Podcast
Profit by Design
Hosted by Dr. Sabrina Starling · EN
You work hard in your business.
On the Profit by Design Podcast, we ask the BIG question:
What has your business done FOR YOU lately?
Join Dr. Sabrina Starling, The Business Psychologist™ and founder of Tap the Potential weekly, as she brings you tips, tools and strategies to support YOU in making intentionally profitable AND sustainable business decisions to live the lifestyle you desire. After all, work supports life, not the other way around. Dr. Sabrina is the author of the The 4 Week Vacation® and the How to Hire the Best Series.
Profit by Design is a Tap the Potential Production.
32episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
403: Everything Still Runs Through You — Here’s Why
6d ago00:27:23Tap to summarizeIf you step away for a few days, does everything slow down? Decisions pile up. Your team waits. That’s not a time problem–it’s a dependency problem. If decisions route back to you and ownership isn’t clear, your team can’t step up. Your team isn’t the issue; it’s the system. The only way you can stop being required for every decision is for your team to take ownership, and that requires clear decision-making, defined roles, and proper leadership development. In this episode, you’ll discover why high-performing entrepreneurs become the bottleneck, how over-functioning limits team ownership, the hidden cost of being needed for everything, why delegation alone doesn’t solve the problem, what self-managing teams actually require, and the structural shifts that create time freedom and profitability. If your business depends on you for everything, this conversion will help you understand what’s really happening–and what needs to change. If you’re ready to stop carrying all the load in your business, join Kaitlyn Beaver and Dr. Sabrina Starling now!Profit by Design is a Tap the Potential production. Show Highlights:Recognizing “the slippery slope of self-doubt” (Think about the seesaw!)Better leadership at the top results in having better team members.Kaitlyn’s perspective on balancing high-functioning owners and a team of A-playersSteps to creating ownership and empowerment on your team:Clear decision-makingClearly defined rolesLeadership developmentAmazing results we are seeing from clients in our Leadership BootcampWant to put your profitability on steroids? We can help it happen!We teach you how to unclench your fist and let go of decision-making; it’s easier than you think!What to expect when you join our programJoin our upcoming free workshop, How to Reclaim 10 Hours per Week (and pay yourself more!) Click here for more info!Resources:If you’re realizing this isn’t burnout—it’s structure, join us in our workshop, How to Reclaim 10 Hours per Week (and pay yourself more!) We’ll show you exactly how to redesign your business so it no longer depends on you. Register here.Mentioned in this episode:Jumpstart Your Business!You’ve built a successful business—but it’s still running you. Join us to reclaim 10 hours a week and finally step into your role as the owner—register now: https://www.tapthepotential.com/jumpstart.
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402: You’re Not Burned Out — Your Business Is Designed to Depend on You
2w ago00:25:43Tap to summarizeWhat if the reason you feel exhausted isn’t that you’re doing too much, but because your business is designed in a way that requires you to do everything? You’ve tried taking time off, hiring more people, and getting more organized, but nothing has changed. You’re still the one solving problems, making decisions, and holding everything together. You’re not doing anything wrong, but you’re stuck. Your business is structured around you, and when everything flows through you, you don’t get relief, space, or time to lead. The key isn’t working less, but it’s about redesigning how your team operates. When that shifts, your team will step up, problems will stop stacking up, and you will get time back. In this episode, you’ll discover why burnout is a symptom (NOT the root problem), the hidden ways businesses become owner-dependent, why high-performing entrepreneurs become the bottleneck, what needs to shift to create real time freedom, and how sustainably profitable businesses are intentionally designed. Trust us–no amount of rest will fix a business that still requires you to carry it all. If your business looks successful on paper but feels exhausting in real life, this conversation will help you understand why—and what to do next. Ready to build a business that supports your life? Join Kaitlyn Beaver and Dr. Sabrina Starling now.Profit by Design is a Tap the Potential production. Show Highlights:Stepping out of the weeds to redesign your businessFrom Dr. Sabrina: An example of a business owner stuck in fear-based leadership.Treating surface-level problems doesn’t help you get unstuck.Our action plan supports you in real time.One step at a time gets you closer to change. There is no magic pill.The difference between entrepreneurs who burn out vs. profitable businesses with a thriving, healthy business owner (It all comes down to systems and a willingness to invest in coaching.)Info about our upcoming free workshop, How to Reclaim 10 Hours per Week (and pay yourself more!) Click here for more info!Understanding the dangers of unprofitable revenueResources:If you’re realizing this isn’t burnout—it’s structure, join us in our workshop, How to Reclaim 10 Hours per Week (and pay yourself more!) We’ll show you exactly how to redesign your business so it no longer depends on you. Register here.Mentioned in this episode:Jumpstart Your Business!You’ve built a successful business—but it’s still running you. Join us to reclaim 10 hours a week and finally step into your role as the owner—register now: https://www.tapthepotential.com/jumpstart.
