my ego death. 🙃

Hey,

Have you ever felt like you’re building a business for everyone but yourself?

In the constant hustle of entrepreneurship, it’s easy to get swept up in how things should look—the “must-haves” for success, the perfectly curated image, the accolades that make it seem like you’re thriving.

But here’s the truth: building a business for how it looks is exhausting. It’s like decorating a house you don’t even want to live in.

This morning, I read a quote from James Clear that hit me hard:

"Focus on what provides value to others, not what impresses others.Other people spend about as much time thinking about your lifestyle and accomplishments as you spend thinking about theirs...The things we do to impress others rarely impress them for longer than five minutes. But the things we do to provide value for others can last a lifetime."

If we take this a step further, I’d say it’s not just about creating value for others. It’s about designing a business—and a life—that feels deeply valuable to you.

What life do you want to live, not what life do you want to be seen living?

I know that when I made the shifts in my business a couple of years ago, I went through a complete and utter ego death.

Will I still get invited into the rooms?

Will I still be accepted into those groups?

Will I still be relevant and accepted?

I set the intention to build a business on my terms, say no way more often, and prioritize my peace over everything else…

And I had no idea how it’d turn out.

Sound like something you might be on the edge of too?

Grab a coffee, and let’s dig into how you can start building a business that’s not just for applause, but for your own fulfillment.

1. Are You Building for Applause or for Alignment?

For so many of us, it’s second nature to build based on external validation.

We measure ourselves by revenue milestones, social media numbers, or what looks impressive on the outside.

But if we’re only chasing applause, we end up with businesses that might look great but feel empty. It’s a recipe for burnout, where you’re chasing external success at the cost of your inner peace.

Imagine for a minute what your business—and life—could feel like if you built from a place of alignment rather than applause. How would you spend your time? What kinds of offers would you create? Where would you let go of the pressure to “perform”?

Building a business that aligns with your life doesn’t just look good; it feels good.

You wake up each day knowing your work is meaningful, aligned, and something you genuinely enjoy. That feeling is priceless, and it’s not something that applause alone can ever replace.

2. What Life Do You Really Want to Live?

It’s so easy to get swept into trends or comparison traps, building businesses that look great on the outside but make us feel like strangers in our own lives.

Maybe you started out passionate and energized, but somewhere along the way, you started measuring your success by someone else’s standards.

Take a moment to ask yourself: What life do I really want to live? Not the life that others would applaud, but the one that feels authentic to you. Do you want more freedom in your schedule? The ability to travel? A business that allows you to log off without guilt?

This simple shift—from focusing on others to focusing on yourself—can bring immense relief. You might feel a weight lifting as you realize you don’t have to keep up with anyone else’s vision.

The only lifestyle business worth building is the one that supports the life you actually want.

  Read Online

Hey ,

Have you ever felt like you’re building a business for everyone but yourself?

In the constant hustle of entrepreneurship, it’s easy to get swept up in how things should look—the “must-haves” for success, the perfectly curated image, the accolades that make it seem like you’re thriving.

But here’s the truth: building a business for how it looks is exhausting. It’s like decorating a house you don’t even want to live in.

This morning, I read a quote from James Clear that hit me hard:

"Focus on what provides value to others, not what impresses others. Other people spend about as much time thinking about your lifestyle and accomplishments as you spend thinking about theirs... The things we do to impress others rarely impress them for longer than five minutes. But the things we do to provide value for others can last a lifetime."

If we take this a step further, I’d say it’s not just about creating value for others. It’s about designing a business—and a life—that feels deeply valuable to you.

What life do you want to live, not what life do you want to be seen living?

I know that when I made the shifts in my business a couple of years ago, I went through a complete and utter ego death.

Will I still get invited into the rooms?

Will I still be accepted into those groups?

Will I still be relevant and accepted?

I set the intention to build a business on my terms, say no way more often, and prioritize my peace over everything else…

And I had no idea how it’d turn out.

Sound like something you might be on the edge of too?

Grab a coffee, and let’s dig into how you can start building a business that’s not just for applause, but for your own fulfillment.

1. Are You Building for Applause or for Alignment?

For so many of us, it’s second nature to build based on external validation.

We measure ourselves by revenue milestones, social media numbers, or what looks impressive on the outside.

But if we’re only chasing applause, we end up with businesses that might look great but feel empty. It’s a recipe for burnout, where you’re chasing external success at the cost of your inner peace.

