You’re Building A Business You Secretly Resent

Building a business you resent isn’t always obvious—until you’re already trapped in it.
Let me guess.

You did everything “right.”
Built the funnel.
Ran the ads.
Launched the course.
Posted on social like your life depended on it.
Stacked your calendar.
Scaled your team.

You’re booked.
You’re banked.
And you’re burnt the hell out.

Now here you are—staring at the business you built like it’s a stranger you don’t recognize.

You wanted freedom.
What you got was an expensive cage with a velvet rug and a never-ending to-do list.

And deep down… even though it pays you well…
You kind of hate it.

But you don’t say that out loud, do you?

Because that would make you ungrateful.
Ungrateful for the thing others only dream of.

But the truth?

You’re not ungrateful.
You’re just exhausted from building something that’s profitable—but not personal.

Let’s talk about that.

The Business That “Works” — But Feels All Wrong

Let me tell you a story.

Years ago, I built what everyone said I should build.

Courses.
Funnels.
Webinars.
SOPs.
Automations.
Team meetings every Thursday at 10:00AM sharp.

And on paper, it looked incredible.

We were doing six-figure launches.
Our calendar was full of “opportunities.”
We had a waiting list of coaching clients.

But I was drained.

I was running a business that checked every external box, but none of my internal ones.

If you’ve been building a business you resent, you’re not alone.

It wasn’t freedom.
It was performance with a paycheck.

And the worst part?

I created it.
I engineered the very system that was sucking the joy out of me.

Sound familiar?

How to Spot When You’re Building a Business You Resent

Let’s get uncomfortably honest for a minute.

Here are a few signs your business is starting to feel like a chore instead of a calling:

• You avoid your own Slack or inbox like it’s a toxic ex.
• You secretly hope your client cancels a call.
• You feel resentful every time you sit down to “create content.”
• You fantasize about disappearing from the internet for six months.
• You’ve optimized yourself into a corner where every hour feels monetized — but none feel meaningful.

If you’re nodding your head right now, here’s the truth bomb:

The real cost of building a business you resent isn’t just money — it’s your peace.

You don’t hate business.
You hate how you’re doing it.

You don’t hate clients.
You hate the version of you you have to be to serve them.

You don’t hate success.
You hate the sacrifices you’ve tied to it.

Let that land.

Are You Building a Business You Resent by Playing a Role?

Here’s the twist most entrepreneurs don’t see coming:

At some point in your business journey, you became a character.

You stepped into the role of “the expert.”
You started saying what sells.
You began creating what converts.
You became who your audience expects — instead of who you really are.

And guess what?

Most people don’t realize they’re building a business they resent until it’s too late.

It worked.

But now you feel trapped by the very persona that brought you success.

You’ve outgrown the mask.

But you’re afraid to take it off.

Because what if the money goes away?

What if people stop following?
Stop buying?
Stop cheering?

Here’s the paradox:

You built a brand based on expertise — and now the real YOU doesn’t fit inside it.

According to Harvard Business Review, many high-achieving entrepreneurs unknowingly build businesses that lead to burnout rather than freedom.

The Real Cost of Building a Business You Resent

You know what’s worse than failure?

Succeeding at something that slowly kills your spirit.

Because when you resent your business:

• Your creativity dries up.
• Your messaging gets hollow.
• Your offers lose their soul.
• You procrastinate more than you produce.
• You dream of exiting… even if it’s just into a cabin with no Wi-Fi.

But here’s what nobody tells you:

You can burn a business model to the ground without burning your reputation.

In fact, honesty might be your biggest breakthrough yet.

I’ve watched clients 3x their revenue — after simplifying their offers.

I’ve seen creators go from burnout to booked by doing less content — but making it real.

I’ve done it myself.

So here’s the uncomfortable but freeing truth:

You can change everything.
Even if it “works.”
Even if it’s “successful.”
Even if people “expect” you to keep it going.

Why I Stopped Building a Business I Resented

I’ll never forget this moment.

I was sitting in my office, surrounded by whiteboards full of sales metrics and launch timelines.

And it hit me:

“I don’t even want this anymore.”

So I did something wild.

I:

• Killed the course.
• Stopped the mastermind.
• Cut half the calendar.
• Fired the funnels.
• Told my audience the truth.

And then?

I started building from honesty, not obligation.

I created offers that felt like conversations.
I worked with people who lit me up.
I made less at first — but kept more.
I enjoyed life again.

And I finally realized this:

The freedom I was chasing wasn’t out there.
It was waiting on the other side of my own permission.

How to Stop Building a Business You Resent

If you’re realizing you’ve built a business you resent, don’t panic.

You’re not stuck.

You’re just overdue for a rebuild.

Start here:

Ask Yourself These:

1. What part of my business feels like I’m forcing it every time I touch it?
2. If I removed 80% of what I do, what would actually move the needle?
3. Who would I serve if I wasn’t afraid of losing followers or sales?
4. What do I actually want my day-to-day to look like?
5. If I had to rebuild from joy — not fear — what would I create first?

Now breathe.

You don’t have to blow up your business overnight.
But you do need to start being honest about the parts that make you miserable.

How to Build a Business That Doesn’t Burn You Out

Here’s what I’ve learned through years of burning, rebuilding, and simplifying:

1. Your business model should match your personality.
   Hate being on calls all day? Build an async offer.
   Introvert? Stop doing live launches and webinars.
   Creative? Give yourself permission to only sell what lights you up.
2. Choose joy over “should.”
   Just because something “converts” doesn’t mean it’s your calling.
3. Let your audience evolve with you.
   The ones who matter will stay.
   The rest were only there for the mask anyway.
4. Your offers don’t need to be complicated.
   Some of the most profitable people I know sell one product, one way, one time a month.
5. Redefine “enough.”
   You don’t need a $1M year if it costs you your peace.
   You just need a model that funds your lifestyle and feeds your soul.

If You’re Building Resentment, You’re Not Building Freedom

Let’s call it what it is:

You don’t need more strategy.
You need more alignment.

The numbers can be perfect.
But if your life sucks — it’s not success.

If you wouldn’t build it again from scratch — you probably shouldn’t keep it going.

And if you resent it now, scaling it will only amplify the misery.

You deserve better than that.

Final Truth: You Get to Choose Again

You are not trapped by the thing you built.

You’re just being called to evolve.

So ask yourself:

• What would my business look like if it felt like me again?
• What if I gave myself permission to build something simple, soulful, and profitable?
• What if the next level wasn’t about scaling… but about shedding?

You get to choose again.

This time — build it like you mean it.