WEBVTT
00:00:00.089 --> 00:00:02.580
.
00:00:02.580 --> 00:00:03.330
Whether you're two years in or ten, you probably know the feeling.
00:00:03.330 --> 00:00:08.460
The business looks fine on paper, but in your gut it's not working the way you hoped.
00:00:08.460 --> 00:00:15.958
In chasing growth, alignment got lost, and the business that once felt freeing now feels like it's running the show.
00:00:15.958 --> 00:00:21.719
That's the problem with traditional business growth and why it's time for a better way forward.
00:00:21.789 --> 00:00:26.379
You are listening to Built To Flow, the podcast that's redesigning how business works.
00:00:26.379 --> 00:00:31.629
I'm Heather Crabtree, business strategist, three time founder and creator of the Built to Flow framework.
00:00:31.629 --> 00:00:41.590
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.
00:00:41.590 --> 00:00:48.594
And right now you're in the Foundation series six episodes that walk you step by step through the Built to Flow framework.
00:00:48.594 --> 00:00:52.945
Consider this series your blueprint for a business that doesn't just grow.
00:00:52.945 --> 00:00:53.750
It flows.
00:00:57.460 --> 00:00:59.740
Welcome to the Foundation Series.
00:00:59.740 --> 00:01:11.769
In this very first episode, I wanna share why the traditional growth model so often breaks down, and how I discovered a different way to build one that makes space for the ups and downs of real life.
00:01:11.769 --> 00:01:21.250
Let's start by looking at the traditional growth model itself, what it promises why so many of us bought into it, and where it begins to fall apart.
00:01:22.689 --> 00:01:24.280
We've all heard the same message.
00:01:24.280 --> 00:01:27.489
Grow faster, scale bigger, keep pushing.
00:01:27.489 --> 00:01:29.319
The promise is clear.
00:01:29.319 --> 00:01:32.560
More revenue, more clients, more visibility.
00:01:32.560 --> 00:01:38.859
That's supposed to be the path to freedom, and it's easy to see why we've bought into it.
00:01:38.859 --> 00:01:48.040
Everywhere we look, there are people telling us that this is the only way we watch peers on Instagram and LinkedIn celebrate their milestones.
00:01:48.040 --> 00:01:53.200
In comparison, whispered that if we weren't scaling, we were falling behind.
00:01:53.950 --> 00:01:59.650
For many of us, whether we're in year two or 10, it was the only model that we've ever been shown.
00:01:59.650 --> 00:02:01.959
But here's where it falls apart.
00:02:01.959 --> 00:02:04.569
That model doesn't account for life.
00:02:04.569 --> 00:02:11.199
It doesn't bend when you become a parent or when you're caring for someone you love or when your own health or capacity shifts.
00:02:11.199 --> 00:02:16.060
It doesn't flex when you're navigating grief or identity changes.
00:02:16.060 --> 00:02:22.375
Systemic barriers or even just the natural evolution of who you are.
00:02:22.375 --> 00:02:28.465
And so the business that once felt exciting, starts to feel heavy.
00:02:28.465 --> 00:02:34.224
It might look great on paper, but inside it feels misaligned, maybe even empty.
00:02:34.224 --> 00:02:37.164
And that becomes the breaking point.
00:02:37.164 --> 00:02:41.335
The moment when the business you built no longer fits the life you're living.
00:02:43.495 --> 00:02:45.895
If traditional growth doesn't reflect real life.
00:02:45.895 --> 00:03:01.824
Then we need something that does, and that's why I created the Built to Flow framework, a model that honors the seasons of business and life and gives you a way to grow that's strategic, sustainable, and humane at its heart.
00:03:01.824 --> 00:03:04.645
Built to Flow is grounded in a few core principles.
00:03:05.544 --> 00:03:07.794
First, life comes first.
00:03:07.794 --> 00:03:11.875
Your business should support your life, not consume it.
00:03:11.875 --> 00:03:16.794
That means designing around your energy, your capacity, and your values.
