As we enter into October, the month for women in business ownership, I wanted to take a moment to reflect on the role of a woman in both her entrepreneurship journey, and in her household, specifically how the need to constantly be “on”!

And I specifically want to talk about women because of the gender differences in typical roles and expectations. Sure, there are situations where the dad stays home and mom is the financial producer, but that doesn’t take away from our role as nurtures and often times our child’s first pick when they are sick or in need- not to mention, our elderly relatives as well.

If you have felt the need to take a long nap, take an extra week off, ‘just Cuz!’ or needing to plan a vacation that doesn’t necessarily have the return trip details figured out, you may be ready to be dormant for a bit. This is not unusual completely part of nature!

Just like the 9 oak trees on my yard, the need to stop growth and take a long sleep is essential in entrepreneurship and caretaking. 

As a mom of two small children, when business coaches or other peers are constantly talking about growth, I find myself rolling my eyes and feeling like I have zero effort or energy to even think about growing!

All I wanna do is hang out, do what I do best, and keep my business alive, not necessarily needing to maximize any part of it at this given moment. I believe that the season I’m going through is temporary, and also essential, and my biggest fear right now is getting burnt out and not being able to show up for both my household and my clients.

Embracing the dormancy of winter is essential for survival- but how can the season of dying be good for growth and up thrive?

Let’s dive in with an example of biomimicry- mimicking nature as a way to seek patterns and parallels for our perspective as a caretaker – entrepreneur and the concepts of dormancy in trees 

1. Balancing Multiple Roles:

  - Just as caretaker-entrepreneurs juggle our responsibilities as parents or caregivers with their business endeavors, trees go into dormancy to balance their energy allocation between growth and survival during harsh winter conditions.

2. Resource Management:

  - Trees in dormancy conserve resources, redirecting them to essential functions. Similarly, entrepreneur-caretakers can learn from nature by prioritizing our time and resources between family and business needs.

3. Sustainability and Resilience:

  - Dormancy helps trees survive environmental challenges and emerge stronger in the next growing season. Entrepreneur-caretakers can adopt this resilience by recognizing the importance of self-care and balance to sustain our ventures and well-being over the long term.

4. Adaptation:

  - Trees' ability to enter dormancy is a form of adaptation to changing seasons. Entrepreneur-caretakers can adapt to shifting demands by temporarily stepping back or adjusting our business strategies to accommodate all of our unendless caregiving responsibilities.

5. Support Systems:

  - Trees in forests often benefit from mutual support and cooperation among neighboring trees. Likewise, caretaker-entrepreneurs can seek support from family, friends, or support networks to help us navigate the challenges of balancing entrepreneurship and caregiving.

inspiration from nature's wisdom has guarded me in many ways, and is always challenging me to think about the systems we are conditioned to follow and how they just simply don’t work all the time. 

This includes recognizing the importance of resource management, self-care, and adaptability to thrive in both our roles as business leaders and caregivers while fostering resilience for future growth.

If I can encourage you to seek moments of dormancy around this time of year, take full advantage. 

Watch how you emerge into your own “SPRINGTIME," to follow with an elevated production and BLOOMING of your creativity, productivity, and preparedness for what's next for you in your business.

I’ve been asking myself this lately-

✨ when feeding my son and worrying about business and getting behind, “What is the happiest I could feel in this moment?” And go back to only being present with him.

✨ having all the stress to make my income goals for the month while playing with my daughter “What does money really buy?” And go back to being in full toddler imagination time with her

✨ when I’m feeling panicked at night that I haven’t completed my list of to-do’s and ask, “What is the most relaxed I can feel in this moment?” And suddenly let go and start sawing logs 😴

The problem with growing our business is that we oftentimes get in our own head, and make our goals difficult to achieve because we aren’t fully present. We are always looking for something else to fill a void, especially as parents.

The truth I am finding is that my business supports me in living the life I once dreamed of living, and the business has a purpose!

It doesn’t need to be as grandiose or trendy as anyone else’s business, it’s mine made for my life.

Do you often get misaligned with your goals and what you could be focused on because of always think it should be a different way? I’d love to support you!

Even if it’s just for 5 minutes, here’s what I’d do to have a more intentional week:

✴️ Scan your calendar for your meetings and commitments and get more aware of what’s coming up so you can plan meals, rest, or ask for a little extra help when you can

✴️ Do a Brain Dump (or come to CEO Days tomorrow and do this!) to clear your head and get the swirling thoughts down on paper before diving into another week

✴️ put on some of your favorite music, light a candle and drink something nourishing as you journal for a bit on what you want the remaining 90 days of the year to feel like for you

✴️ Tell yourself “this is all possible” as you read your power phrase or statement of 2023 and spend a few moments visualizing yourself embodying that powerful phrase

✴️ Look around and give yourself a minute to breathe and feel gratitude for coming as far as you have!

If you do this practice regularly, you will be unstoppable! Join us each month for CEO Days, where other business owners take time each month to work ON their businesses! See you at our next event!

What is a CEO Day? 

With less than 100 days left of the year, how do you know if you are on track to have one of the best or off track on experiencing the most defeating years of your business ownership? 

Wait- how do you know at all what success should look like by now? 

As a business consultant and marketing strategist for over 5 years and entrepreneur for the past 13 years, I can tell you that managing and directing yourself is one of the most challenging aspects of being self-employed. 

Whether you know that your efforts are converting to impact or falling flat to deliver, there must be a part of your journey that allows you to take a pause, reflect, realign, and refocus on what truly budges the needle. 

A CEO Day is the dedicated time to clear distractions to work ON your business, not in your business. 

Thinking like a CEO, you are making executive decisions on operations, sales, marketing, team, but most importantly: your vision and problem solving to get your business back on-track! 

CEO Days is a free monthly “work on your business” workshop that brings entrepreneurs from around the world together for 2 hours to focus on growing and improving. 

The folks who sign up for this program understand how difficult it is to create MORE time out of their busy late nights, early mornings, maybe even weekends, spent on their business to take a step back, and this workshop helps them to create the space they wouldn’t otherwise make for themselves. 

Signing up ensures this is sacred time locked in on their calendar to prioritize asking the important questions: 

1. What did I do this month that made the most impact?

2. What was holding me back? 

3. Where is my headspace and what is on my plate?

4. How can I push myself to learn something new or get a new perspective on my business?

And from there, we don’t just reflect, we DO: 

1. Getting work DONE for a few extra minutes on something I don’t usually get to work on while serving clients or running the operations

2. Creating a 30-Day plan for the month ahead so I am always focused on what matters most. 

3. And most important- connecting with other individuals who have come before me with the challenges I face or people I want to continue to talk with who brought up something powerful at this meeting! 

It’s rare to find an opportunity that has you feeling accomplished, focused, clarity, connected, and ready for MORE. This is why hundreds of business owners who are leading a mission-driven life and business make it a MUST to attend CEO Days each and every month! 

The mission of CEO Days

is to empower 100,000 entrepreneurs by 2030 to become sustainable business owners who achieve consistent year-over-year increases in profit, purpose, passion, and planning!

How did I come up with this?
CEO Days aims to challenge the statistic that nearly 50% of small businesses don’t last past 5 years in business. Having the time to improve and ease into the next month ahead ensures the success of the business with bite-sized wins, resources, encouragement, and direction. 

We hope you attend this communal workshop that is taking over the world of small business enterprises with empowerment at CEO Days!