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Be patient — sometimes you have to go through the worst to get the best.
Building a business is hard, but every rough patch is preparing you for something greater. Stay consistent, trust the process, and keep going — your breakthrough moment is being built in the struggle. Keep building. Keep believing.Your best is still ahead of you.Should I hire my spouse to work in my home service business?
My wife works a good union job and has great benefits, and we have a young daughter and thinking about having a second child. Her skills would be great for my business as an office administrator but having the benefits for our family is great. Has anyone had their spouse make the jump from a comfortable, safe job to join your growing business to build a family business? Did you find that the benefits from their job outweighed the cost of not having family insurance or a steady paycheque?
What changes in your personal life have made you a better business owner?
Changes start at home. What’s something you’ve changed in your home life that made you a better business owner? For me, it was becoming more intentional with my time at home. When I’m with my family, I’m fully present. Phone down, work off, actually there. That shift made me realize I needed to build my business in a way that doesn’t constantly pull me away from home. Because of that, I’ve gotten better at building systems, trusting my team, and letting go of trying to control everything. It’s made me a better leader at work and a better husband and father at home.Building a Business Without Losing What Matters Most
Entrepreneurship has a way of consuming everything. It starts with long days, then longer nights. One more estimate. One more call. One more job to land. Before you know it, the business you’re building to create a better life starts pulling you away from the very people you’re doing it for. That’s the trap. The truth is, success in business means very little if it comes at the cost of your family. The goal was never just revenue, growth, or scale—it was freedom, stability, and a better life for the people closest to you. Your Family Is the Foundation, Not a Distraction It’s easy to think of family time as something that happens “after the work is done.” But in reality, the work is never done. There will always be another deal, another problem, another opportunity. If you don’t intentionally prioritize your family, they will unintentionally become second place. Strong families create strong leaders. When your home life is solid, everything else—your decision-making, your patience, your clarity—gets better. You don’t just show up more; you show up better. Success Without Presence Isn’t Success Providing financially is important. But presence matters just as much. Your kids won’t remember how many jobs you closed or how much revenue you hit this quarter. They’ll remember whether you were there. Whether you were engaged. Whether you made them feel like they mattered more than your phone. The same goes for your spouse. Building a business is a team effort, even if only one of you is “in the business.” If the relationship isn’t strong, the pressure of entrepreneurship will expose every crack. Build a Business That Serves Your Life At some point, every business owner has to ask themselves some vital questions: "What do I really want from this business?" "Am I building a business or am I just building a job that is more demanding than the one I left?" The goal can't be just to grow—it has to be to grow the right way. Set boundaries, even when it’s uncomfortable Schedule family time like you schedule important meetings Be fully present when you’re home Define what “enough” looks like A business should be a tool that supports your life—not something that replaces it. The Legacy That Actually Matters Money comes and goes. Businesses grow and change. But your family—that’s your real legacy. Years from now, your success won’t be measured by your bank account. It will be measured by your relationships, your impact at home, and the kind of people your kids grow up to be. Build the business. Chase the vision. Go all in. But never forget why you started. Because at the end of the day, if you win in business but lose at home—you didn’t really win.Work/Life Balance. What does that look like?
I searched the forums and didn't find a good conversation regarding the work/life balance topic (link if you know of one). I found a great topic started by bedellmgmt a while ago about how he had to let go of his hobbies and the pursuit to get some back. How do you maintain a healthy balance in your life beyond work? Do you dive headfirst into your business and try to connect with family whenever you can? If this sounds familiar, how does your family feel about it—do they understand and support you? And perhaps the more profound question is this: Do you believe your company thrives because it takes priority, or do you think its success comes from achieving that work-life harmony? Many of us grapple with these dilemmas. I’ve experienced both sides myself. For me, one of my most important values has always been to provide for my family. Over 20 years ago, that meant putting in long hours—sometimes up to 100 a week—to achieve success. Unfortunately, it also meant missing out on precious moments with my kids, family, and friends. While I built a business that supports us financially, I often found myself thinking, "Why doesn't anyone seem to recognize the effort I'm putting in?" This focus on work led to some tensions at home because I was so absorbed in my career. They wanted me, and I was confused because I thought that was what I was giving them. Have you ever experienced that? And if you did, how did you overcome it?Do you find yourself taking a backseat when kids are out of school?
My mom worked constantly when I was a kid and I always promised myself I’d get a traditional 9-5 in order to be home at night and on weekends with my kids when I grew up. Ironically the 9-5 didn’t work, and I now have my cleaning company instead. i find myself slowing my role during the holidays as well as over the summer to maximize my time with the kiddos while they’re out of school. I’m wondering if anyone else does this?
