Building a Team That Thinks Like Owners + Why It Matters at MINT
In a small business, every role makes a meaningful impact. When team members think like owners, not just employees, it fuels growth, strengthens culture, and creates an environment where people feel empowered to lead. Our Director of Operations, Kelsey, outlines in this blog what an “owner’s mindset” really looks like at MINT and why it matters.
At our recent Q4 retreat, we took the time to review the importance of why we want each of our team members to feel empowered to make decisions about their roles and any issues they may face. When you work on a small team, you don’t have layers of departments or multiple leaders to make every decision. Below are some of the reasons we shared with our team members to show why this mindset matters:
- We need people to proactively solve problems, look for opportunities, and bring ideas forward that help the business grow. Without this, bottlenecks and project delays can happen, which impacts everyone involved.
- Ownership in decisions builds confidence and accountability, when someone is trusted to make decisions and follow through, they feel more capable in their role.
- Small businesses must operate with agility. Team members who think like owners make decisions quickly and in the company’s best interest, using the resources they have available.
- This mindset also fuels a stronger culture. When someone helps shape an idea and sees the result come to life, they naturally feel more invested and engaged.
At MINT, our core values play a huge role in shaping what “thinking like an owner” really means. Two of them stand out most:
- Accountability
Taking responsibility for your work, and holding each other accountable on decisions and outcomes ensures we all move forward together. Ownership means not waiting for someone else to fix a problem, but stepping in when you see a need. - Adaptability
In marketing, things change constantly. Strategies shift, client needs evolve, and new platforms emerge overnight. An owner’s mindset requires flexibility and willingness to adjust quickly. When decisions are made, we need the team to be able to pivot with confidence and move in alignment.
We realize that ownership isn’t something you can just expect, you have to empower people with tools to act on it.
At the team retreat, we introduced a decision-making tool called the 1-3-1 Method, a framework we learned from the Smart Agency Masterclass podcast hosted by Jason Swenk.
This simple approach gives team members a starting point for problem-solving without needing leadership to step in. When someone is facing a challenge, they walk through three questions:
- 1 – What’s the issue?
- 3 – What are 3 possible solutions?
- 1 – What’s your one recommendation?
This framework ensures that when someone brings a challenge forward, they’re not just presenting a problem, they’re also bringing thoughtful solutions. It builds decision-making muscles and reinforces independent thinking.
A team that thinks like owners doesn’t just check tasks off a list, they contribute to the future of the business. By fostering accountability, adaptability, and confidence in decision-making, we’re creating a culture where everyone feels empowered to lead from where they are.
