Hustle with Heels Podcast

Ep12. Reflecting on 2024: Lessons, Growth, and the Power of Pivoting

• Cindy Excell

Share episode

As 2024 comes to a close, I’m taking a moment to reflect on what this year has meant for me, both personally and professionally.

From pivoting my business to focus on side hustle coaching to navigating unexpected challenges in my corporate role, this year has been a mix of growth, resilience, and learning how to prioritize what truly matters to move my business forward.

This episode is all about looking back to reflect on what worked and what didn't, acknowledge the lessons, and recognize the moments that didn’t go as planned. I share how embracing change and protecting my energy allowed me to stay aligned with my business goals, even when things felt messy.

From the excitement of launching new offers to the mindset shifts required for a major pivot, it’s been a year of discovering what’s possible when you stay true to what you believe and trust the process.

Whether you’re wrapping up your own year or planning for the next, I hope this episode leaves you inspired to reflect on how far you’ve come and where you want to go.

Thank you for being part of this journey with me—your support and encouragement in 2024 have meant everything. Here’s to a beautiful holiday season and an exciting 2025 ahead. 🎄✨

Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, and I’ll see you in the new year on the 8th of Jan! 

Links

Connect with me on LinkedIn here

Check out my Instagram here

Welcome to the Hustle with Heels podcast. I'm your host, Cindy Excell, a corporate girl, start hustler, wife, and a mom of two. In 2020, I started my first start hustle as an online fitness coach while working in my corporate job as a private wealth manager. Over the years, I have been living proof that a corporate career And a side hustle can absolutely co exist in harmony.

Today, I'm helping corporate women and early stage entrepreneurs create wealth beyond that nine to five jobs and build an online business on their terms. On this podcast, I'll share my knowledge, strategies, and the stories that will help you start and grow your side hustle. Whether you are ready to diversify your income streams or are looking to build a start business that aligns with your goals, I'm here to support you every step of the way.

Now let's get started.  Hey guys, welcome back to this new episode of the Hustle with Heels podcast. And Merry Christmas everyone. I hope you are all enjoying the holiday and this festival season. We actually spent our Christmas with my in laws in Tasmania, in Australia. And my elder daughter's birthday, uh, was also on the Christmas day.

She's a Christmas baby. And then she's just a 10 to 13 years old. We had a double celebration as a family. I have been spending a lot of time with my family, my kids during this holiday. And also I'm using this time to strategically plan out what I want to do with my business in 2025. This holiday period for me is also what I would like to call as, um, creation period.

I'm using this time to create a lot of assets and materials that I need in 2025 for my business. Because as you know, when you have a full time job, you don't really have the luxury to be able to work on your business on a day to day basis. So this is why I really love the online business, because even though I'm traveling right now, even though I'm on the holiday right now with the family, and I still be able to work on my business.

If I want to, this year has been full of shifts and pivots, challenges and the growth. I waited for a little bit longer to publish this episode instead of my normal weekly Wednesday update because this is not only the last episode of 2024, I also want to make this a reflection episode because it is so important to pause and look back, not only to celebrate what's been accomplished for the year, but also to acknowledge what didn't work and how we can move forward in the new year.

This year I've had some major shifts in my business, in my corporate job. And as much as we love celebrating the wins, I want to show you the full picture, the behind the scenes of what it really looks like when you are trying to balance it all. Because growth isn't linear. It is kind of messy. Sometimes it's full of twists and turns.

We all face tough moments from time to time. And we all have those days when we wonder if we're doing enough or if we're on the right track at all. But what I've learned and what I want to share with you today is how to not only move through those moments. But also how to rise above them. So this episode is for anyone who's ever felt overwhelmed by change or uncertainty about the next steps.

And I hope sharing my journey in 2024  will help you feel less alone in your own journey as well. Before we go any further, I just want to take a second to say a big thank you to all my listeners. Seriously, if you've been tuning in since the very first episode, or if you are just discovering this episode today, I want to say a heartfelt thank you to you all.

