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Buy Back Your Time: Get Unstuck, Reclaim Your Freedom, and Build Your Empire
Wall Street Journal Bestseller
Learn to conquer the one real hurdle to scaling your company and growing Time
How you use your free time will make or break your success. The secret? It’s not about working harder or finding more time to do work. It’s about designing the freedom to engage in the high-value work that brings you energy and fulfillment. This is at the heart of the message that has made Dan Martell the world’s most popular SaaS (Software-as-a-Service) coach. Now, in his first book, Buy Back Your Time, he teaches entrepreneurs at every level how to scale their business, fast, while avoiding burnout. Trading money for time—that is, literally buying back free space in your calendar—will give you more financial success than you ever dreamed was possible.
With over two decades of experience as a serial entrepreneur and founder, Dan Martell will teach you the secrets to work less and play more while building an empire. He’ll dig into the practical steps that will allow you to start buying back time immediately , while also developing operating procedures and hiring practices that will ensure rapid and robust growth. And he will teach you how to invest in your newfound time wisely—at work and at home—so you keep building your empire while living your best life.
Buy Back Your Time is the definitive guide for entrepreneurs at every level on how to succeed in business while enjoying more freedom than you ever imagined.
Learn to conquer the one real hurdle to scaling your company and growing Time
How you use your free time will make or break your success. The secret? It’s not about working harder or finding more time to do work. It’s about designing the freedom to engage in the high-value work that brings you energy and fulfillment. This is at the heart of the message that has made Dan Martell the world’s most popular SaaS (Software-as-a-Service) coach. Now, in his first book, Buy Back Your Time, he teaches entrepreneurs at every level how to scale their business, fast, while avoiding burnout. Trading money for time—that is, literally buying back free space in your calendar—will give you more financial success than you ever dreamed was possible.
With over two decades of experience as a serial entrepreneur and founder, Dan Martell will teach you the secrets to work less and play more while building an empire. He’ll dig into the practical steps that will allow you to start buying back time immediately , while also developing operating procedures and hiring practices that will ensure rapid and robust growth. And he will teach you how to invest in your newfound time wisely—at work and at home—so you keep building your empire while living your best life.
Buy Back Your Time is the definitive guide for entrepreneurs at every level on how to succeed in business while enjoying more freedom than you ever imagined.
272 pages, Hardcover
Published January 17, 2023
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 91 reviews
February 9, 2023
If you’re a business book junkie, most of the concepts are more of a review of things you’ve heard before.
The reason I’d give 5 stars is that although the concepts are familiar, Dan gives clear and actionable frameworks and tools for addressing them - and quite a few of those frameworks were fresh takes from someone who’s actually been out there doing the work.
These topics are foundational to entrepreneurs and leaders, so a well crafted description with new stories and examples is always a welcome way to revisit them.
The author’s philosophy on life leans toward ‘work hard, play hard’ and at times during the book it can feel extreme - but hey, when you look at what he’s accomplished it’s clear that by approaching life that way he has been able to accomplish more than the average person.
The reason I’d give 5 stars is that although the concepts are familiar, Dan gives clear and actionable frameworks and tools for addressing them - and quite a few of those frameworks were fresh takes from someone who’s actually been out there doing the work.
These topics are foundational to entrepreneurs and leaders, so a well crafted description with new stories and examples is always a welcome way to revisit them.
The author’s philosophy on life leans toward ‘work hard, play hard’ and at times during the book it can feel extreme - but hey, when you look at what he’s accomplished it’s clear that by approaching life that way he has been able to accomplish more than the average person.
April 9, 2023
Truly enjoyed this book. It does teach so many valuable lessons about time, but there are just as many lessons about life. And they’re not just for those who have started their own businesses. I never considered myself an entrepreneur because I have worked for others my entire professional life. In this book, though, Dan talks about entrepreneurs ‘building an empire’ as building a life of unlimited creativity from which you never have to retire. That’s a life anyone can have, no matter who you work for. It’s also a life you can keep on living for the rest of your life. If you want to make an impact, pick up this book and follow its guidance.