Imagine for a minute what your business—and life—could feel like if you built from a place of alignment rather than applause. How would you spend your time? What kinds of offers would you create? Where would you let go of the pressure to “perform”?

Building a business that aligns with your life doesn’t just look good; it feels good.

You wake up each day knowing your work is meaningful, aligned, and something you genuinely enjoy. That feeling is priceless, and it’s not something that applause alone can ever replace.

2. What Life Do You Really Want to Live?

It’s so easy to get swept into trends or comparison traps, building businesses that look great on the outside but make us feel like strangers in our own lives.

Maybe you started out passionate and energized, but somewhere along the way, you started measuring your success by someone else’s standards.

Take a moment to ask yourself: What life do I really want to live? Not the life that others would applaud, but the one that feels authentic to you. Do you want more freedom in your schedule? The ability to travel? A business that allows you to log off without guilt?

This simple shift—from focusing on others to focusing on yourself—can bring immense relief. You might feel a weight lifting as you realize you don’t have to keep up with anyone else’s vision.

The only lifestyle business worth building is the one that supports the life you actually want.

3. Shed the “Shoulds”

When we’re focused on impressing others, we fill our businesses with “shoulds.”

You should scale, you should hire a bigger team, you should be hitting new revenue milestones every quarter.

But those “shoulds” rarely lead to happiness—they just keep us stuck in cycles of stress, constantly trying to meet expectations that don’t serve us.

What if you could release the “shoulds” and design your business your way? What if you could be just as proud of a smaller, simpler business that lets you live a life you love? This doesn’t mean we’re shrinking down our dreams—it means we’re letting go of the dreams that don’t fit.

Imagine the freedom in knowing you don’t need anyone’s approval but your own.

Building for yourself, not for applause, lets you craft a business model that fits your goals, your values, and your version of success. Shedding the “shoulds” is permission to create something deeply meaningful on your terms.

4. Ego-Driven Growth vs. Purpose-Driven Impact

So much of the drive to impress others comes from ego.

Ego wants us to achieve, win, and stand out. But that’s only one side of the story.

Purpose-driven growth, on the other hand, is about building a business that supports our core values, respects our boundaries, and allows us to serve from a place of joy.

When your growth is purpose-driven, you’re free to make choices that prioritize impact over ego. It’s not about having the biggest team or the most impressive numbers; it’s about doing work that aligns with your values and serves others meaningfully. Trust me, this shift from ego to purpose brings an ease and relief that no amount of applause can offer.

5. Ask Yourself: What Kind of Life and Business Am I Creating?

The best part of entrepreneurship is that you get to design your path. So, let’s get real with ourselves.

Ask: Am I building a business that looks good or one that feels good? Am I creating a life that aligns with my values or one that just “seems” successful?

Every decision you make is a step toward either a business that’s hollow or one that’s full of purpose and ease. Checking in with yourself like this helps you stay anchored in what really matters. And the beauty of it? The business you build from a place of truth and alignment will resonate with your clients and community on a deeper level than any flashy, surface-level accomplishment ever could.

At the end of the day, the most fulfilling business isn’t the one that wins the most applause—it’s the one that lets you wake up feeling proud, aligned, and at peace with what you’re creating. 

Let’s keep the focus on building businesses that bring value to others and let us live the lives we actually want.

Remember, you don’t need anyone’s validation to build something that’s meaningful to you. Your business can be a true reflection of who you are, not who you think you need to be.

Here’s to a life and business that’s as beautiful on the inside as it is on the outside.

XO Natalie

🤓 Are the Meta Glasses the future? I’m torn on whether to grab a pair, I think as a content creator they’d actually be so useful… but I feel a bit resistant to even more wearable tech.

📹 Speaking of building a business that actually aligns with you, this week on YouTube I uploaded a video to share my friend Melyssa’s story. She shut down a multiple 7 figure business to open a bookstore cafe in Europe… and made me want to do the same!

Automate a ‘Welcome Sequence’ Review Every Quarter

• What?: Set up a quarterly reminder to review your welcome email sequence. Check if your messaging is still aligned with your brand, and see if there’s an opportunity to optimize the sequence with more personalization or fresh value.
• Why It’s a Needle Mover? First impressions matter, and a well-crafted welcome sequence can build trust and engagement from the start. Quarterly reviews ensure this key part of your funnel stays relevant and resonates with new subscribers.

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