{"id":9233,"date":"2025-10-19T07:00:00","date_gmt":"2025-10-19T12:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ellevatedoutcomes.com\/?p=9233"},"modified":"2026-06-15T19:46:36","modified_gmt":"2026-06-15T19:46:36","slug":"how-to-set-salary-for-small-business-owners","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/zudigitest.com\/ellevatedoutcomes\/how-to-set-salary-for-small-business-owners\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Set Salary for Small Business Owners"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Few topics stir up more emotion for <s>small business owners<\/s> humans than salary. Even though numbers technically have no emotion, <em>this number<\/em> feels deeply personal. Afterall, a salary for small business owners reflects the value of your time, your energy, and your immense financial and <a href=\"https:\/\/zudigitest.com\/ellevatedoutcomes\/emotional-leadership-mistakes-as-a-small-business-ceo\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">emotional responsibility<\/a>. Yet on the other hand, your salary today impacts your company\u2019s tomorrow: its ability to grow, sustain itself, and its future value.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Therein lies the tension and nuance for small business owners\u2019 salary: money <em>should<\/em> be objective, but it never really is.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:30px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">The Real Question Isn\u2019t \u201cWhat Can I Afford?\u201d<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">When small business owners ask, \u201cHow much should I pay myself?\u201d they\u2019re often really asking, \u201cWhat can the business afford?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In fact, I hear many of our clients ask that very question to their bookkeepers: \u201cWhat can the business afford to pay me?\u201d Or \u201cCan the business afford to give me a raise?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">It\u2019s a logical place to start, but it\u2019s the wrong question.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The better question is:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">What do I want (need), and what\u2019s the right number to pay myself today, to give runway for the business I\u2019m building?<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Think of it like a mortgage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">When you buy a home, you don\u2019t just buy the biggest one your income qualifies you for. (Or: please don\u2019t). You buy the home that you can safely afford &#8211; because you know it\u2019s always going to cost more than the online calculator tells you. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">So you buy the home that aligns with your broader goals: the life you want to live, the other things you want to afford, and the stability and peace of mind you want to maintain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Your salary works the same way. It should fit <em>both<\/em> your life and the business you\u2019re creating &#8211; not just what the bank or your <a href=\"https:\/\/zudigitest.com\/ellevatedoutcomes\/accountant-services-for-small-business-explaining-the-duties-of-an-outsourced-bookkeeper-controller-and-cfo\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">bookkeeper<\/a> says you \u201ccan afford.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:30px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity is-style-dots\"\/>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:30px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Step 1: Clarify What You\u2019re Trying to Achieve<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Before running the numbers, revisit <a href=\"https:\/\/zudigitest.com\/ellevatedoutcomes\/whats-your-long-term-goal-for-business-3-paths-to-help-you-decide\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">your business path<\/a>. And don\u2019t worry: you don\u2019t have to be 100% locked on one path. <em>You\u2019re allowed to change your mind.<\/em> But having an idea of your north star will give you a focus to orient your decisions. It\u2019ll remove some of the spin and analysis paralysis.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The type of business you\u2019re building: Start-Up, Lifestyle, or Studio should guide how you think about your salary. Since we work with Solopreneur-Lifestyle &amp; Studio Businesses, I\u2019ll focus on those:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>(Solopreneur) Lifestyle:<\/strong> Your business exists primarily to fund your personal life. You\u2019ll typically take a higher percentage of real revenue as owner salary.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Studio:<\/strong> You\u2019re balancing fair compensation with reinvestment. You want sustainable growth and may hold back cash to build reserves or fund team development.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a href=\"https:\/\/zudigitest.com\/ellevatedoutcomes\/why-growth-is-essential-for-creative-business-success\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Growth Is Essential for Creative Business Success<\/a>. Growth requires fuel, and cash flow is that fuel. Tomorrow\u2019s growth will be boosted \u2013 or hindered \u2013 by how much you spend today.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:30px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity is-style-dots\"\/>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:30px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Step 2: Start with a Framework, like <em>Profit First<\/em> (but take it with a grain of salt)<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If you like structure, the <em><a href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/Profit-First-Transform-Cash-Eating-Money-Making\/dp\/073521414X\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Profit First model<\/a><\/em> offers a helpful starting point. It divides <a href=\"https:\/\/zudigitest.com\/ellevatedoutcomes\/5-steps-to-calculate-your-labor-real-revenue\/\">real revenue<\/a> into clear buckets for profit, owner pay, taxes, and operating expenses.