July 24, 2025 • 12 mins
🔗 Mentioned on this Episode: Show Notes 👈
If your business still “works” on paper—but you’re secretly restless, uninspired, or quietly questioning what’s next—I have something for you.
I share a story of one client who traded digital fatigue for real-life joy, launching a brick-and-mortar dream without sacrificing the success she’d already built. This is about pivoting from a place of alignment, not urgency—and tuning into the whisper that starts long before burnout.
Inside, you’ll get powerful reflection questions to help you uncover what your business is really asking of you next—without blowing up what’s working. You’ll also hear how our self-care for business strategy helps weathered founders reclaim vision, energy, and momentum—on their terms.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Sheila (00:03):
You know that whisper that starts when everything
looks successful on the outside,but something in you is quietly
craving a change.
I've seen this moment mark thebeginning of the most powerful
pivots for founders who'veoutgrown the grind.
In this episode, I'll show youwhat that whisper really means,
how to use it to fuel your nextevolution without burning it all
(00:23):
down, and what one client didto turn her digital fatigue into
a brick-and-mortar dream.
If your next level is calling,this might be your roadmap.
Hi, welcome to the podcast.
I'm Sheila Botelho and I'mcommitted to help you reconnect
to your purpose, elevate yourwell-being and build your
version of a happy, successfullife.
(00:46):
Today's episode is a real one,and it might feel a little close
to home.
If you've ever found yourselfin a season where your business
is doing just fine, maybe evengreat, but inside you're feeling
a little foggy, a littlerestless or maybe even bored,
this isn't the early hustlephase.
(01:07):
You're well beyond that.
You've built the thing, you'vemade the money, you've served
your clients, and yet somethinginside of you is whispering what
now?
If that's you, you're in goodcompany.
This is a natural part of thefounder growth cycle.
We outgrow our containers.
The business we built may nolonger match the person we've
(01:29):
become.
But instead of being dramaticand burning it all down, what if
you just got curious?
I want to share a story withyou today that perfectly
captures this.
One of my longtime clients had athriving media business and
nearly a decade in, she hadbuilt a solid reputation, a
(01:49):
consistent roster of clients anda great income.
But, in her words, she was inthe digital grind and it wasn't
bringing her joy anymore.
So she moved to a new town andtrying to create some change in
her life, to address thisthinking, maybe this is what I
need.
And she fell in love with thewalkable downtown core.
(02:13):
So as she explored her newneighborhood, chatting with shop
owners, lingering in cafes, sherealized how much she missed
people, in-person connection,the energy of a community.
So to get out of the funk, shestarted baking again, something
she'd always done to show love,and she started delivering these
(02:36):
baked goods to some of her newfriends that she'd met, and even
some of the shop owners,because she really had a great
connection with them.
And that is when it clicked.
There wasn't a single qualitybakery in the area that served
both everyday needs of thelocals as well as offering a few
special touches for gatherings,birthdays or school events.
(02:58):
It felt like a whisper, but shestarted listening, she went
back to her work, she startedjust serving her clients with a
renewed kind of energy, thinking, okay, this is really all I
needed was this connection piece, and it reinvigorated her
business in a way that she neverreally anticipated.
And then she, she felt it again, that flat feeling, and she
(03:24):
started having that whisperstart to become more of a
conversation in her mind ofsomething more that was waiting
for her.
So she took this idea that shehad with her baking and she
started small.
She got curious with her bakingand she started small.
(03:49):
She got curious.
She talked to people, found outwhat their true desires were
and how perhaps this bakingcould actually serve more people
.
And she remembered that she hada contact from an old
networking group who had alwayswanted to buy into a media wing
for their business consultingfirm.
And that's when the ideasparked.
Her business had grown by theinvigoration that she had
(04:10):
experienced in this move andhaving new connections, and so
it was even more solid.
She had new clients who hadcome in to work with her team
and she realized this could be agolden opportunity for her.
A few conversations later, shesold her company and she took
that money, signed a lease in abeautiful corner space and
(04:33):
started her bakery, bringing joy, nourishment and beautiful
connection to a whole new groupof people.
Now this is what I want you totake from this.
Your next chapter might notcome from a whiteboard session
or a vision board.
It might show up on a walk, ina craving in the thing that you
(04:57):
do when no one is watching.
So if your business feels flatand you can't name why, it might
be time to stop pushing throughand start listening.
