If you feel like you’re constantly running out of time, this episode might change how you see the real problem.

Most solopreneurs assume capacity issues are time issues. They buy new planners, try time blocking, and search for the perfect productivity system. But even with all that effort, the business still feels full, heavy, and hard to grow.

In this episode of The Solopreneur CEO Podcast, Carin and Marcia break down why capacity is not the same thing as time and why managing your schedule won’t fix a structurally overloaded business.

They unpack how complexity quietly creeps in as businesses grow, why decision fatigue and mental load drain capacity faster than hours on the clock, and how unclear communication, onboarding, and boundaries turn you into the default for everything. You’ll also hear why many solopreneurs subconsciously avoid growth because their business isn’t actually set up to support more clients.

This is a grounded conversation about designing a business that can grow without exhausting you, not by doing more, but by simplifying how the business runs.

In This Episode, We Talk About:

• Why capacity problems are often mistaken for time problems

• How business complexity limits growth even when you “manage your time well”

• Why planners and productivity tools don’t fix structural issues

• How unclear communication and onboarding drain your capacity

• The hidden ways solopreneurs become bottlenecks in their own business

• Why client capacity matters just as much as your own

• How to start creating capacity without burning everything down

If you want to grow your business but feel like you’re already at your limit, this episode will help you understand what’s really holding you back and where to start redesigning for more ease and sustainability.
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Most solopreneurs think systems mean software, automations, and tools they don’t have time to learn. In this episode, we explain why that belief is keeping your business heavier than it needs to be.

Systems are not tech. They’re leadership decisions.

We talk about why buying tools doesn’t fix overwhelm, how system decisions reduce mental load, and how to design simple business systems that support growth without removing you from your business. If your business depends too much on you and feels harder than it should, this episode will help you see what’s missing and where to start.

You’ve built something real.Clients, revenue, momentum.

But behind the scenes, you’re carrying more than you want to be. The business works, but it depends too heavily on you. And deep down, you know it shouldn’t feel this hard.

In this first episode of the Solopreneur CEO Podcast, Carin Kilby Clark and Marcia Sheehan reintroduce the show and share who it’s really for: established solopreneurs who love what they do but are tired of operating in constant reaction mode.

This episode sets the foundation for what’s to come. Honest conversations about the mental load of solopreneurship, the emotional rollercoaster no one talks about, and how mindset, systems, structure, and support work together to create a more sustainable business.

No hustle culture. No pretending. No “just do more” advice.

If your business looks successful on the outside but you’re one bad day away from burning it all down, you’re not broken. You’re just carrying too much.

And you’re in the right place.