When I first started building businesses, I wore every single hat. I was the bookkeeper, the marketer, the IT help desk, the customer service rep, and the person making late-night printer ink runs. My mantra was simple: “If it’s meant to be, it’s up to me.”
That belief got me far. It fueled my drive, my creativity, and my persistence. But after a while, it also left me exhausted and stuck. I realized I was spending my days putting out fires, juggling tasks that drained me, and constantly telling myself I didn’t have time to slow down or delegate.
Maybe you know that feeling too. As a business owner, you want to give your clients the best service, grow your company, and be proud of the business you’re building. But somewhere in between tax deadlines, client calls, and marketing efforts, you find yourself buried in busywork. And instead of leading your business forward, you’re trapped inside it.
The Turning Point
For me, the turning point came when I realized I wasn’t just slowing down my business’s growth—I was also denying myself the chance to do the work that actually lights me up. The kind of work I’m uniquely skilled at.
That’s when I discovered that I functioned best in my realm of genius. It’s the zone where your greatest strengths meet the work that gives you energy. When you’re in that realm, you’re not just productive—you’re powerful. And when you step outside of it, you risk becoming the bottleneck that holds your business back.
Why Honing in on Your Realm of Genius Matters
This idea of the realm of genius is at the heart of my session at the 2025 Women Who Count Conference: “Know Your Realm of Genius: How to Hand Off, Scale Up, and Lead Forward.”
Scaling isn’t about doing more. It’s about doing the right things—the things that only you can do—and learning how to hand off, outsource, or automate the rest.
But here’s the tricky part: letting go isn’t just about having better systems. It’s also about shifting the stories we tell ourselves. I used to believe:
- “If I don’t do it, it won’t be done right.”
- “I don’t have time to train someone else.”
- “It’s easier if I just handle it.”
These beliefs sound practical, but they were actually keeping me small. And I’ve learned I’m not alone—many business owners struggle with the same mindset traps.
Realm of Genius Exercise for Business Owners
That’s why I use a simple but powerful framework called the Realm of Genius exercise. This framework isn’t just theory—it’s a decision-making tool you can apply right away. It’s one of the biggest mindset shifts that helped me move from operator to leader. I can’t wait to share it at the Women Who Count conference.
At my presentation, we’ll do more than talk about frameworks. Together we’ll:
- Identify the tasks draining business owner’s energy versus the ones lighting them up.
- Explore the beliefs that make delegating or automating feel so hard.
- Practice simple exercises to clarify who should do what in the business.
- Discover tools and workflows that make accountability and consistency possible.
Most importantly, attendees will walk away with a clearer picture of what it looks like to operate from their realm of genius—and the confidence to start letting go of the rest.
A Personal Note
As a six-time entrepreneur and solo mama, I’ve made all the mistakes. I’ve been the late night and early morning slogger, the reluctant delegator, and the person who believed working harder was the only answer. But I’ve also seen what happens when a business owner makes the shift—when she starts trusting her team, her systems, and herself enough to lead differently.
That’s the journey I will share at Women Who Count. Because when women business owners step into their realm of genius, they don’t just change how their business runs—they change how they feel about running it.
The Bottom Line
If you’d like to improve the way your business runs and feel great about leading it, comment “GENIUS!” on this blog or email hello@gutsymoney.co. I’m building a self-paced Find Your Realm of Genius course. The first 10 people to comments on this blog or email me will receive free access to the course once it’s live!
