Why Your Business Needs to Reflect Your Values

Have you ever felt like something was missing in your business? Maybe you’re checking all the boxes—hitting goals, following the latest guru’s strategies, and even seeing success on paper—but deep down, something still feels off.

Perhaps you’re not serving the people you truly want to help. Maybe the daily grind of running your business feels uninspiring—or, worse, draining. Maybe the connections, sales, or impact you envisioned aren’t materializing the way you’d hoped. Or perhaps it’s a vague, nagging feeling you can’t quite put your finger on—just a sense that your business, and maybe even your life, aren’t where you want them to be.

That unease you feel? It’s worth paying attention to. It could be your intuition whispering that something isn’t quite right.

Chances are, your business isn’t fully aligned with your values. And when that happens, even the best strategies and intentions can fall flat.

When your business reflects your values, everything changes. It stops being just a way to make a living and becomes a true extension of who you are. That’s the magic zone where work feels meaningful, decisions flow naturally, and your efforts leave a lasting impact—not just on your clients but on your own sense of fulfillment and joy.

Building a business that aligns with your values isn’t just about success; it’s about creating a business and life that feels true to you. When you’re clear about what you stand for and let those principles guide your actions, you set yourself up for a deeper sense of purpose—and the kind of impact that lights you up.

When Your Business Feels Off-Track

Running a business that doesn’t align with your values can lead to burnout, resentment, and even a loss of trust from your audience. When that happens, it’s time to pause and ask yourself the big question: Why am I doing this in the first place?

Let’s be honest: if you’re going to feel constantly stressed, wouldn’t it be easier to work for someone else? (At least then you’d have paid time off!) But that’s not why you’re here, right? You started this business for a reason—your why.

Your why is the foundation that supports everything you do. It’s what keeps you going when things get tough, inspires you to innovate, and reminds you of what truly matters. If you’re feeling off track, revisit your why. Write it down. Stick it on a post-it next to your desk if you need to. If your why has changed, acknowledge it and adjust. If it hasn’t, reconnect with it and let it guide you back to what’s most important.

For me, my why is clear: I never want to work for someone else again. The thought of a 9-to-5 job, reporting to someone else, and giving up the freedom I’ve built makes my stomach churn. That gut-level dread motivates me to keep going, even when business is challenging. It pushes me to experiment, adapt, and persevere because my why is non-negotiable.

When your business isn’t aligned with your core values, it’s like trying to run a marathon in shoes that don’t fit. Sure, you might make it to the finish line, but every step will hurt.

For example, burnout is inevitable if one of your core values is work-life balance but your business requires you to work around the clock. Or, if you value authenticity but feel pressured to follow cookie-cutter marketing tactics, you’ll likely end up feeling disconnected from your brand. That disconnection affects everything—your energy, confidence, and even the results you see. When you’re not aligned with your values, it shows, and your audience can feel it.

The good news? You can always reset. Reevaluate your why, reflect on what truly matters, and find ways to shift your business back into alignment with your values. Because when your business aligns with who you are, every step feels more intentional, impactful, and fulfilling.

Recognizing When You’re Out of Alignment

Sometimes, we get so caught up in the day-to-day hustle of running a business that we don’t even notice when things are out of sync. Stress, dread over certain tasks, or simply going through the motions without the spark of excitement that initially drew you to entrepreneurship can all be signs that something’s off. But how do you know when it’s more than just a rough patch?

This is where listening to your intuition becomes key. Your intuition is like a quiet guide, nudging you when something doesn’t feel right. It often appears as a gut feeling, a nagging thought, or even physical discomfort when faced with certain decisions or activities. Pay attention to those moments—they are often your inner wisdom trying to tell you something important.

When you feel off, your why can act as a compass, helping you find your way back to what truly matters. Pause and reflect: Are your daily activities moving you closer to your core purpose, or are they pulling you further away? Ask yourself these questions:

• Do I feel energized or drained by my work?

• Am I dreading specific tasks or avoiding them altogether?

• Is my business supporting the life I want, or is it taking me further from it?

