About Groveland — Groveland Leadership

Our Mission

Why Groveland Exists

At Groveland, we believe leadership development should start from day one. Aspiring leaders often have to prove themselves before receiving any training or support — creating unnecessary frustration and negative impacts on teams and organizations.

We founded Groveland in 2020 to transform outdated leadership development methods. Traditional approaches rely on one-time workshops, long retreats, and theory-heavy content that doesn't translate to real behavior change. We knew there had to be a better way.

Our answer was a rhythm-based model: short, focused lessons applied immediately in the real world, reinforced through peer coaching and structured reflection. Not a program you attend — a practice you build.

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"We founded Groveland with a simple mission: to provide emerging leaders with the support and training they need from day one, not after they've already struggled."

— Rick Rittmaster & Scott Jacobs, Co-Founders

What We Believe

Our Core Values

These four principles guide everything we build, every program we run, and every leader we develop.

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Focus On Habits

You don't rise to the level of your goals; you fall to the level of your habits. We build lasting leadership through strong habits — not one-time training events.

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Coach and Be Coached

Everyone possesses the capacity to both teach and learn. We cultivate a community built on mutual support, peer accountability, and ongoing development.

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Vulnerability Drives Growth

Acknowledging challenges and asking for help isn't weakness — it's the foundation for genuine advancement. We create space for honest, courageous conversations.

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Have Fun

Finding enjoyment in the process — even in difficult challenges — makes growth sustainable. Leadership development should energize you, not drain you.

The Team

Meet the Co-Founders

Groveland was built by practitioners — leaders who spent years in the field and saw firsthand what was missing in traditional development programs.

Rick Rittmaster

Co-Founder & Leadership Coach

Rick brings 15+ years of experience in leadership development, with deep expertise in emerging leader development and building high-performing teams. Before founding Groveland, Rick held leadership development executive positions at Fortune 500 companies, where he witnessed firsthand the challenges faced by new leaders who lacked adequate support and structure. That experience — watching talented people struggle unnecessarily — became the driving force behind Groveland's founding mission.

Scott Jacobs

Co-Founder & Leadership Coach

Scott has an extensive background in leadership development and organizational transformation, combining practical frameworks with personalized coaching to drive real behavioral change. As a former leadership consultant who has worked with 100+ companies across industries, Scott brings a rare breadth of perspective on what makes emerging leader challenges so common — and what the most effective solutions actually look like. His work with Groveland reflects a career spent developing and refining approaches that meet leaders where they are.

Since 2020

Built in Minneapolis. Serving Leaders Everywhere.

Founded in Minneapolis, MN, Groveland delivers virtual cohort programs to emerging leaders and organizations across the country.

2020

Year Founded

12

Weeks Per Cohort

100+

Companies Served

15+

Years of Experience

Redefining Leadership Development