Money is like a river. When it flows near your farm, you have two options: you can dig small canals to irrigate your crops gradually, or you can try to redirect the entire river into your land. The first brings life. The second floods everything and destroys the very soil you depend on.
I didn’t learn this lesson in a classroom or from a business book. I learned it from experience—through the rises and falls of running my truck business. It’s a cash flow business. Every month, money flows in from clients. It’s easy to feel rich when trucks are busy and the bank account looks healthy. But it’s even easier to fall into the trap of draining your business dry to fund your personal lifestyle, without thinking about the long-term consequences.
In this article, I want to share a hard-earned lesson: taking all the money out of your business is like trying to force the whole river into your farm. It might feel good in the short term, but it guarantees long-term disaster. Here’s what I learned, and what every business owner, freelancer, and even salaried professional can take from it.
Money Is Like a River
A river can be generous. It brings water, energy, and life. But it needs to be respected.
Imagine your business like a farm, and money as a river flowing nearby. The best way to sustain your farm is to dig narrow channels—terraces—that draw just enough water to nourish your crops. The rest of the river flows on, uninterrupted. If a drought comes, you still have some reserves. Your farm survives.
But when you get greedy and try to force the whole river into your land, the result is disaster. The flood ruins everything. Crops drown. Soil erodes. What once sustained you now becomes the reason you fail.
I never thought I’d become a victim of this kind of flood. But I did.
My Truck Business: A Cash Flow Machine
I got into the trucking business because of one reason: steady cash flow. Every trip generated income. Every month we had invoices, collections, and movement. The margins weren’t insane, but they were consistent. That consistency can give you a false sense of security if you’re not careful.
I remember the early days. Payments were coming in on time. I was managing a growing list of clients. Trucks were on the road daily. In my mind, I was winning. And every time a payment hit the account, I felt like I’d earned the right to reward myself. I paid myself often—and generously. I upgraded my lifestyle. I made quick decisions with money because I believed more was always coming.
But then something happened that broke the rhythm.
The Temptation to Take It All
At first, it seemed innocent. I’d take some extra money from the business account to cover a personal emergency. Then I’d take more to fund a vacation. Soon, I was paying myself whenever I felt like I needed money, not when it made sense for the business.
The temptation was always justified with one thought: “It’s my business. I can do what I want with it.”
But that logic is flawed. Just because the money flows through you doesn’t mean it belongs to you—not all of it. Some of it is meant to keep the business running. Some of it is meant to prepare for the unexpected. I was ignoring that truth.
And then came the breakdowns.
When the Trucks Break Down: The River Dries Up
Every truck owner knows: your truck will fail you when you least expect it. A tyre bursts. The gearbox jams. The engine gives out in the middle of nowhere. Repairs aren’t just expensive—they’re urgent.
One month, I had two trucks grounded. The cost to fix them was enough to wipe out all of that month’s cash flow. But by that time, I had already taken the money. It was gone—used for personal expenses, short-term indulgences, and lifestyle upgrades.
I was left with a chilling reality: I had a business, but I couldn’t afford to run it.
The clients kept calling. The drivers were frustrated. I was caught in a storm of blame and disappointment. The stress was immense. I had no buffer. No safety net. And no one to blame but myself.
That was my flood.
The Hidden Cost of Draining the River
What I didn’t realize then is that taking too much from your business doesn’t just affect your bank balance. It weakens the entire system. Here’s what I learned the hard way:
- Operational Instability: Trucks need maintenance. Drivers need support. Without cash, operations slow down—or stop.
- Client Disappointment: When you fail to deliver on time, you lose trust. Reputation damage is expensive to fix.
- Staff Frustration: If salaries or bonuses are delayed, morale drops. People start looking elsewhere.
- Personal Stress: Financial pressure kills creativity, confidence, and clarity.
And most importantly, I was eating the seed instead of planting it. I was killing the goose that laid the golden eggs.
The Lesson: Build Terraces, Not Dams
After that crisis, I had to rethink everything. I realized I didn’t need to build a dam to block and control all the water. I just needed proper terraces—structures to manage money flow responsibly.
Here’s what that meant for me:
- Pay Yourself a Salary
I began treating myself like an employee. A fixed monthly amount, budgeted ahead of time. No random withdrawals. No emotion-driven spending. - Emergency Maintenance Fund
I created a dedicated account for truck repairs. Every month, a percentage of revenue went into it—no exceptions. - Operational Budgeting
I planned cash flow monthly, with room for overheads, driver advances, fuel, licenses, and unexpected costs. - Separate Business and Personal Accounts
This was crucial. No more blurred lines. Business money stayed in the business until it was earned and allocated. - Reinvestment Strategy
Instead of draining every shilling, I reinvested in tracking systems, better insurance, and driver incentives. The business grew stronger.
It’s Not Just a Truck Business Lesson—It’s a Life Lesson
The river doesn’t only flow in business. It flows in personal finance too.
Many people live paycheck to paycheck, not because they earn too little, but because they try to force the entire river into their lives. No savings. No margin. No buffer.
The first unexpected event—a job loss, a medical emergency, or even a delayed salary—becomes a financial disaster.
The principle is the same: channel what you need, and leave the rest to flow.
Even creative professionals, consultants, and freelancers need to understand this. Your biggest client may delay payment. Your market may slow down. If you’ve already spent everything you earned, the downturn will be devastating.
Kill the Goose, Lose the Eggs
There’s another metaphor that drives the same point home: the goose that lays the golden egg.
When you get greedy and kill the goose to get all the gold at once, you lose everything. It’s a story as old as time. But too many of us forget it when money starts to flow.
Your business is your goose. Your talent is your goose. Your client relationships, your team, your systems—they are all geese.
Protect them. Nurture them. Feed them. Don’t squeeze them for everything they have in the name of short-term gain.
Respect the River
Now, when money flows into my business, I see it differently. I see it like a river. I take what is needed to water the crops, but I leave the rest to flow and regenerate.
There’s discipline in that. But there’s also peace.
Peace knowing that when a truck breaks down, I’m prepared. Peace knowing that if a client pays late, my team is still okay. Peace knowing I’m building something sustainable—not just profitable.
If you’re running a business, or even managing your personal finances, I encourage you to ask yourself:
- Are you building terraces or trying to redirect the whole river?
- Do you have systems that protect your income flow?
- Can your farm survive a season of drought?
Final Thoughts
Money has a way of testing us—not just our intelligence, but our patience and discipline. When we mismanage the flow, we don’t just lose money—we lose momentum, trust, and peace of mind.
Treat money with the respect you’d give a powerful river. It can build or destroy. It can bless or ruin. The difference lies in how you channel it.
Have you ever experienced a “flood” moment in your financial life? What systems have helped you manage your cash flow better?
Drop me a message about your story—I’d love to hear your experience.
And if you’re looking for practical tools to help you manage your business cash flow, I’ve created a simple spreadsheet you can use. Subscribe to my newsletter to get it free.
Let’s build better money habits together. One terrace at a time.
