Being the Breadwinner + a Mother + an Entrepreneur - With Meg Yelaney

I’m sitting down with my business bestie Megan Yelaney today - twin mom, mentor, podcaster - to get real about what balance actually means, how to lead when life hits hard, and what it’s like being the breadwinner and a coach at the same time.

We dive into motherhood, grief, business pivots, how to structure flow around family, and why your low ticket offers aren’t “side hustles” - they’re the kindling for your higher offers.

Connect with Meg Yelaney:

Get Your $10K Months Strategy Free Guide: https://meganyelaney.com/10k-months-strategy 

Listen to Business Not As Usual: https://meganyelaney.com/podcast 

Follow Meg on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/meganyelaney

Connect with me: 

• on Instagram here.

Transcript

Ruby: [00:00:00] Hello, Megan. I'm so excited to have you on this podcast, you guys. Today we are sitting down with one of my long time business besties, Megan Lanine. Now Meg has been on the podcast before, so we will link the other version of it because so much has changed since Meg was last on. Meg is a twin mom. She is a business mentor.

She's a podcaster also. I was just on a podcast before we went live into this one, and I wanna talk about. So many interesting topics that I know you guys are going to love because Megan's been through a lot in her personal life, a lot in her business life. We're gonna talk about balance, if that's even a thing.

We're gonna talk about flow. We're gonna talk about how to get over some of the hardest parts of life and still be able to crush it. And more importantly, I really wanna broach the topic that I know a lot of us are going to lean into, and that is what it's like to be the [00:01:00] breadwinner. In your family, being a coach and a mother, and all the other things that come alongside life.

So Meg, first things first. I'm so happy to have you here. How are you Fey? 

Meg: I'm good. This is so fun. We were joking around on our interview. It was like, we just scheduled this so we could chat. I'm like, we. We need an excuse to chat. Let's podcast. There we go. We're a podcast. 

Ruby: Perfect. A hundred percent.

Meg: Because like it's been way too long since we've talked. Let's catch up. No, I've been great. Um, life is the complete 180 since we were last on the, on the pod or since I was last on your podcast. I'm really excited to, to dive into all this today. 

Ruby: That is amazing. All right. We need a little catch up because things have also changed for you, so.

Do you mind sharing what it is that you do, what you focus on, and a little bit about Yeah. Your business. 

Meg: Totally. Yeah. I'll give like the Cliff notes version of my history. So I got started in business, gosh, so long ago. I feel like such a [00:02:00] grandma. Literally when I say this, I'm like 2012. That's wild. That feels like forever ago.

But I got started in network marketing. Um, and you know, like a lot of network marketers who are like true, true entrepreneurs. It was such a good intro, but it also sparked the seed of, wow, there's so much more. And so I branched out in 2017, started my own company, my own health coaching company, and quickly realized I'm not meant to be health coach in about six months.

I was like, I love health, and it's like part of who I am, but it's like not what I'm meant to be coaching on. The reason I had a lot of success in network marketing, I built that up to multiple six figure business, is the relationship building, the marketing part of it, the social media part, the consumer behavior.

I loved knowing why people bought what they bought and just like exploring social media and all of that. And I grew up, I grew a team and that's why that business did so well. So I was like, okay, this is what I'm supposed to do. And I kind of knew that, but I ignored that nudge. And then went all in on business coaching in like 20 17, 20 18.

Very similar timing to when you [00:03:00] got started in your business, which is pretty cool. And it honestly, it's funny, in 20 18, 20 19, I had a very big growth spurt and I think to the outside it seemed like an overnight success. But I literally started my first business in 2012, so I always shared that because I had so many fails.

I had so many like, oh, that was embarrassing moments that this overnight was like seven years in the making or something. It was not overnight at all. I just share that because my, I did have this wild, like five x my income kind of year, made our first million in less than two years. Like all these really cool milestones and I had a lot of experience beforehand that taught me how to get there quickly.

Ruby: That was the year that I had come across you and we met formally in 2019 in Italy in a mastermind catch up, which was amazing. I remember. Stalking your Instagram, seeing this amazing successful woman. I was so intimidated by you, babe. I was so intimidated by [00:04:00] your success. Wait, that's hysterical. And you know, I, it's just like now that Intimidation's turned to inspiration and I still, like, literally, I look to you so much and there's just something there around like both of our energies working together.

Like we are always, we've talked about this on your podcast. We, we just get up and we do the thing and we make it work, but. Truly, thank you so much for setting that context, because people don't realize, even if it's in a different industry or a different type of business, it's still business experience.

You know, like you still have a level of resilience that you've built all this time beforehand and like hitting that first million and doing that, those massive launches. 

