Profit by Design

By Dr. Sabrina StarlingBusiness Entrepreneurship Management

Profit by Design episodes

March 12392: Why Most Small Businesses Plateau — And How to Start Growing Again
When you go into business, you work really hard to get things going, but as you achieve success, the business takes over your life, right? You want to keep growing your business, but you can’t work more. You’re already exhausted and stretched too thin. If you’re tired of being the fixer, the one with the fallback plan, and the one who holds it all together, you are not alone! If you’re like most business owners we work with, you have revenue coming in, but you are still not profitable. You struggle to make payroll and attract profitable clients that you enjoy working with. This is why we created the Tap the Potential solution: a step-by-step, simple framework to increase your profitability while working fewer hours so that you can take your life back from your business. On average, our clients experience a 716% increase in time off, a 215% increase in profit, and a 55% increase in owners’ pay—all within 12 months. In this episode, Melissa Kay and Dr. Sabrina Starling reveal why most small businesses hit a growth plateau, the hidden reason revenue increases don’t lead to profit, why entrepreneurs stay stuck in survival mode, how working less can actually increase profitability, and the simple framework successful business owners use to reclaim their time. If you’re ready to take your life back from your business, this episode will show you the path forward.
Profit by Design is a Tap the Potential production.
Show Highlights:
Reasons for a growth plateau in small businesses: trying to do it alone, hiring the wrong people, and mishandling the revenue needed to grow
Understanding the hidden costs in payroll for the wrong people
Design your business to be sustainably profitable.
The business owner’s blind spots contribute to growth plateaus.
Revenue doesn’t equal profitability. Apply the 80/20 rule.
Identify your PITA (“Pain in the assets”) clients.
Our Better Business Better Life Jumpstart reveals the best profitability secrets!
We are not like typical business coaches! The Tap the Potential solution teaches you how to work fewer hours with a focused intention that frees up your time.
From Dr. Sabrina, the one action business owners can take today: “Do less. Ask, what’s the one thing I can do today that will have the greatest impact to make other things easier or unnecessary while driving the profitability of my business?”
Sign up for the Better Business Better Life Jumpstart today!

Resources:
Join our Jumpstart beginning April 7th! Learn how to:
Free up 10 hours per week.
Pay yourself an additional $50K this year.
Take an extra week of vacation.

Enroll now for Leadership Bootcamp! The next session begins in April.
Take our Better Business Better Life Assessment to determine your level of burnout and receive a complimentary call with the next steps you need to take in your business to support your life. Click here!
Ready to take your life back from your business? Want more time for what matters most and more money in your bank account than ever? Book a call with us today!
23 min
March 05391: Emotional Burnout in Entrepreneurs: How to Build a Successful Business Without Losing Yourself with Robin Berning
Do you ever feel like anxiety is running your life and business? From the outside, your business may look successful, yet internally, you feel exhausted, stretched thin, and disconnected from yourself. Entrepreneurship doesn’t just demand strategy; it demands your energy, heart, capacity, and sometimes, your identity. In this deeply personal episode, Melissa Kay shares what the past year has taught her about recovering from emotional burnout and why self-care for entrepreneurs isn’t selfish, it’s strategic. Melissa is joined by her personal life coach, Robin Berning, who has helped her set boundaries with clarity and peace while staying aligned as a leader. You’ll learn the hidden cost of emotional burnout in entrepreneurship; how anxiety impacts leadership, decision-making, and profitability; why boundaries are a leadership skill, not a weakness; and how emotional health strengthens business growth and sustainability. If you’ve ever over-given to your team or clients, said yes when you meant no, carried everyone else’s emotional weight, or kept pushing when you felt exhausted, this conversation is for you!
Robin Berning has over 30 years of experience in the wellness industry, serving as a life coach, speaker, and spiritual mentor recognized for creating spaces of deep clarity and safety. People always feel calm, heard, and understood in her presence. From her lived experience, passion, and grounded spiritual wisdom, she helps audiences reconnect to their authenticity, sovereignty, and inner power.
Profit by Design is a Tap the Potential production.
Show Highlights:
Melissa’s experience of facing emotional burnout and beginning her journey with Robin Berning about one year ago
Transformation is real and possible when you stop carrying others' emotional weight.
Living in authenticity vs. living in learned behaviors (survival skills)
Melissa’s perspective on experiencing peace and calm in every area of life
Most entrepreneurs today are living in a perpetual state of emotional burnout.
Delegation mode vs. codependency; empowering vs. enabling
Overcoming overthinking (Don’t live in “the tornado”!)
Tips to implement today:
Reframe self-care with intention.
Learn to “habit-stack.” (From Atomic Habits by James Clear)
Use boundaries to create more time, space, and reconnection with yourself.
Be fully present with yourself.
Need help in assessing your level of emotional burnout? Take the Tap the Potential Assessment today!

