April 3, 2025 • 17 mins
You’ve built something meaningful. You’ve grown, pivoted, and stretched yourself in ways most people wouldn’t understand. But perhaps you’ve reached a point where even your wins feel weighty.
In today’s solo episode, I’m sharing the mindset shift that took me from doing everything alone to creating sustainable success through aligned, strategic connection. I open up about a season in my business where I felt stuck—creatively and relationally—and how a surprising move into a new space opened the door to an entirely new level of inspiration, visibility, and ease.
Whether you’re on the edge of burnout, craving your next breakthrough, or simply wanting to feel more supported as you grow, this is a grounded conversation about letting go of over-functioning, leaning into your intuition, and reimagining what business gets to feel like. You don’t need to do more—you need to do what matters, with the right people by your side.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Sheila (00:08):
you're not burnt out because you're doing too much.
You're burnt out because you'vebeen doing too much alone.
In this episode, I'll show youhow the smartest, most
successful founders I work withcreate exponential growth, not
by adding more to their plate,but by strategically choosing
who sits at the table.
And if you've been secretlythinking, I should have figured
(00:30):
this out by now, this episode isfor you.
Hi, welcome to the Connect withSheila Botelho podcast.
I'm committed to help youreconnect to your purpose,
elevate your wellbeing and buildyour version of a happy,
successful life.
Today, on the solo chat, I amsharing about something I've
(00:52):
been sitting with for a while,because it's about a shift that
I've noticed, not just in myclients but in myself at various
times in my life and business,and it's one that often comes
after years of buildingsomething, of perhaps scaling it
and being the one person who'sholding the vision to bring
(01:14):
everything to life.
And you may find yourself thereright now.
You're moving into a new rangeof business, new profitability,
new market.
Perhaps, and you might feel ittoo, the success that you have
built is real, and yet so is theweight of it all, and so today
(01:38):
I wanted to talk about the powerof strategic connection, not
networking, of strategicconnection, not networking, not
just collecting contacts, butthe kind of aligned connection
that actually supports yourgrowth while supporting your
nervous system.
When I first started thispodcast, I was in a very
(01:58):
different season of business andlife.
I was testing things, sayingyes to a lot of new ideas and,
like many of us, building in themargins of an already full life
, and I was solo in many ways atdoing these things.
Even though I had support indifferent areas, I was still the
(02:18):
person thinking througheverything what is the content,
what are the offers?
What type of launch do I wantto do?
What is the messaging?
How does operationally?
How does this lookoperationally?
And I was really proud of thatuntil I wasn't, because, the
truth is, pride in being the onewho can do it all is often
(02:43):
masking exhaustion, and I wascraving something, but I didn't
quite know how to articulate it.
And what I've realized since,both in my own journey and while
working with others who arebuilding incredible businesses,
is that what we're often missingis aligned collaboration.
(03:03):
What we're often missing isaligned collaboration.
There was a time in businesswhere I wanted to expand in a
new direction, but I felt like Icouldn't, and it wasn't because
I didn't have the ideas, butbecause the relationships I had
built were tethered to aspecific agreement and I needed
to honor that.
And perhaps you found yourselfin that place too, where you
(03:30):
have made a decision and you'vetaken a business down a certain
road and you're happy with wherethat's growing and now you want
to start something else.
But you realize you need to letthat well-oiled machine do its
thing and you don't want tocannibalize that business and
also you want to honor theagreements that you have with
the people in that business.
So you're starting from scratchin a sense.
But really are we ever startingfrom scratch?
(03:51):
Because there are so manypeople in our lives who are not
involved in just one area of ourlives.
So I really felt at acrossroads and I realized that
in honoring that, it also gaveme an opportunity to look at the
whole big picture and I reallyfelt stuck.
(04:12):
Actually, my creativity for whoto collaborate with fell flat.
And this was before the socialmedia boom, when especially the
women's entrepreneurialcommunities were not as easy to
access.
There just weren't as many, anddefinitely not in my area.
So I did something that wasn'tstrategic, it wasn't part of a
(04:37):
funnel or a plan.
