Feeling like you’ve lost that excitement you used to have for your business when you first started? 

Like the creativity, energy, and motivation just isn’t there? 

And you’re just…bored? 

Well, it’s more common than you think. And since it’s not a widely discussed topic in business, we’re bringing it to the table for this week’s episode! 

We talk about…

• Why boredom in business happens 
• Why boredom in business is actually a good sign
• How to jumpstart your excitement about your business again 

Head over to iwannacollaborate.com and let us know what you took away from this conversation.

Music credit: The Funkster by Sweet Spot

A Podcast Launch Bestie production

Hello and welcome back to the Eaves Drop on Us Podcast.

I'm Jessica.

I'm Susan,

and let's kick off this week's topic.

So, One of the things that Susan and I do and we're like, what do

we wanna talk about on the podcast?

All we tend to do as we think about what are all the things we're hearing from

our clients and our business friends, like the most consistent patterns.

And this one actually surprised us.

It's.

Boredom in business.

Now,

before we get into it, I do wanna clarify for all my business

loving friends, I am not talking about, the things that we don't like doing.

Like, oh, I don't like doing sales calls, or, I don't like doing this,

and I, I'd rather do this instead.

You know, there are always those things you have to do in business that are

not very exciting and not very fun.

And to some extent, I actually remember Susan, one of our first.

Business trips that we did together back in like 2017.

Yeah.

We were taught the idea that like there's a point when you're growing a business

and you're starting out where you actually are kind of seeking that routine and

what will feel boring but works, right?

It's like the, you've gotta do certain core activities in your business that

don't feel spicy and exciting, but they work and you do that over and over and

over again to get to a level of success.

Yeah, in that instance we're talking about a slightly

slower than the speed of light.

That's really what you know when you're growing and

actively scaling your business.

Um, customarily, that's the speed of light that you are working at.

Right.

So then you customarily hear entrepreneurs in that truncated stage.

Oh, it'd be great to have routine.

It would be great to slow things down, but not so much to the point of where.

It's boring or rote, right?

yeah,

when I think back to when I joined the business, it

was the don't get distracted by trying to start too many things.

Like pick one thing, like speaking, for example, speak exactly.

Figure out your follow up.

Really dial that in and it will feel boring.

But then don't, don't get distracted and go and try, introduce something else, like

stick with something and really work it until it proves and gives you results.

Think the boredom that we're talking about is not that.

It's the, I've been in business for a while.

I have reached a great level of success.

I'm really proud of, of what I've accomplished.

But it's that where it's starting to feel stale and you don't have that excitement.

You're lacking that creative spark you don't necessarily feel.

And this was really interesting, just thinking about one of our, our

friends, it was the lack of desire to, Put a new offer out there.

Not because they weren't good at sales, not because they

weren't good at marketing.

You know, these are, again, we're talking like you've reached a

level of success and you've done the things that need to get done.

It's the, when you get there, you're like, I'm just kind of

bored.

Yeah.

And it's usually the into climax that they achieve, right, Jess?

Mm-hmm.

When this instance, you know, I think it's important to, for us to keep in mind.

I love that you said we're seeing patterns because that's what we

should always be looking for.

So I wanted to acknowledge that in your sharing.

I thought that was really spot on, but I think it's also what we're hearing

is patterns of safety, stale, routine.

Is being interpreted as boredom and when you play it too safe and small

business, that's never a good deal.

You always come up short on that.

I, I, I was actually interested now that you're,

you're going in that direction.

Can we get to the core of Why do we think that feeling of stale staleness, we're

just gonna make our own words on this.

Yeah.

That feeling of staleness, boredom,

It's just us.

I think in this instance, Look, entrepreneurs love risk.

We're not risk adverse individuals.

now you can say, you know, there are particular patterns

and degrees of risk, right?

Some are crazy deep end risk takers as I often like to say.

I like to plan, not bet in business.

you know, getting to your question, how, how is that boredom being arrived at?

How are you getting there?

What's, what's informing that experience?

And I think honestly it is, the adrenaline dump is less than,

it's not necessarily boredom.

It's not necessarily being safe, it's just whenever we endeavor.

Right?

I mean, think about all the times that you've taken on new things.

Because it's new.

There's a heightened awareness, there's a, a crisp newness to it,

and there's also adrenaline highs.

And, you know, that lessens over time because it's less new.

it's didn't become less risky.

It's just less new, at least in my experience.

And I think with business owners, often what happens is, I, I think

in our conversations around should we stay, should we go, you know,

the clients who have expressed that through on board, um, I think what's

really interesting is seeing where, no, I just want something exciting.