Meg: The, the years prior, they count so much. Oh my gosh. I'm literally coaching a girl right now in my program and she's so incredible.

She's had four different businesses. She's been a therapist for 14 years. I'm like, you are more qualified to do what you're doing than most business coaches. I know. Because of your experience, like lived experience is so undervalued. I'm like, what have you [00:05:00] actually done though? Like, I don't care if you started your business and you made 10 K months.

In the first year, what happened before that? What were you doing before that? You know what I mean? Like that's what matters to me. Exactly. Exactly. So yeah, since then, like I, I mean my business like yours has had so many iterations and I feel like from 2020 or 2019 to 2022 ish I, or 2021, I really lived in this, like helping people find what was unique about them and.

Diving into that building, these really great brands that are, are fun and built off of who they are and monetizing it. And then I kind of lost it a little bit because it was, you know, the, the big boom from COVID. Everyone came online and I started to get a lot of, lot even more business like a lot of us did.

And so I kind of became this catchall business coach and it was like, I can help you with launching, I can help you with sales, I can help you with marketing, I can help you with this. And while that's all true. I felt like my [00:06:00] message got kind of muddled and I became this generic business coach. And so in like 2023, I was just like, I feel bored of myself.

Like I am bored of myself right now. And I ignored it and I pushed it to the side and then, well, I know, we'll, we'll talk about like how to show up when life is happening. My dad unexpectedly got sick and then passed away. That rocked my world. He was my best friend and literally a week before, or two weeks before he passed, I was pre, I found out I was pregnant.

So, and then a week after he passed, I found out I was with twins. So to say that, oh my gosh, my, the May of 2023 was the most insane month of my life. I don't think I'll ever have a crazy, I love to like see like some psychic reading for you in that year. Can 

Ruby: you imagine? The psych would've been like, girl, I hope you've got your seatbelt 

Meg: on.

I, when I'm telling you, high, low, high, low. It was just like so insane. And so that really rocked me. And what I did was I [00:07:00] outsourced my power, so to speak. I was like, I can't handle this, so what I'm gonna do is I'm gonna hire people to do it for me. I hired a marketing company. I hired a funnel expert. And I'm not saying they were wrong hires, but they were wrong hires.

Like I just threw money at the problem. I panicked. I was like, I can't do this. I'm grieving. I have to prep a business to have two babies. Like I thought I maybe could do one, but now a two. No way. I can't do my business like this. And we've been wanting, you know, a baby forever. So the fact that we were having two like.

We were so happy. Like there wasn't one moment we were, we were like, shit, we were just so excited. But the business side of it, I was like, oh shit, I don't know if I can do this. So that whole year was kind of just remodeling. But then they actually came in 2024, January 2nd. New Year's Babies, almost, almost New Year's babies and Capricorns Capricorns.

And, um, shout out Capricorns. I was so excited. I was like, yes, Capricorns, I [00:08:00] love Capricorns. Um, I got two, but when they came it was just like everything I had in place I just didn't want anymore. I was like, well, all that money, all that time spent creating this business model I thought I wanted, wasn't it?

And so I ended up taking a way longer maternity leave than I planned. And came back, redid everything, and actually went back to my roots of what I was doing more in 20 20, 20 21 that I lost sight of, which is helping people differentiate themselves, find what's unique about them and monetize it, and have that be the reason people are hiring them over anyone else, which is so like poignant in this market that we're in right now.

It just felt so good to come back home to it to be like, sure, I can help you. Oh, my dog says hi. Sure, I can help you with launches and funnels and all that jazz, but this is what. What you should hire me for. And so I've just been leaning into that and it's been like much more successful this year than last year to say the least.

Very we've, I feel like very [00:09:00] similar experiences in the last year and a half. So yeah, 

Ruby: hugely last year was the shit is here in business, I feel like on all accounts, just not just financially, emotionally. Mm-hmm. Clarity wise. All over the shop, you know? Yeah. It was like, we can definitely compare notes there.

I feel like we're twins in so many ways. Like you guys, I know both of our husbands are called Mike. We both have Capricorn kids, like it's crazy and just the, the highs and the lows. We go through business together. Always happens similarly. Yeah, it's actually kind of nuts. Like you just had a 70 K up. I just had a 70 K up.

Like it's so bizarre how that happens. 

Meg: Oh, I didn't even know that. That's so wild. Oh, oh my gosh. It's so nice though because like when something's going haywire and you can validate that, I'm like, okay, sounds just me. If Ruby's going through it, we're good. We're good. 

Ruby: The value of business besties goes so far, honestly goes so [00:10:00] far for sure.

