10/03/2026
So here’s the thing… running your own small biz is hard. Really hard. And most days you question your life choices.
It might look from the outside like we have the perfect life, because we have time to do the school run and sports commitments. It seems like we have the flexibility of a stay-at-home parent. But inside, we’re being pulled in a million different directions simultaneously.
Here’s some facts you might not realise about your small biz friends:
- We’ve sacrificed a lot. And I mean a lot. We had to be brave and make hard choices that most people aren’t willing to make and those choices come at the cost of security, comfort and sometimes sanity.
- There’s no guaranteed income when you work for yourself. When you’re not working, you’re not getting paid. End of. No one will hand you money just for showing up. You have to constantly sell, and build. When one paying project ends, there has to be another one after it or you’re not staying afloat.
- When ‘friends’ ask to “pick your brain”, a little piece of your soul dies. They will happily pay thousands to big brands who don’t need their money, but refuse to support a friend who would genuinely appreciate the help.
- There’s constant stress and sleepless nights. At times, worries about whether you’ll be able to pay all the bills. And on top of that, you don’t really get to do the work you love because running the business becomes your full-time job.
- We still have outgoings even in times when there’s no income. Running a biz costs money regardless. And the amount of taxes we pay can be crippling.
So next time you think about asking a small business friend for a ‘favour’, just know that about 6,583 other ‘friends’ have already done that, so don’t be offended if the response you get isn’t the response you were looking for.
And here’s a thought… maybe just be a decent human and pay for their time, services or product.
And if they’re generous enough to give you free help/product etc, then write a review, share their links, like their posts and maybe even take them out and buy them a coffee.
Because while you’re sitting there thinking they’re so lucky, they’re out there grinding hard for every cent they earn.