If you’re reading this with a cold coffee, 47 tabs open in your brain, and that familiar tight feeling in your chest that whispers “I can’t keep doing this like this”… hi. You’re in the right place.
In Episode 86 of The Moxie Movement Podcast, I’m joined again by Rachel Cutler, co-owner of the Maia Beach Store (a local legend of a seaside general store that’s been serving its community since 1940). And this conversation? It’s not a glossy “systems will set you free” pep talk.
It’s the messy truth of what happens when you’ve been:
…and pretending it’s normal because you’re a “strong” woman.
Let’s fix that.
In Episode 86 of The Moxie Movement Podcast, I’m joined again by Rachel Cutler, co-owner of the Maia Beach Store (a local legend of a seaside general store that’s been serving its community since 1940). And this conversation? It’s not a glossy “systems will set you free” pep talk.
It’s the messy truth of what happens when you’ve been:
- carrying the business,
- carrying the family,
- carrying your team’s feelings,
- carrying your own exhaustion…
…and pretending it’s normal because you’re a “strong” woman.
Let’s fix that.
The Problem No One Wants to Admit:
You’re Not Busy… You’re Unprotected
The Lie We’ve Been Sold About Success
(And Why It’s Wrecking You)
The Shift That Changed Everything:
Get It Out of Your Head
The Leadership Habit That Will Save You HOURS (And Your Sanity)
The Boundary That Stops the Constant Interruptions
The Hidden Reason You Feel Guilty (Even When You’re Doing Great)
Money, Motherhood, and the Hard Seasons
The “Secret Weapon” That Rachel Swears By
(And It’s Not Hustle)
A Note on Sleep (Especially If You’re in Perimenopause)
Ready to Get Out of “Frenetic” and Into “Steady”? Book a Moxie Breakthrough Call.
The Problem No One Wants to Admit:
You’re Not Busy… You’re Unprotected
Rachel describes her life and business now with one word: steady. Calm, content, stable even heading into peak season. And if you’ve ever run a seasonal business (or honestly… just lived through December as a mum), you know how wild that is.
But it didn’t come from “working harder.”
It came from getting brutally honest about what was actually happening:
And here’s the part that matters for you:
You can’t system your way out of burnout if your nervous system is fried. You can’t “mindset” your way out if you’re sleeping like a raccoon on espresso. You need a reset that accounts for the whole you.
But it didn’t come from “working harder.”
It came from getting brutally honest about what was actually happening:
- COVID years + team dysfunction + financial stress
- working with her husband (love them, but… it brings challenges)
- sleep deprivation + perimenopause messing with her brain and body
- that “I either get help… or I’m out” breaking point
And here’s the part that matters for you:
You can’t system your way out of burnout if your nervous system is fried. You can’t “mindset” your way out if you’re sleeping like a raccoon on espresso. You need a reset that accounts for the whole you.
Rachel describes her life and business now with one word: steady. Calm, content, stable even heading into peak season. And if you’ve ever run a seasonal business (or honestly… just lived through December as a mum), you know how wild that is.
But it didn’t come from “working harder.”
It came from getting brutally honest about what was actually happening:
And here’s the part that matters for you:
You can’t system your way out of burnout if your nervous system is fried. You can’t “mindset” your way out if you’re sleeping like a raccoon on espresso. You need a reset that accounts for the whole you.
But it didn’t come from “working harder.”
It came from getting brutally honest about what was actually happening:
- COVID years + team dysfunction + financial stress
- working with her husband (love them, but… it brings challenges)
- sleep deprivation + perimenopause messing with her brain and body
- that “I either get help… or I’m out” breaking point
And here’s the part that matters for you:
You can’t system your way out of burnout if your nervous system is fried. You can’t “mindset” your way out if you’re sleeping like a raccoon on espresso. You need a reset that accounts for the whole you.
Rachel said something that will hit a lot of you right in the face:
She believed she had to be the “ideal business owner” visible, perfect, always working… or people would judge her. Staff would think she was lazy. Customers would notice. Everything would fall apart.
Spoiler: they don’t notice.
And even if they did, your wellbeing is not the thing we sacrifice on the altar of perfect sunscreen shelves.
Rachel put it so simply:
“80% good is good enough.”
There’s your permission slip. Not to lower your standards but to stop holding everything to a higher standard than your health.
She believed she had to be the “ideal business owner” visible, perfect, always working… or people would judge her. Staff would think she was lazy. Customers would notice. Everything would fall apart.
