WEBVTT
00:00:00.089 --> 00:00:08.310
What if the reason your strategy feels like you're swimming upstream isn't because it's wrong, but because you're trying to launch in a season meant for rest?
00:00:08.310 --> 00:00:13.259
Because sometimes it's not your strategy that's broken, it's the timing.
00:00:13.467 --> 00:00:18.056
You are listening to Built To Flow, the podcast that's redesigning how business works.
00:00:18.056 --> 00:00:23.306
I'm Heather Crabtree, business strategist, three time founder and creator of the Built to Flow framework.
00:00:23.306 --> 00:00:33.267
This show is about building businesses that align with your energy, values and the season of your life so you can grow sustainably and with intention.
00:00:33.267 --> 00:00:40.271
And right now you're in the Foundation series six episodes that walk you step by step through the Built to Flow framework.
00:00:40.271 --> 00:00:44.621
Consider this series your blueprint for a business that doesn't just grow.
00:00:44.621 --> 00:00:45.426
It flows.
00:00:46.447 --> 00:00:47.527
Welcome back.
00:00:47.527 --> 00:00:57.667
In the second episode of the Foundation series of the Built to Flow Podcast, we're talking about why your business needs seasons of both growth and rest.
00:00:57.667 --> 00:01:07.626
By the end, you'll see why constant growth isn't the goal, and how understanding the rhythm of seasons gives you clarity, focus, and permission to lead differently.
00:01:08.617 --> 00:01:09.397
Here's the truth.
00:01:09.397 --> 00:01:13.626
Most business advice is built on the myth of linear growth.
00:01:13.626 --> 00:01:18.156
Always be scaling, always be visible, always be doing more.
00:01:18.156 --> 00:01:22.447
But that model leaves out something essential rhythm.
00:01:22.447 --> 00:01:26.137
It leaves out rest and it leaves out.
00:01:26.137 --> 00:01:26.736
You.
00:01:26.736 --> 00:01:30.216
Growth isn't a straight line, it's seasonal.
00:01:30.216 --> 00:01:34.656
Some seasons you're full of energy and momentum ready to expand.
00:01:34.656 --> 00:01:39.667
Other seasons you need to stabilize, pull back or realign.
00:01:39.667 --> 00:01:44.076
And that doesn't mean you're failing, it means you're human.
00:01:45.307 --> 00:01:48.156
The problem is the lie of linear growth.
00:01:48.156 --> 00:01:55.641
Business culture says, always be launching, always be visible, always be expanding, right?
00:01:55.641 --> 00:02:01.191
But after coaching thousands of entrepreneurs, I know this growth is not constant.
00:02:01.191 --> 00:02:04.731
Some seasons you're building momentum.
00:02:04.731 --> 00:02:08.062
Other seasons, you're resting, recalibrating, or deepening.
00:02:08.062 --> 00:02:12.352
The old model tells you to ignore those shifts.
00:02:12.352 --> 00:02:15.262
Built to flow says, honor them.
00:02:15.262 --> 00:02:17.847
So what's the solution?
00:02:17.847 --> 00:02:22.312
We're gonna talk about the four business seasons.
00:02:22.312 --> 00:02:28.942
This is one of the core shifts inside built to flow your business, like your life moves in seasons.
00:02:28.942 --> 00:02:31.882
Here's an overview of the four business seasons.
00:02:32.421 --> 00:02:33.622
First, we have expansion.
00:02:33.622 --> 00:02:39.097
A season of growth, visibility, and outward energy.
00:02:39.097 --> 00:02:42.907
You're launching scaling building momentum, right?
00:02:42.907 --> 00:02:49.317
It's exciting, but it requires structure to keep it sustainable and prevent burnout.
00:02:50.576 --> 00:02:52.046
Second, we have integration.
00:02:52.046 --> 00:02:56.456
This is a season of stability, depth, and sustainability.
00:02:56.456 --> 00:02:58.586
You're refining systems.
00:02:58.586 --> 00:03:05.396
You're deepening your offers, you're supporting your team, creating a foundation for long-term growth, right?
00:03:05.396 --> 00:03:10.227
This foundation becomes the bedrock for your next expansion.
