← The Goal Digger Podcast | Top Business and Marketing Podcast for Creatives, Entrepreneurs, and Women in Business
The Goal Digger Podcast | Top Business and Marketing Podcast for Creatives, Entrepreneurs, and Women in Business
936: I Thought I Was Building a Business: What I Was Really Building All Along
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Okay. I have been on this ruthless pursuit to purge any clothes that I'm not actually wearing. Like, if I haven't reached for it in months, it's gotta go. I am trying to be really intentional about what I bring into my closet right now, which means I am only buying pieces that I know I will actually wear and use. Revolve just gets it though. I'm literally wearing my brown Autry sneakers from there right now and my new suede purse. It fits my laptop in it, so it's basically a fancy shoulder bag that works for everything. I love finding pieces like that, things that look good but also work hard for my actual life. Their holiday shop is live right now with all the good stuff. Sparkly party dresses, cozy sets, cute gifts, everything you need for whatever is on your calendar. And it's all in one place, which makes shopping feel way less overwhelming. Whether it's a weekend away, a big night out, or a holiday party, your dream wardrobe is just one click away. Head to Revolve.com Gold Digger Shop my edit and take 15% off your first order with the code Gold Digger. Fast two day shipping, easy returns. It's literally the only place you need to shop from. That's Revolve.com Gold Digger to shop my favorites and get 15% off your first order with the code Gold Digger offer available for a limited time. So happy shopping. If I never recorded another episode after this one, this is the one I'd want you to hear. For nearly a decade, I have sat behind this microphone teaching strategy and sharing systems and talking about how to grow a business that lasts. But beneath all of that, there has always been something deeper. And it's taken me years to find words for what this work has really been about. Now when I look back, I can see a thread running through every story, every season and every shift. It's basically this through line. And when I say through line, I'm talking about the consistent truth that connects everything. It's this invisible thread that makes sense of all of the seemingly separate pieces. It's the reason I started this show from a small town in Wisconsin. The same reason I launched a photography business with a $300 Craigslist camera and a heart full of hope. The same reason I've kept showing up here as I've grown and evolved and pivoted what has felt like a million times. I thought I was building a business, but what I was really building was a life that actually felt like mine. This episode is about the truth. Underneath every strategy, it's the heartbeat behind the framework and the through line that has quietly guided it all. If you only ever listen to one episode of this podcast, let it be this one. I'm Jenna Kutcher and I help you trade hustle for purpose and build a business that gives you the life you actually want to live. From a $300 Craigslist camera to a seven figure business I run from home, I've learned that success isn't just about what you do, it's about how you live. Here you'll get strategies that systems that give you your time back and steps that turn your effort into results and impact. If you're ready for clarity, confidence, and a business that feels as good as it looks, you're in the right place. This is the Gold Digger podcast. I think that this episode just really needs to begin with me painting the picture of my entrepreneurial journey and where it all started. So my business started living in a village of 1200 people. Not even a town, not a city, a village. And I was commuting to work both ways and working 50 plus hours a week. And so I built my business in the hours that existed beyond that work. Now I look back at that stage of my life and I was planning a wedding. I was training for a full marathon. I was starting this business. I also decided at the same time to launch a mid wedding blog that was publishing Monday through Friday. And I look back and I'm like, how the heck did I do it all? There was a lot of sheer determination and I almost felt like defiant in my pursuit to figure something out. I was absolutely, positively burning the candle on every end. And yet I knew underneath the surface that it would all be worth it. And so I essentially built my business to this place in this point where I finally felt confident to put in my two weeks notice for my corporate salary, the 401k, the health benefits, and everything in between. And to look back at what that actually means in terms of being able to book 25 weddings and put in my notice right before wedding season started and have the confidence to shoot all of those weddings as someone who had never taken an art class and to be able to build an infrastructure of a company that could support that. I look back and I'm like, dang girl, like, you had a lot of energy and you had a lot of willpower and I wanted to really do the work that would allow me to kind of break free from the golden handcuffs that I had really quickly recognized were not for me. Now let me just say, for some people, the corporate Life and the ladder climb is exactly what they want. I often can think of so many people in my life who punch in and punch out and live beautiful, full lives. And I think there was a point in my career where I would have said everyone should be an entrepreneur and the world would not work if everybody was an entrepreneur. And so when I think about my realization of recognizing that yes, I could climb up in this corporation and yes, I could do more, but I'd also be working more to earn more, it just wasn't the right fit for me personally. And for me, pursuing entrepreneurship was always about freedom. Freedom of place, freedom of time, freedom of choice, freedom of purpose. And when I first said the words time is your currency, it wasn't just marketing language. It was this truth that I had already lived over and over and over again. I will never, ever, ever forget this moment. I had a boss. She was amazing. I admire the heck out of her. I learned so much from her. And I will never forget this moment where she called me into her office and she was basically mapping out my future. So she was like, we talked and here's what the plan is for you. And it was this three year plan