139. Design a Business That Serves Your Life — with Mike Michalowicz.

Ever build a business to buy your freedom, only to feel like it’s stealing it? We sat down with Mike Michalowicz—author of Profit First, Clockwork, The Pumpkin Plan, and The Money Habit—to break the cycle of entrepreneurial poverty and design companies that give time, profit, and purpose back to their owners. Mike shares the core behavioral shift that changed over a million businesses worldwide: move profit to the front. By allocating a percentage of every deposit to profit and protecting it, you force clarity on pricing, margins, and waste while creating a calm, focused operator that your clients actually prefer.

We also dig into the growth myth that complexity drives revenue. Mike shows how reducing variability—fewer offers, cleaner processes, standardized delivery—scales faster than adding yet another service. Real stories from the field reveal how “simplicity scales, complexity fails” turns into faster estimates, smoother operations, and a brand people remember. Then we step into personal finance with The Money Habit, Mike’s new system that adapts the Profit First mindset to salary-based households. You’ll learn how to use seasonality to attack debt, fund big goals, and activate purposeful spending, plus one powerful tactic: funnel every subscription onto a single card to expose and tame the hidden drip.

The through line is purpose. External success doesn’t equal internal success, and Mike’s reminder from Howard Thurman lands hard: don’t ask what the world needs; ask what makes you come alive. Start small and act now—set up that profit account, cancel a subscription, delegate one task, or name the work that lights you up. If this conversation helps you design smarter and live freer, follow the show, share it with a friend who needs margin, and leave a quick review so more owners can find it.

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