The Moment I Knew I Had to Scale Down

Running my business, CEO Creatives started out as a dream. But somewhere along the way, the dream got heavy.

I was juggling too many services, managing a bloated list of expenses, and constantly feeling like I was behind. The business was growing—but I wasn’t. I was burning out, fast.

So I made the hardest decision I’ve made as a founder: I hit pause. I scaled way down. I gave myself six months off—not just to rest, but to refocus.

And it was the best decision I’ve ever made for my business.

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Why Bigger Isn’t Always Better

The pressure to scale is everywhere in the entrepreneur world. But here’s the truth: more doesn’t always mean better.

When I took a step back, I realized I had grown CEO Creatives into something that no longer felt aligned. I was doing too much, for too many people, without enough clarity on what I actually wanted to build.

The overhead was high. My peace was low. And I knew if I didn’t scale down, the whole thing might collapse.

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How I Knew It Was Time to Pull Back

Here were the red flags I couldn’t ignore:

• Everything felt urgent—but nothing felt important

I was in constant reaction mode.

• Revenue was up, but profit wasn’t

I was working harder, not smarter.

• I couldn’t remember the last time I felt creative

The spark was gone.

• I dreaded checking our portal messages and emails

That’s not the vibe for a “creative” business.

If any of this sounds familiar… your business might be too big for where your heart (or capacity) is right now.

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What Scaling Down Actually Looked Like

For me, scaling down meant:

• Letting go of client types and services that no longer aligned

• Cutting expenses to the bare essentials

• Saying no to new projects and offers for a while

• Giving myself permission to do less and think more

I journaled. I re-read old goals. I took long walks without listening to business podcasts (imagine that!). Slowly, I started to reconnect with why I started CEO Creatives in the first place.

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The Truth: This Wasn’t My First Business Mistake

And I’ll be real with you—it wasn’t the first time I had to learn something the hard way. I talk about more lessons like this in 5 Business Mistakes I’ll Never Make Again (Learn From Me So You Don’t Have To) if you want a raw, behind-the-scenes look at how messy growth can actually be.

Scaling down doesn’t mean you’ve failed. It means you’re smart enough to know when it’s time to pivot.

How to Know If You Should Scale Down

Here’s what I’d tell any entrepreneur right now:

• If you’re not making money despite “growth,” pause.

• If you don’t feel excited to serve your clients anymore, pause.

• If your business feels more like a trap than a vehicle, pause.

You don’t have to burn it all down—but you do have to get honest with yourself.

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Survival Is a Strategy

In the online world, scaling down is rarely glamorized. But it should be. Because survival is a strategy. Clarity is currency. And energy? That’s everything.

Six months later, CEO Creatives is leaner, clearer, and stronger. And so am I.

If your business is on the edge, it might not need more. It might need less.

And that’s not weakness. That’s wisdom.

Want help figuring out what to keep, what to cut, and how to reboot your business with more clarity? Let’s talk—or check out my post on When to Pivot, When to Hold On for more clarity on when it’s time for a change.