There’s nothing that can bring up your money gremlins faster than shelling out a big wad of dough that you weren’t expecting.

Here are some famous expense triggers in a business:

• A big tax bill
• An independent contractor who goes way over budget
• A book, website, copywriting, or product production that involves more than you thought

In reality, this is the nature of business. But most of these experiences could be forecasted with clear communication, contracts, and research before the invoice arrives.

You can meet several times a year with your CPA to discuss how you can make the most amount of money possible, write off as much as possible, and easily pay the tax man.

When you hire someone to do a job for you, have a detailed conversation about the scope of work and how you expect to be informed as the project moves forward (especially if the bill is going to be more than quoted).

When you invest wisely in what your business most needs, you’ll recoup those costs and make 10, 100, and even 1,000 times more on the other side.

Let’s say you know your business would benefit from…

• Doing Facebook ads
• A website makeover
• Hiring a team member or two
• Stocking more products
• Upleveling the quality of your products and services
• Hiring a mentor, coach, or expert
• A new piece of expensive equipment

Your Inner Business Expert says, “That’s a super smart move.”

Your money gremlin screams, “You can’t afford that!”

What’s a profitable business owner to do?

Evaluate your revenue goal for the year. Without focusing on the cost of investment, will this investment move you toward your goal or away from it?

In most cases this inquiry will help give you clarity: Can I afford not to do it?

I remember the first time I did a Facebook ad. I wanted to test the waters with a $200 investment. Then, I thought about the numbers. I was selling a $2,000 program. If I got just one sale from the ad, it’d be worth investing at least $1,000.

Was I nervous? Yup. But I knew the upside of this marketing strategy.

I ended up spending $800 and I made $6,000. Imagine if I would’ve spent double that?! 

Fear had stopped me from going bigger that first time. After that, I was happy to spend a couple thousand dollars and not even sweat it because the return on investment was huge.

When you invest in what your business most needs to grow with confidence, there’s only an upside. Keep your eye on the desired outcome and continue moving forward.

I bet there are at least 2–3 things your business is begging for you to invest in. Make the decision, back it up with action, and benefit BIG!