Leadership Forged in the Trenches

GRIT, GREASE, AND GRACE

This isn’t a boardroom pep talk. It’s leadership for real life—raw, faith-filled, and built to last. If you’ve ever had to lead through chaos, carry the weight no one else sees, or figure it out without a playbook…

This book is for you.

PRE-ORDER NOW

Lead with confidence, clarity, and conviction.

What This Book Is All About

Let’s be honest—most leadership books feel like they were written in a corner office by someone who’s never had to unclog a toilet, fix a truck, or have a hard conversation before 6 a.m.

This one’s different.

Grit, Grease, and Grace was forged in the middle of real life—early mornings, long days, big dreams, tight deadlines, and a faith that kept it all moving.

Dan Greer brings 20+ years of leadership experience from the trenches:

This book is a no-fluff guide for anyone who’s leading people, building something that matters, and leaning on faith to get it done right.

If you’re tired of cookie-cutter leadership advice that leaves out God and real-world grit—this is your next read.

From DOT yards and job sites to boardrooms and big stages.

From burnout to breakthrough.

From white-knuckling it to walking with purpose.

“WALK WITH THE DREAMERS, THE BELIEVERS, THE COURAGEOUS, THE CHEERFUL, THE PLANNERS, THE DOERS, THE SUCCESSFUL PEOPLE WITH THEIR HEADS IN THE CLOUDS AND THEIR FEET ON THE GROUND.”

-WILFRED PETERSON

What You’ll Achieve by Reading This Book

This isn’t theory. It’s a toolbox. And by the time you hit the last page, you’ll be a different kind of leader—stronger, sharper, and a whole lot more grounded.

Lead with Clarity, Not Chaos

No more guessing games. Learn how to make confident decisions, even when the pressure’s sky-high.

Take Extreme Ownership

Stop blaming. Stop waiting. Start leading like it’s all on you—because your team already thinks it is.

Balance Toughness with Grace

Be the kind of leader who can correct without crushing, push without breaking, and care without caving.

Lead When No One’s Looking

Character over charisma. Build habits and integrity that carry weight in quiet rooms and crowded ones.

Multiply Leaders, Not Dependents

If you’re the only one leading, you’re doing it wrong. Learn how to raise others up—and lighten your load while you’re at it.

Build a Brand That Speaks When You’re Silent

Your personal brand as a leader is always on display. This book shows you how to shape it with purpose.

Anchor Everything in Prayer and Purpose

Leadership isn’t just skill—it’s spiritual. And the most powerful leaders know who they’re following.

A lead mountain climber in bright gear helps another climber ascend a steep, icy section of a snow-capped mountain

Who This Book Is For

If you’ve ever had to fix a mess you didn’t make, answer questions you weren’t trained for, or lead a crew that’s got more drama than a high school prom—this book’s for you.

Grit, Grease, and Grace is your field manual if: 

You’re the go-to when stuff hits the fan (even though it wasn’t your fan).

You’ve ever led from a shop floor, a job site, or a dinner table.

You’re tired of carrying the weight in silence while everyone else thinks you’ve got it all together.

You run toward problems instead of away from them—and sometimes wish someone would run with you.

You believe in God, grit, and getting stuff done (even when the coffee’s out and the budget’s blown).

You’re done with fluffy leadership books written by people who’ve never led a team outside of Zoom.

If you’re building something that matters and leading people through real life—not just spreadsheets—this book was forged for you.

Inside the Trenches – Chapter Highlights

Here’s a taste of what’s packed inside the pages—no fluff, just real-life leadership gold:

Where Influence Lives

Spoiler: It’s not in your title. It’s in the trust you build when no one’s watching.

The Power of Extreme Ownership

Quit pointing fingers. Grab the wheel. This chapter will smack excuses in the mouth.

Your Personal Brand as a Leader

You’re always leading—even when you’re quiet. Learn how to make your life speak louder than your words.

The Leadership No One Sees

This one’s for the silent warriors who carry the weight without applause. God sees it. And your impact runs deep.

The Power of Prayer (Especially Before Action)

Because sometimes your biggest wins come from your knees, not your notes.

Servant Leadership: Leading by Scrubbing Toilets First

Yup. Sometimes leadership smells like bleach and humility. And that’s exactly the point.

When It’s Lonely in the Middle

When It’s Lonely in the Middle

The Tension Between Grit and Grace

Being a leader means learning when to dig in and when to lay it down. (Hint: it’s not always easy.)

Multiplying Leaders: The Legacy Move

Build people, not just results. This one flips the script on what “winning” looks like.

Surround Yourself with Winners

You’ll never soar with eagles if you’re flapping around with turkeys. Let’s upgrade your circle.

“WALK WITH THE DREAMERS, THE BELIEVERS, THE COURAGEOUS, THE CHEERFUL, THE PLANNERS, THE DOERS, THE SUCCESSFUL PEOPLE WITH THEIR HEADS IN THE CLOUDS AND THEIR FEET ON THE GROUND.”

-WILFRED PETERSON

Why This Book Matters Now

The world doesn’t need more influencers. It needs more leaders—the kind who show up early, stay late, and pray in between.

Right now, leadership is noisy, confusing, and full of people trying to be impressive instead of impactful. But you? You’re built different. You’ve felt the weight. You’ve carried the load. And deep down, you know there’s more to it than titles and talk.

This book was written for such a time as this—for leaders who:

Are burned out but not burned up

Want to lead with faith and fire, not fear

Feel stuck in the middle—between chaos above and pressure below

Know God called them to something bigger than themselves

Know God called them to something bigger than themselves

You weren’t meant to blend in.
You were built to stand up, lead strong, and walk it out with grit, grease, and grace.

This book is your spark. Let’s go light something up.

About the Author – Dan Greer

Dan Greer doesn’t teach leadership from a pedestal—he teaches it from the pit. From busted knuckles to boardrooms, he’s led through the chaos, the grind, and the glory of building something that actually matters.

He got his start the hard way: boots on the ground, hands in the grease, and a whole lot of lessons learned the expensive way. From 100-hour workweeks to navigating DOT audits, Dan built his leadership the same way he built his businesses—with grit, by grace, and one gut-check decision at a time.

Over the past 20+ years, he’s led teams through fire (figuratively and sometimes literally), helped thousands of companies clean up their operations, and grown Eclipse DOT into a national force—all while raising a family, keeping God first, and somehow still having enough energy to pour into others.

He’s the guy people call when things go sideways.
He’s the guy who tells the truth even when it’s uncomfortable.
And he’s the guy who will absolutely pray with you before a big decision—then help you build the plan to carry it out.

Dan has shared the stage with business legends and faith leaders, spoken at national conferences, trained municipal and utility leaders, and helped forward-thinking companies scale without losing their soul. He’s built nonprofits, mentored teens, survived setbacks, and come out the other side with more purpose than polish—and that’s exactly how he likes it.

When he’s not speaking, writing, or coaching, you’ll find him on a tractor with his kids,

Pre-Order Now & Get the Good Stuff

This is Your Moment. Don’t Miss It.

You were made to lead—not just survive it, but own it.
Get the book. Use the tools. Live the mission.

Join our Newsletter

Get all latest news, exclusive deals and academy updates.