of where I would be in three years. And it was just moving up the organization. And I remember just glancing over on her desk and there was this picture of her children. And they were the cutest little kids in the world. And I had asked her something about her kids and all I can remember her replying was, if I'm lucky, I get an hour with them before they go to bed. That was the reality of just the culture, the expectation that we were working under. Right? She would rush home to quick get dinner on the table, give them a bath and put them to bed. And at the time, I didn't even want kids. So it wasn't even this, like, forward thinking thought of, like, this is what I want for motherhood. But I remember going back to my office that day and there's this cute photo I still have. It had a red frame around it. It was Drew and I at this college party. And I remember looking at his face, this man who I was newly married to, and really thinking, how do I want to move through life? And am I okay with just seeing this guy one hour a night? And I recognize that when I look at our early years of marriage, I was not super present because I was building this business while also juggling corporate. But I knew that freedom was possible and I knew that's what I wanted. And so there were so many times in my career, where time is your currency became not only a motto or a catchphrase, but it really became the way that I moved closer towards the life I want now. I didn't see it then, but the through line was already there. Like, I didn't know it at the time, but I was already starting to build a business that was going to support that. I was starting to build something that would allow me to uncover sustainability, because I knew that I couldn't chase chaos forever, and I couldn't stay at that pace for a lifetime. And so when I look back, I can see that everything I've ever taught on this show in my life on stages has centered around three simple goals. Three simple truths really help people get found by elevating their voices and messages. Help people get off of their phones and their screens through building systems that can work while they live, and help people get present in their actual lives so that they can do meaningful work from anywhere at any time. Because here's what I've learned, and I haven't just learned this. I've literally witnessed it. Most entrepreneurs pursue entrepreneurship for this desire of freedom, and yet most entrepreneurs are flat out exhausted. They are juggling way too much. They are on hamster wheels that they can't get off of. They're trying to keep up with algorithms that keep changing. And what's interesting is, is that so many incredible people have reached these really impressive milestones. The kind that you want to clap at online, but they are still chained to their laptops. They're still tethered to their phones. They built businesses that absolutely look successful and by a lot of society's expectations are successful, but they're not actually free. And what I have always wanted is to help people build something that feels sustainable and true. Not just growth, but growth that leaves room for life. Not just automation, but actual freedom. Not just strategy, but going to bed at night with peace of mind. And as my offers have continued to grow, I've realized that each specific platform that I teach works amazing on its own. Right. If you just learned how to grow an email list, awesome. If you just learned how to use Pinterest to get your work found, great. If you just started a podcast to get your voice and your mission and your message out into the world, amazing. But when I look at how I've built my business, all of these standalone systems work so well together. Now, you don't have to do exactly what I'm doing or do anything the way that I've done it. But when I start to look, look back. I see that everything was working towards this bigger goal. Each system running and each system integrated. One was built and mastered, and then I moved on to the next. And it's really interesting because I kind of look at my business almost as a flywheel. A flywheel is really kind of this marketing jargon, but it really just shows how each thing that you're doing supports the greater goal, the greater good. And for me, freedom and time have always been my greater goal and my greater good. Now, I sound really confident as I say this, and I am really confident saying this today, but there were so many times where I was like, what is the point? What is all this for? I mean, I will never forget the day that I hit six figures as a wedding photographer. I was three years in. I was scaling up. The first year I shot 25 weddings. The next year, 27. The next year, 30. 30 weddings. Now, that might not even sound like that much, but if you live in the Midwest, wedding season is about six months of the year. And so when you divide out how many weekends there are and how many weddings I was shooting, my life was straight up booked for six months straight. And I remember the day I hit six figures. I remember looking at my bank statement and looking at my P and L and being like, wow, I made it. And I went up and I took a shower, and I was standing there and I was washing my hair, and all I can remember thinking is, I thought this would feel different. I thought I would be using fancier shampoo. I thought that the angels would be singing. I thought that there would be those gold cellophane balloons with 100K mapped out on them. Like, I just thought that that reality would look different. But beyond looking different, I thought it would feel different. Like, the cognitive dissonance of success that doesn't feel successful is something that so many entrepreneurs experience. And yet, instead of pausing to ask the bigger questions of, like, is this actually success for me? Does this actually feel successful to me? Instead of asking those questions and pausing, what we usually end up doing is just defining a new mountain to climb. Maybe it just wasn't enough. Maybe 100k was enough. Maybe I just need to go bigger. Maybe bigger will be better. Maybe more is more, right? And so what was interesting to me is feeling that moment of checking in and saying, I thought this would feel different, and then asking myself, well, how do I feel right now? And the answer to that question was, I was so exhausted, I was so burnt out. I looked at my calendar, and it made me sick. To my stomach now, Yes, I was so grateful. I loved my job. I