In this episode of The Training Effect, host Douglas Mark is joined by Chris Allen, founder of Vennspring and former visionary behind LearningZen, for a deep dive into why even great business systems break, and what can be done to fix them.

From multi-layered government contracts to million-user training platforms, Chris brings real-world experience on how to move from complexity to clarity. Together, Doug and Chris explore how organizations can bridge the gap between vision and execution through smarter systems, stronger training, and operational alignment.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

• Why most system breakdowns aren’t tech issues—they’re people issues

• How clarity gets lost as businesses scale

• Why consensus can kill progress

• The power of failure-forward cultures

• How LMS tools can drive both performance and trust

• How to turn training into a tool for both execution and franchisee evaluation

• Real examples of systems driving measurable revenue impact
  This episode is a masterclass in making your systems, and your people, work smarter together.

00:00 – Introduction: Why systems fail and where clarity breaks down  

03:10 – Chris’s journey from LearningZen to global consulting  

06:20 – Consensus vs. clarity: The hidden risk in scaling  

09:15 – How training bridges the gap between vision and execution  

13:40 – Common founder mistakes when building systems  

16:30 – Using LMS tools for culture, training, and franchise development  

20:45 – Real-world examples of systems that drove measurable performance  

24:00 – Why silos form—and how to reconnect marketing and IT  

28:00 – Chris’s “ask dumb questions” method for real clarity  

31:15 – Final thoughts and how to connect with Chris Allen

Follow Doug and Chris:

Connect with Doug: 

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/doug-mark-649866a/

Website: https://www.learningzen.com/

Connect with Chris: 

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/topherallen/

Website: https://vennspring.com/