Resources:
Connect with Robin Berning: Website for events, workshops, and coaching; Website for speaking engagements; and Email.
Enroll now for Leadership Bootcamp! The next session begins in April.
Take our Better Business Better Life Assessment to determine your level of burnout and receive a complimentary call with the next steps you need to take in your business to support your life. Click here!
Ready to take your life back from your business? Want more time for what matters most and more money in your bank account than ever? Book a call with us today!
29 min
February 26390: Stop Being the Bottleneck: How to Build a Self-Managing Business Model
Does your business slow down the moment you step away? If every decision, approval, or problem still funnels through you, you’re not alone, but YOU are the bottleneck. In this episode, Melissa Kay and Dr. Sabrina Starling break down how you can stop being the bottleneck and start building a self-managing business model that doesn’t depend on you for every decision. You’ll learn why capable teams still wait for the owner’s approval, the hidden ways business owners unintentionally create bottlenecks, what a self-managing business actually looks like, and practical leadership shifts that empower your team to take ownership. If you’re tired of being the single point of failure in your business and want growth without burnout, this episode will show you where to start.
Profit by Design is a Tap the Potential production.
Show Highlights:
Relief, flexibility, and freedom: Don’t you want more of these?
A-players want autonomy to take initiative; we need to empower them to do so.
The shift in asking your team, “What ideas do YOU have about this?”
Be careful not to shut out your A-players’ ideas; encourage them to bring those forward.
Melissa’s tips to empower your team: share your vision, give clear parameters for decision-making, look for measurable results (KPIs), and provide opportunities for autonomy
Tracking clear results through KPIs gives pride and ownership to A-players. (This is THE biggest A-player perk we can build into our businesses!)
Highlights of our clients’ recent wins
Relationships and work connections will help skyrocket A-player retention on your team.
Do you need to stop being the bottleneck in your business? Join the Better Business Better Life program by booking a call with us today. Spaces are now available! (Melissa offers to write a custom-crafted vision statement and your immutable laws, a $7500 value!)

Resources:
Enroll now for Leadership Bootcamp! The next session begins in April.
Take our Better Business Better Life Assessment to determine your level of burnout and receive a complimentary call with the next steps you need to take in your business to support your life. Click here!
Ready to take your life back from your business? Want more time for what matters most and more money in your bank account than ever? Book a call with us today!
27 min
February 19389: How to Stay Grounded as a Business Owner (No Matter What’s Going On)
Do you ever feel like your mind is running faster than your business can keep up? When everything feels urgent, noisy, and heavy, staying grounded can feel impossible. In this episode, Dr. Sabrina Starling and Melissa Kay share their #1 grounding ritual: the simple, repeatable practice they return to–no matter what’s going on in business or life. This kind of grounding is all about creating a moment of steadiness that helps you lead with clarity rather than reacting from stress. You’ll learn why grounded leaders make better decisions under pressure, how one small daily ritual can calm your nervous system and sharpen your focus, how to stay centered when your business feels chaotic, and why consistency matters more than complexity when it comes to mindset. If you’re tired of being pulled in a hundred directions and want a leadership rhythm that actually supports you, this episode is for you!
Profit by Design is a Tap the Potential production.
Show Highlights:
Unique challenges for business owners that bring pressure
The #1 muscle entrepreneurs need to build is the ability to ground ourselves.
Melissa’s #1 tip for time management: Create a time block every day in your schedule to connect with yourself.
We aren’t good at slowing down and allowing space for nothing-ness.
The benefits of journaling to make time for yourself
Breathwork is valuable in grounding and calming yourself. (Use cues and smells to train your body to do deep breathing and slow down.)
Self-talk is critical! We need to celebrate our wins!
Ground yourself with essential oils, powerful affirmations, artwork, plants, low light in the evening, intentionally planned healthy dinners, and focused efforts to promote good sleep.
Give yourself permission to put your phone down.
A good night’s sleep is the doorway to much calmer, grounded, fully present mornings.
Taking care of yourself models to your team members that it’s okay for them to take care of themselves.
Your clear, compelling vision for your business should help keep you grounded as you make all the decisions that follow. (“Does this decision take me toward or away from my vision?”)
Take ONE of our tips and implement it today to better ground yourself and experience more calm.

