Most entrepreneurs claim they're building their business for their family, but their calendar tells another story.
In this video, I share how I built a "successful" business on paper. Revenue was climbing, Stripe was pinging, everyone thought I was winning. But behind the scenes, I was overworked, disconnected from my wife and kids, and losing myself in the grind.
Until I got a wake-up call I couldn't ignore.
This is the true story of how I simplified everything, leaned on systems, and built a business that no longer runs me—so I could scale without sacrifice.
In this video:
00:00 Starting the lie we all buy
00:08 Chasing growth over presence
00:17 Revenue up, but why was I doing it?
00:27 The "grind harder" mindset trap
00:35 Why hustle felt heroic
00:41 The lie I told myself it was for my family
01:03 When it stopped being worth it
01:07 10–14 hour days, living in "busy"
01:14 The wake‑up call from my wife
01:29 The moment my daughter asked for time
01:54 Realizing growth without health/family is destruction
02:02 I stopped the madness, not the business
02:20 My business runs when I step away
02:37 Who this message is for (coaches/consultants)
03:17 What's possible with systems, not hustle
03:53 The real cost of chasing revenue only
04:03 What the true scoreboard is: peace, presence, purpose
04:18 If you feel stuck, here's your choice
05:26 What I want you to walk away with
05:51 Final thoughts and next steps
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👋🏼 If this is our first time meeting, I'm Chris Dufey, founder of The Rainmakers.
We help coaches and creators scale to $1M profit with tiny teams, clean systems, and more freedom.
A few years ago, I was sleeping on a couch, scrambling to build a business before my first daughter arrived.
She showed up. I wasn't ready.
Now, I've got four kids, homes in Bali and Australia, and I build 7- and 8-figure businesses that don't depend on me.
This channel is for founders who want simple, scalable businesses that buy back time.
Subscribe, drop a comment, and let's build a business you actually enjoy running.
