What happens when your growing business starts demanding more than your body can give?
In this episode of Business with Chronic Illness, I'm joined by Stephanie DiPisa, founder of Solara Suncare, mom of three, and Chronic Lyme advocate, to talk about the hard but necessary truth: sometimes the best thing for your business is doing less, not more.
Stephanie opens up about launching her first business at 40 with no beauty industry experience, building Solara into a successful brand sold everywhere from Target to Neiman Marcus, and how her journey with chronic Lyme disease taught her to recognize when it's time to intentionally slow down. She shares why she had to pause her business completely for a year, how that break actually made her products better, and the warning signs that tell her it's time to "turn down the faucet" on growth.
By the end of this episode, you'll walk away with:
- Why forced health breaks can actually strengthen your business and improve your offerings in unexpected ways.
- How to recognize when you're slipping into unsustainable patterns before you reach a complete breaking point.
- How shifting away from "catching up" fear and toward intentional choices that prioritize long-term sustainability over short-term gains.
Stephanie's story is a reminder that building a successful business with chronic illness isn't about pushing harder; it's about listening to your body's wisdom and creating something that can thrive even when you need to rest.
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