10 years ago, I would have taken on every client, pulled 16-hour days, and worn “working all the time” as a badge of honor.
Back then, I thought that was what success looked like. But here’s what I’ve learned—burnout doesn’t serve you, your family, or your business.
Last year, we made a big shift: we started accepting only 3 to 4 new clients per month. Not because we don’t want to grow, but because we want to serve our clients well while still having a life.
Yes, it means possibly leaving money on the table 💰. But I’ve come to respect my time and my family too much to go back to the old way.
And you know what? This change has actually helped our business. We’re attracting high-quality clients, doing better work, and I’m more focused than ever.
Just last Friday, we were out celebrating my daughter Allyson’s birthday 🎉. A friend texted to invite us out afterward. The old me would have said no—there was a project to finish by Saturday. But we said yes. That night, we reconnected with old friends, told stories, and laughed until the place closed 🍻.
And guess what? The project still got done. I had planned to deliver it Saturday morning, but it was in the client’s Slack channel by 5:15 PM—still a full day ahead of the scheduled deadline ✅.
The takeaway? You don’t have to grind yourself into the ground to succeed. You can set boundaries, enjoy life, and still hit your goals. And sometimes, saying “yes” to life makes you a better entrepreneur, not a worse one. If you’re stuck in the “always working” cycle, I challenge you to step back and ask: Am I really building the life I want?
