It’s Not Just You: Why Solopreneurs Avoid Their Finances
If looking at your business bank account feels like a chore you’d rather put off, you are in very good company. For many capable, service-based solopreneurs, the financial side of the business can feel overwhelming, shame-inducing, or simply disconnected from the meaningful work you do.
This avoidance isn't a character flaw; it's a sign that you haven't yet found a system that feels supportive, clear, and aligned with how you want to feel in your business. Let's walk through the most common signs of financial avoidance and explore a gentler way to build confidence and clarity.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the common signs of avoiding business finances?
Common signs include not knowing key numbers like monthly revenue or profit margin, dreading tax season, mixing personal and business bank accounts, making big decisions based on 'gut feel' instead of data, and feeling isolated or ashamed about your financial situation.
Why is it a problem to mix personal and business finances?
Mixing personal and business finances makes it impossible to see if your business is truly profitable. It also creates a significant headache for bookkeeping and tax preparation, as it becomes difficult to separate legitimate business expenses from personal purchases.
What's a gentle way to start managing business finances better?
A gentle approach focuses on building simple, sustainable systems rather than forcing a rigid one. This involves gaining clarity by 'knowing your numbers' without shame, creating small, repeatable habits to prevent financial emergencies, and using your financial data to support your intuition when making business decisions.
The Telltale Signs of Financial Avoidance
Recognizing the pattern is the first step toward creating a new one. See if any of these common behaviors feel familiar.
1. You Don't Truly Know Your Numbers
You might know your bank balance, but you couldn't confidently state your monthly revenue, average expenses, or profit margin. Decisions about new investments, software, or hiring help are made by looking at what’s in your account today, rather than by understanding your business's overall financial health.
This creates a cycle of uncertainty. Without this basic visibility, it's nearly impossible to plan for growth, save for taxes, or pay yourself consistently.
- A Gentler Way: This approach comes directly from the Sovereign Three™ framework we use in The Empower & Grow Journey Membership. The first pillar, Know Your Numbers, is about creating gentle visibility without shame. Inside Journey, we use a simple tool to help you apply this without overwhelm, allowing you to see your financial picture clearly, often for the first time.
2. Tax Time Fills You with Dread
Does the thought of tax season make your stomach clench? This common fear often leads to scrambling at the last minute, sorting through a year's worth of crumpled receipts, and feeling a wave of panic about what you might owe.
When you don’t have a simple, year-round system for tracking income and expenses, tax time becomes a manufactured emergency. This stress drains your energy and takes you away from the work you actually love.
- A Gentler Way: In The Empower & Grow Journey Membership, we focus on Claiming Your Rhythm. This means building small, repeatable systems that prevent financial emergencies. We provide templates and monthly workshops that help you create a simple process for tracking your finances, so when tax season arrives, you feel prepared and calm.
3. Your Business and Personal Finances Are a Tangled Mess
You use the same bank account or credit card for business expenses and personal purchases, like groceries or a dinner out. While it seems easier in the moment, this habit makes it impossible to see if your business is truly profitable and also creates a significant headache for bookkeeping and tax preparation.
Separating your finances is a foundational act of treating your business as a legitimate, professional entity.
- A Gentler Way: Creating clarity between personal and business finances is one of the first, most empowering steps a solopreneur can take. If you’d like a safe place to explore this more deeply, that’s exactly what we do inside Journey. We guide you through the simple, practical steps to set up your accounts in a way that feels supportive and clear.
4. You Make Big Decisions Based on "Gut Feel" Alone
Intuition is a powerful asset for any business owner. However, when it's not informed by data, it can lead to underpricing your services, overspending on non-essential tools, or setting unrealistic income goals. You might set your prices based on what "feels right" or what others are charging, without knowing what you actually need to earn to be sustainable.
Your intuition is most powerful when it's paired with clarity. The numbers don't negate your gut feel; they give it a solid foundation to stand on.
- A Gentler Way: The third pillar of our framework in Journey is to Hold Your Shape. This is about using your financial clarity to set aligned pricing, enforce boundaries, and create business policies that protect your time and energy. We help you use your numbers to validate your intuition, so you can make confident decisions that truly support you and your business.
5. You Feel Isolated and Ashamed About Your Finances
Perhaps the biggest sign of all is the feeling that you're the only one who struggles with this. You avoid talking about money with peers because you feel embarrassed or believe you "should" have it all figured out by now.
This shame is the fuel that keeps the avoidance cycle going. It keeps you stuck, stressed, and disconnected from the support that could help you move forward.
- A Gentler Way: You’re not alone in this—The Empower & Grow Journey Membership community was built for exactly this kind of work. It’s a nonjudgmental, warm space for conscious solopreneurs to connect, share their experiences, and receive guidance without needing to perform or push.
A Gentler Path Forward: From Avoidance to Agency
Recognizing these signs is an act of courage. It’s an acknowledgment that your current approach isn't serving you, and you're ready for something different.
The solution isn't to force yourself into a rigid, complicated financial system that feels punitive. The path to financial confidence is about building simple, sustainable systems that match your values and protect your energy.
This is the core purpose of The Empower & Grow Journey Membership. It's a supportive container designed to help you:
- Gain Clarity: Use our simple tools and templates to finally Know Your Numbers.
- Build Systems: Learn to Claim Your Rhythm with gentle, repeatable financial practices.
- Grow Sustainably: Use your financial insight to Hold Your Shape with aligned pricing and boundaries.
- Feel Supported: Connect with a community of peers walking a similar path.
You’re not behind. You’re just ready to begin in a new way. If you are ready to feel calm and confident with your business finances, we invite you to learn more about The Empower & Grow Journey Membership.
💫 You’re not late, and you don’t need to be more ready than you are. Every choice you make toward clarity is already part of your Journey.
If this space feels like resonance—you’re welcome to enter.