Resources:
Take our Better Business Better Life Assessment to determine your level of burnout and receive a complimentary call with the next steps you need to take in your business so that it supports your life. Click here!
Ready to take your life back from your business? Want more time for what matters most and more money in your bank account than ever? Book a call with us today!
31 min
February 12388: The Hardest Boundary I Ever Set in My Business
Do you ever say yes in your business when every part of you wants to say no? Boundaries are easy to discuss, but incredibly difficult to live out, especially when payroll, clients, and team expectations are on the line. In this episode, we get real about the hardest boundaries we’ve ever set in our businesses and why setting them changed everything. Dr. Sabrina Starling and Melissa Kay share personal stories of boundaries they resisted, feared, and finally enforced, ranging from client expectations to time, availability, and scope of work. You’ll learn why business owners struggle so much with boundaries; the hidden cost of not setting them; the ripple effect boundaries create for your team, clients, and leadership; and the surprising benefits that come after you hold the line. If you’re feeling stretched thin, resentful, or as if your business is running your life, this episode will give you permission and practical insights to reclaim your time and energy.
Profit by Design is a Tap the Potential production.
Show Highlights:
The hardest thing about setting boundaries
Highlights of Dr. Sabrina’s most effective boundaries over the years
Melissa’s perspective on setting boundaries
Boundaries increase clarity, focus, and production for you AND your team.
The difficulties that come with setting boundaries at home and with family members
The challenges with setting hard boundaries with clients around payment plans
Understanding the far-reaching ramifications of today’s decisions
Setting boundaries (and giving grace) around accomplishing your lofty goals
Immutable laws are key in establishing boundaries in your business.
Need help establishing your immutable laws? We can help! Take the Better Business Better Life Assessment today! (It only takes a few minutes.)

Resources:
Ready to take your life back from your business? Want more time for what matters most and more money in your bank account than ever? Book a call with us today!
Master your time and profit! Give us 20 minutes of your time, take the Better Business Better Life Assessment, and receive a free paperback copy of my book, The 4 Week Vacation®️.
21 min
February 05387: Loneliness, Leadership, and Retaining Your Best People for Small Business Owners with Dov Baron
Loneliness isn’t just a personal issue—it’s a leadership and culture issue. In this episode, Dr. Sabrina Starling sits down with repeat guest and leadership expert Dov Baron to explore the growing epidemic of loneliness within organizations, and why it’s quietly eroding trust, engagement, and A-player retention. You’ll learn why high performers often feel the most disconnected, how loneliness shows up at work, leadership behaviors that create real belonging, and what business owners must do now to protect culture and retain their best people. If you’re leading a team and wondering why motivation, loyalty, or connection feels harder than it should, this conversation is a must-listen for you!
Dov Baron has been twice named as one of the world’s Top 30 Global Leadership Gurus in Inc. Magazine’s Top 100 Leadership Speakers. He has presented to companies and organizations worldwide, including the United Nations, the Department of State, the World Management Forum in Iran, the US Air Force, and the Famed Servant Leadership Institute. His focus on human behavior and neuroscience has made him the world’s leading authority on Emotional Source Code and the Anatomy of Meaning. Dov is the bestselling author of One Red Thread: How to Find the Purpose Already Woven Into Your Life and Fiercely Loyal: How High-Performing Companies Develop and Retain Top Talent. He is the creator and host of The Dov Baron Show Podcast, previously known as Leadership and Loyalty. It was named the #1 podcast for Fortune 500 executives by Apple Podcasts. The Dov Baron Show has featured hundreds of hours of interviews with top leaders, scientists, theologians, military intelligence officers, and artists.
Profit by Design is a Tap the Potential production.
Show Highlights:
The loneliness epidemic, “The Great Pause” of 2020, our unhealthy “normal,” and the $7 trillion impact on the global GDP
Being isolated vs. being lonely
The hidden costs of the loneliness epidemic to businesses and organizations in innovation, creativity, and community
In 2015, Dov said, “Starting a business requires building a community.” Now, he says, “Start by building a community, and then put a business in it.”
A culture of belonging is different from feeling like you “fit in.”
Protecting your business from an AI takeover happens with relationships and emotional connections.
Your humanity is your best tool.
Understanding the Emotional Source Code (what drives an individual or organization) and how it relates to immutable laws, core values, behaviors, and identity
Understanding the Anatomy of Meaning (“We tell ourselves ‘rational lies’ about our emotional responses.”)
Dov’s free gift for listeners: The Loneliness Tax Report (Click here.)

