Stop Doing It All: How Smart Business Owners Save Time, Energy, and Money Without Sacrificing Growth

As a small business owner in your first few years, you’ve probably mastered the art of doing everything yourself. From designing logos to juggling customer emails, every task feels like a chance to save money and keep the dream alive. It’s scrappy. It’s resourceful. And it’s how so many entrepreneurs start. But have you ever wondered if your DIY approach is costing you something far more precious than money?

I was recently listening to a podcast of Amy Porterfield's with her guest Dan Martel and he shared this quote—“Some people spend time to save money… others spend money to save time.” And, I was thinking—it isn’t about choosing one side or the other. It’s about recognizing that both time and money are finite resources, and how you allocate them can make or break your business. The key isn’t to stop DIYing entirely (if you're like me, you’re likely not ready for that yet). Instead, it’s about knowing which tasks are worth your time and which ones you’re better off outsourcing or automating.

So, I thought I'd take a few minutes and dive into how you can protect your time, save your energy, and still honor your need to be scrappy as you grow.

The Power (and Pitfalls) of Doing It All Yourself

In the early days, the DIY approach is often driven by necessity. Budgets are tight, and every dollar saved feels like a victory. You might find yourself tackling tasks you’ve never done before—learning to create a website, designing social media graphics, or even managing your own bookkeeping. And in many cases, this is exactly the right move.

DIYing teaches you valuable skills, gives you control, and stretches your budget. For instance:

• Learning basic graphic design means you can create last-minute social media posts without paying for a designer.
• Writing your own blog (hello...I'm here writing this blog post right now!) content keeps your voice authentic and helps you connect with your audience.
• Handling customer support ensures you’re hearing feedback directly from your clients.

But here’s the catch: not every task is worth your time. As your business grows, so does the complexity of your workload. Tasks that seemed manageable in the beginning can start to feel overwhelming, draining your energy and stealing time from the activities that drive real growth—like serving your clients or developing new products.  When our appliance service business really started to take off, I remember being so frustrated at spending the entire day (on a Saturday) in Quickbooks that I literally burst into tears wondering what the heck we were doing. In fact, I told my husband I quit :)  He didn't let me but, about a week later, we decided to hire our first team member.

When to DIY and When to Delegate

The key is knowing which tasks to keep in-house and which ones to delegate, automate, or outsource. Here’s a quick framework to help you decide:

1. DIY Tasks with a Low Learning Curve
   If a task can be learned quickly and done consistently well, it’s a great candidate for DIY. For example:
   • Social Media Posting: Tools like Canva, Buffer, and Planoly make it easy to create and schedule content without hiring a manager. Canva even offers free templates to simplify the design process.
   • Customer Communication: Platforms like Gmail or an industry specific CRM can help you stay organized and professional when responding to clients.
   • Basic Accounting: Tools like Wave (free), FreshBooks, or QuickBooks Online simplify invoicing and expense tracking without requiring an accounting degree. There are a ton of tutorials on YouTube!
2. Delegate or Automate Tasks with a Steep Learning Curve
   If a task requires significant time to master and doesn’t directly drive revenue, consider outsourcing or automating it. Examples include:
   • Website Design: Platforms like Squarespace or Wix offer easy-to-use templates, but if you need something more custom, hiring a freelancer can save you dozens of hours and ensure a polished result. (Remember, though, you get what you pay for and you should always, *always* research the reputation of the person you hire to ensure that you own and have access to all of your assets!).
   • Graphic Design: Tools like Canva are perfect for DIYers, but for logos or branding, consider investing in a designer through Fiverr or 99designs.
   • Email Marketing: Services like Mailchimp, ConvertKit, and Flodesk simplify email automation and allow you to set up campaigns without constant manual input.
3. Focus on High-Value Activities
   Your “zone of genius” is where your time is best spent. This includes:
   • Building relationships with customers or clients.
   • Developing new products or refining your services.
   • Creating content that showcases your expertise (like blogs or videos).

Affordable Tools to Save Time Without Breaking the Bank

You don’t need to invest in high-end software or hire a full team to start saving time. Here are a few budget-friendly tools designed for small businesses in their early stages:

1. Project Management:
   • Todoist (Free): Perfect for organizing to-do lists (I especially love this for repeat tasks that I have to do each day, each week, each month or even each year).  And, I have a free tutorial all about it HERE.
   • Asana (Free for small teams): A step up with more collaboration features.
   • Monday (A little more expensive, but SO worth it and what we use and teach our students how to use in our Small Business Intensive): Combines project management with team integration and automations with Gmail and other platforms for customer management.
2. Marketing and Content Creation:
   • Canva (Free with paid upgrades- so worth it!): Create professional-looking designs without hiring a designer.
   • Chat GPT (Free with paid upgrades- also super worth it): Ensure your content is polished and professional. Here's a FREE TUTORIAL to get started with Chat GPT!
3. Communication and Collaboration:
   • Slack (Free for small teams): Streamline team communication.
   • Zoom (Free for small meetings): Perfect for client calls or team check-ins.
   • Google Workspace (Affordable monthly plans): Professional email and collaboration tools.
4. Financial Tools:
   • Wave (Free): Invoicing and accounting for solopreneurs.
   • Quickbooks Online (This is what we use): Simplify expense tracking, invoice customers and accept payments from customers (ACH is way cheaper than accepting credit cards!)

By using tools like these, you can reclaim hours of your week while staying within a small business budget.

Shifting Your Mindset

Learning to spend money to save time isn’t about extravagance—it’s about sustainability. Your time is a finite resource, and every minute spent on low-value tasks is a minute taken from something that could drive your business forward and earn you more money!

But here’s the thing: if funds are tight, you don’t need to outsource everything all at once. Start small. Delegate one task, automate one process, or invest in one tool that saves you the most time. Monitor the results and build from there. The goal isn’t to eliminate DIYing but to use it strategically.

When You’re Ready to Invest in Yourself

If you’re at the point where you’re ready to focus your goals, streamline your efforts, and collaborate with other entrepreneurs, consider joining Outcome Academy’s Small Business Intensive. This program is designed specifically for small business owners in their early years, helping you:

• Create or refresh your Mission, Vision and Values
• Clarify your customers, offers, goals and priorities.
• Create a roadmap for sustainable growth.
• Connect with a supportive community of like-minded entrepreneurs.

But we also understand that not everyone is ready to invest just yet—and that’s okay. That’s why we offer a wealth of free resources we've linked throughout this blog post to help you build momentum:

• Free Downloads: Check out our templates, guides, and checklists tailored to small businesses.  
• Blog Posts and Social Content: Dive into actionable tips and strategies designed to help you grow.  Most of our blog posts have at least one helpful tool or download you can implement immediately in your business.
• Outcome Academy Emails: Subscribe by downloading any of our free tools to stay inspired and informed.

The early years of running a small business require resilience, creativity, and a whole lot of DIY spirit. But as you grow, it’s important to evaluate how you’re using your time and money. By focusing on tasks that truly drive value—and letting go of the rest—you’ll create the space you need to build a business that thrives.

Remember, you don’t have to do it all at once. Start with small steps. Test the waters with one new tool or one delegated task. And when you’re ready, invest in yourself and your business through programs like our Small Business Intensive.

Your time is valuable. Your goals are worth it. And we’re here to support you every step of the way.