If the answers point to misalignment, it’s time to dig deeper. Let your intuition guide you in identifying the root cause. Are you saying yes to things that don’t align with your values? Are you operating in a way that feels inauthentic or forced? Often, these misalignments stem from ignoring the subtle cues your intuition gives you.

Pro Tip: Start making space to listen. That might mean journaling, meditating, or simply sitting quietly and reflecting on what feels good and what doesn’t in your business. These moments of stillness can help you recognize patterns and reconnect with your core values.

Your intuition is a powerful tool. When paired with your why, it can help you course-correct and make decisions that feel aligned and purposeful. Trust it—it’s there to guide you toward the business and life you’re meant to create.

Why Staying True to Your Values Matters

When you ignore your values in pursuit of success, you might achieve some goals on paper—but at what cost? A business that doesn’t reflect your why can leave you feeling drained, uninspired, and even resentful.

Think about it: if your why is freedom and flexibility, but your business has you glued to your laptop 24/7, it’s going to feel like a betrayal of your original purpose. Or, if your why is connection and authenticity, but you’re following marketing strategies that feel manipulative or off-brand, you’ll struggle to show up in a way that resonates with your audience.

Reflecting on your why regularly can help you course-correct before you hit a breaking point.

Resetting Your Business to Align with Your Values

Getting back into alignment starts with reconnecting to your why. Ask yourself:

• What inspired me to start this business in the first place?

• How do I want my business to feel, both for me and for my clients/customers?

• What values do I want to center in my work?

Once you’re clear on your why, look at your business model, marketing, and daily routines. Are there areas where you’re operating out of alignment? Small adjustments—like delegating tasks that don’t light you up, shifting your service offerings, or tweaking your messaging—can make a huge difference.

Pro Tip: Alignment isn’t about getting it perfect—it’s about staying intentional. Think of it as a living process: checking in, reflecting, and adjusting as you and your business grow together.

Building a Values-Based Business for the Long Term

When your business reflects your why, it becomes a natural extension of who you are. Decision-making feels clearer, your work feels more meaningful, and you show up with confidence because you know you’re building something that matters.

Ready to align your business with your values? My Find Your Purpose Framework is designed to help you dig deep into your "why," clarify your values, and build a business that feels authentically you. Learn how to reconnect with what matters most and create a purpose-driven business that supports your slow-living lifestyle.

3 Decisions I Wish I’d Made Sooner in My Slow-Living Business

I’m not someone who believes in regret. Sure, I could have done plenty of things differently, but every choice—mistakes included—has taught me something valuable. That said, there are definitely a few decisions I wish I’d made sooner, especially in my journey as a slow-living entrepreneur.

Building a business that prioritizes balance, well-being, and purpose wasn’t always how I operated. Like many entrepreneurs, I spent too much time stuck in hustle culture, overthinking every move, and trying to do it all myself.

But here’s the thing: I’ve learned to reframe those missteps as opportunities for growth, change, and learning. After all, failure—when followed by trying again in a new way—is how we build resilience, creativity, and problem-solving skills.

(And believe me, with nearly three decades of entrepreneurial experience, I’ve had plenty of chances to learn from my failures! 😂)

Today, I’m sharing three decisions I wish I’d made sooner—lessons that transformed how I work and live. I hope they’ll help you skip some of the missteps I made and build a business that feels aligned and fulfilling from the start.

Let’s dive in!

1. Simply Start

The number one decision I wish I would have made sooner in my slow-living business is to simply start. Have you heard of the phrase “progress over perfection”? Well, I spent way too long on way too many ideas that I wanted to be “perfect” rather than just beginning. 

Sometimes, we can get into our heads that our business or our offers must be “just so” before diving in and getting started. Maybe our fears or self-doubts begin creeping in and keeping us from moving forward, or maybe we get stuck trying to find that perfect niche.

Regardless of the reasons, I know I wasted way too much time in my business by thinking, over-thinking, planning, and over-planning… basically spinning my wheels… without actually getting anywhere. So, the first decision I wish I would have made sooner was simply to begin.

