Podcast Summary: "Evolving My Business: A New Focus for the Year Ahead"
Podcast Information:
- Title: You Can! Inspiring Women In Business
- Host: Sarah Jolley-Jarvis
- Episode: Evolving My Business: A New Focus for the Year Ahead
- Release Date: January 17, 2025
Introduction to Business Evolution
In the episode titled "Evolving My Business: A New Focus for the Year Ahead," host Sarah Jolley-Jarvis delves into the transformative journey of her business as she prioritizes what truly matters in both her professional and personal life. Building upon the themes discussed in the previous episode about yearly planning, Sarah shares her candid experiences and the challenging decisions that come with evolving a business.
Key Discussion Points:
- Unpacking the realities of business planning and evolution.
- Balancing business growth with personal commitments.
- Shifting focus towards projects that align with personal passions and family needs.
The Reality of Yearly Planning
Sarah begins by reflecting on her expectations versus the actual outcomes of her yearly planning session. Contrary to anticipating a clear roadmap filled with actionable steps and milestones, she found herself with more questions than answers. This realization underscored the importance of flexibility and adaptability in business planning.
Notable Quote:
"I had sort of entered into my yearly planning session expecting a nice, tidy, neat set of actions and next steps and milestones... and actually, it left me to start off with an awful lot more questions than answers."
— Sarah Jolley-Jarvis [02:15]
Prioritizing Personal Well-being and Family
A significant portion of the episode focuses on Sarah's need to reassess her work-life balance. Recognizing that she needs adequate sleep and has other commitments outside of work, Sarah emphasizes the necessity of reshuffling her business priorities to ensure she remains present and supportive for her family.
Key Insights:
- The shift from purely financial motivations to emotional fulfillment.
- The impact of business demands on personal life and family interactions.
- The importance of being present during challenging times, not just during special events.
Notable Quote:
"It's about showing up for the kids when they're struggling, when they're having challenges... they're the smaller little micro situations."
— Sarah Jolley-Jarvis [10:45]
Shifting Business Focus: New Projects and Initiatives
Sarah outlines her decision to step back from active promotion of certain services to allocate more time to new projects that resonate deeply with her personal experiences and passions. She highlights three primary projects:
- Joint Ventures: Collaborating with others to expand business horizons.
- Property-Related Ventures: Exploring opportunities in the property sector.
- Support for Families with Special Educational Needs: A heartfelt initiative inspired by her family's experiences and the broader community's struggles.
Focus on Supporting Families: Sarah discusses her commitment to creating resources and support systems for families with children who have special educational needs. Drawing from her pharmaceutical background, she aims to provide reliable, expert-led information to help these families navigate their challenges without being overwhelmed by inaccurate or anecdotal advice.
Notable Quote:
"Having providing them with that reliable source of information and experts to hand, I think can make a massive difference."
— Sarah Jolley-Jarvis [18:30]
Scaling Back and Letting Go
Acknowledging the unsustainable nature of her current programs, Sarah explains her decision to scale back on active promotions and hands-on mentoring. While she remains passionate about supporting and mentoring women in business, she recognizes the need for scalability and sustainability in her efforts.
Key Points:
- Transitioning from time-intensive programs to more scalable digital resources.
- The challenges of balancing client support with business growth.
- The emotional and logistical difficulties of stepping back from a growing business.
Notable Quote:
"I couldn't see that being scalable, I couldn't see that being sustainable... So I want to keep helping people and I have so many hours now of digital resources."
— Sarah Jolley-Jarvis [15:20]
Embracing Change and Encouraging Others
Sarah encourages listeners who may be grappling with similar decisions about business evolution and prioritization. She emphasizes that evolution is a natural part of business growth and that prioritizing what matters most leads to greater fulfillment and impact.
Key Insights:
- The importance of listening to internal and external signals that drive change.
- Overcoming the fear and uncertainty associated with making significant business shifts.
- Valuing flexibility and responsiveness to personal and professional needs.
Notable Quote:
"Evolution is part of business growth. Prioritizing what matters to you at that moment in time is so much more impactful and fulfilling."
— Sarah Jolley-Jarvis [25:50]
Conclusion and Looking Ahead
In wrapping up the episode, Sarah reaffirms her commitment to supporting her audience through continued mentoring, podcasting, and community engagement, albeit in a more flexible and sustainable manner. She invites listeners to reach out for support and shares her excitement about future episodes, including an upcoming discussion on overwhelm and taking on too much.
Final Thoughts:
- Continuation of support without active promotion.
- Emphasis on community and accessible resources.
- Upcoming topics that align with the ongoing theme of managing business growth and personal well-being.
Notable Quote:
"I will continue to do that. I will not be actively promoting things to those individuals, but I will be there if people do need help and do want to work with me."
— Sarah Jolley-Jarvis [29:10]
Key Takeaways
- Flexibility in Business Planning: Embrace uncertainty and be open to adjusting plans as new insights and priorities emerge.
- Prioritize Personal Well-being: Ensure that business growth does not come at the expense of personal health and family commitments.
- Focus on Meaningful Projects: Allocate resources to initiatives that align with personal passions and have a tangible positive impact.
- Scalability and Sustainability: Design business models and programs that can grow sustainably without overwhelming personal capacities.
- Community and Support: Foster a supportive community by providing reliable resources and being accessible to those in need.
Connect with Sarah Jolley-Jarvis:
- Email: sarahcanonline@example.com
- Facebook & Instagram: @sarahcanonline
Next Episode Preview: Join Sarah in the next episode as she conversations with Jen Wilson about "Overwhelm and Taking on Too Much," continuing the exploration of balancing business growth with personal well-being.
Subscribe and Share: If you found this summary insightful, consider subscribing to the "You Can! Inspiring Women In Business" podcast, leaving a review, or sharing this episode with someone who might benefit from Sarah's experiences and advice.