February 2, 2023
It's closer to a 5 than a 4! It's a recap of several other books I have read before but it's not long and drawn out. Great reminder on how to move forward in business.
January 30, 2024
I'm not an entrepreneur (yet!), but I still think this is an incredible book to challenge how you manage your time, in business and in personal life.
October 8, 2023
Cannot recommend this enough for anyone in any kind of SCALE phase.
March 26, 2023
If I was an entrepreneur I might have given it a 5. I’ve had to put aside my entrepreneurial ideas in my current season but was suggested it through my job. I definitely see things in a new light after reading it. Valuable nuggets for all of us to ponder. We all have the same 24 hours but we also need some rest in there. Find what you are best at and allow others to take those tasks they are best at.
March 15, 2024
This book was INCREDIBLE! Once I got started (the second time - I didn’t start early enough the first time and the library took it back so I had to wait), I couldn’t put it down. It’s full of exceptional ideas and many things that I’ve put into practice but this helps solidify and put some bows on things that maybe weren’t completely tied up.
April 28, 2024
Audio. I liked that the book had clear and actionable steps. I also felt like he approached common concepts in a bit of a different but positive way.
I'd recommend reading not audio; the audiobook reader was very monotonous.
I'd recommend reading not audio; the audiobook reader was very monotonous.
December 17, 2023
Definitely had some generally applicable good ideas but this was written for entrepreneurs and the title should have made that more clear.
April 30, 2023
Best business book I've read in a really long time.
June 26, 2023
If you judge books on the number of action points to take from them then this one is not just one of my favourites but right up there as number one.
It engages you from the start and the central premise of buying back your time so that you can concentrate on work that you love doing, are really good at and add the most value doing, is an absolute game changer, I think.
The description of founders beginning to dread their work due to time pressure and the knock on effect on their health and relationships was all too familiar.
As was the consequence that founders self sabotage, stall or sell as they can’t face the idea of growth adding to their workload.
I had always thought that more staff means more people to supervise and more work but here it is reframed as more staff freeing up the founder to do just what they love doing and are best at which at the same time gives them more energy to do it.
The examples given of Oprah Winfrey, Richard Branson and Warren Buffett are inspiring and I also liked the idea of having this sort of business meaning that retirement no longer appeals when you are getting paid for what you love doing but still have time for leisure and family and friends too.
What I especially liked though was how the book gives practical instructions on how to make the changes needed and makes it all seem achievable.
A must read for all entrepreneurs and business owners - and may just relight the spark that you had when you first had the idea to start your business.
It engages you from the start and the central premise of buying back your time so that you can concentrate on work that you love doing, are really good at and add the most value doing, is an absolute game changer, I think.
The description of founders beginning to dread their work due to time pressure and the knock on effect on their health and relationships was all too familiar.
As was the consequence that founders self sabotage, stall or sell as they can’t face the idea of growth adding to their workload.
I had always thought that more staff means more people to supervise and more work but here it is reframed as more staff freeing up the founder to do just what they love doing and are best at which at the same time gives them more energy to do it.
The examples given of Oprah Winfrey, Richard Branson and Warren Buffett are inspiring and I also liked the idea of having this sort of business meaning that retirement no longer appeals when you are getting paid for what you love doing but still have time for leisure and family and friends too.
What I especially liked though was how the book gives practical instructions on how to make the changes needed and makes it all seem achievable.
A must read for all entrepreneurs and business owners - and may just relight the spark that you had when you first had the idea to start your business.
March 2, 2024
In “Buy Back Your Time,” the author presents a compelling case for the modern quest to reclaim our most precious resource: time. Through a series of practical steps, readers are guided on how to effectively outsource and automate aspects of their daily lives, with the aim of freeing up time for what truly matters to them. While these strategies are undoubtedly useful for those feeling overwhelmed by the demands of contemporary life, the book’s underlying vision of the good life raises questions for those who view life through a biblical lens.
