Episode 017
She Chases 7-Figure Success – Until Her Body and Business Broke Down
She tried hustling her way to success – until a hurricane, an ICU stay, and a failing launch forced her to rethink everything.
Laura Brandenburg was chasing every online business goal: bigger launches, bigger teams, bigger revenue.
But in 2018, life said, “Girl, sit down.” First came Hurricane Florence. Then, a mystery illness that landed Laura in the ICU – days after a business launch had flopped.
It was a cosmic smackdown, and it worked. Laura started asking herself the questions most entrepreneurs avoid: What do I actually want? And what if scaling back could be the best growth strategy?
In this conversation, we talk about simplifying to scale, hiring with intention, and redefining hustle on your own damn terms. Spoiler: it looks a lot like the happy hustle – less crying on the stairs, more clarity and joy.
“I spent years chasing goals that weren’t even mine. Now everything I do starts with: do I actually want to do this?”
Connect with Laura:
- Website: bridging-the-gap.com
- YouTube: @BridgingtheGapBA
- LinkedIn: Laura Brandenburg
Timestamps:
00:00 Introduction and Hiring Tips
00:50 Meet Laura Brandenburg
01:55 Hurricane Florence and Health Crisis
04:46 Recovery and Business Reflection
08:43 Shifting Business Strategies
14:54 Simplifying the Business Model
19:50 Balancing Entrepreneurial Burnout
20:37 Challenges of Certification Programs
21:31 Lessons Learned from Business Goals
23:41 The Reality of Large Scale Launches
25:00 Transition to Small Group Cohorts
26:00 Simplifying Business Operations
27:43 Grieving Business Changes
29:24 Understanding Business Analysis
34:36 The New Definition of Hustle
38:39 The Happy Hustle