But, but, but

I think what you're saying is that this symptom of I'm bored

where it's coming from, could be that.

As entrepreneurs, we're like, where's the next adrenaline rush?

Like, where's the next thing?

Like, we're constantly seeking for this.

So that could be one thing.

It's like, are you actually bored?

Or is it just like, oh, we don't have to be in crazy, you know, mode all the time.

You know?

That could be, that could be one thing.

I think what you're touching on is what I have sort of seen and experienced in

some of my more private conversations with entrepreneurial friends, which

is it's not that they're seeking necessarily the next big thing.

I think it's that they're ready for the next evolution.

They're ready for that next level.

And they're sort of like, I, I'm in this space where what I'm currently

doing as I'm currently doing it is not exciting to me anymore.

I've sort of reached the end of that.

I'm ready for something new.

But I'm a little terrified of that's

something new.

And not only am I terrified of that's something new, just what I've

been seeing in terms of patterns.

Cause I really wanna pick up on that note.

And is it boredom?

Is it staleness?

Is it just lack of risk or opportunity?

it's also, I figured it out and I don't know what the next.

Opportunity is, and now they're really having to dig deep and figure out,

okay, what is that next opportunity?

And that is also for me and my experience with clients and you

know, just small business leaders in general when they reach that stage.

It also becomes like, oh, snap, do I want others to see me

in this vulnerable position?

Because I'm, once I had it all figured out, I don't have

it figured out right now.

And that's kinda scary.

So not only am I somewhat bored, I'm also vulnerable, and I may

be showing that I don't have any imagination or foresight and.

I mean, I'm going to the, under the, under the understory here.

Right.

And I think what's really interesting if, if we were to come back up in

those layers, there's slow, there's predictable, there's, repeat behavioring.

if that's a phrase, I don't know.

It's just me.

You can say that, right.

But I think honestly, Risk is to one person.

It's such a damn subjective term, right?

I would like to put people when they come to me or you on this.

What I love asking the question, risk aside for the moment, dream, can we

get back to the fun craft of dreaming?

And can we be creative?

Can we be more childlike?

In this because you, you gotta remember right, during all that,

moving at the speed of light, you're just doing, you're not thinking it

through, you're just doing, you're executing, you're getting it, you're

going after it, you're nailing it.

Now we're slowing down sub, like we have to think about what we're doing.

Snap.

Well,

and and I think in that space it's you, you pointed it

out, you, you're figuring it out.

You're trying to problem solve.

And that I think is exciting for a lot of entrepreneurs because

we're natural problem solvers.

We see a problem, we wanna come up with a solution.

And so as we're in that space, but then you hit that wall and

I think that's where, it's one of those where you want to.

Dig deep because you have to figure out this space.

can I use my fancy word that

I was telling you about?

Yes, please.

I like,

you know, but, so I called it entrepreneurial ennui, E N N U

I, which basically means it's like this dissatisfaction arising from

a lack of occupation or excitement.

And I think there's this space of like, if you're feeling

that boredom or on we, it's.

Well, wait a second.

Am I feeling like I'm just, I'm not in this crazy mode all the time and

it's quiet right now, and that's okay.

Or is there really something deeper going on where I am ready for that next stage,

or I want to pursue that next stage.

I'm a little afraid of what that looks like, or mm-hmm.

If I'm honest with myself.

Do you think there's also the, comfort of being in that boredom.

do you find that people on the other side of discovering like

what that next phase is, is that a little intimidating or scary?

Or if they're really honest with themselves, they're like, oh

shit.

yes, yes and yes.

But here's the real surprise amongst all of those emotions that they experience.

I also see.

Awesome.

Happiness, invigorated behavior.

You know, where they're anticipating, they're committed, they're engaged

again, and uh, okay, what can we do next?

Ooh, wait a second, we can do that.

When that happens, there's no holding them back, and I adore

the process of taking them from.

Well, shoot, do I stay or should I go?

You know that?

What does that mean?

What's that

mean?

Should I stay or should I go?

Well, often it's expressed in, all right, I have a 10,

15, 20 year old business.

Often in my instance, I work with family-owned businesses, so you

know, is it gonna go to the kids or family members, or do I sell it?

Or that boredom, that, malaise.

In that stage is usually, you know, I did it, done it.

Do I wanna keep doing it?

It's all that wrapped up at that crossroad of, well, if I do

stay, what does that look like?

If I do go, what does that look like?

And it's a crossroad, right?

