It’s a phrase you’ve probably heard before: “You need to work on your business, not in it.”
Sounds great in theory, right? But if you’re like most small business owners, it probably feels a little like telling a chef to stop cooking in their own restaurant. “What do you mean, work on my business? Who’s going to keep the lights on if I step back?”
Here’s the thing: the difference between working in your business and working on it is the difference between running a business that owns you and running a business that works for you.
Let’s break it down.
What Does It Mean to Work In Your Business?
Working in your business means being in the trenches. It’s doing the day-to-day tasks that keep the wheels turning. For a coffee shop owner, it’s pulling espresso shots, cleaning tables, and managing the register. For a landscaper, it’s mowing lawns and planting flowers. For a consultant, it’s delivering client presentations and answering emails.
These tasks are essential, no doubt about it. But when your entire day is consumed by the doing, there’s no time left for the thinking.
You become so caught up in today’s fires—restocking inventory, handling a customer complaint, or troubleshooting a software glitch—that you don’t have the bandwidth to think about tomorrow.
And here’s the danger: if you’re always working in your business, it can’t grow beyond you. The business becomes a reflection of your limits, not your potential.
What Does It Mean to Work On Your Business?
Working on your business means stepping back from the daily grind to focus on the bigger picture. It’s about creating systems, processes, and structures that allow your business to run without your constant involvement.
Here’s what working on your business looks like:
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Streamlining Operations: You develop processes that are so well-documented and efficient that someone else could easily take over. Think of it as creating a playbook for how things are done.
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Building a Team: You hire people who can take over key tasks and responsibilities, freeing you up to focus on strategy and growth.
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Focusing on Strategy: Instead of just doing the work, you’re thinking about how to make the work more profitable, efficient, or scalable.
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Marketing and Growth Planning: You’re not just serving your current customers; you’re thinking about how to attract new ones and expand your market.
Working on your business is about making decisions that move the needle. It’s the work that creates leverage, where small changes can have a big impact.
Why It’s So Hard to Step Back
If stepping back feels unnatural, you’re not alone. Most entrepreneurs start their businesses because they’re good at the work itself, whether that’s baking, repairing, designing, or consulting. So, it’s easy to fall into the trap of thinking, “If I’m not doing the work, who will?”
But the truth is, the most successful business owners aren’t the best at doing the work—they’re the best at designing systems that allow the work to get done.
It’s also hard because stepping back forces you to confront uncomfortable questions:
- Are you hiring the right people?
- Have you built processes that anyone can follow, or does everything rely on your personal touch?
- Is your business scalable, or is it completely dependent on you?
These questions are tough, but they’re the key to unlocking long-term success.
How to Start Working On Your Business
You don’t have to overhaul everything overnight. Start small. Here’s how:
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Document One Process: Pick one recurring task in your business—maybe it’s onboarding a new customer or ordering inventory—and write down every step involved. Now you have a system someone else can follow.
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Delegate One Task: Choose one thing you currently do that someone else could handle. Train a team member or hire someone to take it over.
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Set Aside Thinking Time: Schedule just one hour a week to step back and think about the big picture. Use this time to evaluate what’s working, what’s not, and where you want to go.
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Invest in Tools: Look for software or tools that can automate repetitive tasks. From email marketing platforms to inventory management systems, there’s a tool for almost everything.
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Focus on Your Vision: Revisit why you started your business in the first place. Are you still aligned with that vision, or have you lost sight of it in the daily grind?
The Payoff: A Business That Works Without You
The goal of working on your business isn’t to make yourself obsolete—it’s to make yourself optional.
Imagine a business where you can take a vacation without everything falling apart. Imagine having the time and energy to explore new opportunities, develop new products, or expand into new markets.
That’s the freedom that comes from working on your business. It’s not just about making more money—it’s about building a life where you’re in control.
So, the next time you catch yourself buried in the day-to-day tasks, stop and ask: Am I working on my business, or am I just working in it?
Your future self will thank you for the answer.