In every story where there’s a hen involved, it’s always the human who ends up being the real chicken.
Have you noticed?
Take the fable of the goose that laid the golden eggs: the greedy protagonist kills the golden-laying bird, the very source of his unexpected wealth, because one egg a day isn’t enough anymore—he wants them all, right now.
And, of course, he ends up with nothing.
The saying “A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush” highlights how we often make choices that prioritize short-term gains over long-term benefits.
Sure, the hen isn’t known for its intelligence—as Cochi and Renato sang more than 50 years ago—but we often act even worse. Everyday life proves it.
Take the classic DIY scenario. You’ve surely seen it play out: someone decides to fix something themselves instead of calling a professional.
Let’s say… a leaky faucet.
It all starts with, “How hard can it be to change a washer?!”
You get your tools and parts (if you even have them—otherwise, it’s off to buy them for a one-time job), maybe watch a quick YouTube tutorial titled “How to change a washer,” turn off the water (because YouTube told you to, not because you remembered), and dive into the task.
At this point, there are three possible outcomes, each with their own character.
One: someone skilled and handy. They’re done in half an hour and already thinking about something else.
Two: someone who, between swear words, bruised knuckles, and repeated “Are you sure that’s how it’s done?!” from their partner, gets it done… eventually.
Sure, the house was waterless for three hours, they made two trips to the hardware store—first for the correct washers, then for the pipe cover they mysteriously broke—and now they need another half hour just to clean up the mess in the bathroom.
Three: someone who, after three and a half hours, realizes they have no clue how to fix it.
They end up calling the plumber, who tells them it’s an extra €100 for emergencies or they can come next Monday.
“But are you sure?! Today’s only Tuesday and I’ve shut off my water because otherwise I’ll flood the house…”
Ever been that third person?
Now, bring that scenario into the business world.
Here, the DIY route often comes from the belief it’s cheaper.
Let’s do the math.
Say you’ve been quoted €700 a month to manage your social media pages—with just one post a week.
I recommend speaking with a supplier who understands the nautical world, so you don’t have to explain things that are obvious to those of us familiar with boating and yachts, but that they might not know
Now, calculate how many hours it would take you to do the job.
First, there’s the time to plan your content calendar:
What should I post each week?
What topic makes the most sense at this time of year—products, a customer testimonial, or an educational post?
What format should I use—stories, reels, carousels, photos?
Then there’s actually creating the content. Writing the copy and designing the visuals will take you, if you’re fast, at least two hours per post.
That’s 10 hours for posts alone—without touching any strategy or having a guaranteed result.
(Have you done this before? Do you have any benchmarks?)
Then there’s performance analysis: what worked and what didn’t? What hit the mark, and what flopped?
Add another 2 hours per month.
We’re at 12 hours.
Want to spend at least 30 minutes per post replying to comments and engaging with other pages?
That’s 14 hours.
Now consider that, for 14 hours, you’re not doing anything else—not making your product or delivering your service.
So unless your internal hourly rate is under €50, this is not saving you money.
And don’t forget: during those 14 hours, your focus is on managing social pages—not on growing your business.
So, are you really saving… or are you just playing the chicken?
Next time you think you can handle marketing or your company’s communication on your own, ask yourself:
Am I creating value… or just flooding the business bathroom?
