How to find the time to work ON your business EP#47
From undercharging and over-servicing to prioritising short-term client work over long-term brand building, Fi unpacks the patterns that keep business owners stuck in survival mode and offers a roadmap to reclaiming your time.
In this episode of Money Secrets, Fi dives into one of the biggest struggles small business owners face: time. If you’ve ever said, “I just don’t have time to work on my business,” this one’s for you.
Listen to Episode 47
What You’ll Learn in This Episode
Why time is the most valuable (and misunderstood) resource in small business.
How investing time in strategy, mentoring, and reflection actually reduces your workload.
The financial impact of prioritising client work over your own business growth.
How to identify when you’re undercharging or over-servicing, and how to stop.
The importance of building boundaries, pricing for value, and working with the right clients.
Why talking about your business (in a mastermind, mentoring, or group setting) delivers exponential return on effort.
How long-term thinking (not constant hustle) leads to more profit, more freedom, and more impact.
How to find the time to work ON your business
Money Secrets Podcast – Episode 47
Introduction
We've made a lot of progress as a society in many areas, but one thing that hasn’t changed enough is our relationship with money. If we want to tip the scales in favour of marginalised people, we need to understand the secrets to making money in small business.
The more we talk about money — especially the secrets that usually stay behind closed doors or on the golf course — the more empowered we become. My mission is to get more money into the hands of good people, specifically business owners like you.
Because I believe small business can change the world. And to do that, we need to be making more money.
Acknowledgement of Country
This episode was recorded on the lands of the Wurundjeri People of the Kulin Nation. I’d like to acknowledge them as the Traditional Owners and custodians of this land and water that I live, work and play on.
I pay my respects to Elders past and present, and recognise that sovereignty has never been ceded. This always was, and always will be, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander land.
Why You’ll Never “Find” Time (and How to Start Making It)
Ever catch yourself saying, “I just don’t have time for that”? You’re not alone — every small business owner knows that feeling. In this episode of Money Secrets, Fi reframes how we think about time, reminding us that it’s not just a resource — it’s the most valuable (and most expensive) asset in your business.
Time Isn’t the Problem — It’s the Strategy
Fi opens this week’s episode with a familiar confession: she, too, feels like time slips away faster than she’d like. But as she shares from years of experience coaching business owners, the issue isn’t the lack of time — it’s the lack of clarity.
When you take time to think strategically — to zoom out, talk things through, and decide what really matters — you actually end up with less on your plate. Fi tells the story of a mentoring session with a marketing manager who left their strategy session not with more work, but less. Because when you get clear on your direction, the unnecessary to-dos fall away.
Why “Doing Less” Might Be the Key to Earning More
When business feels overwhelming, the instinct is to do more — take on more clients, squeeze in extra hours, say yes to everything. But Fi challenges that logic. Sometimes, doing less is the most powerful move you can make.
Instead of asking, “How can I find more time?”, ask:
Am I working with the right clients — the ones who truly value what I offer?
Am I charging appropriately for the results I deliver?
Am I overdelivering or over-servicing without being paid for it?
Shifting your focus to the clients who can leverage your expertise and ensuring your pricing reflects your value can immediately free up time and increase your income.
The Cost of Always Choosing Client Work Over Your Own Business
Here’s the trap so many of us fall into: every time we choose client work over our own marketing, systems, or strategy, we’re making a financial decision.
Fi puts it plainly — client work creates short-term revenue, but working on your business builds long-term profit.
“Every time you prioritise client work over your own business growth, you’re trading short-term gain for long-term cost.”
Investing time in marketing, branding, and strategic thinking builds assets that continue to generate income in the future — far beyond the next invoice.
The Real ROI of Time
Fi reminds us that, especially for established business owners, time is more expensive than money.
Early in business, you may have more time than cash. But as you grow, it flips — your hours become precious, and how you spend them determines how much you’ll earn later.
That’s why investing your time in strategy, mentoring, and community — whether through Good Money Club or spaces like Marketing Circle — offers a huge return. Talking through ideas, asking questions, and thinking out loud with other business owners brings clarity, focus, and confidence.
Good Money Club
Are you a female or LGBTQIA+ business owner who wants to make more money and create meaningful change? My 6-month program, Good Money Club, is designed to help you do exactly that.
We work on your pricing, positioning, business model, and mindset — so you can build your bank account and your impact. Read more about Good Money Club.
Final Thoughts
If you’re always saying you don’t have time to work on your business, Fi’s message is clear:
You won’t find more time by working harder — you’ll create more time by getting strategic.
Start by freeing yourself from busywork, setting clear boundaries, and investing your time where it has the greatest return: in yourself, your strategy, and your business growth.
Outro
Thank you for listening to Money Secrets. If you loved this episode, please subscribe, share it with a friend, or leave a review. Your support helps us get these conversations into the hands of more good people who deserve to thrive in business.
We’ve come so far as a society in many ways, but money is one of the areas where progress hasn’t been enough. If we want to tip the scales in favour of marginalised people, it starts with understanding the secret: money in small business.
In this podcast, Money Secrets, host Fiona (Fi) Johnston—Chartered Accountant, small business advocate, and impact enthusiast—dives into the conversations we need to have about money. The secrets that once stayed behind closed doors (or on the golf course) are finally out in the open.
Fi’s mission? To get more money into the hands of good people, like you. She believes small businesses have the power to change the world, and the key to making a bigger impact is to make—and manage—more money.
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Thank you to everyone involved for bringing this podcast together. We are excited to hear from you with any questions, feedback or suggestions for future episodes that you might have. Send a Direct Message to @peach.business
If you are excited for what’s to come, please like this episode, follow the podcast and share it with your friends. We are thrilled you're here.
Want to find out more about Good Money Club? It's for female and non-binary business owners ready to make more money and impact. Join us?
Check out my FREE Pricing Training you need to set your prices for profitability.
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This podcast episode was recorded on the lands of the Wurundjeri People of the Kulin Nation and I'd like to acknowledge them as the Traditional Owners and custodians of this land and water that I live, work and play on. I'd like to pay respect to elders both past and present, and note that sovereignty has never been ceded. This always was and always will be Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander land.
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