Entrepreneurs Reveal: Balancing Support Systems and Business Demands
Successful entrepreneurs have mastered the art of balancing their support systems with the demands of their businesses. This article shares valuable insights from industry experts on how to achieve this crucial equilibrium. From outsourcing tasks to creating boundaries, these strategies will help business owners optimize their time and energy for sustainable growth.
- Outsource Small Tasks for Mental Clarity
- Prioritize Support as Business Infrastructure
- Integrate Support into Daily Business Flow
- Plan Tomorrow Tonight for Better Balance
- Schedule Deep Work for Critical Tasks
- Immerse Yourself to Understand Every Role
- Blend Personal and Professional Support Systems
- Delegate Tasks and Protect Your Time
- Invest in Relationships While Delegating Work
- Hire an Assistant to Focus on Growth
- Train Others to Handle Your Tasks
- Document Solutions to Avoid Repetition
- Schedule Walking Calls with Mentors
- Batch Decision-Making in Structured Sessions
- Prioritize Weekends for Rest and Connections
- Create Boundaries Between Work and Home
Outsource Small Tasks for Mental Clarity
One of the biggest game-changers for me was realizing that it’s not just the big tasks that drain your time; it’s actually the constant context switching. I’m talking about things like ordering prescriptions, folding laundry, and picking up dog food. These tasks don’t take a ton of time, but they chip away at your focus and can make you feel way more scattered day-to-day.
I started outsourcing small personal tasks like sending my laundry out, getting groceries delivered, and scheduling recurring prescription drop-offs, and it has changed my ability to lead and focus. It’s a low cost, but the return is massive. I now have more mental clarity, fewer distractions, and more space to actually think, plus more time to spend with my family and friends and to take care of myself so I can sustain this level of work.
If you’re trying to protect your time, don’t just delegate inside the business. Start with the daily tasks that break your focus the most, and I’d guess you’ll see a huge impact.
Makena Finger Zannini
CEO, The Boutique COO
Prioritize Support as Business Infrastructure
Balancing a strong support system with the relentless demands of running my business hasn’t always been easy—it’s something I’ve had to learn (and relearn) at every new stage of growth. Early on, I made the mistake of thinking I had to do everything myself, which quickly led to burnout. The real breakthrough came when I started treating support—whether it’s family, mentors, childcare, or even a virtual assistant—as non-negotiable infrastructure, not a luxury.
I block time for my support system in the same way I block time for critical client work: on the calendar, not “if I get to it.” For me, that means pre-scheduling check-ins with my team, intentionally protecting family time, and outsourcing anything that doesn’t require my expertise. It’s about being proactive, not reactive.
One time management tip I always offer other entrepreneurs: Time-block the non-negotiables first—support, rest, and strategic thinking—before the flood of tasks fills up your day. If you don’t protect those blocks, no one else will, and the business (and your well-being) will eventually pay the price. Real growth happens when you build your business around your life, not the other way around.
Kristin Marquet
Founder & Creative Director, Marquet Media
Integrate Support into Daily Business Flow
People often imagine entrepreneurs as lone wolves, but in reality, if you’re doing it right, you’re constantly leaning on others: friends, mentors, peers, and even customers. The trick isn’t finding time *after* the work is done. It’s learning how to layer support into your daily flow, like adding rebar to concrete as you pour it.
Here’s what that looked like for me: I built check-ins into my schedule with a few trusted advisors and peers, not just when things went wrong, but as a routine part of the business. These weren’t formal meetings; sometimes it was a five-minute voice message while walking between meetings. But those short moments kept me grounded and gave me perspective. Without that structure, it’s easy to spin your wheels or make reactive choices. When you’re juggling 20 things at once, someone outside the mess can often see the problem faster than you can.
This all matters because life doesn’t pause just because your business is demanding. Your kid still needs dinner. Your body still needs sleep. Your friends stop calling if you always say you’re too busy. If you don’t build that support network early and manage your time with intention, burnout isn’t a matter of if, it’s when. And trust me, recovering from burnout takes longer than slowing down ever would have.
Don’t treat support and time management as “nice to have” extras. They are the business. Build them into your foundation, or the rest won’t stand for long.
Justin Abrams
Founder & CEO, Aryo Consulting Group
Plan Tomorrow Tonight for Better Balance
Balancing a support system with the demands of running a business wasn’t easy at first, but I learned that it starts with being intentional. I made it a priority to involve the people around me, whether it was a partner, a spouse, or a trusted teammate, and made sure they understood where I needed help. I stopped trying to do everything myself and focused on delegating tasks that didn’t require my direct involvement. I also automated whatever I could, especially the repetitive tasks, so I could focus on the work that actually moves the needle.
