The Shift That Grows Your Business · Accelerator University

The Shift That Grows Your Business

Small business ownership often starts as a solo endeavor, with one person wearing all the hats: entrepreneur, manager, and technician. If you’re a small business owner, this likely sounds familiar. You’re balancing the grand vision, the daily operations, and the hands-on work. But while this may seem sustainable at first, as Michael Gerber explains in his book The E-Myth Revisited, a shift in focus is needed if you want your business to grow beyond your own daily input.

I’d like to share some insights from Gerber’s concept of the entrepreneur/manager/technician roles, and how learning to prioritize the role of the entrepreneur can ultimately drive growth, freedom, and lasting success.

🌟The Three Hats of a Business Owner: Entrepreneur, Manager, Technician

Gerber introduces three distinct roles that small business owners must navigate:

1. The Entrepreneur

The entrepreneur is the visionary, the one who looks to the future and imagines what could be. This is the role of growth, creativity, and risk-taking. Entrepreneurs think big, spot opportunities, and plan for the long term. Without an entrepreneur’s vision, a business risks stagnation, stuck in day-to-day tasks without growth in sight.

2. The Manager

The manager’s role is about organization, consistency, and structure. Managers put systems in place, ensuring that the business operates efficiently. This role is essential for streamlining processes and ensuring the business runs smoothly. Managers prioritize details, logistics, and operations—the practical backbone of any business.

3. The Technician

The technician is the “doer” in the business, someone highly skilled in the core work, whether it’s creating, consulting, or delivering a service. Many small business owners are technicians at heart, drawn to start a business out of a passion for the work itself. But while the technician is skilled, they can also become too focused on day-to-day tasks, which can hold back the larger growth of the business.

🌟The Struggle of Wearing All the Hats

Most small business owners begin as technicians. Whether you’re a writer, a tax consultant, a coach, or in e-commerce, you start out passionate about the craft. But as you dive into running the business, it becomes clear that being good at the work itself isn’t enough; you need to manage, organize, and plan for growth.

This juggling act often leads to burnout and stagnation. Each role—entrepreneur, manager, technician—requires a unique mindset, which can be challenging to switch between. It’s no surprise that a business can begin to plateau when the founder is spread too thin. Gerber argues that this tension is one of the primary reasons small businesses struggle.

🌟Gerber’s Bottom Line: Prioritizing the Entrepreneur’s Role

While it’s natural for small business owners to start by balancing all three roles, Gerber emphasizes that the ultimate goal should be to prioritize the entrepreneur’s role. By focusing on growth, vision, and big-picture strategy, you can gradually build a business that doesn’t rely solely on you to function.

This shift is what allows the business to grow and eventually thrive independently. When you lean into the role of the entrepreneur, you’re better equipped to design a business that can sustain itself and scale. Instead of managing day-to-day tasks or doing all the technical work, you focus on casting a vision and building a foundation for long-term success.

🌟Shifting from Manager to Entrepreneur: Practical Steps to Take

For those in the thick of managing and doing all the work themselves, here are a few strategies to help make this shift toward the entrepreneurial mindset:

1. Delegate and Outsource

A key step is letting go of some control and bringing in people you can trust. Hiring a dedicated sales team or even a manager for operations allows you to spend more time on growth-focused activities.

2. Build Systems and Processes

Creating processes and documenting them is essential. This not only saves time but also ensures consistency, allowing your team to manage daily tasks effectively. When processes are in place, the business is less dependent on your hands-on involvement.

3. Set Time for Vision-Casting

Finally, it’s essential to step back and focus on the bigger picture. Schedule time each week or month to plan long-term goals, brainstorm ideas for growth, and assess how close you are to your vision. This keeps you oriented toward the future rather than bogged down by today’s tasks.

🌟From Managing to Growing: Building a Business Beyond Yourself

As someone who naturally leans toward managing, I understand the draw to be involved in every detail. However, stepping into a fully entrepreneurial role is now my focus. I’m working to create a legacy—a business that can eventually run independently, allowing me to scale and serve others more effectively.

If you’re a small business owner who’s ready to stop juggling and start focusing on growth, I highly recommend The E-Myth Revisited. It’s a powerful reminder that, while we may start out wearing all the hats, the ultimate goal is to build something bigger than ourselves. By shifting from technician or manager to entrepreneur, we open the door to real, lasting growth.

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