Make Calm your new KPI // Host, Beyond Margins Podcast // I help business owners build calmer businesses with comfortable margins // Speaker, CFO + COO, Consultant

Susan Boles

Here’s the single most important step in my annual planning:

I block off all my time off for the year. Before I plan anything else.

Because if rest and margin aren’t scheduled first, they usually don’t happen.

You don’t have to 𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘯 rest. 
You have to 𝘱𝘭𝘢𝘯 for it.

So if you haven’t already, take this as your nudge to open your calendar and block your time off for 2026.

I used to have two personas:
1. The real me and...
2. The "professional", buttoned up, boring business owner
 
And it got really old, really quick... not to mention how exhausting it was.
 
So, I ditched the professional clothes, the complicated financial jargon, and the pretense of being impartial and demure.
 
Because I realized that when I just showed up as me, in my black t-shirt and grey hoodie, with opinions and direct language, it served my clients better.
 
Showing up as the real me means I can be a more empathetic strategic partner. It means I have more emotional and energetic margins to serve my clients. Being the real me is actually a huge part of having margin in my business -- and helping it feel calm.
 
And, honestly, it's just easier to be myself than to try to be "professional."
 
That means I'm not necessarily a great fit to work with some folks, but it ALSO means that the clients I DO work with are amazing, creative, passionate business owners - who get to be the real them too.
 
When's the last time you let your clients see the real you?

𝗥𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗘𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗰: Taking your practices of rest + putting them in place so they stay there. 

The biggest takeaway I had from my fantastic interview last year with the brilliant Jordan Maney 💖 was this idea of a "rest ethic." It's a concept that has really stuck with me. 

See... I knew that I needed to make sure that I had habits around rest: 
• Fridays are no-work days
• Tuesday is a deep work/no call day (and I often take that afternoon off) 
• I have a pre-planned break week about every 6 weeks or so, with a 2-3 week break at the end of the year and mid-summer. 

Those are practices I've built by experimenting to see what works for me... over the course of about 3 years now. 

But I'd never thought about them as a rest ethic... or that having a complimentary practice to your work ethic was necessary to make sure that you do end up with something balanced... and calmer.

And if you want to check out the convo we had, here's the link to the full interview with Jordan: https://lnkd.in/g3q52bev

Jordan Maney Podcast Takeaways

Every year around this time, the internet gets flooded with deals from giant companies… and we all pretend it’s normal to hand even more money to corporations that won’t notice it.
 
But here’s the thing most people forget:
 
𝗦𝗺𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝗯𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗲𝘀 𝗸𝗲𝗲𝗽 𝙮𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝗯𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘃𝗲.  They innovate faster. They care more. And they actually shape how you work day-to-day.
 
So if you’re going to spend money this week, tilt the scale toward the people building genuinely useful things.
 
Here are a handful of small businesses that make Beyond Margins run smoother... and deserve more attention than whatever BigCo is pushing in your inbox:

• Transistor.fm - I've hosted Calm is the New KPI Podcast with them since day one and it's always just... easy. They're doing 20% off annual plans for Black Friday (even for existing monthly customers) https://lnkd.in/g22wwiiS
• Natalia Sanyal - she coined “Calm is the New KPI” back when I was in her Good Growth Lab. Her work is foundational: https://lnkd.in/gVJxhyBk
• Jay Acunzo - he's the brains behind my premise development for Beyond Margins... He’s running a premise pitch challenge worth your time: https://lnkd.in/gPW7bBsk
• Heather O'Neill (she/her)🍉 - her “Luck into a Client” challenge is a D&D-style business adventure. Wildly creative: https://lnkd.in/gu9T2CK2 
• Jeremy Enns 🇨🇦 - if you want to understand smart podcast marketing, his newsletter is where to be. His Black Friday email series is… clever: https://lnkd.in/gTZvgZKY
 
If you want to keep the internet weird, thoughtful, and human, start here.
 
𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘀𝗺𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝗯𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗺𝗮𝗸𝗲𝘀 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗹𝗱 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸? 𝗗𝗿𝗼𝗽 𝗶𝘁 𝗯𝗲𝗹𝗼𝘄... 𝗜 𝘄𝗮𝗻𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝗳𝗶𝗻𝗱 𝗻𝗲𝘄 𝗼𝗻𝗲𝘀.