If you’re struggling with this, I suggest coming up with a single baby step you can do today to get started. It doesn’t have to be perfect; it doesn’t have to be the one thing you commit to doing for the rest of your life. (Yes, you can always change it later. That’s why you’re the boss!) But, choosing a single action that can help propel you toward your dream of a slow-living business is important. Simply start.

2. Invest In Myself

The second decision I wish I’d made sooner in my slow-living business is to invest in myself. Let me be clear: I don’t mean just monetary investment (although that can be useful, too, depending on your business model). I’m talking about putting in the work to believing in yourself.

I define investing in myself by holding true to the following beliefs:

• I am capable and worthy, and I have everything I need to succeed.

• My business is worth investing in—in both time and money.

• My goals are worth working toward.

If you don’t invest in yourself by believing in yourself, what you’re working toward, and how you will build your business, everything else will fall apart. 

Investing in yourself includes getting the appropriate training, education, technology, and equipment to make sure you’re prepared for what’s ahead, but it’s also about setting aside the time, energy, effort, and money you need to be successful. It means taking your entrepreneurial journey seriously (not just as some side hustle). And it means acknowledging that what you want is a goal worth pursuing.

This will help you both in the sense of building a successful business and also protecting your own mindset. Because if you are able to hold true to the above beliefs, then no amount of other people’s thoughts, opinions, questions, or comments (and believe me, there will be plenty of those!) will shake your progress toward building the business of your dreams.

Instead, when I was starting out, I focused solely on spending money on tools, technologies, equipment, etc., and got lost on the #1 investment that mattered the most: me. Yes, things like the technology you’ll use to set up your business are important, but it’s just as important to set aside regular time to work on your business, define and work toward your goals, and invest in your mindset so you can be successful in the long-term.

3. Ask for Help

The third decision that I wish I’d made sooner in my slow-living business is asking for help. 

I’ve gotta be honest: this one is still a work in progress. As an introvert and long-term solopreneur, I can still struggle with reaching out and asking others for help. But wow, it can make a huge difference in how quickly you grow your business.

I’ve stopped and started dozens of businesses over the past few decades, and the ones that have been the most successful are those where I reached out to others for help, inspiration, and collaboration.

Never be afraid to connect with others who have been there or are on a similar journey. Entrepreneurship is tough work, and it’s even tougher when you’re doing it 100% alone. Connecting with a few others who have been there can be immensely powerful in terms of your own learning experience and mental health.

This is maybe even truer when you’re a slow-living business owner, because we’re not out there hustling and working 24/7. If you’re a traditional entrepreneur, it might be easy to follow the advice from gurus who are all, “DO ALL THE THINGS!” but we slow-living entrepreneurs have other things going on (like our lives, families, hobbies, and letting our minds and bodies relax from overstimulation, stress, and overwhelm). We certainly don’t have the time (nor the interest) for that “Go, go, go!” hustle culture mentality.

But, slow-living entrepreneurship can be isolating and confusing if all we see are side hustlers who work 24/7. We can start to question our own worth and whether we’re working hard enough or doing the “right things” for our businesses. All businesses have periods of ebb and flow, but it can be particularly difficult to know when to pivot, what to change, and how to grow our businesses if we don’t have mentors, collaborators, or other slow-living business partners to give us feedback, acknowledgment, and support.

I wish I had asked for support and help earlier in my businesses. Now that I have it, I am continually driven toward providing programs, resources, support, and a community for other slow-living entrepreneurs looking for the same.

What About You?

Now that you’ve heard the three decisions I wish I’d made sooner with my slow-living business, I’d love to hear from you. What do you wish you’d done differently or decided to do earlier? What stage are you in in your business? And what lessons have you learned that you’d like to share with others? 

I’d love to hear all about it in the comments below.

What Is a Slow-Living Business?

When people hear the phrase "slow-living lifestyle," they often picture homesteading—living off the land, baking bread from scratch, and swearing off technology forever. And while that’s one version of slow living, it’s definitely not the whole story.