I followed a feeling.
I got involved in a nonprofitinitiative, something that
aligned with my values and,through that, just the practice
of doing something different andbeing in a completely different
arena.
I started meeting new people,different industries, different
(04:59):
stages of life, with zerobusiness agenda and,
interestingly, you know whathappened?
Well, ideas started flowingagain and I remembered how fun
it was to connect withoutexpectation and, wouldn't you
know it, new collaborations camefrom that, not just business
(05:20):
opportunities, but new ways ofthinking, new skill sets, new
energy.
And that moment taught mesomething I've come back to
again and again, and now I shareit with my clients, and that is
this when we shift environments, even temporarily, we shift
(05:40):
possibility.
Here's what I found.
Possibility, here's what Ifound.
Strategic connection doesn'tmean jumping into every group
program or masterminding withevery business owner that you
meet, but it is about gettingclear on what kind of support
that you need right now.
Maybe it's someone to help youzoom out on the big picture.
(06:02):
Maybe it's someone who makesyour nervous system feel safe
when you share your real numbers.
Maybe it's someone who showsyou a model of success that
doesn't require selling yoursoul and every minute in your
schedule.
Sometimes it's someone youdon't even realize that you
needed, until a conversationsparks something that changes
(06:26):
everything.
I've had the honor of workingwith founders at every stage,
from best-selling authors and TVpersonalities to wellness
entrepreneurs bringing out theirsecond and third offers.
And one thing is always trueout their second and third
offers.
And one thing is always truethey all doubt themselves when
(06:47):
stepping into a new space, evenif it's just a little bit.
That doubt just lives in theirminds.
Sometimes that might surpriseyou, but it's so important to
say out loud, because what Iwant you to know is this you're
not behind for feeling a littleunsure, you're just human.
Does that make you feel better?
(07:08):
Because sometimes the bestthing we can do is interrupt the
spiral by stepping into adifferent room, a different
energy, a different rhythm, adifferent rhythm.
And what's interesting is whenI look back at that time, the
(07:28):
pause from my usual businessfocus.
It wasn't just about steppingaway, it was a reorientation.
That philanthropic work broughtme back to a version of myself.
I hadn't spent much time withthe creative connector, the
storyteller, the person wholoves seeing potential in people
and bringing it forward.
(07:49):
That part of me wasn't gone.
It had just been buried undertask lists, metrics, launch
cycles, all the rules.
You know what I mean the thingsthat we need to look at as
business owners.
But those things also canreally cloud our inner compass
if we don't balance them withconnection and creativity.
(08:10):
And here's what I realizedSometimes, when we're stuck in
our business, it's not thatwe're missing the right funnel
or the right team member or theright productivity hack.
We're missing ourselves.
Right team member or the rightproductivity hack.
We're missing ourselves.
We've outsourced so much of ourenergy to performance that we
forget how much wisdom weactually carry.
(08:31):
When we slow down enough tohear it and when we do reconnect
with that version of ourselvesthe intuitive leader, the
visionary, the community buildersomething clicks, decisions
become clearer, boundariessharpen and the right people
seem to arrive right on time.
(08:51):
And that is not magic, that'sresonance, and it happens when
we stop trying to force clarityalone.
So if you've been feeling likeyou're at capacity, but still
not quite there, wherever thereis, it might be time to not ask
(09:14):
what am I missing?
But who am I not inconversation with yet?
Because the right conversationsshift timelines.
They bring things forward thatwere already inside of you, but
just waiting for the rightmirror to reflect them back.
I can't tell you how many timesI've had opportunities land in
(09:37):
my lap that I was not lookingfor.
I was not even aware theyexisted.
So there is this culturalpressure.
I will say that I've noticed,and when I really slow down, I
see it when I'm not stuck in myown linear thinking about okay,
(09:59):
let's move forward and I noticethis especially for women and it
is to prove that we can do itall before we're allowed to
receive help.
And what I want to call out isthis thing right now, because
that is not strength, that issurvival.
Strength says I want to grow andI want to feel good while I do
it.
I want to grow and I want tofeel good while I do it.