Alright, so there's been so much that has happened, especially in the last few years, and you know, with, I remember when your dad passed really unexpectedly, and then the news of the boys coming in. I mean, how I, okay. Firstly, we need to talk about the fact that you are the breadwinner. You are the breadwinner.

So can you explain what that means exactly? So Mike doesn't work? Like how does that work in your family unit? For sure. No, I 

Meg: love talking about this and we're so, Mike and I are so open about this. So I think one thing that we've done really well in our relationship is we, we didn't use to, but now, but since we, we actually separated, so a very quick backstory.

Mike and I separated in 2020 for six months. Not knowing a pandemic was upon us, so that was fun. Got back together, um, found this apartment, couldn't go look at it. So we're like, okay, it looks nice. Let's hope it's good. It ended up being like the most beautiful apartment. We loved it. It like totally was the start of our new marriage basically.

So when we got back together in 2020, um, [00:11:00] it was like, okay, we both knew something had to change both for my business, for our relationship, but before that it was a very much a me kind of me versus him. I hate saying it that way, but that's really how it felt. Everything was separate. None of our money was together.

I was working my business, crushing it. He was working his business, crushing it, but also investing a lot of it back into his business. So it wasn't a very cash flowy kind of business, but we both escaped our relationship problems into our business. We were like. The relationship sucks. Right now let's just go all in on our businesses and drink a lot of alcohol.

And that's literally what we did. We would like party on the weekend and then just dive into our business and kind of ignore our issues. And so when we got back together and we're like healing and working with coaches and you know, therapists and all of that, we kind of realized we had to like change a lot.

And so his business actually got shut down. And during COVID, 'cause he had a ticket selling business. So a lot of events, everything was shut down. So it was like, okay, well this is an [00:12:00] obsolete thing right now. He needed it to be shut down. So it was kind of like a blessing 'cause it was getting like almost too big in a way.

It was like outta control. And so I said, okay, I got us. Obviously we're more than good with my stuff. You just like focus on figuring out what you wanna do. And at the same time, in 2020, his dad got sick. I'm forgetting the exact year his dad got sick, but his dad ended up passing in 2022 and we knew he was getting really sick in 2021.

So we just said. I was like, your job is to be with your dad, basically. Like we have this incredible situation where we can, I can support us. And so he took care of everything else though. Our dog, our life, our tra, we traveled a lot, our travel, our accommodations, our home, everything else. He, I like worked and that was it.

That's all I did. Which, yeah, it's a lot. But I mean, I, I've done the other side too. I'm like. It's a lot more, honestly. I [00:13:00] agree. I hundred. I do not wanna ever have to do life admin stuff. I'm like, oh my gosh. Like he literally, I'm going to New York City for an event, um, like in two days from when we're recording this.

And he like, booked my hotel for me. 'cause I was like, I don't even know where to go to book our hotel. That's what 

Ruby: my husband does too. He ha he hates it, but he does it. And I'm like, thank you so much. It like takes that. Com, like compartment from our brain, but completely 

Meg: releases it. Yeah. I was like, he's like, how do you do, you do, you can make all this money, you can market.

You do this, but you can't go book a hotel room. I'm like, Nope. Can't do it. My brain doesn't work like that. I'm like, you're just, my thing to him is always, you're so much better at it than me. He's like, that's what you made when you don't wanna do something. I'm like, yes. And it's true though, and it's true.

So. Basically he was with his dad. His dad passed in um, March of 2022. So really all 2021. It was just like, let's be with him. And I'm just, I look back at that and I'm like so grateful. Like, what career would let you do that? To where I'm like, I got us. I got us. You go do that. And I should say before [00:14:00] this, when we were dating, he was very much the breadwinner.

I was doing background work on film and television, making crap money. He had a insurance job in New York City, and it was in 2017 when I said, Hey. I think, or no, 2016, my network marketing business blew up. I was like, I want you to quit, go all in on your business like we got it. We're gonna be entrepreneurs together.

So we've always kind of had this dream together, and then when we got back together, it really was this mentality of our money. So if I'm making it, it's our money though, because he. Managing the house, which lets me make this money. He's managing every, like, I could not make this money if he wasn't doing everything he's doing.

So we are making it together. It's just my face on it. I love that. I love that. So the only reason I say that is like, I think the breadwinner term, at least for certain men, can feel, I guess, emasculating. He doesn't care at all, which I love. He's like, I got a confident woman, I got a smart woman. Like he's, he loves it, you know, but it, he also knows like, you [00:15:00] would not be able to do this if I wasn't doing what I was doing.