00:03:11.981 --> 00:03:13.301
And then we have contraction.
00:03:13.301 --> 00:03:16.722
This is a season of simplification and protection.
00:03:16.722 --> 00:03:23.592
You're pulling back, protecting capacity and saying no, so you can recover or prevent burnout.
00:03:23.771 --> 00:03:31.812
It's the pause that keeps you from breaking, and then we have recalibration, a season of evolution and realignment.
00:03:31.812 --> 00:03:33.611
You've outgrown something.
00:03:33.611 --> 00:03:36.222
Your business model, your identity as a leader.
00:03:36.222 --> 00:03:38.352
Maybe even your offers.
00:03:38.352 --> 00:03:44.292
This is the messy but powerful space of redefining where you're headed.
00:03:44.292 --> 00:03:48.042
Now, each season serves a purpose.
00:03:48.042 --> 00:03:49.602
None of them are bad.
00:03:49.602 --> 00:03:55.391
The power comes from knowing which one you're in and leading accordingly.
00:03:56.917 --> 00:04:01.361
Now, living here in Arizona, I've come to love the rhythm of a desert.
00:04:01.361 --> 00:04:01.421
It.
00:04:01.421 --> 00:04:04.752
The Saguaro cactus doesn't bloom every month.
00:04:04.752 --> 00:04:05.771
It waits.
00:04:05.771 --> 00:04:09.162
It conserves energy through the harsh heat, right?
00:04:09.162 --> 00:04:15.342
It stores what it needs during the cooler months, and then when conditions are right, it blooms.
00:04:15.342 --> 00:04:17.351
Your business is the same.
00:04:17.351 --> 00:04:20.502
Trying to force constant growth.
00:04:20.502 --> 00:04:24.221
It's like trying to force a cactus to flower in the middle of drought.
00:04:24.221 --> 00:04:28.346
You can push all you want, but you're working against nature.
00:04:28.646 --> 00:04:36.596
And so when you honor your season, you're in, you gain clarity, you lead with presence, and your business becomes sustainable.
00:04:36.596 --> 00:04:38.516
Now, why does this matter?
00:04:38.516 --> 00:04:39.747
Well, let's be real.
00:04:39.747 --> 00:04:44.817
Not everyone has the privilege to step back fully in contraction.
00:04:44.817 --> 00:04:46.706
So when we're talking about contraction, right?
00:04:46.706 --> 00:04:52.901
We're talking about how it's a season of simplification and protection.
00:04:52.901 --> 00:04:58.601
You're pulling back, protecting capacity and saying no, so you can recover or prevent burnout, right?
00:04:58.601 --> 00:05:00.432
It's the pause that keeps you from breaking.
00:05:00.432 --> 00:05:01.661
That's what we talked about.
00:05:01.661 --> 00:05:06.641
But financial pressures, caregiving, systemic barriers.
00:05:06.641 --> 00:05:12.701
They all shape what's possible, but honoring your season doesn't mean stopping.
00:05:12.701 --> 00:05:16.721
It means being honest about what's true for you right now.
00:05:16.721 --> 00:05:24.701
Maybe that looks like slowing down instead of stopping, saying no to new opportunities while maintaining current commitments.
00:05:24.701 --> 00:05:28.721
Adjusting your goals instead of pushing past your capacity.
00:05:29.502 --> 00:05:32.172
You don't need to fit someone else's formula.
00:05:32.172 --> 00:05:34.062
You need to honor your season.
00:05:35.711 --> 00:05:36.791
So here's your next step.
00:05:36.791 --> 00:05:56.771
Get curious about your current season, and if you're not sure where you are, I created the Business Clarity Kit to help it's free and includes a short reflection plus A GPT powered companion that walks you through identifying your season, clarifying your, your focus, and choosing one aligned step you can take this week.
00:05:56.771 --> 00:06:01.182
You can grab it now@heathercrabtree.com or click the link in the show notes.
00:06:01.601 --> 00:06:09.822
And if you're a strategist, coach, or guide who supports others through growth, I invite you to apply for the Built to Flow lab@builttoflow.com.
00:06:09.822 --> 00:06:12.911
It's where you'll get certification in this framework.
