In this episode: Is the juice worth the squeeze? Once you know what needs fixing, Jon Peyton asks whether fixing it is worth your time, energy and money, or whether your effort belongs somewhere else. He applies the question to the business, including when to consider selling, and to the relationships in your personal life.
Key insights
- Entrepreneurs are wired to push, but the thing you’re pushing doesn’t have to be the thing you’re doing now.
- If the fix would take more time, energy or money than you have, consider selling or moving on, even for less than you hoped.
- Set a deadline: three months, six months or a year. You can keep working while preparing an exit as a backup.
- In relationships, energy you invest is usually mirrored back. When it isn’t, ask why.
- Keep three lives in balance: yours, theirs and the one you share.
Episode timeline
- 0:00 Is the juice worth the squeeze?
- 1:15 Is it worth your energy?
- 2:11 It doesn’t have to be this business
- 3:58 When the fix is more than you can give
- 4:38 Selling for less to free yourself up
- 5:50 Setting a deadline with a backup exit
- 6:55 What would a buyer actually buy?
- 7:21 The personal side: is energy mirrored back?
- 8:44 “You only have 50 years left”
- 9:34 Close the laptop and be present
- 12:25 My life, their life, our life
- 13:56 Make it a regular check
The episode in brief
Is it worth it? Every founder eventually has to ask whether what they’re doing is worth the energy, time, frustration and money. If you’ve done the honest review from the last episode, the next question is whether the effort to fix things will pay off. If not, what could you be doing instead?
It doesn’t have to be this thing. Entrepreneurs are built to push, grow and build. But you may not be able to crack the market you’re in or solve the problem you set out to solve. That isn’t failure of character. It may mean there’s another calling or another problem better suited to you.
When the fix is too big. Say you need a marketing strategy, a sales team and solid SOPs, and you don’t have the time, energy or money for all three. You might close the business, or you might sell it to someone better positioned to take it further, even if that means accepting far less than the years you put in. Selling frees up your time and mental capacity for what comes next.
Set a deadline, and keep a backup. Give it three more months, six months or a year. You can keep working on the business while preparing it for sale. If you regain traction, great. If not, someone else can carry it forward and you still realize some value. Know what a buyer would actually be getting, whether your client list, your network or your systems, and get those ready to hand over.
The personal side. Energy you put into people is usually mirrored back. When it isn’t, ask why. Are they busy? Are you not a priority? Can things change, and should you wait? You may think you have 50 years left. Flip the emphasis: you only have 50 years left. Remember, too, that you might be the one not giving enough. When you’re with people, close the laptop and be present. When you’re at work, be at work.
My life, their life, our life. Jon describes three lives in every relationship: yours, theirs and the one you share. Make room for what matters to you, whether health, a partner or friends, in moderation. When one life swallows the others, people lose their identities.
Check it regularly. Revisit the question monthly, quarterly or annually. If you wait years, getting back on track can take so much energy that staying the course feels easier, and that’s never the right reason.
Key action items
- List your biggest energy drains. For each, write down the result you’re getting and decide if it’s worth it.
- Set a decision date. For any struggling project or business, choose a deadline to recommit, pivot or exit.
- Know what you’d sell. Write down what a buyer would actually acquire, such as clients, systems or brand, and what you’d need to prepare.
- Check the mirror. Pick one relationship where energy feels one-sided, and have an honest conversation about it.
Listen next: Episode 23: The Entrepreneur’s Health (or Lack Of)
This episode is educational and isn’t legal, tax or financial advice. Speak with your own attorney and advisers about your situation.