My New “Lifethrival” Business Model

Lexi D'Angelo

WRITER

CATEGORY

Once upon a time, I got off on 16-hour days.

I absolutely loved living and breathing entrepreneurship and the grind. It was exhilarating and I couldn’t wait to learn more strategies, tactics, coaching tools, etc. Staying up until 2 am working on my website and waking up at the crack of dawn to write to my newsletter list was wildly fulfilling. I felt like I was part of a whole new world of open-minded, conscious kittens who were vibing on the same wavelength—this was refreshing AF coming from a crew who were climbing the corporate ladder and living for the weekends.

In my mind, I was living life to the fullest every day. Weekends were cool, but I couldn’t wait til Monday rolled around to work on my dreams. And it wasn’t all work. It was spending 3 hours doing my latest morning routine. It was being able to go to a CrossFit workout midday. It was regularly flying to sexy destinations around the world to meet up with other coaches for masterminds. It was going out to fancy dinners in Boston with Jake. That was freedom and luxury to me.

I feel nostalgic thinking back on it. There was a wild hunger and insatiable enthusiasm. The possibilities felt limitless.

The coaching world appeared to be a unicorn amidst a herd of dull donkeys.

Even amidst the ups and downs of entrepreneurship (and oh there were many), I still felt like the coaching industry was the coolest thing out there.

 

But something changed when I got pregnant.

Or maybe it changed a bit before.

The industry with its glitz and glam felt more like games and gimmicks. The industry that once sparkled started to show its darker, messier underbelly, leaving me questioning my place within it.

After my daughter Aisy was born, I entered a new rhythm. The predictable patterns of my previous life were gone. My once well-oiled business felt clunky and worn down. My work projects often had to pause because life happened. It honestly felt like such an inconvenience at the time, but I now realize it was a plea for things to change and adapt to my new life. But I was hesitant and kept dragging my feet.

 

Then a health scare at the beginning of this year shook me to my core.

It prompted me to reassess everything, revealing that my claimed “priorities” were not mirrored in my calendar or how I spent my energy. I knew a drastic shift was needed. I took the difficult step of closing Tabwoo Institute, which hurt deeply, especially my ego.

It highlighted how intertwined my identity and self-worth were with my success.

I found myself asking, “Who am I without it?”

But through this ego-shattering process, I had a soul rebirth and reconnected with my true self.

I contemplated stepping away from business entirely, focusing solely on motherhood, which is undoubtedly the most challenging and rewarding role I know. But the creatrix in me yearned to create and share. I realized I had to carve out a unique path; I needed to focus on what was true for me now, without being pigeonholed into a specific niche or business model, like the “experts” tell you you must do.

I didn’t only want to share about business. Or relationships. Or parenting. If I was living it, I wanted to be sharing it.

 

I decided I would be my niche.

Me. My life. What’s true for me in the present moment.

I refused to be tied down by programs that had no end date in sight or required me to show up at a certain time on a consistent basis. In fact, I realized that this season, I want to spend most of my “work” time CREATING. Not coaching. Not building a team. Not on the backend creating wild systems. My magic is in my creativity. It always has been. That’s where I light up. And so I decided that my business would be based around that. But really, my business would really be based around my LIFE.

 

That’s when I declared I’m creating a Lifethrival Business.

One that supports me in my highest expression and makes sure my top priorities are reflected in my calendar.

No more 16-hour workdays, but maybe 16-hour work weeks, ensuring my priorities are given their rightful place.

Currently, my day-to-day involves creating content, enjoying precious moments with Aisy, making our home our oasis, and indulging in self-care.

In case you’re curious about the details, here’s what today and yesterday have looked like…

 

Yesterday

  • The day kicked off with a playful morning with Aisy in her brand new ball pit, coupled with refreshing “green drinks”.
  • I then dove into a 2-hour creative spree writing epic content for a new program (coming SO soon!)
  • Dropped Kado off for chemotherapy
  • A slight domestic detour took place and I found myself googling how to remove pet stains from a sisal rug and attempted the baking soda method…jury is still out to see if this is successful or not!
  • The day moved forward with a Railway Trail walk and a soothing dip in the ocean (oh-my-gosh, the water was dreamy!)
  • After my swim, I picked Kado up from chemo then scooped Jake from work a little early for some quality snuggle time before diving back into another hour of creative work
  • Then I made some dinner and Aisy and I ate together while Jake was on a coaching call
  • Aisy and I went outside for a bubble-blowing session
  • Then Jake tucked Aisy in while I dove into another hour of work.
  • We finished the night with Jake and I spending some relaxing time together before hitting the sack.

 

Today

  • Jake gave me some extra shut-eye this morning and then all three of us opened up some packages and tidied the house.
  • The family outing of the day was Aisy’s final dance class of the term followed by a visit to our favorite bakery and cafĂ©, Tuck Shop. We treated ourselves to matcha and a scrumptious slice of gluten-free, vegan lemon blueberry pound cake.
  • We took a stroll around the beautiful Riddell’s Bay and ventured into the “fairylands” there.
  • Currently, I’m here typing this out after half an hour, with another 30 minutes to go before Jake and I do a quick workout and take a refreshing dip in the ocean.
  • Later, I have an acupuncture session scheduled, a call with my coach, and then it’s dinner and family hang-out time!

 

My Lifethrival Business Model isn’t fixed, but I’m shaping it around a few guidelines:

  • 4-hour workdays
  • Daily activities with Aisy
  • Daily time for movement and nature
  • A small team (it’s just me right now, but I might want some backend support later on)
  • A simplified backend—I just switched from ActiveCampaign to Flodesk for my email system. Holy wow, the things we did on the AC backend inside of Tabwoo Institute were nothing short of rocket science. And now Flodesk is basic as basic can be, but it’s refreshing!
  • Written word as my primary medium—I might add a bonus Telegram group to share some juicy audios, but I won’t be doing live calls
  • No Facebook groups or communities that need constant nurturing—I’m focused on my real-life community
  • Using social media as a playground for creativity, not a sales driver—I love to create graphics and it’s fun for me to share stories. But I don’t want to rely on this as the place I need to be in order to have a successful business.
  • Possibly focusing on my email list as THE place to connect, share deep dives, and invite people to join my current offerings
  • Toying with the idea of ads (I don’t currently run them), but only if they blend seamlessly into a straightforward system

 

Now, this isn’t set in stone, I’ll be playing with and refining it along the way! Would this be something you want me to keep you in the loop about? Send me a DM over on Instagram letting me know what’s turning you on from what I’m sharing and what you’re desiring inside of your life and business right now!

Seriously, DM me and let me know—I love hearing from you!

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Lexi D'Angelo

Love + Spice,

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