Running a business in New Zealand often means wearing more hats than you’d like. One minute you’re talking strategy, the next you’re chasing invoices or fixing a systems issue. It’s part of the journey, especially in the early stages.
But there’s a point where wearing too many hats stops being a strength and starts becoming a constraint. When everything runs through you, decisions slow down, opportunities get missed, and growth becomes harder than it needs to be.
That’s where the 10 Hats framework comes in. It’s a simple, practical way to bring clarity to your business structure so you can focus on what actually moves the needle.
We’ve created a practical 10 Hats workbook you can download and work through in your own time. It’s a simple way to map out who’s doing what in your business today, spot any gaps or overlaps, and start thinking about what your ideal structure looks like as you grow. Many business owners find that putting this down on paper brings immediate clarity and makes follow-up conversations far more focused and productive.
The clarity most businesses are missing
Every business, no matter the size, relies on ten core functions to operate effectively. These range from big-picture strategy through to day-to-day execution.
The challenge is not that these functions don’t exist. It’s that ownership is often unclear.
You might recognise some of these patterns:
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Tasks getting duplicated or missed altogether
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Team members unsure who makes the final call
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The owner becoming the default decision-maker for everything
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Strategic work constantly pushed aside for urgent tasks
The 10 Hats framework makes these roles visible. Once you can see them clearly, you can start assigning ownership in a way that supports growth rather than bottlenecks it.
The ten hats are:
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Shareholder
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Director
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Leadership
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Product or Service Development
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Operations
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Marketing
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Sales
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Finance
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HR
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Admin and IT
In a small business, one person might wear several of these. That’s completely normal. The key is making that structure deliberate rather than accidental.
From busy to intentional: how to apply the framework
The real value of the 10 Hats framework comes from how you use it. This is not about creating complexity. It’s about simplifying decision-making and accountability.
Here’s a practical way to get started.
Map what’s actually happening
Start by listing each of the ten hats and writing down who currently performs that function.
Be honest about reality, not intention:
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If it’s you, write your name
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If multiple people are involved, note them
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If no one owns it, leave it blank
Those gaps are often where the biggest risks sit.
Identify shared ownership risks
If more than one person is responsible for a hat, it can create confusion.
You might consider:
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Who makes the final decision in this area?
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Who is accountable if something goes wrong?
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Are responsibilities clearly understood by the team?
A simple shift to one clear owner per hat can remove a surprising amount of friction.
Rate how each area is performing
Give each hat a simple score:
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1: Not working or unclear
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2: Developing but inconsistent
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3: Clear and effective
This quickly highlights where your attention is most needed.
It also creates a useful baseline to measure improvement over time.
Define your future structure
Now shift your thinking forward.
Ask yourself:
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Who should own each hat as the business grows?
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Could this sit with an existing team member?
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Does this point to your next hire?
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Could an external advisor or provider take this on?
This step turns the framework into a growth tool, not just a diagnostic.
Look closely at owner overload
One of the most common patterns we see is the business owner wearing too many hats, especially across:
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Operations
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Finance
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HR
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Marketing
If you’re covering four or more, it’s worth pausing.
Not because you can’t do it, but because it limits your ability to focus on:
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Strategy
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Growth opportunities
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Building capability in your team
You might consider which one or two hats could realistically be handed over in the next 6 to 12 months.
Focus on your next three moves
Rather than trying to fix everything at once, narrow it down.
Identify the three hats that:
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Carry the most risk
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Create the most frustration
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Have the biggest impact if improved
These become your immediate priorities and a great starting point for a conversation with your advisor.
A few principles that make this work
As simple as the framework is, a few key ideas make all the difference in practice.
One hat, one owner
Each function should have one person accountable for outcomes.
That doesn’t mean they do all the work. It means they:
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Set direction
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Make decisions
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Take responsibility for results
Clarity here speeds everything up.
Doing the work is not the same as owning it
Someone might be completing tasks in a function without owning it strategically.
For example, a team member might process invoices, but the Finance hat includes:
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Cashflow planning
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Financial strategy
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Investment decisions
That level of ownership often needs to sit elsewhere.
Build with succession in mind
If the business depends heavily on you, it becomes harder to scale and harder to step back.
You might consider:
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Who could take over each hat in the future?
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What capability needs to be developed?
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Where external support could reduce pressure?
Even a rough plan creates direction.
Keep it current
Your business will evolve, and so should your structure.
A quick annual review, or a check-in during periods of change, helps ensure:
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Roles stay relevant
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Gaps don’t reappear
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Growth is supported, not restricted
Bringing it back to you
If you’ve been feeling stretched or stuck in the day-to-day, this framework can offer a clearer way forward. It doesn’t require a big restructure or immediate hires. It simply creates visibility, which leads to better decisions over time.
Curious how this might look in your business?
Let’s walk through it together and identify where a few small changes could make a big difference.