80/20 Everything!
These days, it seems we are all expected to do more with less.
This post will help you “do more with less” but in smart, strategic ways by leveraging the power of a foundational principle…so you can 80/20 everything! (a phrase borrowed from Perry Marshall)
- What if you knew who the customers are who spend 4 times the money?
- What if you could uncover 1% of donors that give 50% of your total funding?
- What if a small tweak in your sales process increased profits by 33%?
In 2025, business owners and nonprofit leaders face many mission-critical challenges.
Eco-political decisions are negatively affecting supply chains, market prices, and annual budgets.
And, it has become almost impossible to attract and retain a talented workforce (and keep employees healthy and productive) is a very big problem.
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80/20 Everything - Unlock exponential results by focusing on what truly moves the needle.
Also known as the Pareto Principle, it’s the idea that 80% of results come from just 20% of inputs. It is a strategic lens that can transform every element of your enterprise - how you lead, plan, create, and grow.
Did you know this principle is fractal?
There is an 80% of 80% and 20% of 20% in layers to infinity. This means the 1st power has 16:1 leverage. The 2nd power is 64:1; 3rd power is 250:1; 4th power is 1,000:1; 5th power is 4,000:1; and so on.
*Note: Below these 7 bullet points, you’ll find two book recommendations and an infinite 80/20 offer.
1. The Law of Leverage - 20% of your efforts drive 80% of your outcomes
The hard truth is not all tasks, clients, or projects are created equal. You’re probably spending a lot of time on things that don’t move the needle.
When you track and measure data and identify the 20% of your actions that produce the biggest outcomes, you’ll uncover what levers to pull.
Stop treating everything as equally important.
2. Strategic Focus - Use 80/20 thinking to cut noise and clarify priorities
Having the right leadership mindset is important. It will enhance awareness, and you’ll “know,” what to ignore and what to amplify.
Are you feeling overwhelmed? It probably is not because you have too much to do, but because you haven’t sorted out what matters most.
Smart leaders use an 80/20 lens and constantly ask themselves - “What are the one to two things that drive the most progress in __________?” (insert a key activity)
Are you focusing on your profitable audience persona or chasing non-qualified leads? Do you know your cost per lead and client lifetime value?
The more clarity, the less chaos.
3. Revenue Revolution - Apply 80/20 to sales and watch your profits skyrocket
Are you targeting and spending time with the right customers?
Most organizations don’t focus on the principle that 20% of their customers (or donors) generate 80% of their revenue.
Are your fundraising/sales team members spending equal time with everyone and treating all leads the same?
If so, do this. identify your high-value customers (donors). Especially, those with high recency, frequency, and dollar value.
These folks are your goldmine. Spend more time with them, serve them uniquely, co-create value, and you’ll see better results for less time, effort, and money.
Always follow the money flow!
4. Marketing Simplified - 20% of your campaigns drive 80% of engagement
Focus your marketing resources on only a few initiatives, the ones that capture attention, increase engagement, and motivate action.
Don’t try to master and use every marketing channel and every marketing and advertising asset. You will do too much and get little in return.
The truth is that only a small percentage of your marketing channels and messages are responsible for most of your traffic and engagement.
Find the winners and scale what works.
5. Customer Service Mastery - Serve the right people the right way
Identify and elevate your most valuable customers. Not every customer or stakeholder should get the same level of attention.
Yes, that might sound harsh, but in practice, it's about being strategically generous. When you apply 80/20 to service, you discover that a small group of customers or donors are the most loyal, vocal, and valuable.
Invest in your best customers - give them value. Create VIP perks and programs for your top 20%. Write monthly personal notes to build deeper relationships with supporters and improve retention.
A small group of people sustain your enterprise. Show them you know it.
6. Time is Capital - Design your schedule around the 20 percent that matters most
Do you have a To Do list? Is it prioritized?
Free yourself from daily busyness by ruthlessly prioritizing the 1 – 2 tasks that deliver the biggest returns.
Here’s another tip to feeling less busy and more productive. Audit your calendar.
Chances are, only a handful of tasks and meetings each week are truly impactful. The rest is just filler. The 80/20 mindset helps you cut or delegate the stuff that doesn’t move the needle.
For example, if you’re a Founder or Executive Director, your time is best spent on high-impact work. That includes strategic analysis, developing partnerships, making capital decisions, etc.
Treat your time like money and invest it wisely.
7. Resource Allocation Reimagined - Stop spreading yourself thin, start investing smart
Shift your budget, team, and energy toward what’s proven to deliver impact and eliminate the rest. Especially for small teams and lean budgets…this principle is gold.
Trying to fund or launch everything at once is a recipe for burnout and mediocrity. The 80/20 rule helps you concentrate your efforts where they’ll yield the greatest return.
Ask yourself, “What’s working exceptionally well right now?” Then put your dollars, your team, and your energy behind these activities.
Success isn’t about doing more - it’s about doing less (smarter and better).
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The 80/20 Principle is really a mindset shift. I invite you to stop glorifying busy-ness and start prioritizing impact.
No matter the business pillar, focus on the vital few “cogs in the wheel” versus chasing the trivial many.
Here’s your challenge.
Today, find just one area, whether it’s your time, database/CRM, website, marketing, sales, fundraising, finances, systems, HR, etc., and ask yourself: “What’s the 20% driving 80% of our results?”
Then start trimming the rest and invest your time and resources where it counts the most.
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Recommended Books
- The 80/20 Principle – Richard Koch
- 80/20 Sales and Marketing – Perry Marshall
Offer
What if you could provide your employees with free health and wellness benefits and increase their paychecks, and attract and keep talented people, while you (the employer) save payroll taxes, all at a net zero cost?
Learn about this infinite 80/20 program and set up a time to speak with a subject-matter expert.
