How should I pay myself as the owner?
Short answer
A real W-2 salary at market rate for what you actually do, plus owner distributions from profit. Not random transfers when the account looks fat.
Why a real salary
It tells you the truth about whether the business actually works. If the business can't pay you market rate for your role plus profit, you have a job paying you in delusion, not a business.
Distributions on top
Profit distributions quarterly, after taxes are reserved and the business has its three-month cash cushion. Distribution is the reward for ownership, salary is the wage for work. Don't blur them.
Ask your version of this question
This is one business owner-tested take. Your shop size, trade, and team change the answer. Ask the exact version inside Ask a Shop Owner and get a response grounded in how owners like you actually handled it.