loved my clients. I still get so many memories of all the weddings I shot. And I absolutely enjoyed that stage of my life. But it was not sustainable. I didn't see it then, but the through line then was starting to become clearer for me that revenue without rest is just another cage. It's just another ladder climb. It is just another form of the golden handcuffs, except for this time, it's one that I've created. And so when I hit that moment, instead of saying, well, maybe I just need more for this to feel better, I actually did the opposite. And I started mapping out what my life would look like if instead of being after 6 figures, what if I just went back to earning 50k a year? I was happier. I was more present, I was less stressed. I wasn't missing weekends at the cabin with my family. I wasn't missing my friends weddings because I was photographing as strangers. I wanted to go back to that life, and I was so willing to do it because it was so clear to me that money was not the answer and money was not success to me. And so I'll never forget, I sat down at this table with Drew and I'd mapped all of this out. And I was nervous because I. I was making a really big call that would affect both of us, right? And I remember saying, do you think I'm crazy if next year I plan for half, just half, if I can just go back to 50k? I was happier then. I was more myself. I wasn't a shell of the human being that I am right now. And I remember looking at him and he didn't look stressed. He looked relieved, like he was about to get his wife back, he was about to get a partner back. And that really hit me of, like, entrepreneurship is often pursued for freedom, but we knowingly and unknowingly start to build these cages that don't allow for true freedom to exist in our lives. Now, as I navigated out of that, the craziest thing happened. And I want to share this. Not to paint a facade or a false photo of what's possible, but to really reveal what I found time and time again as an entrepreneur is that the year that I scaled back, I went from shooting 30 weddings down to 15. I literally drew a line in the sand and said, this is my enough point. I will not book another client beyond this, because this is what I'm committing to and this is the life I want. And the year that I cut back and Cut my workload in half was the year that I finally had time again. And with that newfound time, I started to be creative again. I started to explore again. I had dug up some watercolor paint supplies from my mother in law's basement, she was an elementary art teacher. And I started painting. And soon after my paintings became a print shop that was slowly starting to pay for my mortgage. And I learned what passive income actually was and I experienced it. And then I started to look into this digital marketing space and I started to listen to podcasts and I started to learn about growing email lists, and I started to learn about things that were actually scalable ways that I could make money without working more. And in the year that I scaled back and planned to earn 50k, it was actually the year that I unlocked my first seven figure years and entrepreneur while still maintaining that time is my currency. And so I have learned that every single time I've made this decision to claim back more time, to draw a line in the sand and say, this is my enough point. I'm good with this and I will not do more than this. Every time I've done that, I have unlocked a new lease on life. Whether it's earning more money, whether it is serving at a higher level, whether it is being more in community, when I truly treat time as my currency instead of money, it unlocks everything for me. And so it was such an interesting stage because I started the pivot. I started to build the business that you now see today. And that was not a smooth road. I might make it sound easy, but there were so many things pulling at my attention, right? As I started to pivot into this new space in this new evolution of the business, I also started to get shiny object syndrome, right? I started getting invited into these rooms with brilliant creators and people that I looked up to as mentors, whether they even knew I existed or not. I started attending masterminds that really changed my life, changed what I believed was possible. I started getting around other people who are building incredible businesses, something that literally wasn't possible while building a business in a village of 1200 people. And I started to see all of the possibility out there. But as somebody who is multi passionate and has recently, as in the recent years, been diagnosed with adhd, I now see that I also started to get shiny object syndrome. I would leave these events and these masterminds and I would have a list of things that was a mile long of things that I could absolutely do. I could start a membership, I could launch a subscription box. I could expand to a product line. I could become a brand ambassador. The list was endless. And it was exciting and it was exhausting. And so I had to once again learn how to define what is success for me. Yes, I can do all of these things, but should I? And do I want to, and are they the right fit for me? And so when I started to get really clear on what it was that I actually wanted, it wasn't complexity, it wasn't a million offers. It was actually a business that was rinse and repeat, that was reliable, that was steady, that was predictable. The year that I finally became a mom was a year that was following up two years of straight up heartbreak and two miscarriages and an entire cracking open of grief and a health journey and questions and doubt. And when I was finally, finally blessed to become a mom, it was the year that I shot my last wedding ever. 20 weeks pregnant. And I started to transition into the business that you see today. And I can't believe it, but my oldest daughter is going to be seven, which is absolutely wild to me. But when I welcomed her into the world, I did something a little extreme. I mean, I'm not afraid of extremes here. From going from six figures back to 50k, I did kind of a similar play here. And I decided to black out my entire calendar for the year for my first year of motherhood. Now, when I say that, it doesn't mean I wasn't working, but what I did is I put my blinders on, I put my head down, and I said yes to what I was building, and I said no to basically everything else. Because I quickly learned that in a world where opportunities