Stop Winging It! How to Build a Business That Scales (and Why Your Gut is Still a Terrible Business Plan)

Sheila Bell. Damn Yankee, serial entrepreneur, and owner of a gym that went from 81 members to 455. In six years. Part-time. Oh, and she's a top-producing real estate agent too.

We love stories like this, don't we? We see the results, the growth, the sheer force of will, and we think, "Wow, she's got it all figured out."

But here’s the thing: Sheila didn't have it all figured out. She was winging it. Riding on gut feeling, sheer determination, and a healthy dose of "I'll figure it out."

Sound familiar?

We all do it. We think our passion, our work ethic, our "intuition" will be enough. We ignore the fundamentals, the boring stuff, the systems that actually scale.

Sheila, despite her incredible success, was running her businesses like a collection of hobbies. Reacting instead of planning. Juggling instead of delegating. She was trapped in the "lone wolf" myth, the idea that she had to do it all herself.

Why do we cling to this myth? Why do we resist building systems, asking for help, admitting we don't know everything?

Because it's easier. Because it feels more "authentic." Because we're afraid of losing control.

But here's the truth: control is an illusion.

You can't control everything. You can't be everywhere at once. And you certainly can't scale a business on sheer willpower alone.

Sheila's story is a reminder that even the most driven entrepreneurs can get lost. But it's also a reminder that we can always find our way back.

She started by asking the right questions. What are my sales numbers? What does each membership mean? How can I create systems that allow me to step back?

She stopped relying on her gut and started relying on data. She stopped being a lone wolf and started building a team.

And here's the kicker: she realized her "anchor goal" wasn't just about owning a gym. It was about owning it outright, building something that could run itself, something that could give her the freedom to live the life she wanted.

But here's the kicker, part two: it's not just about the systems. It's about the community.

We talked about the illusion of the big, empty gym. How a smaller space, packed with people, creates a sense of belonging, a feeling of "I want to be a part of that."

It's the Chick-fil-A effect. The line around the building, the sense of "I'm missing out."

It's not just about the product. It's about the experience. It's about the community.

And that's what Sheila is building. A community of people who are invested in their health, who support each other, who feel like they belong. Not just a place to burn calories, but a space where they contribute and are valued.

We started digging into the numbers. We set goals. We created competitions for the staff. We focused on clarity and consistency.

And we started to document everything. Even the seemingly simple things, like how to give a tour of the gym.

Why? Because systems are the scaffolding of scale. They're the foundation upon which you build something that can outlast you.

Sheila realized that her "anchor goal" wasn't just about owning a gym. It was about building a business that could run itself, a business that could give her the freedom to live the life she wanted.

So, what about you? Are you building systems that scale? Are you creating a community that people want to be a part of?

Or are you still relying on gut feeling, hoping that sheer willpower will be enough?

It's time to stop chasing the illusion of effortless success. It's time to build something real. It's time to create a community that thrives.

Because the work, in the end, is about more than just profit. It's about purpose. It's about making a difference.

And who knows? Maybe, just maybe, you'll find that the "effortless success" you were chasing was always there, hidden in the systems, the community, the relentless pursuit of purpose.

Keep well and keep moving forward. And build a community worth belonging to.

Spencer Combs

About Spencer Combs:

Spencer Combs is a business leader and author of Momentum and Mastery: The Business Leader's Guide to Fastrack Unshakeable Profit, Productivity, and Purpose. With a passion for helping others transform their challenges into opportunities, Spencer offers unique insights through his events, coaching programs, and daily text messages.

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