When I look back at what I 𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩𝘵 I'd do this year, I pay just as much attention to what didn't happen as what did. 

Not from a place of guilt, but as a diagnostic tool. 

Every unfinished project tells you something - maybe something more useful than the stuff you actually checked off the list. 

• Sometimes that particular project wasn't actually important once the year unfolded
• Sometimes it was harder than I expected because I didn't know what the real work was
• Sometimes the scope was so fuzzy that my brain kind of glitched
• And sometimes... I just didn't want it, no matter what earlier-in-the-year-me thought

As you're reviewing your own year, it's worth asking:
Were you procrastinating? Or were you getting information? 

Because those aren't the same thing. And if you understand which one it was, next year's plan gets a whole lot clearer.

Procrastinating Carousel

You’re not failing. 
Your business isn’t failing. 
Your plan isn’t failing.

There’s just a mismatch between:
• what your business is designed to do and
• what you’re now asking it to do.
  
This mismatch shows up as:
• overwhelm
• capacity crashes
• resentment
• decision fatigue
• “Why does everything feel harder than it should?”
  
None of this is personal. It’s structural.
And structures can be redesigned... gently, intentionally, calmly.

𝗖𝗵𝗼𝗼𝘀𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗱𝗲𝗰𝗶𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀, 𝗰𝗵𝗼𝗼𝘀𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗰𝗮𝗹𝗺.

One of the most underrated ways to build a calmer business?

Stop re-deciding things you’ve already solved.
(your brain is expensive. use it sparingly.)

Your systems ARE your decisions.
Every missing system is a decision you're forced to remake. 

And calm ins't the result of having more time or more discipline.
Calm is the result of having fewer decisions to make - because the business can make them FOR you.

Here are 3 ways I engineer clarity (and margin) into my business:

1️⃣ Codify decisions you want to make once.
If you’ve answered the same question more than twice? 
That’s a decision rule, not a one-off.
When you document the rule, your business starts doing the thinking. Not you.
Default businesses rely on your brain. 
Calmer businesses rely on design.

2️⃣ Theme your time around the work your business ACTUALLY requires
I don't theme my week because it's cute.
I theme my week because my business has a rhythm - and fighting that rhythm steals margin.

Mondays: project work
Tuesdays: creative + content
Wednesdays: clients 
Thursdays: client work or service development
Fridays: Rest + Reset (I rarely work on Fridays)

This isn't about productivity. It's structural alignment. 

3️⃣ Template Everything 
A good template is a calmer system in disguise.
It doesn't have to be rigid or cookie-cutter. 
Just structure that removes the "where do I start?" moment.

I still customize most things, but I'm not reinventing the wheel while I do it. 

Templates create space → space creates margin → margin creates calm.

Most of us try to create calm through effort. But calm doesn't come from trying harder, it comes from design. 

From decisions made once. 
From systems that think for you.
From structure that supports the version of your business you want next year - not the one you built three years ago. 

I've been working on something behind the scenes that helps founders build this kind of clarity into their business. Want more details? Drop a comment or send me a DM and I'll hook you up!

If you loved the Calm is the New KPI Podcast episode with the fabulous Kendall Cherry, you should absolutely check out her upcoming workshop to learn how to write those magical testimonials she talks about in the episode! 

(If you haven't listened to the episode yet... you should. It's my most-listened to episode out of 129! https://lnkd.in/gyjkk4Vh)

Writer of stories that SELL ✏️ You’ve definitely seen my work | Copywriter, Ghostwriter, and Storyteller | Founder of The Candid Collective® | Creating a world that’s more candid and kind® 🌻

Later this month, I’m teaching YOU the ins + outs of writing the highest converting story format of all time….


…The Money Makin’ Testimonial™

If you’ve ever tried to share social proof with the classic 5 gold stars + a copy/paste testimonial and wondered WHY it didn’t drive sales…

…this workshop is for YOU. 
⁠
In this 60-minute workshop, you'll learn aaaaall my tricks of the trade for writing client case studies in story form, so you can share the messy middle inside your work AND the value you bring to the table. 
⁠
If you've ever found yourself...⁠
⁠
🤐 Afraid of talking about your client wins because you didn’t want to sound too braggy 

📉 Wondering why copy/paste testimonials weren’t effective (and totally tanked your engagement + leads)
⁠
💌 Trying to accurately AND ethically tell better stories about the transformations your work facilitates
⁠
🔻Wanting to write a story that was bottom of the funnel without throwing a sales pitch in someone’s face
⁠
This masterclass is for YOU! ⁠
⁠
I know that the end of the year is a big time for annual planning and reviewing the magic you created over the last year. 

