O(1) Solutions
Help your business take its next step.
Apply for one free business-improvement project in 2027. Tell Jim about your business, the problem you want to solve, why it matters and your team's readiness to make changes. No purchase or observation booking is required.
One grand prize: one agreed project, free.
The selected business receives one feasible business-improvement project with up to $24,000 in waived project fees, based on O(1) Solutions' ordinary, good-faith written project quote.
Service is limited to up to 2 hours of project work per week for 12 consecutive weeks, with a maximum of 24 total hours. The agreed project's normal quoted fee must be no more than $24,000 and is waived in full. Service ends when that project is complete, 24 hours of project work have been delivered or the 12-week period ends, whichever comes first.
All project time counts toward the allowance, including meetings, preparation, analysis, planning and implementation. The project scope, ordinary fee and service plan will be written down before acceptance. The project must fit within the free prize limits; no paid upgrade is required to receive it. There is no cash payment or credit for unused value.
Third-party hardware, software, subscriptions and outside services are excluded. The agreed free project must be feasible without requiring you to buy any of these or pay a balance.
The fee cap is not a verified market valuation or a promise of business results. Fees are custom and value based. Actual waived fees depend on the agreed project; forecasts of business benefits are not guaranteed.
Dates to know.
- Applications open
- October 24, 2026
- Application deadline
- December 31, 2026 at 11:59:59 p.m. Eastern Time
- Selection
- January 1, 2027, following the published judging criteria.
- Project work
- Begins on a mutually agreed date in 2027 and runs for up to 12 consecutive weeks from that start.
Who can apply.
You must be a U.S. resident who is at least 18 and has reached the age of legal majority where you live, and be an authorized owner, officer or manager of an active, lawful business operating in one of the 50 U.S. states or Washington, D.C.
One application per business. Employees, judges and anyone administering the award, and their immediate family or household members, are excluded.
A free application. No booking required.
Complete the four questions below. Your name, phone number, business name, role, business city and state, and all four answers are required. An email address is optional. You can also request a free observation using the optional checkbox.
Booking or attending an observation is not required to apply. All applicants answer the same questions and receive the same review. Booking an observation alone does not enter a business.
No fee, purchase, marketing consent or commitment to paid work is required to apply or receive the free prize. Sales conversations, referrals and possible future purchases earn no judging advantage.
Submit your application directly on this page. After it has been stored, you will see a confirmation with an application reference. That confirms receipt, not eligibility, an observation booking or an award. A complete application must be received before the deadline and eligibility verified.
You can also email the same required information to Jim as an alternate way to apply. The Official Rules explain what to include.
Four answers. Published criteria.
Jim Peterson judges the applications. This is a judged award, with no random drawing. The questions ask about your business problem, your desired outcome, why it matters to you and why now, and your team's ability to make changes.
| Criterion | Maximum | What Jim will assess |
|---|---|---|
| Problem clarity and business impact | 30 points | A specific problem, a recent example and a clear explanation of its effect on the business. |
| Goal and measurement | 25 points | A clear desired outcome and a practical way to measure progress. |
| Why this matters and why now | 15 points | Why solving the problem matters to you and a concrete reason it is a priority now. |
| Readiness and feasibility | 30 points | The team's time, decision-making, access and involvement, and a feasible project within 24 total hours of work over 12 consecutive weeks. |
Each criterion receives a score from 0 to 5, multiplied by its maximum points divided by 5. The highest total receives the grand prize, subject to eligibility and written acceptance.
More than one business can benefit.
There is one grand-prize business. Other eligible applicants can request a separate paid-project quote at 30% off the normal written project fee. This is a commercial offer, not a second prize or another winning category.
The ordinary fee, discount, net fee, scope and quote expiration are provided before you agree to paid work. You can decline without affecting an application or the free prize. Discount size does not affect judging.
The free observation and personalized roadmap are part of the general O(1) Solutions offer and are not award prizes.
Tell Jim why this matters.
A few clear sentences for each answer are enough. Include a specific example, the outcome you want, why it matters to you and what your team can commit to changing.
Do not include Social Security numbers, bank information, passwords or sensitive records. Read the Official Rules and Privacy Notice before applying.