are endless, so many opportunities that feel shiny to you are actually the opportunities that distract you from your real work and that help build other people's businesses. And I am not against helping other people build their business. But every yes I was saying to someone else or something else was essentially a no to being present as a mom, and essentially a no to building the type of business that would unlock the way that I wanted motherhood to be for me. And so what I ended up doing is I knew myself, because if I get excited about someone else's idea, I am all in, right? Like, I could be with you and you could tell me something and I would be like, I will do whatever it takes to help you do this thing. Like, I love it. I love being in other people's energies. I love being a helper. I am the eldest daughter and I have that syndrome to a core. I want to Be the person to get things done. And I recognized as I was walking into motherhood, if I did not put up boundaries to protect what I was deeming sacred, I would very quickly be pulled into another situation where I was building something that wasn't aligned with what success was for me. And in that stage of life, success was being with my daughter. It was breastfeeding. It was being there when she wakes up and putting her to bed. It was the freedom of having that time with her. And so I will never forget creating this decline email. And I thoughtfully sat down and I wrote it once. This was pre chat GBT era, straight up written from the heart. And it was just, I am giving my team permission to say no to everything. And so you are receiving this email as a response to your request. Not because your request wasn't amazing, not because your idea isn't incredible, but because if I say yes to this, I'm saying no to the thing that I prayed the most for. And me saying no to this is truly just a reflection of my values and me living those values out. And I hope that my nose gives you permission to set similar boundaries in your life. And I told my team, I said, send it out. Send it over and over again. Don't put anything in front of me. And there was so much relief in that. And there was this freedom of pre deciding that I was just going to say no. I did not want to sit here and teach sustainability while also chasing every opportunity that came my way. Like, I was not going to preach presence while having my attention fragmented across a dozen potential projects. I knew that I was not going to be out of alignment, especially in this life stage that I had prayed for. And so I had to make that choice. And that's when I made the choice. I could keep building bigger or I could build differently. I could keep chasing more, or I could protect what I already had. And that's exactly what I did. Now, I didn't see it then, but the through line was becoming even more crystal clear. If the way you're building copy costs you the life you want to live, then something has to change. And that was one of the first great lessons for me that boundaries don't keep things and people out. They keep you in your life. They are the walls around what is sacred to you in your life. Boundaries are a gift. They're not a punishment. And learning that in such a sacred season of my life, oh, my gosh, it changed my life. And so for me, there's always been this tension that I've had to navigate, which is, how do I teach transformation to someone who is searching for tactics? How do I teach it? How do I reach people? You know, people come for Pinterest strategy, but what I really want to give them is sustainability. People come for email marketing, but what I really want them to experience is connection. People come to learn how to launch their podcast, but what I really want is for them to feel ownership of their voice and story. And here's what I've learned about marketing and messaging. People are either running towards possibility or they're running away from pain. And me, I am the most natural possibility painter out there. Like, I love, I come alive helping people imagine what is possible, a different way of life and experiencing it. And I am a person who naturally markets that way. Like, imagine what it would feel like to have a strategy that takes you one hour a week and 20x is your traffic. Like, that is just the way my brain works. It's how I communicate and it's what I want to do in this world. But I've also had to learn how to twist the knife on the pain that someone is experiencing so that they actually pay attention. And so what I'm realizing is that what has come at me through the years of asking for strategy and systems is actually a deeper yearning. A yearning that I have fortunately been able to answer for myself, but a yearning that I deeply desire to answer for you. Like, the specific emails that I get, like, how do I grow an email list? What you're really asking is, how do I build something that lasts? Or when someone says, what's the best content strategy out there? What they need to hear is stop creating and start promoting what you already have. Like, I want to meet people, and I've had to learn how to meet people where they are currently while still pointing them toward where they could be. Maybe it's something they haven't even imagined yet. And so what's interesting is, is that when I think about my business and I reverse engineer, how did I get here and what did I do? I learned really early on how to validate offers before I ever created them, and how to teach people how to work backwards from what does your audience actually need? Rather than, okay, what feels super creative and exciting in the moment? Because creativity without strategy is just noise and strategy without sustainability is just another trap. Every single system that I've ever created has been about helping people do meaningful work without sacrificing their lives. And I didn't see it then, but the through line now is so undeniable. Like, what is the point of building a business that takes everything you've built it for? I was just listening to a podcast this morning and this woman was just talking about how you need to work so hard, so hard, so hard, so hard. Like ruthless. Like she's talking about, she works seven days a week and she doesn't have any hobbies and this is the sacrifice it takes to get the life you want. And what was fascinating to me is as I was listening to this, I was thinking, what is the life she wants? Is the life she wants to be working seven days a week? Does she