(Or how to stop being the CEO, janitor, bookkeeper, and therapist all at once.)

Let’s be honest: when you first started your business, you were a one-person Swiss Army knife. You answered emails, sent invoices, chased leads, did the actual work, and maybe cried into your coffee at 2 a.m. on Tuesdays.

That’s fine at the start. Hustle mode. DIY till you die…or at least until your left eye twitches uncontrollably.

But if you want to grow (like, real growth), you cannot keep running your business like a solo act in a three-ring circus.

The truth?

Your business isn’t stuck because you need more time.

It’s stuck because your systems suck.

Warning Signs Your Systems Are Holding You Hostage

Before we dive into fixing things, let’s check if you’ve got symptoms of what we lovingly call “Founder Bottleneck Syndrome.”

• You answer every damn email yourself
• You are the CRM, the marketing plan, and the entire HR department
• Your team texts you at 10 p.m. asking where that one spreadsheet i...

Let’s get one thing straight: if your plan for busy season (whenever that is for you) is to "just push through," congratulations…you've officially become your own worst bottleneck.

When business ramps up, chaos isn’t a maybe; it’s a guarantee. Phones ringing, emails piling up, clients panicking, staff calling out, inventory playing hide and seek… It’s not a vibe. Unless that vibe is burnout and broken systems.

But here's the truth bomb no one wants to say out loud:

You don't need to do everything. You need to do the *right* things.

So let’s break this down like a good tequila:

👉 What to streamline.

👉 What to automate.

👉 What to delegate.

Ready? Let’s jump in.

What to Streamline (a.k.a. “Why the hell is this still so complicated?”)

If a task takes 15 steps and involves 4 different apps, it’s not a process…it’s a problem.

Start here:

1. Customer Onboarding: Still manually emailing every new client a welcome packet? Stop it. Build a templated onboarding sequence that sends ...

Ah, summer. When the rest of the world is sipping margaritas by the pool, you’re sweating bullets trying to figure out how the hell you’re going to keep up with customer demand, staffing shortages, supply chain slowdowns, and that one employee who “forgets” they already used all their PTO.

We said it last week and we’ll say it again: the problem isn’t your seasonality; it’s how you plan for it.

In our recent post on seasonal funding, we talked about why waiting until you’re flatlining to find financing is a terrible strategy. 

(Spoiler alert: lenders love strength, not desperation.)

Whether you’re running a landscaping company, a brewery, a boutique, or an eCommerce shop about to get hit with a warm-weather shopping surge, this is your cue to stop winging it and start planning.

Here's how to get your sh*t together before the sun fries your margins.

Step 1: Get a Grip on Last Year’s Numbers

Before you go ordering 6,000 units of neon floaties or doubling your staff, look at wha...

 In honor of Earth Day (April 22), let’s clear something up: “sustainability” isn’t just a crunchy granola buzzword reserved for yoga studios and kombucha-sipping startups. It’s real, it’s practical, and yes… it can actually make your business more green - ahem, profitable.

So if you’ve been side-eyeing the whole “green” thing like it’s just another budget-eating trend… hold that thought. We're about to break it down without making you feel like you need to hug a tree (unless you’re into that).

Why Small Businesses Should Give a Damn

Look, we get it. You’ve got payroll to meet, inventory to manage, and Karen from accounting still hasn’t figured out Slack. You don’t exactly have time to worry about melting ice caps.

But here’s the thing: sustainability is no longer optional. Consumers, employees, and even investors are watching. And they’re not just watching; they’re choosing who to buy from, work for, and support based on who’s thinking beyond this quarter’s profits.

Translatio...

Let’s get real for a minute; reading financial statements probably wasn’t on your “things I’m excited to do as a business owner” list. But here’s the thing: if you don’t understand your numbers, your business is basically running you instead of the other way around.

Think of it like this—your financial statements are the cheat codes to making smarter decisions, keeping more of your hard-earned cash, and avoiding “oh shit” moments when tax season rolls around.

And if numbers make your head spin? Don’t worry; we’ve got a little something at the end of this article to make it all ridiculously easy. (Or at least easier.) 

Curious? Keep reading.

The Three Must-Know Financial Statements  

Every small business owner should be familiar with these three basic (but crucial) financial reports:  

Profit & Loss Statement (P&L) – AKA “Did I Make Money?”  

This report shows your revenue, expenses, and profit (or loss) over a set period. It tells you if your business is actually making mo...