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Typical guidelines for small businesses (with revenue under $1M) might look like:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Profit:<\/strong> 5%<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Owner Pay:<\/strong> 30\u201350%<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Taxes:<\/strong> 15%<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Operating Expenses:<\/strong> 30\u201350%<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Don\u2019t tell author Mike Michalowicz I said this, but I advise clients: use this as structure, not scripture. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">For example, if you\u2019re building a Studio-style business (in other words: a business to grow beyond you), restrict your owner salary as much as you can, and reallocate that money to operating expenses, whether you need them now or are using them for next year\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/zudigitest.com\/ellevatedoutcomes\/calculating-return-on-investment\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">reinvestment<\/a>. For our clients, <a href=\"https:\/\/zudigitest.com\/ellevatedoutcomes\/hiring-for-small-business-3-common-mistakes-what-to-do-instead\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">investing in people<\/a> is always the biggest move here.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Every business has unique cost structures, margins, and ambitions. The goal isn\u2019t to copy someone else\u2019s ratio; it\u2019s to understand how each percentage interacts with your goals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:30px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity is-style-dots\"\/>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:30px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Step 3: Check the Math <em>and the Meaning<\/em><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Once you\u2019ve sketched out your ideal targets, ask:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>1.<\/strong> <strong>Does this number support my life?<\/strong><br>You don\u2019t have to take home every available dollar to feel successful. Sometimes paying yourself a little less now is what allows for greater financial and personal freedom later. AND: I don\u2019t want to ignore realities. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Set your salary to the number you need to live (well). There will always be a creative tension between what you want now and what you want for the future. That\u2019s natural and a sign that you\u2019re tugging on the right strings. Personally, I\u2019m the queen of delayed gratification. I think people would be shocked to know how little I lived on for most of my career to set myself up for a future life of abundance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:20px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>2. Am I leaving enough for the business to grow?<\/strong><br>If your salary prevents you from investing in marketing, a team, or systems, you\u2019re stalling your future for short-term comfort.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Think again about the mortgage metaphor. The mortgage number that the online calculator produces is never the full picture. There are tons of \u201cphantom\u201d costs to owning a home. The same is true for a business.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:20px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>3. Does my salary number include taxes (mentally)?<\/strong><br>In the <em>Profit First<\/em> framework we have a separate bucket for <a href=\"https:\/\/zudigitest.com\/ellevatedoutcomes\/small-business-taxes-a-simple-qa\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">taxes<\/a>, so if you use that as your structure, you shouldn\u2019t be unpleasantly surprised from the IRS in April.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">So, this is more of an emotional \/ psychological trick: when you think about your small business owner\u2019s salary, include the tax in that overall number. The reason I say this is: if you were a W-2 employee, taxes would be included in your stated salary. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">$100,000 on an employer\u2019s offer = an estimated $70,000 owner salary. It may seem like a silly distinction, but as we said at the top of the article, emotions matter (a lot) when it comes to a small business owner\u2019s salary.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:30px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity is-style-dots\"\/>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:30px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">A Final Thought<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Money and emotion are forever intertwined. Pride, fear, guilt, and scarcity all make an appearance in this conversation. So acknowledge the emotion, then make your decisions with data.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">As an owner, your pay isn\u2019t a reward for showing up. It\u2019s a reflection of your business\u2019s design, your discipline as a leader, and the value you create directly and through others.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">So the next time you revisit your salary, don\u2019t just ask, \u201cWhat can I take?\u201d Ask, \u201cWhat\u2019s the number that sustains me and <em>fuels the business I\u2019m building<\/em>?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Ensure that your paycheck is a strategic tool, not just a personal one.