My Early Business Struggles
When I founded my packaging design company, Pearl Resourcing, I worked relentlessly—day and night, seven days a week—to build a six-figure business in just two years.
Eager to grow even faster, I followed the strategies I had read about from influencers, bloggers, and business books. I sold as much as possible but soon realized I couldn’t deliver on everything alone. So, I hired employees as part of the scaling process.
However, employees came with costs—subscriptions, equipment, parking, lunch breaks, and time off. Training and managing them took time, which meant I spent less time selling. Revenue dipped, and within five months of my third year, I had lost $75,000—more debt than I had ever faced.
Hitting Rock Bottom
Panic set in when I realized I wasn’t successfully scaling—I was drowning. Sleep became impossible, my stress skyrocketed, and I resorted to listing my house on Airbnb while secretly sleeping in my office. I had grown too big… too fast, and every day I ignored the facts, I sank deeper into debt.
I desperately tried to keep the business alive, unwilling to let go of my employees. They felt like close friends, cheering on my “business baby” and sharing my excitement to build something amazing.
But the truth is, dragging my feet actually hurt my relationship with the people who worked for me, and it is my biggest regret. I had such tunnel vision trying to save the business that I was in denial—both to myself and to them—about how quickly I would have to let them go. I waited until the final week so I could financially stay open, which gave them less time to find their next opportunity.
These people I wanted to keep employed could tell something was wrong, but they didn’t know how to help. The kindest thing I could have done was to tell them with as much advance notice as possible so they could find a new job. They would, of course, be able to find new jobs—they were clever, talented, and passionate. The closing of their last company would just be a cool story they could tell… if I had given them enough notice. I just couldn’t admit they needed to look for a new job at the time. And it hurt those relationships.
After multiple conversations with mentors and family, I had to accept the hard truth: the business couldn’t survive without drastic cuts. If I reduced expenses, laid off employees, and trimmed unnecessary services, there was a chance to get back on track—maybe even start profiting again.
Making the Toughest Decisions
I felt sick doing it, but I let go of most employees, kept only contractors, cancelled subscriptions, sold assets, and continued renting out my place.
Every day in debt felt like a personal failure, but I stayed laser-focused on profitable activities.
Slowly, it paid off.
A year later, I had cleared my debt and was making money again. With lower expenses and a sharper focus on acquiring the right clients, revenue climbed.
Yes, my former employees were upset. But they moved on to even better opportunities—almost as if my holding onto them was preventing their next big break.
The Moment Everything Changed
Once I made my last debt payment, relief flooded in. My creativity and optimism returned.
The biggest surprise? I was still managing 80% of the business I had before—but with fewer resources and more profit. When I eventually rehired, it was slow and intentional, ensuring better management and clearer expectations for everyone involved.
Through that experience, I learned one of the most critical lessons in business:
Scaling Isn’t About Speed—It’s About Sustainability
If you’re struggling, feeling stuck, or exhausted from chasing success, take a step back. The key to thriving isn’t just pushing harder—it’s about adjusting your approach.
Two Key Shifts That Can Change Everything:
Be Patient with Your Season – Success takes time, and seasons are unavoidable. If you’re making revenue and still in business, you’re already ahead of many others. Just like our year has a Spring for budding and growth and a Winter for resting and reducing, you have to plan for your business to require this cyclical focus for healthy growth.
Cut Back Often – Scaling happens in stages, and each stage requires something different. Just like a garden that grows and then must be pruned, your business MUST grow and then be cut back every single year.
To scale effectively, you MUST assess what is working and what is not and be obsessed with reducing—not just adding. Identify areas to trim—whether that’s unnecessary expenses, employees, services, or commitments. The goal is to create a margin so you can operate more effectively and profitably.
Your Next Step
After reading this, is there an action in your business you’ve been avoiding?
Maybe it’s making a tough decision, shifting your perspective, or finally cutting something that’s draining you. Whatever it is, schedule that action today.
I hope my story reminds you that setbacks are not failures—they are stepping stones. You’re doing better than you think. Keep going.
