How to build a business that works around your life (not the other way round)
You didn’t start a business to recreate the 9–5 you burned out from. You started it for freedom, flexibility, and purpose. But somewhere along the way, your dream of “doing things differently” started to look suspiciously like every other hustle-heavy, burnout-prone model out there.
If you’ve ever thought, “I can’t keep going like this”, this one’s for you.
This blog is about how to build a business around your life. One that fits your capacity, energy, and actual needs. One that supports you, not the other way around.
What does it mean to build a business around your life?
It means:
Designing your schedule around your energy (not arbitrary hours)
Offering services you can actually deliver sustainably
Letting go of marketing pressure and embracing rhythms
Building systems that flex when life throws a curveball
It’s sustainable entrepreneurship. It’s a flexible business strategy rooted in you, your needs, your reality, your goals.
Why the traditional business model doesn’t work for everyone
Most small business advice assumes you’re working with endless time, energy, and childcare. That you can show up the same every day. That growth = more hours, more hustle, more visibility.
But if you’re:
Managing chronic illness
Neurodivergent
Parenting or caregiving
Living with fluctuating energy or executive dysfunction
…then you need a business strategy that bends instead of breaks.
And the good news? That’s totally possible.
Three core pillars of a life-first business
Let’s make this tangible. Here are the three foundations I always come back to:
1. Offers that match your availability
If you only have 2–3 days a week to work, your services and pricing need to reflect that. Think:
One-to-few models like group sessions or memberships
Digital products or passive income streams
Limited client slots with strong boundaries
Your time and energy are valuable. Your offers should be built to honour that.
2. Flexible visibility and marketing
You don’t need to post daily. You don’t need to be on every platform. What you need is:
Repurposed content that works harder for you
Systems for visibility when your energy dips (hello, B-roll Reels + evergreen emails)
A marketing plan that grows with you, not against you
3. Boundaries and rhythm over routine
A life-first business has space for:
Sick days
School holidays
Mental health breaks
And it’s built on rhythm, not rigidity. That might look like a weekly content theme, monthly planning blocks, or simply knowing which days you rest vs. work.
Common myths (and what’s actually true)
Myth: You have to be consistent every single day to grow.
Truth: You have to be sustainable and persistent. Big difference.
Myth: Scaling = doing more.
Truth: Scaling often means doing less, better.
Myth: Flexible means flaky.
Truth: Flexibility is a strength. It’s what helps your business last.
How to start building around your life today
Start with a soft audit:
What’s draining you in your current setup?
What could your week look like if it worked with your life?
What would change if your business gave you more energy, not less?
Then take one step:
Simplify an offer
Cut one platform
Block out rest time in your calendar
Small shifts = big impact when it comes to sustainable entrepreneurship.
You’re allowed to do this differently
This isn’t about doing less just for the sake of it. It’s about doing what’s right for you.
Building a business around your life means:
You get to rest without guilt
You get to grow without burning out
You get to show up as a whole human, not a content machine
Want support designing a business that fits your life, not the other way around?
Come to Office Hours. It’s my monthly mentoring space for small business owners who want practical strategy rooted in real life. Together, we’ll build something that supports your goals and your energy.
You don’t have to keep pushing. There’s another way, and you’re allowed to take it.
