From Road Trips to Quarter Planning: Finding Balance After the Chaos

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Before I jump in, a quick reminder that this blog is free to read. Every week, I share my honest take on running a business, raising a newborn, and building a life that’s full of purpose (and a little chaos). If you enjoy reading, consider sharing it with another entrepreneur or new mom who could use a dose of real-life encouragement.

Life Lately: 28 Hours of Road Trip Chaos

This past week has been a whirlwind. We drove 15 hours to South Dakota for my husband’s nephew’s funeral. It was an emotional trip filled with heavy moments, long drives, and quiet reflection. While it was hard to see everyone under such difficult circumstances, there was comfort in being together as a family.

Jett got to meet many relatives for the first time, which brought small moments of light to an otherwise sad week. Traveling with a newborn was an adventure in itself. Between feeding breaks, diaper changes, and countless stops to stretch, the trip took much longer than expected. We learned very quickly that traveling with a baby by car is far more work than we ever imagined. I think it’s safe to say that next time, we’re flying.

We got home Friday morning around 3 a.m. completely exhausted. But rest wasn’t an option because the next day was our 5th Annual ABJ + Texas Training Tailgate. Friday was a blur of errands, shopping, food prep, and packing. Even with little sleep, we pulled it off.

Saturday was another long day of setup, hosting, and cleaning up afterward. The turnout was great this year. We spent time laughing, catching up, and relaxing, which made all the effort worth it. The exhaustion was real, but so was the gratitude.

Back to Business

Even in the midst of travel and chaos, I’m proud of how the business ran. I delegated tasks effectively, and even with a few projects temporarily paused, nothing fell apart. That’s the beauty of a strong team and a solid foundation.

Now that Q4 has officially started, it’s time to refocus. I’ve been deep in quarterly planning mode, reviewing goals and setting the stage for what I want the rest of the year to look like.

One of my top priorities is hiring or promoting someone who can grow into a “second me.”

That’s no easy task. My role spans so many areas: operations, automation, marketing, development, and client strategy. That it takes a special kind of person to blend creativity, problem-solving, and structure. But finding that person is key to scaling sustainably. I want someone who doesn’t just do the work but can think, plan, and lead with the same level of ownership and passion.

Returning From Maternity Leave

This week also marks my official return from maternity leave. It feels strange but exciting to be back in the rhythm of things. I’ve missed my clients, my projects, and the daily conversations with my team.

That said, my routine looks nothing like it used to. Jett still runs the show, and I’ve learned that productivity looks different these days. I work when he lets me. Some days that’s during nap time, and others it’s at midnight. And that’s okay.

To all my fellow business owners and parents: your productivity doesn’t have to fit a perfect mold. Progress is progress, even if it comes in short bursts between bottle feedings and diaper changes.

Lessons from the Week

This week taught me a few key lessons that I want to pass on to other entrepreneurs:

1. Delegate and trust your people. You can’t do it all, and you shouldn’t have to. Build people up so they can step in when life happens.

2. Perfection isn’t the goal — progress is. You can’t control everything, but you can keep moving forward.

3. Rest when you can, even in chaos. Exhaustion clouds judgment, creativity, and leadership. Find small ways to recharge, even if that’s a quiet 10 minutes with your coffee.

Looking Ahead

This week is all about catching my breath, supporting my husband after an incredibly emotional couple of weeks, and rebuilding structure in both home and business life. My focus is on family first and business second because when home feels strong, work follows naturally.

On the business side, I’ll be finalizing Q4 goals, interviewing candidates, and continuing to refine my systems to prepare for the next phase of growth.

And of course, I can’t end this post without one final highlight: the Tailgate was a success! Huge thank you to everyone who joined and supported us.

If you’ve been following along and want to build a business that gives you the flexibility to thrive even when life gets messy, check out the Backend Boss Membership or book a consult to start building the kind of systems that let you breathe.

Here’s to Q4, to resilience, to family, and to showing up even when life is messy.