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Few topics stir up more emotion for small business owners humans than salary. Even though numbers technically have no emotion, this number feels deeply personal. Afterall, a salary for small business owners reflects the value of your time, your energy, and your immense financial and emotional responsibility. Yet on the other hand, your salary today [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":9236,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[479,482],"tags":[423,136,137,195,131,35,36,37,202,203,459,149,319,75],"class_list":["post-9233","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-ceo-skills","category-finance","tag-creative-business","tag-creative-business-advisor","tag-creative-business-coach","tag-creative-business-strategy","tag-money","tag-profit-first","tag-salary","tag-small-business","tag-small-business-advisor","tag-small-business-coach","tag-small-business-salary","tag-small-business-strategy","tag-small-business-taxes","tag-taxes"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.9 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>How to Set Salary for Small Business Owners - Ellevated Outcomes<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"A salary for small business owners isn\u2019t just about numbers on a spreadsheet; it reflects the value of your time, your energy, and your immense financial and emotional responsibility.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"noindex, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"How to Set Salary for Small Business Owners - Ellevated Outcomes\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"A salary for small business owners isn\u2019t just about numbers on a spreadsheet; it reflects the value of your time, your energy, and your immense financial and emotional responsibility.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/zudigitest.com\/ellevatedoutcomes\/how-to-set-salary-for-small-business-owners\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Ellevated Outcomes\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/web.facebook.com\/ellevatedoutcomes\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2025-10-19T12:00:00+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2026-06-15T19:46:36+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/zudigitest.com\/ellevatedoutcomes\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/calculating-owners-salary.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1200\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"800\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Julie Sellers\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Julie Sellers\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"5 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/zudigitest.com\\\/ellevatedoutcomes\\\/how-to-set-salary-for-small-business-owners\\\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/zudigitest.com\\\/ellevatedoutcomes\\\/how-to-set-salary-for-small-business-owners\\\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"Julie Sellers\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/zudigitest.com\\\/ellevatedoutcomes\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/22cba89f7e5da6fb31694648eebefcfc\"},\"headline\":\"How to Set Salary for Small Business Owners\",\"datePublished\":\"2025-10-19T12:00:00+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-06-15T19:46:36+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/zudigitest.com\\\/ellevatedoutcomes\\\/how-to-set-salary-for-small-business-owners\\\/\"},\"wordCount\":1107,\"commentCount\":0,\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/zudigitest.com\\\/ellevatedoutcomes\\\/#organization\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/zudigitest.com\\\/ellevatedoutcomes\\\/how-to-set-salary-for-small-business-owners\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/zudigitest.com\\\/ellevatedoutcomes\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2025\\\/10\\\/calculating-owners-salary.jpg\",\"keywords\":[\"creative business\",\"creative business advisor\",\"creative business coach\",\"creative business strategy\",\"money\",\"profit first\",\"salary\",\"small business\",\"small business advisor\",\"small business coach\",\"small business salary\",\"small business strategy\",\"small business taxes\",\"taxes\"],\"articleSection\":[\"CEO Skills\",\"Finance\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"CommentAction\",\"name\":\"Comment\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/zudigitest.com\\\/ellevatedoutcomes\\\/how-to-set-salary-for-small-business-owners\\\/#respond\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/zudigitest.com\\\/ellevatedoutcomes\\\/how-to-set-salary-for-small-business-owners\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/zudigitest.com\\\/ellevatedoutcomes\\\/how-to-set-salary-for-small-business-owners\\\/\",\"name\":\"How to Set Salary for Small Business Owners - Ellevated Outcomes\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/zudigitest.com\\\/ellevatedoutcomes\\\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/zudigitest.com\\\/ellevatedoutcomes\\\/how-to-set-salary-for-small-business-owners\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/zudigitest.com\\\/ellevatedoutcomes\\\/how-to-set-salary-for-small-business-owners\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/zudigitest.com\\\/ellevatedoutcomes\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2025\\\/10\\\/calculating-owners-salary.jpg\",\"datePublished\":\"2025-10-19T12:00:00+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-06-15T19:46:36+00:00\",\"description\":\"A salary for small business owners isn\u2019t just about numbers on a spreadsheet; it reflects the value of your time, your energy, and your immense financial and emotional responsibility.