In the process of restoration, I have confronted several large projects that I either cannot do or do not want to do. My husband and I decided to hire laborers to rip down walls and add drywall so I don’t have to. We offered cash and pizza; the phone rang for a week.

Stop and think how you could better allocate your business strategy, too. Hiring staff might be the key.

opportunity cost: evaluating how your time and money can best be allocated in a situation

As a classic example, think of a doctor. He makes beyond $100/hour with patients, so he decides to hire an assistant to set his appointments and type his memos. The doctor types faster, manages papers better, and really could do a much better job than the assistant. But you know what? He only pays the assistant $7/hour, which means he can spend more time with patients and bigger profits than doing the mindless activities himself. Having an assistant who is slower than him actually results in greater profits for him.

Then there’s the established small businesses. Ever notice how everyone has to log 40 hours of work… except for the boss? He’s playing golf while his employees make him more money.

Consider if you’d be profiting more from someone else’s labor, too. Check for specifics in tax law. For us, we can pay $600 cash to a laborer before worrying about a W2 or other tax form.

I tell ya– cash and pizza. That’s it for growing your wealth through the work of eager folks. You might even be able to cut out the pizza.