You know, if he wasn't taking care of everything that he takes care of, like, I would not be able to, to make what I make. So all that to be said, when the boys were a thing, when I got pregnant, I was like. Okay, so what are we gonna do now? Because I just knew that I still wanted my business. Obviously we needed it to serve.

It was our income. That's how we paid ourselves. But I also knew I really wanted to be a very present mom, especially the first year. I was like, I know how precious this time is. And so I remodeled my business, like we said. Like I said. Earlier in a way I thought I wanted it. And then when they came, everything just kind of like changed.

And I was like, oh my gosh, what am I gonna do? And so. I'll kind of fast forward, but the first two months of maternity, I was fully off. It was great. I actually started a new account, blew that account up on Instagram. Had so much fun sharing my, my journey of twin mom motherhood. It was so fun. For a [00:16:00] second thought I wanted to be a full-time content creator, realized that's not what I actually wanna do, but it was fun.

You 

Ruby: actually started 

Meg: to get influencer deals. Yeah, I was getting brand deals. I was like, yes, maybe I wanna do this now. And it wasn't actually, it's so hard. Oh my gosh. Being a full-time content reader is so 

Ruby: hard. I don't, you really have to dedicate your everything to it. 

Meg: I was like, once I started my business again, I was like, I cannot do both.

Like I, I've so neglected that account, which makes me sad 'cause I love it, but I just didn't have the capacity. I was like, last thing I wanna do is be on my phone. Right. But I, that was so fun, and it was like it sparked this creative zone in me again, which was really nice. But then I came back to work and back very lightly, like maybe a 90 minute call a week, like very little stuff.

And for two months I just felt like, Ugh, this isn't it. This isn't it, this isn't it. I was forcing, forcing, forcing. And so I took another two months off and then I was like just taking private clients behind the scenes and for about like. I would say three or four more months, I was [00:17:00] floundering. I was like, who am I?

What am I meant to do? I'm so confused. I was kind of throwing out some ideas, but none of it was landing 'cause it wasn't true to me. And I was like getting nervous, honestly. Rubes. 'cause I was like, you know, I was, I was in the mastermind with you. We were masterminding together. Yeah. Like I was like financially or nervous about everything.

I was be so nervous financially because I'm like. I am the one making the money and I'm not bringing it in at the capacity. I was nearly, you know, and I mean, we were in such overflow that I didn't have to get back to this crazy amount to like support us, but I just felt like. I was forcing everything and it started to get scary.

I was like, okay, if this stays like this, like we had plenty and plenty of savings for quite a bit, but if it stays like this, like we've got accustomed to this lifestyle. We live on Long Island, uh, New York, it's not a cheap place to live. You would be shocked at what like a million dollar house [00:18:00] looks like here.

It's not fancy. It's not that, it's not even that amazing. Where we live is just expensive. Um, and there's just so much that we would have to really drastically change our life. And we're not even like extravagant people. Uh, you know me. Like we don't spend on wild things. It's just the things that we do, like we, we have gotten really used to.

And so it's like if we're gonna keep up this, this life that we have and our bicoastal life. I've gotta figure something out. And honestly, there was like a month long period where I felt so much pressure. Maybe it was more than a month, but it was like a real intense, like everyday waking up with anxiety.

Like, oh my God, how am I gonna be there for my babies and do this? I think I might have to quit. I can't quit, you know? And it was just like this really stressed time until I asked Mike to restart his business. Interesting. Which I remember like I had taken more time off. I'm like, I need more time off. And during that time he's like, yeah, of course [00:19:00] you do.

Two months was too short anyway, right? And I was like, yes. It was way too short for me. And I said, I don't think I wanna do this anymore. I need you to do something. Like it's your turn, like tag, your it, your turn. I've been fully financially supporting us for years and I've been more than happy to, but now, like I cannot take the pressure anymore and I don't think I want this.

I just wanna be a mom because I was in that newborn bubble and it was just like. I was also so tired all the time and I was exclusively pumping. So I was literally pumping eight times a day. I mean, it was a lot. It was a lot. Oh my 

Ruby: gosh, I had no idea how you did it. And like full blown, sleepless nights. 

Meg: I don't know how I said it, honestly.

I think back, 'cause now if I don't get like seven, like seven to eight hours of sleep, I am a brat. I'm like, how? How did I, did I, was I blacked out the whole time? Like how did I actually physically do that? Because sleep is so important to me. I know you're just in a phase, you're just like, I gotta do it, I gotta do, I gotta get it done.

There's a purpose to the tiredness. You're taking care of, you know, [00:20:00] babies. So it 

Ruby: makes sense. Definitely. So like during this whole time, I just wanna pause in that, in that time bubble there, were you posting on Instagram? Were you, I feel like you were, were you still online and actively managing the brand?

