Description

📋 Episode Summary
Marc and Emily explore the nuanced and personal decision of when (and whether) to get help—whether that's in business, around the house, or in life. From their early years of hiring vacuuming help as new parents to their experiments with cleaning services, virtual assistants, and administrative support, they reflect on how each decision is shaped by values, seasons of life, and evolving clarity. They share candid lessons learned about identity, strengths, outsourcing too soon, and the surprising ways "help" can either support or strip away joy.

🔑 Key Takeaways

• Getting help is not always about saving time—it can also disrupt your rhythm or remove something meaningful.
• Business owners should learn core skills (like bookkeeping or CRM) before outsourcing—but not forever.
• Delegation is more effective when you define what "done" looks like and document the process.
• Knowing the why behind seeking help—whether it's to free up creativity, maintain peace, or ensure professional integrity—is critical.
• It's all seasonal: the right help at one time might be the wrong help later.
• Hiring help doesn't always mean hiring employees—contractor models offer flexibility and values alignment.
• Pricing your time properly helps reveal when it's "too expensive" to keep doing certain tasks yourself.

🗣 Quote Highlights

"Cleaning the house settles my brain. I didn't realize how much I missed that." - Emily
"It's not hard, it's just new." - Marc (quoting Nicole Cramer)
"We treat our clients and prospects as partners—not annoyances." - Marc
"Knowing your limits allows other people to flourish." - Emily

🧰 Tools & Mentions

• 📚 You're a Badass at Making Money by Jen Sincero
• 📚 Imagination: A Manifesto by Ruha Benjamin
• 🛠️ Loom (for documenting processes via screen recording)
• 💡 Tip: Use "definition of done" language from Agile/Scrum when delegating
• 🤖 CRM Tools: Infusionsoft / Keap → Zoho CRM with SpeakerFlow
• 🧾 Outsourcing bookkeeping, CRM, VAs
• 🧠 StrengthsFinder: Learner strength as both superpower and trap

👥 Who Should Listen

• Founders, freelancers, and business owners feeling overwhelmed but unsure what help to get
• Coaches and creatives struggling with what to delegate—and when
• Anyone who's ever hired help and felt like "it didn't actually help"
• Partners in business or life considering how to divide work and protect joy
• Listeners interested in building teams, documenting processes, or making values-aligned decisions about growth

🎺 That Music!
Special thanks to Lexi Moreno, Caleb Pitman, and Zoe Czarnecki for the original music.
Lexi Mereno: composing / mixing / mastering / guitar
Caleb Pitman: composing / mixing / trumpet
Zoe Czarnecki: bass