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I’m not going to lie… this was a tough one to record. I’ve loved every minute of the two years I’ve spent with you here on The Solo Grind, but as I share in today’s episode, it’s time for me to start a new season.

What started as a 10-episode experiment turned into something much bigger than I ever imagined. But a recent, simple question I asked ChatGPT made me realize I was accidentally sabotaging the business I really want to build. I’ve been unintentionally showing up as a coach, when my true passion, the thing that really fuels my soul, is being a web designer and a strategist.

So, this isn't a "goodbye," it's more of a "see you later." I’m hitting pause on the podcast so I can reclaim my focus and pour my energy back into the design work and one-on-one client projects that I love so much.

What I hope you take away from this episode

• Trust the relief: Some decisions are incredibly hard to make, but if you feel a sense of relief after making them, you know you’re on the right track.
• Honor the seasons: Not everything in your business is meant to last forever. It’s okay for something to be a "season," even if it was successful.
• Define your own success: Don't get caught up in the "influencer" or "empire-building" trap unless that’s truly what you want. You are the only person who gets to define what a successful life and business look like for you.
• The power of a brand audit: Sometimes we need to step back and look at how we’re positioning ourselves. If the world sees you as one thing, but your heart is in another, it’s time to pivot.

Links to resources I shared in this episode:

• Episode 81: What is AI saying about you? – The episode where a whim and a ChatGPT prompt changed everything.
• The Solo Grind Central Library – My collection of resources and secrets to help make your solo business life a little easier.
• My Caffeine Creative Website – This is where you can find me now! I’ll be focusing on my blog and my design work here.
• Reach out and say hi: I read every single email personally. You can find me at theperfectblend@caffeinecreative.io.

Links to connect with me...

Book a Consult HERE! (https://caffeinecreative.io/consult/)
Visit my website HERE! https://caffeinecreative.io/

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I love today’s topic because it’s something I feel so strongly about: you can be driven and ambitious without sacrificing your life to the "hustle."

I see two common ideas of what it means to be successful in business, and honestly, I don't agree with either one of them. Whether it’s the "work yourself weary" hustle culture or the "two-hour workweek on a beach" fantasy, I think most of us actually want something right in the middle.

Today, I’m sharing why I choose "sustainable ambition" over the hustle, and how I’ve built a business that leaves me room for 5Ks, my dogs, and slow dinners with my husband.

What I hope you take away from this episode

• You deserve to get paid: It is not a badge of honor to skip your paycheck month after month. Charge your worth, then add tax, and pay yourself for the job you’re doing.
• The "Beach Dream" is usually a myth: Most of us would be bored silly if we didn't have meaningful work to do. Success isn't about escaping work; it's about doing work you love so much that you’d actually miss it.
• Exhaustion isn't an achievement: Unless it’s a big "season" (like Mother's Day for a florist), being weary all the time is a sign that something needs to change.
• Success is defined by you: For me, success is a 14-hour design day when I choose it, but it’s also a long walk on my five acres or baking cookies on a Tuesday. You get to decide what your "perfect" looks like.

Links to resources I shared in this episode:

• Profit First by Mike Michalowicz – If you aren't paying yourself yet, please go get this book. It will change everything.
• Sustainable Ambition by Kathy Oneto – I’m really leaning into the three pillars she talks about: the right ambition, at the right time, with the right effort.
• Episode 69: 8 tips to ditch the busy work and be productive – If you feel like you’re just staying "busy" to feel productive, this one is for you.
• Reach out and say hi: I’d love to hear what your version of success looks like. Email me at theperfectblend@caffeinecreative.io.

Links to connect with me...

Book a Consult HERE! (https://caffeinecreative.io/consult/)
Visit my website HERE! https://caffeinecreative.io/

Send us Fan Mail

Have you ever had a tiny little experiment completely shift the way you see your business? Because apparently I have.

Today, I am following up on the conversation we started last week about what AI is saying about you. What started as a whim... asking a brand new AI window one simple question... turned into a full blown realization that I was unintentionally sabotaging the direction of my business.

We are also taking an up close and personal look into why the world is so obsessed with giving entrepreneurs a "pep talk" when things change and why I refuse to turn a business shift into a personal identity crisis. I am sharing my own journey through so called "risky" moves like starting a YouTube channel in 2012 and the 18 month struggle of trying to force an agency model that just didn't fit. This episode is an invitation to stop worrying about what others think and start seeing every experiment as valuable information rather than a failure.

What I hope you take away from today's episode...

• Allow yourself to explore, to pivot, to shift, and to change without stress, worry, or shame.
• Allow yourself to outgrow things without turning it into a personal identity crisis.
• You are absolutely allowed to make strategic changes without turning it into a story about failure.
• In fact, you don't even have to embrace the concept of failure at all... these are just opportunities to learn, to grow, and to gain clarity on what direction we actually want to go.
• Don't let anyone else tell you how you are supposed to feel... not the people in your life, not Google, and not your AI buddy.
• You are the only one who can truly tap into what you are feeling and you have a choice to feel good about the shifts in your life and business.
• You have the choice to see the steps you have taken as growth and that the path was a necessary one to lead you to where you are today.

Links to the cool stuff mentioned in this episode...

Episode 81: What is AI Saying About You?

Links to connect with me...

Book a Consult HERE! (https://caffeinecreative.io/consult/)

Email me HERE! theperfectblendcaffeinecreative.io