What Happens When You're Not There?
From The Playbook
One of the easiest ways to learn something about a business is to see what happens when the owner leaves.
Not for an hour to run an errand. I mean really leaves. Takes a few days off, goes on vacation, or turns the phone off for a while.
For some owners, things keep running pretty smoothly. For others, it doesn't take long before the calls and texts start coming.
An employee isn't sure what to do. There's a client situation nobody wants to handle. A piece of equipment goes down, or someone needs an answer about the schedule.
Before long, you're standing in a parking lot on vacation trying to solve a problem back at the plant.
I've talked to plenty of owners who laugh and say, "I can't leave."
And I understand why. There's a certain pride that comes with being the person who knows the answers and can fix just about anything.
But I've also learned that the very thing that makes you valuable to your business can eventually become the thing that keeps you trapped.
If every important decision has to come through you, your business hasn't learned how to operate without you. It's learned how to wait for you.
Most owners don't intentionally build a business that way. It happens gradually. You answer the question because it's faster. You step in because you know how to handle it. And before long, everyone gets comfortable relying on you.
Including you.
There's nothing wrong with being important to your business. I'd hope you are.
But there's a big difference between building a business where your leadership matters and building one where your presence is required for everything to work.
And sometimes you don't realize which one you've built until you try to leave.
Make Your Move
Think about the last time you were away from your business.
What questions, problems, or decisions still found their way back to you?
Pick one and ask yourself what would need to change for your team to handle it confidently without your involvement.
It might be better training, a clearer process, or simply giving someone the authority to make the decision.
The goal isn't to become less important. It's to build a business that doesn't require you to be everywhere at once.
Your Next Step
One of the biggest goals I hear from owners is wanting more freedom. Not necessarily to stop working, but to have the ability to step away without worrying about everything falling apart.
That kind of freedom doesn't happen by accident. It comes from building the right team, developing strong systems, and learning to lead the business instead of being responsible for every little thing.
If you're thinking about what the next stage of your business could look like, I'd love to have a conversation.
We'll talk about where you are today, where you want to go, and what you'd like your business to make possible in your life. From there, we can explore Maverick Growth, how we help owners build stronger businesses, and whether it's the right fit for you.
Your friend,
Dave
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