Debbie King’s Post

Entrepreneurs know the struggle: juggling work, family, and everything in between. 🌱 When every day feels like choosing between paying your employees on time, hiring with ease, spending quality time with family, or simply enjoying your work – it's a tough balance to strike. Life shouldn’t be about picking just two. There are ways to make it all work. How do you manage it all?

Why do some entrepreneurs find themselves stuck even when they're working long hours? Overworking can lead to burnout without driving real progress. I’ve experienced this too—when you're always "in the grind," it’s easy to lose focus on the bigger picture. Instead of just working hard, we need to work strategically. Spending time on tasks that don’t directly contribute to our long-term goals can feel productive but keeps us stuck in place. By learning to prioritize what truly matters, we can break free from this cycle and make meaningful progress.

Does running your own business have to be a grind? Not at all. Here are 8 principles I live by as an introvert founder. 1. Automate mundane tasks Time is precious, and your energy is even more so. I rely on tech tools to automate repetitive tasks, so I can focus on the bigger picture. Automating frees up mental space for creative and strategic work that drives growth. 2. Stop Burnout before it starts We all want to achieve big things, but burnout can derail progress. I use my calendar as a task list, blocking out time for top priorities and adding buffer zones between tasks. This approach gives me a clear, realistic view of my day, helps me stay focused, and ensures I have the energy to tackle what matters most. 3. Eliminate context switching Switching between tasks is a productivity killer. I still struggle with it at times, but batching has been a game-changer. For example, I dedicate entire mornings to writing or afternoons to admin work. Staying focused on one type of task at a time keeps me in the zone and makes me far more productive. 4. Recharge often Recharging is my secret weapon. Starting my workday at 5 a.m. helps me dive into deep focus, but I always take breaks when I start to feel drained. Whether it is a beach run, a quick errand, or simply stepping outside, those pauses recharge my energy and creativity. 5. Celebrate wins I have a big mission: to help introvert founders thrive as their authentic selves. It is a long road, but I have learned to love the journey. I celebrate small wins, like when someone engages with my content, because they show I am moving in the right direction. Focusing on these moments fuels my momentum. 6. Simplify your day As introverts, we can get lost in research. it is our strength, but it can also hold us back. When I started Introvert Founders, I set a strict deadline to stop researching and start acting. The result? Progress faster than I imagined. Do the prep work, but do not overthink. Then eliminate distractions and go all in. 7. Be intentional with meetings Introverts bring their full attention to meetings, but that energy needs to be spent wisely. I avoid meetings in the morning when I do my best deep work. Not every conversation needs to be a meeting, either. By cutting unnecessary ones, I save my energy for the high-value conversations that matter, like the ones with my clients. 8. Put your well-being first Your business thrives when you do. For me, that means prioritizing sleep, eating intentionally (I cook most of my meals), and taking breaks when I feel drained. A bike ride at sunset or an energizing workout does wonders for my focus and creativity. — Enjoying this? ♻️ Repost it to your network or simply give it a like. Follow Sven Elstermann for more. Want more in-depth tips right into your inbox? Subscribe to my newsletter today: Link in profile bio. #entrepreneurship #startups #introvertsunite #introvert

I often feel like I don't have my sh*t together... Running a business can suck a lot of the time, but we tend to put a 'public face' on, don't we!? Here are my 7 biggest business struggles: 1. Constant guilt that I "should" be doing the thing I'm not doing 2. Fear of failing... or of f**king up for a client I care about 3. Imposter syndrome... I'm just a wee laddie from Gourock 4. Endless distractions - I have a very 'flighty' brain 5. [gulp] The loneliness of running a business 6. Never (ever!!!) turning off work-mode 7. Spinning my wheels on decisions... total paralysis at times Here’s what helps me: 1. Find someone you can be completely open with about this stuff (for me, fortunately, my wife is awesome) 2. Get a coach (even if you think you can't afford it) - it helps with soooo much! 3. Environment is big for me, so I now use a coworking space where I can focus, as well as my home office 4. This one is HUGE (for me)... only have the thing I want to work on open on my laptop (nothing else!!!) 5. I've accepted my brain for the wonder it is... I now roll with it, not having an off switch can be a superpower Am I alone... what do you struggle with? (and what do you do that helps?) PS I wrote this and then wasn't going to post it because imposter syndrome kicked in... then thought f**k it, it might help someone so here goes..! [the photo 📸 is one of the utterly stupid things I do every day to prove to myself that I have the discipline to do whatever I choose... bloody cold and uncomfortable (and at some point every year I need an axe to do it 🪓🤣) but very much worth it!]

