“After 25 years of building a firm, I know how it feels to want to just go mow grass for a living. I actually said that out loud on a podcast one time. 25 years of building a firm teaches you a lot about yourself. More than anything, it teaches you about your breaking points.
My breaking points came many years ago. I was underwater—debt was piling up, tax issues mounting, and my personal relationships strained under the weight of the business failures. It was then that Julie joined as my partner, stepping onto what appeared to be a sinking ship. She’s like that – she’ll just dive into things she believes in.
And how did I welcome her? By declaring on a podcast, “I’m done. I just want to mow grass for a living.”
She heard it before I even told her, and the conversation that followed changed everything.
“What do you actually want?” she asked. It was a simple question but a very complicated answer (at least for me). I wanted the rewards of saying I was growing a successful firm without confronting my own fears, limitations, addictions to what I called “entrepreneurial freedom,” and the ability to “do whatever I wanted to do”. I wanted growth without growing pains. I wanted to be a visionary without doing the hard work of maturing as a leader.
The “mow grass” fantasy wasn’t really about lawn care of course. It represented a search for an escape from complexity for me (probably your “go mow grass” fantasy means something else to you).
The Journey Back
What followed wasn’t a quick turnaround story. It was a multi-year journey of facing uncomfortable truths and trying to grow up as a Founder/owner:
- Getting professional help to address patterns that were sabotaging my success
- Cutting my own salary while I dug us out of debt
- Learning that I couldn’t have everything I wanted
- Discovering what it truly means to lead a scaling service organization
I did have a lot of growing up to do, just like many entrepreneurs do. I guess I had to hit close to the bottom to really start to try to change.
My breakthrough came gradually, not in a single moment of triumph. It happened through small, consistent choices. I had to have difficult conversations, process changes, and develop our own well known time blocking methodology that we still use to this day. By showing up day after day, I gradually gained control over the chaos of growth and started to win and feel in control of the chaos that comes with growth. Maybe you feel like growth brings chaos you can’t control?
Today, our firm looks nothing like it did during those challenging times. The debt is gone. The relationships are healing. The team is thriving. It ain’t perfect but it’s something we can manage with really hard consistent work. And our work is very fruitful, so I lean into it now.
But here’s what 25 years has really taught me: the moments when you most want to escape are often signaling something even more important.
My desire to mow grass wasn’t really about lawn care. It was about:
- Craving tangible results when everything felt uncertain
- Seeking simplicity when complexity overwhelmed me (and our businesses)
- Wanting control in a business that was growing, but chaotic
Understanding this has changed how I approach difficult seasons. Now when the “mow grass” feeling emerges, I recognize it as a signal to stop and try to figure out why I feel that way (journaling works for me). I can lean in now to my work even when it feels overwhelming because I have practice with learning what that feeling means and how to take it under control.
A Note to Fellow Firm Builders
If you’re in your own “I just want to mow grass” phase, know this:
- You’re not alone. Every firm builder I respect has hit similar lawns.
- This moment doesn’t define you—how you respond to it does. We all have seasons.
- Find a community or someone you can trust to stand with you in those hard times.
After 25 years, I can tell you with certainty: That work is worth it, and the struggles are temporary. Even now in a season in our world where the economic and political turmoil feels heavy, I can say that it’s just a season too. The view from the other side of the yard is better than any perfectly mowed lawn I’ve been on.
Want to see how others have managed this? Watch what Barrett Young, CPA says about these journeys in his own life and make sure you come to our RISE event to get your own firm growth journeys nailed down and pointed in the right direction.”
What’s next for you? Join our community and share your inspiration with other like-minded firm entrepreneurs.