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At Jenesis, we read The 80/20 Principle in our book club a few years ago. I’ll admit—I don’t remember the author’s name off the top of my head—but the idea has stuck with me ever since.
This blog is mostly based on a YouVersion Bible study plan I read recently. I think you’ll find the connection encouraging, whether you’re looking at your faith, your business, or both.
The 80/20 Rule, also called the Pareto Principle, says that 80% of your results usually come from just 20% of your efforts. That’s a simple statement, but when you let it sink in, it changes how you look at your business.
Jesus gave us a picture of this in Matthew 13:23 when He explained the parable of the sower:
“But the one who received the seed that fell on good soil is the man who hears the word and understands it. He produces a crop, yielding a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown.”
That’s not an even return—that’s multiplication. That’s the power of focus.
What This Means for Insurance Agencies
- Identify Your “Good Soil.”
Every agency has certain customers, tasks, or strategies that produce the greatest results. Maybe it’s the top 20% of clients who drive most of your revenue. Maybe it’s the two or three marketing strategies that actually generate new leads consistently. The key is to recognize where your “good soil” is and invest your energy there.
- Focused Effort Produces Exponential Returns.
You don’t have to do everything. In fact, trying to do it all can spread you thin. When you lean into the areas that matter most, you’ll find that even small, consistent effort produces an outsized harvest.
- Stewardship Matters.
God calls us to be wise stewards of what He’s given us. That applies to your time, energy, and money in business. The 80/20 principle reminds us that not every task has equal weight. Some things truly move the needle, others just keep you busy.
- Keep Refining.
The 20% may not stay the same forever. As your agency grows, your “good soil” may shift. Just like a farmer studies his land, you need to keep asking: Where is the highest return on my time and resources today?
How Jenesis Applies the 80/20
At Jenesis, we’ve learned that trying to be everything to everyone isn’t sustainable. Instead, we’ve focused on building tools and services—like JenesisNow, JenesisReach, and JenesisLink—that create the greatest impact for independent agencies. By focusing on those high-impact areas, we’ve been able to serve agencies better and multiply results.
The same can be true for your agency. If you focus on the right clients, the right strategies, and the right systems, your growth can be more than linear—it can be exponential.
Encouragement for the Journey
Craig Groeschel often says, “Successful people do consistently what others do occasionally.” That’s a perfect picture of the 80/20 rule in action. It’s not about working harder on everything—it’s about working consistently on the right things.
So here’s my challenge to you: This week, take 15 minutes to write down what you believe your 20% is. Then, commit to leaning in harder there. You may be surprised at how much more fruit your agency produces when you’re sowing into good soil.