The Biggest Time-Wasting Mistake CEOs Make

Randy Reid, who runs a $2 million CPA firm started by his father in the 1970s, discusses with EntreLeadership coach John Falkins his struggle to shift from hands-on technician work to business ownership. With 14 team members and recent doubling in size over seven to eight years, Randy spends only 15 to 20 percent of peacetime hours on owner duties like growth, despite aiming for 60 to 70 percent. The conversation centers on barriers to delegation, financial tradeoffs, and strategic opportunities in a shrinking industry.

Time Split and the Technician Trap

Randy's core challenge is oscillating between billable technical work—his career comfort zone—and business leadership, especially amid tax season's demands. In non-seasonal periods, he estimates 15 to 20 percent owner time, which feels insufficient to lift the firm's growth ceiling. Achieving 60 to 70 percent owner focus requires offloading billable hours, but this creates a catch-22: hiring capable team members demands capital from his own revenue production, temporarily positioning him as overhead without full margin coverage yet.