Growing Pains |  Where Business Owners Come to Plan Maternity Leave

When something in your business feels “off,” the answer is usually upstream.

In this episode of the Maternity Leave Roadmap series, we’re talking about leading indicators aka the activities that directly impact your results. Whether you’re trying to grow revenue, stabilize your systems, or step back without everything falling apart, knowing what to track and how to delegate it is a game-changer.

This is one of the most powerful ways to protect your energy and your time before, during, and after maternity leave.

Want the full Maternity Leave Roadmap now?
Get the complete audio and video series, email prompts, templates, and step-by-step planning tools inside the members area:
mastermaternityleave.com/roadmap

Need more personalized support as you prep for maternity leave?
The Bond is my 1:1 container for business owners navigating leave planning with live support, team delegation, and real-time coaching.
mastermaternityleave.com/bond

In This Episode, You’ll Learn:
• What leading indicators are, and how they help you grow
• How to figure out which activities actually move your metrics
• The difference between a system that “works” and one that sustains
• When to automate, delegate, or batch your most important tasks
• How to train your team to take ownership of results, not just check boxes

This Episode’s Homework:
Identify one key metric you want to improve in your business. Then, list the top one or two activities that directly impact that result. Those are your leading indicators. Now decide if they need to be automated, delegated, or blocked off in your calendar.

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You don't have to choose between growing your business and your family.

Grab the Maternity Leave Roadmap for $29: www.mastermaternityleave.com/roadmap

Send in your maternity leave questions! [email protected]

xx Aly
www.instagram.com/alycaffrey
www.mastermaternityleave.com

You can’t manage what you don’t measure, and when you’re preparing to step away from your business, your data becomes one of your most powerful tools.

In this episode of the Maternity Leave Roadmap series, I’m sharing how to get your data picture in place so you can make smart, confident decisions before, during, and after your leave. I’ll walk you through what to track, how often to look at it, and how to blend cold hard numbers with your gut instinct to lead more effectively.

If you’re not sure where to start, don’t worry—I’ll give you the four categories to focus on first so you don’t get stuck in spreadsheet overwhelm.

Want the full Maternity Leave Roadmap now?
Get the complete audio and video series, email prompts, templates, and step-by-step planning tools inside the members area:
mastermaternityleave.com/roadmap

Need more personalized support as you prep for maternity leave?
The Bond is my 1:1 container for business owners navigating leave planning with live support, team delegation, and real-time coaching.
mastermaternityleave.com/bond

In This Episode, You’ll Learn:
• Why “trusting your gut” works better when it’s backed by data
• What to track across lead generation, conversion, fulfillment, and finance
• How to set up a simple scorecard, even if it’s just in a Google Sheet
• What your numbers can tell you about team needs and system gaps
• How data brings clarity and calm when you’re prepping for time off

This Episode’s Homework:
Pick one category from your business—leads, sales, fulfillment, or operations—and start tracking a few key numbers weekly. Then block time on your calendar to review and reflect on what’s working and what’s not.

_______________

You don't have to choose between growing your business and your family.

Grab the Maternity Leave Roadmap for $29: www.mastermaternityleave.com/roadmap

Send in your maternity leave questions! [email protected]

xx Aly
www.instagram.com/alycaffrey
www.mastermaternityleave.com

If you’re ending your weeks exhausted and wondering, Why did that feel so hard?—this is your sign to pause and reassess.

In this episode of the Maternity Leave Roadmap series, I’m walking you through one of the most helpful tools I’ve used in business and motherhood: the perfect week. You’ll learn how to audit your calendar, align your time with what really matters, and use your energy—not just your hours—to build a schedule that actually supports you through seasons of growth, transition, and maternity leave.

If you’ve ever said yes to too much, skipped your workouts, or pushed through when your body needed rest—this one's for you.

Want the full Maternity Leave Roadmap now?
Get the complete audio and video series, email prompts, templates, and step-by-step planning tools inside the members area:
mastermaternityleave.com/roadmap

In This Episode, You’ll Learn:
• What the perfect week looks like—and how to build your own
• The difference between “drivers” and time-fillers in your calendar
• Why aligning your time with your values is a non-negotiable
• How to use your energy cycle to work smarter, not harder
• Why honoring the season of business you’re in is key to avoiding burnout

This Episode’s Homework:
Review your calendar from the past two weeks. Identify what truly moved the needle—and what didn’t. Then, map out a version of your “perfect week” that supports your current season.

_______________

You don't have to choose between growing your business and your family.

Grab the Maternity Leave Roadmap for $29: www.mastermaternityleave.com/roadmap

Send in your maternity leave questions! [email protected]

xx Aly
www.instagram.com/alycaffrey
www.mastermaternityleave.com

You soon won’t have the bandwidth you used to. That’s not a weakness—it’s a turning point.