think that she will magically, somehow, someday feel like she has earned the right to rest? Or is she just setting herself up for this hamster wheel that she can never get off of? And it made me sad because as she talked about her life and wasn't even able to list a hobby and talked about how successful she was, to me, it really made me want to ask her the question, but does this feel successful? Yes, you are successful by so many standards, financially, your home, all of these different things. But at the end of your life, if you can take nothing with you, is it all worth it? And maybe her answer is yes. I mean, we are all wired differently and that is what makes the world so beautiful. But there was a part of my heart that broke listening to that. Because I think that that life to me feels sad, it feels empty, it feels ruthless and pointless. It feels exhausting. And again, to each their own. But what is the point of building a business if it takes everything away from you that you're building it for? When we were young, we dreamed of castles and fairy tales. And as we grow up, those dreams might shift into building something real. Like starting a business. You need a website, payment systems, a logo and a way to reach customers. It can all be overwhelming and confusing, but thankfully that's where today's sponsor Shopify comes in. Shopify powers millions of businesses around the world and 10% of all US E commerce. From big brands to folks just getting started. They offer beautiful ready to go website templates so you don't need design skills to look professional. Their AI tools help with product images, descriptions, discount codes and more. Shopify also makes it simple to run email and social campaigns so people can find you. And if you ever feel stuck, their award winning 24. 7 support is always available. Turn those dreams into and give them the best shot at success with Shopify. Sign up for your $1 per month trial and start selling today at shopify.com Golddicker go to shopify.com Golddigger shopify.com Golddigger okay. I have been on this ruthless pursuit to purge any clothes that I'm not actually wearing. Like, if I haven't reached for it in months, it's gotta go. I am trying to be really intentional about what I bring into my closet right now, which means I am only buying pieces that I know I will actually wear and use. Revolve just gets it though. I'm literally wearing my brown Autry sneakers from there right now and my new suede purse. It fits my laptop in it. So it's basically a fancy shoulder bag that works for everything. I love finding pieces like that, things that look good but also work hard for my actual life. Their holiday shop is live right now with all the good stuff. Sparkly party dresses, cozy sets, cute gifts, everything you need for whatever is on your calendar. And it's all in in one place. Which makes shopping feel way less overwhelming. Whether it's a weekend away, a big night out, or a holiday party, your dream wardrobe is just one click away. Head to Revolve.com forward slash gold digger. Shop my edit and take 15 off your first order with the code gold digger. Fast two day shipping, easy returns. It's literally the only place you need to shop from. That's Revolve.com forward/gold digger to shop by favorites and get 15 off your first your first order with the code Gold Digger. Offer available for a limited time. So happy shopping. There's a story that I once heard that I've literally never forgotten. And lately I just keep coming back to it. So here's the story. So two women take the subway and they save 10 minutes on their commute. So they're walking through the city. One of the gals says, hey, if we go down and hop on the subway, we can save ourselves 10 minutes. And so they come back up to earth. Coming out of the subway, can you tell that I live in a small town? And one of the girls immediately pulls out her phone to catch up on work. And the other one just goes and finds a bench nearby and sits down. What are you doing? The first one asks. I'm enjoying the 10 minutes we just saved. The other one says. That story has stayed with me because it captures the very heart of my message, like my mission. We spend so much time trying to save time, and then oftentimes with the time that we've saved, we spend it working harder, working more. Like we automate, we optimize, we squeeze more productivity out of every hour. But most of us just fill that space. We save with more work, the park bench and the girl choosing to sit on it and enjoy that time. That's not being lazy. The park bench moment. That is the point. Time isn't just a resource that you manage. Time is your life. And if the only way you are building costs you the life you want to live, then I would ask you, is it worth it? Like something needs to change. I got in the practice a few years ago of asking this question over and over and over again. Just this morning, I was asking myself this question. The question is, what is the point? What is the point of all of this? What is the point of a bigger team, a bigger business, more revenue, more reach? If you can't answer the question, what is the point to something that you are doing today? If you can't answer it clearly, I would argue that you are probably not in alignment. I will never forget I had this very visceral moment, and I laugh because it's true, and it's something that most of us have done. But I remember having this moment and I was with some friends, and I was just kind of saying, you know, what is the point of it all? What is the point of it all? And that week, I had a photo shoot planned, like a branding photo shoot, something that is very typical for many entrepreneurs to do. And I remember just laughing to myself and thinking, I have this rolling rack of clothes that I might just wear once, ready to be worn in photos, pretending that my life looks different than my life actually looks, and putting on this facade of how I move through my days and what my work looks like Now. I recognize the hypocrisy in talking like this because I love branding photo shoots. We need photos to show our work and to put on our web pages. I have no nothing against the experience, but I remember it was a time where I started deconstructing what is the point of all of this? And if I can't answer this clearly, is this aligned with what I want and where I'm headed? This isn't a dig at branding photo shoots, but it was a very visceral moment where I remember walking through this whole