Issue 00016 -Radical stewardship (vs. ownership)
Welcome to 5 Bites – The BLTnT Newsletter!
Intro
I’m writing this on the heels of The BLTNT Podcast Episode #38 with Doug Mans , the CEO of Mans Lumber & Home. In that episode, I was reminded once again of what a good steward looks like…notice I didn’t say owner?
Ownership requires equity. Stewardship requires dedication, deep respect, a focus on legacy, and humility.
Both ownership and stewardship both are meaningless without service…and specifically a servant mindset.
Doug and other BLTnT guests are amazing stewards…who happen to be owners.
You ever notice what happens when your favorite company, let’s use a car wash as an example, gets bought by some larger entity or maybe a an investment firm?
At first, you think — hey, cool, maybe they’ll upgrade those degrading brushes. And they often do bring a big investment for a glow up. But eventually, something’s off.
The same location, often the same name, but it just doesn’t feel the same.
The towels aren’t folded anymore.
The vacuums are clogged.
The air fresheners smell like chemicals instead of citrus.
And the people — the ones who used to smile, wave you through, and take pride in the shine — now look like they’re counting minutes.
That’s can be the difference between ownership and stewardship.
The new owners own the place, but they don’t care for it the same. They’ve got the title, the spreadsheets, and the expansion plan — but not the fingerprints, the pride, or the heartbeat.
Here’s the warning: you can be a great owner and a terrible steward.
And here’s the deeper truth: You can’t be a great steward without being a servant.
“Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms.” — 1 Peter 4:10
The kind of “ownership”that builds great organizations doesn’t require equity…it requires being a steward!
That’s why non-founder leaders — coaches like Nick Saban, for instance, who never even attended the school he made legendary — can still be extraordinary stewards.
Multi-generational business failures — and the old proverb “grandpa built it, kids run it, grandkids kill it” line — exist for a reason. The difference between decline and durability isn’t who owns the paper.
It’s who honors the purpose.
That was my longest intro to date…so let’s dig in!
Bite 1 — The Parable of the Talents: The Ultimate Stewardship Story
In Matthew 25:14–30, Jesus tells the Parable of the Talents— a master entrusts three servants with his wealth: one receives five talents, another two, another one.
Two invest and double what they were given. The third buries his out of fear and returns only what he started with.
The master praises the first two — “Well done, good and faithful servant”— and condemns the one who played it safe.
The message: God doesn’t reward people who own what’s His; He rewards those who multiply what they’ve been entrusted with.
Stewardship is active, not passive. It’s an act of service to something bigger than yourself.
“Whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant.” — Matthew 20:26
Bite 2 — The Steward of the Organization
Doug Mansreminded us of that a true steward asks:
“What’s been entrusted to me — and how do I leave it better than I found it?”
Titles don’t create stewards; standards do.
Stewards guard culture, systems, people, reputation, and resources like they borrowed them from the future. They don’t hoard credit; they compound value.
To be a good steward, we must understand the sacred balance between accountability and empathy — protecting what’s valuable while nurturing the people who make it thrive.
Stewardship isn’t ownership with manners.
It’s ownership with love.
Bite 3 — Ownership Without Equity
You don’t need stock to act like an owner.
- The technician who documents the fix so no one struggles again.
- The cleaner who replaces the burnt-out bulb without being told.
- The manager who shields their team from chaos so they can do great work.
Those are characteristics of radical stewardship — proactive care for the whole, not just your lane.
And here’s the twist: servant-minded leadership isn’t just better for others — it’s better for us.
And if you think serving shows weakness. You’re wrong…I’ll fight you on this one…
“The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others.” — Mahatma Gandhi
…and he wouldn’t want us to fight, would he? 😀
Bite 4 — Why Generations Often Fail (and “the Data”)
There’s a reason the proverb “shirtsleeves to shirtsleeves in three generations” exists in every culture.
The numbers seem to back it up (the data is a little old, but considered directionally correct-ish):
- Only 30–40% of family firms make it to the second generation.
- About 13% survive to the third.
- Just 3% last to the fourth or beyond.
The first generation builds —> The second manages —> The third consumes.
The difference-maker isn’t ownership — it’s stewardship and service.
When the purpose shifts from “how can I serve this?” to “what can I take from this?”, the decline has already begun.
Bite 5 — Radical Stewards Who Buck the Trend
Some leaders defy the generational odds by staying anchored in stewardship and service:
(Proud to say all of these folks have been BLTnT guests)
- Doug Mans of Mans Lumber & Home: Lives by “leave it better than you found it.” He invests in pride and people over shortcuts. BLTnT Episode # 38
- Dan Weingartz of WEINGARTZ: Keeps the family name sacred — leading with values, consistency, and care. BLTnT Episode #34
- Elise Fisher of Nubs Nob Ski Area: Runs a ski area that feels like home because the team treats it like something they’re caring for, not something they’re cashing out of. It’s “more stewardship than ownership,” and it shows. BLTnT Episode #22
- Paul Glantz of Emagine Entertainment: Although he hasn’t transferred a company into future generations, he has built a company around respect for the guest, not exploitation of them. From handcrafted theaters to local philanthropy, he’s proven that profitability and principle can coexist — that you can own well because you serve well. BLTnT Episode #36
These leaders embody the same principle the Parable of the Talents teaches: it’s not about what you own — it’s about how faithfully you multiply what’s been entrusted to you.
Wrap-Up
Stewardship and servant-ship are inseparable.
The steward doesn’t say, “This is mine.”
They say, “This was given to me — for now — to make it better.”
“Only a life lived for others is a life worthwhile.” — Albert Einstein
“The greatest among you will be your servant.” — Matthew 23:11
The world doesn’t need more owners.
It needs more servant-stewards — people humble enough to care, wise enough to protect, and bold enough to build.
If you want something that outlives you, don’t ask “What’s mine?”
Ask “What’s been entrusted to me?”
Then, like the good and faithful servant — leave it undeniably better.
Until next time…Excelsior! 🧨
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