
Episode 178: Your Time Costs More Than Any Client Will Ever Pay
About this episode
Most firm owners don’t realise they’re the most expensive employee in their own business.
They jump into client work thinking they’re helping — but every time they do, the firm’s most valuable time is spent on the least leveraged task.
In this episode, Ed Chan breaks down why firm owners should never be billable. He explains how doing client work turns your time into the most expensive cost in the business — and why your real value lies in coaching the team, not doing the work.
You’ll learn:
✅ Why the owner’s time is the most expensive line item in the firm
✅ How doing billable work kills profit and scalability
✅ What a “deep and narrow” team structure looks like (and why it works)
✅ How to shift from doing to directing — like a coach, not a player
If you’ve ever felt trapped in client work or wondered how to step back without losing control, this episode will change the way you think about your time — and your role.
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PS: Whenever you’re ready… here are the fastest 4 ways we can help you fix and grow your accounting firm:
1. Download our famous Wize Freedom Map for FREE - Find out the 96 projects every firm owner must implement to build a $5M+ firm that can run without them - Download here
2. Need to Hire right now? Book a 1:1 FREE discovery call with our WizeTalent hiring coaches to help find your next team member the Wize Way – Click Here
3. Work with Jamie and our mentors for 8 weeks - Build a custom business plan for your firm - Apply here
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