At the heart of the book is a vision of self-actualization, a pursuit of personal happiness and fulfillment as the ultimate goal. This perspective, while resonating with contemporary cultural values, diverges significantly from the biblical vision of the good life. While the book’s practical advice on managing time can be valuable, it is the underlying philosophy that requires discernment. The challenge for Christian readers is to sift through these recommendations, identifying what can be harmoniously integrated into a life lived for God’s glory. The book raises important questions about stewardship, the value of rest, and how to prioritize our commitments in a way that aligns with biblical teachings.
In conclusion, “Buy Back Your Time” offers useful strategies for those looking to escape the relentless pace of modern life. Yet, for the followers of Jesus, it serves as a reminder that the measure of our days is not solely in their productivity but in their purpose. As we consider how to best use our time, may we do so with an eye not just towards our fulfillment, but towards a higher calling that seeks first the kingdom of God.
At the heart of the book is a vision of self-actualization, a pursuit of personal happiness and fulfillment as the ultimate goal. This perspective, while resonating with contemporary cultural values, diverges significantly from the biblical vision of the good life. While the book’s practical advice on managing time can be valuable, it is the underlying philosophy that requires discernment. The challenge for Christian readers is to sift through these recommendations, identifying what can be harmoniously integrated into a life lived for God’s glory. The book raises important questions about stewardship, the value of rest, and how to prioritize our commitments in a way that aligns with biblical teachings.
In conclusion, “Buy Back Your Time” offers useful strategies for those looking to escape the relentless pace of modern life. Yet, for the followers of Jesus, it serves as a reminder that the measure of our days is not solely in their productivity but in their purpose. As we consider how to best use our time, may we do so with an eye not just towards our fulfillment, but towards a higher calling that seeks first the kingdom of God.
August 4, 2023
I listened to this on audio.
I found a lot of the advice really good.
I was disenchanted by the "resources."
It was really "take notes" pages.
If you are listening by audio, that is hard.
I love the recap at the end of each chapter, the "5 Buy Back Rules" and fortunately, I did write those down.
What I did not do was write the name of the chapters.
I have looked everywhere and Martell does not seem to have an image of his table of contents???
Another reason for the 4 stars instead of the 5-I like non fiction books that let you know what you are getting into.
So-if anyone has the chapters I would really appreciate it!
This is what I could approximate:
1. What is the Buy Back Principle
2. The Drip Matrix
3. The Time Assassins
4. Time/Energy Audit
5. The Replacement Ladder
6. Clone Yourself
7. Building Playbooks
8. Your Perfect Week
9. The Only 4 Time Hacks You'll Need
10. Test First
11. Transformational Leadership
12. How to Give and Receive Feedback
13. 10X Vision
14. Preload Your Year
Again-I am just writing these "chapters" based on my 5 Buy Back Rules for each chapter, if someone has the actual book and can correct any I have wrong, I would appreciate it.
I keep a book of the business/personal growth books I have read and brief notes so I can refer back-too many books to read over and over!
I found a lot of the advice really good.
I was disenchanted by the "resources."
It was really "take notes" pages.
If you are listening by audio, that is hard.
I love the recap at the end of each chapter, the "5 Buy Back Rules" and fortunately, I did write those down.
What I did not do was write the name of the chapters.
I have looked everywhere and Martell does not seem to have an image of his table of contents???
Another reason for the 4 stars instead of the 5-I like non fiction books that let you know what you are getting into.
So-if anyone has the chapters I would really appreciate it!
This is what I could approximate:
1. What is the Buy Back Principle
2. The Drip Matrix
3. The Time Assassins
4. Time/Energy Audit
5. The Replacement Ladder
6. Clone Yourself
7. Building Playbooks
8. Your Perfect Week
9. The Only 4 Time Hacks You'll Need
10. Test First
11. Transformational Leadership
12. How to Give and Receive Feedback
13. 10X Vision
14. Preload Your Year
Again-I am just writing these "chapters" based on my 5 Buy Back Rules for each chapter, if someone has the actual book and can correct any I have wrong, I would appreciate it.
I keep a book of the business/personal growth books I have read and brief notes so I can refer back-too many books to read over and over!