Spoiler: they don’t notice.
And even if they did, your wellbeing is not the thing we sacrifice on the altar of perfect sunscreen shelves.
Rachel put it so simply:
“80% good is good enough.”
There’s your permission slip. Not to lower your standards but to stop holding everything to a higher standard than your health.
notebooks… plus spreadsheets… plus apps… plus waking up at 2am because her brain refused to let go.
Sound familiar?
That’s not “being organised.” That’s your nervous system running an unpaid full-time role as your project manager.
The shift was using The Power Hour approach:
Because when everything is in your head:
A calendar isn’t a productivity tool. It’s a capacity tool.
Sound familiar?
That’s not “being organised.” That’s your nervous system running an unpaid full-time role as your project manager.
The shift was using The Power Hour approach:
- schedule what matters (including rest + movement + life)
- build a realistic week
- stop letting other people’s “urgent” hijack your priorities
- use your calendar as an anchor when chaos shows up
Because when everything is in your head:
- you feel like you have to hold it all
- you become the bottleneck
- you’re constantly “on”
- and you’re never truly off even when you’re home
A calendar isn’t a productivity tool. It’s a capacity tool.
Rachel names something most business owners do without even noticing:
You answer every question. You fix every little thing. You do the “ten second job” because it’s faster.
Except it isn’t.
Because every time you do it, you train everyone around you to outsource their thinking to you.
Rachel caught herself twice in one day:
That’s the shift:
Stop doing “Rachel jobs.” Start doing “Owner jobs.”
And if you’re thinking, “But they’ll do it wrong…” Cool. Then you teach them once… so you’re not stuck doing it forever.
You answer every question. You fix every little thing. You do the “ten second job” because it’s faster.
Except it isn’t.
Because every time you do it, you train everyone around you to outsource their thinking to you.
Rachel caught herself twice in one day:
- once she gave the answer automatically (and immediately regretted it)
- the second time she stopped and redirected the staff member to do the task themselves so she’d never need to do it again
That’s the shift:
Stop doing “Rachel jobs.” Start doing “Owner jobs.”
And if you’re thinking, “But they’ll do it wrong…” Cool. Then you teach them once… so you’re not stuck doing it forever.
One of the most practical pieces in this episode is Rachel’s boundary around interrupting time.
She tells her team:
Headphones on. Focus time protected.
This is massive because most business mums aren’t drowning from the big jobs… They’re drowning from the 400 micro-interruptions that shred their brain into confetti.
And yes, this applies to your phone, emails, notifications, and that “quick question” that is never actually quick.
She tells her team:
- “I’m unavailable for the next hour and a half.”
- “If you need me, you’ve got five minutes now.”
- “Otherwise I’ll see you at three.”
Headphones on. Focus time protected.
This is massive because most business mums aren’t drowning from the big jobs… They’re drowning from the 400 micro-interruptions that shred their brain into confetti.
And yes, this applies to your phone, emails, notifications, and that “quick question” that is never actually quick.
Rachel used to feel guilty leaving early because staff were still there.
Even though she’d already done hours of “invisible work” that no one sees: numbers, planning, admin, solving problems, thinking ahead.
You opened your business for freedom and flexibility… and then you punish yourself for using it.
That guilt is a hangover from old conditioning:
Even though she’d already done hours of “invisible work” that no one sees: numbers, planning, admin, solving problems, thinking ahead.
You opened your business for freedom and flexibility… and then you punish yourself for using it.
That guilt is a hangover from old conditioning:
- “If I’m not seen working, I’m not working.”
- “I need to justify myself.”
- “If I leave, I’m selfish.”
This episode also goes into something we don’t talk about enough: the seasons where money is tight and it does impact family life.
Rachel shares a brutal season when their summer revenue was about 50% down not “a bit down”… majorly down and they had to grind through winter differently to stay afloat.
And yes, there was a moment when she felt she had to choose between being a good mum and earning money.
What changed it?
You don’t need a perfect season. You need a plan for the hard ones so they don’t break you.
Rachel shares a brutal season when their summer revenue was about 50% down not “a bit down”… majorly down and they had to grind through winter differently to stay afloat.
And yes, there was a moment when she felt she had to choose between being a good mum and earning money.
What changed it?
- being deliberate with quality time
- setting a weekly rhythm (like taking Tuesdays off with her son)
- communicating honestly (age-appropriate) about why things were intense
- staying connected even when the season was hard
You don’t need a perfect season. You need a plan for the hard ones so they don’t break you.