scenario with my friends and really asking myself, okay, how do I want to do this in a way that is more authentic to me? And so for me, I've had to do a lot of unpacking of these systems and these beliefs and these strategies to get really clear on what the point actually is. I recently did this interview with an amazing woman Nicola Jane Hobbs, whose work I absolutely love. And she wrote this amazing book called the Relaxed Woman. And there is this paragraph in the book that has stuck with me, like just stuck to me. And it says this, it says, growing up, I never knew a relaxed woman. Successful women, yes, productive women, plenty anxious and afraid and apologetic women, heaps of them. But relaxed women, at ease women, women who don't dissect their days into half hour slots of productivity. Women who prioritize rest and pleasure and play. Women who aren't afraid to take up space in the world. Women who give themselves unconditional permission to relax without guilt, without apology, without feeling like they need to earn it. I'm not sure I've ever met a woman like that, but I would like to become one. And that paragraph has stuck with me so deeply. And I was recently at this amazing experience at this place called on site, and I had a roommate. Her name was Danielle. And I remember talking about this paragraph and this book that Nicola had written. And we had talked about it. We kept coming back to it over and over and over again throughout the weekend. We're both moms, we're both CEOs, we're entrepreneurs, we're ambitious, we love our work, we want to move through life in a different way. And at the very end, after spending nearly five days together, Danielle turns to me and she goes, I've been thinking a lot about the relaxed woman thing. And I laughed because I said, I know, we keep talking about it. And she goes, I have met a relaxed woman and it's you. And I have never felt more seen and successful in my entire life. Because it was a compliment that landed differently than any business compliment ever had. It was this moment when I realized that presence was the ultimate success metric. Not revenue, not reach, not recognition. In fact, Danielle didn't even know what I did for my work. She didn't know what my last name was. It was part of the process that we were in. And when I recognize that being a relaxed woman and the way that Nicola describes it, it's not that you don't do meaningful things. It's not that you don't have a to do list. It's the state of being that you move through life. This is what I have been building towards all along. Not a business that produces more, but a life that truly feels like mine. And that was when the through line became impossible to miss. That work isn't just what you build. It is the person you become while you are building it. Now we are living in this time Where I feel like the new trend that is happening is everyone is talking about slowing down and simplifying and setting boundaries. And I love that. Like I love that that is what is trending. But for a lot of people, this shift only happens after severe burnout, after some sort of breakdown, right? And I love that people are talking about it. But I have seen behind the scenes of some of those people that are talking about it and they don't live it. And there's a difference, right? There is a difference between living it. And what I have been teaching all along is that you can build differently. Now I would highly recommend building differently from the start. But you can always rebuild. You can always reset the foundation because you don't have to build something that makes you collapse before you rest. You don't have to prove your worth or your worthiness through your busyness, through exhaustion. You don't have to trade your piece for progress. Is hustle a part of the equation? Absolutely. When I look back to those first three years, hustle was the thing that got the dream off the ground. But if hustle was the only way to sustain the dream, and that's what I realized that was wrong, is that the only way I could maintain and stay in that state was to continue at that pace and it wasn't sustainable. If hustle is the only way to sustain the dream, then I would argue that it's probably not the dream at all. Now I am not anti hustle, but I am anti hustle. If there is no end in sight when you start to recognize that you can make progress, even if it's slow progress, and you can build thoughtfully and you can build with your definition of success in mind, you can start to see that more platforms don't equal more results, that more content doesn't actually mean more connection, that more hustle doesn't guarantee anything and it especially doesn't guarantee your success. What actually works, what I have found works is when you stay in alignment with what you want to do, with what success looks like for you, with what your purpose is in the season and stage of life that you're in. And what also works is figuring out how to build systems that compound your results, that are sustainable, that are rinse and repeat. What also works is owning your platform, owning an asset that you can control, that you are not at the mercy of billion dollar executives. What also works is being found and having your work work for you without you having to be constantly on. Are you starting to see the through line? Because here's what I Know, after doing this work for years, when you create systems and when you build out the infrastructure, it doesn't kill your creativity, it makes room for it. As someone who fought tooth and nail to have a wildly creative and multi passionate business that lacked systems, I now lean on systems to give me the time, space and freedom to be creative in my life. Whether that's for work or in my life, whether it's in parenthood, creative ways to solve problems, creative ways to show up in the community. And so structure is not the killer of creativity, it is the foundation that will make room for it. And so what's interesting is, is that the business that I built as I was preparing to become a mom is probably what a lot of people would call a boring business. But I have a boring business philosophy. I have built a business that I am happy to admit it runs predictably. It runs in a rinse and repeat manner. That has been the greatest gift of my life. When I look at my last seven years as a mom, I don't have a single regret. My business might be considered boring to some, but having a boring business has given