My Conversation with Marc Mawhinney

Building a business doesn’t have to…
mean sacrificing your personal life…
or working 16-hour days.

I recently had a lively conversation with Marc Mawhinney…
host of Natural Born Coaches…
where we dug into the strategies entrepreneurs…
need to break free from the grind…
reclaim their time, and scale their businesses.

In our conversation, we explored how outsourcing…
using super toolkits, and leveraging your team…
can help you gain control over your schedule…
while still growing your business.

Here’s a breakdown of the key takeaways…
and insights from my chat with Marc.

The Early Days: 16-Hour Workdays Aren’t the Only Option

Like many entrepreneurs…
I started my business with a heavy workload…
working up to 16 hours a day.

Marc and I discussed how this mindset of…
“once I get through this, things will get easier”…
is a trap many business owners fall into.

The truth? It never ends. That’s the hard reality.
You’ll always have new clients, new projects…
and new challenges—but if you don’t change…
how you work, you’ll burn out.

For me, it was a wake-up call when…
my husband pointed out that I was always…
stealing time from sleep.

I realized that I needed to make a change…
so I began to systematize my business…
eventually bringing my workday down from…
16 hours to just six.
Marc was curious about how this was possible…
and it all comes down to one thing: structure.

Why Entrepreneurs Are Overwhelmed: It’s Not Mindset, It’s Structure

During our chat, Marc mentioned that…
many entrepreneurs think they’re struggling…
because of a mindset problem—
like they need to work harder or be more driven.

But I explained that it’s not about mindset;
it’s about not having the right systems in place.
No matter how hard you work…
without the right tools and support, you’ll always feel behind.

I told Marc that the biggest mistake…
entrepreneurs make is becoming…
bottlenecks in their businesses.

They try to handle everything themselves…
which stalls their growth.
This is where outsourcing comes in.

When you hire a virtual assistant (VA)…
or start assigning tasks effectively…
you free yourself to focus on high-value work—
the kind that actually moves your business forward.

From 16 Hours to 6: My Journey

Marc asked me how long it took me…
to go from working 16-hour days to just six…
and I shared that it was about a year of trial and error.

But now, my clients can get the same results much faster.
Within a month of working with me…
my clients typically gain back 25 hours a week.
That’s because we focus on building their team…
using super toolkits, and systematizing their workflows.

One client, for example, was able to quadruple…
her income while working only a fraction of the time…
by implementing these strategies.
She even spent a month in Costa Rica with no Wi-Fi…
and her business ran smoothly without her.
That’s the power of the right systems and team in place.

The Truth About Delegating: It’s Not What You Think

Marc brought up an important point:
Many entrepreneurs think of delegating…
as simply handing off tasks…
but I explained that this is a lateral move.
True growth comes from empowering your team…
not just assigning tasks.
If you delegate without the right structure…
the work still flows through you, which doesn’t free up any time.

This is where our super toolkits come in.

Unlike traditional Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs)…
which are static and quickly outdated…
super toolkits are dynamic…
living documents that evolve with your business.
They allow your team to take ownership…
of tasks without needing constant input from you.

Hiring a VA: Start Small

Marc and I discussed how many entrepreneurs…
get overwhelmed by the idea of…
hiring a virtual assistant because…
they think it’s a huge commitment.
But I explained that you don’t need…
to start with 40 hours a week.

In fact, I never recommend that.
Instead, you can start with just a couple…
of hours a day and gradually increase…
as your VA takes on more responsibility.

The goal is to ease into it.

This way, you learn the skills you need…
to manage a team effectively…
without being overwhelmed by the transition.

And with the right processes in place…
it becomes easier to let go of tasks…
and trust your team to handle them.

Avoid the Trap of Vendor Mentality

Marc was curious about the difference…
between hiring a vendor for a project…
and building a team.

I explained that while vendors complete…
specific tasks for you…
they don’t offer the long-term value that a team does.
A vendor may help you get something done…
but they take their expertise with them when the project is over.

With a VA or a dedicated team member…
you’re investing in someone who…
grows with your business.
They learn your processes, contribute ideas…
and help you scale.

Content Creation: Keep What You Love, Delegate the Rest

As we wrapped up, Marc asked about content creation…
noting that he loves creating his own content…
but worries about handing it off to someone else.
I reassured him that the beauty of outsourcing…
is that you don’t have to give up what you enjoy.
Instead, you should delegate the tasks…
that drain your energy, so you can focus…
on the work that lights you up.

For example, my team handles all the admin work…
that surrounds my content creation—
so when I sit down to write or create a video…
I can focus 100% on that.

My brain isn’t cluttered with all the…
small tasks that usually get in the way.
This allows me to produce higher-quality work…
without the stress of trying to do it all.

Your Business Should Support Your Life, Not Consume It

One of the key messages I shared with Marc…
is that your business should support your life, not consume it.

If you hear yourself saying…
“Once I get through this next thing, things will get easier,”
that’s a red flag.

There will always be another project…
or challenge around the corner.

By setting up the right systems…
building a supportive team, and leveraging tools…
like super toolkits, you can achieve all your…
business goals in a way that doesn’t require…
endless hours of work.

You can work smarter, not harder…
and reclaim your time while still growing your business.

Take Control of Your Time

If you’re ready to take back control of your time…
and start working smarter, not harder…
I encourage you to check out my website…
and take the quiz to find out your productivity personality.

Whether you’re ready to hire a VA…
or just need help setting up better systems…
we can help you streamline your business…
and get the results you’re after.

Visit Free Gift from Kris to get started today.

Resources:

Podcast link: https://www.naturalborncoaches.com/podcasts/episode-875-kris-ward-how-to-reduce-your-workweek-by-25-hours/

Be my podcast guest: https://winthehourwintheday.com/podcast/

Be my podcast host: https://winthehourwintheday.com/podcast-guest-spot/