Meg: Yeah, so in the Boys were born January, I had the marketing company I hired, they were through January. I actually got out of the last month of the contract because it just, it wasn't working. My stuff was working better. Yes. So I was like, okay. They were great. It's just like, I don't, I think outsourcing that stuff is tricky.

Like people buy you and your words and, and all that. I agree. They had me for a month set and then I had prepped, so I had already prepped some stuff for like February and so that way when I came back in March, I had more, a little bit more capacity. So I actually didn't stop at all until my unplanned break.

So I was back January, February, they were doing it, helping me March and April. I was there and then May, I said, I'm taking [00:21:00] a break, and so for May and June, I didn't post on Instagram except for my birthday post, and that was it. I didn't email my list except for my birthday email. I didn't do a podcast like I just disappeared.

I was like, well, I think I announced that I was disappearing, but I was like, I need time. I've never taken two months off of any anything at, since I started like. What, and it was exactly what I needed and I think it's just a good reminder for everyone. Like, I disappeared and we're here today talking and we have a thriving business now.

Yes. So like, it's okay. You'll survive. I promise. I promise. Not that like I'm encouraging everyone to go take two months off. Like when shit happens, if you have to, it's 

Ruby: gonna be okay. You find a way and the Internet's always here, and your online audience is always gonna come back, 

Meg: especially when it's like for a purpose.

Like I was able to share that experience, especially now, and see the purpose so clearly now when I'm like, oh my gosh, [00:22:00] thank God I went through that, because I would've kept forcing a business that was so unaligned. So unaligned, because I felt the financial pressure too, and that's real. And I, I was very grateful that I, we had the money to take off.

We had the money to like stop all streams and be like, we're just gonna live off of this. We're good. And that's when I said to Mike, I think I need you to start your business. And so. It was about a month, and he did, he started his business, which that was scary too, because his business is a ticket broker business, which means he needs money to invest.

So he had to actually borrow $30,000 from our income. So that was a huge investment. I was like, okay. You know, so there's more that's going, but we knew that would come back. It was so great. It was actually a really full circle moment for us because when he had his last business and it got shut down during COVID, it actually brought up a lot of tension between us because there was just, the way he was running, it wasn't great and he would be the first to admit that we've talked openly about that.[00:23:00] 

So it was such a moment of trust and like it bonded us so much closer when I was like, I trust you. Here you go. Take this. Wow, I know you're gonna do it. You're gonna do it right this time, you know? And he has, and it's like. It's, it's been great. I mean, it's not where it could fully support us, but it's like we look at it as like our emergency fund savings, like that kind of extra stuff now.

Um, but it gave me the, like 

Ruby: I could breathe for a month. Yes. Like it wasn't just all on your shoulders and there was another income stream that you could tap into. Yes. It was so nice to just see 

Meg: him be excited again and like he loves it. He loves his business, he loves doing it, and. That month that I had was exactly what I needed to go.

I love my babies and I'm not meant to be a stay-at-home mom. Like, love them. And it's funny 'cause I'm with them so much. So I'm, I am a stay-at-home mom, but I'm not like, I'm a half, you know, yes. [00:24:00] I, I work, I'm probably not with them like maybe three to four hours of their waking time, which isn't like I'm with 'em a lot, but those three to four hours.

I really cherish because I, I talk to adults and I get to use my brain in different ways. Like I thought I wanted to just be a stay at home mom and I have good friends and family who are, it's the hardest job ever. It's the hardest job ever. It's so much harder than business, like all the day, full calls a day just with my boys, and it's so fulfilling.

Man, am I way more exhausted when it's just a day with my voice? It's so wild. So that was like a really good month to go. Oh yeah. It wasn't the business, it's not the coaching industry, it's not, it's the way I was running it. It's the pressure and like what I was forcing myself to do. And so that was very freeing to go.

I know I want it now. Let's just figure out how we want it to look. 

Ruby: I love this, and actually this goes straight into my next question because I feel like I have a huge audience that [00:25:00] are busy entrepreneurs. A big proportion of them are mothers and breadwinners actually. So this is exactly why I wanted to have this conversation on here.

How do you feel? Well, what do you reckon about becoming a mom and how flow has shifted for you, especially to do with business? I, you did this one post on your feed about your hourly breakdown and what you do day on day. How would you describe this? To the podcast. 

Meg: Yeah. Oh, I love, I love talking about this, which is so funny 'cause I never thought of myself as like time management savvy or anything like that.

But once they came I was like, I am forced to be, now I have to be, especially as the breadwinners. Because once I started my business back up again, I quickly bounced back up to that and we realized, oh yeah. Like we definitely still, this is, this is what's supporting us. So. It was this balance of like, I wanna be with them.

