Let’s Talk About the Hidden Pressures of Running a Business

Why Having the Right Support Changes Everything

You’re capable, focused and determined to make your business a success.

From the outside, people see confidence, results and growth.

But what they don’t see is the emotional weight that comes with it. The responsibility, the uncertainty, the constant thinking and holding it all together while still appearing calm and capable.

Because behind every thriving business is a human managing risk, financial pressure, relationships and personal growth, often without the emotional support to match the level of responsibility they carry.

The truth is, success brings its own kind of pressure. And it’s rarely spoken about.

The unseen reality of running a business

When you’re the one in charge, you hold a lot - clients, team members, finances, reputation, family and your own wellbeing.

That sense of responsibility can quickly turn into emotional overload, especially when you feel like you can’t share what’s really going on.

You don’t want to worry your team or lose their confidence in you.

You don’t want to unload on friends or family who don’t understand the business world

And you definitely don’t want to appear like you’re not coping because your business depends on your perceived stability.

So, you stay quiet.

You manage.

You keep it together.

But over time, the pressure builds and it can show up as exhaustion, irritability, anxiety or even disconnection from your own business.

I’ve had clients tell me they ended up in hospital thinking they were having a heart attack, only to discover it was anxiety.
Others said they’d pull over and cry on the side of the road and go days avoiding calls and messages because they were emotionally done.

Some even were ready to throw it all in because they were so burnt out from holding it all.

The cost of appearing “together”

There’s an unspoken expectation in business that if you’re successful, you’re fine.

But keeping up appearances can become one of the heaviest loads to carry.

The pressure to look like you have it all together means you rarely give yourself permission to say, “I’m struggling.”

Even for those of us trained in mindset and emotional regulation, it’s hard to maintain that level of strength all the time.

I know this personally.

For years I was a trainer of NLP, someone who teaches coaching and communication skills, and I often felt huge pressure to be the example. To look composed even when life behind the scenes was seeming to spin out of control.

There have been several times when I was navigating serious mental health and addiction challenges within my own family and relationships. Because I had all the tools, I didn’t always feel like I could reach out. I thought I had to hold it together because after all, wasn’t I the one with all the answers?

What I learned is that being strong doesn’t mean carrying it all.

It means knowing when to let yourself be supported and finding the people who have the capacity to provide the level of support you need.

The invisible gap in relationships

Growth changes you and not everyone around you grows at the same pace.
Sometimes the people closest to you don’t understand the internal evolution that comes with business.

It’s not that they don’t care. It’s that your expansion can unintentionally trigger their insecurities.

I’ve seen this especially in women who manage both business and family life.
They’re holding the emotional and mental load of the household, managing team dynamics, worrying about finances, caring for children with additional needs and trying to nurture relationships that are quietly straining under the weight of it all.

When you’re “the one who gets things done,” people start to expect it.

It becomes invisible, almost taken for granted even though it costs you energy and emotional bandwidth that no one else can see.

Why you need a business confidant

Every business owner needs someone they can talk to, someone who understands both business and the human experience that comes with it.

Someone who can help you see clearly when your mind is fogged by responsibility, help you regulate your emotions when you’re overwhelmed and hold space without judgment when you need to be real.

One client who I’ve now been working with for over 5 years tells me that having me on his side is “worth millions.” Not because I give him business advice, but because I help him unpack big decisions, eliminate stress and focus his mindset in a way that allows his business to thrive through rapid growth and expansion.

Another secured contracts that had him booked solid for 6-12 months ahead just weeks after he started working with me because he felt depressed, disconnected and not sure of his direction while managing relationship pressures. The moment those pressures were dealt with, his motivation and drive returned that landed the new contracts.

One client went on to create the ultimate freedom of becoming semi-retired so she could focus on making an impact in her industry while travelling the country by empowering her team to take the lead and trust her business could not just survive, but thrive without her always being there.

We worked on her identity as well as business structure and revenue streams so she could finally feel supported by her business after all the hard work she had put in over the years.

Having the right support in business isn’t a luxury. It’s a necessity.

Because business isn’t just about what you build, it’s about who you become while building it.

The deeper truth about growth

Business growth and personal growth are inseparable.

And growth will always feel uncomfortable because you’re evolving beyond what’s familiar.

But you don’t have to do it alone.
Support isn’t a sign of weakness, it’s a structure that helps you expand sustainably.

When you have someone in your corner who understands both the strategy of business and the psychology of success, you stop spinning in overwhelm and start leading with calm confidence.

You reconnect to your business.
You work less and earn more.
You create space to breathe again.

Because when you’re supported, pressure transforms into presence and presence is where clarity, creativity and leadership truly thrive.

✨ Want to go deeper on this? Listen to the full conversation on The Coaching Circle — Ep 110: Let’s Talk About the Hidden Pressures of Running a Business.

Ready to get to the next level in your life and business?

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Join my 'Business Alchemy' coaching program.

Listen to my Podcast 'The Coaching Circle'

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