Managing Your Business Alone: The Pros and Cons
The allure (and trap) of doing It all yourself
If you have a business idea, your first instinct is probably: "I’ll do it all myself." And it makes sense. No one knows your vision better than you, you want to keep costs down, and let’s face it… the thought of delegating can be scary. But is it really the best strategy?
Today, let’s break down the pros and cons of going solo when launching a business, with real examples and strategies for finding the right balance—which varies depending on the person and the business… we’re not all the same.
The Benefits of doing It all yourself
1. Complete Control Over Decisions
When you handle everything, every decision passes through you. You can shape your brand exactly how you imagine it, without having to explain your vision to anyone else.
Example: Sara, a freelance designer, launched her first digital print e-commerce store, handling everything on her own: website, branding, marketing. The result? A visual identity that was consistent with her style but likely didn’t meet the real needs of her audience. So, at what cost? (We’ll explore this in a moment…)
2. Initial Savings
If you're on a tight budget, doing it yourself means avoiding the upfront costs of teams, agencies, or collaborators. Instead of investing in outsourcing, you invest time and skills.
Example: Lara, an aspiring coach, started without a website or paid ads. She created content on LinkedIn and YouTube using just her phone and free tools. Six months later, she had her first clients… without spending a penny.
3. Learning and Personal Growth
When you're forced to manage every aspect of your business, you develop valuable skills: copywriting, design, client management, marketing. Even if you delegate in the future, you'll have a broader understanding of your business.
Example: Martina, a strategic consultant, learned to use tools like Notion and Canva to manage her work. When she hired an assistant, she knew exactly what to delegate and what to keep in-house.
The Downsides of doing It all yourself
1. Overload and Burnout
Doing everything by yourself means… doing everything by yourself. There’s a limit to how many hours you can work and how much energy you can invest before burning out.
Example: Silvia launched her online business and decided to post 10 times a day on TikTok, create content for a whole month in advance, respond to clients, and manage her website. Two months later, she quit because she was exhausted and demotivated—on the brink of burnout.
Solution: Instead of setting unrealistic goals (like going viral on TikTok in a week), start with a sustainable strategy and adapt over time.
2. Limited Skills = Slow Growth
ou might be good at many things, but not everything. If you're not an expert in a key area (e.g., sales, SEO, financial management), the risk is making mistakes or wasting precious time.
Example: Anna, a fitness expert, wanted to create an app for her training programs. She spent months trying to learn coding on her own. After a year, she had neither an app nor clients. If she had partnered with a developer from the start, her business would have taken off sooner.
Solution: Identify the areas where specialized skills are needed and consider strategic partnerships or tools that simplify the work.
3. Lack of Focus on Key Activities
The more time you spend on secondary tasks, the less time you have to focus on activities that generate growth and profits.
Example: Giulia, a wedding planner, spent months creating her website on her own, perfecting every detail. Meanwhile, she didn’t acquire any clients. When she finally decided to delegate the website to a professional, she could focus on networking and events… and landed her first collaborations.
Solution: Always ask yourself: Is this activity helping my business grow, or is it just occupying my time?
Are you a solo entrepreneur struggling to identify areas of your business that need help or delegation?
☕️Book a free virtual coffee with me: Together, we’ll analyze your situation and find tailored solutions for you!
One of the blocks of the Solo Entrepreneur: The Myth of "I can’t start without X"
Simon Squibb, a British entrepreneur and investor, helps aspiring entrepreneurs launch their projects by dismantling limiting beliefs. One of the most common problems? The belief "I need X to start" (where X = money, collaborators, followers, an office...).
Simon is clear about this:
“Do you need money to make money? It’s one of the biggest excuses I hear, and it’s completely false. I built HelpBnk and my social channels acting as if I were broke. I could’ve invested tons of money, but I would’ve failed. Not having money is actually a competitive advantage… It forces you to innovate and perfect your idea, finding ways to make money by reducing costs.”
Simon himself interviews hundreds of people, simply asking them if they have a dream and what it is. One of them expressed the desire to open a clothing brand but said she couldn’t do it without investors. Squibb replied: “Do you have an idea? Create a prototype. Do you have friends? Get them to test your prototype. Do you have social media? Run pre-orders.” Result? She sold her first pieces without any funding.
💡 Lessons from Simon to apply to your business:
If you're afraid to start, start small. You don’t need a complex website initially, but you do need a solid foundation. A strategic landing page with essential information and a way to be contacted is a great place to begin.
Leverage what you already have. Do you have skills? Offer services in exchange for visibility or collaborations.
Don’t wait for perfect conditions. If you have an idea, test it now with the resources you have.
How to find balance in this mindset
Take stock of your current resources → What can you do now with what you have?
Set a sustainable pace → Can you really post 10 times a day? Or would 3 targeted posts per week be better?
Focus on what brings results → If your audience isn’t on TikTok, does it make sense to invest time there?
Stop comparing yourself to others → Do your competitors have a team and budget? Fine, you have agility and creativity. Use them.
Leverage networking and exchanges → Limited budget? Collaborate with other small businesses, offering your services in exchange for visibility or support in other areas of your business.
Doing It all yourself: Yes or No?
The truth? There’s no one-size-fits-all answer. If your business is small and sustainable, going solo can work. If you want to grow quickly or avoid burnout, learning to delegate will be essential.
✅ When does It make sense to do It all yourself?
If you're testing an idea and want maximum flexibility.
If your business is based on skills you already possess.
If you want to reduce initial costs.
❌ When is It better to delegate or ask for help?
If the workload becomes overwhelming.
If you lack expertise in a key area.
If the time you spend on secondary tasks is taking focus away from what really matters.
💡 Guiding Question: If you could free yourself from one task today, which one would it be? That’s probably the first thing to delegate or simplify.
In a nutshell...
Doing everything yourself at the start may seem like the only option, but it doesn’t mean doing everything all at once.
You don’t need money, you need guidance.
You don’t need a huge team, you need clarity.
You don’t need to do everything now, you need to take the first step.
And if you need help figuring out what that first step is for you, let’s talk over a (virtual) coffee. 😉
☕ Let’s Have a Virtual Coffee
and find your path together
Stop feeling stuck or overwhelmed with tasks. Let’s talk about your business, your challenges, and how you can grow sustainably without the stress. Book a free 30-minute call with me and discover the first right step for you.
AG Studio guides bold entrepreneurs in the hospitality and personal development industry with personal and/or business brands to conscious growth and sustainable success, helping them stand out online. CLICK HERE to learn more about my services and how I can help you!
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