You don’t have to burn yourself out to build a successful business.

I learned that the hard way.

On paper, everything looked great.
✔ Built three businesses to $200M in revenue
✔ Bootstrapped a service business to $25M with 25 people in five years
✔ Scaled a VC-backed tech company to $28M ARR in under two years with just 12 people
✔ Made a double-sided consumer marketplace profitable in three months with a five-person team
✔ Raised $30M in venture capital

But behind the scenes, I was exhausted, constantly putting out fires, and convinced the business would fall apart if I stepped away.

So I pushed harder, thinking that was the only way.

Then life forced me to stop.

I ran headfirst into a glass window. A concussion took me out for eight weeks. No emails, no meetings, no problem-solving. For the first time, I couldn’t step in to fix things.

And when I came back, I was shocked. The business hadn’t just survived. It had thrived.

That moment forced me to question everything.

I always thought the key to scaling was working harder and building better systems. And systems did help. But what really made the difference wasn’t the business. It was me.

I had built a company that depended on me, not because it had to, but because I didn’t know how to let go. I believed that stepping back meant losing control. That if I wasn’t involved in everything, things would fall apart.

That belief had to change.

Learning to trust my team, step back, and stop being the bottleneck wasn’t easy. But once I did, everything changed.

The systems worked because I let them. My team thrived because I gave them space. And the business grew faster than ever, not because I was in every decision, but because I wasn’t.

Now, I help founders do the same.

Most founders come to me because they feel stuck. They’re scaling, but at the cost of their time, health, and freedom. It doesn’t have to be that way.

If you’re ready to build a business that grows without you being in the weeds, join me for daily insights on scaling, leadership, and personal growth.

Let’s get started.
—--
Curious to know more?
⚫️ Join my newsletter – Get insights on building big businesses with small teams. 
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⚫️ The 20 Hour CEO – My playbooks, systems, and frameworks to help you scale without burnout.
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⚫️ 1:1 CEO Coaching – If you want direct guidance to break free from the grind, let’s talk. 

Let’s connect:
Email: hello@christinecarrillo.com
Twitter: @ChristineCarril

Christine Carrillo

No one stays for the perks.

They stay to feel seen.

Too many leaders think loyalty comes from money.

You can offer top salaries.
Perks. Bonuses. Company shares.

But if your team feels invisible?
They'll leave.

Here's what actually builds loyalty:
→ Being seen.
→ Being heard.
→ Knowing their work matters.

Team members aren't asking for a parade.
They just want to know their work means something.

Because when they feel appreciated:
→ They care more.
→ They give more.
→ They show up more.

Without ever being asked.

You want people to go above and beyond?
Start with a simple "thank you."

How do you make your team feel valued?

♻️ If this hits home, share it with your network.
Follow Christine Carrillo for more leadership insights.
Ready to build a big business with a tiny team? This is the playbook: https://lnkd.in/gQCveimB

Sher Downing Ph.D.

𝗖𝗘𝗢, 𝗙𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿, 𝗦𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗴𝗶𝘀𝘁, 𝗖𝗼𝗮𝗰𝗵, 𝗙𝗮𝗰𝘂𝗹𝘁𝘆, 𝗗𝗶𝘀𝘀𝗲𝗿𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗶𝗿—these roles reflect a career spent at the intersection of entrepreneurship, education, and real life. But it's that last part—real life—where my work has evolved.

For 30+ years, I've specialized in strategic business transformation—from C-suite roles at R1 research institutions to founding 𝗗𝗼𝘄𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗘𝗱𝗧𝗲𝗰𝗵 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘀𝘂𝗹𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 in 2018, where my team and I continue to partner with K-12 schools, universities, and EdTech/AgeTech companies on digital transformation, strategic partnerships, and market entry.

This foundation in education technology, business scaling, and demographic trends led me to recognize an underserved intersection: entrepreneurs managing significant caregiving responsibilities. In 2024, I launched 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗘𝗻𝘁𝗿𝗲𝗽𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗲𝘂𝗿 𝗦𝗮𝗻𝗱𝘄𝗶𝗰𝗵™ to address this gap—coaching entrepreneurs through the strategic business challenge of scaling while caring for aging parents, family health needs, or sandwich generation demands.

My 𝗗𝗼𝘄𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗘𝗱𝗧𝗲𝗰𝗵 work deepened my understanding of aging populations, technology adoption, and the sandwich generation from an institutional perspective. My 𝗘𝗻𝘁𝗿𝗲𝗽𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗲𝘂𝗿 𝗦𝗮𝗻𝗱𝘄𝗶𝗰𝗵𝗧𝗠 coaching applies decades of operational strategy, business transformation, and scaling expertise to individual entrepreneurs facing these same demographic realities.