(10:21):
It also says I'm ready toreceive support, not because I'm
weak, but because I'm resourced.
Strength also says I don't needto suffer to be successful.
This is what I mean when I talkabout self-care for business.
It's not bubble baths betweenZoom calls, I mean, although
(10:41):
that's kind of a nice idea, it'snot bubble baths between Zoom
calls, I mean, although that'skind of a nice idea.
It's proactively designing yourgrowth so it supports your
well-being, your time, yourvalues and your vision.
So now let's talk about vision.
You've heard this before yournetwork is your net worth.
But I think we're missingsomething there.
(11:04):
Your network isn't just aboutmoney, it's about meaning.
And money's fabulous, right.
It gets us to our desires, itallows us to do the exchange.
It's fabulous.
But the meaning, oh my goodness.
The people around you eitherreinforce your current reality
(11:26):
or they expand it.
So if you've been feeling likethe conversations you're having
lately just don't light you up.
Or if you're walking away fromcalls feeling more drained than
energized, that's data for you.
That's information I want youto really look at.
It's okay to outgrow rooms.
(11:46):
You're allowed to seekconnection that feels nourishing
, not just useful to the bottomline.
You're allowed to want depth,reciprocity, fun, and you're
allowed to also say no to anyspace that doesn't feel like a
fit anymore, even if it once did.
So just take a breath right now, and I'm going to invite you to
(12:11):
ask yourself some questions.
Number one is am I clear on thekind of energy I want around me
this season?
Think about that.
I invite you to journal on that.
One Another question is is mycalendar reflecting that it's a
follow-up question.
Okay, look at who's around youand what is your calendar
(12:34):
telling you and then askyourself who's in my corner and
who might I need to release orgently move to a new part of my
life or timeline?
This is a really powerful kindof inner housekeeping, if you
will.
It doesn't require drama.
It really requires honesty withyourself, because you know the
(12:57):
answer.
You have people's namesfloating through your mind right
now and you know what theanswers are.
It's just we don't want to havethese uncomfortable
conversations, right?
We don't want to upset people.
We want everybody to be happy,right there with you, and I
really want you to prioritizeyour own happiness, because when
(13:19):
you do, when you are in yourfull joy, that's when everyone
around you feels that energy andalso starts to see what's
possible for themselves ifthey're open to it.
Because if you're holding a bigvision and I believe you are,
if you're still listening tothis, you need people around you
who are not just impressed byit, but who also believe in it
(13:41):
so deeply that they'll help youprotect it.
Those are the kind ofconnections that scale not just
your business, but your joy, notjust your business, but your
joy.
I want to leave you with thisGrowth does not always look like
more.
Sometimes it just looks likebetter, better boundaries,
(14:10):
better support, betterconversations, better rest and,
yes, better outcomes, but onlybecause they're flowing from a
more resourced you.
Because while strategy matters,we can all agree on that, but
if you are not feeling connected, you're not going to want to
implement that strategy.
One of my gifts is curatingaligned communities, not just
(14:34):
with powerful curriculum, butwith the kind of people who see
you, who challenge your work andwho walk beside you.
And this is the power ofstrategic connection.
If you're craving that rightnow, you are not alone.
You're in a powerful transitionright now, one where you don't
have to hustle your way forwardanymore.
(14:54):
You get to align, you get tochoose ease, you get to
collaborate, and that's theenergy inside the season's
growth accelerator.
And it's something I'veintentionally built for founders
like you who want to grow withless overwhelm and more impact.
And when you walk with me, youdon't just get me, you get a map
, a mirror and a village.
(15:16):
So if you've been craving thatnext level support and you want
a space that honors your pace,your growth and your whole
beautiful self, the wait list isthere for you.
Head to the link in the shownotes.
The wait list is there for you.
Head to the link in the shownotes and you can learn more
details there.
Your next level.
It does not require doing more.
(15:37):
It requires doing what matterswith people who truly, truly get
it.
I would love to hear your storyand where you find yourself
right now.
Tag me on Instagram and tell meeveryone's journey has value to
share that others can benefitfrom hearing.
