Boss Money Without the Migraine
Why avoiding your numbers is costing you peace of mind (and how to finally face them in 20 minutes).
If there is one task that business owners procrastinate on more than anything else, it is the Annual Budget.
We clean our desks. We reorganize our Google Drive folders. We suddenly decide it is urgent to update our LinkedIn bio. We do anything to avoid opening that spreadsheet.
Why? Because for many of us, money feels heavy.
We treat a budget like a report card. We are afraid that if we look too closely at the numbers, we will see that we aren’t doing as well as we thought. We’re afraid of the judgment. So, we play the “Ostrich Game”—we bury our heads in the sand and hope that if we just keep working hard, the math will work itself out.
But here is the truth about “Back to Basics”: You cannot build a sustainable business on a foundation of avoidance.
Clarity is kindness. Knowing your numbers isn’t about restricting yourself; it’s about giving yourself permission to spend without the guilt.
The “Anti-CFO” Approach
You do not need an MBA or a complex software system to run a healthy business. You just need to answer three simple questions.
When I sit down to do my “Money Without the Migraine” review, I strip it down to these three buckets:
1. The “Me” Bucket (Pay Yourself First) Most entrepreneurs pay themselves last. We pay the software subscriptions, the contractors, and the rent, and then we scrape together whatever is left. Stop doing that. In your 2026 budget, the first line item is you. How much do you need to contribute to your household? That is a non-negotiable expense.
2. The “Lights On” Bucket (Fixed Costs) What does it cost to simply exist in business? Your email list, your website hosting, your insurance. These are the boring, predictable numbers. Know this total so you know exactly how much revenue you need just to reach “zero.”
3. The “Growth” Bucket (Variable Costs) This is the fun part. This is the coaching program, the new branding, the travel to that conference. When you don’t have a budget, spending money on growth feels reckless. When you do have a budget, you know exactly how much you can allocate to these things. You can invest in yourself with full confidence because the math says yes.
Stop Making It Scary
Budgeting doesn’t have to be a week-long retreat. It can be a 20-minute check-in with a cup of coffee.
The goal isn’t to predict the future down to the penny. The goal is to remove the fear of the unknown. When you turn the lights on in the room, the monsters under the bed disappear.
A Template for “Non-Numbers” People
If looking at a blank Excel sheet makes you want to close your laptop, I’ve got you.
I created an Annual Budget Template specifically for consultants and creatives who hate math. It does the calculations for you. It separates the “Needs” from the “Wants.” And it helps you see exactly what you need to earn to pay yourself what you are worth.
Let’s stop avoiding the money conversation and start designing a business that actually supports your life.