One time management habit that really helped me is planning my next day the night before. Every evening, I list my top 3 to 5 priorities for the following day. It gives me clarity and helps me hit the ground running. It also lets me communicate better with the people supporting me so they are not reacting, but are prepared. That one small habit made a huge difference in how I manage my time and maintain a sense of balance between work and life.
Luke Beerman
Owner, Freedom Fence FL
Schedule Deep Work for Critical Tasks
I invited three fellow startup founders to a monthly “Founders’ Huddle” over breakfast, where we each share a challenge and offer brutally honest feedback. When our biggest client requested a custom integration, their questions helped me scope the work realistically and say “yes” confidently instead of overcommitting.
My top time-management tip is to block two 90-minute “deep work” sessions each morning for the one big task that moves the needle—no Slack, no email. Treating those blocks as sacred has cut my weekly to-do list in half and ensures I finish critical tasks before lunch.
Jonathan Anderson
Co-Founder, Green Home Pest Control
Immerse Yourself to Understand Every Role
There isn’t much balance in the early stages of building a company. I’ve worked every job across the business; I’ve run routes, answered customer calls, and handled installations, because that was the only way to fully understand how each part actually works. When it came time to hire and build a support system, I knew exactly what each role needed to succeed.
It’s a heavy lift and not something you can sustain forever. But in the beginning, that kind of immersion is what gives you the insight and credibility to build a business that runs beyond you.
Alex Smereczniak
Co-Founder & CEO, Franzy
Blend Personal and Professional Support Systems
When I was diagnosed, I realized early on that support systems aren’t just emotional safety nets. They’re what keep you standing upright when things get difficult. My family and friends became my anchor, but Aura also gave me purpose each day. Balancing both came down to being very clear about my priorities. I knew I wanted to spend as much time as possible with my loved ones. I also knew I wanted Aura to succeed. So, I blended the two. My wife, my kids, and even close friends became part of Aura’s journey in different ways. They offered ideas, challenged my thinking, or simply sat with me during long nights of planning. Having that overlap made the lines between work and personal life softer, and it kept me motivated.
If I could offer one time management tip, it would be this: decide what you will not do. We always talk about what goes on the to-do list, but it’s what you take off that truly matters. I said no to tasks that didn’t need me, trusted my team with decisions, and protected my energy for things that had the greatest impact. That’s what kept me going, and it still does today.
Paul Jameson
Founder, Aura Funerals
Delegate Tasks and Protect Your Time
Running Achilles Roofing is a 24/7 responsibility. Calls don’t stop. Crews need direction. Homeowners want answers. At one point, I was handling everything—quotes, jobsite visits, payroll, even supply runs. It was burning me out, and worse, it was starting to affect my family and health. That’s when I realized something needed to change—or everything would fall apart.
I built my support system the same way I built my crew—by trusting the right people with the right jobs. I had to let go of the idea that I had to do everything myself. That mindset kills businesses.
I promoted one of my most dependable employees to manage site logistics. I trained my office assistant to handle client calls and billing. I hired a part-time bookkeeper so I wasn’t buried in receipts every Sunday night. That freed me up to focus on what only I can do: build relationships, close deals, and make the tough decisions.
My time management tip is simple: treat your time like your tools—don’t waste it, don’t loan it out, and don’t leave it lying around. I block out non-negotiable hours every week for strategy, family, and rest. I don’t touch my phone during that time unless it’s an emergency.
Most people burn out because they think being busy means they’re doing well. I learned that being in control of your time is the real measure of success. You can’t grow a business—or a life—if you’re buried in every detail.
So yes, build a team you trust, delegate as if your business depends on it (because it does), and guard your time like it’s money. That’s how I keep Achilles Roofing strong—and myself sane.
Ahmad Faiz
Owner, Achilles Roofing and Exteriors
Invest in Relationships While Delegating Work
It’s all about prioritizing relationships while delegating tasks. You should invest most of your time in building team trust and a network, even if things are very hectic. That support can become invaluable for sharing the load and gaining perspective.
Furthermore, you can use the time-blocking method. This means you can dedicate specific portions of your time to more focused work, meetings, and team building. Protect those blocks rigorously. It can help you stay productive without sacrificing important relationship-building moments.