I have to work. And there's certain like deliverables for clients. So [00:26:00] what I realized was my brain, I felt very split as someone who coaches a lot of people, and even though I'm not on a million calls like I used to be, I'm still like looking over their materials in an app with them talking. And I used to do Monday through Friday with clients like available nine to five.

Now I am with them Tuesday through Thursday. I'm checking it a couple times a day, and then Friday through Monday is just my business. That's it. So, and they're served better. Honestly, I don't wanna say better. They're served just as well because it's such a focused chunk of time that's like. They know when to hear from.

They know Tuesday through Thursday they're getting their materials reviewed. They know that's when I'm gonna be talking to them. They know that's when calls are. They love. They've literally said, I love this because I have, the expectations are so clear. And here I was for years going, I have to be available Monday through Friday 24 7.

And it's like. No, why, who, 

Ruby: who made this rule up? Like why? Yes. It's really important actually [00:27:00] because it is actually one of the, uh, main aspects of flow state. You know, when they study the science of flow to actually set up flow channels, which is what you've done and you've done it. So I didn't even realize that yes, you've done it so naturally where it's like you can literally increase the potency of your flow by creating certain boundaries in which the flow lives in, which is exactly what you're doing.

Meg: I love that. Look at me. I didn't even, I'm following your method. I didn't even know I was 

Ruby: doing it. It's so beautiful though, because you are literally listening to your natural instincts on what's gonna work best for you and your clients. So this is the perfect example. I was just 

Meg: finding, like as I was ramping up clients, especially in the new year, I was like, oh gosh, I'm nervous.

I'm nervous that I'm gonna be capped. And I'm like, how am I gonna scale this? And for me, I went all in on passive courses. Not a low ticket though. You're inspiring me to try it again, but more so like a little bit higher ticket stuff. And it just wasn't, I was missing [00:28:00] the, the, the coaching, I was missing the like in depthness with people and all that jazz.

And so I, I was like, how am I gonna scale this? Like, I feel so capped and when I change that structure, I'm like literally supporting 28 clients, like looking at their stuff, going all in, in 25 hours a week. Tuesday through Thursday, like it's wild to me. I'm like, I never could have done that before. And so how it kind of works is, like I said, Fridays through Mondays.

'cause I do, I will say too, I work on the weekends. I'm not working a crazy amount, but I'm probably like Saturday, I worked three hours this past Saturday, Sunday I worked for an hour. So I worked like four hours this weekend. But it's such focused flow time, and it's just my business. I'm not touching any client material that way.

Like Tuesday through Thursday is only client work, and it helps with expectations for not only your clients but yourself like. I don't expect to get anything done for my launches or my content or anything. Tuesday through Thursday, like it's very rare [00:29:00] you just release that. Like that need. Yeah. Yeah. No crush.

And I think that's like you create this crazy to-do list and then you feel shitty when it doesn't happen and it's like, well, what was on your list? All these different focuses versus like, today's list was client work, client work, client work. Two calls. Podcasting with you, which is amazing. And that's it.

Like I'm not doing anything else today. You know, I made a post and some stories, but that's it. So even the post was planned last week, like during my own work block. So that flow has been working. Like I'm actually surprised at the end of the week when I'm not behind. I'm like, oh, I got all my clients. How did I do that?

How did I like actually do that? Because at the beginning of the week it looks like a lot and it's also left this like. Just more space for imagining like I. I did channel a little bit of, of my ruby energy, I should say. 'cause last, uh, you're gonna be so proud of me. I had an idea for a free, um, it's free.

I should have charged for it. Now that you're saying, I'm like, should have charged for it. 'cause it's [00:30:00] so good. It's so good. But it's, it's, you can still 

Ruby: charge for it. You absolutely can. Once it's done, then you can, you know, put it in as a bit of a low ticket. 

Meg: Anyone listening now it's i'll, I'll link it.

It'll be free. Don't worry. Reveal link it. It'll be free, I promise. For right now. But the. It was basically, I had this client, and I've had this with many clients, but this one in particular this year, who was such a great representation of the process working. Um, and she went from four to 5K months to 10 K plus, um, in a row, like two launches that were like 12 K, 15 K, 15 K month.

Like it was just so fast. And I was like, I need to document this. And so I just like, everything came out on a Google Doc. Same thing. Not fancy branding like my logo. And that's pretty much it. And it's the, the best freebie I've probably ever put out. Like I felt so step by step, linking her posts, all this stuff, and it just flew out of me a Sunday morning at a coffee shop and I was like, love that.