But every business goes through that phase.

Some go through it sooner or later, but you will go through it.

And the reason why you do is because you figured it out.

whatever you endeavored to do at the outset, you've worked it out.

You figured it out, you're on it.

Now you move to the next step.

So it could be a new offering, it could be, finding your

replacement or potential new owner.

it's that dreaming food, that visioning, that childlike imagination coming back.

If you do choose to stay, it could be really simple.

I, we've done this with a number of clients.

One, you know, of course we've used his experience in a number

of examples, but you remember he had a 20 year old business.

Bored stiff, honestly.

He was like, you know, I'm ready for something completely new.

And I had a conversation with him and just asking, well, wait a second, how

about if we use this as your a t m to fund that new dream, that new potential, that

new opportunity, the new whatever, and.

he took a chance on himself, not me, him.

It's like, okay, I did it before.

I can do it again.

Let's go for it.

I,

I love this because it's so easy to think, well, I'm bored with this.

I'm ready for something new.

I'm just gonna close Yes.

Shop.

Whereas what you're saying is, Yeah, because you've, you've built this amazing

business that, you know, excluding how you feel about it, is actually

very successful and runs very well.

Yeah.

But you as the owner are just not invigorated by it, and

you're looking for something new, whatever that next thing is.

And I think the cool thing is, is you can then imagine, well, It could

look like you, you know, selling the business, you know, giving it to, if

you're in a family, you know, giving it, onto the next, you know, generation.

It could also look like, you know, you've done, you've done some fun stuff with

people like adding in just different revenue streams into their business.

It's like, well, don't, do this.

Let's delegate this task out.

What you, whatever you are doing, like, let's reimagine what your team looks

like so that you can be in a place where you're doing this instead in the business.

And it's way more fun.

Absolutely.

And the fun is actually when you get it on autopilot.

See, usually that boredom comes in where what they do day to day is

rote, predictable, manageable state.

Let me tell you, that is not where a visionary should be.

That's where a really good manager should be, and that's the dissonance.

That's really where it gets a little messed up.

So once we find a person to replace them that is designed, you know,

their unique brilliance is to be that manager and to step into that role.

Now they're free to go start something new within the

business or outside the business.

See the freedom there.

See, and you know what, you should be able to take advantage of that.

Freedom.

You've earned it, you've earned it.

So all it took, honestly, it was really fast.

It was about, uh, just a little bit over a year and a half, but we sured up the

systems, the processes, the delegation.

So a lot of the behaviors and, and needed day to day were automated.

So this person could chill and relax and enjoy the fun of reimagining.

What else they could do knowing they were getting paid, knowing that their

employees were being very well looked out for and supported and perhaps

more important of all of this, their clients never even knew what the hell

was going on than the support that they were still receiving was seamless.

And in fact, you know, really, if I'm going really deep on this one

particular client, and this is experience to some degrees with others, but.

More so with this one, the market share increased.

So now think about it, a 20 year old business, he was ready to walk away

from and I, and we just basically paused and gave it some thought and said,

wait a second, can we reimagine this?

Can we get more?

And we did.

So going back to a year and a half later now he's ready to go dream and

enjoy and travel and do the things that he couldn't do the past 20 plus years.

That's freedom.

That's magic.

That's everything you start a business to achieve right Now,

Let's get back to boredom.

What the heck does that mean?

It just means you're in the manager position.

You had to start looking more at that visionary position again.

So actually

what you're saying is, let's see this as something that's an exciting

indication of, yes, it's the next.

Evolution might not not be the right word, but it's that if you're

ready for that next iteration of what the business is going to look

like, yeah, I think that's more appropriate again,

why do they feel that way?

Well, a lot of it, and I'm not gonna say all of 'em because that's not fair.

I would say, you know, a great majority though, just feel, ugh,

okay, I'm bored, so I did it, done it.

I should go start a whole new one and, and I just ask.

Hey, hang on guys.

You know, let's rethink this.

It has worked every single time when we just put some thinking behind it.

Some, I mean, real strategic thought and strategic tactics behind it's a

proven, behavior model and it works, I mean, profitably, emotionally.

it is just a yummy process to go through.

And so, yes, to your point, um, just because you're bored, you should basically

see that, event as, huh, I'm too much in the managerial of the day-to-day.

I need to move myself back up into the visionary position, get back up there as a

founder, get back up there as a c e o, and find a really capable, talented individual

to do what I do day in and day out.

I think even for those businesses who don't necessarily

aspire to have the big teams, but they, you know, cause I'm thinking about

some of the clients that I work with right now, they're, they're largely,

you know, small teams, solopreneurs.