Now, not every business pivotlooks like a bakery, but every
expansion does start withalignment.
(05:17):
There are all these differentthings that we can do in order
to come up with the idea ofwhat's next.
And, just like this client ofmine, it began with her being
reinvigorated outside of herwork and it actually made her
feel really good in her businessagain, and that could have been
(05:38):
all she needed.
It just so happened she hadanother dream that was waiting
in the wings for her.
It just so happened she hadanother dream that was waiting
in the wings for her and it wastime she knew, by tuning into
her intuition and really beingclear that she could trust
herself.
Because she had built thatself-trust muscle over the years
in so many other ways, shecould trust herself to make this
(06:01):
decision too, and it has goneon to serve her really, really
well.
So let's name it.
There are so many differentscenarios you might find
yourself in right now,especially if you're a seasoned
founder in the middle of amid-year identity shift.
You might be running asuccessful business, but
secretly bored by it.
(06:21):
But secretly bored by it, stuckin content cycles that no
longer reflect who you've become, feeling resentful about the
very offers that once excitedyou.
Maybe sensing the need tochange your pricing, but afraid
to rattle the current clientbase.
Maybe you're tired ofperforming a version of
(06:42):
leadership that doesn't feelfully you anymore.
Or you're waking up with a fullcalendar but very little true
desire.
Or you're knowing your brandneeds to evolve, but you're
unclear what's next.
Or perhaps you're fantasizingabout walking away from it all
(07:03):
altogether, but you don'tactually want to burn it down.
If any of that resonates, takea breath with me right here.
What you're feeling?
It's not wrong, it's a signal.
One of the trickiest seasons inbusiness is when what you built
still works, but it no longerfeels aligned.
(07:24):
The sales come in, the teamruns, the content lands, but
you're gone from the center ofit because you've shifted and
the business hasn't caught upyet.
This isn't a red flag, it'sactually a green light to take a
pause, to pause long enough toreclaim your alignment.
(07:46):
Here's what I invite you to askyourself today what version of
me built this business, and isthat version of me still in
charge?
You can also ask where am Imost energized in my work right
now?
Is it creation, connection,leadership, innovation or
(08:12):
something else entirely?
A third question what am Itolerating that used to feel
exciting?
Is it a certain type of client,a delivery method, a platform?
And lastly, what kind of lifedo I want this business to fund,
and am I actually living thatlife or just planning for it?
(08:37):
You can jot these down andvoice note your answers.
But here is the deeperinvitation Before you try to fix
anything, get honest, becauseclarity isn't found in your
to-do list or in your next pivot.
Clarity lives in your body, inyour patterns and in the space
(08:59):
between pushing and pausing.
Let me leave you with an imageI often come back to when I'm on
the edge of expansion.
Imagine your business is ariver In the early years.
You're in the middle of thecurrent, paddling like crazy.
There's whitewater, chaos,momentum.
Everything is really urgent andhonestly, that energy is part
(09:22):
of what built the momentum andit's thrilling.
But as you grow and as yourbusiness matures, the wisdom
comes from moving to theriverbank.
For a while you still see thecurrent, you still feel the pull
, but you don't have to be inthe rapids to direct the flow On
the riverbank.
You observe with perspective,you choose your next move from a
(09:47):
grounded place.
It's in that stillness thatalignment becomes possible.
You see, not every pivotrequires drama, which is so
counter-cultural, because Ithink many of us look back at
our lives when big changes havehappened and often there has
been lots of drama and we feellike we can't really make a move
(10:09):
unless there's somethingpushing us out the door.
But not every expansion startswith a new logo or a new niche
either.
Sometimes that expansion it'sabout getting quiet enough to
hear yourself again.
If this episode spoke to you, Iinvite you to head over to the
(10:30):
show notes because I've linked afew ways.
I can support you, depending onwhere you are in your journey.
If you're craving structure anda seasonally aligned rhythm in
your business, you'll finddetails there.
If you want to stay pluggedinto monthly support and tools
to keep growing without burningout, you'll find details there
(10:51):
also.
And if you are feeling thaturge for a more intimate,
personalized expansion withclose proximity to me, there's
ways for you to reach out to methere as well to me.
There's ways for you to reachout to me there as well.
Whichever path you choose, justknow this you're not too much
for wanting more and you're nottoo late to align again.
(11:13):
I'm walking this with you.
