When the options for investing in your business feel endless, how do you actually choose the right one? From hiring a team member or coach to buying new software, there are so many places to spend your money.
In this episode, I’m sharing the exact 3 T’s Framework I use to figure out where my next investment should go and how I’ve applied it to my own business. This approach will help you assess what’s out of balance in your business and make strategic, confident investment decisions that drive real growth.
Listen to this episode now:
Search for episode 152 of Called to Both on your favorite podcast player!
The 3 T’s Framework
Picture your business like a three-legged stool that includes time, talent, and tools. If one leg is shorter than the others, the whole thing wobbles. You feel it in your workflow, your stress levels, and your results.
Here’s how each T works and how to know when it’s the one you need to invest in.
1. Time
Time is the most finite resource you have. Once it’s spent, it’s gone.
In the early days of business, your time is often your biggest investment because you’re doing all the things yourself. But as your business grows (and especially if you’re a parent), your capacity changes.
If your hours are maxed out and your calendar feels like a game of Tetris, and you become “time poor.”
Signs that time is your bottleneck:
- You’re constantly rushing tasks or skipping them entirely
- You’re working late nights or weekends regularly
- You feel behind even when you’re productive
When time is the issue, growth is still possible, but it requires leaning on the other two T’s: talent and tools.
2. Talent (Yourself + Your Team)
Talent isn’t just hiring someone to take things off your plate, it’s also upgrading yourself.
When you invest in your own skills, leadership, or mindset, you’re making moves that will pay off for years. This could be a coach, a mastermind, a course, or even a conference.
And when you invest in your team, whether it’s a VA, a podcast editor, or a CPA, you’re buying back your time and elevating the quality of your business output.
Signs that talent is your bottleneck:
- You’re spending hours learning something you could delegate
- You’re the bottleneck on projects because only you can do them
- Your growth has plateaued despite working hard
I once hired a coach whose fee scared me as it was the largest investment I’d made at that point. Within weeks, my thinking shifted, I made bolder moves, and my results reflected that. That wouldn’t have happened from a $10 book.
3. Tools
The right tools can shortcut your work, improve consistency, and reduce the need for both time and team.
Tools could mean:
- A CRM like HoneyBook
- A project management hub like Notion
- Educational platforms like Kajabi
- Recording software like Riverside
- Automations in ManyChat
- Templates that let you execute faster without starting from scratch
Signs that tools are your bottleneck:
- You’re repeating the same manual process over and over
- Your systems are messy or hard to hand off
- You know a better tool exists, but you haven’t implemented it
Before you hire another team member, ask yourself: Could a tool handle this more efficiently? Sometimes a $30/month subscription saves more hours (and money) than outsourcing.
How to Use the 3 T’s to Decide Your Next Move
- Audit your business:
- Which T is currently the weakest leg? Where are you feeling the most friction?
- Address the imbalance:
- If you’re time poor, lean into team or tools.
- If your skills are the bottleneck, invest in talent.
- If your systems are messy, upgrade your tools.
- Repeat regularly:
- Every quarter, reassess. Business is dynamic, and what you need this season might change in the next.
The Real Power of the 3 T’s
This framework stops me from making emotional or “shiny object” investments. It’s no longer about what’s exciting—it’s about what’s strategic.
The truth is, you don’t need everything at once. You just need the one thing that will rebalance your business and free you up to move forward.
Not sure which of the 3 T’s is your next best investment? Book a free 20-minute call with me, and we’ll identify your next boss move together.
Find It Quickly
- 00:27 – Listener Question: How to Choose Investments
- 01:05 – Host Background and Podcast Overview
- 02:01 – The Three T’s Framework
- 03:46 – First T: Time Management
- 06:14 – Second T: Team and Talent
- 12:13 – Third T: Tools and Technology
- 17:47 – Recap and Final Thoughts
Mentioned in this Episode
Looking for the Transcript?