00:06:12.911 --> 00:06:19.062
Join a community of like-minded minded practitioners and become part of the movement to redesign how business works.
00:06:19.812 --> 00:06:25.211
And since this episode was all about seasons, I'd love to know where do you think you might be right now?
00:06:25.211 --> 00:06:30.221
Do you think you're an expansion, integration, contraction or recalibration?
00:06:30.221 --> 00:06:34.331
Send me a DM on Instagram at Heather Business Coach and let me know.
00:06:34.331 --> 00:06:35.591
I'd love to hear from you.
00:06:37.122 --> 00:06:40.692
Now remember, you don't need to push harder to prove you're capable.
00:06:40.692 --> 00:06:43.812
You don't need to scale just because everyone else is.
00:06:43.812 --> 00:06:45.466
What you need is rhythm.
00:06:45.466 --> 00:06:48.101
What you need is alignment.
00:06:48.101 --> 00:06:51.432
What you need is space to grow in your season.
00:06:51.432 --> 00:06:57.012
Now, in episode one, we talked about why the traditional model was never built for real life.
00:06:57.012 --> 00:07:05.651
Today you've seen why the missing piece is seasons because every business needs cycles of growth and rest.
00:07:07.257 --> 00:07:10.286
In the next episode, we're going to take this even deeper.
00:07:10.286 --> 00:07:20.156
I'll walk you through how to identify which season you're actually in right now, and the transition signals that help you know when it's time to shift.
00:07:20.156 --> 00:07:22.317
You won't wanna miss this.
00:07:22.699 --> 00:07:26.119
Thanks for listening to the Foundation Series on Built to Flow.
00:07:26.119 --> 00:07:29.509
Remember, every season calls for something different.
00:07:29.509 --> 00:07:31.158
You don't need to do it all.
00:07:31.158 --> 00:07:33.798
You need a business that flows.
00:07:33.798 --> 00:07:36.619
Subscribe so you never miss an episode.
00:07:36.619 --> 00:07:39.918
I'm Heather Crabtree, and this is Built to Flow.
00:00:00.089 --> 00:00:08.310
What if the reason your strategy feels like you're swimming upstream isn't because it's wrong, but because you're trying to launch in a season meant for rest?
00:00:08.310 --> 00:00:13.259
Because sometimes it's not your strategy that's broken, it's the timing.
00:00:13.467 --> 00:00:18.056
You are listening to Built To Flow, the podcast that's redesigning how business works.
00:00:18.056 --> 00:00:23.306
I'm Heather Crabtree, business strategist, three time founder and creator of the Built to Flow framework.
00:00:23.306 --> 00:00:33.267
This show is about building businesses that align with your energy, values and the season of your life so you can grow sustainably and with intention.
00:00:33.267 --> 00:00:40.271
And right now you're in the Foundation series six episodes that walk you step by step through the Built to Flow framework.
00:00:40.271 --> 00:00:44.621
Consider this series your blueprint for a business that doesn't just grow.
00:00:44.621 --> 00:00:45.426
It flows.
00:00:46.447 --> 00:00:47.527
Welcome back.
00:00:47.527 --> 00:00:57.667
In the second episode of the Foundation series of the Built to Flow Podcast, we're talking about why your business needs seasons of both growth and rest.
00:00:57.667 --> 00:01:07.626
By the end, you'll see why constant growth isn't the goal, and how understanding the rhythm of seasons gives you clarity, focus, and permission to lead differently.
00:01:08.617 --> 00:01:09.397
Here's the truth.
00:01:09.397 --> 00:01:13.626
Most business advice is built on the myth of linear growth.
00:01:13.626 --> 00:01:18.156
Always be scaling, always be visible, always be doing more.
00:01:18.156 --> 00:01:22.447
But that model leaves out something essential rhythm.
00:01:22.447 --> 00:01:26.137
It leaves out rest and it leaves out.
00:01:26.137 --> 00:01:26.736
You.
00:01:26.736 --> 00:01:30.216
Growth isn't a straight line, it's seasonal.
00:01:30.216 --> 00:01:34.656
Some seasons you're full of energy and momentum ready to expand.
