on reacting to emails and meetings, you’ll always be behind. But if you can build a system that works without you, everything changes.”

Mellberg knows this firsthand. As founder of J.D. Mellberg Financial, he scaled the firm to seven straight years on the Inc. 5000 list before stepping back in 2020. His new venture, Secure Investment Management, has already earned back-to-back Inc. 5000 placements in 2024 and 2025, thanks to what Mellberg calls “intentional systems, not endless effort.”

He follows a method rooted in the Entrepreneurial Operating System (EOS), breaking his day into three categories: boulders (major priorities), rocks (short-term goals), and pebbles (minor tasks). “If the big things don’t get scheduled first,” he says, “they won’t get done.”

Why It Matters Now

According to a 2023 study by Asana, 74% of professionals say they work reactively most of the time. Nearly 60% report spending more time on process than on meaningful output. Burnout is on the rise across industries — especially among entrepreneurs and advisors.

Mellberg’s advice is simple but powerful: block time to think, and protect your schedule like a valuable asset.

“I write down three priorities at the end of each workday,” he explains. “It’s a small thing, but it stops me from waking up and immediately reacting. You need space to zoom out.”

That philosophy extends to teams. At SIM, advisors aren’t handed vague goals — they’re given playbooks, metrics, and training frameworks designed to empower independent success. “It’s not about doing more,” Mellberg says. “It’s about creating conditions where better decisions get made.”

The Cost of Doing Nothing

Mellberg points to a mistake he made early in his career: “We grew too fast without the systems to support it. Our marketing outpaced our delivery. It hurt client trust, and we had to slow down and rebuild.”

It’s a common issue. Fast growth often exposes weak infrastructure. Without proactive systems, businesses rely on brute force, leading to team burnout, client churn, and missed opportunities.

His advice to founders and professionals today:

• Plan tomorrow before today ends

• Build tools that replicate success

• Don’t be afraid to slow down to fix broken processes

For Individuals, Not Just Companies

Mellberg isn’t launching a product or asking for donations. His call to action is personal: build your own system. Whether you’re leading a company, running a household, or starting your career, you can improve your outcomes by planning with intention.

“Start small,” he says. “Write down your top three priorities tonight. Schedule time to think — not just do. And if you’re leading others, build a system that helps them succeed without guessing.”

Mellberg credits much of his progress to surrounding himself with outside advisors. “I keep a few people close who will challenge my thinking,” he says. “You can’t grow inside an echo chamber.”

About Joshua D. Mellberg:

Joshua D. Mellberg is the President & CEO of Secure Investment Management and founder of J.D. Mellberg Financial. He has spent over 20 years in the financial services industry and has trained thousands of advisors across the country. He lives in Tucson, Arizona, with his wife and son and is a long-time member of YPO Scottsdale.

Key Stats

• 74% of professionals say their workday is mostly reactive (Asana, 2023)

• 60% report they spend more time on processes than actual work output

• Burnout now affects more than 52% of small business owners (CNBC, 2024)

Companies with clearly defined systems and KPIs are 58% more likely to hit growth goals (McKinsey, 2022)