In this episode, I get raw and real about the five critical mistakes that turn a dream into a nightmare. We’ll expose the difference between being a busy “doer” and a high-value advisor. I’ll show you how selling your time traps you, why saying “yes” to everyone is a recipe for burnout, and how a lack of boundaries invites chaos.

But more importantly, I’ll give you the escape plan. We’re flipping the script to design a Freedom Business—one that runs on your terms, attracts dream clients, and serves the life you actually want to live. It all starts with one powerful tool: your Playbook. Are you ready to stop feeding the monster?

Key Takeaways

1. Shift from Doer to Advisor: The foundation of a freedom business is guiding clients, not executing tasks for them. This positions you as a strategic partner, not an expensive employee.

   "What most advisors are doing is giving men fish... you're doing the work rather than being a strategic advisor." - Amanda C. Watts

2. Sell Transformation, Not Time: Tying your income directly to your hours creates an unbreakable ceiling on your earnings and freedom. Focus on the value of the outcome you provide.

   "You're trapped in the time for money equation. And there's only so much time for you to work, which means that your earnings are completely limited." - Amanda C. Watts

3. Choose Your Clients Deliberately: Not all revenue is good revenue. Working with "vampire clients" who don't respect your value will drain your energy and kill your passion faster than anything else.

   "These bad fit clients drain your energy. They demand constant attention, and they very rarely value what you actually bring to the table." - Amanda C. Watts

4. Your Playbook is Your Map to Freedom: Without a clear plan detailing your numbers, business model, and priorities, you will drift off course and accidentally build the very business you were trying to escape.

   "If a pilot sets off from London aiming for New York, but the plane is just 2 degrees off the whole way there, they're not going to land in New York... And that's what happens in business when you don't have a playbook." - Amanda C. Watts

5. Design Your Business to Serve Your Life: Your business should be a tool to create the life you desire, not the other way around. Define your non-negotiables and boundaries first, then build your business around them.

   "What I'm asking you to do is ask yourself what you want your life to look like and how you want your business to serve the life that you want to have." - Amanda C- Watts

Want more freedom and higher profits in your firm? Download the free Value Pricing Toolkit.

Download the free Value Pricing Toolkit here: https://info.businessadvisoracademy.com/toolkit

It gives you the complete proven system to break free from hourly billing, charge for impact, and grow your advisory firm to £500K+.