Put the tools down
When a press release starts with “Dyslexic Bedfordshire Mum of 2 Beats BBC Dragon Steven Bartlett in the Book Charts”, you stop and take notice. And here at YOMU, that’s exactly what we did.
As we head into the long weekend, a time when many of us are reflecting on balance, ambition, and maybe even burnout, Katie Godfrey’s story feels like a big old dose of motivation, which we adore.
The dyslexic entrepreneurial mum of two, from Bedfordshire, has transformed her life from £50,000 of debt to now growing a global beauty empire celebrated having made one of her childhood dreams come true as she became a best selling author.
Her new book, Get off the Tools, stormed the Amazon charts, becoming No.1 in five categories. She climbed over BBC Dragon Steven Bartlett in Sales and Marketing, surpassed Mel Robbins’ Let Them in Management & Leadership and even overtook industry icon Liz Earle in Beauty and Fashion.
Go, Katie!
The irony of this is that the celebrations came on the 16th anniversary of her first salon opening, something she never imagined as a teenager who was so badly bullied she left school at 13, and later found herself a single mum with no qualifications.
Self-taught and fuelled by resilience and a stack of borrowed books, she has since built and sold a salon chain, launched a product range, opened a training academy, and created a thriving coaching business.
For Katie, becoming an author is more than a career milestone, it’s personal,
“I didn’t have any money to invest at the start, “ she said. “ I was £50K in debt, reading books was how I learnt. My book collates everything I’ve now learnt over the 16 years of being in business, and it’s focused on one of my biggest passions, how to create freedom whilst still building for growth.
I travel the world with my young family and work hours that suit me, all while my multiple companies are still running. I want to teach more women how to do the same and I’m excited to reach so many more people via this book”.
Katie’s book is full of honest insights and real-world strategies, and below, she shares her top five tips for building a business without burning out (we totally need to take note):
Face facts that sometimes your business will need to come first. Whether you’re in the middle of launching a new product line, opening a new location, or just navigating the day-to-day challenges of running a business, there will be periods when work takes over. And that’s okay. It is part of the journey. During these times, give yourself permission to focus on your business without feeling guilty. Communicate with your loved ones. Let them know what’s happening and why you need to focus on the business right now. This transparency helps manage their expectations.
During those periods of intense work, you should set clear short-term goals. Break down what needs to be done into manageable tasks and prioritise them based on urgency and impact. This helps prevent that overwhelming feeling of having too much on your plate and ensures you do what will move the needle the most.
Get out of the perfectionism trap and get time back. While it’s important to deliver high-quality work, it’s also crucial to see when good is good enough. Perfectionism can be a serious time waster. And we in our industry are known to be perfectionists. Whether it’s obsessing over the details of a client’s haircut, spending hours tweaking your website, or rewriting an email draft five times, the pursuit of perfection can eat up valuable time that could be better spent elsewhere.
Also know there will be times when you need to step back and let life take centre stage. Maybe you need to take that long-overdue holiday, spend quality time with your family, or simply give yourself a break after a particularly intense period at work. These moments are just as important as the hustle, and they’re essential for maintaining your energy, creativity and passion for your business.
Find your Rhythm, so instead of seeking the perfect balance, I encourage you to find your rhythm, a way of managing your time that flows with the demands of your business and life. This rhythm will look different for everyone, and it evolves as your circumstances change. Ask yourself what your own rhythm means to you. It might mean being home for dinner with the family every night or doing the school runs. It could be taking a day off each week to recharge.
Whatever it is, make sure it aligns with your values and priorities.
Get off the Tools: The Blueprint to Level Up Your Business and Create Freedom is available now on Amazon: Click here to order your copy today, so you can read it as you indulge in Easter, eggs, hot cross buns and coffee this weekend. Oh, and you can follow Katie as the celebrations continue on IG so let her know what you think of the book.
Have a great weekend.
Natalie
