As business owners, we’re often very good at doing what’s expected of us.
Keeping others happy. Meeting obligations. Saying “Yes” when we should probably pause.
We often feel constrained in our decisions because we’re trying to satisfy everyone else – clients, staff, partners, even legacy expectations. Sound familiar?
But in doing this, somewhere along the line, what we actually want gets pushed aside. This is where a word that doesn’t come up enough in business comes in: bravery.
What it means to be brave in business
We have lots of conversations with business owners who feel stretched, tired or simply stuck doing what they think they should be doing. We’ve felt it ourselves at times.
It’s not unusual: the 2025 Small Business Perspectives survey found that 76% of owners reported stress or anxiety, with 57% experiencing burnout – pressures that can make it hard to see a way forward.
Being brave in business isn’t meant in a dramatic – being reckless – sense. It’s meant in more of a quiet, practical way that matters for business owners: being honest about what you really want and making decisions to support that.
It’s actually harder than it sounds, but it’s also where the biggest shifts start.
Business owners: what makes you happy?
Being brave and pushing through that stuck feeling in business starts with asking a simple question and answering it honestly: what makes you happy?
As a business owner (or even as an employee), you should take time to reflect on what genuinely makes you happy in your work – and then design more of your business (or career) around that.
Here are some prompts to get you started:
- What does your ideal day actually look like?
- What are you doing day to day?
- Who are you working with – your team, your clients, your suppliers, your referral partners? Do you enjoy those relationships?
- How many hours do you want to work each week?
- When do you want to retire, step back or transition out – and what does that look like for you and your business?
There’s no right answer. Some people want to work more because they love what they’re building and the people they work with. Others want more space and flexibility for their own life.
A recent Xero study found that 31% of small business owners started their business to prioritise lifestyle – was this something you wanted and have lost? Either way, both choices are valid.
Happiness is all about doing what you want, when you want. What matters is that your business supports your life and not the other way around.
Sure, it might sound idealistic – but why shouldn’t it be a goal? It’s not unrealistic.
Once you’re clear on what you want, write it down. Call them goals, targets or ideals – the label doesn’t matter. What matters is committing them to paper.
See also: Aligning business and personal goals for successFinding business clarity: the pre-strategy questions
Building your brave strategic plan
Once you have clarity on what you want, you can build a plan to support these outcomes.
That plan usually involves taking a hard look at:
- Your team structure
- Your client base
- Your suppliers and partners
- How you show up as a leader
- The hours you work and the boundaries you keep
This is where bravery comes in because real clarity leads to tough decisions. Being brave means having courage and being willing to make decisions that line up with what you really want – even when they’re uncomfortable.
That might mean changing the people you work with or for, adjusting the services you offer, or letting go of things that no longer serve you.
It also includes thinking long-term: which decisions today set up your business for the future you want? Who will step in when you retire? How will responsibilities shift so your business thrives without you?
Yes, it might mean awkward conversations, but making these decisions and stepping up is often the difference between a business that drains you and one that energises you.
See also: Strategic planning
Maxim value
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Step up – Take ownership and back yourself to grow and contribute
Set a schedule and stay accountable
Once you’ve built your brave plan, you need a plan of action.
Give yourself breathing space to review your plan and create a realistic schedule for when your desired changes will happen – and how. Being brave doesn’t just mean making decisions; it’s about following through.
Here are some ways to put this into practice:
- Break it into actionable steps
- If you’ve decided to adjust your client base, list exactly which clients you’ll focus on keeping, which you’ll renegotiate terms with, and which relationships you might step away from.
- If you want to reduce your hours, outline which tasks can be delegated, automated, or removed from your schedule.
- If retirement or succession is on your horizon, list which responsibilities need to be handed over, who is prepared to step up, and any training or mentoring required.
- Add deadlines and milestones
- Set realistic timeframes: for example, ‘By the end of this quarter, I’ll have restructured my service offerings’ or ‘Within the next month, I’ll hold one-on-one meetings with all team members to clarify roles.’
- Milestones help you track progress and celebrate small wins, keeping momentum going.
- Schedule regular check-ins
- Set weekly or bi-weekly reviews in your calendar to assess progress.
- Ask yourself: ‘Am I living according to what I said I wanted?’ ‘Are the tough decisions being actioned?’
- Get external accountability
- Bring in a mentor, business advisor or trusted colleague who can ask the hard questions and ensure your bravery doesn’t start to crack.
- Example: If you’re hesitant to have a difficult conversation with a supplier or client, role-play it with your mentor first and then schedule it.
- Keep it visible
- Write your brave plan on a whiteboard, sticky notes or in your digital workspace – somewhere you see it daily.
- Seeing your goals in front of you keeps them top-of-mind and makes them harder to ignore.
See also: Strategy: your responsibility and accountability action plan
Show business bravery to flip the switch
If you’re feeling stuck of unsatisfied in your business right now, being brave (or stepping up) is how you can flip the switch.
Importantly, bravery isn’t a one-off. It’s showing up for yourself and your business consistently, even when it’s uncomfortable.
These steps turn clarity into action, and action into results, moving your business from draining to energising, one brave decision at a time.