Your support means the world to me. I get messages from listeners from time to time who share how these episodes are resonating with them, and that right there is what makes all of this worthwhile. It is so easy to get caught up in the doing and forget to pause and appreciate the journey. But in this space, I want to make sure that we are celebrating every part of it, the messy parts, the breakthroughs, the lessons we've learned along the way.

So if you're listening, and if you've been part of this community, know that I see you and I appreciate you. And I'm so grateful that you are here for this reflection with me today.  If you have been listening to me for a while, you'd know that I pivoted my online business earlier this year. This wasn't a decision that I made lightly.

I spent last four and a half years since 2020 coaching working moms, helping them with their fitness and nutrition mindset and overall health and wellbeing. And I loved it. And seeing that transformations brought me so much joy. But over time, I started to feeling this nudge. There was this persistent feeling that there was something more or something else that I could offer and I wanted to offer that had been a disconnect between where I was and where I felt a call to go probably towards the second half of 2023.

I realized that I wanted to reach corporate professionals, especially women like me. Who had a big dreams of starting something of their own on the side, but felt maybe stuck in the how I wanted to show them that it was possible and it doesn't have to be complicated to build an online business without having to leaving that careers first. 

Because that's what I did for those four and a half years now, nearly five years now. That shift wasn't easy. I had to face the hard truth back then that staying on my current path, i. e. the fitness coaching path, wasn't aligning with my values anymore. That kind of misalignment  made me feel uncomfortable, especially I needed to admit that I no longer felt the passion I once had towards coaching fitness because it was not easy to admit something like that.

But on the other hand, I deeply value growth and the creating financial security beyond a traditional nine to five job. So as hard as it was to leave behind what I had built with my fitness coaching business, I knew that this pivot was necessary for my longterm vision and for building sustainable business that I always desire.

Especially I know how much this could help corporate professionals out there who also want to build and create their own career paths that can provide financial security and fulfillment. The biggest challenge in this pivot was my own mindset. That was this fear of failure, fear of losing what I had built and the fear of being misunderstood.

It was very easy to get bogged down by doubts. For example, I questioned if that was the right time to make that change. I still had the fitness coaching clients back then with me at that time. So how did I break the news to them? Would people start to unfollow me on social media? There was also these practical challenges such as how to rebrand, how to restructure my content, and how to communicate this new direction clearly to my audience.

I didn't want to confuse my followers or lose the trust I had built over the years. All of those took time, but ultimately I had to accept the fact that that chapter of my business had come to an end and that is okay. I kept reminding myself that that pivot wasn't about leaving something behind. It was about stepping into something bigger and I was creating a space to allow a new direction to come through into my business.

Deep down in my heart, I had this unshakable confidence that I was on the right direction.  Because this business idea has been validated and I knew that the people want that. I didn't just wake up one day and say, I'm pivoting. Let's do this. I actually started by asking myself some key questions.

Questions like, is this what my audience want? What are their biggest challenges when it comes to starting a side hustle while working in corporate? Or how can I bring the most value to them and to help them kick off their own side hustle journey? I started talking to my audience, my ideal clients. I was doing a lot of market research back then and the gathering feedback.

And what I found was convincing that with this huge need for what I want to offer. Which is a guidance for corporate professionals and the corporate woman who want to start their startup hustles without feeling overwhelmed, without having to leaving that corporate job first. It was validating to hear my audience say, this is exactly what I need, or this is exactly what I want.

That feedback gave me the confidence to move forward and to work on the pivot, knowing that I wasn't guessing. I was actually building something that truly resonated. This pivot taught me that growth often requires stepping into the unknown and trusting the process, even when you can't see the entire path ahead.

But when I see my audience really resonate with this new direction of my business, and when I see how people engage in what I have to say and the positive feedback I received, there were huge affirmation that I made the right move. This shift has brought so much clarity and the purpose to my business.