In this episode of the Maternity Leave Roadmap series, we’re talking about how to protect your time by learning to block and tackle. I’ll walk you through how to decide what stays on your plate, how to communicate what you’re letting go of, and why this shift is one of the most powerful things you can do before maternity leave.

This mindset and boundary work is where real delegation starts. And it might just be the habit that keeps you from resenting your business after baby.

Want the full Maternity Leave Roadmap now?
Get the complete audio and video series, email prompts, templates, and step-by-step planning tools inside the members area:
mastermaternityleave.com/roadmap

In This Episode, You’ll Learn:
• What “blocking and tackling” looks like in a small business
• How to decide what gets your time—and what doesn’t
• Two ways to create strong boundaries with clients and your team
• What to say (or have your assistant say) when you need to say no
• Why lowering your bandwidth might be the best thing that ever happened to your leadership

This Episode’s Homework:
Make your “Not Right Now” list. Identify a few tasks or requests you will no longer take on directly, and write a simple canned response or delegate plan for each one.

_______________

You don't have to choose between growing your business and your family.

Grab the Maternity Leave Roadmap for $29: www.mastermaternityleave.com/roadmap

Send in your maternity leave questions! [email protected]

xx Aly
www.instagram.com/alycaffrey
www.mastermaternityleave.com

Most founders are stuck in the weeds not because they’re doing something wrong—but because their business is missing a system.

In this episode of the Maternity Leave Roadmap series, I’m sharing the four core systems every business needs to operate without you. Whether you’re solo or have a small team, these categories will give you a framework to assess what’s working, what’s missing, and what needs to be strengthened before you take maternity leave.

If you’ve been running on hustle and instinct, this is your moment to pause, stabilize, and build a business that’s actually set up to support you while you're away.

Want the full Maternity Leave Roadmap now?
Get the complete audio and video series, email prompts, templates, and step-by-step planning tools inside the members area:
mastermaternityleave.com/roadmap

In This Episode, You’ll Learn:
• The four categories every business system should fall into
• Why operating “off the cuff” only works for so long
• What a system actually is—and how it differs from a task or tool
• How to simplify your business by building one core process per category
• Why this work is the foundation for confidently stepping away

This Episode’s Homework:
Review the four systems in your business: lead generation, conversion, fulfillment, and improvement. Identify which one feels weakest right now and brainstorm one small way to start strengthening it this week.

_______________

You don't have to choose between growing your business and your family.

Grab the Maternity Leave Roadmap for $29: www.mastermaternityleave.com/roadmap

Send in your maternity leave questions! [email protected]

xx Aly
www.instagram.com/alycaffrey
www.mastermaternityleave.com

Most team breakdowns don’t happen because of bad intentions—they happen because no one knows where to find what they need.

In this episode of the Maternity Leave Roadmap series, I’m walking you through one of the most powerful tools you can put in place before your leave: a central source of truth. This simple system brings clarity, consistency, and independence to your team—so they don’t have to rely on you to keep things running while you're away.

If you’ve ever answered the same question more than once or worried about things being done “the right way” without you, this episode is your next step.

Want the full Maternity Leave Roadmap now?
Get the complete audio and video series, email prompts, templates, and step-by-step planning tools inside the members area:
mastermaternityleave.com/roadmap

In This Episode, You’ll Learn:
• What a “central source of truth” is and why your team needs one
• How to organize your Loom videos and training docs in one place
• The four categories every business playbook should include
• Why this one habit increases team accountability and reduces stress
• How this system supports both delegation and team flexibility

This Episode’s Homework:
Create a central document or folder where your team can access videos, checklists, and resources. Start by organizing it into four buckets: marketing, sales, delivery, and operations.

_______________

You don't have to choose between growing your business and your family.

Grab the Maternity Leave Roadmap for $29: www.mastermaternityleave.com/roadmap

Send in your maternity leave questions! [email protected]

xx Aly
www.instagram.com/alycaffrey
www.mastermaternityleave.com

Want to delegate with confidence before baby comes? It starts with one simple habit.

In this episode #5 of the Maternity Leave Roadmap series, we’re building on your outsource list from last time and getting tactical. I’m walking you through the exact method I use to train team members, set clear expectations, and standardize tasks—without adding extra work to your plate.

You’ll learn how to create handoff materials in real time using a free tool I swear by, and how to build a resource library that makes delegation smoother now and when you step away on leave.

Want the full Maternity Leave Roadmap now?
Get the complete audio and video series, email prompts, templates, and step-by-step planning tools inside the members area:
mastermaternityleave.com/roadmap

In This Episode, You’ll Learn:
• Why most delegation fails (and what to do instead)
• The small habit Aly uses to prep her team for time away
• A free tool to visually train team members on repeatable tasks
• How to build a “handoff library” before you even hire
• What to say (and record) to finally make delegation clear and repeatable

This Episode’s Homework:
Create your first training Loom. Pick one task from your outsource list, record yourself doing it, and save it to a shared doc or folder for future reference.