me the greatest joy in my life. It has allowed me to channel every ounce of creativity as I'm playing with my kids, in the hobbies I have, in my relationships, in my motherhood journey, in the garden, the bees, the chickens, all of the things. If you could have a business that runs so smoothly it almost feels boring, I would argue that that is the opposite of failure. It is freedom. And when I really think about this business and the gift of it running so beautifully, I mean, in the last seven years, I have not added a new offer. I did write a book because guess what? I had the time and space to do that. On top of my boring business, I have employed incredible human beings that I get to work alongside of. I know exactly what is coming and what is required of me. I can schedule my work in between things like fall break and winter vacation. I haven't missed a single thing. In fact, I feel like I've been more present than ever. And so for me, the through line is so obvious. Now, a business that serves your life doesn't need to be exciting all the time. It just needs to be sustainable. And I think that oftentimes entrepreneurs are seeking chaos in their business because it makes them feel productive. It makes them feel like they're doing something, it makes them stay in motion. And I was joking this morning as a brand new foster dog was running around our house, that I have eliminated chaos in my business. So that I can invite chaos into my life in ways that support the greater good. Like running a food drive at my daughter's school and managing food donation process in our community. Matching families with other families that have more resources to share when there's incentive insecurity. I have created a lot of chaos in my life, but it is the best kind of chaos because it's for the greater good and it's only created because I have the time and space for it. Look, I've become kind of a systems nerd and anything that gives me more space in my day, I'm all in. And a reliable connection is a huge part of that. Because when the Internet lags or cuts out, everything pauses and suddenly the simplest task is Desks take forever. I learned really early on that dependable Internet it's not a luxury, it is a must. Whether you're a content creator like me, a restaurant owner, or running a busy dry cleaning business, you need that steady connection to support your team and your clients. That's why I'm excited to share a solution for my fellow business owners. Spectrum Business keeps businesses of all types connected with Internet, advanced wi, fi, phone, TV and mobile services, all with connectivity solutions built for your budget. And they have a truly incredible offer. Business owners can get free business Internet advantage forever when you add four or more mobile lines. It's simple with no contracts and no added fees. Visit spectrum.com forward/free for life to learn how you can get business Internet free forever restrictions apply services not available in all areas it's time for Cyber Monday Dell Technologies biggest sale of the year. You'll find the lowest prices of the year on select Dell PCs like the Dell 16 Plus. With Intel Core Ultra processors and with built in advanced AI features, it's the PC that helps you do more faster. From smarter multitasking to extended battery life. These PCs handle the busy work so you can focus on what actually matters to you. Plus earn Dell rewards and enjoy perks like free shipping, expert support, price match guarantee and flexible financing options. They also have the biggest deals on accessories that pair perfectly with your Dell PC, improving the way you work, play and connect. Whether you just started holiday shopping or you're finishing up, these PCs and accessories make perfect gifts for everyone on your list. Shop now@dell.com deals and don't miss out on the best prices of the year. That's Dell.com deals. Can you believe that we're already wrapping up 2025? This year was packed with travel and so many new memories. One of my favorite moments was our team retreat in Arizona with the incredible women who helped me keep this business running. I also recently took the kids to Nashville during fall break, and somewhere in between I squeezed in a trip to Puerto Rico with friends. We booked some of our most memorable stays this year on Airbnb. There's something special about finding a place that doesn't just look great in the photos, but actually feels welcoming the moment you walk in that this feels right kind of feeling. If you've got trips coming up, whether it's a family vacation, a retreat or a work trip, your house will probably be sitting empty while you're gone. Have you considered hosting your home on Airbnb and letting it work for you? It's a simple way to earn some extra income that can be put towards a future trip or home improvement projects. Your home might be worth more than you think. Find out how much@airbnb.com forward/host so here's what I want to tell you. For years, I struggled to sum all of this up. It took me a long time because I got sucked into this idea that in order to describe the work I did, I needed to have this succinct elevator pitch. In fact, I've taught you how to create an elevator pitch on this podcast. It's not a bad episode and it's not a bad truth, but it is the reason why. I've struggled to truly identify what it is I've been up to all along. And I have leaned more on talking about the strategies than focusing on the things as strategies will give people back. But here's what I have known all along. Time is our currency. It has always been and it will always be. And I truly believe and know, and I've seen that you can always go out and earn more money, but you can not get back your time. When I recognized and also understood the privilege I had in being able to hit the brake pedal in my business and have that choice, that freedom to make that decision. When I recognized that as I became a mom, I was choosing to hit the brake pedal and I was trusting myself to remember where the gas pedal was, that was the greatest gift I gave myself. And it wasn't a gift that was created in a moment in time. It was created years in the making through the systems and the strategies that I had learned and implemented. But when I think about this era of my life and this stage of it and parenthood as a whole, it's interesting because I've kept my foot on the brake pedal in many ways. Maybe it doesn't seem that way, but in many ways since becoming a mom. And