Two weeks ago, my wife and I went on a two week holiday to Vietnam and had an absolutely fantastic time. At the time of writing this we have been back for a week and the above has been on my mind every day since getting back.

Why am I telling you this? Like many of us, I have realised that I had become a bit complacent in relation to my life and what I am doing. I was in the “groove” of the day to day. The problem with this is that those days turn into weeks, those weeks into months and those months into years.  Suddenly you look back and 2 or 3 years have gone past and you are wondering what you have done with the time. Does this sound familiar?

I woke up at my normal time and straight away my heart was racing. I had an anxious feeling that I couldn’t explain. There was nothing specific going through my mind, but I felt as if the world was closing in around me. I felt so overwhelmed, even though I was thinking of nothing in particular. I didn’t want to get out of bed. I said to my wife that I wasn’t feeling well and that I was going to stay in bed for a little while. I don’t think I had ever felt this way before. My heart was racing, I felt overwhelmed about nothing and about everything at the same time, and I didn’t want to get out of bed to go to work.

I was having a mild panic attack!!

It is also important that your Bucket List becomes a list in real life.  Write the things that you want to do in your life down on a piece of paper.  Studies have shown that you are more likely to achieve your bucket list items once they are written down and shared with family and friends.  There is something magical about taking these thoughts out of your head and putting them on a piece of paper that starts the journey towards making them a reality.

I was talking to a client the other day about their end of year financials and I asked the client about how he thought the business had gone for the year. His response was that the business had not performed as well as he would like. He also mentioned that he had joined a group coaching team specific to his industry. I asked him how it was going and the response really stuck out to me. “They are telling me for my business to be successful I need to grow and hire more people, and I don’t think I want to do that!” – Interesting

The journey of a small business owner aged 30 to 45 is a dynamic blend of entrepreneurship and family responsibilities. Striving for business success while nurturing a fulfilling family life requires a well-crafted roadmap that considers both professional aspirations and personal dreams. In this article, we'll delve into a comprehensive roadmap that guides you toward achieving profitability in your business while enriching your family's life experiences.

One of the items on a lot of business owners bucket list is being able to work a 4 day week with no drop in cash flow or profit. The concept, while enticing, requires a thorough understanding of my business and a series of strategic shifts. The following are some strategies to help move closer to that elusive 4-day work week dream.

Yesterday morning I received the best piece of advice I have had in a long time. I was pondering over a decision that I had to make with my business that had the potential to be confrontational. I have always thought of myself of someone who doesn’t like confrontation. I have always tried to avoid it where possible. I would much rather miss out than go through the difficult conversation.

We go back 4 or 5 years. Paul and Jan (that is what I have called them) run their own small business. It is 8.00 at night, and like every other week night, they are both sitting at the kitchen table finishing of paperwork from the day. Paul stops what he is doing looks up and says “ I am not happy Jan (some will understand this reference). Paul continues, “Our business is going reasonably well, but we are both spending 12 hours a day to make it work. We have no time for the kids and no time to do the things we want. There has to be a better way!”

For Christmas last year, one of our sons (We will call him Jack because that is his name) purchased tickets for my wife and I to go and see “The Imperfects” live show. This is a show loosely based around their podcast which is brilliant and I would encourage everyone to go and see it if you are able to.