I often get asked by our ACE Peer Group Members "What should I as the owner actually be doing in a day?" It's a good question. There's three big pieces of experience that I like to share: 

1.Play to Your Strengths

Each owner has their own strengths and weaknesses, and ideally they should be spending most of their time using their strengths. The best way to make more of your days look like your ideal day is to use your calendar and block out time for the most important tasks, events, and meetings and then stick to your calendar religiously. Ask yourself: What can I better than anyone else on my team right now? If that aligns with the current needs of your business; block out time and get after it! 

2. Follow the 80% Rule

Can someone else on your team do something at least 80% as well as you can? If so, it's something that can empower a team member to run with. This is true for any leader in an organization who is looking at their to-do list and wondering how they'll get it all done in time. Often what gets in the way of effective empowerment are our own internal worries:

The move from "doer" to "empower-er" (a word I think I just made up) can be one of the hardest things for any leader in an organization. It can feel like we're just "dumping" tasks onto another team member and hoping it goes well. The truth is that many team members want to be helpful and they want to learn, and we're getting in the way of their development by not trusting them with some of these tasks. 

3. Walk the Walk

It's critical for owners to be aware that their actions set the tone for the whole organization. If you talk about how important it is to be on time every morning, but you're constantly late to meetings: what message are you sending? Prioritize actions that you know are important to team morale: be present during the morning roll-out, be on time and prepared for meetings, and show your team the professionalism and attitude that you want them to show your clients. 

You'll always be playing catch up if you don't dedicate time to planning ahead. Mark out time on your calendar for planning ahead, looking at what's coming next on your calendar, and checking on your progress towards goals. It's easy for these "housekeeping" tasks to get pushed aside for more "urgent" issues especially in the busy season, but they're critical to operating from a proactive place instead of a reactive one.

A lot of this advice can apply to any leader within an organization, no matter their role or position on the org chart. And for owners who are looking to develop their team to take on more tasks so they can focus more on where they can make the biggest impact, check out our upcoming events. Marty and Chris have virtual training designed for salespeople and our Grunder Landscaping Co. Field Trips are a great event for any role. Both events will equip teams to think more like owners and tackle their roles with renewed energy in 2026.

Have a great week, we'll talk to you again next Sunday!

Vince Torchia
Vice President & Director of Strategy
The Grow Group & Grunder Landscaping Co.