The 5 specific moves that made me redundant from my own business

Have you ever stopped to work out what your business would actually be worth if you tried to sell it tomorrow? If the answer is "not much, because it all runs through me", you are not alone. And if reducing your hours feels impossible while the business still depends on you for everything, this episode is for you.I share what I've learned over the last twelve months of deliberately reducing my own hours and chargeable time, prompted by a big birthday, a Fibromyalgia diagnosis, and the very real sense that the clock is ticking. In this episode, I talk through the practical moves I made to build a business that is no longer reliant on me and that could command a proper capital value on exit. You'll hear the real decisions behind stepping back, including the brands I closed, the marketing I ditched, and how I finally started leading rather than doing.What you'll learn in the podcast episode:- Why knowing your exit plan matters even if selling feels years away, and how it shapes the business you build right now- How I deliberately stopped leading on new client work- The hard call to close or mothball brands and ditch marketing that were no longer earning their keep, even when it meant a short-term financial hit- Why auditing my own day to day activities was the key to adding back white space in my diary- The leadership routines I put in place to actually lead the business rather than just work in it- How I moved from playing with AI to using it with purpose to cut the processing and thinking I was doing myselfLink to riverside.fm:  https://riverside.sjv.io/e1MXvg (affiliate link)Related episodesWhat I did next when my rheumatologist told me I was broken https://startuptogrownup.substack.com/p/what-i-did-next-when-my-rheumatologistThe strategy I never wanted to learn - how to stop running yourself into the ground https://startuptogrownup.substack.com/p/the-strategy-i-never-wanted-to-learnFeeling like you are falling behind on AI adoption? Here's what to do first https://startuptogrownup.substack.com/p/feeling-like-you-are-falling-behindThese 4 beliefs that made you and your firm successful are now sabotaging your firm's growth https://startuptogrownup.substack.com/p/the-real-reason-you-cant-let-go-ofThe clients you can't let go of are the ones holding you back https://startuptogrownup.substack.com/p/the-3-step-guide-to-handing-overEveryone talks about scaling up. Nobody talks about scaling down. https://startuptogrownup.substack.com/p/everyone-talks-about-scaling-up-nobodyUseful links:- sign up as a paid subscriber and use this link to get 20% off an annual membership of Start Up To Grown UpWelcome to a free podcast episode of Start Up To Grown Up: Your source for ideas, insights and tactics to take back control of your business and scale it sustainably and profitably by Heather Townsend, award-winning author of The Accountants’ Millionaires’ Club and Founder of The Accountants’ Growth ClubEach episode of the Start Up To Growth Up Podcast is based on my weekly Substack Article on the same topic. Head over to my substack to subscribe https://substack.com/@startuptogrownup so you never miss an article or episode again. Get full access to Start Up To Grown Up at startuptogrownup.substack.com/subscribe