A Leadership
Culture
Taking the Lead
Successful businesses leaders are often subject to the tyranny of the urgent– overwhelmed with day-to-day challenges and wrestling with isolation with no one who really understands their challenges. Acumen’s diverse network of business owner teams confidentially share challenges and insights and create lasting bonds with other lead wolves who “get it.”
All things rise and fall on leadership: your company, personal life, neighborhood, community, country – even society in general. Yet high-impact leadership seems rare and fleeting. But many leaders don’t realize that their business, when healthy and successful, can not only create wealth, it can serve others for a common good.
What We Believe
Our Partners, Drew & Dan, know firsthand how powerful the platform of leadership can be relative to impacting the lives of other people: employees, employees’ families, customers, communities, suppliers and more. As followers of Christ, they believe they’ve been called to a higher standard of impact and influence.
These beliefs are the foundation Acumen was built on and it’s our mission to provide business owners and CEOs a resource to solidify their leadership skills and provide a positive influence on those they lead. We believe doing so will help leaders experience more success both professionally and personally.
Our Story
As a business leader, Drew had a vision to build an “impactful and region-wide” consortium of business owners and CEOs that were committed to a higher standard of excellence, influence and impact in their businesses. He wanted to build something that could become the gold-standard for how business platforms should be built and operated. One where participating organizations would be among the top performing companies in the region for growth, culture and excellence. This vision took root and began to grow near the end of 2015.
In early 2016, Drew and Dan connected over coffee and discovered they had common DNA. Different backgrounds, different companies, different industries, but each keenly aware of the challenges and advantages that come with owning and running a business including isolation, influence and the desire to make an impact.

There were times in their respective businesses when they were consumed by inspiring and motivating others, leaving little energy or time to devote to unplanned business or life issues. Worse yet, their individual dreams of making a lasting impact beyond the bottom line were on constant hold. They realized their businesses were running them.
Other times, they were hit with problems so big or so complex, they didn’t know where to turn or what steps to take. Where was the CEO and owner playbook? Who had the answers? “Not Knowing” can be an expensive, costly and game-changing predicament. “Knowing and not doing” can be even more so. They both have deep scar tissue to show for it!
Acumen, a community where CEOs and business owners would feel safe to share their biggest challenges and aspirations for business and personal growth, was poised for big impact. The parameters for joining were simple: only owners/CEOs of successful, growing businesses would be invited. They must be humble and teachable, and aspire to discover, exercise and celebrate their unique God-given talents to love others.
A best-selling guidebook for business leaders. It’s loaded with insights for the journey’s of business and life.

Our Team

Ashley Norris
Client & Administrative Specialist

Drew Hiss
Founder & Chairman

Augie Grasis III
Growth Catalyst - Kansas City

Elizabeth Shandy
Growth Marketing Specialist

Jenny Trupka
Director of Finance & Operations

Jon Schram
Growth Catalyst - Kansas City

Kurt Bragg
Growth Catalyst - Emerging Leaders

Pete Gazlay
Growth Catalyst - Northern Colorado

Tim James
Growth Catalyst - Kansas City

Scott Stanger
Growth Catalyst - Kansas City

Steve Van Diest
President - Front Range Region
Who We’ve Helped to Sharpen Their Edge












READY TO SHARPEN YOUR EDGE?
Reach out if you are interested in:
- Determining if you are qualified as a candidate for one of the unique affinity-centric Acumen teams.
- Interested in learning more about the unique Acumen approach and model.