Mark Cuban: Ditch the Manager Mindset for Real Profit

Key Takeaways

• Stop spending 40 hours a week on internal management and move at least 50% of your time to activities that bring in new cash.
• Use the Small Business Administration (SBA) resources to define your core mission so you don't get distracted by administrative clutter.
• Realize that your staff cannot sell your vision as well as you can, so your primary job is being the head of sales.
• Check your business structure with your state's Secretary of State website to ensure your filings are current while you focus on growth.

A local plumber in Dallas recently spent three weeks choosing new dispatch software while his phone stopped ringing. He thought he was being a good boss by organizing the back office. But he was actually just hiding from the hard work of finding new customers. Mark Cuban says that's not the best use case. In a recent post from 3 Takeaways, entrepreneur and investor @mcuban explains the mindset shift that could change how you view your daily to-do list.

Cuban argues that too many founders get stuck in the 'manager' trap. They act like they're running a Fortune 500 company with 10,000 people when they really only have five employees and a truck. When you focus solely on managing, you aren't growing. You're just watching the money you already have slowly disappear. (Disclosure: we may earn a commission if you sign up through our links.)

Why is your calendar full of internal meetings?

If you find yourself sitting in 'update' meetings with your three employees every morning, you've likely lost your way. Cuban points out that the owner is the only person who truly knows the 'why' behind the business. Your employees are there to do their jobs, but they aren't necessarily there to hunt for the next big contract. That's your job.

I remember a print shop owner in Ohio who nearly went bankrupt because he spent his afternoons cleaning the ink off the floors instead of calling local real estate agents to pitch their signage. He felt busy, but his bank account was empty. Busy isn't the same as profitable. You need to look at your llc tax bracket and realize that every hour you spend on $15-an-hour tasks is an hour you aren't earning like an owner.

Is your administrative load a valid excuse to hide?

It's easy to hide behind paperwork. You tell yourself that you've to fix the payroll glitch or reorganize the filing cabinet before you can go out and sell. The Small Business Administration (SBA) provides guides on staying compliant. But they don't tell you to let compliance eat your entire day.

Cuban's point is that you've to be the primary engine for sales. If you aren't out there proving the value of your service, nobody else will. Think of your business like a car. The employees are the tires and the seats, but you're the gasoline. Without the gas (sales), the car is just a very expensive piece of metal sitting in the driveway.

How do you shift back to growth today?

Making this shift doesn't mean you ignore your team. It means you trust them to do what you hired them for. If you can't trust them to manage the day-to-day, you might have a hiring problem rather than a management problem. You can use smarter software to find better help so you can get back to the field.

Check your Employer Identification Number (EIN) status and your basic tax filings once a quarter, then get back to work. Don't let the 'boss' title go to your head. In a small shop, the boss is usually the best salesperson. If you stop selling, the shop stops existing.

The Owner Mindset Checklist

1. Audit your last 5 days. Write down every task you did. If more than half were internal 'management' tasks, you're in the trap.
2. Identify your top 3 prospects. Spend the first two hours of every morning calling or emailing new potential customers before you even open your inbox.
3. Delegate one recurring task. Give your most trusted employee the job of handling the weekly supply order or the basic scheduling.
4. Set a sales goal. Write down a dollar amount you want to bring in this week that didn't exist last week.
5. Review your mission. Go to the SBA website and look at their 'Marketing and Sales' guide to refresh your strategy.

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📋 Disclaimer

This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal, tax, financial, or professional advice. Laws and regulations change frequently, and the information presented may not reflect the most current legal developments. Always consult with a qualified professional (CPA, attorney, financial advisor) before making business decisions based on this content. MyBizNerd may receive compensation through affiliate links, but this never influences our recommendations.

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