These are conversations I havewith myself regularly and I will
continue having them as long asI live, because we're humans
and we grow and we shift and wechange and I don't know about
you, I wouldn't have it anyother way.
You're allowed to do less,you're allowed to feel more and
(11:35):
you're allowed to win your way.
Thanks so much for listening.
I hope you have a beautifulrest of your week and I'll see
you on another episode.
Big blessings, thank you.
You know that whisper that starts when everything
looks successful on the outside,but something in you is quietly
craving a change.
I've seen this moment mark thebeginning of the most powerful
pivots for founders who'veoutgrown the grind.
In this episode, I'll show youwhat that whisper really means,
how to use it to fuel your nextevolution without burning it all
(00:23):
down, and what one client didto turn her digital fatigue into
a brick-and-mortar dream.
If your next level is calling,this might be your roadmap.
Hi, welcome to the podcast.
I'm Sheila Botelho and I'mcommitted to help you reconnect
to your purpose, elevate yourwell-being and build your
version of a happy, successfullife.
(00:46):
Today's episode is a real one,and it might feel a little close
to home.
If you've ever found yourselfin a season where your business
is doing just fine, maybe evengreat, but inside you're feeling
a little foggy, a littlerestless or maybe even bored,
this isn't the early hustlephase.
(01:07):
You're well beyond that.
You've built the thing, you'vemade the money, you've served
your clients, and yet somethinginside of you is whispering what
now?
If that's you, you're in goodcompany.
This is a natural part of thefounder growth cycle.
We outgrow our containers.
The business we built may nolonger match the person we've
(01:29):
become.
But instead of being dramaticand burning it all down, what if
you just got curious?
I want to share a story withyou today that perfectly
captures this.
One of my longtime clients had athriving media business and
nearly a decade in, she hadbuilt a solid reputation, a
(01:49):
consistent roster of clients anda great income.
But, in her words, she was inthe digital grind and it wasn't
bringing her joy anymore.
So she moved to a new town andtrying to create some change in
her life, to address thisthinking, maybe this is what I
need.
And she fell in love with thewalkable downtown core.
(02:13):
So as she explored her newneighborhood, chatting with shop
owners, lingering in cafes, sherealized how much she missed
people, in-person connection,the energy of a community.
So to get out of the funk, shestarted baking again, something
she'd always done to show love,and she started delivering these
(02:36):
baked goods to some of her newfriends that she'd met, and even
some of the shop owners,because she really had a great
connection with them.
And that is when it clicked.
There wasn't a single qualitybakery in the area that served
both everyday needs of thelocals as well as offering a few
special touches for gatherings,birthdays or school events.
(02:58):
It felt like a whisper, but shestarted listening, she went
back to her work, she startedjust serving her clients with a
renewed kind of energy, thinking, okay, this is really all I
needed was this connection piece, and it reinvigorated her
business in a way that she neverreally anticipated.
And then she, she felt it again, that flat feeling, and she
(03:24):
started having that whisperstart to become more of a
conversation in her mind ofsomething more that was waiting
for her.
So she took this idea that shehad with her baking and she
started small.
She got curious with her bakingand she started small.
(03:49):
She got curious.
She talked to people, found outwhat their true desires were
and how perhaps this bakingcould actually serve more people
.
And she remembered that she hada contact from an old
networking group who had alwayswanted to buy into a media wing
for their business consultingfirm.
And that's when the ideasparked.
Her business had grown by theinvigoration that she had
(04:10):
experienced in this move andhaving new connections, and so
it was even more solid.
She had new clients who hadcome in to work with her team
and she realized this could be agolden opportunity for her.
A few conversations later, shesold her company and she took
that money, signed a lease in abeautiful corner space and
(04:33):
started her bakery, bringing joy, nourishment and beautiful
connection to a whole new groupof people.
Now this is what I want you totake from this.
Your next chapter might notcome from a whiteboard session
or a vision board.
It might show up on a walk, ina craving in the thing that you
(04:57):
do when no one is watching.
So if your business feels flatand you can't name why, it might
be time to stop pushing throughand start listening.
Now, not every business pivotlooks like a bakery, but every
expansion does start withalignment.
(05:17):
There are all these differentthings that we can do in order
to come up with the idea ofwhat's next.
And, just like this client ofmine, it began with her being
reinvigorated outside of herwork and it actually made her
feel really good in her businessagain, and that could have been
(05:38):
all she needed.
