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Time flies for small business owners

Tempus Fugit – Time Flies (and So Do We, If We’re Not Careful)

As small business owners, we tend to pour everything we have into our work—our energy, our focus, and most importantly, our time. In the early stages, it’s all-hands-on-deck, just trying to get the business off the ground. Later, we’re so entrenched in the day-to-day that we forget to come up for air.

Before we know it, we’ve lost track of balance—personal time, family time, fun time. Life becomes a series of tasks and checklists, and somehow, months pass without us even noticing.

Sound familiar?

This isn’t a judgment. It’s a reality check. We don’t start businesses to feel burnt out and disconnected—but that’s exactly what happens when we let the routine take over. And routine, while necessary to a degree, can be the biggest thief of time.

There’s a Latin phrase that sums this up perfectly: Tempus Fugit – Time Flies.

Have you ever wondered why time seems to pass faster the older we get?

Remember when we were kids? We’d count down the days to summer vacation, convinced the school year would never end. Time was slow because we were always looking forward to something—birthday parties, beach trips, sleepovers, or even just the weekend.

But somewhere along the way, we lost that sense of anticipation.

As adults, life got complicated. We traded carefree afternoons for calendars full of meetings. Once work, marriage, kids, and obligations entered the picture, our lives became tightly scheduled. We bounce from task to task, appointment to appointment, email to email—and suddenly, entire seasons slip by unnoticed. “Didn’t we just take down the holiday lights?”

It’s not that we’re doing anything wrong—it’s that we’re doing so much, and so much of it is on autopilot. Even the boring, mundane stuff seems to move at lightning speed. We look up and wonder where the time went.

So, how do we slow it all down?

How do we break free from the rut of rinse-and-repeat? How do we reclaim a sense of balance, or at the very least, a little more joy in the journey?

Here are a few thoughts that might help:

1. Choose Joy—Deliberately

That doesn’t mean quitting your business to become a llama herder in Peru (though if that’s your dream, go for it). It means becoming more mindful about how you spend your time and energy. Are you doing things that bring fulfillment and joy? Or are you stuck in “should” mode?

Not every task is going to be thrilling, but if it makes you feel drained or resentful every time it pops up, ask yourself:

  • Can I delegate this?
  • Can I do it differently?
  • Or can I let it go altogether?

As business owners, we sometimes forget that we can say no—or at least say “not me.”

2. Create More Milestones

We often save celebration for a handful of annual events: birthdays, anniversaries, holidays. That’s not nearly enough. Joy and anticipation shouldn’t be limited to Hallmark moments.

Start planning things—small and large—that give you something to look forward to. And no, it doesn’t have to cost a fortune.

  • A quarterly weekend getaway
  • A monthly dinner with friends
  • A solo afternoon doing something you love
  • A new project that inspires you rather than drains you

Even something as simple as hosting a potluck picnic at the park can be an event worth anticipating, especially if it brings together people you enjoy.

The more milestones you build into your life, the more opportunities you create for anticipation—and that is what makes time feel full, rich, and slow (in the best way).

3. Practice Conscious Living

We rush through life not because we want to, but because we aren’t fully present. Multitasking has become a badge of honor, but in reality, it fragments our focus and diminishes our experiences.

Start noticing your moments. Be present in them, even if it’s just for a few minutes a day.

  • Savor your morning coffee (instead of sipping while doom-scrolling)
  • Watch the sunset (without checking your email between colors)
  • Take a walk without your phone (yes, it’s still possible!)

When you become more aware of the minutes, they stop slipping away unnoticed.

We started this article with one Latin phrase—Tempus Fugit—and we’ll end with another: Carpe Diem.

Seize the Day.

But let’s not just seize it. Let’s design it, build it, and live it—on purpose. You didn’t start your business to become a prisoner of it. You started it for freedom, flexibility, passion, and impact. So if you’re feeling like time is flying by without any joy, maybe it’s time to hit pause and reevaluate how you’re spending your most valuable asset: your time.

So here’s your invitation:

Let’s talk.

