Hey Reader,

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This morning I ran at 5am in the dark in -17°F.

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Canadian winter doesn’t care about your plans. The roads were icy, the sidewalks were a “surprise adventure,” and the snow was doing that thing where it looks pretty… and then tries to take you out at the ankles.

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And honestly? Whether I ran 5k or 15k didn’t matter.

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What mattered was how I approached it.

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On winter runs, I don’t get to pretend conditions are perfect. I don’t get to “power through” like a hero and hope for the best. If I ignore reality, I slip. If I rush, I slip. If I don’t pay attention, I slip.

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So I run with boundaries.

I slow down when I need to.

I choose the safest route, not the fanciest one.

I dress for the weather that is, not the weather I wish it was (cleats, layers, reflective vest and headlamp - you get the picture).

I even run with a dog (I borrow him from a friend - he's an Aussie Doodle and I call him my head of security).

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And the best part? I run with women who make me better - because community changes everything.

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Business is the same.

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Most accidental CEOs are trying to sprint on icy roads… in worn-out running shoes… while carrying everyone else’s stuff.

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So if you’ve been feeling stretched thin, here are 3 boundaries I’m not negotiating anymore (and I want you to borrow them):

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1. My time isn’t free.

If someone wants access to my calendar, they pay for it. Full stop.
And if they can’t? I still help - I just help in a way that protects my business: an on-demand resource, a podcast episode, an article, or an introduction to someone who’s the right fit.

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Because free calendar time isn’t “generous.” It’s often the fastest path to resentment… and a business that quietly becomes unprofitable.

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2. I don’t build my week around other people’s urgency.

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Someone else’s timeline doesn’t automatically become my emergency.
I don’t need to say yes to a deadline that compromises my existing commitments, my energy, or the way I want to run my life.

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You’re allowed to choose timelines that support quality and capacity and decide what’s a true emergency - and what’s poor planning wearing a loud outfit.

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3. Just because I can offer it… doesn’t mean I should.

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This one is huge for accidental CEOs.

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If I’m not set up to deliver a service efficiently - if I don’t have the structure to support it - it takes longer, costs more energy, and becomes less profitable. Those “sure, I can do that” yeses are sneaky time-wasters.

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And every time you say yes to work that doesn’t align with your long-term vision, you’re saying no (quietly) to the work that does.

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Now - if an opportunity aligns with my vision and it shows up sooner than I’m ready? I can make it work, because the long-term benefit has real value.

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But “I can” is not a business strategy. Alignment is.

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And one more thing, because it matters: I love being up before sunrise, before most of my city. That fuels me. But it’s not for everyone.

That’s the point.

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Sustainable success isn’t copying someone else’s routine. It’s choosing what fuels you - and putting boundaries around it.

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If you want, hit reply and tell me: where are you “running on ice” in your business right now?​
(Availability, scope creep, pricing, timelines, client expectations… I’m listening.)

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Talk soon,

Shauna Lynn Simon — CEO, SLS Coaching (866) 661-6711

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​Business Coach | Author | Educator | Professional Speaker | Podcast Host | Top 100 Most Influential People in Real Estate Staging | Home Staging & Design Expert

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PS If you have an incredible group of women around you, lean on them. If you don’t yet, that’s not a personal failure - it’s just your next strategic move. And if you’re craving that kind of room - smart, real, supportive women building sustainable, profitable businesses together - The Real Women Real Business Mastery Program is exactly that. If you want to explore it, book a call with me here.