Reader —

Hope you had a restful long weekend. If you're like most of my clients, you're probably easing back into work mode today. And maybe feeling that familiar tug of overwhelm as you look at everything on your plate.

Here's a question I want you to sit with: What if the business you're returning to isn't actually the business you want to be running?

I know that sounds dramatic, but hear me out. Recently, I've had several conversations with successful business owners who all said some version of the same thing: "I built exactly what I thought I wanted, but now I dread it."

​(Here’s the most recent one on LinkedIn)​

But you know what? This isn’t news. In fact, some version of this surfaces almost daily in my conversations with women in business and has for years. It’s the reason Tonya Kubo and I launched The Business You Really Want. It’s the best way I could find to stop all the nonsense.

What I've discovered is that most of these women were chasing someone else's definition of success.

You're told bigger is better, so you build a team — except you hate people management. You're told you need to scale to seven figures, but nobody mentioned that high overhead might put less money in your pocket than your smaller operation did.

Once you get crystal clear on your personal definition of success — not society's, not your industry's, but yours — you can design your business around your true goals.

That's sustainable success: building something you can comfortably operate at for as long as you desire.

This week, before you dive back into "business as usual," pause and ask yourself: Whose version of success am I chasing?

Your answer might surprise you.

The Business You Really Want: Almost One Year Strong

Can you believe we're almost at our one-year podcasting anniversary?

This August marks a full year of The Business You Really Want, and we're blown away by the response. We're currently sitting at 12 Apple reviews (all 5 stars!) and would love to hit 20 by our anniversary. More importantly, we'd love to know which episode has been your favorite so far. Reply here to let us know!

You can check out our most recent episodes here:

• ​Win-Win Business Collaborations: Setting Expectations For Success​
• ​Coach, Consultant, Or Advisor? Demystifying Business Support Choices​
• ​The Comparison Trap: Redefine Business Success, Ignite Your Vision​
• ​Simplify To Amplify Part 4: Take Control Of Your Business Commitments​

​​You can read what listeners have to say here.​ And while you're at it, why not leave a review of your own?

Subscribe on your favorite podcast player or YouTube to get notified each Tuesday when episodes go live.

Worth Noting…

→ If you can’t tell, I’m tired of the performative nonsense pushed on women entrepreneurs. That’s why when my friend Annie P. Ruggles asked me to speak at her upcoming summit, Feral, I did more than jump at the chance. I insisted on a live fireside chat AND an implementation session where I coach attendees live on the spot. Come get feral with me on June 10 and 11. There are both free and paid ticket options available.

→ I quietly announced to the world that I’m working on a book. While not my first (I wrote the best-selling Entrée to Entrelac in 2010), this is my first business book. Here’s a little teaser.​

→ The Small Biz Book Club’s summer read is Free Time by Jenny Blake. While my social media feeds and inboxes are filled with “summer camp”-style intensive programs, I’m encouraging my clients to think about making space. Free Time is the playbook to creating space. And using that space to do whatever you want. Register for the next session at SmallBizBookClub.com.

→ Laura Zug invited me to speak on boundaries in her private community, The Hive, and has been generous enough to let me share the whole presentation with you. Watch it here for free..

→ The Weekly Course of Action is our flagship accountability program with micro-coaching to keep you moving along your charted course. Enrollment is now open. You can get on the waitlist here.​

🥂Here's to creating success on your own terms,

Gwen

P.S. Want to work together? We just made it easier to book a clarity call directly on my calendar.​