Read
March 2, 2024Normally, I hate books that tell me to pay someone else to so stuff, because normally the first thing they recommend outsourcing is the reason you started the business in the first place. If I opened a pie shop because I love baking pies, don't tell me to hire someone else to bake the pies!
This author gets that. He doesn't recommend ever completely outsourcing your favorite parts, but he does recommend doing more of a Mythical Man Month-style surgical team with it, where you get to do the most skilled stuff, and other people multiply your production by doing the parts that are grunt work. I liked that a lot.
Too many highlights to fit here, but this book really did change my mind—and my actions!— about hiring.
A few greatest hits:
"Remember, the Buyback Principle tells you exactly how to hire: Don’t hire to grow your business. Hire to buy back your time."
"You don’t aim for 100 percent perfection. Instead, shoot for 80 percent. Yes, lower your expectations, because here’s the deal: 80% done by someone else is 100% freaking awesome." <-- I've been using this one on AI results, and it's saved me massive amounts of time.
Also includes what order to outsource in, how to know if it's time, how to pick great people, and how to train people!
This author gets that. He doesn't recommend ever completely outsourcing your favorite parts, but he does recommend doing more of a Mythical Man Month-style surgical team with it, where you get to do the most skilled stuff, and other people multiply your production by doing the parts that are grunt work. I liked that a lot.
Too many highlights to fit here, but this book really did change my mind—and my actions!— about hiring.
A few greatest hits:
"Remember, the Buyback Principle tells you exactly how to hire: Don’t hire to grow your business. Hire to buy back your time."
"You don’t aim for 100 percent perfection. Instead, shoot for 80 percent. Yes, lower your expectations, because here’s the deal: 80% done by someone else is 100% freaking awesome." <-- I've been using this one on AI results, and it's saved me massive amounts of time.
Also includes what order to outsource in, how to know if it's time, how to pick great people, and how to train people!
Want to read
March 24, 2024Running a successful business requires a lot of time and effort, but it doesn’t have to take over your life. In Buy Back Your Time, veteran entrepreneur Dan Martell says you can run a profitable business and make time for the things you love without having to work yourself to the bone. Simply buy back your time: Hire others to take over some of your work, and then invest your reclaimed time in activities that replenish your energy and advance your business. Martell shares practical strategies for managing your time better, including how to identify a task’s value, waste less time at work, and create optimized schedules for achieving your personal and professional goals.
In this guide, we’ll discuss how to prioritize and delegate tasks, run your business more efficiently, and create weekly and yearly plans to optimize your time. Along the way, we’ll supplement Martell’s strategies with advice from other self-improvement experts and provide additional practical tips for taking control of your time.
In this guide, we’ll discuss how to prioritize and delegate tasks, run your business more efficiently, and create weekly and yearly plans to optimize your time. Along the way, we’ll supplement Martell’s strategies with advice from other self-improvement experts and provide additional practical tips for taking control of your time.
May 27, 2023
This is a great book for any freelancer, solopreneur, or entrepreneur struggling with managing and running their business. In the tradition of the 4-hour Work Week, Buy Back Your Time offers a new methodology to assess your business and its place in your life. The book then follows up with a multitude of tactical and practical tips and advice on how to restructure your business, in order to optimise your time spent within and outwith your business.
Dan walks the walk with examples from his own life and business, which reinforces the topics discussed while also acting as advice on the journey towards buying back your time. As with most advice in business books, the key is putting in the work yourself, but by following the principles of the book and prioritising buying back your time, the book describes an opportunity for you to build an empire more efficiently and without the need for burnout along the way.
Dan walks the walk with examples from his own life and business, which reinforces the topics discussed while also acting as advice on the journey towards buying back your time. As with most advice in business books, the key is putting in the work yourself, but by following the principles of the book and prioritising buying back your time, the book describes an opportunity for you to build an empire more efficiently and without the need for burnout along the way.