Nir Appelton
CEO, The CEO Creative
Hire an Assistant to Focus on Growth
I once heard advice that became transformative for me: if you don’t have an assistant, you are the assistant. Ever since then, I have made sure to always have an assistant who supports all of my blind spots and allows me to allocate my time to focus on activities that help grow the business.
Marina Byezhanova
Co-Founder, Brand of a Leader
Train Others to Handle Your Tasks
I learned to delegate customer consultations to trained sales staff instead of handling every appointment myself. Initially, I thought customers only wanted to speak with the owner, but I was becoming a bottleneck. Training two team members to handle initial consultations freed up 15 hours per week for strategic planning and vendor relationships. My tip: identify tasks that you think only you can do, then systematically prove yourself wrong by training others. Your business grows when you stop being indispensable for daily operations.
Dan Grigin
Founder & General Manager, Elephant Floors
Document Solutions to Avoid Repetition
In the early days of DialMyCalls, balancing customer support with everything else felt overwhelming. We didn’t have a full team yet, but I knew support could not wait. One thing that helped was identifying the most frequently asked questions and building simple resources around them—such as message templates, delivery FAQs, and onboarding guides.
This freed up time to focus on product development and growth, while still providing customers with a reliable source of information when they needed help.
My most valuable time management tip is to avoid solving the same problem twice. If you answer a question once, document it or turn it into a resource. This habit compounds quickly and creates a support system that grows with your business instead of impeding its progress.
David Batchelor
Founder / President, DialMyCalls
Schedule Walking Calls with Mentors
When I hit a rough patch scaling our client roster last fall, I realized I had been squeezing in mentor check-ins between back-to-back Zoom calls—and they kept getting bumped. I switched instead to scheduling two weekly 30-minute “walking calls” with my former agency director on my favorite local trail. Those brisk, no-screen sessions became my lifeline: I would share wins and frustrations while we walked, then return to my home office recharged and grounded. Locking in that step-and-talk ritual kept me connected without derailing my packed calendar.
My top time-management tip: plan your day in reverse. Pick your non-negotiable wind-down ritual—mine is a nightly 10-minute reflection at 7 p.m.—and block backward from there to carve out real work segments. Knowing when your day must end forces you to prioritize fiercely and protect focus slots earlier on. That simple “schedule in reverse” trick helped me preserve both my evenings and those vital walking calls that sustain my support network.
Tony Ragan
President, Absolute Pest Management
Batch Decision-Making in Structured Sessions
The breakthrough for me was treating internal support decisions with the same urgency as customer deliverables. Most entrepreneurs will drop everything for a client call but let team collaboration issues fester for weeks.
At Bryt Software, I was constantly interrupted by people needing quick decisions or clarification on projects. Every interruption felt small, but they were killing my ability to think strategically. So I created what I call ‘decision sprints’. These are essentially structured weekly sessions where we batch all the choices that are normally scattered throughout the week.
Instead of five random interruptions about project direction, budget approvals, or process questions, we handle them all in one focused hour. My team gets faster answers because they’re not competing for my attention, and I get uninterrupted blocks to actually run the business.
Here’s my time management tip: batch your decision-making. Most entrepreneurs think they need to be available for every choice in real-time. But urgent decisions are rare. Important decisions benefit from focused attention.
When you stop treating every question like an emergency, you create space for the thinking that actually moves your business forward. Your team doesn’t need you to be responsive. They need you to be decisive.
Bob Schulte
Founder, BrytSoftware LLC
Prioritize Weekends for Rest and Connections
Even now, I am still working on figuring out how to manage my time as well as I can! However, something that has helped me has been trying my absolute hardest not to work or even think about my business on weekends. I have come to really prioritize my weekends and make the most out of them – connecting with my friends and family, doing the activities I enjoy, and resting when I need to. It has become super evident that following the weekends where I’ve made the most out of my time and stayed away from working, I am at my most productive at work.
Edward Tian
CEO, GPTZero
Create Boundaries Between Work and Home
One time management tip I would offer to other entrepreneurs is to try your best to actually stop working once the workday is done. It is so tempting as an entrepreneur to stay on your devices after hours and on weekends, responding to emails and getting things done even while you are at home. Speaking from personal experience, all this does is burn you out faster. When you can create firmer boundaries between work and home, that can actually help you manage your time better while at work because you’ll have more energy. It also allows you to focus on building your support system effectively.
Jeremy Yamaguchi
CEO, Cabana