So, also, if you're ready tostep into this next season of
(15:59):
growth with full alignment, Ifind it very helpful for people
to actually download and do myfree resource, the Embodied
Success Method and Meditation.
That is also in the show notesand it's a nice first step that
allows you to see what could benext for you and how best to
take action on it.
Thank you so much for listening.
(16:20):
I am so grateful for you and Ihope you have a beautiful rest
of your day.
Big blessings.
you're not burnt out because you're doing too much.
You're burnt out because you'vebeen doing too much alone.
In this episode, I'll show youhow the smartest, most
successful founders I work withcreate exponential growth, not
by adding more to their plate,but by strategically choosing
who sits at the table.
And if you've been secretlythinking, I should have figured
(00:30):
this out by now, this episode isfor you.
Hi, welcome to the Connect withSheila Botelho podcast.
I'm committed to help youreconnect to your purpose,
elevate your wellbeing and buildyour version of a happy,
successful life.
Today, on the solo chat, I amsharing about something I've
(00:52):
been sitting with for a while,because it's about a shift that
I've noticed, not just in myclients but in myself at various
times in my life and business,and it's one that often comes
after years of buildingsomething, of perhaps scaling it
and being the one person who'sholding the vision to bring
(01:14):
everything to life.
And you may find yourself thereright now.
You're moving into a new rangeof business, new profitability,
new market.
Perhaps, and you might feel ittoo, the success that you have
built is real, and yet so is theweight of it all, and so today
(01:38):
I wanted to talk about the powerof strategic connection, not
networking, of strategicconnection, not networking, not
just collecting contacts, butthe kind of aligned connection
that actually supports yourgrowth while supporting your
nervous system.
When I first started thispodcast, I was in a very
(01:58):
different season of business andlife.
I was testing things, sayingyes to a lot of new ideas and,
like many of us, building in themargins of an already full life
, and I was solo in many ways atdoing these things.
Even though I had support indifferent areas, I was still the
(02:18):
person thinking througheverything what is the content,
what are the offers?
What type of launch do I wantto do?
What is the messaging?
How does operationally?
How does this lookoperationally?
And I was really proud of thatuntil I wasn't, because, the
truth is, pride in being the onewho can do it all is often
(02:43):
masking exhaustion, and I wascraving something, but I didn't
quite know how to articulate it.
And what I've realized since,both in my own journey and while
working with others who arebuilding incredible businesses,
is that what we're often missingis aligned collaboration.
(03:03):
What we're often missing isaligned collaboration.
There was a time in businesswhere I wanted to expand in a
new direction, but I felt like Icouldn't, and it wasn't because
I didn't have the ideas, butbecause the relationships I had
built were tethered to aspecific agreement and I needed
to honor that.
And perhaps you found yourselfin that place too, where you
(03:30):
have made a decision and you'vetaken a business down a certain
road and you're happy with wherethat's growing and now you want
to start something else.
But you realize you need to letthat well-oiled machine do its
thing and you don't want tocannibalize that business and
also you want to honor theagreements that you have with
the people in that business.
So you're starting from scratchin a sense.
But really are we ever startingfrom scratch?
(03:51):
Because there are so manypeople in our lives who are not
involved in just one area of ourlives.
So I really felt at acrossroads and I realized that
in honoring that, it also gaveme an opportunity to look at the
whole big picture and I reallyfelt stuck.
(04:12):
Actually, my creativity for whoto collaborate with fell flat.
And this was before the socialmedia boom, when especially the
women's entrepreneurialcommunities were not as easy to
access.
There just weren't as many, anddefinitely not in my area.
So I did something that wasn'tstrategic, it wasn't part of a
(04:37):
funnel or a plan.
I followed a feeling.
I got involved in a nonprofitinitiative, something that
aligned with my values and,through that, just the practice
of doing something different andbeing in a completely different
arena.
I started meeting new people,different industries, different
(04:59):
stages of life, with zerobusiness agenda and,
interestingly, you know whathappened?
Well, ideas started flowingagain and I remembered how fun
it was to connect withoutexpectation and, wouldn't you
know it, new collaborations camefrom that, not just business
(05:20):
opportunities, but new ways ofthinking, new skill sets, new
energy.