For starters, let me be clear: You’ll have to pry my technology out of my cold, dead, Gen X hands. (IYKYK.)

A slow-living business isn’t about giving everything up; it’s about creating something that works with your life, not against it. It’s about freedom, flexibility, and a pace that feels good for your body, mind, and soul. In this post, I’ll break down what a slow-living business looks like and how embracing this approach can help you find peace, balance, and the life you deserve.

Introducing… a Slow-Living Lifestyle

Slow living is about being present in every moment, learning to trust yourself when making decisions, and taking consistent actions.

When you adopt a slow-living lifestyle, you remove things that no longer serve you and add activities and routines that make you happy. It’s about finding what lights you up and adding more of it while removing the things that have bad vibes. 

It’s true for some that means less technology, social media, or screen time. For others (like me), it means cultivating joy, working and living intuitively, and leaving toxic relationships behind. I focus on making slow, careful decisions for myself and my businesses that are intuitive and intentional.

Life slows down when you learn to hone your intuition and live from a place of inner happiness. You’re no longer rushing to keep up with someone else’s schedule, comparing yourself to others, or racing to get to the finish line. You realize that life is a marathon, not a sprint, and it’s about enjoying the ride.

Creating a Slow-Living Business

A slow-living business, then, is one in which you always act mindfully, intuitively, and intentionally toward goals that you define. You don't compare yourself with others, and you don't worry about what others think. You define your strengths, set your goals, and share your light with the world. You do what feels best to you.

That means no more hustle culture, no more working 24/7, and no more stress over where your next dollar is coming from.

It also means that—particularly if you’re a business owner who is neurodivergent, lives with chronic illness, or is on a healing journey—you can use slow-living techniques to adapt your business to your energy and capabilities. You don’t have to compare your business or your progress to other people. Instead, you can simply move slowly and consistently at a pace that’s right for you.

If this sounds good, I encourage you to take a few minutes today to rest, meditate, journal, go for a stroll, sit outside and listen to nature, or do something else that helps you feel calmer and more connected. Set a timer if needed; five minutes is often enough for you to unwind.

Living mindfully and intentionally means being aware of what is working (and not working) in your business, relationships, finances, health, or anything else that you’re focusing on in your life. You take things one step at a time and move toward consistent progress toward any goal (which you then absolutely crush!).

Entrepreneurship on YOUR Terms

Everyone tells you to pick a niche, make a product, and boom! You have a business.

And while that sounds easy like Sunday morning in theory, in reality… 

It is super hard to start a business the way everyone tells you to, especially when your life, brain, body, and goals are simply not wired the same way. I don’t know about you, but I’m done working 60-hour workweeks and buying into hustle culture. I love my slow-living business, and I want that for you, too.

Like a Swiftie trying to get backstage at a concert—or a ticket at all, let’s be real—all those doubts about whether you can create a successful slow-living business start sneaking in. 

Can I keep up with everything all the experts say I have to do?

Will I really be able to make money by only working a few hours a day?

Is it possible to run a successful business on my own without feeling frazzled and overwhelmed?

Beautiful friend, that’s what I’m here for!

If you want to:

Run a slow-living business in complete confidence, so you can give your body and soul the room they need to grow (not to mention time to spend with your family, friends, and hobbies)... 

Then you are in the right place!

Presenting… The 7-Day Slow Living Challenge!

If you’re thinking, “Slow living sounds great, but how do I actually start?” Lucky for you, I’ve decided to make it easy with my free 7-Day Slow Living Challenge! 

I specially designed this challenge to support women entrepreneurs who want slow-living lifestyles.

Sign up today to get daily challenges sent to your inbox. You'll learn, step by step, the skills you need to build a slow-living lifestyle that rejuvenates your heart and soul.

No gatekeeping, either! I give you the secrets to slow living, including being present in every moment, trusting yourself when making decisions, and taking small steps toward your goals.

Learn the skills you need to build a slow-living lifestyle. 

Stop Stressing and Start Slow Living

Hopefully this post has helped clear up what a slow-living business is and how you can start incorporating a slow-living lifestyle into your routine. 

