I finally stopped doing the work — here's what happened.
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For the longest time, I knew I needed to get out of the daily grind of client work. I’d tell myself, “Yeah, yeah, I get it. Work on the business, not in the business.” I’d heard it a million times. I’d even said it a million times (as you all know). But here’s the thing... Knowing it and actually doing it are two very different things. I finally made the jump last September. I fully removed myself from the day-to-day operations of my agency. No more client Slack pings, no more diving deep into reports, no more last-minute fires to put out. And almost immediately, something wild happened: A whole different set of thoughts, ideas, and opportunities opened up. I had space—space to think, space to plan, space to actually make bigger moves. I know I harp on this a lot, but today I wanted to give you some practical examples of the types of things that I've been able to focus on since removing myself from the day-to-day work. I'm doing this because I feel like examples are always super helpful and can help crystallize things in a new way for you. Maybe it'll spark the aha moment you need to finally make the switch. So here's what I'v been able to accomplish: I Prepped for Podcasts and Conferences (Finally) I’ve been invited onto so many podcasts since launching Paperboy. I turned down every single one. Not because I didn’t want to do them. But because I wasn’t ready. I hadn’t thought deeply about my messaging. I hadn’t sharpened my talking points. And honestly? I just didn’t have time to sit down and prepare. Fast forward to today, and now I’ve got:
For the first time in two years, I feel ready to step into the public eye and push Paperboy forward. That alone is going to be a game-changer. ​ I Started Mapping Out Entirely New Services I finally had time to zoom out and ask: What else should Paperboy be offering? Not just random ideas—but actual, strategic expansion. I mapped out how we could add:
I’m not saying we’ll do all (or any) of these. But now, I have the numbers, the roadmap, and the high-level vision to make an informed decision. Instead of being reactive, I’m thinking strategically about how to grow in a way that makes sense. ​ I’m Building a Course Not everyone is ready for the full Paperboy service. Some people just need to learn how to do what we do. So, I started putting together a course—everything we’ve learned about launching, growing, and monetizing a newsletter. This isn’t just another info product. It’s a way to:
Again, would I have ever had time for this if I was knee-deep in client reports? No shot. ​ I Built Three Pieces of Proprietary Software This one fires me up. I put together three internal tools that are going to make Paperboy way more efficient and effective:
We’re not just an agency—we’re a systems business. These tools are part of how we make that a reality. ​ The Biggest Shift? I’m energized again. For the first time in a long time, I wake up fired up to work—not because I have to check client messages, but because I’m actually moving the business forward. It’s easy to get stuck in the weeds. To convince yourself that you have to be the one checking every report, answering every email, and handling every client request. But the second you step back? You realize you should’ve done it way sooner. So if you’re still grinding day-to-day, ask yourself: What’s one thing I could delegate today that would free up my mind tomorrow? Because once you make that jump, everything changes. Hopefully this was helpful, as always, hit reply and let me know. — Shane |