I didn’t set boundaries in my first couple of years of running an online business – and I ended up
bed-bound
in Bali for 12 weeks.
That’s what happens when you say yes to every client, every opportunity, and every “quick call” that doesn’t actually align with what you want. Slowly, it compounds, and one day, before you know it, your body will make the decision to say no for you.
This episode is the first thing I would teach anyone starting an online business: how to set boundaries by getting clear on what you want, setting hard rules around it, and getting comfortable saying no. I’m walking you through the exact boundaries framework I wish I’d had from day one of starting my online business, which would have saved me from burnout and now keeps my business working FOR me instead of against me.
Timestamps:
0:01 – Why is setting boundaries important when you start an online business
2:05 – How to avoid entrepreneur burnout by setting boundaries early
4:45 – How to set boundaries at work when you leave your 9-5 and start a business
9:57 – How to set boundaries by getting clear on what you want from your business and clients
14:28 – How to say no without feeling guilty when you’re a people pleaser
In This Episode You’ll Learn:
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- Why the 9-5 “say yes to everything” mindset is the #1 thing to unlearn when you go online
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- How to define what you actually want from your business (and your life) before you set a single rule
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- How to create a “rule book” of hard boundaries – with real examples like “no meetings before 10:30am”
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- The “hell yes or hell no” framework for deciding what to take on
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- How to say no kindly but firmly – without leaving room for misinterpretation
If you’re a recovering people pleaser building an online business, this one’s for you.
🎧 Ready to build a business that actually works for you, with solid boundaries? → Join Foundations: https://onlinebusinessschool.itssophiebiggerstaff.com/Freedom-Model-Method
About The Working For Me Podcast:
Working For Me is for high-achieving dreamers on a journey to build a business, and a life, that actually works for them.
Whether you’re still stuck in a corporate 9-5, wondering how you can navigate the transition from employee to entrepreneur, or you’ve already quit your job to start and your business is feeling anything but free – this podcast helps you find a better work life balance by building an online business that’s set up to achieve your goals.
Hosted by Sophie Biggerstaff, Anti-Hustle Business Mentor and Writer/Host of Working For Me – each episode explores real strategy and honest conversation about doing what you love and building a business that’s genuinely working for you, not one you work for!
Subscribe for real entrepreneurship stories, and practical strategies for building something that’s genuinely yours.
Success isn’t just a fantasy – but you do need to write your own version of it – this podcast helps you do exactly that.
Find your starting point:
📖 Quit your 9-5 and navigate the transition into entrepreneurship with my Playbook: https://onlinebusinessschool.itssophiebiggerstaff.com/freedom-founder-playbook
🎓 Start an online business using AI in my Business Bootcamp: https://onlinebusinessschool.itssophiebiggerstaff.com/registration-page
💡Re-write your business strategy and align it with your version of success in a 1:1: https://itssophiebiggerstaff.com/11-coaching-call/
Connect With Me:
🗣️ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sophie-biggerstaff-business-coach/
📝 Substack: https://itssophiebiggerstaff.substack.com/
💻 Website: https://www.itssophiebiggerstaff.com
