The Quiet Ambition of Building a Small Business

Something I’ve been thinking a lot about recently is the idea that wanting a smaller, slower business means you’re not ambitious or are limiting yourself.

I think there’s a tendency online to promote this one vision of what being a successful entrepreneur looks like - £10k months, hitting 6 figures quickly, travelling for work, speaking on stages. All of these things are incredible achievements and there’s nothing wrong with wanting them but what if these milestones don’t feel aligned with what you actually value?

As an introverted business owner, what’s most important to me and what I really truly see as the ultimate measure of success is freedom. Financial success of course plays a role in that but I’m not building my business to try and hit a particular income goal. When I visualise my future self in business, I see a version of me that’s at peace, who lives a life that feels inspiring, spacious and calming. I also see that I earn enough money to feel secure and to enjoy the luxuries in life that matter to me.

What I don’t see though, is a company that employs a large team or me speaking on stages around the world or chasing crazy income goals. When I was younger, I fantasized about being the ultimate girlboss and running this huge company but as I’ve gotten older, my version of success has shaped itself into something much more grounded in peace, rather than hustle.

But I think it’s easy to guilt yourself into thinking that you’re settling or limiting yourself by not striving for those big, shiny milestones in business. I’ve definitely felt that inner conflict and found myself in rooms with other entrepreneurs who don’t resonate with my vision and what I want to achieve. It’s made me question myself and whether I’m even cut out for building a business when I’m not prepared for the hustle, stress and sacrifice that often comes with constantly pushing for the next big thing.

The truth is though that I started out trying to grow my business in the way I saw other people doing - I’ve done the long days and late nights, taking my laptop on every single holiday and working by the pool, burning out trying to keep up with creating and launching to stay relevant and copying trends that felt so icky to me, just to try and fit in.

Not only did it feel completely wrong for me but it also showed me that what I want out of business just isn’t the same as all the other women I was following and looking up to. I want a business that supports the freedom I value. I want a business that holds space for my wellbeing and allows me to step back when I need to, guilt-free. I want to feel genuinely connected to the people who choose to spend money on my work, rather than seeing every sale as another step towards an income goal. I want a business that reflects me, my values and my personality, not a cookie-cutter version of what success is “supposed to” look like, according to social media.

Over the past 6 months, I’ve really solidified and made peace with my own definition of success. The goals I set for myself now are based around how I want to feel within my business and the kind of life I want it to support. I’m no longer trying to overwrite my sensitivity or push through the days where I need to take a step back to recharge. And most importantly, I no longer feel guilty for letting go of someone else’s version of success. I’m not settling or limiting myself or experiencing a block because I want to create a small, heart-led business rather than an empire. I’m simply leaning in to my truth and letting myself be guided by it.

So, if you have also felt the pull between what you think you should want and what you actually want deep down, then I hope this post brings you a little reassurance that it’s okay to realise you desire something different from the masses. It’s okay to make peace with yourself as an introverted or sensitive solopreneur and it’s okay to want success AND stillness.

Choosing to build something small and meaningful whilst leaving space to enjoy the rest of your life doesn’t mean you’re scared to dream bigger, it means you’re brave enough to define success on your own terms.

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