If you’re tired of feeling like time is slipping through your fingers—if you want to get back to enjoying your business and your life—Concierge Business Solutions® can help.

We specialize in helping entrepreneurs like you build businesses that run more smoothly, more efficiently, and with you at the helm—not chained to the oars.

And if you’re ready to take it a step further, check out our Freedom by Design training series—an on-demand course packed with practical tools, systems, and real-world strategies that teach you how to create a business that runs itself… so you don’t have to.

👉 Explore the course here.

Or, if you’d prefer to talk one-on-one first:

👉 Schedule a free consultation with us here.

Because time flies—and you deserve to spend yours doing what you love.

The #1 Problem Small Business Owners Face (And How to Stop the Madness)

The #1 Problem Small Business Owners Face (Remedy Inside)

Are You Doing It All? It’s Time to Stop!

Let’s be real. Being a small business owner often feels like being trapped in a never-ending game of Whack-a-Mole—emails, payroll, client fires, scheduling, marketing, and oh yes, actually delivering your service. This is the #1 Problem Small Business Owners Face (And How to Stop the Madness).  You’re answering phones one minute, fixing tech glitches the next, and squeezing in invoicing at 10:45 p.m. with one eye open.

Sound familiar? Then you’re suffering from the biggest problem small business owners face:

Trying to do everything yourself.

small business ownersAnd trust me, you’re not alone. We’ve ALL been there. Most entrepreneurs start as the technician, the doer, the magic-maker. But when you’re running the whole circus? Burnout is inevitable. You’re not building a business—you’re building a hamster wheel.

 But here’s the thing: it doesn’t have to be this way.

Introducing Freedom by Design: How to Build a Business That Runs Itself

This isn’t just a course—it’s your roadmap out of overwhelm. Freedom by Design is our brand-new educational program built for business owners who are tired of being twisted, bent, and exhausted (more on that in a sec).

Inside Freedom by Design, we’ll teach you:

  • How to get out of the day-to-day grind
  • What systems and structure actually free you—not tie you down
  • How to build a business that serves you (not the other way around)

We don’t spill all the secrets in this newsletter (because that’s what the course is for), but here’s what we will say:

You cannot grow without letting go. And Freedom by Design shows you exactly how to do that—strategically, sustainably, and successfully.

👉 Ready to break the cycle? Start by clicking here.

Wait—You’re Not Alone in This Crazy Journey

Meet our Podcast:

Join me, Leslie Spoor, and co-host Jeff Harrison (aka King of Digital Strategy), as we share real stories, blunt truths, and occasionally wildly inappropriate laughs about the wild ride of entrepreneurship.

This is not your average sugar-coated business podcast. It’s raw, real, and ridiculously relatable.

small business owners podcast

Tune in for:

  • Behind-the-scenes business meltdowns (and how we recovered)
  • Lessons from decades of growing, scaling, and surviving
  • And practical tips to keep you sane while you build your empire

🎧 Listen on Spotify or catch us on our YouTube Channels 

(Search: Twisted, Bent and Exhausted Podcast)

The Bottom Line?

If you’re running on caffeine and duct tape, it’s time to reclaim your business (and your life).

Freedom by Design and Twisted, Bent and Exhausted are here to help you:

  • Work smarter
  • Lead stronger
  • Laugh louder
  • And finally, get the tools you need to stop doing it all alone

You built your business. Now let us help you build your freedom.

👉 Start your journey by clicking here.

🎙️ And don’t forget to subscribe to Twisted, Bent and Exhausted on Spotify or YouTube.

Here’s to working less, earning more, and sleeping better. You deserve it. 

To your sanity and success. 

View this newsletter as a video below:

Plan or Panic? Why Flying by the Seat of Your Pants Isn’t a Strategy

  1. Let’s be honest:

As small business owners, we all have those days where just getting out of bed feels like a monumental win.

Maybe you woke up feeling uninspired, drained, or overwhelmed. The to-do list is too long, your inbox is overflowing, and the coffee didn’t hit quite right. On those days, it’s tempting to just wing it—to go wherever the day takes you and hope for the best.