\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/zudigitest.com\\\/ellevatedoutcomes\\\/how-to-set-salary-for-small-business-owners\\\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/zudigitest.com\\\/ellevatedoutcomes\\\/how-to-set-salary-for-small-business-owners\\\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/zudigitest.com\\\/ellevatedoutcomes\\\/how-to-set-salary-for-small-business-owners\\\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/zudigitest.com\\\/ellevatedoutcomes\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2025\\\/10\\\/calculating-owners-salary.jpg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/zudigitest.com\\\/ellevatedoutcomes\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2025\\\/10\\\/calculating-owners-salary.jpg\",\"width\":1200,\"height\":800,\"caption\":\"calculating-owners-salary\"},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/zudigitest.com\\\/ellevatedoutcomes\\\/how-to-set-salary-for-small-business-owners\\\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\\\/\\\/zudigitest.com\\\/ellevatedoutcomes\\\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"How to Set Salary for Small Business Owners\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/zudigitest.com\\\/ellevatedoutcomes\\\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/zudigitest.com\\\/ellevatedoutcomes\\\/\",\"name\":\"Ellevated Outcomes\",\"description\":\"\",\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/zudigitest.com\\\/ellevatedoutcomes\\\/#organization\"},\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\\\/\\\/zudigitest.com\\\/ellevatedoutcomes\\\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/zudigitest.com\\\/ellevatedoutcomes\\\/#organization\",\"name\":\"Ellevated Outcomes\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/zudigitest.com\\\/ellevatedoutcomes\\\/\",\"logo\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/zudigitest.com\\\/ellevatedoutcomes\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/logo\\\/image\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/zudigitest.com\\\/ellevatedoutcomes\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/06\\\/ellevated-outcomes-logo.svg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/zudigitest.com\\\/ellevatedoutcomes\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/06\\\/ellevated-outcomes-logo.svg\",\"width\":62,\"height\":51,\"caption\":\"Ellevated Outcomes\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/zudigitest.com\\\/ellevatedoutcomes\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/logo\\\/image\\\/\"},\"sameAs\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/web.facebook.com\\\/ellevatedoutcomes\\\/\",\"https:\\\/\\\/www.linkedin.com\\\/company\\\/ellevated-outcomes\",\"https:\\\/\\\/www.instagram.com\\\/ellevatedoutcomes\\\/\"]},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/zudigitest.com\\\/ellevatedoutcomes\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/22cba89f7e5da6fb31694648eebefcfc\",\"name\":\"Julie Sellers\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/cb71ddb65c9506efbcb3e97f5a4704c046ec84784455e61ce11dfe8317520f50?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/cb71ddb65c9506efbcb3e97f5a4704c046ec84784455e61ce11dfe8317520f50?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/cb71ddb65c9506efbcb3e97f5a4704c046ec84784455e61ce11dfe8317520f50?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"caption\":\"Julie Sellers\"},\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/zudigitest.com\\\/ellevatedoutcomes\\\/author\\\/julie-lynne-sellersgmail-com\\\/\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"How to Set Salary for Small Business Owners - Ellevated Outcomes","description":"A salary for small business owners isn\u2019t just about numbers on a spreadsheet; it reflects the value of your time, your energy, and your immense financial and emotional responsibility.","robots":{"index":"noindex","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"How to Set Salary for Small Business Owners - Ellevated Outcomes","og_description":"A salary for small business owners isn\u2019t just about numbers on a spreadsheet; it reflects the value of your time, your energy, and your immense financial and emotional responsibility.","og_url":"https:\/\/zudigitest.com\/ellevatedoutcomes\/how-to-set-salary-for-small-business-owners\/","og_site_name":"Ellevated Outcomes","article_publisher":"https:\/\/web.facebook.com\/ellevatedoutcomes\/","article_published_time":"2025-10-19T12:00:00+00:00","article_modified_time":"2026-06-15T19:46:36+00:00","og_image":[{"width":1200,"height":800,"url":"https:\/\/zudigitest.com\/ellevatedoutcomes\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/calculating-owners-salary.jpg","type":"image\/jpeg"}],"author":"Julie Sellers","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"Julie Sellers","Est. reading time":"5 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/zudigitest.com\/ellevatedoutcomes\/how-to-set-salary-for-small-business-owners\/#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/zudigitest.com\/ellevatedoutcomes\/how-to-set-salary-for-small-business-owners\/"},"author":{"name":"Julie Sellers","@id":"https:\/\/zudigitest.com\/ellevatedoutcomes\/#\/schema\/person\/22cba89f7e5da6fb31694648eebefcfc"},"headline":"How to Set Salary for Small Business Owners","datePublished":"2025-10-19T12:00:00+00:00","dateModified":"2026-06-15T19:46:36+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/zudigitest.com\/ellevatedoutcomes\/how-to-set-salary-for-small-business-owners\/"},"wordCount":1107,"commentCount":0,"publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/zudigitest.com\/ellevatedoutcomes\/#organization"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/zudigitest.com\/ellevatedoutcomes\/how-to-set-salary-for-small-business-owners\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/zudigitest.com\/ellevatedoutcomes\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/calculating-owners-salary.jpg","keywords":["creative business","creative business advisor","creative business coach","creative business strategy","money","profit first","salary","small business","small business advisor","small business coach","small business salary","small business strategy","small business taxes","taxes"],"articleSection":["CEO