But don’t let your biggest client wins (and the stories that surround them) stick to the 2025 floor like your bottle of bubbly on New Year’s Day. 

My goal is to teach YOU how to write more client case studies, so you can incorporate more stories into your 2026 content strategy that also sell your products and services. 

(And also? Because telling stories that sell is FUN!!)

Join me on December 11th at 11:00 am Central!
⁠
Want to register? Sign up at the link in my comments below! 👇🏼

P.S. If you’re seeing this AFTER December 11th, you can still “register” for the workshop and you’ll get a copy of the replay!

Let's talk about hippos. 

They're strong, capable, and they move with force. 

When a hippo's angry, they're one of the most dangerous, unstoppable animals on the planet. You 𝘤𝘢𝘯 try to stop it, but here's the thing:

That hippo is just doing exactly what it was designed to do. 

The same thing is true in your business. Businesses do what they're designed to solve for. 

So if it's designed for a default goal of growth at all costs, you get a default business. 
If it's designed to solve for calm, you end up with a calmer business. 

If you're trying to get your business to do something besides what it's built for, it's like trying to hold back that angry hippo. You can't force it, can't avoid it, and probably can't get out of its way. 

You can't outmuscle what your business was built to do. 

If you want calmer results, you have to design for calm. 

Because calm businesses don't happen by accident - they're intentionally engineered. 

What's your business currently designed to solve for?

If you're prepping to plan for 2026 and you're not quite sure what you actually got stuck on this year, check out Cat Mulvihill's training tomorrow!

Find momentum (and keep it) on your own terms | Speaker & Trainer | The Momentum Formula

Frustrated by not following through on important tasks?

There's still time to sign-up for tomorrow's live call to learn the different roadblocks holding you back from getting important work done. 

Stop wasting time trying to solve the wrong problem and focus on what's really in the way. 

Can't make it live? 
Register and get the recording & self-assessment.

💖 Having strong processes + systems in your business is an act of care. 
 
For example: Having a strong onboarding process for your clients
 
➝ Client Wins: it gives them confidence that you're going to deliver an awesome service AND makes them feel cared for. 
 
➝ Business Wins: clear communication in the onboarding process means that you or your team don't have to spend time answering the same questions over and over, AND everyone knows exactly what needs to happen (bonus points if it's automated and no one actually has to DO anything) 
 
➝ You Win: you're not spending time or energy worrying about whether or not all the steps will happen, or if you or your team forgot something, or if you're client knows what's supposed to happen next. 
 
⚙️ Tiny Workflow Step Towards Calm: If you don't have an onboarding email already written for your main service, take a few minutes, search your email history and turn an email you already sent and save it as a template.

She looked at me and said,

“I don’t know where the money’s going. It feels like I’m running my business in the dark.”

She wasn’t struggling to 𝘮𝘢𝘬𝘦 money. 
She just couldn’t 𝘴𝘦𝘦 where it was going.

Every decision felt uncertain. 
Cash flow was unpredictable. 
Growth felt risky.

Two hours into her Calmer Finance Intensive, the picture started to clear. 
We traced the money trail, found the quiet leaks, and simplified her system so she could finally understand what was happening.

By the end, she had what most business owners don’t:
Clarity. 
Confidence. 
Control.

She knew exactly what to do next - and for the first time in months, she felt calm about money.

If that kind of fog feels familiar, you don’t have to keep guessing. 

That’s what the Calmer Finance Intensive is designed for. Two hours to find your footing and finally see the full picture.

Most founders treat margin like something that will magically appear “someday.”

After the launch. 
After the hire. 
After the busy season. 
After things “calm down.”

𝗕𝘂𝘁 𝗺𝗮𝗿𝗴𝗶𝗻 𝗶𝘀𝗻’𝘁 𝗮 𝗿𝗲𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗱. 𝗜𝘁’𝘀 𝗶𝗻𝗳𝗿𝗮𝘀𝘁𝗿𝘂𝗰𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲.