Mm-hmm.

And I think the boredom comes from.

What I can interpret as they've done the same thing and I think there's

resisting the, you've grown out of it, not out of the business, not out

of what it is that you do, but you're ready to, to elevate your services.

You're ready to, to try something new in that angle as opposed to, I'm just.

Was this the only kind of client I'm gonna work with for the next 15 years?

You know, I, I, I think, I think some of that is giving yourself the permission

to evolve also with your interests and the skills that you've developed.

there it is giving one's own permission to themselves to evolve.

You touch upon a, a slightly different angle of the boredom, and that's

usually where, to your point, Right.

They, they achieved a level and it's like, ugh, if I have to do this one

more time, and I don't want an empire build, I don't even wanna have a

lifestyle business doing this any longer.

Mm-hmm.

But where do I go?

How do I do it?

And I always liken that conversation to, well, look, if we all stayed in 12th

grade, that would be pretty miserable.

Right.

you know, we never should.

Just because we did it well stay in one place.

We're meant, as I believe, evolved human beings who endeavor to learn.

you're not meant to be in one place all the time.

It's, it's, it's just not designed that way.

So, but I think, I

think the cool thing about what we're uncovering with both types

of entrepreneurs, whether it's a so, you know, solopreneur or you know,

smaller business of one or two kind of people, you know, people family

owned, or whether it's like family owned or multiple people within a team.

Yep.

I think both have the exciting opportunity to look at boredom

in, in the sense that this is not fatalistic, this is not a bad sign for

my business, but rather this is the.

There's a really great opportunity here, so I think to wrap things up, yeah.

What would you say to a quote board business owner right now?

Take a victory lap.

You know, I think people tend to really beat themselves up in this

stage, and I don't understand it because it's actually confirmation

affirmation, your hard work paid off.

Yay, you.

Well done.

You Now one after that victory lap.

Take a seat, grab a cold drink of your choosing and figure out what

that next creative step is gonna be.

it doesn't need to be.

If it to complete, it's not one and done.

That's not how life operates.

We evolve, evolve along with it.

I think I would say cuz that's a very good point.

Be gentle on yourself.

I agree.

Yeah.

With so many business owners, we talk to clients and just business friends

are just so, so hard on themselves.

Yeah.

But, but I would also say in that space of when you're in the thick of that on

the we, that boredom, I think it's also giving yourself a little bit of space to.

Imagine to think and instead of forcing yourself to like think of

the answer, what do you wanna do?

And sort of putting yourself on the spot, I think you're not

gonna get anything outta that.

And in fact, you're just gonna make yourself feel worse.

Now, I'm not saying the same time, don't take two years to go on like a sabbatical

that I see everybody taking right now.

That's not what I'm advocating.

But I also think, you know, if you're feeling this way, it's like, well by

Monday morning at 10:00 AM I better have an idea of what I wanna do.

I think.

There's gotta be a little bit of flexibility and patience with yourself.

Yeah.

I, I think the only, um, caveat I would add to that.

I love how you phrased, uh, can we all What is it?

Eat, pray, love.

What is that one?

Oh, eat, pray, love.

Yes.

Can we all pass on that one for this experience?

You can do that personally, but not professionally speaking.

Here's what I wanna encourage.

If I.

Three entrepreneurs in front of me that express this.

I'm kind of bored.

I'm not sure what our next step should be.

Honestly, Jessica, you know what I would say straight to them.

This is above your pay grade to figure out on your own.

The personal bias is going to block your true creativity here, and I would

encourage you to bring in a, if I was, again, if they were right in front

of me, I would say bring in a mentor.

Bring in a coach, a business advisor, someone that is experienced

in creating those new steps productively and profitably.

This is really change management in the corporate world, and

it's not for the faint hearted.

It, it really is a big responsibility.

So, you know, bring in the pro on this one.

This is not the one to find a friend at the cafe to talk about or, or

just, again, be stuck in your own head.

Like, why don't I know what I wanna do?

Why haven't I figured this out?

Why don't I have an answer that loop that, oh my, it's the worst.

It's just

the worst.

Yeah, yeah.

I love that.

Oh, in my new word.

I was excited to use that today.

Yeah, I know.

Anytime I get to give a vocabulary lesson, I don't know if anyone will get as

excited about it as I do, but I love it.

So thank you for indulging

me.

Alright, well with that, I'll see you

next time, Susan.

Oh, I can't wait.

Thanks, Jess.

All right.

Bye.