Are you acting like an employee in your own business?
It’s summertime, which, for most employees, means they put in their PTO requests months ago, packed up the family, and took off for a beach getaway or maybe a classic road trip. If you’re a business owner, that kind of freedom may feel more like a fairy tale than a real possibility. But isn’t freedom why you chose to start a business (at least in part) in the first place?
Maybe you’re thinking—Sure, who wouldn’t love to spend quality time with their family, sipping a cool drink, and watching the waves crash to the shore without a care in the world? But I have responsibilities and demands that can’t be put off. My business needs me! Plus, it’s not like I can just submit a vacation request.
If that sounds familiar, you’re not alone. Many business owners unknowingly build themselves into the center of their business and then pay the price for it. Think about it—When was the last time you took a two-week vacation without checking in? If it has been more than a year, it’s time to rethink how you’re running your business.
Beware of the Technician Trap
The technician trap is something many business owners fall into, at least in the beginning. This is where you end up doing the work you’re best at (and often why you started a business in the first place), but not growing beyond it. Essentially, you’re doing a job that depends on your time and energy instead of running a business that is designed to operate and grow without you.
Think of the chef who insists on cooking every dish, the designer who handles every client pitch, and the accountant who reconciles every bank statement. They’ve built very expensive jobs, not businesses. The problem is that while their specialization may make them great at their craft, it doesn’t always make them great at building a business that can scale and eventually sell, or that they can even get away from for a much-needed vacation.
It Comes Down to Owner Dependency
When a business revolves around the owner’s skills, decisions, and relationships, a huge liability is created. In fact, according to data from the U.S. Small Business Administration, over 80% of small businesses never sell, and one of the top reasons is owner dependency. Overreliance on the owner not only increases burnout risk for the owner; it also decreases company valuation. That’s because investors and buyers don’t want a business that collapses when the owner steps away. No one wants to buy their job.
Consider the following example: A successful marketing consultant had built a thriving six-figure agency over 12 years. From the outside, it looked like a well-oiled machine—steady clients, strong revenue, and a recognizable personal brand. When she decided to sell the business and retire, several interested buyers came to the table. But after initial due diligence, they all walked away.
It was clear to them that she was the business. Every client relationship depended on her. She handled sales calls, creative direction, and final approvals. It was simple to the potential buyers—no documented systems, plus no empowered team, plus no plan for how the business would run without her equaled no sale. The lack of owner independence made the business unsellable, despite its strong reputation and solid earnings.
Owner dependency isn’t just about selling, though. Even if you have no plans to exit your business anytime soon, your freedom and ability to grow depend on reducing dependency (pun intended). That means being able to step away for a week or two to spend quality time doing the things you love with the people you love. If you can’t have at least that, is all the work you’re putting into your business truly worth it?
How to Build a Scalable, Owner-Independent Business
When you’re ready to move from owning a job to owning a true business, the transition starts with shifting your role and, equally as important, your mindset, from doer to leader. This approach helps you build something scalable, valuable, and sellable—not just something that survives because you’re working in it every day. The following steps are a good start:
Step 1: Document Your Core Processes
- Identify the key activities that drive your business (e.g., client onboarding, sales calls, invoicing).
- Create Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) so others can follow them without your input.
- Store these in a central, accessible location (e.g., Google Drive or a project management tool).
Step 2: Build a Team You Can Trust
- Hire or delegate to people who can own key functions—sales, operations, customer service, etc.
- Focus on training and communication, not micromanagement.
- Empower your team to make decisions and solve problems without you.
Step 3: Remove Yourself from Day-to-Day Tasks
- Identify what still depends on you, and start handing those things off.
- Set a goal to step away for a few days and test how the business runs.
- Refine systems and team responsibilities until the business can operate smoothly without you.
Time to Choose—Do You Want a Business or a Job?
Every step you take toward independence not only increases your business’s value but also increases your overall quality of life. Imagine two weeks away, no calls, no worries, while your business is still thriving back at home. It’s not a fairy tale. And if you still need a business justification, think of the fact that investing your time and energy into your own mental and emotional well-being means you’ll come back to the business stronger, more creative, and more productive than before. These are all the rewards for doing the hard work … of letting go.
This week, make a commitment to delegate one task completely. If you need help turning what may be a job into the business you intended, book a consult, and we’ll develop a strategy to get you there.
About Agile Planners
At Agile Planners, we provide strategic guidance and outsourced CFO services to companies of all sizes. We can help provide the strategy your organization needs for the growth you want. We understand that no two organizations are the same. And with our experience and financial knowledge, we can help develop the right strategic plan for your business to grow and reach its goals. Simply, we’ll be your trusted partner, so you can focus on running your organization. Contact us today to learn more about how we can help.
