Don’t Lose Yourself... Build Your Business Around Your Life

As entrepreneurs, we dream big. We see opportunity, we see potential, and we’re driven by the belief that we can make our mark. In a growing field like foot care, it’s an exciting time to be an independent nurse. Many of us chose this path because we wanted control—control over our schedules, our energy, and ultimately, our lives.

We’ve already sacrificed enough. We’ve worked countless weekends, nights, we've missed holidays and birthdays, all in service of our profession. So when we decide to go out on our own, it feels like the chance to take that control back.

But let me tell you about my boss.

She didn’t respect my time. She didn’t respect my boundaries. She didn’t care that I was exhausted, and even when I fell ill, she kept pushing me until I became chronically unwell. That boss, of course, was me.

And if you’re not careful, you’ll become your own worst boss too.

Because here’s the truth: once you start bending your boundaries, working late “just this once,” or saying yes when you should have said no, you’ll keep doing it. Clients’ schedules won’t change. Demands won’t ease up. And six weeks later, you’ll find yourself right back where you promised you wouldn’t be.

That’s why you need to outline your priorities from the very beginning.

✨ Build your business around your life, not your life around your business. ✨

I used to believe success would come when I had enough—enough clients, enough income, enough respect. But the reality is, “enough” never arrives. True success doesn’t come from the outside. True success is creating a life you actually enjoy. It’s building a lifestyle that matches your values and dreams, not just a business that matches your ambition and riches.

When illness forced me to stop, I had to face a painful truth: I didn’t have a life. I was “on” all the time. My identity had become entrepreneur first, then nurse, then mother, then wife—and then… nothing. I had given so much of myself to the hustle that there was nothing left of me.

That was my turning point.

My original vision of success was always time—time for family, time for holidays, time for me. I finally achieved that, not because I worked harder or built an empire, but because I stopped chasing someone else’s definition of success. I let go of the hustle, of the success markers I thought were important and began designing my own life around my original goals.  I turn my phone off after certain hours, I even forget to bring it with me sometimes which used to cause an on slot of anxiety but I have once again learned how to live without distractions and constantly being pulled away.

So let me ask you: What’s your end game?

What do you want your success story to actually look like? Not just at the beginning when you’re scrambling to get started, but at the end—when you look back, will you be proud of the life you built?  Will your current business model achieve your desired goals?

Make a roadmap now. Decide what success feels like for you. Is it freedom? Flexibility? Peace? Growth? Stability? Whatever it is, keep that vision close.

When I first opened my clinic, people told me, “Don’t grow too fast.” At the time, I didn’t understand. Growth meant success, right? More patients, more money, more reach. But what they were really trying to tell me was: Don’t let the business get away from you. Don’t lose control of what you’re building. Don’t lose yourself.

If your vision of success is freedom, then picture what that looks like. Guard it fiercely. Plan for it intentionally. Yes, you’ll make mistakes, and yes, you’ll sometimes lose your way—but if your vision stays clear, you’ll stop chasing “enough” and finally live the life you set out to create.

Because success isn’t about building a bigger business and bank account.

It’s about building a better lifestyle and happiness.