The Traffic and Funnels Show, a podcast by Chris Evans and Taylor Welch, recently did an episode describing how, at one point, they nearly imploded their business… despite makin’ money hand over fist at that same time. In case you missed it, I’ll spill the tea below. But first, check out what we’re doing with virtual real estate:
Okay, so what was this Traffic and Funnels podcast flub? I’ll let them tell it, and then add my two cents.
“We built TF [Traffic & Funnels] really really fast. So fast, it was unhealthy,” Taylor starts off. “Sometimes, what you notice is, that the faster something grows, the more unhealthy it can be. People don’t understand this,” he adds.
In early-2017, that rapid expansion caught up with them. They didn’t have any infrastructure in place. He and Chris were running themselves ragged, trying to do it all, operating under the assumption that “people are stupid” and only the two of them were capable of making great decisions and executing at a high-level.
And one day, Chris was like, “Enough’s enough. I’d rather make less money and be happy, and be able to spend time with my family… than continue to make more and more, but hate life.”
From that moment forward, they made a pact: “Health over growth.” So they brought in some new team members and each took a giant step back from day-to-day operations. In doing so, they assumed they’d maintain their current income or even go down a little, and they were totally cool with it.
But here’s the kicker: within six months, by complete accident, whaddya know? Their business exploded!
The takeaway is twofold. One, make sure you’re not in your own way. Sure, it’s noble to “hashtag hustle” and want to do all the things, and run a lean, mean business… but in doing so, are you just collateral damage? If so, and especially if you’re nearing burnout, it might be time to step away.
Which brings up point two. Start looking for other leaders within your network. Build those relationships. And don’t assume you can’t because your “revenue isn’t high enough.” That’s irrelevant, Taylor says. This is all about protecting your energy, your creativity, your sanity. It’s never too early to begin building your team. $10k/mo, $20k/mo, $200k/mo, $500k/mo… doesn’t matter. Just put the wheels in motion.
But also have realistic expectations. “It’s probably the most difficult thing we’ve ever been through [as a company],” Chris finally chimes in. “It’s going to be difficult. It’s going to be a challenge. It’s going to stretch you,” he warns.
The key to this whole thing, they wrap up the podcast episode with, is to get guidance from someone who’s lived it already. For them, it was their mentor, Jay Abraham. For you (*hint, hint), perhaps it’s Taylor and Chris.
