What Owners Do Differently

There’s this moment that happens to almost everyone who starts their own business.

It’s the moment you realize:

“Wait… I don’t get paid for my time anymore.”

No clocking in, clocking out. No guaranteed paycheck at the end of the week.

You’re building something.

Money’s going out but not coming in. Your taking risks. Planting seeds. And thinking long-term.

It’s just you, your ideas, your effort - and a dream that hasn’t quite paid off yet.

It’s a wake-up call.

Because most of us spent years being trained to think like employees: Do a job → Get paid → Spend → Repeat.

But building something of your own? It flips all that on its head.

Here’s the thing…

Even after working in banking for years and completing my accounting degree…I was still thinking about money like an employee.

And it was costing me everything.

In 2015 when I first started my mortgage brokering business, I thought I had this money thing figured out. I mean, I’d spent years in the financial industry working in banking. I knew the ins and outs of nearly every financial product out there…

But I was dead wrong.

Because all that time, I was still stuck in the old belief system I’d been raised in:

Work hard → Do your job → Get paid → Repeat.

It’s the employee mindset. And it works - until it doesn’t.

In the book Rich Dad Poor Dad, Robert Kiyosaki talks about how the “poor dad” taught him to work hard, get good grades, and find a safe job.

But the “rich dad”? He taught him how to make money work for him.

That’s the owner mindset.

Instead of asking: “How much will I get paid for this hour?” 

You start asking: “How can I build something that pays me for years?”

Owners think long-term. They invest time, energy, and money up front - often with no guaranteed outcome.

But over time, that thinking compounds into real freedom.

In another book I read, The Millionaire Next Door, the authors found that most millionaires didn’t look like what you’d expect. They weren’t flashy. They didn’t buy new cars every few years. They were disciplined. Strategic. Focused on net worth, not income.

That’s the owner mindset too.

An employee might think: 👉 “I got a raise - I can upgrade my lifestyle.”

An owner thinks: 👉 “How do I use this extra money to grow my assets?”

Here’s the thing most people miss:

Employees wait to get paid. Owners create value first.

It’s why the first months (or even years) of starting something new can feel rocky. Because we’re unlearning a lifetime of “do task, get reward.”

But here’s what I know:

Once you make the shift… Once you stop waiting to be chosen and start choosing yourself... Once you stop asking “what do I earn?” and start asking “what can I build?”...

You become unstoppable.

The truth is: we easily drop money all the time on things that don’t move us forward.

We’ll spend $100 on a dinner out without blinking… $200 on new clothes because there’s a sale… $700 on a phone upgrade we didn’t even need… $1000 a month on a car payment to have a car that looks good in the driveway.

But the moment we think about putting that same money into an ad budget, a tool, a course, or a mentor?

Suddenly it feels like risk.

We think:

“What if I lose it?”

But we’re already losing money - every week - on things that hold no real value.

That’s the employee mindset again: Money comes in, I deserve to spend it.

But the owner mindset?

It says:

“How can I use this money to grow?”

So… how do you start making this shift?

Here are 3 mindset switches that changed everything for me (and might help you too):

1. Start seeing money as a tool, not a reward. Instead of spending every dollar you earn, ask: “How can I use this money to buy back my time or grow my future income?” That might mean investing in learning, systems, tools - or giving yourself the space to build something real.

2. Choose creation over consumption. An employee consumes (content, products, distractions). An owner creates (offers, income producing assets, value). Choose to create one small thing this week that could help move your business forward.

3. Set an ‘investment amount’ - every week. Even if it’s small, decide: “I’m going to use $50/$100/$200 this week to grow my business.” Treat it like a non-negotiable. Like rent or the mortgage. Because future freedom isn’t built on leftovers.

I’ll be honest…

This isn’t always the easy path. There’s discomfort. Delayed gratification. Doubts.

So if this feels hard right now - if you’re not seeing results yet or you’re wondering if you’ve got what it takes - just remember:

This is the uncomfortable part of the switch. Where you’re letting go of one identity… and building a new one.

But I promise you: the switch is worth it.

Because the moment you stop asking “What do I get for my time?” and start asking “What can I build with it?”…

That’s when everything starts to change.

Survey closes soon - don’t miss your chance to win! 🚀
(Thanks to all of you who’ve already sent in their responses - loving the insights! 🙌)

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