Jackie Zach
January 25, 2024
In this episode, Mike McKay and Jackie Zach discuss the unintended consequences of being a highly successful business owner. They explore the challenge of finding purpose and fulfillment once a business is running smoothly, with systems and a competent team in place. As business owners transition from being heavily involved in day-to-day operations to stepping back, they often experience boredom and a sense of lost importance. The conversation touches on how business owners may struggle with this shift, as their role changes from problem-solver to owner, leading them to question their value in the business.
The hosts share insights on overcoming these challenges by setting bigger dreams and embracing personal growth. They emphasize the importance of having choices, rather than feeling obligated to work endlessly. The episode also highlights the value of empowering team members who excel at tasks the owner may not enjoy, allowing the owner to focus on what truly fulfills them. Ultimately, Mike and Jackie advocate for business owners to embrace the freedom that comes with a well-functioning business and to use this opportunity for personal growth, new ventures, and fulfilling their passions.
Are you bored running your business? Click here & take advantage of a complimentary business strategy session to discover the opportunities in your business today! BONUS: Receive a free book, too!
http://makemoreworkless.actioncoach.com/mmwl-diag-and-questions/
Podcast Transcript:
Mike McKay: Hey, Jackie, welcome to the Make More Work Less podcast. My name is Mike McKay, and you are my favorite Jackie in the world—Jackie Zach. Today, we’re going to talk about the unintended consequences of being a really good business owner.
Jackie Zach: Yes. What a great topic.
Mike: So, what happens when a business owner uses the six steps—mastery, niche, systems, team, leverage—and finally reaches the results phase? They’ve done such a great job that they’re no longer necessary in the business. The better you are as a business owner, the less important you become.
We’ve talked about the 16 cylinders of high performance, mastery steps, time management, vision, mission, and culture. But the key is this: as a business owner, your job is to own the business, not to do the business. And I know you’ve had some interesting conversations about that recently.
Jackie: I have. What’s interesting is that before all the cylinders were running smoothly, there was a lot of chaos. That chaos—although stressful—created momentum. It energized problem-solving and kept things moving.
Mike: Yep. Because business owners are addicted to adrenaline.
Jackie: Yes, they are. When everything is working as it should, that momentum stops. The adrenaline stops. And then…
Mike: “What do I do?”
Jackie: Exactly. Business owners start asking, “What do I do with my time? I’m bored. My team is handling everything, and there’s nothing—even negative—that’s fueling my energy anymore.”
Mike: If you’re listening to this and thinking, “Oh, I’d love to be bored for a few days,” you’re probably underestimating the challenge. Most business owners and leaders—whether in business or family—are addicted to adrenaline.
We’ve grown up with the idea that leaders solve problems, business owners direct people, and we shouldn’t ask others to do things we wouldn’t do ourselves. It’s all tied to this Midwest work ethic—“just work harder.” But that approach doesn’t lead to the life you want.
Take a great plumber, for example. Working an extra 80 hours a week isn’t going to make their life significantly better. It’s a false equation. When you’ve systematized your business, hired the right people, and achieved the results you want, you might face an identity crisis: “Am I still important?”
Jackie: Yes.
Mike: How does that show up for people? You’ve had some experience with that, but what kinds of things do you notice?
For me, they get bored. Like you mentioned, right? You’ve got a client who’s feeling bored. I used to do stupid things too. I mean, literally, I got all my jobs because I was a firefighter. When I was focused and fully engaged, we had put out all the fires, and the business was finally running smoothly. Then, we’d go out and start fires.
It was a foolish way to stay busy. Some of the projects we started were cool but didn’t turn out well and ended up costing the business a lot.
Jackie: One of the things we did instead was create a vision for what this business could look like. We started with a vision board—that was one of the homework assignments. Create a vision board of what the business could look like. They already had an idea in their heads of what would be exciting and what they wanted to do, but they hadn’t taken that first step. So, that’s where we began: putting it into pictures, drawing it out, and visualizing what it could become.