If your business isn’t designed to create it, you will always be running 5–10% beyond your real capacity.

The good news? 
𝗠𝗮𝗿𝗴𝗶𝗻 𝗶𝘀 𝗲𝗻𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗲𝗲𝗿𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲.

I’m working on something that shows exactly how.

Want the details? 
Drop me a DM or a comment here and I'll fill you in.

𝗪𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝗴𝗿𝗼𝘄𝘁𝗵 𝗶𝘀 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗼𝗻𝗹𝘆 𝗴𝗼𝗮𝗹, 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗲𝗹𝘀𝗲 𝗯𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗲𝘀 𝗰𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗮𝗹 𝗱𝗮𝗺𝗮𝗴𝗲.
 
“Growth at all costs” might sound like a badge of honor in the business world. But what does it really mean?
 
It’s the relentless pursuit of expansion (whether it’s revenue, market share, or headcount) no matter the price. And the price? It’s steep.
 
When growth becomes the only thing your business solves for, you sacrifice:
• 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝘁𝗲𝗮𝗺’𝘀 𝘄𝗲𝗹𝗹𝗯𝗲𝗶𝗻𝗴 - leading to burnout and turnover.
• 𝗖𝗹𝗶𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝘀𝗮𝘁𝗶𝘀𝗳𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 - as quality takes a backseat.
• 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗼𝘄𝗻 𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗮𝗹 𝗵𝗲𝗮𝗹𝘁𝗵 - as the pressure to scale mounts.
• 𝗪𝗼𝗿𝗸-𝗹𝗶𝗳𝗲 𝗯𝗮𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 - as work invades every corner of life.
• 𝗙𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝘀𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆 - as reckless decisions pile up.
 
These aren’t abstract risks - they’re the costs businesses pay every day in pursuit of endless growth.
 
𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗶𝗳, 𝗶𝗻𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗮𝗱, 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗯𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗽𝗿𝗶𝗼𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗶𝘇𝗲𝗱 𝘀𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆, 𝗾𝘂𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗽𝗲𝗼𝗽𝗹𝗲? 
 
𝗢𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿𝘄𝗶𝘀𝗲 𝗸𝗻𝗼𝘄 𝗮𝘀... 𝗰𝗮𝗹𝗺. 
 
Growth could still happen - but it wouldn’t come at the expense of everything else.
 
👉 I’d love to hear your take: What do you think are the hidden costs of “growth at all costs”? Did I miss any?

Most of the biggest decisions in your business aren’t ones you 𝘥𝘦𝘤𝘪𝘥𝘦𝘥 at all.

They’re default decisions - the choices you made without realizing you made them.

How you price. 
How you pay your team. 
How clients pay you. 
The tools you use every day.

Each of those choices shapes how your business feels to run... and whether it feels calm or chaotic.

The best way to spot a default decision?

Ask one simple question: “𝗪𝗵𝘆?”

• Why did you pick that pricing model? 
• Why that project management tool? 
• Why that payment process?
  
And if your answer sounds like… 

“That’s how my industry does it.” 
“That’s what I’ve always done.” 
“I’m not sure.”

Then it’s probably a default decision. And maybe worth revisiting.

Because a calmer business doesn’t happen by accident. 
It happens when you stop running on defaults and start designing on purpose.

🤝 What are your favorite conferences or events?


I'm starting to look at my calendar for 2026, and thinking about what events/conferences I want to head to, and I'm curious...what are YOUR fav events (bonus points if you say WHY it's your fav!)?

Or... what conferences are you considering for 2026? Maybe we can meet up!

For my CFO-friends... if you're trying to figure out how to manage spending on AI in a smart, strategic way - check this out!

We're excited to feature Mr. Ravi Verma (PST, CPCC, CRP) - Certified ROI Professional, #TechTransformation Coach and Founder of Al Dente and Org Whisperers, on our upcoming webinar: "𝗙𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝗔𝗜 𝗦𝗽𝗲𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗼 𝗔𝗜 𝗦𝘂𝗰𝗰𝗲𝘀𝘀: 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗥𝗢𝗜-𝗙𝗶𝗿𝘀𝘁 𝗙𝗿𝗮𝗺𝗲𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗧𝗿𝗮𝗻𝘀𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗦𝗗𝗟𝗖"

Ravi is a seasoned fractional Tech Transformation coach, who believes the choice between profitability and employee care is false- you can (and must) achieve both! He helps organizations achieve both with sustainable, measurable results.

