Redefining “Success” in Business: Reflections on Money, Wealth, & Values

Introduction

This is an excerpt from Delightful Sites — a weekly email series helping therapists, coaches, and entrepreneurs build sustainable, values-aligned businesses, through the power of website marketing. 💐

It’s tax season (everyone’s favorite time of year 🙃), and I’d like to give you a virtual high-five to acknowledge wherever you are in the process of getting the dang thing done. 

This time of year has me thinking about numbers, money, and what actually matters when it comes to tracking our bank accounts.

In the business world, there’s a lot of emphasis on making six figures per year, or a certain # of thousands of dollars per month.

While these metrics matter to a certain degree, they’re not the whole picture. Nor are they the only measurement of “success.”

Nowadays, I think about the numbers in my business in a different way. I get curious about what the numbers actually mean in the context of my life.

After all, two people could make six figures in their practice in 1 year… yet have totally different experiences & outcomes. 

💵 Person A could make six figures and feel burnt out, overworked, and resentful, like their business is running them instead of the other way around.

💵 Person B could make the exact same amount, while working fewer hours and genuinely enjoying their life. 

💵 Another person could make half the amount of Person A and B, and also be thriving in their life. 

The point is: numbers, without context, don’t mean much. 

Your income in 2025 doesn’t tell me anything about what your cost of living was, what your expenses & resources looked like, or how much you were enjoying your life. It simply tells me… a number.

So, in addition to knowing our numbers, what if we also explore these questions:

👉🏽 How do I feel about my work-life balance?

👉🏽 Are there any changes I would like to explore, in order to access more joy, rest, or other needs in my life? 

Example: after I realized that I feel like my best therapist self when I see clients 3 days per week, rather than 4-5 days per week, I adjusted my schedule, and this has helped me avoid burnout & show up more present, curious, and attuned in my sessions.

👉🏽 How is my relationship with money?

Confident? Curious? Frustrated? Anxious? Avoidant? 

👉🏽 Are there any changes I would like to explore, in order to improve my relationship with money?

Ex: when I realized that I knew nothing about saving for retirement, I worked w/ a financial coach to learn money skills, explored resources like podcasts & You Need a Budget App, & had conversations w/ money-savvy friends — which helped me feel more clear & confident about my financial future.

At the end of the day, may we remember this: truly enjoying life, and living a life aligned with your values, is an underrated form of wealth.

From one business-owner & human to another: I wish you wealth. 💗

Cheers,

Liz

Liked this blog post?

👉🏽 Subscribe here to receive letters from Liz directly in your inbox.