Have you ever built a business that looked perfect on paper only to realize it wasn’t working the way you thought it would?
If that’s ever been true for you, it’s not because you failed, it’s because the model wasn’t built for you.
This is the heart of Episode 1 of the Built to Flow podcast, and today I want to share why traditional business growth models break down and what to do instead.
Why Traditional Business Growth Doesn’t Work
For decades, the dominant advice for entrepreneurs has been:
- Set a big goal.
- Reverse engineer the steps.
- Push harder.
- Never stop.
It sounds simple. But here’s the problem: it treats us like machines.
This model leaves no room for caregiving, grief, illness, systemic barriers, shifting capacity, or rest. So when life inevitably interrupts the plan, we’re left feeling broken.
But we’re not broken. The model is.
My Story: From “Success” to Redefinition
I know this firsthand.
- I started my first business just a year and a half after law school because practicing law no longer felt aligned, especially after losing my dad suddenly during my third year.
- For 11 years, I ran an event planning business with a partner. I sold it, shifted into full-time coaching and consulting, and worked with thousands of entrepreneurs through programs, memberships, and conferences.
- And then in 2017, our daughter was diagnosed with stage 4 cancer. Everything changed.
The advice about consistency and never stopping? It felt cruel.
After her six-year fight, she passed away in 2023. I stepped away from coaching, started a law firm with my husband, and took time to grieve, heal, and rebuild.
That season clarified something for me: traditional business models were never designed for real life.
A Better Way Forward: Built to Flow™
I created the Built to Flow™ Framework not as another rigid system, but as a rhythm-based way of growing a business that actually supports your life.
At its core, Built to Flow is built on three truths:
- Growth is not linear, it’s seasonal.
- Capacity matters more than consistency.
- Alignment isn’t a luxury, it’s a leadership strategy.
This looks like:
- Pausing instead of pushing when energy is low.
- Choosing intentional growth over rushing into scale.
- Rethinking offers to fit your life now—not the one you had five years ago.
- Leading in ways that respect capacity—yours and your team’s.
This isn’t fluffy, it’s deeply strategic. Businesses aligned with life are not only more sustainable, they’re also more profitable.
What’s Ahead in the Start Here Series
Episode 1 kicks off the Start Here Series—six foundational episodes that walk you step by step through the Built to Flow™ Framework.
Here’s what’s coming:
- The Four Business Seasons (Expansion, Contraction, Recalibration, Integration)
- The Six Core Focus Areas every entrepreneur needs
- The ALIGN Method—a five-step process for moving from clarity to aligned action
By the end, you’ll have a roadmap to align your business with your life.
Next Steps for You
If this episode resonates, here are two ways to go deeper:
- Download the free Business Clarity Kit → [link]
Discover your business season, uncover your next focus, and take aligned action with the help of a guided GPT companion. - Apply for the Built to Flow Lab → [link]
If you’re a strategist, coach, or consultant who supports others through growth, the Lab is where you’ll get certified in the Built to Flow™ Framework, expand your toolkit, and join a community of leaders redesigning how business works.
Final Thought
If your business looks fine on paper but doesn’t feel right in your life—you’re not broken, the model is.
You don’t need to burn it all down. You can realign it. You can rebuild it. You can lead in rhythm with your life.
Welcome to Built to Flow.