00:01:34.656 --> 00:01:39.667
Other seasons you need to stabilize, pull back or realign.
00:01:39.667 --> 00:01:44.076
And that doesn't mean you're failing, it means you're human.
00:01:45.307 --> 00:01:48.156
The problem is the lie of linear growth.
00:01:48.156 --> 00:01:55.641
Business culture says, always be launching, always be visible, always be expanding, right?
00:01:55.641 --> 00:02:01.191
But after coaching thousands of entrepreneurs, I know this growth is not constant.
00:02:01.191 --> 00:02:04.731
Some seasons you're building momentum.
00:02:04.731 --> 00:02:08.062
Other seasons, you're resting, recalibrating, or deepening.
00:02:08.062 --> 00:02:12.352
The old model tells you to ignore those shifts.
00:02:12.352 --> 00:02:15.262
Built to flow says, honor them.
00:02:15.262 --> 00:02:17.847
So what's the solution?
00:02:17.847 --> 00:02:22.312
We're gonna talk about the four business seasons.
00:02:22.312 --> 00:02:28.942
This is one of the core shifts inside built to flow your business, like your life moves in seasons.
00:02:28.942 --> 00:02:31.882
Here's an overview of the four business seasons.
00:02:32.421 --> 00:02:33.622
First, we have expansion.
00:02:33.622 --> 00:02:39.097
A season of growth, visibility, and outward energy.
00:02:39.097 --> 00:02:42.907
You're launching scaling building momentum, right?
00:02:42.907 --> 00:02:49.317
It's exciting, but it requires structure to keep it sustainable and prevent burnout.
00:02:50.576 --> 00:02:52.046
Second, we have integration.
00:02:52.046 --> 00:02:56.456
This is a season of stability, depth, and sustainability.
00:02:56.456 --> 00:02:58.586
You're refining systems.
00:02:58.586 --> 00:03:05.396
You're deepening your offers, you're supporting your team, creating a foundation for long-term growth, right?
00:03:05.396 --> 00:03:10.227
This foundation becomes the bedrock for your next expansion.
00:03:11.981 --> 00:03:13.301
And then we have contraction.
00:03:13.301 --> 00:03:16.722
This is a season of simplification and protection.
00:03:16.722 --> 00:03:23.592
You're pulling back, protecting capacity and saying no, so you can recover or prevent burnout.
00:03:23.771 --> 00:03:31.812
It's the pause that keeps you from breaking, and then we have recalibration, a season of evolution and realignment.
00:03:31.812 --> 00:03:33.611
You've outgrown something.
00:03:33.611 --> 00:03:36.222
Your business model, your identity as a leader.
00:03:36.222 --> 00:03:38.352
Maybe even your offers.
00:03:38.352 --> 00:03:44.292
This is the messy but powerful space of redefining where you're headed.
00:03:44.292 --> 00:03:48.042
Now, each season serves a purpose.
00:03:48.042 --> 00:03:49.602
None of them are bad.
00:03:49.602 --> 00:03:55.391
The power comes from knowing which one you're in and leading accordingly.
00:03:56.917 --> 00:04:01.361
Now, living here in Arizona, I've come to love the rhythm of a desert.
00:04:01.361 --> 00:04:01.421
It.
00:04:01.421 --> 00:04:04.752
The Saguaro cactus doesn't bloom every month.
00:04:04.752 --> 00:04:05.771
It waits.
00:04:05.771 --> 00:04:09.162
It conserves energy through the harsh heat, right?
00:04:09.162 --> 00:04:15.342
It stores what it needs during the cooler months, and then when conditions are right, it blooms.
00:04:15.342 --> 00:04:17.351
Your business is the same.
00:04:17.351 --> 00:04:20.502
Trying to force constant growth.
00:04:20.502 --> 00:04:24.221
It's like trying to force a cactus to flower in the middle of drought.
00:04:24.221 --> 00:04:28.346
You can push all you want, but you're working against nature.
00:04:28.646 --> 00:04:36.596
And so when you honor your season, you're in, you gain clarity, you lead with presence, and your business becomes sustainable.
00:04:36.596 --> 00:04:38.516
Now, why does this matter?