Rachel says it straight:
Systems. Everywhere.
She admits the systems she avoided the longest were the ones that would help her the most. Especially the backend stuff she was carrying because “it’s easier if I just do it.”
Once she upgraded her tech + payroll + bookkeeping process (and got support to implement it because she didn’t have headspace), it was a game-changer.
That’s the point: You don’t need to do it alone. You need someone to help you filter the noise and choose the right next step.
Systems. Everywhere.
She admits the systems she avoided the longest were the ones that would help her the most. Especially the backend stuff she was carrying because “it’s easier if I just do it.”
Once she upgraded her tech + payroll + bookkeeping process (and got support to implement it because she didn’t have headspace), it was a game-changer.
That’s the point: You don’t need to do it alone. You need someone to help you filter the noise and choose the right next step.
This episode ends with a note I want tattooed on the inside of every business mum’s eyelids:
Sleep isn’t optional.
Rachel describes exactly what insomnia did to her:
If you’re not sleeping, your business will feel harder than it needs to. Your parenting will feel harder than it needs to. Your life will feel heavier than it needs to.
Get support - NOW.
Sleep isn’t optional.
Rachel describes exactly what insomnia did to her:
- more emotional
- scatterbrained
- Forgetful
- grumpy
- inefficient
- not a good leader
If you’re not sleeping, your business will feel harder than it needs to. Your parenting will feel harder than it needs to. Your life will feel heavier than it needs to.
Get support - NOW.
If you’ve been telling yourself:
“I don’t have a choice.”
“I just have to push through.”
“It’ll get better after this season…”
… I need you to hear me:
The season changes, but the pattern stays unless you interrupt it.
The fastest way to do that is to stop trying to solve it from inside the tornado.
👉 Book a Moxie Breakthrough Call
We’ll take a helicopter view of what’s really going on in your business and your life and map the most powerful next steps to get you back into clarity, capacity, and calm.
Because you don’t need more pressure. You need a plan that actually fits your real life.
Book your Moxie Breakthrough Call now.
“I don’t have a choice.”
“I just have to push through.”
“It’ll get better after this season…”
… I need you to hear me:
The season changes, but the pattern stays unless you interrupt it.
The fastest way to do that is to stop trying to solve it from inside the tornado.
👉 Book a Moxie Breakthrough Call
We’ll take a helicopter view of what’s really going on in your business and your life and map the most powerful next steps to get you back into clarity, capacity, and calm.
Because you don’t need more pressure. You need a plan that actually fits your real life.
Book your Moxie Breakthrough Call now.
If you’re reading this with a cold coffee, 47 tabs open in your brain, and that familiar tight feeling in your chest that whispers “I can’t keep doing this like this”… hi. You’re in the right place.
In Episode 86 of The Moxie Movement Podcast, I’m joined again by Rachel Cutler, co-owner of the Maia Beach Store (a local legend of a seaside general store that’s been serving its community since 1940). And this conversation? It’s not a glossy “systems will set you free” pep talk.
It’s the messy truth of what happens when you’ve been:
…and pretending it’s normal because you’re a “strong” woman.
Let’s fix that.
In Episode 86 of The Moxie Movement Podcast, I’m joined again by Rachel Cutler, co-owner of the Maia Beach Store (a local legend of a seaside general store that’s been serving its community since 1940). And this conversation? It’s not a glossy “systems will set you free” pep talk.
It’s the messy truth of what happens when you’ve been:
- carrying the business,
- carrying the family,
- carrying your team’s feelings,
- carrying your own exhaustion…
…and pretending it’s normal because you’re a “strong” woman.
Let’s fix that.
The Problem No One Wants to Admit:
You’re Not Busy… You’re Unprotected
Rachel describes her life and business now with one word: steady. Calm, content, stable even heading into peak season. And if you’ve ever run a seasonal business (or honestly… just lived through December as a mum), you know how wild that is.
But it didn’t come from “working harder.”
It came from getting brutally honest about what was actually happening:
You can’t system your way out of burnout if your nervous system is fried. You can’t “mindset” your way out if you’re sleeping like a raccoon on espresso. You need a reset that accounts for the whole you.
But it didn’t come from “working harder.”
It came from getting brutally honest about what was actually happening:
- COVID years + team dysfunction + financial stress
- working with her husband (love them, but… it brings challenges)
- sleep deprivation + perimenopause messing with her brain and body
- that “I either get help… or I’m out” breaking point
You can’t system your way out of burnout if your nervous system is fried. You can’t “mindset” your way out if you’re sleeping like a raccoon on espresso. You need a reset that accounts for the whole you.
