You want to work less - but are you prepared to do the work first?

It’s an appealing idea: work less and earn more with a business that, thanks to AI and automation, practically runs itself. But are we being sold the perfect entrepreneurial lifestyle without being told what it takes to achieve it? Business coach Lindsey Burden believes it's time for some tough love about the reality of building a business.

During ONLE Central, our monthly education and discussion session, business coach Lindsey Burden challenged members to question the fashionable idea that running a successful business can somehow be made effortless.

There’s no shortage of people offering the low-effort, passive income, laptop lifestyle. And with AI and automation apparently making it easier than ever to run a business, it's a tempting proposition.

But Lindsey questioned what's missing from the sales pitch.

“Earning while you sleep while travelling the world: that laptop lifestyle stuff? That takes energy and commitment.”

Her point wasn't that these lifestyles are impossible. It's that the people successfully enjoying them have almost certainly already done the work required to make them possible.

Lindsey believes that beneath many of the reasons people start businesses lie two fundamental ambitions: time freedom and financial freedom. Time freedom is about flexibility, controlling your hours and creating space for life outside work. Financial freedom is about generating sufficient income and wealth to give yourself more choices.

Of course, most of us would quite like both. But the order in which we pursue them matters, because the two ambitions can demand very different approaches to running a business. “If you're going after time freedom, and you want to enjoy a bit more time freedom now, which, by the way, is not a problem, you can absolutely have it. Just be clear on the choice you’re making.”

In other words, there's nothing wrong with choosing to work three days a week, prioritising family life or deciding that a modest income is sufficient. But those choices may also limit how quickly a business grows and how much money it generates.

But what happens when we want the rewards of a financially successful business without being prepared to do the work required to build it? A business that eventually allows its owner to step back needs something to step back from: a proven offer satisfying a consistent customer demand, effective marketing and sales, and dependable processes that allow the work to happen without the owner's constant attention.

None of that happens overnight or without a considerable investment of time, effort, and trial and error. SOMEONE, at some point, has to build that business.

Lindsey questioned whether the constant promise of working smarter has sometimes become confused with the idea that successful business owners shouldn't have to work particularly hard.

“It's not a shortcut. It's not doing less. It's doing the right work for your business consistently.”

She talked about maintaining a pipeline, having conversations, following up with potential customers, reviewing finances, sending invoices and regularly assessing progress. They're the everyday activities that build the foundations of a sustainable business. Without those foundations, what exactly are we automating?

And while there's nothing wrong with prioritising time freedom now, Lindsey suggested that building financial freedom first can actually make greater time freedom possible later.

“I'd actually say go for financial freedom, because money gives you choices; it lets you outsource; it lets you hire.”

She was clear that this doesn't mean embracing hustle culture or sacrificing everything outside work. Nor was she suggesting that everyone needs to build a large business or become wealthy.

There's absolutely nothing wrong with choosing a modest income and more free time. But that's a different ambition from building a business that generates significant income while requiring very little of your attention.

And whichever path you choose, there are consequences. Taking more time away from the business today might mean slower growth tomorrow. Putting in more work now might create greater freedom in the future. Neither choice is wrong, but it's worth being clear about what you're working towards.

Which brings us back to Lindsey's central challenge: are you prepared to do the work required to build the business that gives you the freedom you want? Or are you hoping to enjoy that freedom before you've built the business capable of providing it?

What is ONLE Central?

This article is based on Lindsey Burden's member spotlight at ONLE Central – one of the monthly all-member events included in our membership.

It's one of nine optional member events available alongside our regional networking groups, giving members from across the UK, Ireland and the United States more opportunities to meet, learn from and build relationships with each other. Not an ONLE member yet?

Visit one of our regional meetings for just £5 using the code ONLEHELLO.
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