But here’s the question

Do you have a plan… or are you just reacting to whatever the day throws your way?

At Concierge Business Solutions®, we work with business owners who are incredibly talented, passionate, and driven—but not always disciplined. And that’s okay! Discipline can be learned, but it starts with having something to anchor to—a plan.

Flying Blind: The Risks of Working Without a Plan

Flying Blind: The Risks of Working Without a PlanRunning a business without a plan is a lot like trying to drive cross-country without GPS. You might eventually get there, but you’ll take wrong turns, waste time, burn fuel, and end up a whole lot more stressed than you needed to be.

Sure, you can survive by operating day-to-day, putting out fires and answering emails as they come. But that’s not running a business—that’s surviving a business.

And when you spend every day just trying to survive, you never build momentum. You miss opportunities for growth, for streamlining, for scaling. And perhaps most importantly, you miss the freedom that probably inspired you to become an entrepreneur in the first place.

The Power of the Plan

Let me tell you about a week I remember all too well:

It was mid-summer, triple-digit heat, and I had more deadlines than hours in the day. One client changed their mind (again), another hadn’t paid their invoice, and a key employee called out sick.

I sat at my desk feeling completely defeated. My first instinct? Close the laptop. Walk away. Watch Netflix and try again tomorrow.

But instead, I opened my planner and looked at my top 3 priorities for the day—things I had written when I was clear-headed and focused.

  1. I didn’t get through all three.
  2. I got through one and a half.
  3. But that one and a half task?
  4. It pushed two projects forward.
  5. It generated income.
  6. It kept the business moving.

And the next day, with a little rest and a little momentum, I was back at it.

That’s the beauty of having a plan:

Even partial wins are still wins.

Plans Keep You Honest (and Accountable)

Without a plan, it’s far too easy to let yourself off the hook by saying or thinking:

  1. “Maybe tomorrow is a better day to start.”
  2. “When I feel more creative I’ll work on this project.”
  3. “I’m too busy putting out fires.”

But when you have a plan—especially one you’ve committed to—you have something to measure against. You can say,

✔️ Yes, I did what I set out to do

or

❌ No, I didn’t—but I know why, and I can adjust

That’s not failure. That’s strategic self-awareness. And it’s how successful business owners build sustainable growth.

Planning Is a Form of Self-Respect

Creating a plan is not just a business tool—it’s a form of self-respect. It says:

  1.  My time matters.
  2.  My goals matter.
  3.  I believe in what I’m building.

And don’t worry—your plan doesn’t need to be perfect. In fact, it shouldn’t be. It should evolve, stretch, and bend with the seasons of your business.

At Concierge Business Solutions®, we’ve helped dozens of clients create living, breathing plans that provide structure without suffocation. Whether it’s through our coaching, our software management tools like Essential Elements™, or our operational independence training, Freedom by Design – Build a Business That Runs Itself, we help you go from chaos to clarity—one step at a time.

Don’t Let Perfection Stop Progress

If you’re waiting for the “perfect time” to plan—stop. It won’t come.

Just start small:

  1.  Write down three things you want to accomplish this week.
  2.  Choose one part of your business to improve this month.
  3.  Schedule 15 minutes every Monday to outline your week.
  4. And on the days when you don’t feel like doing everything? Do something.

Even one small, intentional step keeps you on the path forward.

Ready to Plan for Real Progress?

If your business feels like it’s running you instead of the other way around, let’s talk. We offer practical tools, coaching, and software designed specifically for small service-based business owners—like you—who are ready to get organized, stay accountable, and move forward with purpose.

Because when you trade in panic for a plan, everything changes.

For more information, a free software demo or to see our operational independence training, please reach out to us at LSpoor@conciergebusinesssolutions.com

Or, schedule an appointment to discuss how we can best assist you.

To your success (with a plan),

Leslie Spoor

Founder, Concierge Business Solutions®

Helping you work smarter, not harder

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