It just so happened she hadanother dream that was waiting
in the wings for her.
It just so happened she hadanother dream that was waiting
in the wings for her and it wastime she knew, by tuning into
her intuition and really beingclear that she could trust
herself.
Because she had built thatself-trust muscle over the years
in so many other ways, shecould trust herself to make this
(06:01):
decision too, and it has goneon to serve her really, really
well.
So let's name it.
There are so many differentscenarios you might find
yourself in right now,especially if you're a seasoned
founder in the middle of amid-year identity shift.
You might be running asuccessful business, but
secretly bored by it.
(06:21):
But secretly bored by it, stuckin content cycles that no
longer reflect who you've become, feeling resentful about the
very offers that once excitedyou.
Maybe sensing the need tochange your pricing, but afraid
to rattle the current clientbase.
Maybe you're tired ofperforming a version of
(06:42):
leadership that doesn't feelfully you anymore.
Or you're waking up with a fullcalendar but very little true
desire.
Or you're knowing your brandneeds to evolve, but you're
unclear what's next.
Or perhaps you're fantasizingabout walking away from it all
(07:03):
altogether, but you don'tactually want to burn it down.
If any of that resonates, takea breath with me right here.
What you're feeling?
It's not wrong, it's a signal.
One of the trickiest seasons inbusiness is when what you built
still works, but it no longerfeels aligned.
(07:24):
The sales come in, the teamruns, the content lands, but
you're gone from the center ofit because you've shifted and
the business hasn't caught upyet.
This isn't a red flag, it'sactually a green light to take a
pause, to pause long enough toreclaim your alignment.
(07:46):
Here's what I invite you to askyourself today what version of
me built this business, and isthat version of me still in
charge?
You can also ask where am Imost energized in my work right
now?
Is it creation, connection,leadership, innovation or
(08:12):
something else entirely?
A third question what am Itolerating that used to feel
exciting?
Is it a certain type of client,a delivery method, a platform?
And lastly, what kind of lifedo I want this business to fund,
and am I actually living thatlife or just planning for it?
(08:37):
You can jot these down andvoice note your answers.
But here is the deeperinvitation Before you try to fix
anything, get honest, becauseclarity isn't found in your
to-do list or in your next pivot.
Clarity lives in your body, inyour patterns and in the space
(08:59):
between pushing and pausing.
Let me leave you with an imageI often come back to when I'm on
the edge of expansion.
Imagine your business is ariver In the early years.
You're in the middle of thecurrent, paddling like crazy.
There's whitewater, chaos,momentum.
Everything is really urgent andhonestly, that energy is part
(09:22):
of what built the momentum andit's thrilling.
But as you grow and as yourbusiness matures, the wisdom
comes from moving to theriverbank.
For a while you still see thecurrent, you still feel the pull
, but you don't have to be inthe rapids to direct the flow On
the riverbank.
You observe with perspective,you choose your next move from a
(09:47):
grounded place.
It's in that stillness thatalignment becomes possible.
You see, not every pivotrequires drama, which is so
counter-cultural, because Ithink many of us look back at
our lives when big changes havehappened and often there has
been lots of drama and we feellike we can't really make a move
(10:09):
unless there's somethingpushing us out the door.
But not every expansion startswith a new logo or a new niche
either.
Sometimes that expansion it'sabout getting quiet enough to
hear yourself again.
If this episode spoke to you, Iinvite you to head over to the
(10:30):
show notes because I've linked afew ways.
I can support you, depending onwhere you are in your journey.
If you're craving structure anda seasonally aligned rhythm in
your business, you'll finddetails there.
If you want to stay pluggedinto monthly support and tools
to keep growing without burningout, you'll find details there
(10:51):
also.
And if you are feeling thaturge for a more intimate,
personalized expansion withclose proximity to me, there's
ways for you to reach out to methere as well to me.
There's ways for you to reachout to me there as well.
Whichever path you choose, justknow this you're not too much
for wanting more and you're nottoo late to align again.
(11:13):
I'm walking this with you.
These are conversations I havewith myself regularly and I will
continue having them as long asI live, because we're humans
and we grow and we shift and wechange and I don't know about
you, I wouldn't have it anyother way.
You're allowed to do less,you're allowed to feel more and
(11:35):
you're allowed to win your way.
Thanks so much for listening.
I hope you have a beautifulrest of your week and I'll see
you on another episode.
Big blessings, thank you.
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