Running a business is a lot. It’s exciting, sure, but also overwhelming. You start out thinking, I’ll handle everything myself—it’s cheaper that way. But is it really? It’s said that time is money, but how much is your time worth?
A lot of business owners don’t realize how much DIYing everything actually costs them. Not just in money, but in time, energy, and sanity. So let’s break it down—what’s the real price of trying to do it all?
Time is Money (And You’re Wasting It)
Most people think outsourcing is too expensive, but they forget one thing: their own time has value too. Every hour you spend wrestling with your bookkeeping, chasing invoices, or troubleshooting a website problem is an hour you’re not spending on actual, revenue-generating work.
Let’s say you charge $50 an hour for your services. Now think about how much time you lose every month on tasks outside your expertise:
- 10 hours on bookkeeping
- 8 hours fixing tech issues
- 6 hours on admin work, like emails and scheduling
That’s 24 hours a month, gone. At $50 an hour, that’s $1,200 of your time wasted on stuff that doesn’t actually grow your business. And let’s be honest—some of those tasks probably take longer than they should because they’re not your specialty.
Burnout is Expensive Too
Now let’s talk about the stress factor. Because handling everything yourself? It’s exhausting.
When your to-do list never ends, things start slipping. You forget a tax deadline, send out invoices late, or let emails pile up until you’re too overwhelmed to deal with them.
Stress like that doesn’t just make running a business harder—it hurts your business.
- Missed tax deductions? That’s lost money.
- Late invoices? That’s delayed cash flow.
- Feeling too drained to market yourself? That’s lost opportunities.
And let’s be real—when you’re constantly overwhelmed, it’s easy to start resenting the business you once loved. That’s a price nobody wants to pay.
Outsourcing Isn’t an Expense—It’s an Investment
A lot of people see outsourcing as just another cost, but the right kind of help actually saves you money in the long run.
A bookkeeper doesn’t just handle numbers—they keep you from overpaying on taxes, make sure your cash flow stays healthy, and help you see where your money’s really going. A virtual assistant doesn’t just send emails—they free you up so you can focus on work that actually makes you money.
It’s not about spending more—it’s about getting smarter with your time and energy.
Final Thoughts: Is It Worth It?
If you’re handling everything yourself, ask yourself one simple question: Is this the best use of my time?
If it’s not, then maybe it’s time to stop doing everything and start focusing on what actually moves your business forward. Because running a business shouldn’t mean running yourself into the ground.
As always, Inclusive Solutions is here to help remove barriers to your success.