Once you start learning the skills for slow-living, you’ll start reaping the benefits, including less stress, less overwhelm, and more fulfillment in your life.

I love that for you!

If you have questions or comments about starting a slow-living business, let me know in the comments below. I’m here to help!

How to Choose the Perfect Niche for Your Online Business

Feeling stuck when it comes to choosing your niche? You’re not alone. One of the biggest hurdles for aspiring business owners is figuring out exactly where to focus.

I’ve talked with so many women who are ready to start their business journey but feel overwhelmed by the pressure to pick “the perfect niche.” It’s frustrating to feel the excitement to begin but lack the confidence or clarity to take the first step.

In this post, we’ll explore what might be holding you back from choosing your dream niche. Plus, I’ll share practical tips and ideas to help you find a focus that feels authentic, aligned, and uniquely you.

Let’s dive in and uncover the niche that’s waiting for you!

Issue #1: You’re Unsure Where to Start

When starting a new business, the overwhelm is real. I’m sure you’ve been inundated with information and advice from multiple (probably even conflicting) sources. Information overload can completely restrict you from thinking clearly and moving forward. It can trigger a fight or flight response, where you can procrastinate, avoid, or hide from the next steps you know you should take for your business.

The overwhelm from all of the information coming at you is often tied to feelings of inadequacy and imposter syndrome, which can paralyze you and make it seem impossible to know where to start. You see these success stories and wonder where you might fit in and whether you can reach your dreams.

Well, I’m here to tell you that YES you can do it, and YES all of your dreams are possible. 

But first, you must start. 

If your biggest issue with picking a niche is not knowing where to start, think of yourself just a few weeks, months, or years ago. What would your past self most need to get to where you are today? What information would she need to know to start her own business? What was she feeling, doing, missing? What do you see now that you wish she’d seen all that time ago? Then, think of a business product or service that that version of you would have killed to have access to at that time.

That’s your niche. 

Put one foot in front of the other, and don’t worry about whether it’s perfect or whether it will be your final niche. It’s your niche for now. Just get started, and trust that it will fall into place. (And if it doesn’t, you can always change it later! No biggie!)

If you want a leg up on some ideas for niching into a slow-living business, check out my free guide to 40+ ideas to get started. 

Issue #2: You Can’t See Past Your Current Job Title

Sometimes, our jobs become so intertwined with our identities that it’s hard to untangle them and find a way forward. If you’ve been working in a particular field for a while, you’ve likely come to identify as whatever it says on your business card.

The problem is that once we’re ready to let go of that career, we also have to be willing to shift our identities—which is super scary! If we aren’t a [insert job title here], then omg, who are we?!? 

Feeling this way is normal, especially in American culture, which puts so much emphasis on our jobs. (Have you ever met someone new who hasn’t asked, “So, what do you do?”) Our societal pressure on capitalism adds to that, making us feel like we are what we do.

When you start your own business, you need to be willing to take on a new identity. From the moment you decide to start your own business, you need to step up and say to yourself, “I am an entrepreneur.” Fully embody it. 

Beyond that, when you choose a niche, sometimes we can only think of what we’ve done before because it’s natural for us to rely on our past identities and what we already know. If you were a nurse, you maybe can’t think beyond how to help other nurses; if you were a teacher, you might think first about helping other teachers, etc. There’s nothing wrong with that; in fact, your unique expertise makes you special. It’s true that if you were a doctor, you could likely help other doctors become entrepreneurs, too. But you don’t have to be tied to that profession if you don’t want to be.

Don’t make the mistake that your niche has to relate to your past job. You are embarking upon a new career, and it doesn’t have to have anything to do with your past job if you don’t want it to.

Instead, I’ve found it’s helpful to catalog all of your soft skills and transferable skills you’ve learned not just in your job but also in your hobbies, anything you’ve learned from workshops and classes, traditional education, and anything you’ve been self-taught. From communication skills to leadership, mediation to creativity, there is bound to be something that forms your identity aside from your former job titles.