Here are some real-world achievements from his past clients:
- 95% Reduction in Time to Market
- 80% Sprint Goals Achieved
- 85% Gain in EBITDA
- 154% Positive Growth in NPS

With 25+ years of experience, from 𝗦𝗼𝗳𝘁𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗘𝗻𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗲𝗲𝗿 𝘁𝗼 𝗖𝗘𝗢, he brings a perspective that ensures your AI investment drives both shareholder value and human potential.

Join us to learn how you can apply the ROI Institute’s ROI Methodology to your AI initiatives, by transforming your #SDLC: https://lnkd.in/gZmKs8iT

Jithendra Ganji ROI Institute, Inc Jack Phillips, PhD Patti P. Phillips, Ph.D.

Jessica Lackey Consulting

Helping experts design, build, and run sustainable and right-sized business.

- Group Programs for emerging business owners to build foundations in business planning, strategic planning, and operations/finance/systems.

- 1:1 Consulting / Coaching for business owners who want to grow or scale sustainable businesses.

- Fractional COO Services for visionary CEOs looking for your integrator partner.

Founder and CEO

The Upside

Consulting Member

Boon Health

Leading strategic planning and operational excellence as we build a more resilient world.
- Account Management
- Reporting for Customer, Client, and Coach Metrics
- Leading Operations Team and setting processes and standards

Director of Operations/Strategy Advisor

SheEO™ 

SheEO is a global community of radically generous women + non-binary folks
working on the World’s To-Do List. Activators activate their buying power, networks
and expertise to create an equitable and sustainable world. Since launching in 2015,
7,000+ Activators around the world have collectively loaned out $7M to support
100+ SheEO Ventures. Learn more and Activate: https://sheeo.world/

Activator

Zefyr LLC

Over three years, served as Senior Consultant and Chief of Staff for Zefyr Consulting, a group of Footwear, Apparel & Accessories industry experts dedicated to helping companies in the footwear and apparel industry drive long term value through improved performance and optimized partnerships in their supply chain operations.  Let us help you achieve sustainable results faster.

- S&OP, IBP and Supply and Demand Planning Strategy and Implementation
- Facilitated semi-annual strategy sessions
- Facilitated weekly Leadership Team meeting
- Implemented digital marketing presence, including monthly blogs, LinkedIn presence, and YouTube

Chief of Staff

Electrolux

Lead forecasting, inventory planning and management, and the executive S&OP review process for the North American Sector.

Senior Director, Sales and Operations Planning

Nike

Drive global process and technology development to improve cross-functional business planning processes.

Director, Global Sales and Operations Planning

Lead Inventory Operations for North America, providing accurate forecasts and managing inventory health throughout the distribution network.

Director, North America Inventory Operations

Lead Demand Planning and Operations for North America Women's and Soccer Categories to serve consumers with the right product, at the right place, and at the right time.

Director, North America Demand Planning

Drive definition and deployment of strategic plans that extend Nike’s position as among the leading value chains in the world.

Director, Global Operations Strategy

Apple Inc.

Worldwide Supply Demand Management Intern

McKinsey & Company

Associate

Business Analyst

I’m Jessica Lackey, ex-corporate warrior turned deep business and operations strategist.

I spent my career in the trenches of business - like Harvard Business School, McKinsey Consulting, and Nike. Which means I know business - and I also know exactly what it’s like to be forced into toxic productivity, hustle culture, and pigeon-holed into judging success by the bottom line. I bring that expertise in business strategy, combined with a human-centered perspective, to help grow and scale sustainable expertise businesses.

--------------------------

So your business has hit a plateau - maybe even an existential crisis.
- You’re dropping balls you can’t afford to drop
- You’ve hit the upper limit of your capacity - so doing more and hustling harder isn’t going to be the answer
- Your revenue outlook looks questionable at best - loss of a key client or referral partner or industry shifts
- You might not even be making enough profit to make it worth it
- Or maybe everything is working smoothly… but you want to keep evolving without sacrificing the balance you’ve built

You’re facing a threshold point where you have to make some decisions about your business -- and simply “working harder” to get to the other side isn’t possible.

