Weekly guidance for women building side businesses to go from doubting your progress to trusting your momentum, even when it's messy, slow, or doesn't look flashy yet.

Not on the list?​ ​Join here!

That feeling of falling short? It's just a lie your brain tells you.

It's not a sign of failure—it's a normal part of doing something super hard.

You're trying to build something new from the ground up while keeping something else stable.

This is definitely not the easy path.

When you feel like you're not doing enough, it's not because you're failing. It's because your idea of success is based on people who are only focused on one thing, not two.

Think about it: when you see someone absolutely crushing it at their job, they're putting 100% of their work energy into that one thing.

When you see a business owner posting every day and launching new stuff, that's their full-time focus.

But you?

You're trying to do both.

Of course it feels harder—because it IS harder.

The real problem isn't that you're failing.

The real problem is that you're trying to be two different people at once.

In your head, a "good" employee shows up early, stays late, volunteers for extra projects, and is always thinking about work.

At the same time, a "good" business owner is always posting on social media, always launching something new, always networking, and always growing.

But here's the thing: you can't be both of these people at the same time. It's like trying to be in two places at once. When you try to live up to both of these perfect versions, you end up feeling like you're bombing at both.

I see this all the time when I talk to women juggling both.

They beat themselves up because they weren't the first person in the office or the last to leave.

Then they get home and feel terrible because they weren't posting every day or working on their business for hours like other people seem to be doing.

Here's the truth: those "perfect" people you're comparing yourself to don't exist.

The successful employee you're thinking of isn't also building a business.

The successful business owner you follow isn't also trying to climb the ladder at a 9-to-5.

Most people try to do both things at 100%.

That's like trying to run two marathons at the same time.

The secret isn't working harder—it's working smarter with a system that protects your energy while moving both things forward.

Here's what I've noticed from talking to women in the same boat: the ones who make it work aren't the ones putting in the most hours.

They're the ones who get really strategic about their energy and time.

They stop trying to be perfect at both things.

Instead, they focus on being good enough at both things to keep moving forward.

And here's the crazy part: "good enough" at both often leads to better results than trying to be perfect at one while the other crashes and burns.

While you're over there feeling like you're not doing enough, let me tell you what you're actually doing.

Most people waste hours because they think they need huge blocks of time to get anything done.

But you're getting really good at making 30 minutes matter.

When you have limited time, you can't mess around.

You figure out what matters most and do that first.

This skill will serve you forever.

When you're doing both, everything takes longer.

Your business grows slower than someone working on it full-time.

Your career might move slower than someone who isn't building on the side.

But you're building something most people never build: two sources of success at once.

And honestly?

You're braver than most people.

It would be way easier to just focus on one thing or quit your job and bet everything on your business.

But you're choosing the harder path because you want both. That takes serious guts.

Here's the system that actually works:

Choose the tiniest thing for each that still feels like you're moving forward.

A "smallest win" is something so small you literally can't fail at it, but it still counts as real progress.

→ At work: one task that makes your boss happy.

→ For your business: one action that helps your ideal client with something they're struggling with.

These should take 30 minutes or less each.

Why start this small? Because you need wins to keep going.

When you set big goals and miss them, you feel worse.

When you set small goals and nail them, you feel better and want to keep going.

Do your business work when you feel fresh. For most people, this is mornings, but it might be different for you.

The key is to do the hard thinking work when your brain is actually sharp.

Use your tired time for easier work stuff.

Answer emails when you're drained.

Organize files when you're running on fumes.

Save the big thinking for when you have actual energy.

Every Friday, write down what you accomplished in both areas.

Don't just think about it—actually write it down.

This trains your brain to see progress instead of just problems.

Your brain is wired to notice what's not working.

Writing down what IS working fights against that and helps you see that you're actually doing way more than you think.

Sunday night, pick your two smallest wins for the coming week.

Put time on your calendar for both.

Treat these like important meetings—because they totally are.

Now it's time to actually do this. Pick two tiny wins—one for work, one for your business.

Your work win might be: finishing that report you've been putting off, having a quick check-in with your boss about priorities, or organizing your workspace so you can actually think clearly.

Your business win might be: creating one helpful post that solves a real problem, answering a question where your ideal clients hang out, or sharing one tip that could save someone time or money.

Pick one of each. Put time on your calendar for both. Then hit reply and tell me what you chose.

Remember: you're not trying to be perfect. You're trying to keep moving forward without completely burning out.

The goal isn't to become amazing at both overnight—it's to be a little bit better each week until you look back in six months and realize how far you've actually come.

Getting better at both beats being perfect at neither every single time.

Talk soon,

~ Kristina