Summary

In Episode 34 of The CEO Sisters Road Trip, Sarah and Liz dive into why shifting your behavioral patterns and systems matters far more than pushing through burnout or trying to solve every business challenge by working harder. Drawing insights from top business and habit books—including The Gap and the Gain, Atomic Habits, The Coaching Habit, and Profit First—they discuss how to escape constant self-criticism, define your own baseline of success, and build sustainable momentum.

Key topics

• Measuring Backward: Overcoming "the gap" between your current standing and an idealized goal by reflecting on past progress.
• System Design vs. Goals: Establishing small daily habits and clear structures to prevent burnout and power daily execution.
• Identity and Language: Shifting self-talk from "trying to quit/do something" to solid "I am" identity statements.
• Overcoming Overwhelm: Recognizing that feeling "stuck" is usually just overwhelm, and resolving it by identifying the single priority for the day.
• The 4 Buckets of Business Growth: Diagnosing bottlenecks across People, Process, Pricing, and Positioning.

Action items & Take aways

• Always Measure Backward (AMB): Build confidence by actively tracking how far you have come rather than measuring against an ever-shifting ideal.
• Design Systems, Not Just Goals: Break down large 90-day targets into manageable, daily micro-actions.
• Monotask over Multitask: Ask yourself each morning: "What is the ONE thing I can complete today to move my business forward?"
• Adopt an "I Am" Identity: Speak about your role and business with ownership (e.g., "I am a business owner" rather than "I am trying to run a business").

Chapters

• 00:16 – Introduction to the CEO Sisters Road Trip
• 00:59 – The Importance of Reading and Learning
• 04:32 – Mindset vs. Grindset: The Power of Measurement
• 07:22 – The Gap and the Gain: Measuring Progress
• 13:17 – Identity and Behavior in Business
• 16:53 – Balancing Creativity and Business
• 19:26 – Shifting Behavioral Patterns for Success
• 22:36 – Overcoming Overwhelm and Prioritization
• 26:50 – The Power of Accountability in Business
• 28:50 – Redefining Identity for Growth
• 31:08 – Understanding the Process Behind Stuckness

Resources

• The Gap and the Gain by Dan Sullivan with Dr. Benjamin Hardy
• The Coaching Habit by Michael Bungay Stanier
• Atomic Habits by James Clear
• Profit First by Mike Michalowicz

Links

• Your Business Matters
• Sarah Jane Pottery

Keywords

Mindset, Grindset, Business Coaching, Entrepreneurship, Atomic Habits, The Gap and the Gain, Profit First, Overwhelm, Prioritization, Systems, Business Growth

Want to learn more about what working with Liz looks like? Head to Your Business Matters to schedule a Discovery call with her

EP. 33 - Graduation Overwhelm, Otter Dreams & Beating Burnout

Summary

In this candid episode, sisters Liz Szporn and Sarah Trueman get real about the "invisible workload" female entrepreneurs face during major life transitions. From surviving high school graduation season and college prep, to navigating weird dream anxiety (including giant otter attacks!), Liz and Sarah discuss the emotional, mental, and physical weight of wearing multiple hats.

They unpack the stark reality of female founder burnout—where 65% of women report active burnout compared to 37% of men—and share actionable strategies on how to give yourself grace, ditch people-pleasing, and protect your energy. Learn how implementing the "One Big Thing" method can transform your productivity without sacrificing your sanity.

Key Topics Covered

• Anxiety & Dream Logic: Why stress shows up in bizarre ways (and what Liz’s giant otter dream says about burnout).
• The Invisible Workload: Why 83% of female entrepreneurs report high stress and how family transitions bleed into business bandwidth.
• Making Hard Business Decisions: Sarah shares the relief and power behind stepping back from a major show commitment to prioritize her sanity and family.
• Overcoming People-Pleasing: Breaking free from the fear of disappointing others when setting business boundaries.
• The "One Big Thing" Strategy: A game-changing daily process used to overcome multitasking debt and move your business forward.
• The Power of External Accountability: Hacking your own brain by using peers and community to achieve your goals.