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401: 400 Episodes Later: How to Build a Profitable Business That Supports Your Life
3w ago00:30:27Tap to summarizeIt’s hard to believe, but we’ve recorded 400 episodes of Profit by Design! After working with thousands of business owners, we can tell you this: most owners do not have a revenue problem–they have a design problem. They built businesses that depend on them to survive, and that catches up with them in the form of the survival trap and burnout. Thank you so much for showing up here with us every week to build a better business and better life. We are so honored to celebrate 400 episodes with you. Your time is so valuable, and we thank you for trusting us to be a part of your journey. This community means everything to us! From our work with thousands of business owners, we’ve learned that work should support life, profit creates freedom, A-players change everything, most owners are solving the wrong problem, and you’re too close to your business to see it clearly. The owners who transform the fastest aren’t the smartest or hardest-working, but they’re the ones willing to stop guessing and seek support. If your business looks successful on paper but feels heavy in real life, it may be time for a different path. We can help! Join Melissa Kay and Dr. Sabrina Starling now!Profit by Design is a Tap the Potential production.Show Highlights:Feeling maxed out? You may be on the brink of the next wrong step on the treadmill of burnout!Is your business overweight? (Here’s how to know!)Hiring the wrong person when you’re not ready is a big mistakeEvery business decision needs to support profitability.Dr. Sabrina’s commitment to a minimum of a 3:1 return on the investment of business coaching with Tap the Potential, solving the hiring problem, and giving business owners time freedomThe 4 Week Vacation book: Your guide to creating NO key team member dependency in your business (including you, the business owner)Making the most of the time with your children and other loved ones–so you live with no regrets.We are here to make your business profitable, but it’s more important to us to help you build a life worth living.Successful entrepreneurs vs. burned-out entrepreneursThe reason we are NOT industry-specific in our coachingProof that our clients are happy: Our Net Promoter Score is 93! (The average American company has an NPS of 20!)Ready to make a change? Register for our free Jumpstart workshop on June 2-4. Click here for more info!Resources:Book a call with Kaitlyn today, and let’s identify what’s keeping you stuck, where you’re the bottleneck, and what to focus on next in your business.Mentioned in this episode:Jumpstart Your Business!You’ve built a successful business—but it’s still running you. Join us to reclaim 10 hours a week and finally step into your role as the owner—register now: https://www.tapthepotential.com/jumpstart.
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400: You Know You’re Burned Out—Now What?
4w ago00:25:07Tap to summarizeIf you’ve realized from our last episode that you’re burned out, the worst thing you can do next is try to “push through” or just take a vacation. Why? Because burnout isn’t the real problem; it’s just a signal that your business still depends on you in ways it shouldn’t. If you’ve tried taking time off, but you come back to the same problems, you know you haven’t fixed anything. Your team still needs you for decisions, you don’t trust things to run without you, and you feel stuck between “keep going” and “something has to change.” The bad news is that this is very hard to fix alone, because you can’t see your own blind spots, you’re too close to the business, and you usually default back to old patterns. You are stuck in survival mode! The real issue isn’t your workload; it’s how your business is structured around you. The good news is that once you fix the problem, everything else gets easier. In this episode, Melissa Kay and Dr. Sabrina Starling break down why burnout is a symptom (not the root problem), what’s actually keeping you stuck, the hidden ways you’ve become the bottleneck, and what needs to change to create real-time freedom for you.Profit by Design is a Tap the Potential production. Show Highlights:To defeat burnout for good, you need more than “surface-level band-aids.”You can check in with yourself and get your burnout score: Take the Better Business, Better Life Assessment today!Are you ready for your mood, overall health, and well-being to improve? We can help!Melissa’s perspective on strategic business coaching and real burnout solutionsGroup coaching allows you to be surrounded by peers who totally understand your challenges.Listen to our proven results and imagine yourself in these scenarios: a 700% increase in time off, doubled profits, and a 55% increase in owner’s pay.Why not invest in yourself? You are worth it, and your loved ones are worth it, too!Examples from Dr. Sabrina of a client recovering from burnout with a remarkable transformationStacking the wins with small steps that lead to big changeThe next step is to stop trying to figure this out on your own. Take the Better Business, Better Life Assessment to stop the burnout cycle!Resources:Book a call with Kaitlyn today! We’ll walk through what’s keeping you stuck, where you’re still the bottleneck, and what needs to change to build a sustainably profitable business that doesn’t rely on you for everything.Mentioned in this episode:Jumpstart Your Business!You’ve built a successful business—but it’s still running you. Join us to reclaim 10 hours a week and finally step into your role as the owner—register now: https://www.tapthepotential.com/jumpstart.
