Streamlined Solopreneur: Tips to Help Solopreneurs Automate Their Business

Automation and Delegation are Worth It

Jan 27, 2025

Discover the true value of investing in automation and delegation for your business. Understand opportunity costs and learn when it makes sense to automate repetitive tasks. Get insights on testing small delegations, like hiring a virtual assistant, to reclaim time or avoid burnout. Personal anecdotes highlight the pitfalls of premature automation, emphasizing the need for thoughtful decision-making. Plus, find out why mowing your lawn might be costing you more than you think!

19:30

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Quick takeaways

Understanding opportunity cost helps solopreneurs evaluate the trade-offs between billable work and non-revenue-generating tasks.

Implementing automation and delegation effectively requires first recognizing repetitive tasks and ensuring a clear understanding of each process.

Deep dives

Understanding Opportunity Cost

Opportunity cost is a fundamental concept that refers to the potential benefits one sacrifices when choosing one option over another. This principle is illustrated through personal anecdotes, such as the choice between attending a concert or working a shift. For example, the cost of attending a concert involves not only the ticket price but also lost wages and other expenses, exemplifying the real trade-offs that come with decisions. In a business context, evaluating how much time to invest in tasks is crucial, especially when considering the value of billable hours compared to time spent on non-revenue-generating activities.

Understanding Opportunity Cost in Business Automation

15min

Navigating Automation and Effective Delegation

5min

“How do I know if investing in automation is worth it?” This was a question someone asked me after my talk at Podfest. And it’s a fair question. We don’t want to waste time and money on something that won’t pay off.

So in today’s episode, I tell you exactly how to know if automation and delegation are worth the investment.

Top Takeaways

Understand Opportunity Cost: Opportunity cost is the value of what you give up when choosing one activity over another. For solopreneurs, this often means the lost income or time that could be spent on billable work.
Automation Rule of Thumb: Automate repetitive tasks you’ve done at least three times and that require consistent inputs and outputs. But do the task manually first to ensure automation makes sense.
Take Small Risks for Big Gains: Test delegation by hiring a VA or outsourcing small tasks. Even $50/week can help you reclaim time to avoid burnout or spend with family.

Show Notes