Listen up, you scrappy small business owners and medium-sized moguls—spring isn’t just for decluttering your garage or pretending you’ll finally use that yoga mat. 

It’s prime time to spring clean your finances and stop letting your bank account look like a post-apocalyptic wasteland. 

We’re not here to bore you with some snooze-fest accounting lecture. Instead, we’re tackling the messy, chaotic financial slip-ups holding you back. Ready to ditch the chaos and set your business up for a profitable Q2…and beyond? 

Here’s your 7-step spring cleaning checklist—let’s roll.

Dust Off Your Budget (And Stop Treating It Like a Suggestion)

Your budget isn’t a cute suggestion—it’s the law, and you’ve been breaking it like a rebellious teen. Spring is your chance to revisit your spending and get ruthless. Pull up your Q1 numbers and spot the leaks. Did you blow $500 on artisanal coffee for the office or “team-building” happy hours that ended in karaoke disasters? Slash unnecessary costs...

Running a small business is a game of risk and reward. One day, you’re closing deals and making moves. The next? You’re dodging lawsuits, fending off creditors, or wondering how one bad decision suddenly put everything you’ve built on the line.

Here’s the truth—it only takes one unexpected hit to wipe out years of hard work. A lawsuit, an economic downturn, a bad debt… and suddenly, you’re scrambling to protect what’s left.

That’s why asset protection isn’t just for big corporations with fancy lawyers—it’s a survival strategy for every small business owner who wants to stay in the game.

Let’s break down how to safeguard your business before trouble knocks on your door. Because when it comes to protecting your assets, waiting until it’s too late isn’t a strategy—it’s a mistake.

Choose the Right Business Structure (Or Fix Yours ASAP)  

If you’re still running your business as a sole proprietorship, you might as well put up a “Come Sue Me” sign on your front door. When you don’t h...

When you hear “supplier,” do you picture someone who just delivers what you order and sends a bill? 

That’s a vendor—a transactional relationship that doesn’t do much for your bottom line. 

But a partner? That’s a game-changer. Partners are suppliers who are invested in your success, offering support, flexibility, and collaboration to help you both grow.  

Let’s talk about how to upgrade your vendor relationships into partnerships that actually make your business stronger, more reliable, and yes, more profitable.

Step 1: Rethink the Relationship

Start by asking yourself: Are you treating your suppliers as disposable, interchangeable resources? If the answer is “kind of, yeah,” you’ve found your first problem. Suppliers aren’t just service providers; they’re stakeholders in your business’s success.  

When you invest in their success, you create opportunities for collaboration, innovation, and long-term reliability. Think bigger than transactions: this is about relationships.

Step...

Welcome to the new year, where optimism is high, resolutions are written (or ignored), and small business owners everywhere are ready to take on the world—after their second cup of coffee. If you’re aiming to make this year different (read: successful as hell), you’re in the right place. 

We’re diving into 10 simple yet powerful strategies to ensure your business crushes 2025 like your favorite competitor's outdated marketing plan.

1. Audit Yo’self (and Your Business)  

Before you set a single goal, take a hard look at what’s working—and what’s not. This isn’t about being harsh; it’s about being honest. Pull up your profit and loss statement, review those Google Analytics numbers, and have that awkward talk with the team about last year’s customer complaints.

Pro Tip: List the top three revenue drivers and the top three time-wasters. Double down on the former and ghost the latter.

2. Set *Real* Goals (Not Those Fluffy Ones)  

“Make more money” isn’t a goal; it’s a vague asp...

 As a small business owner, you’ve probably heard the saying: nothing is certain except death and taxes. But what happens when those taxes catch up to you in ways you didn’t expect? Whether it’s an overlooked payment, a miscalculation, or an honest mistake, tax debt can quickly spiral into a source of stress that keeps you up at night.  

But here’s the good news: it’s not as hopeless as it seems.  

Small business owners often think of the IRS as an unbeatable foe, but in reality, it’s an organization that *can* work with you—if you know how to approach the situation. The key is taking action sooner rather than later.  

Step 1: Open the Envelope 

If you’ve ever avoided an IRS notice like it’s an ex texting, you’re not alone. But burying your head in the sand will only make things worse. IRS letters are scary, yes, but they’re also your first step toward resolving the problem. The quicker you understand what they’re asking for, the faster you can come up with a solution.  

Step 2: I...