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399: The Hidden Signs of Burnout Every Business Owner Misses
Apr 3000:20:58Tap to summarizeBurnout doesn’t always look the way you think it does. You may be showing up, getting things done, and leading your team. Underneath it all, however, you’re exhausted and have very little patience, working with a brain that won’t shut off, and the thought of handling “just one more problem” feels heavier than ever before. If this sounds familiar, you’re not alone, and you’re not broken. High-performing business owners don’t crash overnight; burnout builds slowly as you normalize the stress, push through the fatigue, and tell yourself to just get through this “busy season.” The sad fact is that most business owners don’t realize they are burned out until their energy, relationships, or health force them to pay closer attention. Join Melissa Kay and Dr. Sabrina Starling as they share how to redesign your business so it doesn’t rely on you for everything. You’ll learn how to start with awareness and evaluate where your time is going, how decisions are being made, and what you’re still holding onto that your team should own. Once you see the problem, you can change it, and you don’t have to keep running your business at the expense of your life. Profit by Design is a Tap the Potential production. Show Highlights:Awareness is the first step in defeating burnout!Common signs of burnout:Resentment for your businessEmotional detachmentDecision fatigueMelissa’s perspective: A major sign of business owner burnout is being stuck in daily tasks instead of focusing on your $10k-an-hour activities.Entrepreneurs surveyed reported astounding statistics on burnout.What business owners report in our Better Business, Better Life Assessment: mood swings, stress, isolation, irritation/annoyance, discouragement, and a greater risk for depression, divorce, and substance abuseReal solutions for burnout begin with having the right support system in place.You can start with the Better Business, Better Life Assessment to stop the burnout cycle!Resources:Take the Better Business, Better Life Assessment today!
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398: Why Your Culture Isn’t Producing A-Players — and How to Build One That Does
Apr 2300:25:02Tap to summarizeYou’ve hired talented people, so why aren’t they performing like A-Players? Why does it still feel like you have to double-check everything—like your team waits instead of leads, accountability is inconsistent, and you’re still the one carrying the standard? The real issue isn’t your people—it’s the culture they’re operating in. A-players don’t just show up; they respond to the environment you create. Even highly capable individuals can hold back, wait for direction, and avoid ownership when the culture lacks clarity, leadership, and trust. That’s why so many business owners feel frustrated, even after hiring “good people.” If you’re ready to build a team that truly takes ownership, this is where we start. Join Kaitlyn Beaver and Dr. Sabrina Starling as they unpack what’s happening in your culture, leadership, and structure—and map out the shifts you need to make right now.Profit by Design is a Tap the Potential production.Show Highlights:Understanding the characteristics of A-players and what they really needCulture isn’t what you say—it’s what you tolerate. Are you supporting leadership, clarity, and trust?The startling statistic: Most businesses mishire at a rate of 75%.Enhanced communication creates a successful onboarding process.Steps to become an employer of choiceYour internal state shapes your external leadership.A-players don’t want to be managed; they want to be trusted.The best retention tool is to promote from within AND attract future A-players.Ask yourself, “What do I need to elevate my business culture?”Your lean and mighty team is a vital part of your profitable business!If you want A-players, you have to become the leader they follow.Ready to lead differently and talk with someone who understands the challenges of building your business culture? Book a call with Kaitlyn today!Resources:When you reach out to our strategist team, we will map out what needs to shift for you in a clear, step-by-step process. Book a call with Kaitlyn today!Mentioned in this episode:Jumpstart Your Business!You’ve built a successful business—but it’s still running you. Join us to reclaim 10 hours a week and finally step into your role as the owner—register now: https://www.tapthepotential.com/jumpstart.