The Lie We’ve Been Sold About Success
(And Why It’s Wrecking You)
The Shift That Changed Everything:
Get It Out of Your Head
The Leadership Habit That Will Save You HOURS (And Your Sanity)
Rachel names something most business owners do without even noticing:
You answer every question. You fix every little thing. You do the “ten second job” because it’s faster.
Except it isn’t.
Because every time you do it, you train everyone around you to outsource their thinking to you.
Rachel caught herself twice in one day:
Stop doing “Rachel jobs.” Start doing “Owner jobs.”
And if you’re thinking, “But they’ll do it wrong…” Cool. Then you teach them once… so you’re not stuck doing it forever.
You answer every question. You fix every little thing. You do the “ten second job” because it’s faster.
Except it isn’t.
Because every time you do it, you train everyone around you to outsource their thinking to you.
Rachel caught herself twice in one day:
- once she gave the answer automatically (and immediately regretted it)
- the second time she stopped and redirected the staff member to do the task themselves so she’d never need to do it again
Stop doing “Rachel jobs.” Start doing “Owner jobs.”
And if you’re thinking, “But they’ll do it wrong…” Cool. Then you teach them once… so you’re not stuck doing it forever.
The Boundary That Stops the Constant Interruptions
One of the most practical pieces in this episode is Rachel’s boundary around interrupting time.
She tells her team:
Headphones on. Focus time protected.
This is massive because most business mums aren’t drowning from the big jobs… They’re drowning from the 400 micro-interruptions that shred their brain into confetti.
And yes, this applies to your phone, emails, notifications, and that “quick question” that is never actually quick.
She tells her team:
- “I’m unavailable for the next hour and a half.”
- “If you need me, you’ve got five minutes now.”
- “Otherwise I’ll see you at three.”
Headphones on. Focus time protected.
This is massive because most business mums aren’t drowning from the big jobs… They’re drowning from the 400 micro-interruptions that shred their brain into confetti.
And yes, this applies to your phone, emails, notifications, and that “quick question” that is never actually quick.
The Hidden Reason You Feel Guilty
(Even When You’re Doing Great)
Rachel said something that will hit a lot of you right in the face:
She believed she had to be the “ideal business owner” visible, perfect, always working… or people would judge her. Staff would think she was lazy. Customers would notice. Everything would fall apart.
Spoiler: they don’t notice.
And even if they did, your wellbeing is not the thing we sacrifice on the altar of perfect sunscreen shelves.
Rachel put it so simply:
“80% good is good enough.”
There’s your permission slip. Not to lower your standards but to stop holding everything to a higher standard than your health.
She believed she had to be the “ideal business owner” visible, perfect, always working… or people would judge her. Staff would think she was lazy. Customers would notice. Everything would fall apart.
Spoiler: they don’t notice.
And even if they did, your wellbeing is not the thing we sacrifice on the altar of perfect sunscreen shelves.
Rachel put it so simply:
“80% good is good enough.”
There’s your permission slip. Not to lower your standards but to stop holding everything to a higher standard than your health.
notebooks… plus spreadsheets… plus apps… plus waking up at 2am because her brain refused to let go.
Sound familiar?
That’s not “being organised.” That’s your nervous system running an unpaid full-time role as your project manager.
The shift was using The Power Hour approach:
Because when everything is in your head:
A calendar isn’t a productivity tool. It’s a capacity tool.
Sound familiar?
That’s not “being organised.” That’s your nervous system running an unpaid full-time role as your project manager.
The shift was using The Power Hour approach:
- schedule what matters (including rest + movement + life)
- build a realistic week
- stop letting other people’s “urgent” hijack your priorities
- use your calendar as an anchor when chaos shows up
Because when everything is in your head:
- you feel like you have to hold it all
- you become the bottleneck
- you’re constantly “on”
- and you’re never truly off even when you’re home
A calendar isn’t a productivity tool. It’s a capacity tool.
Rachel used to feel guilty leaving early because staff were still there.
Even though she’d already done hours of “invisible work” that no one sees: numbers, planning, admin, solving problems, thinking ahead.
You opened your business for freedom and flexibility… and then you punish yourself for using it.
That guilt is a hangover from old conditioning:
Even though she’d already done hours of “invisible work” that no one sees: numbers, planning, admin, solving problems, thinking ahead.