Journal about it and log everything you can think of that you’ve learned traditionally, taught yourself, and enjoyed in your hobbies. Then, see if patterns form. Your perfect niche is likely hiding in plain sight within the words you’ve jotted down.

Issue #3: You’re Burned Out from Your Area of Expertise

Many women I’ve worked with are so burned out from their current jobs that the idea of working even tangentially to that industry makes them want to puke. But the problem is they can’t think of another niche to focus on.

First, realize that the effects of burnout can be long-lasting and quite severe. One study showed that the primary effects of burnout include “emotional exhaustion,” pessimism, distrust, indifference, lack of feeling, imposter syndrome, low self-esteem, lowered productivity, and fewer “coping skills” (Salvagioni et al, 2017; source). That’s a lot to freakin’ deal with!

Give yourself the grace to realize that it may take some time to heal before you can even think about working as hard as you once did (and you may decide you never want to!). If you think you’re suffering from burnout, be gentle with yourself as you consider the way forward. You don’t have to do anything related to your former job if you don’t want to. You have the power to decide for yourself!

As a business owner, you will have the freedom to do whatever you want whenever you want in whatever field you want, so try to calm your nervous system and remind yourself that you are safe, you have all you need to succeed, and you don’t have to go back to the situation that burned you out ever again.

Instead, think about the things that make you happy while pondering your niche. Ironically, narrowing this down may come even easier while you still suffer from burnout. You might realize that fewer things make you happy, particularly as they relate to work, so focus on the things that light you up when you think about them or even the things (no matter how small) you enjoy or miss from your previous jobs.

For example, when I left my last job, I was so burned out it nearly killed me, but despite that, I missed leading a team, teaching, and mentoring, so I knew that helping others would become a key part of my own business. But, I also knew that I was burned out from education and corporate jobs and wanted to focus on a different industry. That’s when I thought about what truly mattered to me (work freedom) and how I could help others learn the same, and my niche in slow-living businesses was born.

As an exercise, list everything you enjoy or miss from your previous jobs (even if that list is very short). Then, list all the things you never want to do again. For instance, after working as a receptionist when I was young, I vowed never to answer phones again, so I never did. Take comfort in the fact that whatever you write down, you will never have to do that again.

Then, think about how you’d most want to help others and who those people might be. Targeting your ideal audience is often one of the best ways to narrow your niche.

Issue #4: You’re Terrified of Picking the “Wrong” Thing

What so many of these issues have in common is fear, and the fear of picking the “wrong” niche is one of the most common. This is especially true for multi-passionate people who love more than one thing; how can we possibly pick just one? 

The stress of narrowing down our interests into one niche is overwhelming, so sometimes, we just get paralyzed into picking nothing at all. We are terrified that we will get pigeonholed into something that we’ll later decide we don’t like or will get completely bored with. And we’re so afraid of failure that it can stop us from moving forward. This is also sometimes linked to the issue of business identity, as discussed before. Some of us resist certain niches because we don’t want to be known as that person who does that one thing.

Yes, picking a niche often means choosing an area you’d like to showcase your expertise. But remember, it doesn’t form the whole picture. I am an intuitive business coach for women who want to start slow-living businesses, but that doesn’t form my whole identity. I’m also an Etsy shop owner, a day trader, a graphic designer, and a mom. (I just don’t combine all those things at once.) 

The beauty of becoming a business owner is that you can decide what you want to do and how you want to do it. If you want to do just one thing, go for it. If you have multiple interests, you can do that, too. You can run multiple businesses or pursue various hobbies. But when choosing a niche for your online business, it’s about picking one thing because it’s about the messaging you choose for each audience. Each business needs a singular audience and focus.

Don’t be afraid to pick just one thing and run with it. You can always add another thing later—either as part of this business or as a new one. You aren’t locked into this idea forever. Just write down some ideas and pick the one that feels the best to you now. You can and should be expected to change your mind later as your business grows and evolves.

Issue #5: You’re Not Thinking Small Enough

If you’ve ever been around a business coach, you’ve likely heard them preach, “Niche down!” This isn’t to annoy you (although it probably does); it’s to emphasize that you can’t always make everyone happy.