You’ve tried all the short-term fixes. You’ve read the books, listened to the podcasts, joined the group masterminds, and taken all the programs. You’ve hired an accountant yet you still might not know where the money’s going. Maybe you’ve even hired some contractors, an assistant, or a team to help you grow. 

And yet you’re still stuck.

Now’s time to go deeper into your business and really diagnose what’s not working and build a stronger business from the roots up. You need to understand and shape your business in a way that truly works for you… not using a formula that worked for someone else. No longer be distracted by shiny objects- it’s time to anchor into the stuff that matters and TRULY begin to run your business like a phenomenal leader.

Stop implementing the strategies that worked for someone else’s business, and begin to run the business designed for you.

 https://www.jessicalackey.com/ or DM.

Integrator | Coach | Chief of Staff | Strategy | Operations | Business Strategist

Jessica Lackey

Leaving the Casino is now an award-winning book as the recipient of a Platinum MarCom Award!

In the Thought Leadership category, Leaving the Casino was awarded the HIGHEST honor! Thank you to Fabi Preslar and SPARK Publications for a stunning layout, Hollie Arnett for the interior illustrations, and my editor, my beta readers, and everyone who's purchased a book.

MarCom Awards honor excellence in marketing and communication while recognizing the creativity, hard work, and generosity of industry professionals. Since its inception in 2004, MarCom has evolved into one of the largest and most-respected creative competitions in the world, with about 7,000 print and digital entries submitted each year from dozens of countries.

(Haven't gotten your copy yet? You can snag one here: https://lnkd.in/eBGxF-KF)

Author, Leaving the Casino | Helping experts grow predictably profitable businesses through business foundations | Ex-McKinsey, HBS, Nike

My head wants to keep pushing. My body is saying absolutely not.

With my recent book launch, I hit three nested endings at once: a launch, a year, and a creative arc.

This year included 4 major sprints:

• Finishing the book manuscript
• A full rebrand
• Wrapping up a COO role and launching a course
• The actual book launch

No wonder I was tired. (P.S. Do not recommend doing this all at once). 

But I'm learning something: There's a difference between end-of-sprint tired and end-of-arc completion.

Sprint tired means you need a short time period off.

Arc completion means something deeper. You transformed from where you started to where you are now. 

The work now isn't to sprint harder or pivot faster.
The work is to complete and rest.
The work is to let your curiosity return so you can plant the next seeds.

When you build in arcs, you create space to dream before deciding what's next.

I used to think momentum meant never stopping. Keep shipping. Keep building. Keep posting.

But true rhythm is momentum with meaning, not endless movement.

So I'm sitting in this ending. Not rushing to the next thing. Not filling the space with busy work.

Just letting the completion settle.

The pause between cycles isn't wasted time. It's strategic positioning for the next arc.

What are you completing right now? Are you giving yourself space to actually finish it?

The best way to leave the Entrepreneurial Casino is to do it with friends. And the  joint communities of Deeper Foundations and Lex Roman's Legends?!? You couldn't ask for better humans to do better business with.

Come join us to talk about the book in December!

Build your internet business with me at revenuerulebreaker.com

Need a business reset? I'm hosting Jessica Lackey to discuss her new book "Leaving the Casino." Close out your year with a fresh foundation! 

This book is perfect for you if you're:
- Rethinking your business model
- Feeling like your business isn't sustainable
- Worried about what 2026 holds for you
- Just getting started in business
- Coming back to your business after time off

Get your copy of "Leaving the Casino" and join us Friday, December 12 to talk about how to apply it in your business.

In this book, Jessica steers us away from the entrepreneurial casino of quick fixes and funnels and invites us into a world where we can build something that's truly our own. If you've ever bought a course or a program thinking it would change your life, you're gonna love her thoughtful approach.

Come hang with us on Friday, December 12 at 9am Pacific/12pm Eastern 📗

The event is FREE but I highly recommend buying the book (discount code when you register!) https://luma.com/ntdwehsq

Are you asking the right questions in your business?

A wonderful conversation with Diann Wingert and the ADHD-ish podcast today, all about how we leave the Entrepreneurial Casino.

