What Will Your Family Remember About This Season of Your Life?

Building a business doesn’t have to cost you your presence. It might just require a new rhythm.

"Don’t confuse being busy with being present. One fills your calendar. The other fills their hearts."

Every time I meet a woman who's ready to grow — really grow — her business, I start with the same question:

Why did you start?

It’s easy to forget when you’re knee-deep in calendars, meetings, and multitasking. But that reason — that anchor — matters.

And then I ask:

What’s your exit strategy?

This isn’t about quitting. It’s about defining what success looks like. Not a generic Pinterest-board version, but the one that makes your chest ache a little — in the best way.

If your definition of success doesn’t stir something inside you, you’re probably not there yet.

(And if your only answer is “more money,” I invite you to go deeper. Money’s a tool. Not the destination.)

Recently, I was talking about this with my sales coach. Yes, I have one — because leadership doesn’t mean knowing it all. It means having people in your corner.

We got to talking about something most women don’t expect:

Have you told your family what success looks like to you?
Have you asked what it looks like to them?

If you haven’t — you’re not alone. Most of us haven’t. But here’s what happens when we don’t:

They see us rushing. Rattling between tasks. Glued to our phones on the sidelines.
They see effort. But they don’t understand the “why.”

And then my coach asked me:

“What are you doing today to be truly present with them?”

It hit me hard. Because I’ve lived this. And I made intentional choices.

When my daughter was in high school, I got an office less than a kilometre from her school. Not for the business — for us. So she could stop by. So we could have those precious 20-minute moments. Afternoon tea. Quiet chats. Proximity and presence.

And when she took up rowing — that brutally early, seven-days-a-week winter sport — we made a deal.

I got up at 4:30am. I drove her. I stayed. I watched. I cooked for the team. I made sure she got to school. Then I began my workday.

It wasn’t easy.
It wasn’t glamorous.
But it was right.

Because we created a rhythm — together. We camped. We travelled. We lived fully while I led fully.

This isn’t about perfection. Or sacrifice.

It’s about intention.

So let me ask you:

What rhythm works for you?
What rhythms work for your family?
And have you actually talked about it — out loud?

Success isn’t a future destination.
It’s how you show up today.

🟠 Try these three ways to ground your presence:

1.    Define your success metric out loud. Write it. Say it. Share it. Don’t keep it in your head — give it a voice.

2.    Protect 30 minutes of undistracted time. Be with your people. No phone. No tasks. Just presence.

3.    Ask your family, “What matters to you this week?” And then really listen. Let that shape your rhythm.

You can lead a powerful business without losing the moments that matter.
You just need to choose them.

🟠 Want more clarity like this? Come sit in the Circle.

I’m Joanne Brooks — entrepreneur, strategist, and founder of Navig8 Circle. I’ve spent decades helping women build businesses that work with their values, not against them.

Navig8 Circle is where I bring everything I’ve learned — the tools, the structure, and the human-first truth of what it takes to lead yourself while building something real. Learn more at https://www.navig8biz.com/navig8-circle-live