What Nobody Tells You About Building Through Hard Times

Last week I texted my friend, "Have you seen those breast feeding pods in the airport?"

"Yeah..." she replied, confused about where I was going with this.

"It's been one of those weeks where I fantasize about buying one, putting it in my backyard, and shutting myself inside."

Last week, something bad was happening to nearly everyone I cared about. As a highly sensitive person, I took it hard.

And it's no secret that since my parents died, I've struggled with depression. Although I'm feeling so much better these days, it doesn't take much to push me over the edge.

After their deaths, it feels like someone went in, tangled my brain's pathways worse than a pair of wired headphones, and left me to figure out how to untangle them... in the dark... with my hands tied behind my back.

One Sarah McLachlan animal commercial and I go down... hard.

Yet regardless of what's happening around me, in the world, or how tough of a grief-day I'm having, my business doesn't stop business'ing.

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​People want to buy the Ultimate Bundle®️. DMs flow in asking me to be on their podcast. A customer needs help understanding the new-ish ADA lawsuit trend. My team of 3 needs me. I need them. My business flows round-and-round.

It's a dance I'm intimately familiar with by now.

I built this business in the face of so much adversity.

🧠 My own brain surgery and recovery.

🩸 My dad's terminal AML leukemia diagnosis and treatment.

💔 His passing (and my devastation).

💔 💔 My mom's passing coming right afterwards, like a wave you didn't expect to crush you while you were still underwater from the last one.

Sometimes when I talk about what happened, people will say: "why didn't you just stop? Take some time off. Go off the grid!"

How many people have that luxury?

I certainly didn't.

I had a mortgage to pay. Bills to contribute to. Dad's groceries to buy.

Can you relate, Reader?

You might have a young family to take care of.

You're stressing about what the future looks like for your aging parents.

Or you have a dream of buying a big piece of land and growing all of your own vegetables... and you don't have the cash you need quite yet.

I know you've got something.

What most people don't tell you -- because they've never done it themselves -- is that you don't need to stop building your business until that thing resolves itself (it may never).

You can actually build a business that supports you through it.

I know because I did it.

The multi 7-figure business I built during the hardest years of my life is the same one that gave me the flexibility to hold both of my parents' hands as they passed, grieve them in peace, and the spaciousness to crawl out of the depths of depression.

That wasn't by accident. I had to learn how to build a plane for emergency landing... as it was landing.

And it's exactly what I wrote about in my book.

📚 I wrote When I Start My Business, I'll Be Happy for the person who wants to build a successful online business, but is dealing with real life at the same time.

Whether you just don't want to be glued to your laptop 8 hours a day because you'd rather actually live your life...

or you're going through something hard that's pulling your attention elsewhere — this book meets you there.

Inside, I'll walk you through how to:

• build an email list that unchains you from relentless social media pressure
• find out exactly what product your customers are waiting for, so it practically sells itself
• create less content that does more for you (using my Big 3 strategy)

To celebrate its one-year release-aversary on April 15, I'm gifting anyone who purchases my book this month...

🥳 A ticket to a live 90-minute book club call with me on April 30!

It's basically 90-mins of live business coaching with me... for the cost of my book! 🤯

🚨 TO JOIN BOOK CLUB:

1. Buy my book anywhere you want (it's 40% off on Amazon today, or checkout Bookshop, Barnes & Noble, Inkwood (NJ), or Book Hampton (NY).
2. Fill out this form on this page ⤵️

Voila! Once you've done those 2 simple things, you'll get an email from us with your Book Club invite details.

Can I be real with you, as always?

If you've considered getting my book but haven't...

✨ This is your sign.

I want to write more books. I'm a first-time author trying to become a full-time author, and I'm asking for your help.

Buying my book is one of the most direct ways you can support what I'm building — and in return, you get 90-minutes of business coaching with me on April 30th.

That's a pretty good deal.

If you've already read it — thank you from the bottom of my heart. If you lived near me, I'd make you lentil soup. Grab another copy to gift to a friend, leave it in a little library, drop it in a co-working space. Every copy counts.

Will I see you at book club, Reader? Did you grab a copy?! Hit "reply" and let me know so I can personally thank you.

Thanks for grabbing my book. I'll even let you sit in my backyard breastfeeding pod when you need it 😉

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🔗 Links You'll Love

🎫 My friend Tarzan Kay is hosting a free 5-day event called The Girlboss Apology Tour — 14 interviews + 3 live events all about building a business that's actually yours, not a copy of whatever worked for someone else in 2018. Grab your free ticket before April 13→ (I'm one of the speakers!)

📮 My 63k email list is hands down my best not-so-secret weapon in growing my business. This week on my podcast, On Your Terms®️, I shared how I decide what to email my list about each week, even when I'm drawing a blank.

Listen on Apple, Substack, or below on Spotify ⤵️

283. How I Actually Decide W... Apr 6 · On Your Terms® 30:07   ​

🌠 My most popular Substack post in March was about how I wish I never told anyone about my gap year. I'm learning a lot about keeping some things to myself before sharing them online. I'm also learning how to create without performance or feedback. LMK if you want to hear more!

🎙️ ON YOUR TERMS®️ How I Plan My Newsletters I didn't grow an email list of 63k entrepreneurs out of thin air. And I didn't keep them around, replying each week with "I loved this email so much!" by accident, either. You asked me how I decide what I email my list each week. So I sat down to tell you my exact strategy of how I decide what to email them, how I consistently generate sales from it, and why I think I have one of the most dedicated, loyal bunch of readers. 🎧 LISTEN HERE→ How I Actually Decide What to Email My List (even when I have no idea) 283. How I Actually Decide W... Apr 6 · On Your Terms® 30:07   ​