Resources:
Connect with Dov Baron
Website, The Loneliness Tax Report, LinkedIn, X, Instagram, The Dov Baron Show Podcast, One Red Thread, and Fiercely Loyal: How High-Performing Companies Develop and Retain Top Talent
Ready to take your life back from your business? Want more time for what matters most and more money in your bank account than ever? Book a call with us today!
Master your time and profit! Give us 20 minutes of your time, take the Better Business Better Life Assessment, and receive a free paperback copy of my book, The 4 Week Vacation®️.
44 min
January 29386: The Real Reason Most Business Owners Don’t Have a Life Outside Work
Do you know the real reason most business owners don’t have a life outside work? It’s because of the survival trap. This is what happens when you take on clients, projects, or work outside your sweet spot, just to cover payroll, patch cash flow gaps, or respond to immediate crises. There is a better way! In this episode, you’ll discover how the survival trap subtly steals your time, energy, and freedom; why working in your sweet spot is the only way to grow and enjoy your business truly; and practical steps to move from survival mode to strategic, high-value leadership. If you’re a business owner ready to reclaim your time, refocus on what should be on your plate, and finally build a business that supports your life (instead of owning it), this episode is for you. Join Melissa Kay and Dr. Sabrina Starling now!
Profit by Design is a Tap the Potential production.
Show Highlights:
The ONE essential piece of strategy that is missing if you don’t have a life outside your work: a vision
If you, the business owner, don’t know where you’re going, your team members have no idea where they are going.
Melissa’s perspective on a business owner’s vision being the guiding light for every team member
Make your team members the hero of your story; this creates maximum engagement.
Melissa’s fulfilling work with clients in helping them create their visions
Using your clear vision to help drive decisions in your business (instead of “survival trap” thinking)
Working from your vision offers sustainable solutions to current challenges AND the future.
Focus on the wins. (What we focus on, grows!)
Your vision gets you out of reactive mode.
Need Melissa’s help in creating your vision? We can help with a Vision Creation Session! Book a call with us today! Or email Melissa: [email protected].

Resources:
Ready to take your life back from your business? Want more time for what matters most and more money in your bank account than ever? Book a call with us today!
Master your time and profit! Give us 20 minutes of your time, take the Better Business Better Life Assessment, and receive a free paperback copy of my book, The 4 Week Vacation®️.
23 min
January 22385: How to Handle Employee Raises When Revenue is Low (Business Owner Strategies)
If you’re worried about giving employee raises when revenue is tight, you’re not alone. In this episode, we explore ways to reward your team without putting your business at risk. You’ll discover smart ways to structure raises when cash flow is limited, how to communicate compensation changes without hurting morale, and strategies to retain top talent even when money is tight. If you’re a business owner trying to balance people and profits, this episode will give you practical steps you can implement now. Join Melissa Kay and Dr. Sabrina Starling to learn smart, sustainable strategies for handling raises without jeopardizing your business.
Profit by Design is a Tap the Potential production.
Show Highlights:
Balancing an uncertain economy with the need to take care of your A-players
The problem when a business owner isn’t cashing their paychecks in order to give employee raises
Take an honest look at your team, identify your A-players, and give raises accordingly. (Underperforming “warm bodies” do not deserve a raise.)
Strategies for protecting you, the business owner. These are a priority for a sustainable business.
Maintaining profitability is the #1 priority; all other decisions flow from that foundation.
More money is NOT the goal for many A-players; time flexibility and freedom often matter more.
Learn to structure an A-player’s work schedule around the delivery of their key result.
A team member’s perspective from Melissa: time flexibility and freedom matter most!
Considerations for a growing business (Don’t grow your payroll across the board!)
Have conversations with your A-players to find out what matters most to each of them.
An action step to take today: prioritize systemization for each A-player’s role (Guard against being hostage to any A-player.)
Need more support to confidently grow your business? We can help! Book a call with us today!

