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In this episode of the Action Lab Leadership Podcast, Danny sits down with Jeff Willy, owner of Loveland Laser Tag and co-owner of Time Emporium Escape Rooms. With over 15 years of experience, Jeff shares his unique philosophy on identifying the “owner’s eye” in young employees and why he believes a leader’s greatest accomplishment is seeing others reach their full potential.
The “Owner’s Eye” and the Path to Partnership
One of the most remarkable stories in Jeff’s career is his partnership with Noah, a former employee who started as a party host and eventually became a co-owner. Jeff explains that while many leaders view young staff as temporary, he looks for a specific set of characteristics that signal long-term potential.
- Nurturing Ambition: Jeff makes it a point to meet his staff at the level of where they want to be, rather than just where they are currently.
- Identifying Ownership: He looks for employees who feel a sense of ownership over their work beyond just treating it as a job.
- Sharing the Burden: Jeff realized that bringing in partners and empowered leaders meant the entire weight of the business no longer rested solely on his shoulders.
Why Psychological Safety is a Competitive Advantage
Jeff makes a bold claim that challenges traditional management: “I love when people make mistakes”. He believes that if a leader expects perfection at all times, the team will be afraid to take the risks necessary for growth.
- The $12,000 Floor: Jeff tells the story of a manager who accidentally stripped the finish off a floor just a week before a major conference. Instead of firing him, Jeff used it as a massive teaching moment; that employee is now one of his top managers.
- The “Loaded Fries” Debate: Jeff recounts a time his team challenged his portioning and pricing ideas for a new menu item. Because he created an environment where they were equipped with business knowledge (like cost of goods sold), they were able to prove the boss wrong and make a better decision for the business.
The CPU Myth: Focus Over Multitasking
Drawing on his background as a computer programmer at HP, Jeff debunks the idea of multitasking.
- Single-Task Processing: Just like a single-core CPU, humans aren’t actually doing two things at once; we are just switching back and forth rapidly and often doing both things poorly.
- Listener Mode: Jeff is currently challenging himself to enter “receiver mode” during meetings: talking for only a fraction of the time to ensure he is actually listening to the brilliant ideas his team has to offer.