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397: Why High Performers Burn Out First — and How to Build Sustainable Leadership in Your Small Business
Apr 1600:25:44Tap to summarizeWhy is it that the most driven, capable, high-performing business owners are often the first to burn out? You are the one everyone relies on because you care deeply and push harder than anyone else, but you’re exhausted, and the business still depends on you for everything. No matter how much you achieve, it never feels like enough. If you feel this way, it’s not because you’re doing something wrong; it’s because you’ve been rewarded for over-functioning. Your business has grown because you’ve stepped up, taken responsibility, and carried more than anyone else. The problem is that what got you here won’t get you to a sustainably profitable business that supports your life. The solution is not to do less, but to lead differently by building a self-managing, entrepreneurial team and creating systems in which decisions don’t rely on you. In this episode, Kaitlyn Beaver and Dr. Sabrina Starling discuss how you can stop being the bottleneck, create time and mental space, and build a business that runs without your constant input. The key to solving burnout isn’t rest alone—it’s structure. Profit by Design is a Tap the Potential production. Show Highlights:The problem for entrepreneurs is that burnout exists in the background of our lives. We don’t even notice it anymore!Losing faith in our team members is a sign of burnout.The real problem for business ownersDecision fatigue: one of the single biggest contributors to burnoutBuilding competence and confidence within our leadership affects our team’s ability to move forward.Take a close look at the ways you are over-functioning.Begin by asking, “What do I need?”Putting limits and boundaries in place teaches us (and everyone else) that the business can continue, even when I’m not there. Is your business being led by your nervous system and how reactive you are to every little thing?The cumulative effect that brings positive changeKaitlyn’s perspective on the intersection of yoga and an entrepreneurial mindsetLearning to respect the pause, the unplug, and your breath to reconnect with your bodyWhat you learn about managing burnout can benefit your team members.Structures are vital! An example is time strategy over time management. Ready to lead differently and talk with someone who understands? Book a call with Kaitlyn today!Resources:Are you ready to defeat burnout and lead differently? We can help! Book a call with Kaitlyn today!Mentioned in this episode:Jumpstart Your Business!You’ve built a successful business—but it’s still running you. Join us to reclaim 10 hours a week and finally step into your role as the owner—register now: https://www.tapthepotential.com/jumpstart.
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396: You’re Solving the Wrong Problem in Your Business — Here’s How to Fix It
Apr 900:24:38Tap to summarizeWhat if the biggest problem in your business isn’t actually THE problem? If you’re working harder than ever to fix things: hiring, pushing sales, trying to get organized—but nothing is changing, you’re still the bottleneck. You’re doing what most smart, capable business owners do, but you aren’t getting ahead. Instead of reacting to surface-level problems, you need to address the root cause, and this clarity about the real issue is what changes everything. In this episode, Melissa Kay and Kaitlyn Beaver break down the following: why smart, capable business owners misdiagnose their biggest challenges; the difference between surface problems and root issues; why more effort isn’t creating better results; how to identify what will actually move the needle in your business; and the first step to getting out of the survival trap. Join us!Profit by Design is a Tap the Potential production.Show Highlights:Want to change everything, starting today? Take the Better Business, Better Life Assessment to get clarity on exactly what your business needs next!What is your business really costing you?Our holistic approach makes us different.The biggest Aha moments from our calls with business ownersWe help you reconnect to your dream and fall in love with your business again!How to know you have a sustainable business (Is it a business or a job?)Your next steps: Take the Better Business, Better Life Assessment and book a call with Kaitlyn.Resources:Take our Better Business Better Life Assessment to determine your level of burnout and receive a complimentary call with the next steps you need to take in your business to support your life. Click here!Mentioned in this episode:Jumpstart Your Business!You’ve built a successful business—but it’s still running you. Join us to reclaim 10 hours a week and finally step into your role as the owner—register now: https://www.tapthepotential.com/jumpstart.