Skills","Finance"],"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"CommentAction","name":"Comment","target":["https:\/\/zudigitest.com\/ellevatedoutcomes\/how-to-set-salary-for-small-business-owners\/#respond"]}]},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/zudigitest.com\/ellevatedoutcomes\/how-to-set-salary-for-small-business-owners\/","url":"https:\/\/zudigitest.com\/ellevatedoutcomes\/how-to-set-salary-for-small-business-owners\/","name":"How to Set Salary for Small Business Owners - Ellevated Outcomes","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/zudigitest.com\/ellevatedoutcomes\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/zudigitest.com\/ellevatedoutcomes\/how-to-set-salary-for-small-business-owners\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/zudigitest.com\/ellevatedoutcomes\/how-to-set-salary-for-small-business-owners\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/zudigitest.com\/ellevatedoutcomes\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/calculating-owners-salary.jpg","datePublished":"2025-10-19T12:00:00+00:00","dateModified":"2026-06-15T19:46:36+00:00","description":"A salary for small business owners isn\u2019t just about numbers on a spreadsheet; it reflects the value of your time, your energy, and your immense financial and emotional responsibility.","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/zudigitest.com\/ellevatedoutcomes\/how-to-set-salary-for-small-business-owners\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/zudigitest.com\/ellevatedoutcomes\/how-to-set-salary-for-small-business-owners\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/zudigitest.com\/ellevatedoutcomes\/how-to-set-salary-for-small-business-owners\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/zudigitest.com\/ellevatedoutcomes\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/calculating-owners-salary.jpg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/zudigitest.com\/ellevatedoutcomes\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/calculating-owners-salary.jpg","width":1200,"height":800,"caption":"calculating-owners-salary"},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/zudigitest.com\/ellevatedoutcomes\/how-to-set-salary-for-small-business-owners\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/zudigitest.com\/ellevatedoutcomes\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"How to Set Salary for Small Business Owners"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/zudigitest.com\/ellevatedoutcomes\/#website","url":"https:\/\/zudigitest.com\/ellevatedoutcomes\/","name":"Ellevated Outcomes","description":"","publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/zudigitest.com\/ellevatedoutcomes\/#organization"},"potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/zudigitest.com\/ellevatedoutcomes\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/zudigitest.com\/ellevatedoutcomes\/#organization","name":"Ellevated Outcomes","url":"https:\/\/zudigitest.com\/ellevatedoutcomes\/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/zudigitest.com\/ellevatedoutcomes\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/zudigitest.com\/ellevatedoutcomes\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/ellevated-outcomes-logo.svg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/zudigitest.com\/ellevatedoutcomes\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/ellevated-outcomes-logo.svg","width":62,"height":51,"caption":"Ellevated Outcomes"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/zudigitest.com\/ellevatedoutcomes\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/"},"sameAs":["https:\/\/web.facebook.com\/ellevatedoutcomes\/","https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/company\/ellevated-outcomes","https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/ellevatedoutcomes\/"]},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/zudigitest.com\/ellevatedoutcomes\/#\/schema\/person\/22cba89f7e5da6fb31694648eebefcfc","name":"Julie Sellers","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/cb71ddb65c9506efbcb3e97f5a4704c046ec84784455e61ce11dfe8317520f50?s=96&d=mm&r=g","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/cb71ddb65c9506efbcb3e97f5a4704c046ec84784455e61ce11dfe8317520f50?s=96&d=mm&r=g","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/cb71ddb65c9506efbcb3e97f5a4704c046ec84784455e61ce11dfe8317520f50?s=96&d=mm&r=g","caption":"Julie Sellers"},"url":"https:\/\/zudigitest.com\/ellevatedoutcomes\/author\/julie-lynne-sellersgmail-com\/"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/zudigitest.com\/ellevatedoutcomes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9233","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/zudigitest.com\/ellevatedoutcomes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/zudigitest.com\/ellevatedoutcomes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/zudigitest.com\/ellevatedoutcomes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/5"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/zudigitest.com\/ellevatedoutcomes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=9233"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/zudigitest.com\/ellevatedoutcomes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9233\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":10171,"href":"https:\/\/zudigitest.com\/ellevatedoutcomes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9233\/revisions\/10171"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/zudigitest.com\/ellevatedoutcomes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/9236"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/zudigitest.com\/ellevatedoutcomes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=9233"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/zudigitest.com\/ellevatedoutcomes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=9233"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/zudigitest.com\/ellevatedoutcomes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=9233"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}