Chapters

• 00:16 – Welcome to CEO Sisters Road Trip
• 01:39 – Weekend Recording & Liz’s Crazy Otter Dream
• 06:40 – Graduation Overwhelm: The Toll of Major Milestones
• 09:15 – Drowning in the "Invisible Workload" & Female Founder Burnout Statistics
• 12:48 – Balancing Family Demands with Growing a Business (Sarah's Story)
• 15:47 – Giving Yourself Grace & Decoupling Guilt from Difficult Decisions
• 20:58 – Overcoming People-Pleasing in Business
• 24:55 – Multitasking Debt: What the Research Says About Middle-Aged Founders
• 28:16 – How to Implement the "One Big Thing" Framework Daily
• 33:39 – Why External Accountability Keeps Us Consistent

Mentioned Resources

• Ink Volt Paper Dashboard / Digital Dashboard
• The Gap and The Gain (Dan Sullivan & Dr. Benjamin Hardy)

Links

• Your Business Matters
• Sarah Jane Pottery
• Entrepreneur Magazine: "Why Some Female Entrepreneurs Flourish While Others Burn Out"
• Inc. Magazine: "It's Not the Workload That's Burning Women Founders Out. It's the Pressure"

Keywords

Female Founder Burnout, Invisible Workload, Women Entrepreneurs, CEO Sisters Road Trip, Business Strategy, Overcoming Multitasking Debt, Entrepreneur Work-Life Balance, Small Business Priorities

Want to learn more about what working with Liz looks like? Head to Your Business Matters to schedule a Discovery call with her

Summary

Are you running toward your big business goals, or just running away from burnt-out corporate routines? In this episode of CEO Sisters Road Trip, Sarah and Liz chat with Abby Gates, founder of SproutWise and an HR leader with over 20 years of experience navigating four successful startup exits.

Abby shares her fascinating journey—from taking a solo backpacking trip through Southeast Asia in her late 20s to quitting a high-level executive corporate job during a season of caregiving to launch her own fractional HR firm. Together, they explore why HR isn’t just a "safety net" or "breakroom fluff," but the living foundation of decision-making, company culture, and sustainable scaling. If you’ve ever felt itchy in your career, struggled with taking big leaps, or wondered how to protect your culture before growth breaks your team, this episode is for you!

Key Topics

• The Solo Backpacking Muscle: How a solo trip through Thailand and Bali built self-reliance and transformed Abby’s relationship with risk.
• Amplify vs. Create: Recognizing when you are amplifying someone else’s work versus building something meaningful of your own.
• Caregiving & Career Pivots: Navigating family health crises while negotiating boundaries in corporate leadership.
• HR as a Growth Engine: Why culture isn’t just snacks and foosball tables, but a non-negotiable decision-making matrix.
• The Physical Toll of Misalignment: Listening to your body when stress responses demand a career change.

Chapters & Timestamps

• 00:00 – Episode Intro & Catching Up with Sarah & Liz
• 04:01 – Meet Abby Gates of SproutWise
• 06:53 – Solo Backpacking, Southeast Asia, and Building the "Risk Muscle"
• 20:21 – Overcoming Dread: Advice for Taking the Big Leap
• 28:03 – The Turning Point: Caregiving, Corporate Burnout, & Negotiating an Exit
• 38:30 – Amplifying Work vs. Creating Work
• 46:10 – The Physical Cost of Staying Too Long: Lessons in Self-Care
• 46:30 – What Fractional HR Really Does for Growing Startups
• 51:30 – Where to Connect with Abby & Wrap Up

Resources & Guest Links

• Website: http://www.sproutwise.com/
• Connect with Abby: https://www.linkedin.com/in/abbygates6/
• Direct Email: abby@sproutwise.com

Keywords

Startup HR, Fractional HR, Scaling a Business, Risk Tolerance, Company Culture, Caregiving and Entrepreneurship, Solo Travel, Business Mindset, CEO Sisters Road Trip.

Want to learn more about what working with Liz looks like? Head to Your Business Matters to schedule a Discovery call with her