Mike: Sometimes, you need a hobby or need to relearn how to dream. During one of our planning days, I shared how my first dream was to take a two-week vacation without worrying about the business. But even that dream bored me—it was too small.
Then, in Brad Sugars’ Design Your Life master class, he challenged us to dream 100 times bigger.
Jackie: Brad Sugars is the founder of ActionCOACH.
Mike: Right. He told us, “That’s a nonsense dream. Make it 100 times bigger.” At first, I thought, “What are you talking about?” But now, my dream is massive.
I imagine owning a penthouse in Nashville, flying to the coast on a helicopter, spending a week on my yacht, and then flying back to Madison on my private plane. I’d check on my businesses across Wisconsin, then return to Nashville to write—because I love writing.
Compare that to my old dream of a two-week vacation. Now, I’m dreaming of something that’ll cost $100 million. It’s a completely different mindset.
Jackie: Right.
Mike: I realized that small goals didn’t motivate me. But now, I find myself learning new things and skills to pursue a bigger dream. Sometimes, when you reach a certain point, it’s not what you imagined. For example, when we promoted Bill to VP to run the Madison office and Kory took over the Milwaukee office, it was tough for me to step away. I felt like I wasn’t important anymore. The difference was that I was grateful for that feeling rather than scared by it.
I’m still figuring out what the ultimate goal is, but I’m making progress. I used to coach 24–25 hours a week, and now it’s 12. Back then, even during coaching sessions, my mind was racing with “What’s next?” and “How do I handle this or that?” Now that we’ve empowered the team to handle things they excel at, I can be fully present when I coach. I enjoy the trade that I know how to do—it’s a surprisingly different experience.
When business owners get to the point where they could, say, take a five-week vacation, many don’t know what to do with themselves. It’s like raising a child and then sending them out into the world. Owners often say, “It’d be great to have nothing to do,” but it’s not that simple. We’re usually addicted to the adrenaline rush, whether it’s making payroll, landing a big sale, or micromanaging the smallest tasks.
It’s an interesting challenge, and I’ve seen some of your clients go through it. It reflects your growth as a coach, helping them transition. If you’re a business owner envisioning your “nirvana,” that’s great, but you’ll also need to learn how to live in that model. Dream big, think about your legacy, and set long-term goals—these are the things that make business ownership and leadership truly fulfilling.
Jackie: That’s how I became a coach. I had someone running the day-to-day operations of my business, and I found myself with a lot of time on my hands. I needed to engage my brain and feel like I had a purpose, so I started a new career as a coach.
Mike: Exactly. I’ve shared with our team that, as recently as a year ago, coaching was misery for me. I was always worried about how things would get done and felt like everything depended on me. Eventually, I realized that mindset was my own doing. Now, I see our team executing plans and getting results. I can focus on what I originally got into coaching for—actually coaching people. Now, I can do it peacefully and enjoy it again.
Building a commercial, profitable enterprise that works without you doesn’t mean you can’t work there. Some clients find they’re happiest when they return to do the part of the business they originally loved.
Jackie: It’s all about having choices instead of obligations. If you love your business and want to sell, great—but you don’t have to.
Mike: As long as you’re a good salesperson, that is. Otherwise, we’ll coach you out of that too!
Jackie: Right! Another thing people forget is that someone else might be better at certain tasks than they are. My store manager was better at the day-to-day operations than I was. She was more creative and effective, and I was happy to let her take over. It allowed me to find something I truly loved doing—and that’s what I did.
Mike: That’s a great point to wrap up on. Next time, we should talk about how to handle it when someone on your team is better at something than you are. It’s a reason for gratitude. Too often, I’ve seen people fire talented employees for the wrong reasons.
Jackie: Absolutely! Stay tuned for our next discussion on that topic. In the meantime, enjoy the journey and make sure you have things that fulfill you for when your business can run without you.
Mike: Let’s go kick some ass!
Jackie: Nice!