And that moment taught mesomething I've come back to
again and again, and now I shareit with my clients, and that is
this when we shift environments, even temporarily, we shift
(05:40):
possibility.
Here's what I found.
Possibility, here's what Ifound.
Strategic connection doesn'tmean jumping into every group
program or masterminding withevery business owner that you
meet, but it is about gettingclear on what kind of support
that you need right now.
Maybe it's someone to help youzoom out on the big picture.
(06:02):
Maybe it's someone who makesyour nervous system feel safe
when you share your real numbers.
Maybe it's someone who showsyou a model of success that
doesn't require selling yoursoul and every minute in your
schedule.
Sometimes it's someone youdon't even realize that you
needed, until a conversationsparks something that changes
(06:26):
everything.
I've had the honor of workingwith founders at every stage,
from best-selling authors and TVpersonalities to wellness
entrepreneurs bringing out theirsecond and third offers.
And one thing is always trueout their second and third
offers.
And one thing is always truethey all doubt themselves when
(06:47):
stepping into a new space, evenif it's just a little bit.
That doubt just lives in theirminds.
Sometimes that might surpriseyou, but it's so important to
say out loud, because what Iwant you to know is this you're
not behind for feeling a littleunsure, you're just human.
Does that make you feel better?
(07:08):
Because sometimes the bestthing we can do is interrupt the
spiral by stepping into adifferent room, a different
energy, a different rhythm, adifferent rhythm.
And what's interesting is whenI look back at that time, the
(07:28):
pause from my usual businessfocus.
It wasn't just about steppingaway, it was a reorientation.
That philanthropic work broughtme back to a version of myself.
I hadn't spent much time withthe creative connector, the
storyteller, the person wholoves seeing potential in people
and bringing it forward.
(07:49):
That part of me wasn't gone.
It had just been buried undertask lists, metrics, launch
cycles, all the rules.
You know what I mean the thingsthat we need to look at as
business owners.
But those things also canreally cloud our inner compass
if we don't balance them withconnection and creativity.
(08:10):
And here's what I realizedSometimes, when we're stuck in
our business, it's not thatwe're missing the right funnel
or the right team member or theright productivity hack.
We're missing ourselves.
Right team member or the rightproductivity hack.
We're missing ourselves.
We've outsourced so much of ourenergy to performance that we
forget how much wisdom weactually carry.
(08:31):
When we slow down enough tohear it and when we do reconnect
with that version of ourselvesthe intuitive leader, the
visionary, the community buildersomething clicks, decisions
become clearer, boundariessharpen and the right people
seem to arrive right on time.
(08:51):
And that is not magic, that'sresonance, and it happens when
we stop trying to force clarityalone.
So if you've been feeling likeyou're at capacity, but still
not quite there, wherever thereis, it might be time to not ask
(09:14):
what am I missing?
But who am I not inconversation with yet?
Because the right conversationsshift timelines.
They bring things forward thatwere already inside of you, but
just waiting for the rightmirror to reflect them back.
I can't tell you how many timesI've had opportunities land in
(09:37):
my lap that I was not lookingfor.
I was not even aware theyexisted.
So there is this culturalpressure.
I will say that I've noticed,and when I really slow down, I
see it when I'm not stuck in myown linear thinking about okay,
(09:59):
let's move forward and I noticethis especially for women and it
is to prove that we can do itall before we're allowed to
receive help.
And what I want to call out isthis thing right now, because
that is not strength, that issurvival.
Strength says I want to grow andI want to feel good while I do
it.
I want to grow and I want tofeel good while I do it.
(10:21):
It also says I'm ready toreceive support, not because I'm
weak, but because I'm resourced.
Strength also says I don't needto suffer to be successful.
This is what I mean when I talkabout self-care for business.
It's not bubble baths betweenZoom calls, I mean, although
(10:41):
that's kind of a nice idea, it'snot bubble baths between Zoom
calls, I mean, although that'skind of a nice idea.
