Episode 50: The Hidden Reason You’re Exhausted in Your Business

You didn’t start your business to be this exhausted.
 ou started it for freedom, flexibility, and a paycheck you could count on or maybe a dream to add more to your family finances.

So why does it feel like you’re working harder than ever and still not seeing the results you want?

In this episode, Jennifer Kok shares the story of how her dream bakery  launched just two days after delivering her second daughter. It looked successful on the outside, but behind the scenes, it was chaos. From chasing trends (remember the cronut craze?) to saying “yes” to everything, she realized the problem wasn’t her effort,  it was her missing framework.

Jennifer reveals the first three of her 9 Pillars to a Profitable Business, the “Market Demand” pillars that every small business needs to grow with stability and ease:

1️⃣ Revenue – Reliable, predictable income from offers that actually make money.
2️⃣ Customers – The right clients who come back, not the ones who drain your energy.
3️⃣ Network – Collaborations and referrals that open doors you can’t open alone.

You’ll also hear two powerful client success stories — one bakery owner who turned chaos into consistency by focusing on her signature offer, and a home organizer who doubled her profits without adding more hours.

If you’re tired of the revenue roller coaster, this episode will remind you that you don’t need to work harder, you need a framework that works.

Meet Your Host:

Jennifer Kok has been a business owner for over 25 years and is now a business coach. She turned her first business into a franchise and successfully sold it 20 years later.  She was passionate about building a business and a family at the same time.

I support women entrepreneurs in their second year and beyond as they build businesses and families, helping them achieve Clarity, Confidence, and Consistent Profits.  The reality is, you’ve built a Business You’re Proud Of— but it’s time for it to work for you.

You’re still wearing all the hats, working long hours, and not paying yourself what you deserve. You know there’s more possible—more profit, more clarity, and more freedom to enjoy the life you’re building.

The Earn More Stress Less 9-Pillar Blueprint helps women entrepreneurs with families create profitable, sustainable businesses that finally pay them back — in money, time, and peace of mind.

Join me for a Free Online Workshop:
3 Steps to Boost Profitability: Strategic Shifts to Help Small Business Owners Make More Money.   If you want more profits follow this link to register. 

https://nextwavebusinesscoaching.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/nextwavewithjen
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nextwavewithjen/
LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/jenniferowenskok
YouTube: http://bit.ly/2M9uX6S

If you’re working harder than ever but not paying yourself first, it’s not your fault — it’s the missing pillars.
 👉 Book a free Discovery Call with Jennifer to learn how the 9 Pillars Framework can help you boost profit, simplify your systems, and build a business that fits your life. https://class.nextwavebusinesscoaching.com/discovery-call