𝗗𝗼𝘄𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗘𝗱𝗧𝗲𝗰𝗵 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘀𝘂𝗹𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 serves education institutions and EdTech/AgeTech companies with digital transformation, curriculum innovation, go-to-market strategies, and strategic partnerships. Our expanding AgeTech focus addresses the intersection of technology and aging populations.

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗘𝗻𝘁𝗿𝗲𝗽𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗲𝘂𝗿 𝗦𝗮𝗻𝗱𝘄𝗶𝗰𝗵® (book launching February 20, 2026) serves entrepreneurs building sustainable businesses during caregiving seasons through coaching, courses, and community—the first in a series exploring how different caregiving scenarios impact entrepreneurship.

These aren't separate practices—they're the same strategic business expertise applied to institutional transformation and individual entrepreneur success. Whether advising on market entry or coaching through operational restructuring, the foundation is focused on business strategy, digital transformation, and sustainable scaling.

Podcast Host 

Welcome to EdTech Speaks, a podcast bringing guests together to share their expertise and advice on navigating business and education in a technology driven world. From entrepreneurs to vendors, higher education to corporate leaders, we’ll uncover their perspective regarding the latest trends and technologies impacting your career or business. Got a question? EdTech Speaks!

Sher PhD

𝟳𝟱% 𝗼𝗳 𝘄𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗻 𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗿𝗲𝗽𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗲𝘂𝗿𝘀 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗺𝗮𝗻𝗮𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗻𝗶𝗳𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗻𝘁 𝗰𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗴𝗶𝘃𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗽𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗶𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝗮𝗹𝗼𝗻𝗴𝘀𝗶𝗱𝗲 𝗿𝘂𝗻𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗶𝗿 𝗯𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗲𝘀.

And yet — 𝘢𝘭𝘮𝘰𝘴𝘵 𝘯𝘰 𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘪𝘴 𝘵𝘢𝘭𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘣𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘪𝘵.

I wrote 𝗡𝗮𝘃𝗶𝗴𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗘𝗻𝘁𝗿𝗲𝗽𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗲𝘂𝗿 𝗦𝗮𝗻𝗱𝘄𝗶𝗰𝗵𝗧𝗠 because I live it. Running a consulting firm while navigating caregiving for aging family members taught me something the business world rarely acknowledges: the boardroom and the bedside can exist in the same life — but not without a strategy.

The data confirms what so many of us already know in our bones:
 •Women are 47% more likely than men to close a business due to family or personal reasons
 • 61% of female founders say their #1 challenge is "too much to do, too little time"
 • Women are leaving traditional roles by the thousands — often because caregiving demands flexibility that corporate America simply won't offer

This book is for every entrepreneur who has ever taken a client call from a hospital waiting room, missed a launch deadline because a parent needed care, or wondered if they were failing at both roles simultaneously.

You are not failing. You are navigating something that has never had a roadmap — until now.

If this resonates, I invite you to grab your copy of 𝗡𝗮𝘃𝗶𝗴𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗘𝗻𝘁𝗿𝗲𝗽𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗲𝘂𝗿 𝗦𝗮𝗻𝗱𝘄𝗶𝗰𝗵𝗧𝗠: 𝗘𝘀𝘀𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝗦𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗴𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗕𝗮𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗕𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗗𝗲𝗺𝗮𝗻𝗱𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗙𝗮𝗺𝗶𝗹𝘆 𝗖𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗴𝗶𝘃𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗥𝗲𝘀𝗽𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗶𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗲𝘀 at https://lnkd.in/ggmTSzwc — your guide to building a thriving business without sacrificing the people who matter most. 

And if you're ready to stop navigating alone, join our growing community of entrepreneur-caregivers in 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗘𝗻𝘁𝗿𝗲𝗽𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗲𝘂𝗿 𝗦𝗮𝗻𝗱𝘄𝗶𝗰𝗵 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗺𝘂𝗻𝗶𝘁𝘆 https://lnkd.in/gXqzDfyk, where we share strategies, support, and real talk about doing both.

#EntrepreneurSandwich #WomenEntrepreneurs #CaregivingAndBusiness #SandwichGeneration #WomenLeadership

Sher Downing PhD

Entrepreneur-Caregiver Strategist & EdTech CEO | Helping Entrepreneurs Succeed When Business and Caregiving Collide | Author, Navigating The Entrepreneur Sandwich™

Open article: The Entrepreneur Sandwich® by skool.com

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Christine Carrillo

Sher PhD

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The Battle

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Performance Score.css-goub6s{font-size:var(--chakra-fontSizes-md);font-weight:500;color:var(--chakra-colors-gray-600);display:block;margin-top:var(--chakra-space-1);}Christine Carrillo's LinkedIn Performance

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