5 tips for effectively managing your time as a business owner

RCS Influencer Melissa Chapman says that managing your time and empowering the right team members is key to scaling your business. 

For many roofing contractors, the daily grind is all-consuming — estimating jobs, managing crews, answering customer calls and chasing materials. But if your vision includes scaling your company, increasing profitability or simply getting your nights and weekends back, something has to change. 

The secret? Getting serious about how you manage your time and who you empower around you. 

Here are a few strategies roofing contractors across the U.S. are using to get out of the weeds and lead more strategically: 

1 - Focus on your “top 3” daily priorities 

Each morning, identify the three highest-value tasks only you can do that day — think reviewing key bids, meeting with a general contractor or analyzing profit margins. Protect this time and let your team handle the rest. 

2 - Delegate with a ladder, not a dump truck 

Delegation is a process, not an event. Start by having team members shadow you, then let them lead with supervision and finally empower them to own it fully. It builds trust and capability — one responsibility at a time. 

3 - Hold a weekly huddle 

A 30-minute Monday huddle with your foreman, PM, sales lead and office manager helps clarify who owns what, avoid midweek chaos and keep priorities aligned. It’s a small investment with huge payoff in team clarity and time savings. 

4 - Create repeatable systems 

If you’re still handling warranty calls, job closeouts or permit submissions yourself, it’s time to document those processes and hand them off. One contractor we’ve worked with built a simple SOP and now his service coordinator owns the entire warranty workflow — he only steps in if there’s a customer issue. 

5 - Use tech for fast delegation 

Don’t have time to write out instructions? Record a 2-minute Loom video or voice memo walking through the task. It’s quick, clear and reusable. 

Final word: Be the leader, not the bottleneck 

As the co-creator of the LDR Leadership Accelerator for roofing contractors, I’ve worked with business owners who went from 60+ hour weeks to leading more focused, profitable companies — simply by implementing these kinds of systems. 

You don’t need to be a tech wizard or hire five new people. You just need to protect your time and empower your team with clarity, trust and repeatable tools. Because the goal isn’t just to build a roofing business — it’s to build one that runs without running you into the ground.