Burning Bright

Author offers advice on fueling success

Burnout is a silent threat that many business owners face but few know how to effectively manage. Julie Bee, author of "Burned: How Business Owners Can Overcome Burnout and Fuel Success," tackles this challenge head-on with strategies that resonate deeply with leaders in every industry. With over 15 years of experience as a business owner and burnout strategist, Bee has seen firsthand how entrepreneurs often struggle with saying "no"—a seemingly small word that can make or break their success.

In this insightful Q&A, Julie shares why mastering the art of saying "no" is essential to overcoming burnout and building a thriving business. She explores how fear of missing out (FOMO) and a scarcity mindset contribute to overextension and offers actionable strategies for maintaining balance between growth and mental health. From boundary-setting to deciding which opportunities to pursue, Bee's guidance is practical, empowering, and deeply rooted in her mission to help entrepreneurs thrive.

Why do you think saying no is so difficult for business owners, and how does it contribute to burnout?

Fear of missing out (FOMO). When you're an entrepreneur, missing out could mean missing out on profits. That fear of missing out on cash flow is driven by a scarcity mindset, which can cause business owners to say yes too frequently. That will lead them to being overscheduled and overextended. All of that—scarcity mindset, FOMO, and being overbooked—can contribute to entrepreneurs burning out.

How does mastering the art of saying no play a role in your strategies for helping businesses thrive?

Every no opens up space for an entrepreneur to say yes to better, more profitable opportunities. More profitable opportunities lead to thriving businesses.

How should business owners decide when to be firm and when to leave the door open for future opportunities?

As a business owner becomes more established, opportunities will find them. I give a few examples in "Burned" on how to weigh opportunities, but here are a few questions to get you started. Will you [really] have the time? What's the possible financial impact to your business? If you say yes to this opportunity, what will you have to say no to in order to accommodate it? How much time will it require, and for how long?

Can you share some thoughts on how business owners need to strike a balance between protecting their mental health and remaining open to growth?

To strike a balance between protecting their mental health and remaining open to growth, I advise my business owner clients to ask for insights from their business support network (mentors, coaches, mastermind groups, etc.) to help them decide if they should pursue a growth opportunity. Ask questions about those growth opportunities and run a feasibility analysis to see if the opportunity is worth it, because every opportunity has a cost. Finally, when balancing mental health and growth, be cautious of false urgency. In my 16-year career as an entrepreneur, I've found that very few decisions need to be made immediately.

How important is it for entrepreneurs to communicate their boundaries clearly to their team and clients, and what advice would you give on how to do this effectively?

Everyone wants their boundaries respected, but it's hard to achieve that outcome if you don't know your own boundaries. The first step is to write yours out; I often suggest my clients start with two or three work-related boundaries. Then, you communicate them with your team and clients. It's harder to do this with existing relationships, and I find it best to own it—don't place blame on someone else.

Saying something like, "I've set these new boundaries for myself so that I can be at my best at work. This may impact our work together in some ways, for example [fill in the blank with examples]. I'll need your help in this effort; can I count on your support?" If you're sharing this with your team, this becomes an opportunity for a great culture-building activity by inviting them into conversations about their own boundaries. If you're sharing with clients, expect some pushback and preemptively address it with how your new boundaries will positively impact your clients' outcomes.