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Most coaches don’t burn out because they’re lazy. They burn out because they’re following someone else’s formula.
But what if your energy doesn’t match that hustle?
What if the blueprint was never designed for you in the first place?
In this episode of Coaching with Impact, leadership coach and business growth strategist Louisa Thiessen breaks down why those one-size-fits-all strategies are quietly wrecking your business and what to do instead.
From being a burned-out stay-at-home mom to building a sustainable business that honors her values and her capacity, Louisa shares the unfiltered truth about what it really takes to scale a business that fits your life, not just your revenue goals.
If you’re tired of chasing someone else’s version of success, this episode will show you how to build a business that’s bold, honest, and unapologetically yours.
The Problem with One-Size-Fits-All Advice
Louisa Thiessen’s turning point came during a coaching session that was supposed to take her to the “next level.”
She hired the coach. Bought the course. Followed the rules. Did the “6-figure blueprint.”
Until the coach told her she needed to work 12-hour days and sacrifice time with her kids in the name of success.
“He said I needed to work 12-hour days, network nonstop, and always be ‘on.’ When I pushed back, he insisted I was self-sabotaging,” she recalls.
This is the danger of generic advice: It assumes everyone has the same capacity, priorities, and neurological wiring. But truthfully, they don’t.
What Most Coaching Programs Miss
After years in operations and business management, Louisa could see the flaw in the popular “do what I did” model: it completely ignores the person behind the business.
Here are the critical variables many strategies fail to account for:
- Human Design: A Manifesting Generator coach might thrive on non-stop momentum, but that doesn’t mean a Projector should match that energy. Some people need rest built into their business by design.
- Neurodivergence: ADHD, anxiety, or sensory sensitivities change how we process stress, time, and interaction. What works for some can feel completely overwhelming for others.
- Life Seasons: Strategies that work for a single 25-year-old often collapse under the weight of parenthood, caretaking, or chronic illness.
Bottom line? You are not the problem. The system you’re trying to fit into might be.
How to Build an Aligned Business
For Louisa Thiessen, success isn’t tied to flashy metrics or seven-figure headlines. Her version of success is simply taking her kids on a Disney cruise, feeling joy in her work, or ending the week with energy left over.
Ask yourself:
“What does ‘enough’ look like for me?”
“What would make me excited to work and live my life?”
Sustainable scaling ≠ growth.
Too many coaches confuse growth with progress. On the other hand, Louisa focuses on scaling; expanding impact without increasing personal workload.
Her framework for aligned scaling:
- Hire before you’re “ready”: Don’t wait for the breaking point. Get operational support in place before you’re maxed out.
- Question every “should”: Her team is trained to challenge clients with: “How does this move you closer to your bigger goal?”
- Audit quarterly: She proactively downgrades packages when clients no longer need certain services, even if it means less revenue. That’s long-game thinking.
“You can’t scale solo. Even CEOs have assistants,” Louisa said.
Finding the Right Support
Spot the red flags early.
Coaches who dismiss your lived experience aren’t edgy, they’re dangerous. Here’s what to avoid:
🚫 Coaches who ignore your boundaries
🚫 Strategies that shame rest or downtime
🚫 Lack of curiosity about your personality, culture, or learning style
Louisa’s go-to vetting question?
“How do you adapt your approach for clients with ADHD, anxiety, or limited capacity?”
If they can’t answer that clearly, they’re not coaching, you’re just buying access to their playbook.
Louisa’s Refreshing Hiring Philosophy
Louisa’s agency isn’t built on “yes-people.” Her Virtual Assistants are proactive, strategic, and not afraid to challenge the plan.
- 90-day reviews: Clients’ hours and scope are reassessed regularly based on what’s actually working.
- SOS filter: Her team is trained to ask “Why?” before chasing every shiny object.
- Radical honesty: She’d rather lose a client than let them scale unsustainably.
“Our job isn’t to say ‘yes’ to everything; it’s to help you stay in alignment with the business you actually want to build.”
Break One “Rule” Today
Feeling trapped by advice that doesn’t fit your life? Start small.
“Pick one thing you’re doing just because someone told you to…. and stop,” Louisa says.
Examples:
– Posting daily on Instagram (even though it exhausts you)
– Running 1:1 calls when you thrive in async communication
– Skipping breaks because a course said to “stay in momentum”Give yourself permission to experiment. Trust that you already know what works best for you.
About Louisa Thessien
Louisa Thiessen is a leadership coach, business growth consultant, and the founder of Admin Virtuosa—a strategic support agency helping women entrepreneurs scale sustainably.
With 18+ years in operations, Louisa brings both heart and high-level systems to her clients. Whether it’s assessing your operations, optimizing your team structure, or making tough business calls with confidence, she’s the kind of coach who helps you scale without losing yourself.
She believes you don’t need to burn out to break through, and you shouldn’t have to choose between your business and your life.
FREEBIE
Want practical strategies to make your business more stable, efficient, and sustainable especially in uncertain times?
Louisa’s offering a powerful free guide: How to Recession-Proof Your Business
📥 Download it here and recession-proof your business before you need to.