I heard you people pleasers gasp at that last part, so let me repeat it: when you’re a business owner, you have to think about your target audience and nobody else. Screw the haters. Just focus on your ideal customer, and the rest will fall into place.

Often when you choose a niche, you pick something too broad to be effective. Just saying you want to help working moms isn’t enough; you need to narrow it down to a smaller niche. How about working moms between the ages of 35 and 45? How about working moms of teenagers? What about working moms of toddlers? Or moms just returning to work after giving birth? How about working moms whose kids are grown or in college? And what do you mean by “working moms”? Corporate women? Teachers? Nurses? Writers? Retailers? Who are you speaking to? Your answers will speak to very different demographics depending on what you want to offer and who you want to serve. So don’t be afraid to get small. The smaller you go, the better your results because your target audience will know you’re talking directly to them.

Issue #6: You’re Overthinking It

This one is essentially a combination of all the others: stop overthinking it! The more you sit and worry about whether your niche is the right one, the more time slips away from you to capture the perfect moment to start your business.

Pick something and run with it. If it doesn't feel right at some point down the road, change it. Pivoting is one of the key success traits in business owners! I don’t want to discourage you, but I have yet to meet an entrepreneur who nails it on the first try. 

What successful business owners all have in common is their willingness to try something and then pivot if it doesn’t work. They keep trying, failing, and then trying again until something truly clicks! 

So pick something today and get started. Who knows if it will be the last thing you settle on for your business, but it can definitely be the first. And at this point, it’s the starting that matters.

Overcoming Your Fears to Find Your Niche

Regardless of the issue you most identify with of how to find the best niche, I’ve found that they all relate to fear and overwhelm: there are too many things, you’re scared of choosing the wrong thing, you’re afraid of failure, or you lack the confidence to see your true strengths.

This is why I created my Own Your Strengths Starter Kit. It’s a comprehensive course packed with activities to help you recognize your strengths, discover your passions, and start putting those together to build a profitable business with a well-defined niche. 

If you’re struggling to choose a niche for your online business, just remember: Done is better than perfect. So stop over-thinking, work on healing your past traumas, take a chance on yourself, and trust that you’re doing the best thing for you now. Choose a niche and get started today. Your future self is already celebrating you coming this far.

How to Start Your Own Business Without Selling Your Soul

If you’re ready to leave behind the grind of the 9 to 5 (or, let’s be real, the 8 to 6) and start a business of your own, you might feel overwhelmed by all the possibilities.

Should you create an LLC? How do you design a website? What’s the deal with branding, marketing, and client onboarding? These are all important questions, but here’s the thing: too many people dive straight into operations without asking the most critical question—how do I build a business that works for me?

Far too often, people build businesses that look great on paper but leave them burned out, overwhelmed, and disconnected from their own needs. They forget to consider their “why” or design their business with long-term well-being in mind.

In this post, we’ll explore how to create a business that aligns with your values, protects your energy, and supports your soul. Because building a business that honors you isn’t just possible—it’s essential. Here’s how to make it happen.

A Slow-Living Approach to Building a Business

One of the myths I first bought into when starting my first business was that I had to do what everybody else told me to do. As a natural researcher and lifelong learner, I dove into the guides, how-tos, video tutorials, and classes to figure out how to start and market my business.

Much of the information said I had to do all the things. Get on all the social media channels, write all the emails, write all the blogs, be on all the podcasts, connect with all the influencers, work on all of the SEO, do all the keyword research… and that was aside from, you know, the actual work of running my business!

While many of these small business marketing techniques work, what these resources didn’t tell me was that these techniques were apparently made for superhumans who either could (or wanted to?!) work 60+ hours a week while doing everything themselves. (Or, they had a bunch of money to hire others to do the work for them, which wasn’t an option for me when I was first starting.)