Oh my gosh, this is incredible. Got everything created, put it out there. But that's because I had [00:31:00] that like designated time for me. And so people ask me a lot like, how are you actually doing it all? How are you serving them? How are you creating content? And I said, the only reason is 'cause I have this sacred time, otherwise it's so easy to get lost in con client work and all of a sudden you've neglected your entire business.

Um, and so that, that's been like very precious as far as the days. And then for me, this is where like you have to lean into what's best for you time-wise. Some of my closest friends are night owls and I was actually talking to my bookkeeper. She's like, I'm so amazed by you how you wake up so early. I built my business with, she's has a very successful business and had three kids while she was building it.

She built it at night. Wow. She's like, I put them to sleep and I worked until midnight. I'm like. My brain does not work at that time of time. 

Ruby: It's sure. I'm very much her. I'm very much her. That's literally when Teddy was six weeks old. That's what I did as well. Exactly the same. 

Meg: Yeah. And 

Ruby: that's [00:32:00] so 

Meg: many people.

And the reason I say that, I'm so glad that that's you too, is 'cause I think there's this like wake up at 5:00 AM and if you don't, you're not a good entrepreneur. I'm like. No. And so whenever I share my schedule, I'm like, it's not because 4:30 AM is a is a magic hour. I've always been like this. Yes. Since you have been, 

Ruby: I remember when we were in Italy, you were already up having done your run.

You were so fresh and it was like, I wake up at seven and you were like, I've been up for hours. I've had a whole day 

Meg: already. Like Exactly. And I'm like, guys, I've literally always been like this. This is just who I am. I even just thinking someone's like. Oh my gosh. How did you adjust to the early, early rising, you know, to get work done before the boys?

I'm like, in Las Vegas when we lived there, I was literally waking up at four 30 in the morning to get work done. Like, I don't, I think back I'm like, why? I had no reason, but I just did, did. But it's your one 

Ruby: clock, it's your circadian rhythm. Everyone has that, you know? So I love that. And you are just honoring that natural cycle of yours and it just, and I 

Meg: really like.

Ruby: I 

Meg: honor it. And I also like, [00:33:00] I think there's so many, I was talking to some of my dms recently who's like, I don't wanna hire childcare and I also really wanna scale my business. And I'm like, I'm gonna be real blunt with you. Something's gotta give. Like if you don't have the hours, you don't have the hours.

I don't know what to tell you. I'm not saying you have to, I don't have full-time childcare. Right. But I have some help and so you have to make some sacrifices. And for me. I get up at 4, 4 33 days a week. I only do it Tuesday through Thursday. The other days I sleep till I wake up, which is like five or five 30.

It's not that much later, but, but those three days I have such laser like morning focus and then I know. They wake up and I'm all mom and I can get, like, I got three hours of such focus work done this morning and I was like, if nothing else happens the rest of the day we are golden. 'cause we just got so much good client work done today.

Yeah, 

Ruby: I love that. And 

Meg: that for me, like I, I go to, I'm in bed at eight o'clock, I'm asleep by nine. So like for again, my rhythm, that's just how I've always been. Um, and [00:34:00] so that's my second like suggestion is follow where you are If you're the night owl, like carve out that sacred time. Instead of like watching TV or doing whatever, like that's what you're doing for me, that's my morning.

I love it. So that's been game changing too. 

Ruby: So you have a babysitter that helps you like 12 hours a week, did you say? Like they, yeah. They come in and they take the boys off your hands and then you and Mike are both free to do what you need to do. What would you say? 'cause I think a lot of moms really struggle with this.

What would you say to moms who feel really guilty about getting help so that they can work on their business? Hmm. 

Meg: Yeah. Um, did you have that guilt? You know, I did a little bit. I definitely did a little bit. I would say, well, there's two things I would actually say. One is, if you are like the breadwinner like me, it's my other option is to go get a job and be away from them all day.

24 7. Yep. Mm-hmm. Not 24 7, but like a lot. I mean, two of my friends had to put their babies in daycare at like four [00:35:00] months 'cause they had to go to work. You know, it's very common and well at least in the States, you guys have much better. Um, yes. It's so, yeah. Yeah. Oh my gosh. I'm like, we need that. So here it's not right.

They literally, at four or five months, they were back at work and their kids were in daycare. And so I think about that and I'm like, oh my gosh, 12 hours a week. That's not 40 hours a week. Like that's, that's incredible. So that's one thing I would say. And the next is like what I'm building for them is so incredible.

Like we are, Mike and I are both able to be home because of this business is very rare that both parents are able to be home during this time. They know their dad just as much as their mom. They get like almost equal time with us. We have all these special family moments at like 12 o'clock on a random day.

