Issue #66: Simplifying your business to prioritize your wellbeing

Three questions to ask yourself when you're ready to simplify your business.

I naturally tend to lean towards doing the most when it comes to building a business or creating something new. I want whatever I create to be beautiful, well-branded, and full of undeniable value. I literally thrive off going above and beyond what most people would do to create a great customer/client experience. 😬

While I have never had any complaints about giving a little extra effort, this type of work ethic is often what leads me to be unnecessarily overwhelmed and often committing to things in my business that I don’t really enjoy. Basically, it’s all good…until it isn’t.

My goal in this season of my life is to run a simple business that allows me to make money doing what I love. As a mom to a young child, a caregiver, and the wife of a busy entrepreneur, I need more free space in my day for the unexpected. Plus, I am also very aware of what I can mentally take on. So the work that I do and how I show up online and in my business has to reflect those needs. That doesn’t mean what I create is any less impactful or beautiful, but it does mean that I’m not stretching myself thin like I normally would.

Because it’s so easy for me to go off the deep end and pile tasks and commitments onto my plate, I have to check in with myself every few months to make sure that I am not pushing past my own capacity and to reflect on what changes needed to be made in order for my business to remain as simple as possible.

I’ve been doing a lot of this reflecting over the past couple of weeks so I wanted to share with you the questions that I ask myself to help me to make sure that I am building a business that is not only simple but also fun to run.

ARE MY CURRENT REVENUE STREAMS SERVING ME OR STRESSING ME OUT?

As I mentioned before, I love creating a good product! And it doesn’t help that we are often told to have at least 7 income streams at all times. I’m a huge believer in diversifying your income but not to the point where you’re either a) unhappy with what you’re selling or b) what you’re selling is causing you more stress. Entrepreneurship is hard AF but it doesn’t mean that you have to be stuck selling an offer that you lowkey hate. I often ask myself, if how I’m making money is bringing me joy or if it feels more like a burden. If it feels like a burden, I then decide on how I either need to shift the offer or begin phasing it out.

WHAT CAN BE AUTOMATED?

Running a simpler business right now looks like being a solopreneur for as long as I can. I know that many people will tell you to be build a team asap but I don’t have the capacity to manage anyone outside of myself right now. Which means I have to lean heavily into automation and letting tech do the heavy lifting. I’ll look over my to-do list and ask myself if there is an automation or tool that I can put in place to take more off of my plate.

WHERE AND HOW AM I SHOWING UP?

I’ll admit that social media and all of its changing algorithms have made me feel like I need to show up everywhere just to be seen. Which has meant signing up for all kinds of different platforms. 🥴 My ultimate goal is to be able to not have to rely on social media as much as I currently do but in the meantime, I really just want to focus on the platforms that I feel are serving me and not making me anxious every time I open the app. Right now it looks like Substack, Threads, and surprisingly, Tiktok. I also don’t pressure myself to show up daily, especially if I don’t have any thing of value to say. Rather than add to the noise, Id much rather pop in every few days.

Those are the 3 questions that I ask myself that have not only helped me to create a simple business but also make the decision to pivot a lot easier!

Now let me mention, wanting a simpler way of doing business DOES NOT mean that you want to make less or play small. Trust me, I have BIG goals and even bigger bills that need to be paid! While it may take me a little longer to reach those goals (or maybe not 🤷🏽‍♀️) I don’t believe that I have to burnout in order to get there. It just means that I’m choosing to prioritize my wellbeing.

Are you looking to simplify how you’re doing business this year? Let’s chat in the comments!

Cheers to an incredible week!

– Alisha

ICYMI

GOOD FINDS

❤️ Are you a caregiver to someone you love? Here’s how to take better care of your mental health while you’re taking care of them. – Fortune

💪🏽 How to combat imposter syndrome so that it doesn’t stunt your career growth. – The Everygirl

😬 Yes, you actually can have whatever you want in life! – Myleik Teele podcast

💰 If you’re stuck on what you should be charging, here is a guide on how to price your services and offerings with intention. – Your Simple and Spacious Business with

Jen Carrington

DON’T FORGET TO BREATHE