Transcript

Jennifer Kok (00:04.898) You didn't start your business to be this exhausted. You started it for freedom, flexibility, and let's be honest, a paycheck you could count on or a dream to increase your family finances. And that is a great reason to start a business. But here's the question. Why does it feel like you're working harder than ever and still not seeing the results you want? I want to tell you a secret. It's not you. It's the missing pillars that are supposed to hold your business up. When I started my cookie and cupcake shop over 25 years ago, I had big dreams too. I was a new mom to my second daughter. I left a corporate job that I loved but couldn't sustain the travel and the relocation that it required. I had big dreams, a big desire, a ton of hustle, and I had a lot of frosting, a ton of frosting. What I didn't have, a framework. For years, I was bouncing from one fire drill to the next. Can you relate? I was taking custom orders. I didn't want, because after the fact, I realized I didn't make a penny on that custom order. I was changing my prices because some random person would say, these are expensive. Well, it turns out she wasn't my ideal client. And I was trying to market every new idea that came up. You know, the baking business can be really trendy. And I was there for it. Yes, I tried my own version of the cronut. Does anybody remember? the New York baker that went viral because he took a croissant and a donut. Well, my cupcake cookie version didn't quite go viral or take off as well as his did. So at the end of the day, I was crossing my fingers, hoping enough customers showed up so that I could make payroll. I can remember the silent prayer I'd make before I checked my bank balance. Will there be enough? I was working every day in my business, but I wasn't actually building a business. So I finally decided to hire a business coach. And day one, he looked me dead in the eye and he said, you didn't start a business, you bought yourself a job. Ouch. That was a gut punch. But he was right. It was my wake up call. And I knew at that point I needed to do something different. So here's the thing. Jennifer Kok (02:19.554) You know, us humans are obsessed with frameworks. We love recipes. We love roadmaps. We love blueprints, the 30-day challenge, a diet plan, and so on and so on. And why do you think that is? Because it gives us clarity. It's safety. It takes the pressure off of us. If I follow this, I'll get that. And you know what? It works. Frameworks move us forward faster. They reduce the 2 AM wakeups wondering how you're going to keep it all together. And what I learned is this. Just like a house needs beams and a strong foundation, your business needs a strong foundation too, and that's pillars. Not trends, not another TikTok post, pillars, real pillars. So let me take you back to my bakery days early on. On the outside, it looked like everything was working. Sales were growing, revenue was up, new customers were coming in every month. But behind the scenes, it was chaos. My team was confused, my inbox was a disaster, my family was basically getting the leftovers of my attention and my energy. And here's what I finally realized. Revenue? is the vanity number. It looks good. We love to talk about it. There's so many programs about it. But if the foundation under is cracking, it's not sustainable. That's why the first three pillars are what I call market demand. Pillar one is revenue. You need offers that bring in reliable, predictable income. Pillar two are customers, not just more of them, but the right ones, the ones that come back and don't drain you. And then pillar three, your network, because the right collaborations open doors you can't open alone. You miss even one of these three pillars, and your business revenue will always feel like a roller coaster. Jennifer Kok (04:07.03) Let me share with you a story of a client. She came to me, she too was a bakery owner, and she was stuck on that roller coaster. She said yes to everything. Hey, do you sell donuts? Sure, I can sell donuts. Can you open earlier? Yeah, why not? Do you have gluten free? Okay, I'll offer gluten free. Anybody else relate? Her menu doubled. So did the chaos though. And so did her profit disappeared. The turning point came when we looked at her numbers and I said, you know, you need to be known for something. and let's let the numbers dictate what that is. Well, it turns out it was cinnamon rolls. They outsold everything by a landslide. So she leaned into that, made it her signature. Suddenly she became known for something. It helped revenue become consistent. And guess what? Her stress level, way down. Revenue doesn't come from saying yes to everyone. It comes from focus and having a signature offer. Something that you are so well known for that your network and clients can refer you to others. easily. Let me share with you another story of a client of mine. She was a home organizer and was completely drained. She was driving all over town, quoting jobs, working late nights. From the outside, it looked like she was really busy and successful. But her bank account told a different story. Her mistake? Pricing by the hour. The moment she told a client her rate, they could do the mental math in their head. And they would say stuff like, 10 hours at 80 bucks an hour. Do I really need this? So we scrapped the hourly model and built packages Instead she started selling the transformation of what she offered and not the time Within three months her revenue was up and her profit margins jumped too because out without working a single extra hour, which I love Sometimes profit doesn't come from more clients. It comes from smarter structure to drive your revenue So pillar number one of my nine pillar framework is revenue But don't fall into the trap of this being your vanity number look beneath that at your pricing your customers the buying patterns Jennifer Kok (06:08.408) your network, and what you are known for. So listen, if you're working harder than ever, wearing all the hats, and still not paying yourself first, it's not because you're not capable. It's not because your business isn't successful. It's because no one ever gave you the framework. That's why I created the nine pillars of a sustainable business. It's the blueprint I wish I had from day one. And here's the best part. You don't need all nine today. You just need to know where to start. So that's exactly why I'm hosting a free masterclass called Three Steps to Boost Profits in Your Small Business. We're going to talk about the pricing mistakes. We're going to talk about your signature offer. We're going to talk about your network, the three pillars of market demand. So I invite you into this because I don't want you working more hours. Let's just work smarter. You can find the link below. Because it's time. It's time to build a business that actually supports your life instead of draining it. You in? So if you're interested in learning about all nine pillars, be sure to subscribe or click follow, because I'll be coming on here to talk about all the other pillars as well. Until then, I'll see you in the master class.