Before I was just a focused on fitness coaching for working moms. Now I'm helping corporate women, corporate professionals build a business that create a financial independence, and it is so fulfilling.  I'm not just helping people get fit or, um, find the balance anymore. I'm actually guiding them towards building the life and the wealth they've always dreamed of.

It feels like I'm living my true purpose here. In 2024, since I took that new direction in my business, the last six months was a stage where I rebuilt the foundation for my business. I introduced a new long form content platform, which is this podcast. This is also my weekly original content I create. I also build a solid coaching framework for my high ticket private coaching offer, which I use to get my clients the real results.

I built the top funnel for my business, which is everything about a side hustle. Looking forward, I am more excited than ever because in 2025, I will be working on fully booking out my one on one coaching spots and launch my signature group coaching program or a mastermind potentially in the new year. I also have this big plan to launch monthly free workshop on the start hustle as well to provide a real value to corporate professionals who wants to take the first step to starting their own startup business.

I'm excited to continue supporting corporate professionals and the corporate woman to turn their skills, knowledge, strength, and the passion into a profitable online business while balancing their careers and the personal lives. The next reflection on juggle my business this year with changes in my corporate job is about protecting my energy.

You know, when you are juggling both a corporate job and a side business, there are times when things start to feel a little bit overwhelming. And I'll be honest with you, I've had quite a few of those moments this year with my corporate job. It happened when things changed at my corporate role. And a lot in the way I expected multiple times since 2020, I had been doing pretty good in managing both my side of business and my corporate job, feeling like I had everything under control, which I did for very, very long time.

But this year in 2024, especially the last six months, there was some massive changes at my corporate role. Not just one, but quite a few big changes happened at the corporate level that threw everything off for me. I'm not a stranger when it comes to change. In fact, I usually adapt and navigate through changes very well.

But this year, for many factors at the corporate level, which were completely out of my control, and I don't really want to go into too much details on this, not yet. But as a result of that, a lot of frustration came with my corporate job. And with the added stress came a feeling of complete burnout to a point where I felt that I have given so much energy to my corporate role, to my corporate job.

And I got caught up in all those frustration, drama, and the things out of my control with my corporate job. And I had none left for my business I love at the end of the day. Also, that's actually exactly the turning point for me as well, because I realized that how much I didn't want to feel that way with a 9 to 5 job.

And that just reconfirmed why I started my startup business in the first place, which is to create a career path and the life that I want. I realized that I had two choices. I could keep trying to push through, feeling frustrated with my 9 to 5, letting myself out, or I could start protecting my energy from my corporate role.

So I did a lot of inner work of setting boundaries between my corporate job and my business. I dig deeper to prioritize. I set a clear non negotiable time blocks for my side of business. I reminded myself that my business wasn't just a side project. It wasn't a hobby, but something I was building with purpose and the vision.

It is something I am building to exceed my corporate job one day by setting those boundaries. I was able to protect not just my time, but most importantly, my energy, something I had overlooked from time to time when I get caught up in all the corporate dramas and by protecting my energy. It didn't just protect my business.

It also protected me. It actually allowed me to show up more fully in my business because I stopped the trying to do everything at once. I gave myself permission to be imperfect and I gave myself the grace to step back when I need to recharge for my business. So if you are also juggling a corporate job and a startup business, or even just a lot of responsibilities, perhaps I want you to remember this protecting your energy.

Your business needs it. Your personal life needs it. And most importantly, you need it. In addition to these reflections, there are also some key business lessons stand out to me in 2024. These aren't just things I've learned. These are actually principles I've started to live by. I hope these lessons actually resonate with you and give you something valuable to take into the new year as well.

Lesson one is that learning without implementation, don't move the needle. This was a hard pill to swallow because I've always been someone who loves learning, taking courses, listening to podcasts, watching YouTube videos, and reading all the business books. But the truth is, if you don't actually implement what you're learning, it's just another thing sitting on the shi on the shelf in your mind. 