00:03:17.395 --> 00:03:23.905
Second, everything moves in seasons, just like nature has spring, summer, fall, and winter.
00:03:23.905 --> 00:03:30.115
Your business cycles through expansion, integration, contraction, and recalibration.
00:03:30.115 --> 00:03:35.979
When you learn to work with these rhythms instead against them, you stop fighting yourself.
00:03:37.150 --> 00:03:40.180
Third, sustainable strategy matters.
00:03:40.180 --> 00:03:42.759
Growth isn't about forcing more.
00:03:42.759 --> 00:03:45.370
It's about making the right moves at the right time.
00:03:45.370 --> 00:03:47.139
We want them to be aligned.
00:03:47.139 --> 00:03:50.770
Intentional choices that actually last.
00:03:50.770 --> 00:03:54.460
And finally, we use a liberation lens.
00:03:54.460 --> 00:03:56.919
Business should create more freedom.
00:03:56.919 --> 00:04:01.645
For you, for the people you serve and for the communities you touch.
00:04:03.685 --> 00:04:06.925
Built to flow isn't just a framework, though, it's also a community.
00:04:06.925 --> 00:04:13.224
And this community that we're building is guided by five principles, five core values.
00:04:15.474 --> 00:04:17.964
Number one, intentional action.
00:04:17.964 --> 00:04:25.074
We move with clarity, not urgency, because chasing every next step doesn't serve us.
00:04:25.074 --> 00:04:27.444
But moving with intention does.
00:04:28.345 --> 00:04:30.625
Number two, joyful boldness.
00:04:30.625 --> 00:04:35.394
We show up brave and true even when it challenges the norm.
00:04:35.394 --> 00:04:39.535
This is about doing business our way with courage and joy.
00:04:40.254 --> 00:04:42.295
Number three, flow over force.
00:04:42.295 --> 00:04:44.185
We don't scale at all costs here.
00:04:44.185 --> 00:04:52.855
We grow at the right pace for the right reasons, because growth that ignores our humanity is never sustainable.
00:04:54.175 --> 00:04:56.365
Number four, evolved resilience.
00:04:56.365 --> 00:05:01.764
We grow through what we move through with care and capacity.
00:05:01.764 --> 00:05:06.204
Life happens and resilience isn't about powering through.
00:05:06.204 --> 00:05:08.904
It's about rebuilding with wisdom.
00:05:10.779 --> 00:05:14.470
And number five, rooted in humanity.
00:05:14.470 --> 00:05:21.189
We build in community with collective care, equity, inclusion, and integrity.
00:05:21.189 --> 00:05:27.220
This is the heart of build to flow business that honors people first.
00:05:27.220 --> 00:05:31.930
These principles and values are what make built to flow more than just a framework.
00:05:31.930 --> 00:05:33.970
They make it a movement.
00:05:35.500 --> 00:05:38.139
At the framework level, though, built to flow is simple.
00:05:38.139 --> 00:05:45.324
There are four business seasons, expansion, integration, contraction, and recalibration.
00:05:45.324 --> 00:06:01.524
We'll talk about those in the future and six core business areas, strategic planning, business model, and offers, systems and operations, marketing and visibility, financial health and leadership and team.
00:06:01.524 --> 00:06:12.459
When you put them together, you can identify what season you're in, focus on the areas that matter most and create a growth plan that actually fits your life.
00:06:13.779 --> 00:06:17.350
And in this foundation series, we'll break each of these down.
00:06:17.350 --> 00:06:24.160
In the next episode, we will dig into the four seasons of business, what they are and how to spot your own.
00:06:24.160 --> 00:06:31.420
Then we're gonna explore the six core business areas and why ignoring even one can keep you stuck.
00:06:31.420 --> 00:06:43.584
And finally we'll walk through how to apply the built to flow process in real time so you can design a business that's aligned, sustainable, and resilient.