You opened your business for freedom and flexibility… and then you punish yourself for using it.
That guilt is a hangover from old conditioning:
- “If I’m not seen working, I’m not working.”
- “I need to justify myself.”
- “If I leave, I’m selfish.”
Money, Motherhood, and the Hard Seasons
This episode also goes into something we don’t talk about enough: the seasons where money is tight and it does impact family life.
Rachel shares a brutal season when their summer revenue was about 50% down not “a bit down”… majorly down and they had to grind through winter differently to stay afloat.
And yes, there was a moment when she felt she had to choose between being a good mum and earning money.
What changed it?
You don’t need a perfect season. You need a plan for the hard ones so they don’t break you.
Rachel shares a brutal season when their summer revenue was about 50% down not “a bit down”… majorly down and they had to grind through winter differently to stay afloat.
And yes, there was a moment when she felt she had to choose between being a good mum and earning money.
What changed it?
- being deliberate with quality time
- setting a weekly rhythm (like taking Tuesdays off with her son)
- communicating honestly (age-appropriate) about why things were intense
- staying connected even when the season was hard
You don’t need a perfect season. You need a plan for the hard ones so they don’t break you.
The “Secret Weapon” That Rachel Swears By
(And It’s Not Hustle)
Rachel says it straight:
Systems. Everywhere.
She admits the systems she avoided the longest were the ones that would help her the most. Especially the backend stuff she was carrying because “it’s easier if I just do it.”
Once she upgraded her tech + payroll + bookkeeping process (and got support to implement it because she didn’t have headspace), it was a game-changer.
That’s the point: You don’t need to do it alone. You need someone to help you filter the noise and choose the right next step.
Systems. Everywhere.
She admits the systems she avoided the longest were the ones that would help her the most. Especially the backend stuff she was carrying because “it’s easier if I just do it.”
Once she upgraded her tech + payroll + bookkeeping process (and got support to implement it because she didn’t have headspace), it was a game-changer.
That’s the point: You don’t need to do it alone. You need someone to help you filter the noise and choose the right next step.
A Note on Sleep (Especially If You’re in Perimenopause)
This episode ends with a note I want tattooed on the inside of every business mum’s eyelids:
Sleep isn’t optional.
Rachel describes exactly what insomnia did to her:
If you’re not sleeping, your business will feel harder than it needs to. Your parenting will feel harder than it needs to. Your life will feel heavier than it needs to.
Get support - NOW.
Sleep isn’t optional.
Rachel describes exactly what insomnia did to her:
- more emotional
- scatterbrained
- Forgetful
- grumpy
- inefficient
- not a good leader
If you’re not sleeping, your business will feel harder than it needs to. Your parenting will feel harder than it needs to. Your life will feel heavier than it needs to.
Get support - NOW.
Ready to Get Out of “Frenetic” and Into “Steady”? Book a Moxie Breakthrough Call.
If you’ve been telling yourself:
… I need you to hear me:
The season changes, but the pattern stays unless you interrupt it.
The fastest way to do that is to stop trying to solve it from inside the tornado.
👉 Book a Moxie Breakthrough Call
We’ll take a helicopter view of what’s really going on in your business and your life and map the most powerful next steps to get you back into clarity, capacity, and calm.
Because you don’t need more pressure. You need a plan that actually fits your real life.
Book your Moxie Breakthrough Call now.
- “I don’t have a choice.”
- “I just have to push through.”
- “It’ll get better after this season…”
… I need you to hear me:
The season changes, but the pattern stays unless you interrupt it.
The fastest way to do that is to stop trying to solve it from inside the tornado.
👉 Book a Moxie Breakthrough Call
We’ll take a helicopter view of what’s really going on in your business and your life and map the most powerful next steps to get you back into clarity, capacity, and calm.
Because you don’t need more pressure. You need a plan that actually fits your real life.
Book your Moxie Breakthrough Call now.
Hot Off the Moxie Mic
Binge These Now!
Hot Off the Moxie Mic
Binge These Now!
Get to know your host...
SARAH
is a business owner who has gone from overwhelmed and overbooked to successfully running a business AND being a great mum and wife.
Through years of trial and error and PLENTY of mistakes, she’s learned how to create powerful frameworks that help businesses run sustainably, giving back time and energy to their owners.
Now, she brings her knowledge to other female and mum entrepreneurs so they too can have a business that works perfectly with their life!
