Owning vs renting: freedom and responsibility

Consider the home you live in. Do you own it? Rent it?

Which do you prefer?

Owning a home comes with increased freedom and flexibility. It also — usually — comes with long-term financial advantages.

But it also entails responsibility.

Is it time to replace your roof? You get to (or "have to") decide everything about that:

• When to replace it — now or later?

• What to replace it with — 10-year composite shingles or 70-year steel?

• Who should replace it — the cheapest contractor you can find, or the best one in your state?

The same goes for your plumbing, your landscaping, your heating and air, and all the rest.

Of course you get the freedom to make those decisions, but you also have the responsibility of dealing with it.

Now consider your CRM and your website:

Do you own them, or rent then?

If you own them, you have a lot of flexibility. You own the hosting, and the code base, and the data they contain.

So you can literally make them do just about anything you want. As long as you have a sound business case to invest the time and money.

And when it's time for an upgrade, or configuration change, or a new feature, you get to (or "have to") decide everything about that.

Here's the thing:

Homeowners — and folks who own their CRM and website software — sometimes feel a little lost keeping everything running smoothly.

But just as with a home, there are plenty of people, books, and online resources to help you get the most value out of the systems that you own.

Mastering these systems is an achievable skill.

Put in the work, get help when you need it, ask lots of questions, and insist on getting answers you can understand.

No doubt, owning is more work than renting.

But the benefits of masterful ownership are right there waiting for you.

All the best,
A.