00:06:44.904 --> 00:06:49.704
And yes, if you haven't heard yet, I am writing a book also that's called Built to Flow.
00:06:49.704 --> 00:06:56.785
It's where I'm sharing both my personal journey and story and this framework in more depth.
00:06:56.785 --> 00:07:01.105
So you'll hear pieces of that journey woven throughout this podcast as well.
00:07:01.944 --> 00:07:04.105
And I don't want this to be a one-way conversation.
00:07:04.105 --> 00:07:10.295
If something in today's episode resonated, come connect with me over on Instagram at @heatherbusinesscoach.
00:07:10.295 --> 00:07:19.435
I'd love to hear where you are and talk about what season you're in and go through this journey together.
00:07:21.250 --> 00:07:37.449
And if you're ready to find clarity in your own business, I invite you to download my free business clarity Kit at heathercrabtree.com.. It includes a custom GPT companion to help you uncover your season, choose your focus, and take your next aligned step.
00:07:38.064 --> 00:07:46.324
And if you're a strategist, coach, or guide who helps others grow, I invite you to explore the Built to Flow Lab at builttoflow.com.
00:07:46.324 --> 00:07:57.055
It's where leaders go to join a community committed to building business differently, and it's also where you can become a certified strategist.
00:07:57.055 --> 00:08:00.384
All of this is just the beginning.
00:08:00.384 --> 00:08:11.274
Traditional growth models may not work for real life, but when you build with rhythm intention and alignment, you create something that lasts.
00:08:11.512 --> 00:08:14.932
Thanks for listening to the Foundation Series on Built to Flow.
00:08:14.932 --> 00:08:18.322
Remember, every season calls for something different.
00:08:18.322 --> 00:08:19.971
You don't need to do it all.
00:08:19.971 --> 00:08:22.612
You need a business that flows.
00:08:22.612 --> 00:08:25.432
Subscribe so you never miss an episode.
00:08:25.432 --> 00:08:28.732
I'm Heather Crabtree, and this is Built to Flow.
00:00:00.089 --> 00:00:02.580
.
00:00:02.580 --> 00:00:03.330
Whether you're two years in or ten, you probably know the feeling.
00:00:03.330 --> 00:00:08.460
The business looks fine on paper, but in your gut it's not working the way you hoped.
00:00:08.460 --> 00:00:15.958
In chasing growth, alignment got lost, and the business that once felt freeing now feels like it's running the show.
00:00:15.958 --> 00:00:21.719
That's the problem with traditional business growth and why it's time for a better way forward.
00:00:21.789 --> 00:00:26.379
You are listening to Built To Flow, the podcast that's redesigning how business works.
00:00:26.379 --> 00:00:31.629
I'm Heather Crabtree, business strategist, three time founder and creator of the Built to Flow framework.
00:00:31.629 --> 00:00:41.590
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.
00:00:41.590 --> 00:00:48.594
And right now you're in the Foundation series six episodes that walk you step by step through the Built to Flow framework.
00:00:48.594 --> 00:00:52.945
Consider this series your blueprint for a business that doesn't just grow.
00:00:52.945 --> 00:00:53.750
It flows.
00:00:57.460 --> 00:00:59.740
Welcome to the Foundation Series.
00:00:59.740 --> 00:01:11.769
In this very first episode, I wanna share why the traditional growth model so often breaks down, and how I discovered a different way to build one that makes space for the ups and downs of real life.
00:01:11.769 --> 00:01:21.250
Let's start by looking at the traditional growth model itself, what it promises why so many of us bought into it, and where it begins to fall apart.
00:01:22.689 --> 00:01:24.280
We've all heard the same message.
00:01:24.280 --> 00:01:27.489
Grow faster, scale bigger, keep pushing.
00:01:27.489 --> 00:01:29.319
The promise is clear.
00:01:29.319 --> 00:01:32.560
More revenue, more clients, more visibility.
00:01:32.560 --> 00:01:38.859
That's supposed to be the path to freedom, and it's easy to see why we've bought into it.