We can go for a walk as a family, like just these things that are so I could be away for a couple hours to get all these extra experiences. And then lastly, I'll, it's kind of like with the [00:36:00] first point is what's the alternative if you are the breadwinner? Your alternative is that you have to leave. So I get the, honestly, the best of both worlds.

And I also think it's really cool that they get to see their mom, a woman, like really being such a representation of like owning your own, a genius, working hard, building a legacy, doing something that that, that really means something that's impacting people and being able to be there for them. It's interesting you say this 'cause I was thinking or asked this question.

I was thinking about this the other day. My mom worked full-time, the en my entire childhood. She was able to like get off at three o'clock for when I came home from work and worked the rest from home, which was cool. I have such a incredible relationship with my mom. Like I don't think I, my gosh, my mom wasn't there.

My mom's like my best friend, we're so close. All of her kids are so close to her and she worked our entire childhood. So I always think that I'm like, I never felt. Because [00:37:00] she worked nine to five that I was missing out ever. So I don't know. That just is something that popped in my head the other day. 

Ruby: I totally agree, and I think about same like my parents were both really hard workers, but they somehow were always so present.

You know, even for all of my sports matches and everything, like I have these moments where like, you know, Teddy plays a lot of sport. He's just a sporty kid and I feel like every single weeknight I'm driving him to some sort of lesson, and then on the weekends it's some sort of game and I'm like, I am so lucky that.

I get to have this, you know, like this business has really helped me have more time with the kids. So I think, I don't, you probably get this more than me in terms of your client groups, but there's always this fear of what do I do? Like, do I have kids? 'cause once I do, how do I manage the flow in my business?

How? I love that you've been able to share like the really practical insights of how you chunk down your day, [00:38:00] how you have, you know, certain designated hours. Like guys, really listen in on what Meg's saying, like how you're batching that works for you. Listen to your circadian rhythm. Listen to when you are most in flow and productive and on.

Don't be afraid to ask for help, like you've been through so much and you know, like, it's not like your mom. Does your mom live close by? Like is she, does she help her? She lives 20 

Meg: minutes away, but she's older so she can't like physically help a lot with them. Like she can't pick them up. Yeah. But she, you know, she helps out in so many areas.

Yeah. 

Ruby: So if you have parents who like wanna be there but they can't or they, like my parents, they don't live in the same state. Yeah. You know, there's. There's always a solution around time expansion and flow for sure. And still being achi, being able to achieve your goals in business. And I think the more we have these conversations as bread-winning women and women who are.

Definitely just like we wanna do all the things, we wanna be there for the kids and we wanna be there for our clients. It's so possible. Like I, this has inspired me [00:39:00] so much, you know, it's like we do not need to put barriers on the things that we want and yeah, I just feel like with you personally and you sharing this.

There's so much more behind it. You know, there's like this decision that you are making this connection to yourself and switching onto CEO mode, switching onto wifey mode. I, I love this so much. Thank you. So thank you so much, Meg. Like, honestly, for being so open and so real with everything. I know that it's gonna serve a ton of people listening.

Mm-hmm. What is. Where can we find you and what can we plug into right now in terms of the way that you run your business, the way that you help your audience and your clients? 

Meg: Yeah, so since you're listening to a podcast, I'm taking one from Ruby. Come on over to business not as usual. Ruby's episode will be over there as well, so we'll make sure we, we.

Give you that to link also. Um, but business on as usual is where I share a lot like this very similar conversations. I have some guest [00:40:00] experts, but a lot of also, like, I just recorded an episode that was so behind the scenes, we had like a shit show of a day last Friday. And I was like, here's what it was like, and here's how we like.

Moved things in our business because it did not go as planned. And it was such a good, like, oh yeah, here's how we adjust when not everything goes perfectly as planned. Like you were talking about that, you know, so that kind of energy. Um, and then at Megan EY on Instagram, I'll send you that 10 K month strategy guide too.

So Yes. Wants that We can below. Yeah, for sure. But yeah, Instagram is just, I love hanging out there and meeting people and just chatting in, in the dm, so, yeah. 

Ruby: Fantastic. Thank you so much, Meg. Oh my God, I love it. I'm a bit rusty on the old interviews because like I was saying to you before we went live, you are, I'm pretty sure the only person I've interviewed on this podcast all year.

Oh my gosh. I might have had one more the started this year, which is my client, Sasha, now that I think about it. But so like you are just literally someone that I've not even like. I would love to have you on all the time. You know, we could keep chatting. So thank you [00:41:00] so much, babe. That was amazing. 

Meg: Thank you.

Appreciate it. 

Ruby: All right. Bye everyone. I'll catch you in the next episode.