Learning is in fact the easy part. The hard part is to apply what you learned on the consistent basis, even if you fail. Then you learn from your mistake, you get up and keep moving forward by implementing what you have learned and taking that step forward is what creates the momentum. So if you've been stuck in the learning mode, I want to challenge you on this.

Pick one thing you've learned this year and take bold action on it. That's what will move the needle for you. Lesson two is that keep it simple. This lesson hit me like a tons of bricks, especially as someone juggling a corporate job, a growing business and everything else life throws my way. It is so easy to overcomplicate things, thinking like you need all the bells and whistles and the perfect website or an elaborate marketing plan.

But here's what I've learned. Simplicity is a superpower. When you are managing multiple priorities, you don't have time for complexity. What works is getting crystal clear on what matters most and focusing on your energy there. For me, that meant simplify my office, streamline my content, and being intentional with my time every week, every day.

So if you are feeling overwhelmed, take a step back and ask yourself this, what is the simplest way to move forward and help me move closer to my goal? And start there. Lesson number three I want to share with you is the power of focus. When you're balancing a startup business with a full time job, focus isn't just important, it is essential.

It is about saying no to distractions and yes to what aligns with your goals in your business. I used to be proud of being able to multitask and doing all things, everything.  This past year, I've learned that success doesn't come from doing everything. It actually comes from doing the right thing consistently.

For me, that means focusing on my one on one coaching and showing up on my podcast every week and on LinkedIn with intention and staying committed to serving my audience there. So on reflection on your past year, where could you focus your energy in 2024?  What is that one thing that will move the needle for you?

So double down on that in the new year. The last lesson is that be bold, speak your truth, and stay true to yourself. One of the most liberating things I've done this year is leaning into my truth. Since I pivoted my business to start hustle coaching, I have shared a lot of personal stories and personal views that I never shared before.

I stopped trying to fit into a mold and start sharing what I truly believe and sharing my message in a way that feels authentic to me. The more I've shown up as myself, messy, honest and unapologetic,  the more my audience has resonated with what I'm sharing. People connect with authenticity, not perfection.

So if you have a story to tell, or opinion to share, don't hold back. Share your story, share your struggles, your wings, speak your truth, even if it feels vulnerable. Right people, your people, will find you when you show up as you. These lessons, I hope they resonate with you as much as they have with me.

Remember, it's not really about having everything figured out. It is about the showing up, staying true to yourself and the trust in that process will lead you where you need to go. Before I sign off, I want to take a moment to wish you all a very Merry Christmas and a joyous holiday season. This time of the year is special.

As you celebrate, I hope you take a moment to acknowledge your growth and give yourself credit for all the ways you've shown up this year. I'd encourage you also to take some time to reflect on your own journey in this past year. Think about what went well, what you've learned, and where you want to go next.

Whether you're spending this holiday season with family, friends, or even just treating yourself to some well deserved rest. I hope this season brings you the moments of joy, love, and gratitude. I want to thank you again for being part of my journey in 2024 with me, your support, your encouragement connections means so much to me, and I'm truly grateful for this incredible community.

We are building together. Merry Christmas, happy holidays, and here's to an incredible 2025 ahead. And the first episode in the new year will start on Wednesday, the 8th of January. We will then resume the weekly Wednesday update for this podcast. So I hope you all take care and stay safe, and I will catch you in the new year in 2025.

Thank you so much for listening to the Hustle with Heels podcast. I hope this episode has inspired you to take action towards your self hustle dream. If you enjoyed this episode, Please take a second to rate and review it. Each review helps me help more corporate women and early stage entrepreneurs just like you.

Don't forget to take a screenshot, share it in your Instagram stories or on LinkedIn and tag me at Cindy Excell. I will see you next week.