The duct-tape tax
Held-together tools feel free because the cost is hidden in everyone's time. A simple way to make that cost visible — and worth fixing.
Duct-tape tooling rarely shows up on a budget line. There’s no invoice for “the 40 minutes every Monday someone spends reconciling two systems by hand.” So it feels free. It isn’t.
Make the invisible visible
Pick one fragile workflow. Write down every manual step, who does it, and how long it takes. Multiply by how often it runs. That number — the duct-tape tax — is almost always larger than the cost of fixing it.
Nobody approves a fix for a problem they can’t see. Your first job is to make it visible.
Once it’s on paper, the conversation changes. You’re no longer asking to spend money on plumbing. You’re showing exactly what the leaks are costing.
Recognize your own tools here?
Tell me what's not working and I'll tell you honestly if I can help.