00:04:38.516 --> 00:04:39.747
Well, let's be real.
00:04:39.747 --> 00:04:44.817
Not everyone has the privilege to step back fully in contraction.
00:04:44.817 --> 00:04:46.706
So when we're talking about contraction, right?
00:04:46.706 --> 00:04:52.901
We're talking about how it's a season of simplification and protection.
00:04:52.901 --> 00:04:58.601
You're pulling back, protecting capacity and saying no, so you can recover or prevent burnout, right?
00:04:58.601 --> 00:05:00.432
It's the pause that keeps you from breaking.
00:05:00.432 --> 00:05:01.661
That's what we talked about.
00:05:01.661 --> 00:05:06.641
But financial pressures, caregiving, systemic barriers.
00:05:06.641 --> 00:05:12.701
They all shape what's possible, but honoring your season doesn't mean stopping.
00:05:12.701 --> 00:05:16.721
It means being honest about what's true for you right now.
00:05:16.721 --> 00:05:24.701
Maybe that looks like slowing down instead of stopping, saying no to new opportunities while maintaining current commitments.
00:05:24.701 --> 00:05:28.721
Adjusting your goals instead of pushing past your capacity.
00:05:29.502 --> 00:05:32.172
You don't need to fit someone else's formula.
00:05:32.172 --> 00:05:34.062
You need to honor your season.
00:05:35.711 --> 00:05:36.791
So here's your next step.
00:05:36.791 --> 00:05:56.771
Get curious about your current season, and if you're not sure where you are, I created the Business Clarity Kit to help it's free and includes a short reflection plus A GPT powered companion that walks you through identifying your season, clarifying your, your focus, and choosing one aligned step you can take this week.
00:05:56.771 --> 00:06:01.182
You can grab it now@heathercrabtree.com or click the link in the show notes.
00:06:01.601 --> 00:06:09.822
And if you're a strategist, coach, or guide who supports others through growth, I invite you to apply for the Built to Flow lab@builttoflow.com.
00:06:09.822 --> 00:06:12.911
It's where you'll get certification in this framework.
00:06:12.911 --> 00:06:19.062
Join a community of like-minded minded practitioners and become part of the movement to redesign how business works.
00:06:19.812 --> 00:06:25.211
And since this episode was all about seasons, I'd love to know where do you think you might be right now?
00:06:25.211 --> 00:06:30.221
Do you think you're an expansion, integration, contraction or recalibration?
00:06:30.221 --> 00:06:34.331
Send me a DM on Instagram at Heather Business Coach and let me know.
00:06:34.331 --> 00:06:35.591
I'd love to hear from you.
00:06:37.122 --> 00:06:40.692
Now remember, you don't need to push harder to prove you're capable.
00:06:40.692 --> 00:06:43.812
You don't need to scale just because everyone else is.
00:06:43.812 --> 00:06:45.466
What you need is rhythm.
00:06:45.466 --> 00:06:48.101
What you need is alignment.
00:06:48.101 --> 00:06:51.432
What you need is space to grow in your season.
00:06:51.432 --> 00:06:57.012
Now, in episode one, we talked about why the traditional model was never built for real life.
00:06:57.012 --> 00:07:05.651
Today you've seen why the missing piece is seasons because every business needs cycles of growth and rest.
00:07:07.257 --> 00:07:10.286
In the next episode, we're going to take this even deeper.
00:07:10.286 --> 00:07:20.156
I'll walk you through how to identify which season you're actually in right now, and the transition signals that help you know when it's time to shift.
00:07:20.156 --> 00:07:22.317
You won't wanna miss this.
00:07:22.699 --> 00:07:26.119
Thanks for listening to the Foundation Series on Built to Flow.
00:07:26.119 --> 00:07:29.509
Remember, every season calls for something different.
00:07:29.509 --> 00:07:31.158
You don't need to do it all.
00:07:31.158 --> 00:07:33.798
You need a business that flows.
00:07:33.798 --> 00:07:36.619
Subscribe so you never miss an episode.
00:07:36.619 --> 00:07:39.918
I'm Heather Crabtree, and this is Built to Flow.
