Building a Self-Running Business: Len Oppenheimer’s Journey to Operational Freedom

Len Oppenheimer

Len Oppenheimer is the Founder and CEO of Golden Box, a custom packaging company with deep family roots in the industry. With over 30 years of entrepreneurial experience and a long-standing involvement in the New York chapter of EO (Entrepreneurs’ Organization), Len has transformed his business from a small family operation into a scalable, systemized company—powered by documented processes and operational excellence.

Here’s a glimpse of what you’ll learn:

[04:25] The ceiling Len hit and why sales growth alone wasn’t enough
[06:53] How the first SOP transformed his hiring and onboarding process
[08:38] The shift from being in everything to building a team that runs operations
[09:43] Understanding ROI vs ROF—Return on Freedom
[13:06] Turning mistakes into process improvements
[19:21] How systemization increased business value and sparked expansion opportunities

In this episode:

What if the key to unlocking business growth is documenting what’s already in your head?

In this uplifting episode of Systems Simplified, host Adi Klevit talks with Len Oppenheimer about his transformational journey from being deeply entrenched in daily operations to building a business that runs without him. Len shares how Golden Box, a family-founded packaging company, scaled from a kitchen-table venture to a structured, scalable organization by implementing repeatable systems.

Through a candid conversation, Len outlines how documenting SOPs changed everything—from onboarding his first long-term employee to attracting top-tier leadership. He shares how defining core processes not only improved efficiency but also reinforced the company's family-oriented culture—even without family in the business. For entrepreneurs considering that next leap, Len’s insights on achieving what he calls the “Return on Freedom” are both practical and inspiring.

Resources mentioned in this episode:

Quotable Moments:

“This single thing—documenting our processes—was the key that unlocked many doors.”
“You don’t just extract steps. You document the why behind each step.”
“The return on freedom is real. I now travel, explore new ventures, and still grow the business.”
“If I wanted to buy a dream business, I realized I had already built it—it was mine.”
“It’s not just a list of tasks. It’s about building a system that lives and evolves.”
“What we needed to sell the business was the same thing we needed to scale or acquire."

Action Steps:

Identify areas of your business where knowledge is stuck in people’s heads
Start small: document one core process and see the impact
Use documentation to align your team around values, not just tasks
Apply systems thinking to new departments—like sales or finance—not just ops
Shift your mindset from operator to owner by measuring your Return on Freedom
Treat your business like an asset: build it so it can run with or without you

Sponsor for this episode:

This episode is brought to you by Business Success Consulting Group.

At Business Success Consulting Group, we create custom processes and tailor-made management systems so businesses can thrive.

Businesses simply can’t survive without workable systems and well-documented processes. That’s why our team of experienced professionals takes care of it for you.

We provide business owners, entrepreneurs, and key executives with six phases to success, along with the long-lasting systems necessary to support business expansion.

So, what are you waiting for? Do yourself a favor and cut the chaos out of your business.

Visit bizsuccesscg.com today or email info@bizsuccesscg.com to schedule a free consultation.