In the fall of 1996, I made a groundbreaking discovery. After years of going to a stylist to get my haircut, I discovered that I could buy a $20 pair of clippers from Wal-Mart and a small mirror and cut my own hair for free. Sure the first couple of times were a little tense, almost like I was playing with fire. But I soon became really comfortable in the barber’s chair with my network of mirrors set up to get just the right angle to the back of my head. After the first cut, I had the clippers paid for so I was winning before winning was #winning. Plus, I wasn’t dating anyone so it wasn’t like I really needed to impress.

So the years passed, and the clippers kept on cutting. I continued to wow people when they found out I cut my own hair. It almost felt like I was a superhero. I would even find myself working haircuts into conversations so that eventually I would get asked who cut my hair. “I actually cut my own hair,” I would proudly say, like I was Superman or something. I couldn’t have lifted a car off a child and felt any more amazing than I did as the guy who cut his own hair without cranking out a reverse Mohawk or something.

Then I got married. My wife is amazing. And sweet. And it took her a few years to very sweetly begin to ask about my hair. She would point out hair styles in magazines and make comments. She would ask me if I liked certain styles. And finally this past year she finally broke down and asked if I would consider getting my hair cut by someone who actually cuts hair for a living. Someone who is actually really good at it.

So after 20 years, this past Saturday, I had someone cut my hair. And it was amazing. She washed and massaged my hair and head. She used all kinds of shampoos and conditioners on me. The whole experience was amazing. And best of all, when I got home, my wife was so excited with my new hair style. That is when I realized some things you can do yourself and do a great job, but then there are other things, that you just can’t.

For the past 20 years, I have been cutting my hair in the most utilitarian of ways. I was just getting the job done. I was cutting my hair, and it didn’t look terrible, but it sure didn’t look like it did when I walked out of the barber shop on Saturday. Between both the experience itself and the end product, I learned that for some things, it just pays to have the expert do it. It’s the same way for your business too. Some things you can do yourself, and then other things you can just get done yourself. Do you just want to get it done, or do you want to do it right? Whether its advertising a product, building a website, or producing a video, don’t settle for just getting it done if you can find the right person or people to do it right. Sure, there will be expense. I spent $20 on Saturday when my last haircut was free. But I have learned the value of experience, and I have learned that ultimately it just looks better. If you are just getting it done, consider finding someone who can do so much more. It’s time to put away the clippers.