it's interesting to be at the place I am right now, where both of my daughters are in school. And I imagined that this era of my life would be one where I just came back with a vengeance. I was hitting that gas pedal. I was picking things back up. I was filling my calendar. I was expanding again. I was saying yes to things. But the reality is, as I sit here recording this right now, the reality is what I want right now in my life is the opposite. I want to slow down even more. I want to relax. I want presence. I want community roots. I want impact in a different way. The brake pedal isn't giving up. The brake pedal is choosing. It's deciding what matters and it's protecting it fiercely. And it is a freaking privilege to even have the option of the brake pedal. And I recognize that. But the through line of the season I'm in right now, and the one that I want you to hear, is that success isn't measured by how fast you're going to. It's measured by whether you're going in the direction of what you truly want in your real life, not in the life you present, not in your life on paper, in your day to day life. And so, as I look at all the work I've done and the ways I've showed up and the episodes I've recorded, if there was a through line in all of this, I hope that it would sound something like this. I was a woman who showed other women that they could build from anywhere. I helped people be seen and heard without burning out. I consistently remind people that their presence is so powerful. I give others permission to live fully, not just build endlessly. I hope that you would know that you don't have to leave your kitchen table to make a difference. That you can be a present mother or partner, you can be a thriving entrepreneur, that you can build a business that supports your life, not one that swallows it whole. There are a lot of things I've doubted and a lot of things that I would do differently in my life. And I try to live with no regrets. But one thing I literally have no regrets about is the way that I've been able to mother my daughters. And that has only been afforded through the way that I built this business and the systems that support it. I have been present. I have been at everything that I've needed to be at. I have been available. I have been conscious. And when I think about all of that, I recognize that sustainability isn't just a business strategy. It's literally a way of being. You know, a few years ago, when I felt like I was kind of getting sucked into the stage of life where you are just playing roles, right? Where I recognized I am mothering, I am working, I am wifing, and I was really questioning, who am I outside of the roles I play? I made this decision that I was afforded thanks to my boring business to go on a joy journey. You've maybe watched it unfold or heard about it here on this podcast, but it was a year where I really challenged myself as to who. Who am I and what do I enjoy outside of my work. I literally set out to make my work be the least interesting part of who I am and what I do. And I did things like sign up for a sourdough class in a church basement and join the local rowing team and literally get in rowboats out on Lake Superior. I started a garden. We started keeping bees. I convinced my husband to get chickens. We started fostering dogs again. We just started doing things and finding our role. I started volunteering at the local soup kitchen. There were so many things that I started exploring again out of the curiosity of who am I outside of the roles I play. How do I want to spend my precious time and what brings me joy? And when I think about what I want my daughters to remember, it's not that their mom has a podcast with millions of downloads or that their mom runs a business that earns millions of dollars. It's that their mom was there. Like, she showed up, that she built something that gave her the freedom to be present. And for me, the through line, in a lot of ways, is complete. I was never building a business. I was building a life that could hold everything that I love, everything that is sacred to me. And as I think about what's next for me and the business and the show and the work, I keep coming back to this question. What if we've already built what we need to build? What if the work now is to protect it, to live it, to let it breathe? The through line of my life and business has always been this. Helping you build something solid, something sustainable, something simple, so aligned with who you are that you can finally put down the hustle and pick up your life? Something that reveals to you what brings you joy and who you are outside of the work you do. And here's the truth I've come to know. You're probably not just building a business. You're trying to build a life that can hold everything you love, and it is an honor and a privilege to get to guide you on that path. Wherever you are right now, whether you're walking or driving or sitting quietly, I want for you to take a deep breath and I want for you to look around. I want for you to feel proud of what you are dreaming about, what you are building, but also the life that you're living. You are probably experiencing things right now that you once prayed for, and I want for you to just see that and relish in that. Because to me, this moment that we're in together, this is the point. It's the park bench. It's the presence. It's a life that feels like yours. This, my friends, is what we have been building all along. Thank you so much for listening to this episode of the Gold Digger Podcast. Until next time, gold Diggers, keep on digging your biggest goals. Thanks for listening to the Goal Digger podcast. I hope today left you inspired and equipped with something you can put into action as you build a business that truly supports your life. If this episode resonated with you, here's how you can help this show reach even more entrepreneurs. Hit follow. Share it with a friend who's building something meaningful, and if you're feeling generous, leave us a review those reviews help other leaders listeners discover these conversations when they need them the most. This show has become so much more than I ever imagined, and it's because of listeners like you who show up and share. You are helping build something that will inspire entrepreneurs for years to come. For show notes, links and resources, head to gold diggerpodcast.com keep digging your biggest goals. The world needs what you're building.