Designing a Business That Fits Your Life (Not the Other Way Around)

In business and in life, living and doing is how we learn. We take chances. Make choices. Some are right, some are wrong. Some work out. Some don’t. Either way, the opportunity is always in what we do with the new information – with the lesson. Here’s one for you to ponder…

“You’re allowed to build a business that gives you space, energy, and joy - not just revenue.”

Here’s something I wish more entrepreneurs heard when they were just starting out:

You are allowed to build a business that fits your life—not just your industry, your clients, or your income goals.

In fact, I’d argue that’s the smartest, most sustainable way to build.

So many of us start businesses because we want freedom. We want more time, more meaning, more control. But somewhere along the way, the business starts running us. Our schedules fill up with obligations, our days get longer, and our lives feel smaller.

If your business is successful on paper but exhausting in practice, it might be time to pause and ask: Does this still fit my life?

Let’s explore what it really means to design a business that supports you - your energy, your goals, your family, your wellbeing - and how to get back into alignment if things have veered off course.

Freedom Isn’t Just Financial—It’s Functional

Yes, we want financial sustainability. But freedom is also:

• Not needing to check your phone every 10 minutes

• Finishing your workday at a time that allows you to be present at home

• Designing your week to include focus time, rest, and creativity

• Taking a vacation without everything falling apart

• Choosing clients, collaborators, and projects that energize you

And all of that is possible—but it doesn’t happen by accident.

It takes intention. Structure. Boundaries. And a commitment to designing your business around your life, not the other way around.

Signs Your Business Isn’t Fitting Your Life Anymore

Even high-functioning businesses can become misaligned over time. Here are a few signs that yours might need a redesign:

• You’re working more hours than you want, even though your revenue is strong

• You’re constantly behind, overwhelmed, or stretched too thin

• You don’t have consistent time for family, rest, or hobbies

• Your health or relationships are suffering from your schedule

• You’re successful on paper, but unhappy in your day-to-day life

If you’re nodding your head, you’re not failing. You’ve just outgrown the structure that used to work. That’s normal - and fixable.

Step 1: Reconnect to Your Life Vision

Before redesigning your business, you need to know what kind of life you want it to support.

Ask yourself:

• How do I want my weeks to feel?

• How much time do I want for work, rest, family, and fun?

• What brings me energy? What drains it?

• What matters most in this season of my life?

This isn’t about chasing “balance” in the traditional sense - it’s about building with intention.

You get to decide what your ideal day, week, or year looks like. Your business should work for that - not against it.

Step 2: Audit Your Current Business Model

Take a hard look at how your business currently operates.

Consider:

• Your Offers: Are your services designed for scale and sustainability?

• Your Time: Where does your time actually go each week?

• Your Clients: Are they aligned with your values and strengths?

• Your Systems: Are you constantly reinventing the wheel—or supported by structure?

• Your Revenue: Are you working harder than necessary to earn the same results?

If your business model is eating up your life, it’s time to question the model—not your commitment.

Step 3: Identify What Needs to Change

Once you’ve audited your business and realigned with your life goals, it’s time to identify what’s not working.

Here are common areas that need redesign:

Time

• Set boundaries around working hours

• Eliminate or delegate low-value tasks

• Schedule deep work and CEO time every week

• Create more buffer space between client sessions

Offers

• Move from 1:1 to group or hybrid models

• Increase rates to reflect your value and reduce volume

• Shorten engagements or streamline delivery processes

• Sunset offers that no longer serve your energy or goals

• Find another way to provide the service (use assistants, home programs, virtual)

Clients

• Refine your ideal client profile

• Implement intake processes that screen for alignment (use support staff for this if possible).

• Say no to misaligned clients to protect your time and energy

Operations

• Automate routine tasks (scheduling, billing, onboarding)

• Create templates and SOPs to streamline delivery

• Hire support (virtual assistant, bookkeeper, etc.) where possible

Step 4: Redefine What Success Looks Like

Success is personal.

Maybe for you, success means:

• 20-hour workweeks that let you be present with your kids

• Generating consistent income without burning out

• Working with 10 amazing clients instead of chasing 100 leads

• Taking every August off to travel or reset

There is no “right” version of success. But if you don’t define it for yourself, you’ll end up chasing someone else’s version - and resenting the outcome.

Step 5: Build in Flexibility (On Purpose)

Your business will evolve—and so will your life. What works today might not work next year.

That’s why flexibility needs to be part of the plan.

• Revisit your schedule and systems quarterly

• Build in white space for strategic thinking and rest

• Expect your needs to change (and design for it)

Think of your business like a wardrobe. It needs to be tailored—but also adjustable. Not everything needs to be stitched in forever.

This Isn’t About Working Less for the Sake of It

Sometimes the “design your life” conversation can veer too far into fantasy. This isn’t about pretending you don’t need revenue, resilience, or hard work.

This is about creating a business that doesn’t sacrifice the very things you started it for:

• Freedom

• Flexibility

• Fulfillment

• Family

• Health

• Joy

Because if you build something that doesn’t support your real life, what’s the point?

Questions to Reflect On

If you're ready to redesign your business to fit your life, here are some prompts to get you started:

1. What do I want my ideal week to look like?

2. What do I no longer want to tolerate in my business?

3. What boundaries would support my energy and goals?

4. What offer, habit, or client am I ready to let go of?

5. What would make my business feel lighter right now?

Write them down. Talk them out. And trust that small changes can lead to big alignment.

Final Thoughts: Your Life Is Not a Side Hustle

You didn’t start a business to become your own worst boss.

You’re allowed to build a business that gives you space, energy, and joy - not just revenue.

You don’t have to “earn” ease. You can design it.

Because when your business fits your life, it supports you to grow, lead, and thrive - on your terms.