The Fine Line between working ON your business and working IN your business.

Do you struggle to get the “real” work of your business done because you’re so bogged down in the day to day details?

Do you have a never-ending To Do list filled with things you want to get done “someday”, or am I the only one? 😉 Are things like updating your website, learning how to use your business management software, starting an email list, and having a consistent marketing plan keeping you up at night?

Does any of this sound familiar?

Now I realize the world probably won’t come to an end if I don’t get all of those things done, but I certainly don’t want to be the one holding my business back! 

How about you? What have YOU been dragging your feet on? 

Do you know why?

Is it because…

• you’re trying to do everything yourself, even though you know you don’t have the bandwidth?
• you’re having a hard time letting someone else step in and take care of your “baby”?
• you don’t think you can afford to pay someone else to do the work?

If so, you’re definitely not alone! 

Most small business owners feel that struggle at one point or another. But have you considered that you are actually holding your business back because of it? When you’re holding back the growth of your business because you’re trying to do it all yourself, it’s time to make a change, and it’s exactly what Michael Gerber talks about in his book, The E-Myth Revisited.

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Michael Gerber’s E-Myth (Entrepreneurial Myth) theory is a concept that suggests that entrepreneurs often start their own businesses with the mistaken belief that they are skilled at all aspects of the business and can handle everything themselves. However, Gerber argues that this approach leads to burnout and a lack of growth because business owners become bogged down in the day-to-day tasks of running their business and fail to focus on the bigger picture. Hmmm, can you relate?

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To avoid this problem, Gerber suggests that entrepreneurs need to work on their business instead of in it. This means stepping back and focusing on developing systems and processes that will allow the business to operate more efficiently and effectively. By doing so, the business owner can free up time to focus on growing the business and taking it to the next level.

Gerber suggests that there are three key roles that every business owner needs to play in order to work on their business:

1. The Entrepreneur: The visionary who sets the direction for the business and develops the long-term strategy.
2. The Manager: The person responsible for implementing the systems and processes that make the business run smoothly.
3. The Technician: The person who actually does the work of the business, whether that’s baking bread or fixing cars.

Gerber’s theory is that many entrepreneurs get bogged down in the Technician role, spending all their time doing the work of the business and neglecting the other two roles. By focusing on all three roles, entrepreneurs can create a business that runs smoothly, is scalable, and can continue to grow without the owner being involved in every aspect of the business.

Like me, you’ve probably set everything in your business up yourself and CAN do everything you need to, but that doesn’t mean you SHOULD. In many cases, you may not be the best person for the job. You had to be when you were first starting out and didn’t have any clients or money, but at some point the cost of doing everything yourself outweighs the benefits. 

When that day comes, you realize your time is better spent on activities that serve clients directly and move the business forward instead of working IN the business on things that can be done by someone else. That certainly doesn’t mean those things aren’t important, but you should be spending your time in the areas that you are best at, and will have the most direct impact on your company’s success.

What does that look like for you and your business?

Are you spending your time on the things that matter most and will have the biggest impact?

If not, it’s time for a change. And that doesn’t always mean outsourcing or hiring someone else to do the other work – maybe that’s not in your budget yet. It might mean learning to work smarter, not harder – learning to use a business management tool or taking a course in efficiently repurposing your marketing content. Or, it might mean hiring a freelancer to help you out for a short term project or a long term commitment – it all depends on your specific needs.

Do the Math and Shift your Mindset

It’s easy to write off hiring someone to help before you’ve done the math, but how much more income you could bring in if you were able to focus more time on income-producing activities instead of other tasks. As an example, if you’re a busy photographer spending 3 hours a week on marketing tasks, but you could book one or two extra sessions every week with that time for $500 each, hiring someone to do those marketing tasks for you would be a no-brainer, right? Then why don’t you do it?

Maybe you haven’t done the math and don’t think it’s possible or maybe you’ve got a mindset block, but more likely it’s because you’re afraid to let someone else come in and take care of your “baby”. You’re afraid they won’t love them as much as you do, right?

Preaching to the choir, my friend! I totally get it, but feel like I have a bit of an advantage in this area because I’ve spent the better part of the last 30 years doing just that – taking care of someone else’s baby and treating it like my own.  I understand what it takes and thrive on it! There are lots of good people out there who do great work and want to help you succeed.

If you know you need to make a change or could use some help figuring out where to go from here, please don’t hesitate to reach out and book a call with me. There’s a button at the bottom of this page or you can just click here. And pick up a copy of The E-Myth Revisited while you’re at it – it’s a great book!

Helping small business owners make sense of chaos is one of my superpowers, and I would love to help you work through the process. My mission is to help you live a more successful personal and professional life by sharing the wisdom and experience I’ve gained over the years, so don’t be afraid to tap into it. 😊