00:01:38.859 --> 00:01:48.040
Everywhere we look, there are people telling us that this is the only way we watch peers on Instagram and LinkedIn celebrate their milestones.
00:01:48.040 --> 00:01:53.200
In comparison, whispered that if we weren't scaling, we were falling behind.
00:01:53.950 --> 00:01:59.650
For many of us, whether we're in year two or 10, it was the only model that we've ever been shown.
00:01:59.650 --> 00:02:01.959
But here's where it falls apart.
00:02:01.959 --> 00:02:04.569
That model doesn't account for life.
00:02:04.569 --> 00:02:11.199
It doesn't bend when you become a parent or when you're caring for someone you love or when your own health or capacity shifts.
00:02:11.199 --> 00:02:16.060
It doesn't flex when you're navigating grief or identity changes.
00:02:16.060 --> 00:02:22.375
Systemic barriers or even just the natural evolution of who you are.
00:02:22.375 --> 00:02:28.465
And so the business that once felt exciting, starts to feel heavy.
00:02:28.465 --> 00:02:34.224
It might look great on paper, but inside it feels misaligned, maybe even empty.
00:02:34.224 --> 00:02:37.164
And that becomes the breaking point.
00:02:37.164 --> 00:02:41.335
The moment when the business you built no longer fits the life you're living.
00:02:43.495 --> 00:02:45.895
If traditional growth doesn't reflect real life.
00:02:45.895 --> 00:03:01.824
Then we need something that does, and that's why I created the Built to Flow framework, a model that honors the seasons of business and life and gives you a way to grow that's strategic, sustainable, and humane at its heart.
00:03:01.824 --> 00:03:04.645
Built to Flow is grounded in a few core principles.
00:03:05.544 --> 00:03:07.794
First, life comes first.
00:03:07.794 --> 00:03:11.875
Your business should support your life, not consume it.
00:03:11.875 --> 00:03:16.794
That means designing around your energy, your capacity, and your values.
00:03:17.395 --> 00:03:23.905
Second, everything moves in seasons, just like nature has spring, summer, fall, and winter.
00:03:23.905 --> 00:03:30.115
Your business cycles through expansion, integration, contraction, and recalibration.
00:03:30.115 --> 00:03:35.979
When you learn to work with these rhythms instead against them, you stop fighting yourself.
00:03:37.150 --> 00:03:40.180
Third, sustainable strategy matters.
00:03:40.180 --> 00:03:42.759
Growth isn't about forcing more.
00:03:42.759 --> 00:03:45.370
It's about making the right moves at the right time.
00:03:45.370 --> 00:03:47.139
We want them to be aligned.
00:03:47.139 --> 00:03:50.770
Intentional choices that actually last.
00:03:50.770 --> 00:03:54.460
And finally, we use a liberation lens.
00:03:54.460 --> 00:03:56.919
Business should create more freedom.
00:03:56.919 --> 00:04:01.645
For you, for the people you serve and for the communities you touch.
00:04:03.685 --> 00:04:06.925
Built to flow isn't just a framework, though, it's also a community.
00:04:06.925 --> 00:04:13.224
And this community that we're building is guided by five principles, five core values.
00:04:15.474 --> 00:04:17.964
Number one, intentional action.
00:04:17.964 --> 00:04:25.074
We move with clarity, not urgency, because chasing every next step doesn't serve us.
00:04:25.074 --> 00:04:27.444
But moving with intention does.
00:04:28.345 --> 00:04:30.625
Number two, joyful boldness.
00:04:30.625 --> 00:04:35.394
We show up brave and true even when it challenges the norm.
00:04:35.394 --> 00:04:39.535
This is about doing business our way with courage and joy.
00:04:40.254 --> 00:04:42.295
Number three, flow over force.
00:04:42.295 --> 00:04:44.185
We don't scale at all costs here.