And it couldn't have come at a better time, before we're bombarded with Black Friday sales — before making that purchase, ask: do you need a course to get better at a marketing strategy or business model that isn't aligned with your brain and business model?

Check out our podcast today: https://lnkd.in/emK8SUKd

You're sprinting hard—but sprinting toward what? And is that sprint even right for where you are in the larger journey?

You need three different timescales running at once: the Micro, Mezzo, and Macro cycles.

And most people only track one (and often the wrong one).

The three cycles work like this:

→ Micro = Sprints (2-3 months)

This is what you do.

The project, the launch, the thing you ship. The rhythm of doing.

Every year I run at least two Define Your Foundations cohorts. This year I also stacked: finishing the book, rebrand + website, ending my COO work + launching my first course, and the book launch itself.

Sprints create momentum. But they need to ladder up to something larger.

→ Mezzo = Chapters (12-18 months)

This is how you build.

The theme of your year. The capability you're strengthening. The visible growth ring on the tree.

Each chapter of my business has carried its own focus:

• Years 1-2: Building my book of business
• Years 3-4: Creating my body of work—essays, curriculum, network
• Year 5: Culmination—rebrand, book, course

A chapter gives your sprints direction. Without it, you're just busy.

→ Macro = Arcs (3-5 years)

This is who you're becoming.

The identity shift. The transformation from seed to stable ecosystem.

My first five-year arc? Going from "getting started" to "established body of work + book in the world." That arc is complete. The next one is forming, but it's too early to name it yet.

Arcs move slow and structural, with permanent impact.

Here's the trap I see everywhere:

People stack sprints back-to-back without asking: Does this sprint serve my chapter? Is this even the right sprint for where I am in my arc?

They're running Year 5 sprints in Year 1. Or launching when they should be learning. Or creating new offers when they should be strengthening what already exists.

The problem isn't lack of execution. It's sprinting without a map.

You need all three cycles because:

→ Sprints without chapters leave you busy with nothing lasting to show
→ Chapters without arcs create skill without direction
→ Arcs without sprints stay in the dream phase forever

Ask yourself these three questions:

• What sprints did you run this year? Did they ladder up to a bigger chapter, or were they random?

• What was your chapter's focus this year? If you can't name it in one sentence, you probably didn't have one.

• Where are you in your current arc? Beginning (seeding), middle (building), or end (harvesting)?

Once you can see all three cycles, everything gets clearer.

You stop sprinting harder and start sprinting smarter.

Which cycle are you missing right now?

The real spooky season? Black Friday and New Year's sales. We convince ourselves THIS time will be different, that January will magically give us more time.

Before you buy that course, tool, or coaching program:

Ask yourself if you can pay ALL THREE COSTS.

Because most people only think about Cost 1.

And that's why their credit card statements are full of things they never used.

The framework breaks down to three costs:

Cost 1: Financial investment

This is the obvious one. The $997 course. The $199/month software. The $15K mastermind.

But nobody asks the real question: Does the value match your specific situation and goals?

I've seen people drop $15K on coaches when a $50 book and 3 focused conversations would've done the trick. Perhaps my book?

(And look - if you need advice on something, just email me. I'm not charging you $15K for a conversation.)

Cost 2: Learning investment

This is where most purchases stall out.

You bought the thing. Now you need 2-3 hours per week to actually learn it and implement it.

That social media course? You need time to watch the videos, take notes, and test the strategies.

That productivity app? You need time to set it up, learn the features, and migrate your workflow.

Most people can't pay this cost. They're already trying to do more than they have capacity for.

So the purchase sits there. Unopened. Unused.

Cost 3: Ongoing maintenance

Even after you learn it, you need ongoing effort to maintain it and see results.

That CRM? You need to update it weekly or it becomes useless.

That workout program? You need to show up 3-4x per week or you won't make the promised "gainz"

That newsletter you started? You need to write somewhat routinely or your audience might mark you as spam.

This is the cost that kills momentum 3 months in.

The reality:

If you can't pay all three costs, you're wasting money.

No matter how good the Black Friday deal is.

No matter how much you convince yourself "this time will be different."

So before you buy:

Do the math on your calendar. Where are those 2-3 hours per week coming from? What are you pruning to make space?

If you can't answer that, save your money.

Which cost do you struggle with most - the upfront learning investment or the ongoing weekly maintenance?