Resources:
Ready to take your life back from your business? Want more time for what matters most and more money in your bank account than ever? Book a call with us today!
Master your time and profit! Give us 20 minutes of your time, take the Better Business Better Life Assessment, and receive a free paperback copy of my book, The 4 Week Vacation®️.
Join the Tap the Potential Community on Mighty Networks: www.tapthepotential.com/group
19 min
January 15384: What to Look for in an Accounting Firm with Tammy Little
Most business owners wait way too long to get financial support, not because they don’t need it, but because they think their books are too messy, too far behind, or too embarrassing to hand over to a professional. In this episode, Tap the Potential’s Lead Strategist, Melissa Kay, talks with Tammy Little about precisely what you should look for in an accounting firm, and why you’re more ready for help than you think! We cover the difference between a bookkeeper, accountant, controller, and CFO (and who you actually need; the essential systems and processes to make your finances easier, more efficient, and more organized; why waiting until the end of the year to prepare for taxes is the fastest way to lose money and add stress; and how the proper accounting support creates clarity, confidence, and real profit. If you want to stop feeling behind, stop guessing, and finally get your financial house in order, this episode is your roadmap to a better future. Join us!
Tammy Little is the owner of FTC Group and Summit Accounting Partners, a full-service accounting firm for small, medium, and large businesses. All of their services are virtual, making their top-notch services accessible to companies nationwide.
Profit by Design is a Tap the Potential production.
Show Highlights:
Understand the terminology: CFO, accountant, bookkeeper, controller, etc. (“What do I really need?”)
Common reasons that business owners don’t have financial support
The process when Tammy’s firm comes in to help clean up the financial mess
You will feel safe and relieved when a qualified financial professional takes the reins!
Think you can’t afford an accountant? You can’t afford NOT to have one!
Tammy’s philosophy of systems and operations is to know each client and their business as a true partner
Considerations in looking for an accountant: your comfort level, their range of offerings/services, communication, and the level of trust you have with them
Signs that you need accounting help NOW!
Tammy’s one thing she gives to every client: peace of mind

Resources:
Connect with Tammy Little: Summit Website, My Ghost Crew Website, Facebook, and LinkedIn.
Download your free, updated copy of the Chart of $10,000 an Hour Activities today!
Our Coach Approach program can be life-changing for your business, team, and personal life. Find out more today!
Ready to take your life back from your business? Want more time for what matters most and more money in your bank account than ever? Book a call with us today!
Master your time and profit! Give us 20 minutes of your time, take the Better Business Better Life Assessment, and receive a free paperback copy of my book, The 4 Week Vacation®️.
Join the Tap the Potential Community on Mighty Networks: www.tapthepotential.com/group
26 min
January 08383: How to Plan Your 4 Week Vacation®️ in 2026 (Without Your Business Falling Apart)
Does the idea of taking a real vacation make you anxious instead of excited? If stepping away for even a day feels risky, the thought of taking four whole weeks probably feels impossible—but it’s not. You don’t need a massive team or endless cash flow to make it happen. In this week’s episode, we’re breaking down the exact systems, delegation strategy, and leadership habits you need to build NOW, so you can confidently step away later. You’ll discover the first thing to fix if your business can’t run without you, how to train your team to make decisions while you’re unplugged, and why your business actually grows when you’re not in it every minute. If you want 2026 to be the year you take a real break, the kind where you sleep, rest, and reset, you don’t want to miss this episode with Melissa Kay and Dr. Sabrina Starling. Join us!
Profit by Design is a Tap the Potential production.
Show Highlights:
The biggest irony about the 4 Week Vacation®️process: Our businesses grow and flourish more when we take time off.
Our promise to every one of our clients: A fully unplugged, 4 Week Vacation®️within 12 months
Your time is worth $10,000 an hour! Download your free Chart of $10,000 Activities now!
Our “handoff” of the tasks associated with podcast production, and how it works for us
Delegating effectively benefits everyone.
Steps in effective delegation:
Allow the team member to own the task's outcome.
Give the team member space to simplify the processes and systems they work with.
Watch your A-players learn how to delegate for themselves.
Creating accountability and “vacation-testing” your business
Organizing the business around the sweet spot—and hiring to support that process
A streamlined business makes it easy to hire the right A-players.
The truth about a 4 Week Vacation®️: It provides job security, sustainability, a good culture, and fresh creativity/innovation.
The game you cannot play to win: Cut it out, and play a different game.
Register now for the Coach Approach program for a very different 2026 for you and your business.

Resources:
Download your free, updated copy of the Chart of $10,000 an Hour Activities today!
Our Coach Approach program can be life-changing for your business, team, and personal life. Find out more today!
Ready to take your life back from your business? Want more time for what matters most and more money in your bank account than ever? Book a call with us today!
Master your time and profit! Give us 20 minutes of your time, take the Better Business Better Life Assessment, and receive a free paperback copy of my book, The 4 Week Vacation®️.
Join the Tap the Potential Community on Mighty Networks: www.tapthepotential.com/group
25 min