Why Paying Yourself as an Owner Isn’t Optional— And How to Start Doing It Right

It’s one of the most common problems we see with small business owners:

👉 They’re working hard.
👉 They’re keeping the business afloat.
👉 But at the end of the month... there’s nothing consistent left for them.

Sound familiar? You’re not alone. But it doesn’t have to stay that way.

We believe every business owner should be paid—consistently, intentionally, and first. And with the right plan, you can get there.

In this quick video, Ashley shares why paying yourself matters so much, and how to get started:

Why Is Paying Yourself So Hard?

For most owners, the old pattern looks like this:
Sales – Expenses = Whatever’s Left (Maybe Profit… Maybe Paycheck)

And when expenses grow faster than revenue—or when personal pay is always “last in line”—owners fall into a trap:

👉 The business eats everything.
👉 Your household is stuck.
👉 You feel like you’re “working for free.”

We see it again and again. You’re doing everything for your business—serving customers, managing staff, covering bills... but if you’re not paying yourself consistently, that’s not sustainable.

You can’t build personal financial stability on leftover scraps.

Flip the Formula: Pay Yourself First

That’s why we teach a different model—based on Profit First principles:

Sales – Profit – Owner’s Pay = Expenses

In other words:
👉 You set your target Owner’s Pay (we can help you calculate what’s realistic)
👉 You pay yourself first—every month, every week
👉 You cut or adjust expenses to match what’s actually sustainable

Where Do You Start?

If this sounds like a big change—don’t worry. We guide business owners through this shift all the time. Here’s where to begin:

✅ Get clear on your personal pay needs—what do you really need to take home to make your household work?
✅ Audit your expenses. What’s helping grow the business—and what’s just waste? (Many owners are shocked at how much is going to things that aren’t driving results.)
✅ Set a target % of revenue for your Owner’s Pay—and build toward it. Even if you start at 10%, building the habit matters.
✅ Pay yourself on purpose, on a schedule—not just as random draws.

Cutting Expenses: The Key to Owner’s Pay

One of the most powerful ways to pay yourself more is to cut out waste:
👉 Subscriptions you don’t use
👉 Advertising that isn’t bringing a return
👉 Tools you’ve outgrown
👉 Premium services you no longer need

When we work with advisory clients, we do this kind of expense review all the time—and most of the time, we uncover hundreds or thousands in unnecessary spending.

That money should be going to YOU.

We Can Help You Get There

We know—this is a big mindset shift for many owners. It’s hard to break old habits when you’re already working flat out.

That’s why our advisory services are designed to help:
✅ We’ll review your current income, expenses, and profit.
✅ We’ll help calculate how much you should be paying yourself—and what’s realistic to start with.
✅ We’ll build a plan to stabilize your cash flow so you can grow without starving yourself.

If you’re tired of running in circles—working harder and harder but still not seeing results at home—let’s change that.

Your business should serve YOU—not the other way around.

👉 Ready to start? [Book your free consultation today.]