10/07/2025
Behind the Scenes of a Small Business Owner
I recently received this very truthful and transparent text from a new client...
"Ok so full disclosure: I have not been able to bring myself to make that job costing sheet any better than it currently is because I am massively overwhelmed.
My brain has not operated as well as it used to and I need to find ways to compensate for my shortcomings. One of those things is overcoming the ever increasing to do list.
Estimates, invoicing, logistics, etc. all stuff that I would love to hire an office person to do, but have been unable to find someone nor have the time to train them.
I have 16 projects in the works (some are just waiting their turn) but the total volume of stuff to do is so overwhelming to me, that as soon as I sit down to work 'on' the business, I panic/meltdown, etc. and am not able to get anything of substance completed đ"
If youâve ever been there â sitting at your desk, coffee gone cold, staring at a mountain of unfinished tasks â you know the feeling. This is often what it's like behind the scenes for even some of the most 'successful' business owners.
The truth is, overwhelm doesnât mean youâre lazy or disorganized. It usually means your business has outgrown the systems that once worked.
As a coach, hereâs how I help clients (and sometimes myself) get from meltdown to momentum.
1. Reframe: This isnât failure â itâs feedback.
Your brain isnât broken; your structure is. Youâve hit your capacity. The business has grown faster than your systems have evolved. And thatâs not bad news â itâs a sign of success hiding behind stress.
2. When everything feels big, nothing gets done. So go tiny.
One 30-minute task. Or even 10 if 30 sounds like crazy talk.
One bite-sized win.
Update a single column on that job-costing sheet (or whatever is ailing you) â not the whole thing.
Momentum comes from movement.
3. When your head feels full, stop relying on it. Do a brain dump. Circle the top three things that protect or create revenue. Schedule just one.
Everything else can wait.
Clarity beats chaos every time.
Final thought...overwhelm isnât a sign youâre failing â itâs a signal youâre ready to evolve. You donât need a miracle system; you just need one small, doable step and a little grace along the way.
Because sometimes, the most productive thing you can do is take a deep breath and remember: youâre doing better than you think and you're not the only one in the boat.
