Today, I thought it would be fun to be transparent and pull back the curtain on my business a little by sharing what I’m spending money on in Q1—and how I’m planning for it. My hope with this is that you’ll walk away with some helpful tips on how to plan for investments in your own business and feel really confident and strategic about where your money is going.
This idea was inspired by Mara Kaserik. If you’re not already following her, she’s fantastic. Lately, she’s been incredibly open about how much money she makes and what she is spending money on. That kind of honesty has been really refreshing. So I thought I’d do something similar, with my own spin, in hopes that it helps you plan your business expenses in a more intentional way.
I’ve talked before about shiny object syndrome. Especially during the first month of the year, when there’s so much “new year, new you” energy flying around, it’s easy to fall into the trap of thinking we need everything for our business. When I start to feel overwhelmed or tempted to just buy, buy, buy, that’s when I go through this planning process. I typically revisit it at least quarterly, but sometimes more often if needed.
First, I want to give you some freedom here. If you find yourself in a season where you’re feeling pulled in every direction and tempted by every offer, walk through this process and see if it helps you make more grounded decisions about what’s truly important.
The first thing I do is something often referred to as a brain dump.
You’ve probably heard that term before—productivity experts love it. It simply means getting everything out of your head and onto paper (or in my case, a spreadsheet—because of course, I’m a spreadsheet girly). I make a list of everything I’m thinking about investing in—whether it’s something I want to purchase this quarter or just a dream or wishlist item for the future. Everything goes on the list.
Next, I research the average cost of each item.
I’ve heard from clients that this step alone has been incredibly helpful. Sometimes, we get stuck in thinking, “There’s no way I can afford all of this, so I’ll just do nothing.” But putting actual numbers to these items helps break that paralysis. It gives you clarity. Maybe you realize something is more affordable than you thought, or maybe there’s a discount or alternative option you hadn’t considered.
In that particular case, I chose to pay for the tool in full for the year so I could get the discount—which I believe was 33% off the total price. And that’s exactly why this kind of planning is so helpful. I hadn’t originally included that tool in my plan, but I knew I could swing a couple hundred dollars without it breaking my bank account. Plus, I’d be saving a significant amount and I knew it was something I’d actually use.
The fourth thing I’m investing in this quarter is branding—and I’m really excited about it. I’m working with my friend McKenna (I’ll link her info below), and she’s doing a brand refresh for me. It’s just time. I’ve started to notice a few things that aren’t quite aligned with where I’m headed, and I’m ready for a look that feels more like me. So be on the lookout for some fresh updates!
Because branding is a larger investment, I decided to split that cost across two different months on my spreadsheet. And here’s the thing—everything I’m investing in this quarter was actually planned out last quarter. That way, I could see the total amount I was aiming to invest and feel good about it. There are still a few things on my list for the rest of 2025. But for Q1, what I chose felt right—and the total dollar amount made sense.
Here’s how I handled it
I took the total amount I planned to spend for Q1 and divided it by three. That gave me a monthly savings goal. (Pro tip: spreadsheets do the math for you—yes, we can do hard things!) Each month, I transferred that amount from my business checking account into a separate business savings account. You don’t have to do that, but I really like earmarking the money so I feel more at ease when it’s time to spend it.
Then, when I go to actually pay vendors or invest in tools, I simply transfer the money back from savings to checking. That way, it doesn’t feel like a huge hit to my cash flow—because I’ve already prepared for it.
I really love planning this way. It helps me see how much I can afford to pay myself and what my sales goals need to be. It allows me to make thoughtful investments, save for taxes, and still take care of my paycheck.
And good news—if you’re thinking, “This sounds amazing but also super complicated,” don’t worry. I have a tool coming very soon that’s going to do a lot of this for you—quickly and easily. If you’re not already on my email list, head to the show notes and sign up now. This tool will be launching in beta only to my email list. There’s going to be a special deal you won’t want to miss!
Make sure you’re signed up to be getting my emails so that you don’t miss it. You’re going to love this tool.
Listen to this episode!
