Running L&d Like a Business - by Tracie Cantu (Paperback)

Book Synopsis

Become Indispensable in Driving Business Growth

L&D leaders must know how to connect learning strategies with business strategies and communicate effectively with leaders to improve employee performance and drive revenue. In other words, L&D needs to run like a business. Enter learning operations expert Tracie Cantu and her innovative Learning Operations Blueprint, which puts critical business needs first and brings rigorous systems-based thinking to corporate learning.

This first-of-its-kind approach offers step-by-step guidance for updating L&D processes and structures to immediately improve results and increase the relevance of the L&D function. When learning teams and leadership become better partners, outcomes improve for organizations and employees.

You'll learn how to build an L&D business model that works, how to manage a portfolio of learning products, and how to design employee learning experiences that improve outcomes without demanding more tech or human resources.

Cantu also provides questions for reflection, checklists, worksheets, and scorecards for practical application of her recommendations. Each chapter includes tips for taking action immediately and real-world stories that illustrate how to use the framework successfully and avoid common pitfalls.

With this book, you will learn to scale your impact, secure your influence, and reach L&D's potential.

Review Quotes

"This book meets busy L&D teams where they are and shows you exactly how to align with the business, ship great work faster, and tell a results story that leaders will believe."
-Ryan Austin, Founder and CEO, Cognota

"If you're stuck defending your relevance instead of driving results, this book gives you the frameworks to help your L&D team operate like the strategic business function it should be and finally prove your impact."
--Robyn A. Defelice, PhD, LearnOps Whisperer and Consultant, RADLearning

"Running L&D Like a Business is the playbook today's learning leaders need to connect their strategies directly to business outcomes. Tracie shows how to transform L&D from a support function into a disciplined, data-informed business partner that drives measurable performance."
--Debbie Richards, Chief Learning Advisor, Cognota

"Running L&D Like a Business will transform how you see learning and development--not as a peripheral function, but as a revenue driving business asset. If you're ready to stop training reactively and start delivering real business value, this book is your strategic road map."
--Betty Dannewitz, Founder, CEO, and the actual Betty of ifyouaskbetty

"This isn't just a book; it's a blueprint. If you've ever struggled to connect your L&D work to business outcomes, Tracie's approach will help you make that shift with confidence. Whether you're leading a large L&D team or flying solo, Running L&D Like a Business offers a clear, practical road map to move from being a training provider to a strategic business partner."
--David Kelly, Former Chairman and CEO, The Learning Guild

About the Author

Tracie Cantu is a recognized expert in learning operations and technology, with more than two decades of experience leading and transforming enterprise L&D functions at organizations including Meta, Atlassian, and Whole Foods Market. As chief learning strategist at Your CLO, Cantu partners with companies to modernize learning operations, optimize technology ecosystems, and implement scalable processes that drive measurable business impact. She is a sought-after advisor and speaker, regularly presenting at industry conferences on running L&D like a business, learning operations, and learning technology. Passionate about operational excellence, she helps organizations rethink their approach to learning, ensuring it is not just a support function but a strategic enabler of business success.