It's proactively designing yourgrowth so it supports your
well-being, your time, yourvalues and your vision.
So now let's talk about vision.
You've heard this before yournetwork is your net worth.
But I think we're missingsomething there.
(11:04):
Your network isn't just aboutmoney, it's about meaning.
And money's fabulous, right.
It gets us to our desires, itallows us to do the exchange.
It's fabulous.
But the meaning, oh my goodness.
The people around you eitherreinforce your current reality
(11:26):
or they expand it.
So if you've been feeling likethe conversations you're having
lately just don't light you up.
Or if you're walking away fromcalls feeling more drained than
energized, that's data for you.
That's information I want youto really look at.
It's okay to outgrow rooms.
(11:46):
You're allowed to seekconnection that feels nourishing
, not just useful to the bottomline.
You're allowed to want depth,reciprocity, fun, and you're
allowed to also say no to anyspace that doesn't feel like a
fit anymore, even if it once did.
So just take a breath right now, and I'm going to invite you to
(12:11):
ask yourself some questions.
Number one is am I clear on thekind of energy I want around me
this season?
Think about that.
I invite you to journal on that.
One Another question is is mycalendar reflecting that it's a
follow-up question.
Okay, look at who's around youand what is your calendar
(12:34):
telling you and then askyourself who's in my corner and
who might I need to release orgently move to a new part of my
life or timeline?
This is a really powerful kindof inner housekeeping, if you
will.
It doesn't require drama.
It really requires honesty withyourself, because you know the
(12:57):
answer.
You have people's namesfloating through your mind right
now and you know what theanswers are.
It's just we don't want to havethese uncomfortable
conversations, right?
We don't want to upset people.
We want everybody to be happy,right there with you, and I
really want you to prioritizeyour own happiness, because when
(13:19):
you do, when you are in yourfull joy, that's when everyone
around you feels that energy andalso starts to see what's
possible for themselves ifthey're open to it.
Because if you're holding a bigvision and I believe you are,
if you're still listening tothis, you need people around you
who are not just impressed byit, but who also believe in it
(13:41):
so deeply that they'll help youprotect it.
Those are the kind ofconnections that scale not just
your business, but your joy, notjust your business, but your
joy.
I want to leave you with thisGrowth does not always look like
more.
Sometimes it just looks likebetter, better boundaries,
(14:10):
better support, betterconversations, better rest and,
yes, better outcomes, but onlybecause they're flowing from a
more resourced you.
Because while strategy matters,we can all agree on that, but
if you are not feeling connected, you're not going to want to
implement that strategy.
One of my gifts is curatingaligned communities, not just
(14:34):
with powerful curriculum, butwith the kind of people who see
you, who challenge your work andwho walk beside you.
And this is the power ofstrategic connection.
If you're craving that rightnow, you are not alone.
You're in a powerful transitionright now, one where you don't
have to hustle your way forwardanymore.
(14:54):
You get to align, you get tochoose ease, you get to
collaborate, and that's theenergy inside the season's
growth accelerator.
And it's something I'veintentionally built for founders
like you who want to grow withless overwhelm and more impact.
And when you walk with me, youdon't just get me, you get a map
, a mirror and a village.
(15:16):
So if you've been craving thatnext level support and you want
a space that honors your pace,your growth and your whole
beautiful self, the wait list isthere for you.
Head to the link in the shownotes.
The wait list is there for you.
Head to the link in the shownotes and you can learn more
details there.
Your next level.
It does not require doing more.
(15:37):
It requires doing what matterswith people who truly, truly get
it.
I would love to hear your storyand where you find yourself
right now.
Tag me on Instagram and tell meeveryone's journey has value to
share that others can benefitfrom hearing.
So, also, if you're ready tostep into this next season of
(15:59):
growth with full alignment, Ifind it very helpful for people
to actually download and do myfree resource, the Embodied
Success Method and Meditation.
That is also in the show notesand it's a nice first step that
allows you to see what could benext for you and how best to
take action on it.
Thank you so much for listening.
(16:20):
I am so grateful for you and Ihope you have a beautiful rest
of your day.
Big blessings.
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