Out of the necessity of health and self-care, not to mention my finances, I realized I had to find another way. I was in the process of healing from a near-death experience, as well as some mental health issues exacerbated by a toxic and abusive workplace I had recently left behind. Also, my son was young, and I wanted to create a slow-living business that would allow me to spend time with him while I could (and while he was still young enough to want to spend time with me!). This meant that I didn’t have the time nor the energy to, as so many “experts” said, do all the things.

I wanted to start my own business to get more flexibility and freedom, not less.

I had to figure out how to build a business that would a) make really good money, b) allow me to spend time with my family, and c) ensure I never had to work for anyone else again.

And that’s when it clicked for me. When I drilled down and got to the heart of what I really wanted and needed from my career, I discovered the magic of slow-living businesses. And then I made it happen.

It’s Not About the Money

Okay, well, it's not all about the money. Let’s be real: we all need to pay the bills. But in my experience, if you focus exclusively on making money, you won’t succeed. I’ve seen it (and tried it) again and again over the course of my 30+ year career. And the money only comes after you’ve truly found your heart’s path. Sounds crazy, but it’s not until you actually find your purpose that the money will follow.

My recipe for success is first not to compare myself to others. Social media is filled with entrepreneurs showing off their bank accounts and seven-digit annual returns. I’m more interested in replacing my former income (and then some!) so that I am earning my worth at an amount that feels good to me. To me, that’s the most important thing. 

By focusing not on what other people are doing but instead on what would make my family’s life happy and comfortable, I hit my financial targets. Instead of focusing on some arbitrary number I heard from someone who made a few viral TikToks, I focus on earning a number that covers my bills, extras, and everything I could want in the near-term future. I focus on my unique situation.

Also, I have found that when building a slow-living business, you can’t focus just on making money because then you’ll start making decisions that don’t feel right to you deep in your gut. You’ll start acting counter-intuitively to your intuition, and the results will be terrible. Once you start sliding down the path of doing things that don’t feel right, then the abundance will stop.

Instead of focusing on money, you have to focus on your values. What do you most desire, and what do you most hold as true in your heart? These principles will most guide you toward building and maintaining a successful business.

Trust me, if you do things just for the money, it will feel icky. It will get harder and harder for you to make any progress. You’ll start making decisions you wouldn’t otherwise make. You’ll start skimping on the business tools and technologies you need but then overspending in areas that don’t matter. You’ll spend more time watching your bank accounts than leading with your heart. And that’s just a recipe for disaster (one I’ve cooked up more than once if I’m honest). 

But I promise: you don’t have to sell your soul to build a successful business.

Leading with Your Purpose

In my experience, a successful business comes when you lead with your purpose, not your bank account. This is where you’ll become most closely aligned with your soul’s path, your heart’s purpose, however you think of having a meaningful career. 

It’s about starting to mend your relationship with money. If you do that, sales don’t feel “icky,” money becomes a tool and a blessing, not a weapon or a curse, and you start making decisions from both your brain and your heart.

Your business will flourish when you learn how to improve your intuition and make decisions from carefully planned research and heart-led instincts. It’s about the balance. And if done well, you’ll never have to sell your soul to make a sale again.

Starting a Slow-Living Business without Sacrificing Your Soul

Great, you’re thinking: how do I put this all together to build my slow-living business? That’s a great question you’ll need to explore through careful research, planning, and following your gut.

First, think about something that truly excites you and how to turn that passion into a sustainable business. What’s something you love and are good at that you can do every day for the foreseeable future?

Next, mix those passions and skills with viable business ideas that allow you the freedom to be flexible with your time and interests. 

Finally, build a plan with actionable steps you will take to hit those goals and milestones. Make business goals with specifics on what you’ll achieve and when.

I’m not gonna lie. Running a business is hard. This is why it’s absolutely crucial that you build a business from the start that is going to build you up, not tear you down. This means aligning your business with your unique lifestyle and goals and following your values and principles no matter what.

Need help with building your small business? Download your FREE copy of my guide, 40+ Business Ideas for Slow-Living Entrepreneurs, and get started today!

Of course, hop in the comments below and let me know how your business journey is going! I’d love to hear your story.