Are You Paying Yourself Like a CEO?
You built the business. You carry the risk. You answer the late-night texts. And at the end of the month, you get whatever is left.
That's not a salary. That's leftovers.
Most business owners I work with don't have a clear number for what they pay themselves. They pull money when the account looks full and hold back when it looks thin. It feels responsible. It isn't. It keeps you guessing and it keeps your business from telling you the truth.
Why "whatever's left" hurts you
When your pay changes every month, you can't plan your personal life. You can't tell whether the business is actually profitable, because your labor is basically free. And you train yourself to believe you come last.
That last one is the real problem. Most financial problems aren't money problems. They're healing problems. If you learned early that your needs wait, your business will pick up that pattern.
Pay yourself on purpose
Pick a number. Start with what your household actually needs, not what feels polite. If the business can't cover it yet, start lower and set a date to raise it.
Put it on a schedule. Same amount, same day, every pay period. Treat it like rent.
Separate profit from pay. Your paycheck is for your work. Profit is the reward for owning the business. Track them separately so you can see both.
Know your structure. How you pay yourself depends on your entity. For example, S-corp owners who work in the business generally need to take a reasonable salary through payroll. Get this right before year-end, not in April.
Review it every quarter. As revenue grows, your pay should too.
The CEO mindset shift
CEOs don't wait to see what's left. They decide what the business owes them, then build a business that can pay it.
You're allowed to be paid for what you built.
Not sure what you can afford to pay yourself? Start with the free CEO download: https://ceo.thlbiz.com/download or book a strategy session: https://thlonlinelearning.com/b/5mQzW
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