I slowly moved the cursor to that red “End Meeting” button on Zoom.
Tired and feeling like I had just run a marathon with a weighted vest…
I couldn’t help but think, “What the hell is wrong with me?”
I could barely think, process, and string logical words together. I was exhausted. Depleted. Nothing in the tank.
It was 9:45 in the morning at the end of May 2022.
I remember it like yesterday.
I was sitting on my back patio. The hell-heat of summer had not yet descended on Charlotte, and I sat there speechless. I was scared.
I was burned out. Bad.
I knew then… I was done. I didn’t want the business anymore. I didn’t want the responsibility anymore. I didn’t want 100 mph anymore. At some point, I lost the right intention and meaning in my work.
I was coming off a stretch of about eight hard months. I was already sucking fumes. It all started with the letter from the FTC, preceded by restructuring and reworking my coaching portfolio of businesses.
It culminated in my leaving in June for a 30-day sabbatical and never returning. I couldn’t go back. I could barely function.
From June 2022 to June 2023, I didn’t do much business work.
Most of the work I’ve focused on was internal. I had to process what led to this point. This is the second time I’ve burnt out. The first time, I burned down a 7-figure business in 2018.
This time around, I walked away from it all—more like I crawled away.
In the last year, I’ve spent hours with therapists, mindset coaches, close friends, my journal, and tons of space with myself and God.
I zoomed up the mountain of success and realized it wasn’t all it’s cracked up to be.
I’ve come full circle (tumbled down that mountain) and have an important message I think this community needs to hear.
That brings us to this point in the journey and my contribution to you.
I’ve built 7 & 8-figure businesses.
I’ve built a huge team.
I’ve had epic wins and epic losses.
I want to distill my wisdom and experience so my community can live a prosperous, joyous, impactful life.
The theme I haven’t been able to shake is Stewardship.
This life is about learning to become Good Stewards of what we have. That’s the message and vocational identity that I want to lean into.
If you want to hustle and grind your face off, I don’t think I’m the guy for you. Those are a dime a dozen.
However, this is your place if you want to grow from peace and joy.
There is only so much I, as a human, actually need. That’s why I think stewardship is essential, especially for entrepreneurs. Once our needs are taken care of, everything else can be contributed to our families and our communities.
The Good Steward…
Equipping entrepreneurs to build from peace.
This is the thread that I’m pulling.
How I plan to serve the market with this moving forward:
- The Good Steward Letter (free, what you’re reading now)
- The Good Steward Podcast (free, coming soon)
- The Good Steward Community (free, coming soon)
- The Good Steward Collective (my paid mentor group/mastermind). I’ll be opening up invitations to this soon.
These are the levels that I’ll pull from:
- Identity & Values
- Purpose
- Vision
- Strategy
- Tactics
And then how business, family, and faith integrate. I will share more about my worldview and “what I think it’s all for.”
These are the questions I’m asking?
What do I love? What am I great at? What does the world need? What competencies do I need to cultivate and develop more, and how can I contribute to the world?
I love business and growing businesses. I love the strategy. I love coaching and mentoring crazy, beautiful entrepreneurs. I love my family, and I love the person of Jesus.
How does all the connect? We’ll find out together. I’m excited about it and all the stumbling that’s to come.
There is a lot I want to learn, develop and explore.
Glad you’re a part of this journey.
To being a Good Steward,
Chris
p.s. I’m still into building amazing things. I don’t know that I’ll ever have a large organization again. It’s possible, but if I do, it will differ significantly. These are part of the lessons I’ll share with whoever will listen. I’m more interested in better vs. bigger.