Three shifts to win back your week
People's reasons for starting a business are often simple: Do what I love. Be my own boss. Make more money.
But here’s what we often hear from established business owners:
“I love serving our customers, but I’m stuck in the weeds. I want it to be fun again.”
“I’m supposed to be in charge, but I feel like the business is running me. I want my time back.”
“We’re working so hard, but the profits aren’t there. I want real reward.”
The good news? You don’t have to stay stuck in that gap between why you started your business and what it feels like today. A few changes can help owners enjoy the work again, reclaim time, and boost the bottom line. Here are three critical shifts that make a real difference.
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Shift 1: Do more of what you love and value
Start with some big-picture reflection. What do you actually enjoy doing in your business?
List it all out. Write down every task you handle, big or small, to capture the full picture of how you spend your time. Which activities give you energy and satisfaction? Which ones leave you drained? Where are you having the biggest impact? Which activities push the business forward versus just keeping the lights on?
Identify your sweet spots. Choose 3–5 tasks that energize you and move the business in an exciting direction. If you could spend time working on whatever you want with confidence that others would do the rest, and do it well, what would you choose to focus on?
Name your time traps. Identify 3–5 tasks you dread, or that someone else could do just as well as you (or better). Don’t fall into the trap of thinking, “Only I can do this.” If you are not bringing your best energy to the work because you do not enjoy it, give it away. If it is a tedious administrative task, give it away. Someone else on your team may be excited to take it on and even improve it.
Make the handoff happen. Get creative about moving those time-traps off your plate. Delegate to a team member, outsource, automate, or deprioritize the work altogether. Find a way. Then you can reclaim time to focus on the big picture of your business, and invest more of yourself in family, friends, health, and fun.
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Shift 2: Find freedom without losing control
Trust but verify. Equip your team to succeed while keeping an eye on the scorecard.
Set the standard. Show what “good” looks like and make it measurable. Give people clear targets so they know if they are winning or losing, and let them own their results.
Create visibility. Measure and publish performance indicators. Discuss what is going well and where improvements are needed. Encourage transparency within and across teams so everyone knows where to focus effort to succeed.
Build capability. Document best practices and teach your team how to deliver consistently. Shift from being the hero who fixes problems to the coach who develops people to solve them on their own.
Drive accountability. Stay out of the weeds but keep full visibility. Celebrate wins so people know their effort is seen. When performance slips, address it quickly and directly. Share the facts, reset expectations, and move forward together.
Spark ownership. Give your team room to take on new responsibilities and try fresh ideas. They will not always do it exactly the way you would, and that is the point. With space to learn and innovate, they will often find improvements that make the business stronger.
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Shift 3: Increase profitability without burning out
Get sharp on value creation opportunities. Direct your effort where it matters most for the bottom line.
Know your numbers. Review a simple profit and loss snapshot each month. Focus on gross margin and operating expenses. Clarity on the numbers makes it easier to spot problems early and track improvements over time.
Price with confidence. Make sure your prices reflect the true value you deliver and the full cost of doing business. Too many owners undercharge, hoping volume will make up for thin margins. It rarely does.
Tackle waste. Look for inefficiencies in how work gets done. Small fixes in scheduling, purchasing, or communication often free up hidden profit. Invite your team to help identify where time and resources are being wasted.
Focus on your best work. Not every customer or project contributes equally to the bottom line. Double down on the segments where you create the most value and let go of the ones that drain resources.
Build repeatable growth. Invest in systems and routines that generate consistent revenue without constant reinvention. A steady, predictable flow of profitable work beats chasing one-off wins.
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Getting started
Busy business owners can find it hard to step back and rethink how they lead. It's okay to start small. Choose two or three moves you can make in the coming weeks to start to build momentum. Simple changes to the business can make a huge difference and help you to enjoy the work again, reclaim your time, and evolve your company to create real value for you, your team, and your family.
When you find new focus as a leader and empower your team to do more, the business begins to serve you—not the other way around.
