Yesterday, I was cleaning a bathroom at my resort. Not because we couldn’t afford cleaners. Not because I had nothing better to do. But sometimes, as a business owner, you need to get down on your knees and scrub the tiles yourself.
Two of my staff members walked in, surprised. “Sir, what are you doing?” they asked.
“Checking for cracked tiles,” I said with a smile. But really, I was doing something much more important. I was staying connected to my business.
If you scroll through Instagram, you might think owning a business is easy. You see entrepreneurs relaxing on beaches, talking about “passive income” and “working four hours a week.” The reality? It’s completely different.
Let me share why getting your hands dirty isn’t just a lesson for new founders—it’s absolutely essential for building a business that lasts.
The Big Mistake I Made in My First Business
Back in 2014, I started my first company. I was young, excited, and full of confidence. Maybe too much confidence.
I thought being “the boss” meant sitting in an office, giving orders, and watching money roll in. I believed that successful entrepreneurs no longer had to do the hard work.
That attitude destroyed my business within two years.
I remember the day we had to close the doors. I looked at my bank account and realized I had lost everything because I was too proud to do the work myself. It was the most painful lesson of my life, but it was necessary.
When my partner and I started Dream Garden Resort, I made a promise to myself. Things would be different this time. I promised myself I would manage this business differently by staying involved in everything, no matter how small.
And you know what? That decision changed everything.
What Does “Getting Your Hands Dirty” Really Mean?
Before we go further, let’s be clear about what this means. Getting your hands dirty doesn’t mean you should do everything yourself forever. That’s not smart either.
It means:
- Understanding every part of your business from experience, not just theory
- Being willing to step in when your team needs help
- Never ask your employees to do something you wouldn’t do
- Staying close enough to daily operations to spot problems early
This is one of the most important habits of successful entrepreneurs you can develop.
Three Reasons Why the Role of a Business Owner Includes the “Dirty Work”
1. Your Team Will Respect You More
Imagine this situation. It’s raining hard. The drains are clogged. Water is flooding the walkway.
Option A: You stand under an umbrella and shout, “Someone fix this right now!”
Option B: You grab a shovel, step into the mud, and say, “Come on, let’s solve this together.”
Which leader would you want to work for?
When your employees see you sweating alongside them, something magical happens. They stop seeing you as just “the boss” and start seeing you as a real leader.
I’ve noticed this at my resort countless times. When I work hard, my team works even harder. They don’t want to let me down because they know I’ll never ask them to do anything I wouldn’t do myself.
This is how you build loyalty. Not with money alone, but with respect earned through action.
2. You’ll Understand Problems Before They Become Disasters
There’s an old saying: “The best fertilizer for a garden is the gardener’s shadow.” In other words, things only grow well when the owner pays close attention.
This is one of the real challenges of running a business that many new entrepreneurs don’t understand. When I clean the bathrooms myself sometimes, I’m not just cleaning. I’m checking:
- Are the tiles cracking?
- Is the water pressure good?
- Does anything smell bad?
Are we using the right cleaning products?
When I work in the kitchen, I notice how much food we’re wasting, which dishes take too long to prepare, and where we can save money.
If you stay in your office all day looking at spreadsheets, you become blind to what’s really happening. You miss the small problems that eventually turn into big, expensive disasters.
3. You’ll Save Money When It Matters Most
Let’s talk about something nobody mentions enough: misconceptions about passive income. Many people think you can start a business, set it up once, and then money just flows in automatically while you relax on a beach.
That’s a fantasy.
In the first five years of any startup, there is no such thing as passive income. Every single dollar you earn comes from hard work and smart decisions.
At Dream Garden, we built walkways by hand to save money on contractors, painted everything ourselves, and fixed broken equipment instead of buying new.
If we had hired “experts” for everything from day one, we would have gone bankrupt in three months. The only reason we survived the difficult early years was that my partner and I were willing to be plumbers, carpenters, cleaners, painters, and marketers—all at the same time.
This is really small business management. Not the glamorous version you see online, but the version that actually works.
But Won’t This Prevent You from Growing?
Good question. Some people say, “If you’re always doing small tasks, when will you have time to grow the business?”
Here’s my answer: there’s a difference between the startup phase and the growth phase.
In the beginning (Years 1-3): You should absolutely get your hands dirty. Learn everything. Build your foundation strong.
As you grow (Years 3-5): Start delegating more, but never lose touch. Check in regularly. Jump in when needed.
When you’re established (Year 5+): You can step back more, but you should still understand every process. Visit different departments. Talk to your team. Stay humble.
The key is balance. You’re building systems that work without you, but you never completely disconnect.
The Unexpected Reward Nobody Talks About
Here’s something surprising I discovered. I actually love this hands-on work.
There’s something deeply satisfying about fixing a broken fence with your own hands. There’s a quiet pride in looking at a beautiful, clean space that you restored yourself.
On days when I do physical work, I sleep better than on days when I just sit at my computer. It reminds me of who I am—the same person who swept leaves and washed dishes years ago. Success didn’t change that. And I hope it never does.
My Advice for New Entrepreneurs
If you’re thinking about starting a business because you want to escape hard work, stop right now. Entrepreneurship isn’t for you.
But if you’re willing to get your hands dirty, you’ll build something much stronger than just a profitable company. You’ll build:
- A culture where everyone works hard because the leader works the hardest
- A team that respects you and stays loyal
- A deep understanding of your business that no consultant can teach you
- A company that can survive tough times because you know how everything works
These startup founder lessons aren’t glamorous. They won’t make good Instagram posts. But they’re real, and they work.
The Bottom Line
Yes, I still clean toilets at my resort sometimes. I fix solar panels. I paint fences. I plant flowers. And I’m not embarrassed about it. I’m proud.
Because I know that successful entrepreneur habits aren’t about looking successful. They’re about doing whatever it takes to build something real and lasting.
The role of a business owner isn’t to sit in an office and feel important. It’s to serve your business, your team, and your customers—whatever that requires.
So let me ask you a question: If you’re an entrepreneur, what’s the “dirty job” that you still do yourself? And if you’re thinking about becoming one, are you ready to roll up your sleeves?
The real challenges of running a business aren’t found in books or courses. They’re found in the mud, the kitchen, the bathroom, and every other place where real work happens.
That’s where success is built. One dirty hand at a time.