00:04:44.185 --> 00:04:52.855
We grow at the right pace for the right reasons, because growth that ignores our humanity is never sustainable.
00:04:54.175 --> 00:04:56.365
Number four, evolved resilience.
00:04:56.365 --> 00:05:01.764
We grow through what we move through with care and capacity.
00:05:01.764 --> 00:05:06.204
Life happens and resilience isn't about powering through.
00:05:06.204 --> 00:05:08.904
It's about rebuilding with wisdom.
00:05:10.779 --> 00:05:14.470
And number five, rooted in humanity.
00:05:14.470 --> 00:05:21.189
We build in community with collective care, equity, inclusion, and integrity.
00:05:21.189 --> 00:05:27.220
This is the heart of build to flow business that honors people first.
00:05:27.220 --> 00:05:31.930
These principles and values are what make built to flow more than just a framework.
00:05:31.930 --> 00:05:33.970
They make it a movement.
00:05:35.500 --> 00:05:38.139
At the framework level, though, built to flow is simple.
00:05:38.139 --> 00:05:45.324
There are four business seasons, expansion, integration, contraction, and recalibration.
00:05:45.324 --> 00:06:01.524
We'll talk about those in the future and six core business areas, strategic planning, business model, and offers, systems and operations, marketing and visibility, financial health and leadership and team.
00:06:01.524 --> 00:06:12.459
When you put them together, you can identify what season you're in, focus on the areas that matter most and create a growth plan that actually fits your life.
00:06:13.779 --> 00:06:17.350
And in this foundation series, we'll break each of these down.
00:06:17.350 --> 00:06:24.160
In the next episode, we will dig into the four seasons of business, what they are and how to spot your own.
00:06:24.160 --> 00:06:31.420
Then we're gonna explore the six core business areas and why ignoring even one can keep you stuck.
00:06:31.420 --> 00:06:43.584
And finally we'll walk through how to apply the built to flow process in real time so you can design a business that's aligned, sustainable, and resilient.
00:06:44.904 --> 00:06:49.704
And yes, if you haven't heard yet, I am writing a book also that's called Built to Flow.
00:06:49.704 --> 00:06:56.785
It's where I'm sharing both my personal journey and story and this framework in more depth.
00:06:56.785 --> 00:07:01.105
So you'll hear pieces of that journey woven throughout this podcast as well.
00:07:01.944 --> 00:07:04.105
And I don't want this to be a one-way conversation.
00:07:04.105 --> 00:07:10.295
If something in today's episode resonated, come connect with me over on Instagram at @heatherbusinesscoach.
00:07:10.295 --> 00:07:19.435
I'd love to hear where you are and talk about what season you're in and go through this journey together.
00:07:21.250 --> 00:07:37.449
And if you're ready to find clarity in your own business, I invite you to download my free business clarity Kit at heathercrabtree.com.. It includes a custom GPT companion to help you uncover your season, choose your focus, and take your next aligned step.
00:07:38.064 --> 00:07:46.324
And if you're a strategist, coach, or guide who helps others grow, I invite you to explore the Built to Flow Lab at builttoflow.com.
00:07:46.324 --> 00:07:57.055
It's where leaders go to join a community committed to building business differently, and it's also where you can become a certified strategist.
00:07:57.055 --> 00:08:00.384
All of this is just the beginning.
00:08:00.384 --> 00:08:11.274
Traditional growth models may not work for real life, but when you build with rhythm intention and alignment, you create something that lasts.
00:08:11.512 --> 00:08:14.932
Thanks for listening to the Foundation Series on Built to Flow.
00:08:14.932 --> 00:08:18.322
Remember, every season calls for something different.
00:08:18.322 --> 00:08:19.971
You don't need to do it all.
00:08:19.971 --> 00:08:22.612
You need a business that flows.
00:08:22.612 --> 00:08:25.432
Subscribe so you never miss an episode.
00:08:25.432 --> 00:08:28.732
I'm Heather Crabtree, and this is Built to Flow.
