What Works | Small Business Podcast With Tara Mcmullin

When I signed off on my taxes last month, it was the first time in 10 years that I didn’t owe any money to the IRS. In fact, I got a refund. Now, I’d love to tell you that’s because I was much more diligent with my financial planning. And, that is partially true. But the main reason I’m getting a refund is that I personally made a lot less money last year. Not gonna lie: making less money was a big hit to my ego. Worse, I realized how much my personal identity as a provider, a businesswoman, and a leader was tied up in the dollar dollar bills. Let me clarify: I don’t define myself by how much money I make. I don’t think I’m worthless if I’m not rich… What happened is that I had been using money as validation. I equated my ability to do my job with my ability to continue to grow the revenue my company generates. So it wasn’t so much the money itself—but continuing to push the needle on that money that felt tied to my value as an entrepreneur. Taking a deliberate step back to