_______________

You don't have to choose between growing your business and your family.

Grab the Maternity Leave Roadmap for $29: www.mastermaternityleave.com/roadmap

Send in your maternity leave questions! [email protected]

xx Aly
www.instagram.com/alycaffrey
www.mastermaternityleave.com

When it comes to maternity leave planning, one of the biggest mindset blocks I see is this: “I don’t know if I can afford to get help.”

In episode #4 of the Maternity Leave Roadmap series, we’re talking about time, money, and the numbers behind your capacity. I’ll walk you through a simple, eye-opening exercise to help you calculate your hourly rate, evaluate how you’re spending your time, and determine what you can realistically outsource in your business before baby arrives.

This process isn’t just about saving money—it’s about protecting your energy, growing your business, and planning your leave like the CEO you are.

Want the full Maternity Leave Roadmap now?
Get the complete audio and video series, email prompts, templates, and step-by-step planning tools inside the members area:
mastermaternityleave.com/roadmap

In This Episode, You’ll Learn:
• Why most self-employed moms undercharge—and how to shift that
• A simple math exercise to calculate your true hourly value
• How to audit your calendar and uncover what’s draining your time
• What types of tasks to outsource (and how to know when you’re ready)
• Why this is one of the most impactful actions you can take before maternity leave

This Episode’s Homework:
Calculate your hourly rate based on your business revenue and time worked. Then audit your calendar and create a short list of tasks that can be outsourced for less than your hourly rate.

_______________

You don't have to choose between growing your business and your family.

Grab the Maternity Leave Roadmap for $29: www.mastermaternityleave.com/roadmap

Send in your maternity leave questions! [email protected]

xx Aly
www.instagram.com/alycaffrey
www.mastermaternityleave.com

We don’t build confidence by hoping things will go well—we build it through practice.

In this episode #3 of the Maternity Leave Roadmap series, we’re shifting from intention-setting and time-blocking into real-life action. One of the most powerful ways to prepare for maternity leave is to start practicing what it feels like to step away—before you actually need to. Whether that means taking a Friday afternoon off or slowly weaving yourself out of day-to-day operations, this kind of practice builds trust in your systems, your team, and yourself.

I’m also sharing the three phases I walk clients through to help them shift from operator to owner—and how you can start doing the same, even if you’re not ready to fully step back yet.

Want the full Maternity Leave Roadmap now?
Get the complete audio and video series, email prompts, templates, and step-by-step planning tools inside the members area:
mastermaternityleave.com/roadmap

In This Episode, You’ll Learn:
• Why taking time off needs to be practiced—not just planned
• How Aly supported a client in gradually removing herself from key operations
• What “over-functioning” really teaches your team (and why it holds you back)
• The three leadership phases every founder needs to move through
• Why testing your systems before baby arrives is one of the smartest moves you can make

This Episode’s Homework:
Choose one way to practice stepping back this week. Whether it's a full day off or one project you delegate, give yourself a small, intentional test run—and pay attention to what it reveals.

_______________

You don't have to choose between growing your business and your family.

Grab the Maternity Leave Roadmap for $29: www.mastermaternityleave.com/roadmap

Send in your maternity leave questions! [email protected]

xx Aly
www.instagram.com/alycaffrey
www.mastermaternityleave.com

Making time to plan your maternity leave doesn’t require a big life overhaul. You just need one focused habit.

Welcome back to the Maternity Leave Roadmap series. If you’ve been wondering how you’re going to squeeze in planning between client work, toddler chaos, and everything else life throws at you—this episode is exactly what you need.

Today, I’m walking you through the 90/90 principle, the same approach I’ve used to write a book, build my maternity leave plans, and help other business owners move forward even in their busiest seasons. You don’t need to do it all. You just need to show up—90 minutes at a time.

Want the full Maternity Leave Roadmap now?
Get the complete audio and video series, email prompts, templates, and step-by-step planning tools inside the members area:
mastermaternityleave.com/roadmap

In This Episode, You’ll Learn:
• Why 90 minutes a day is more than enough to start planning your leave
• How the 90/90 principle works (and why it sticks)
• The mindset shift that stops you from waiting for the “perfect time”
• Why building a daily planning habit is the secret to long-term growth
• What to avoid when trying to “block a full day” for maternity prep

This Episode’s Homework:
Choose your 90-minute window and block it on your calendar. Commit to showing up daily and treating this time as sacred planning space—for you, your baby, and your business.

_______________

You don't have to choose between growing your business and your family.

Grab the Maternity Leave Roadmap for $29: www.mastermaternityleave.com/roadmap

Send in your maternity leave questions! [email protected]

xx Aly
www.instagram.com/alycaffrey
www.mastermaternityleave.com