Many entrepreneurs are stuck in the grey zone of productivity. They are neither working, nor relaxing. You know what I’m talking about. It’s already 10 PM, and you’re still sitting on the couch with your laptop. You’re “doing stuff”. But your partner is watching Netflix, so it’s hard to stay focused. This creates an illusion of productivity. Are you really productive tho? You’re most probably not. You're distracted. And you’ll probably end up feeling guilty and tired at the same time. Guilty for not getting things done. Tired because you didn’t even recover. In those situations it’s much better to: • Stop working entirely, OR • Go somewhere where you can focus. Instead of being stuck in the “productivity grey zone”. Speaking of which - how much time do you spend in the grey zone? -- PS - I help entrepreneurs get more of the right things done, without extra work hours. If you’re interested, reach out.

Running an 8-figure business has: 🏃Challenges, 🔥Fires to put out, 🤔Decisions to make. 🤪 It's hectic. You're working long hours, especially when you're bootstrapping and wearing all the hats yourself. Here’s what helped me “balance” a healthier work-life:

The most uncool thing about running a business… Let’s talk about “hustle culture”. Now, don’t get me wrong… I love working hard. I thrive on building something and not only seeing it grow but seeing it impact other people. But there’s a fine line between dedication and burnout. For me, it’s about finding a balance. Sure, we need to put in the hours to achieve our goals, but what about those moments that matter outside of work? Building a successful or profitable business is very cool. You know what’s not cool? Not seeing your wife as much as you should… Not spending as much time at home as you should… Not seeing your friends as much as you should. There’s also a difference between making time for all of the above and cutting corners. If you are starting out, sure… work as hard as you can so that you can enjoy all of those moments before the ripe old age of 65 when they tell us it’s normal to retire. But if you have a business that’s doing well, with a proven concept you solve other people’s problems with… There’s no reason to sacrifice time with friends and family just to squeeze in that extra hour of work each day. Be honest in the comments… Do you prioritize friends and family and if so, when did you have that wake-up moment?

One of the best surprises I had when starting my own business was that I would be investing in and working on…. MYSELF! Which makes the journey all the more fulfilling and satisfying. Here are some areas which I find really important to work on: 💎 TIME MANAGEMENT: This is a big one! Especially if you’re working from home. There is a lot of demand on our time, and we need to be prioritizing wisely and creating boundaries to protect our time. 💎 MINDSET: Your beliefs impact your success or failure. It’s as simple as that. 💎 PLEASANT WORK SURROUNDINGS: Having an office space that you look forward to coming to each morning will boost your productivity, and help keep you motivated and focused. Don’t forget to keep it clean and tidy! 💎 DOWN-TIME: Often, it may seem impossible to carve out down-time. And you might be thinking that you are losing out by taking a break from your work. But not taking a break will hurt your productivity in the long run. Having downtime can help stimulate your creativity and give you fresh ideas to apply to your business and projects. Where do you find the need to invest most? Please share in the comments! 👇

“So much to do in so little time,” said just about every entrepreneur at some point in their professional life. It’s true that there’s always plenty to get done when you run a business and all the hard work in the world won’t buy you more hours in which to do it. So how can we be more productive with the time that is available? The good news is that boosting productivity is usually a matter of gentle tweaks and marginal gains rather than a brutal lifestyle overhaul. Check out our 7 free-time-friendly tips for getting more done in your working day. How many are you already following and how many could help you tick off more tasks in the same time? Read the full article on our blog: https://lnkd.in/ddWQrjek

If you want to build a multi-million dollar service business WITHOUT sacrificing all of your time, energy, or the quality of work… I have an insane opportunity for TWO service business founders till the end of the day tomorrow. Over the past years, I have spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on coaches, masterminds, events etc. and have came across a strategy that consistently delivers growth and profitability every single month without the chaos and inefficiency that drain your energy in a business. Up until this point this strategy is only something that was offered to companies I have partnered with and that creates an immediate boost in revenue and efficiency from this alone. This is by far the best profit-powered scaling method to date… AND because I want to see some more people dominate with their business (and start this month off strong), I have decided to implement it for my next two clients. I will personally with my team be guiding TWO service-based business founders 1-on-1 on how to achieve multi-million dollar growth and execute this strategy in your business to start creating predictable profitability and a team of A-players. As someone who has helped companies generate over $50M in the last 4 years, I can tell you that this strategy delivers unmatched growth and efficiency. The best part? You’ll see noticeable improvements in profitability, team performance, and work-life balance within the first 30 days, or your money back. Even if you don’t have a clear hiring process or if you have no effective systems in place, this will work for you. These two spots will be open until 8pm PST tomorrow, but will likely go in the next few hours. First come, first serve. >> Click here to book a call with me to see if your business is a good fit: https://lnkd.in/gf-B-bvV