April 6, 2023
The core idea of this book is well presented and incredibly valuable. To 'buy back your time' is to hire people to take responsibilities off of you, rather than to hire for growth. The idea is to create a virtuous cycle of identifying tasks/responsibilities of comparatively low value to offload, offloading them, and then using your time for higher value / more rewarding things.
The reason this gets 4 stars from me instead of 5 stars is that the rest of the book is filled with good tips which I'd call 'business hacks'. A lot of it is retread from elsewhere. It's good info and somewhat related, but I found myself reading a lot of this very quickly and not getting as much out versus the core idea.
The reason this gets 4 stars from me instead of 5 stars is that the rest of the book is filled with good tips which I'd call 'business hacks'. A lot of it is retread from elsewhere. It's good info and somewhat related, but I found myself reading a lot of this very quickly and not getting as much out versus the core idea.
Read
April 25, 2023This was possibly the most useful and practical book I've read in the past year or so. It was good enough to warrant me buying a physical copy to go through again at a slower pace and really pursue how best to implement. I will say, it's not a lot that is new. In fact, this is the number one business lesson I've learned from my own dad. But the info was presented really well, and there were some good and helpful tips for practically making it work all along.
As with most of these books, could have been half the length. The book spiraled in the second half into mere generic Tony Robins-esque jargon. But the first 7-9 chapters were gold.
As with most of these books, could have been half the length. The book spiraled in the second half into mere generic Tony Robins-esque jargon. But the first 7-9 chapters were gold.
November 28, 2023
Great actionable tools and advice. The best How To instructions for running a business (and life) I have ever read! I wish I had read it 5 years ago. It’s not just for entrepreneurs, it’s for any manager of a business or plant or business unit. I picked up this book at our library because it was displayed on a “New Books” shelf. On a whim. Half was through the book I ordered my own copy on Amazon. It will be a reference for the rest of my life. I suggested Buy Back to several friends. At least one (a small business owner) started reading it and has made changes to his business which has returned valuable time to him!
January 17, 2024
A new perspective. Yes this book contains things you might have heard before if you are a big personal development person, but Dan adds a twist and knowledge/experience of his own to this.
Dan talks about how to hire NOT to grow your business but to buy back YOUR time so you can live your life to the fullest by focusing on the talents and desires God has give you to grow the business exponentially. Also, the book gives great insights on how to build your perfect week, year and why 10X is easier than 2X as well as tips and advice on dreaming, thinking big and not letting others steal your dream.
Dan talks about how to hire NOT to grow your business but to buy back YOUR time so you can live your life to the fullest by focusing on the talents and desires God has give you to grow the business exponentially. Also, the book gives great insights on how to build your perfect week, year and why 10X is easier than 2X as well as tips and advice on dreaming, thinking big and not letting others steal your dream.
April 3, 2023
Tasks demand time and energy... do you have both? Through this perspective I learned to calculate buy back rates = income÷2000 hours÷4.
Outsourcing work allows to free up time in order to increase productivity. Delegating and replacing gives space to invest in yourself so you can focus on productivity.
Create a playbook, training employees step by step using a camcorder, cadence: how often do these tasks and checklist of non negotiable guidelines. Organize with 10x vision.
Buy back control of your life!
Outsourcing work allows to free up time in order to increase productivity. Delegating and replacing gives space to invest in yourself so you can focus on productivity.
Create a playbook, training employees step by step using a camcorder, cadence: how often do these tasks and checklist of non negotiable guidelines. Organize with 10x vision.
Buy back control of your life!
Read
July 28, 2023My favorite bit of advice from the book was to tell employees what needs to be done but not how to do it, empowering them to come up with their creative solutions.
Toward the end it sounded a little extreme how he has a protein shake handed to him at 4pm by his house manager (who also flies ahead of his family to set things up for them) but I see the point he was making that you have SOPs and can pay people to follow them, freeing up mental energy and time. Personally I guess I like making my own shakes, but maybe one day I will change my mind.
Toward the end it sounded a little extreme how he has a protein shake handed to him at 4pm by his house manager (who also flies ahead of his family to set things up for them) but I see the point he was making that you have SOPs and can pay people to follow them, freeing up mental energy and time. Personally I guess I like making my own shakes, but maybe one day I will change my mind.
