A young person wear headphones and glasses sat being a computer with a look of shock on her face. Finding out how to Conquer the Hustle: Accountability for Service Businesses

Conquer the Hustle: Accountability for Businesses

Conquer the hustle in business.  Is it easier to blame others than take accountability for our own contributions and shortcomings? In service-based businesses, this tendency to point fingers can be especially damaging.

A Coach's Message: Failing to Acknowledge Accountability for Businesses

A coach posted “Can we as an online service industry stop expecting a VA to edit…, write…, handle events, design… and manage your diary and inbox, whilst being your sounding board?” Although the message highlights the important issues of burnout and exploitation, what also needs addressing is the individual service providers’s role in setting boundaries and managing client expectations.
 
Those who feel taken advantage of may need to reassess how they structure and represent their business offerings. While it may be upsetting to see and hear the experiences of others, those individuals have to take some accountability for their choices. One thing often conveyed through social media, is the failure to realise they have a business.

Conquer the Hustle: Setting Boundaries and Expectations

A business owner (or indeed anyone acquiring a service) will be looking for the best price. It is for the service provider to set the expectations and boundaries of what they can provide and for how much. The feelings of injustice should be shared with those who have failed to structure their business correctly. Maybe the question should be why do they continue to say yes?
 
Although one part of my double life for years had been in business support, when I decided to set up a business, I still felt I had to pay for a course on how to be a VA. My problem wasn’t that I didn’t know how to support others. This became obvious after working through the first module of the course.
 
The course provider’s marketing was on point, the modules were basic and wrong. With close to a hundred sign-ups, all were encouraged to create a portfolio and say yes to everything, even if there was a lack of experience or knowledge. After all, there are videos on the internet that you can binge-watch at x2 playback speed and get paid at the end for a job well done.

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"Hustle-Hard" Culture vs Ethical Conduct

Prevalent in many online communities, the ‘hustle-hard’ strategy, is detrimental to both the profession and the individual service provider. The mindset of saying ‘yes’ to everything, even tasks outside one’s expertise, with the hope of learning on the fly through online videos, is ultimately unsustainable and unethical.
 
Having a person present from comfortable surroundings, sharing their journey from “rags to riches” detracts from the unethical strategies at play. Business owners in a state of overwhelm require support and are met with an onslaught of people claiming to be all that they need and more. It continues a cycle of overpromising and underdelivering, eroding trust between clients and providers. Instead, embracing a values-driven approach that allows for clear boundaries, and ethical conduct over blind ambition is needed.

Empowerment vs. Accountability for Business

Steering away from false portrayals of ’empowerment’ that merely continue unsustainable practices is intentional at CAS Ltd. True empowerment comes from taking accountability for one’s choices, setting realistic expectations, and aligning one’s business with a solid ethical framework.
 
The HouseRules method guides service-based businesses to achieve this through the interconnected elements of well-defined policies and procedures, a nurturing internal community, and a true commitment to ethical excellence.

A VA's Perspective

In the case of a VA, having the ability to pause for thought and question, “If I take on that client for five hours a month but I have to learn the project management tool, manage the inbox and send invitations for the launch party whilst being the main contact for the suppliers. Is it achievable in an hour a week? And if it’s a matter of giving a grace period to get familiar with the systems, is there a timeline for a review?”
 
Experience is a great teacher and a business owner gets to decide what is beneficial to their business to trial. Offering a discount and being open with a client on not having in-depth knowledge will not only relieve the pressure of accelerated learning. It also builds a trusted relationship.

Replacing Hustle-Hard Culture with Ethical Conduct

Ditch the Hustle, Embrace Accountability

Are you tired of the “hustle-hard” culture and ready to build an accountable, ethical service-based business? You don’t have to go it alone. Work with The Ethical Strategist in a no-strings Humming Session to have your own sounding board as you start to  implement change in your business.

Realign Your Operations

In this consultation, The Ethical Strategist will guide you through realigning your operations with your core values. Together you’ll start to identify any disconnects between what you preach and practice, helping you tailor solutions to set clear boundaries and avoid scope creep.

Manage Expectations with Confidence

Too often, business owners get caught in unsustainable hustles – saying “yes” to everything, even tasks outside their expertise. The HouseRules method enables you to represent your capabilities transparently and manage client expectations confidently.

Stop the Cycle, Rebuild Trust

No more overpromising and underdelivering that erodes trust. Book your Humming Session today and learn how The Ethical Strategist can guide you to establish robust procedures and a thriving, unified internal community.

Start Your Transformation

Invest in this journey to build the value-driven, people-centric business you’ve envisioned. One Humming Session kicks off aligning your practices with principles.

Ready to get to work?

Time for Setting boundaries

Failure to say ‘no’ is not a sign of others taking advantage, but rather a symptom of a business lacking a clear structure and boundaries. At CAS Ltd, we partner with service-based businesses to establish robust HouseRules that foster confidence, clarity, and sustainable success.

Let's Talk HouseRules

When you’re ready to move beyond the hustle-hard mentality and build an ethical, value-driven business, you can book a complimentary Sip & Chat and discover how the HouseRules method can transform your operations.

Elevate Your Business with The Ethical Strategist

Are you ready to align your organisational practices with your core values and prioritise employee well-being? Connect with Cas Johnson, The Ethical Strategist, and secure your complimentary Sip & Chat session.

Together, we’ll explore how implementing HouseRules can transform your company into a model of integrity, interdependency, and people-centric success.

Cas Johnson The Ethical Strategist Ready to build a business with difference. Let's get your house in order.

Let's Connect

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