Not everyone started this year with "new year, new you" energy. If you're a woman entrepreneur navigating grief—from a loss, a diagnosis, a relationship, or a version of yourself you had to let go—you're probably wondering: can I grieve this AND still show up for my business? Can I hold both grief and growth while building a sustainable business?

In this replay of one of 2025's most downloaded episodes, I sit down with Amanda Guin, an emotional intelligence coach, traumatology expert, and widow who lost her infant daughter to a congenital heart condition, navigated endometriosis and infertility, and became a solo parent after her husband's suicide. We talk about why "coping" keeps women entrepreneurs stuck, what it means to explore healing instead, and how to hold the duality of grief and growth while creating a business that adapts to your capacity.

Inside this episode, you'll learn:

1. Why coping feels stagnant and what exploring your emotions looks like instead
2. How to hold duality: grieving AND showing up, struggling AND growing, loss AND joy
3. Amanda's APPLI framework for acknowledging where you are and choosing your next step
4. The difference between "big T" and "little T" trauma and why your body doesn't rank your pain
5. How to build a sustainable business rooted in empathy and emotional awareness while processing grief
6. Why there's no blueprint for grief—just your own process of healing to trust

This episode is for you if you're:

A woman entrepreneur is currently grieving while trying to run your business. You're feeling stuck in "coping mode" instead of actually healing and moving forward. You find yourself ranking your trauma or grief and not giving yourself permission to feel it fully. Or you're navigating loss, burnout, or a major life transition while managing chronic illness.

Connect with Amanda Guin: At growwithpurposecoach.com

Follow Business With Chronic Illness for weekly conversations on entrepreneurship, burnout recovery, and building a business with autoimmune conditions and chronic illness.

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This year, expect empowering conversations with business owners navigating chronic illness and autoimmune disorders. Learn from their experiences, strategies, and lessons, with a focus on sustainability and health. Episodes will feature guests discussing new diagnoses, caregiving, and adapting business practices. Join the community on Substack for exclusive content and stay connected. Tune in for inspiration, support, and practical advice on building a profitable business while prioritizing your health.

Takeaways:

1. Navigating chronic illness while building a business requires a unique approach that respects your body's needs.
2. This podcast emphasizes the importance of sharing real experiences of entrepreneurs with chronic illnesses.
3. Listeners can expect more diverse voices discussing the realities of business and caregiving in upcoming episodes.
4. Our conversations aim to empower those managing their health while creating successful businesses without burnout.
5. We're committed to fostering a community where chronic illness and entrepreneurship intersect positively.
6. The upcoming season will explore new diagnoses faced by entrepreneurs and how they adapt their business strategies.

Leave us a Review and share this episode with a friend.

Share Your QA's or Thoughts

Join The 5-Day Audio Series - Rooted Sales

Products We Love + Special Guest Gifts → Want to support the show and treat yourself? We’ve created a quick-access list of products I personally use and love, exclusive savings from podcast guests, and other gems that can help you live well and do business with chronic illness. Explore our faves + savings here!

Join our Community Channel on Substack, our Built to Breathe Community

Subscribe HERE to Chronically Profitable, A free, exclusive email series that shows you how to sell with self-trust, create content that converts, and use long-form strategies, especially podcasting, to attract dream clients consistently, even during the ups and downs of business and life. You'll learn how to build a rhythm that helps you sell even while you rest.

The journey of entrepreneurship can often feel at odds with the realities of living with chronic illness, particularly when it comes to the concept of capacity. In this episode, we tackle the often-misunderstood idea of capacity, shifting the narrative from a relentless push for more to a compassionate understanding of what we can realistically manage. Capacity isn't just about productivity; it's about how much our bodies and minds can handle at any given moment, especially when faced with the unpredictable nature of chronic health issues. We explore the three primary forms of capacity that influence our entrepreneurial experience: emotional, cognitive, and energetic. Emotional capacity is crucial for handling the stress of marketing and visibility, particularly for those of us who may struggle with the expectations of always being “on.” Cognitive capacity reflects our ability to think and make decisions, which can be severely impacted by the demands of content creation and the fast-paced nature of social media. Lastly, energetic capacity speaks to the physical and sensory energy we can muster, which is often the most variable due to chronic health conditions. This episode emphasizes the importance of creating business systems that align with our current capacity rather than pushing us to meet unrealistic expectations. By focusing on long-form content, such as podcasting, we can share our stories and connect with our audience without the stress of constant output. The key takeaway is that our capacity is not the enemy; instead, it’s our perceptions and business practices that need to adapt to honor our humanity. This understanding fosters a more sustainable approach to entrepreneurship, allowing us to thrive not despite our chronic illnesses but alongside them.

Takeaways:

1. Understanding capacity in business is not about doing more, but about what your nervous system can handle.
2. Marketing strategies need to reflect the reality of fluctuating capacities, especially for those with chronic illnesses.
3. Creating a business model that honors your humanity can lead to sustainable success without burnout.
4. Podcasting serves as a capacity-aware marketing tool, reducing stress while allowing for authentic connection.

Here's how to connect with Nikita, your host:

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→ Grab Your Free 5-Day Private Podcast Series to Help You Make Sales with Ease with Long-Form Content and Nervous-System-Friendly Marketing Strategies for Women with Chronic Illness & Burnt-Out Entrepreneurs.

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