The Course Correction: When Putting People First Almost Broke Me

The Course Correction: When Putting People First Almost Broke Me

Fun Fact: That Picture was taken super late at night while we were planning the first stages of The Roadmap in late 2022:)

Welcome to The Course Correction

Most people building a business online don't talk about what really happens behind the scenes—the struggles, the doubts, the hard decisions. But that's exactly what we're going to do here. You'll get direct access to the conversations I have with myself.

Entrepreneurship is a long road, and too many people travel it alone. This blog is a space for the unfiltered truth about building a business—beyond the highlight reels and success stories. Every week, come back to connect deeply, learn from our mistakes, and know you're not alone in this journey.

For the last two years, I built my business on a belief system that I thought was unshakable: people come first. It wasn't just a tagline or marketing angle—it was the core of everything my husband and I did and believed in. In an online world where most put profit before people, we flipped that message on its head, and it resonated.

We created The Roadmap to Riches in early 2023, a product with a unique selling proposition that transformed the "digital marketing" world forever. But more than that, we created a movement—a space where people felt empowered, where knowledge wasn't locked behind endless paywalls, and where financial freedom became possible for those who never had a chance before. We generated approximately $60 million in product sales in less than two years, not counting the many millions from similar products that followed our model. We gave away 99% of the profit because we believed in what we were building. We wanted to give others the same opportunity we had. We were driven by the desire to give people true ownership, branding freedom, and a product they could sell before they were ready to create their own.

We built on the principle that we could succeed together, side by side, with no one above or below.

But here's what I never admitted publicly: that belief system almost broke me, or at least that's how it turned out in the end.

The Cost of Putting Others First

At first, it felt like we were doing something revolutionary. And we were. But we didn't anticipate the overwhelming demands that would be placed on us. The abuse from competitors, the attacks from haters, and the people working behind the scenes to destroy what we built. We even created a unique licensing deal for our product specifically to gain more time and freedom from managing people. We even created a unique licensing deal for our product specifically to gain more time and freedom from managing people, but exactly the opposite happened. We ended up more time-constrained than ever before. Coming from a couple who previously ran a residential construction business, that's saying something! Anyone familiar with construction work knows the incredibly long and grueling hours involved.

• We didn't intend to put others before ourselves—our sanity, our health, our family. We simply wanted to create an even playing field where everyone had an equal chance. We wanted people to come first in business, unlike the many who prioritize profit above all. But we never meant for everyone else to come before us.
• The model we created meant people always had access to us—our time, our energy, our leadership.
• The more successful The Roadmap became, the more pressure we felt to protect it—from competitors, copycats, and relentless criticism.

What started as an empowering movement became constant maintenance, defense, and giving. For over a year, I searched daily for a way out, but the only exit meant taking away what people had paid for—something we couldn't bring ourselves to do. And from a practical standpoint, knowing the mob mentality online, we felt trapped.

If we changed, would people who weren't even our customers trash our reputation online before we reached our potential?

If we changed things, would we be taking away earning potential from those who trusted us deeply?

If we changed things, would we trigger chargebacks affecting innocent people?

If we changed things, would we harm other creators' brands that had trusted in our system?

If we changed things, would we hurt the income of community members who relied on us to feed their families?

These questions plagued me for over a year. I felt caught in an endless back-and-forth.

I tell you this because questioning more than deciding during certain stages of your business is normal. However, don't stay stuck in this questioning zone for too long—it will drain not only your money, opportunities, and attention, but also your peace of mind and sanity.

The Fear of Speaking Up

I knew I was struggling, but I couldn't bring myself to talk about it. I didn't want to appear as a victim or let people see my true struggles.

I knew people were sending prospects to my account to validate the product and "opportunity." Would sharing my raw feelings harm other business owners?

When you create something that helps people and drives company growth, the last thing you want to do is complain about it. I worried that discussing the true weight we carried would seem ungrateful or like making excuses.

So I stayed quiet. And that silence cost me. A LOT!

I couldn't be my authentic self online. The pressure to maintain the brand, sustain the movement, and hide the behind-the-scenes struggles kept me from speaking my truth. And when you stop speaking your truth, you lose yourself.

The Lesson: The Right People Come First

I've spent a lot of time questioning my beliefs. Was I wrong? Did I fail?

No. We didn't fail. But we did learn.

Here's what I know for sure now:

• People still come first—but only the right people. That includes me. That includes my family. That includes my team. That includes those who truly align with our mission—not just those who make demands on my time that felt impossible to walk away from.
• A movement without proper boundaries will burn its leaders out. Leadership isn't about endless sacrifice; it's about sustaining impact.
• Giving isn't valuable if it comes at the cost of yourself—even if you don't intend to lose yourself. If your business ends up feeling like a prison, it's time to rewrite the rules.
• No one should feel trapped in their own business. You should have the freedom to course-correct at any moment—even if it upsets people.
• A true leader has the courage to make hard decisions. Leadership isn't about keeping everyone happy—it's about making the right moves, even when they're uncomfortable.

The Course Correction

After a year of questioning myself, wondering if my entire brand was built on a faulty belief system, I realized I'm not abandoning what I believed—I'm not only evolving it, I'm doubling down. After everything I have experienced the last two years, I still believe that in a world of shiny objects, wrong intentions, and half-truths, impact always comes first. People come before profits because, let's face it, you can't get away with much online these days. Consumers are becoming wiser by the day, and if you're building a business with flashy tactics that make people feel like just another number, you won't last long. But this time, it won't come at the cost of myself.

Moving forward, I'm choosing a different way to build.

• One that allows me to lead without being drained.
• One that protects what I've built without requiring constant defense.
• One that lets me be fully authentic again.

If you've ever felt the overwhelming pressure of giving more than you should, stayed silent when you had something to say, or felt trapped instead of liberated by your success—I see you.

And this is your permission to course correct.

People don't come first—the right people come first. People always come before profit, but remember: you're included in "people."

I hope this helps my fellow people-pleasers and overthinkers out there. The hard truth is that most people aren't deeply invested in your wellbeing. When you stop meeting their demands, they'll quickly forget you—or worse, turn against you as a "content enemy." Many will criticize you simply for prioritizing yourself and your business.

Important to Remember

"People don't buy what you do, they buy why you do it."

"You want to do business with people who believe what you believe."

As you may know from our business courses, these insights come from Simon Sinek.

When your core beliefs are challenged in business or life, it's often a sign of positive transformation—you're evolving into a better version of yourself. Growth, both personal and professional, requires change. Don't let fear hold you back as I did. While it's natural to feel afraid, remember that time is our most precious resource—don't let fear steal it from you.

What’s Next

This blog, The Course Correction, is my way of getting back to deep conversations, real thoughts, and a space where I can say what I actually believe.

I’ll be sharing my insights, lessons, and unfiltered thoughts about business, mindset, and success every week.

This is the next chapter. And I’m writing it on my terms.

We're working on something big that has reignited our passion to serve those who value ownership, leverage, and branding freedom. Since we often face copycats, we're keeping the details under wraps until launch. Meanwhile, we've created something we're truly excited about—Renegade AI, where we teach you how to implement AI in your business quickly. As a member, you'll be the first to learn about our next big move. Let’s correct the course together.

Be the First to Access the Future

I have much more to share, and I hope these glimpses of our story help you course-correct in your own business when needed. Join me next week when I'll read these blog posts aloud for those who prefer audio over written content.

Love you guys.