August 8, 2023
Dan practices what he preaches. This book filled with actionable tools and frameworks (that my team are effectively working through). And you feel confident his lessons work because he (and his clients) practice them every day in every aspect of work and life. That why I bought it for my whole mastermind and they too have found it invaluable.
BTW, don’t let Dan’s business success intimidate you; he is the nicest and humblest guy you could ever hope to meet. Cast all the millionaire stereotypes aside and simply enjoy the roadmap to having more time and joy in your work and life.
BTW, don’t let Dan’s business success intimidate you; he is the nicest and humblest guy you could ever hope to meet. Cast all the millionaire stereotypes aside and simply enjoy the roadmap to having more time and joy in your work and life.
September 3, 2023
This is the most impactful book I’ve read in a long time. I’ve been needing to scale my business but making the jump in hiring seemed so daunting until I read this book. The audio book was awesome. He made it feel doable with actionable steps to offload responsibilities to buy back your time and re deposit it where it matters most. I reread several chapters so I could take notes and implement right away. My favorite part was how to give up control of your inbox! If your business is successful but you are doing it all on your own, read this book.
February 20, 2024
Use money to buy time by keeping the things that excite you and paying others to do things below your buy-back rate.
The ladder of people to hire, starting with an assistant.
Plan your ideal week and have set times available for specific tasks. Every impromptu yes is a no to something, so this shows you what you said no to.
Give people vision for tasks you delegate and trust them to accomplish in their own way. Be clear on the end goal.
Put the big things in your calendar for the year in advance.
The ladder of people to hire, starting with an assistant.
Plan your ideal week and have set times available for specific tasks. Every impromptu yes is a no to something, so this shows you what you said no to.
Give people vision for tasks you delegate and trust them to accomplish in their own way. Be clear on the end goal.
Put the big things in your calendar for the year in advance.
February 18, 2023
One of the most practical books I have read in years.
If you have read the 4 Hour Work Week and E-Myth but are still working long hours then this is the book for you.
I have already started the process to hire contractors to cover some of the repetitive daily, weekly monthly and quarterly tasks that I have. From then on I’ll review what is next to be delegated.
Previously hiring to grow, worked to grow but logically resulted in even longer hours vs giving me some time back.
If you have read the 4 Hour Work Week and E-Myth but are still working long hours then this is the book for you.
I have already started the process to hire contractors to cover some of the repetitive daily, weekly monthly and quarterly tasks that I have. From then on I’ll review what is next to be delegated.
Previously hiring to grow, worked to grow but logically resulted in even longer hours vs giving me some time back.
March 13, 2023
I recently hired an executive assistant and discovered that establishing a cohesive working relationship can be challenging without proper frameworks and playbooks. Fortunately, I came Dan's book. In it, he shares the set of heuristics and frameworks that have enabled him to build several successful businesses. They are both practical and actionable. I am looking forward to seeing how implementing them will improve our workflow.
June 30, 2023
A lot of good information here, including the Buyback Principle (where 25% of your salary should be spent on outsourcing your more mundane tasks to give you more time on being creative). I love the 10X dream advice, and a lot more. My only critique is that there really isn't any info mentioned here about investing into automated technology, and that seems like a huge oversight for a book published in 2023.
August 30, 2023
I read and re-read the book several times. It's the first business book that I've actually done the activities at the end of chapters. There is magically practical advice and explicit direction on reducing the amount of soul-sucking time spent on tasks I hate, so I can focus on the revenue-generating tasks, and activities that really energize me.
This is a MUST READ for everyone, but especially entrepreneurs.
This is a MUST READ for everyone, but especially entrepreneurs.
October 3, 2023
4* Interesting, yes. For everyone? No. This book is for business owners who already have a successful business that stresses them out, demands too much of their time, and is draining their personal joy. Some of the concepts will work in smaller businesses but not so much for the home-based entrepreneur or the family farm. It was a great book though, and helped me think through some work/life balance issues.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 91 reviews