When you’re starting out, doing everything yourself can feel like the smart—and only—option. You’re saving money, learning as you go, and staying in full control. But at some point, all that DIY effort can quietly become the thing that holds your business back.

In The E-Myth, Michael E. Gerber explains why so many small businesses stay stuck: the owner is stuck in the business instead of working on it. Sound familiar?

Being the “Doer” Keeps You in the Weeds

Gerber introduces the idea that most small business owners start as technicians—people who are great at their craft but end up buried in the day-to-day grind. When you’re doing all the tasks—every email, every post, every invoice—you leave no time to build systems or plan for growth.

It’s not about working harder. It’s about working smarter, with a plan that allows your business to run without you doing every piece of it forever.

Create Systems—Even If You’re Still Solo

One of the most practical takeaways from The E-Myth is to start building systems before you think you need them. That could be as simple as writing down how you onboard a client, how you post to social media, or how you update your website.

These repeatable steps make it easier to train someone later—or at the very least, take a break without chaos. Systems create freedom.

Let Go of Perfection to Make Space for Progress

Sometimes, doing everything yourself comes from a place of fear: “No one else will do it right.” But waiting for perfect often means nothing gets off your plate. Trusting a template, a tool, or another person—even just for one part of your workflow—is a small step that creates big space.

Final Thoughts

Your business can’t grow if you’re the only engine keeping it running. Start thinking like the owner—not just the worker. Whether it’s through tools, templates, or asking for help, letting go of some control is the path to scaling sustainably.

 

This article is part of our Business Coaching blog series. At Dataczar we talk to a lot of small businesses. We’ve found a few books that we keep recommending time and again. To better help our customers, we’ve added a Reading List for Small Businesses to our website. We encourage every small business owner to read and keep these timeless business books on their office shelf.

Submit

---