I run a coffee shop in Wales, UK. This is my second business since 2018, and something thatâs become evident in both businesses is that itâs easy to fall into the trap of just owning a job. Iâm there right now.
This can happen due to a few different scenarios, but the main two are:
1ď¸âŁ Youâre scared to let go and let others do things
When you start a business, you have an âI do it bestâ mindset, and itâs difficult to let others take control or do things. The âI do it bestâ mindset is super toxic, obviously, because youâll never grow as a business if you canât or wonât delegate tasks to others. Simple.
One of my favourite quotes is, "Perfect is the enemy of good..."
2ď¸âŁ No money; the owner works there
Most businesses begin as owner-operated, especially in hospitality when the margins are low... I mean low as in no margins at all! I suppose this ties into point 1 as well, because when youâve done tasks for a long time, or youâre the only one who, for example, cleans the coffee machine or grinders, itâs easy to put yourself on a pedestal and think, âNot only am I the best at this, but I do it because Iâm the owner, and this is the job of the owner.â
When a business isnât making money at the start, or even midway through its life, itâs understandable for a business owner to adopt this mindset, as youâre literally clutching at straws or maybe subconsciously trying to find positivesâlooking for a diamond in the rough, if you will.
People say if youâre working in your business, you canât work on your business. Bullshit. You have to be in your business, and working on it, to make it work. You need to be working 100x harder if things arenât going well. But, when thereâs no money, I get itâitâs tough, and you feel like your hands are tied. But...when thereâs no money being made, or you feel like youâve tried everything, guess what...nobody gives a fuck! Try harder. Stop being soft. Sort your shit out.
The title of this post boils down to this: If you own a job, 99% of the time itâs because your business isnât making money. If youâre making money, and the business is profitable, you can employ more people and remove yourself from the daily grind.