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395: The Real Reason You Can’t Take Time Off From Your Business
Apr 200:22:46Tap to summarizeLet’s be honest. When was the last time you took a real vacation—without checking your email? If the idea of stepping away from your business makes your stomach tighten up in knots, this episode is for you. You didn’t start your business to be on call 24/7, yet most entrepreneurs are putting their businesses before their families. If this is you, you have an owner dependency problem. In this episode, Melissa Kay and Dr. Sabrina Starling break down the real reason you can’t take time off from your business, and what it actually takes to build a self-managing team that allows you to step away confidently. Learn why being the hero in your business is keeping you stuck, the psychology behind control and burnout, how to shift from a survival trap to sustainable profitability, the structure required to create breathing room, and what must change before a 4-Week Vacation® becomes possible for you!Profit by Design is a Tap the Potential production.Show Highlights:The origin of Dr. Sabrina’s book, The 4 Week Vacation®Owner dependency is the #1 risk to small businesses today.Being “the hero” in your business keeps you stuck.The lie we tell ourselves (that actually creates glass ceilings)The business owner being away builds ownership and accountability in your team.The underlying issue is that we have created co-dependency in our businesses.Melissa’s example of a Tap the Potential client who has been transformed into a business ownerThe amazing results our clients are seeing in the first year with Tap the PotentialReady to take your life back from your business? Sign up for the Better Business Better Life Jumpstart today!Resources:Join our Jumpstart beginning April 7th! We will walk you through the step-by-step process to:Free up 10 hours per week.Pay yourself an additional $50K this year.Take an extra week of vacation.Enroll now for Leadership Bootcamp! The next session begins in April.Take our Better Business Better Life Assessment to determine your level of burnout and receive a complimentary call with the next steps you need to take in your business to support your life. Click here!Mentioned in this episode:Jumpstart Your Business!You’ve built a successful business—but it’s still running you. Join us to reclaim 10 hours a week and finally step into your role as the owner—register now: https://www.tapthepotential.com/jumpstart.
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394: The 5-Step Business Growth Strategy to Create a Sustainably Profitable Business
Mar 2600:27:48Tap to summarizeIf your business is growing, but you’re more exhausted than ever–something is off. More revenue should mean more freedom. Instead, you’re stuck in the survival trap of being overworked, underpaid, and the bottleneck in your business. Stress has become your new normal. In this episode, Melissa Kay and Dr. Sabrina Starling walk you through the exact framework we use inside the Tap the Potential Solution™. You’ll learn the 5-step business growth strategy that changes everything. Sustainable profit doesn’t come from hustle; it comes from strategy. Ask yourself this question: “If nothing changes, what will it cost me?” Join us now to discover how different your life can be as the owner of a sustainably profitable business. Profit by Design is a Tap the Potential production. Show Highlights:Are you “throwing spaghetti at the wall”?Learn these 5 steps for owners of businesses that are established, past the startup phase, but still struggling against burnout:Design your business to be sustainably profitable. (Every decision should direct profitability.)Niche down with a clearly defined sweet spot. (A sweet spot is more defined than a niche. Think “slim down.”)Innovate around the sweet spot of your business. (This is how you fall back in love with your business.)Build your lean and mighty team of A-players. (This step is powerful for taking away your headaches and driving profitability.)Focus on networking and attracting more A-players to your team. (This is when you have more freedom, more profit, and more owner’s pay.)Melissa explains how we help our clients using this 5-step framework.Our focus is on what really works!Hear the exciting facts about what’s happening with our clients!The results we expect when we show you how to increase your owner’s payJust imagine what’s possible for YOU!Ready to take your life back from your business? Sign up for the Better Business Better Life Jumpstart today!Resources:Join our Jumpstart beginning April 7th! We will walk you through the step-by-step process to:Free up 10 hours per week.Pay yourself an additional $50K this year.Take an extra week of vacation.Enroll now for Leadership Bootcamp! The next session begins in April. Take our Better Business Better Life Assessment to determine your level of burnout and receive a complimentary call with the next steps you need to take in your business to support your life. Click here!Mentioned in this episode:Jumpstart Your Business!You’ve built a successful business—but it’s still running you. Join us to reclaim 10 hours a week and finally step into your role as the owner—register now: https://www.tapthepotential.com/jumpstart.
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