Rewiring the Panel: Why Business Owners Need More Than Just “ON”

When I flew helicopters in the Army, the control panel was full of switches—each one with a purpose.

This switch wasn’t real, but it now sits on my desk as a reminder:

If you know the old Creedence Clearwater Revival song, you’ll recognize the lyric:

“It ain’t me, I ain’t no fortunate one.”

For many small business owners and nonprofit leaders, that middle position hits home.

No silver spoon. No safety net. No shortcut.

Just grit and grind.

And the two ON settings? You know those, too:

Always working. Always pushing. Never off.

But none of those options offer clarity, focus, or breathing room. They’re part of a system built for survival—not sustainability.

The leaders I coach aren’t just flipping switches. They’re rewiring the panel to build a better way to lead—one that makes room for vision, rest, and margin.

Here are five places I help them start:

1. Clarify What Only You Can Do

Not everything needs your attention. What work truly requires your voice, your leadership, or your presence? That’s where you bring the most value. Start there.

2. Design Your Ideal Week

Don’t let the urgent dictate your schedule. Build your week around what matters most: focused work, recovery time, and margin. If you don’t design it, the chaos will.

3. Name the Noise

Every leader faces hidden distractions—meetings, alerts, unrealistic expectations, mental clutter. Identifying them is the first step to reducing them. Less noise = more clarity.

4. Recommit to a Bigger Why

You didn’t start your business to be buried in email and admin. You had a mission. Reconnect with it—and let it guide your decisions again.

5. Build a “Stop Doing” List

You can’t create margin by doing more. Instead, look at what you can:

• Eliminate: What no longer needs to be done at all?
• Automate: What could run without your hands on it?
• Delegate: What can someone else handle better—or faster—than you?

This simple framework creates breathing room faster than almost anything else.

You don’t have to keep living “always ON.” You don’t have to carry it all alone.

Stop running on survival mode. Let’s rewire your leadership—starting today.

Your first coaching session is on me. Click here to schedule your complimentary breakthrough hour.

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