On paper it looks clean. The numbers are clean. Six and a half years. Profits up 150%. Membership at an all-time high.
He even said it himself: “I’ve really accomplished what I wanted to accomplish here.”
And he meant it.
According to his own Billboard interview, there was 100% staff turnover during his tenure. A quarter of the team restructured just last year.
To some, that’s a red flag. To me? That’s a leader who knew exactly what he needed, went and got it — in-house or outside — and didn’t waste a single day getting there.
Grit. Street smarts. Board backing. And the professionalism to do it clean.
And now, at the absolute peak of the numbers… he’s out.
That’s not suspicious timing. That’s a masterclass.
Most leaders wait too long. They hang on until the board gets awkward, the family gets resentful, or the numbers start telling a different story.
By then? It’s not a legacy. It’s a cleanup.
Damon didn’t need fixing. He needed a standing ovation.
So here’s the lesson: Plan your exit when everything is going great. Not when it’s falling apart.
Because one is a legacy. The other is a fire drill.
