Breaking the “Good, Fast, Cheap” Myth: Why I Started Better Faster Cheaper Consulting

If there’s one thing I’ve always admired, it’s the European approach to life: work to live, don’t live to work. With their emphasis on balance, leisure, and family, it’s a lifestyle that’s been calling to me for years. Now, as a new dad, it’s more than just an ideal—it’s a necessity. I wanted to spend more time with my family, to savour these moments, and to stop letting work steal all the best parts of my day.

But here’s the thing: running multiple businesses and finding that balance? It felt like an impossible dream. And that’s where the story of Better Faster Cheaper Consulting really begins.

I didn’t set out to start a consulting business. Like a lot of people, I was just trying to claw back a few hours from the endless daily grind, and maybe—just maybe—get a bit more balance in my life. But as I dug deeper into optimizing my own work, I kept seeing the same need everywhere: small business owners craving more time, less chaos, and a chance to work smarter, not harder.

Realizing There’s Got to Be a Better Way

At first, I was doing what I thought every ambitious business owner was supposed to do. I hustled hard. Emails didn’t have office hours; spreadsheets were my late-night companion. I wore many hats and tried to do it all, even the ones I wasn’t exactly qualified for (shoutout to “Accounting”). But with the news that our family was growing, that lifestyle started to feel out of sync. The time I was putting into work would be time I was missing with my family, and that didn’t sit right with me. The manual and repetitive tasks I had up until that point ignored were no longer ignorable. Then, one day, it hit me: there had to be a way to keep my businesses running without sacrificing my sanity. So, I dove into the world of processes, efficiency, and automation. I became obsessed with making my workflow as smooth as possible. This unintentional passion project led me to automate everything I could, freeing up time and reducing stress in ways I never expected. My life got easier, my businesses ran better, and—best of all—I was actually sleeping again.

Challenging the “Good, Fast, Cheap” Myth

We’ve all heard it before: “Good, Fast, Cheap—pick two.” The classic belief was that you can have quality, speed, or cost-efficiency, but never all three. Want it good and fast? That’ll cost you. Looking for good and cheap? Then settle in for a long wait. But here’s the thing—with today’s technology, this old rule doesn’t have to apply.

The Good Fast Cheap Myth

With today’s automation technology and AI, that old rule doesn’t hold up like it used to. Now you can have it all—Good, Fast, and Cheap. Technology has come a long way. Five years ago, it seemed unimaginable to think that small businesses could leverage tools that once seemed exclusive to major corporations. The rise of Automation Tools, Software-as-a-Service (SaaS), and, more recently, large language models, have shattered that old adage.

I spent my career on the business and client services side of advertising, where the belief of Good, Fast or Cheap was drilled into me. But with AI and automation in the mix, that notion is finally being challenged. Now, with a combination of tools like Zapier, Make, N8N, and even custom solutions, we’re seeing businesses run more efficiently, and more affordably, than ever before.

The Power of Automation

My goal with Better Faster Cheaper Consulting is to help other business owners automate their manual, tedious tasks and free up their resources for what actually matters. With automation, you can take repetitive work out of the hands of you and your team, giving everyone more room to focus on growth, innovation, and building a better business.

For many of you, automation tools might seem brand new. Sure, maybe you’ve heard of Zapier or Make.com, but did you know you can now connect thousands of apps to create workflows that run seamlessly? The integration possibilities are incredible. I’m here to show you how these tools work and how they can help transform your operations.

Why Automation Makes All the Difference

Think about all the things you do daily that could be automated: data entry, email follow-ups, appointment scheduling, reporting, customer updates, the list goes on. By automating these routine tasks, you’re not only gaining time—you’re reducing errors, cutting down costs, and creating a smoother experience for both your team and your clients.

Better Faster Cheaper Consulting is all about helping businesses run in a way that lets them have it all. So, if you’re tired of doing it all yourself and want to break free from the endless cycle of repetitive work, let’s talk. Together, we’ll make your business Better, Faster, and Cheaper—without sacrificing what matters most. Let's challenge the Good Fast Cheap myth together.