The solopreneur's 'build vs. buy' decision

"The strongest case for DIY is when you'll repeat the task often, and it touches a core part of your business. Updating the basics on your own website or maintaining your project management tool-these are things you'll do over and over. If you outsource them, you'll either keep paying someone else or find yourself stuck when you need to make a quick change."

"There's also value in the learning itself because figuring something out makes you a better operator. An example of this might be understanding your business's financials. Even if you pay a bookkeeper to prepare them, you still need baseline knowledge about your numbers. If you outsource and don't take the time to understand the output, you've created a blind spot in your business."

Solopreneurs face build-versus-buy decisions similar to corporations, but with higher personal stakes involving time and money. DIY work is worthwhile when tasks recur frequently and touch core business functions, such as website maintenance or project management. Learning these skills prevents dependency on external help and enables quick adjustments. Understanding business fundamentals like financials remains essential even when outsourcing execution. The decision requires balancing immediate cost savings against long-term operational knowledge and control. Repeated experience helps solopreneurs develop better judgment about which tasks justify internal investment versus external outsourcing.

Read at Fast Company