3.5 years. 45 classes. Over 600 registrations. And one final public Deeper Business Dialogue this Wednesday.

In March 2022, I taught my first free class.

Eight people registered. Four showed up live.

And the next month I taught another one, and the month after that.

I had no idea those free classes would become a nearly-four-year rhythm that would shape my business and connect me with so many of you.

What these Dialogues gave me:

A space to workshop ideas in real time. 
Permission to teach what I was still exploring. 
Connection with brilliant, curious humans building businesses differently.

They were proof that you can build without gatekeeping your foundational thinking behind a high-priced paywall (or a paywall at all).

One of you once told me: "This wasn't a sales pitch disguised as helpful content. It was simply helpful."

That mattered more than you know.

To everyone who showed up live, watched a replay, asked brave questions in the chat, shared your struggles and wins, told a friend—thank you.

You made this chapter so special.

Here's what's next:

The Dialogues will continue for Members, where we can go deeper every month on new trainings and topics, drawing from our shared foundation. 

And there are more ways than ever to enter my world if you're curious about building a right-sized, sustainable business—YouTube, the Leaving the Casino book, the Membership.

But I want to close this chapter the right way.

Join me Wednesday for "What Is Enough?": the final public Dialogue.

Bring your Leaving the Casino book if you have one. Let's close this chapter together.

Here's to everything we've learned together. And to what comes next.

Register here:

Open article: Book Club: What is Enough? · Zoom · Luma by luma.com

Book Club: What is Enough? · Zoom · Luma

Every activity in your business has a job to do. The question is: Does it still have that job?

When I started free monthly trainings (my Deeper Business Dialogues) in 2022, the job was clear.

Be the primary entry point to my work. Give people a feel for my methodology. Build audience from 117 email subscribers.

It worked.

Fast forward to 2025, and that activity isn't doing the job well anymore. 

So what do I do? Should I keep them, evolve them, or prune them?

Here's the framework you can use to evaluate activities in your business:

1. First, name the job this activity currently does.

Not what you want it to do. What it actually does right now.

For the Dialogues? Towards the end, the job they were doing was mixed and muddled.

2. Next, ask if it still needs to do that job, or if something else does it better now.

My book, blog, and YouTube channels are much more effective at welcoming people into my work and worldview now.

3. Can the activity do a new or different job? 

The same activity can do a new job. My Dialogues are now an opportunity to go deeper with Members, showcase *their* expertise, bring in guest speakers, or teach new frameworks. 

4. Decide to evolve it or prune it.

Sometimes activities end (like when I quiet quit Instagram a few years ago). I enjoy having my attention back for longer-form marketing.

Or you can evolve it, which is why my monthly Dialogues are now members-only. 

As you move into 2026...

What activity in your business served you beautifully in one season but needs to evolve (or end) in this one?

You can still get my "98.5% off" Black Friday sale, even though the rush is over.

We obviously start with the obligatory value stack:
In this bundle, you get 6 of my never-been-released courses:
- Business Models & Offer Architecture Course — $500 value
- Pricing Foundations Course — $300 value
- Sustainable Marketing Course — $300 value
- Right-Sized Hiring Course — $300 value
- Time Management & System Design Course — $300 value

Total value? At least $1,700.

But you can get these "courses" for 98.5% off.

You'll get 300+ pages of written content (no videos to watch!) plus an accompanying workbook (to help you implement), with 15+ unique frameworks (not just stories of what's worked for me)...

For just $25.

This might be the only  deal that actually saves you money in the long run.

Because once you understand what kind of business you're running, what's right for your stage of business, and frameworks for making decisions, you stop:

Wasting money on courses you don’t need

Chasing tactics that don’t make sense for your business

Paying for strategies designed for someone with a team, an audience, and capital you don’t have

So what is this wildly-underpriced, "never seen before", Black Friday bundle that's now suspiciously still on sale?

My book: Leaving the Casino!

A full-color, practical field guide for experts who want a right-sized, sustainable business without the hustle and hype.

The equivalent of a $1,700 course library—priced like a paperback.

Now, full disclosure: this “Black Friday exclusive” is available every single day at the same price. But when else am I going to remind you that a guide to building comprehensive business foundations can cost less than dinner out?

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