#377 Better Body, Bigger Business, Bigger Bank Account

If you are a mom running a firm, building a career, or growing a business, chances are you are very good at taking care of everyone else. Your clients are supported. Your team is guided. Your family is fed, scheduled, and loved. And somewhere in all of that, you come last.

This is exactly why the conversation in this episode of The CPA MOMS Podcast matters so much. Nicole sat down with entrepreneur and investor Del Lewis to talk about self-care, hustle culture, and a simple but powerful reframe that so many business owners need to hear. Taking care of yourself is not a reward for when everything else is done. It is part of your job.

Why Hustle Culture Feels So Hard to Let Go Of

Many CPA moms come from corporate environments where long hours, constant availability, and pushing through exhaustion were normalized. Even when you leave that environment to start your own firm, the mindset often comes with you.

Hustle culture tells us that working longer equals working better. It tells us that rest is laziness and that slowing down means falling behind. Del shared how deeply ingrained this thinking is in our culture, especially in entrepreneurship, where overwork is often glamorized.

The problem is that hustle culture only looks at one area of success. It focuses on output and ignores the cost. Over time, that cost shows up as burnout, health issues, strained relationships, and a business that feels heavier instead of more freeing.

The Hidden Cost of Ignoring Your Health

One of the most important points Del made is that the early warning signs of burnout are often subtle. You might still be getting things done, but not at the level you are capable of. You feel less sharp in meetings. Decisions take longer. Creativity feels harder to access.

When your energy is depleted, everything else becomes harder than it needs to be. That affects your firm, your finances, and your family, even if you cannot immediately see the connection.

Del shared from personal experience that there were times when he believed he was taking care of himself, only to realize later that his body was clearly telling him otherwise. Ignoring those signals does not make them go away. It just delays the consequences.

Treating Your Health Like a Business Responsibility

The most powerful reframe from this conversation is simple. Your health is part of your job as a business owner.

When Del began treating his fitness, rest, and energy as professional responsibilities, everything changed. He became more focused, more creative, and more effective in less time. His business improved not because he worked more, but because he showed up better.

This does not mean following someone else’s routine or forcing yourself into a rigid schedule that does not fit your life. It means listening to your body and giving yourself permission to respond to what you actually need. Sometimes that looks like movement. Sometimes it looks like rest. Sometimes it looks like stepping away instead of pushing through.

How This Impacts Your Family Too

For CPA moms, this conversation is not just about business. It is also about the example you are setting at home.

When you take care of your body and your energy, you are showing your children what it looks like to value long-term health instead of short-term productivity. You are also giving yourself the ability to be more present, more patient, and more available for the moments that matter.

Del pointed out something that often gets overlooked. When you are operating at your best, you get more done in less time. That creates space. And space is what allows you to enjoy your family without feeling constantly pulled back to work.

Small Shifts That Compound Over Time

One reason self-care is so easy to skip is that it does not offer immediate results. There is no instant payoff. But as Del explained, the impact compounds over time, just like financial investments.

The invitation he offered was simple. Choose one small, fitness-related shift. One thing you will start, stop, or change. Not someday, but tomorrow. Over time, those small shifts add up to more energy, more clarity, and a business that feels sustainable instead of draining.

You do not need to overhaul your life. You just need to stop treating yourself as optional.

Building a Business That Supports Your Life

Most entrepreneurs do not start businesses just to work more. They start them to create lives that fit their values, priorities, and families. Somewhere along the way, it is easy to forget that.

This episode is a reminder that success is not about sacrificing yourself for your business. It is about building a business that supports you, your health, and the life you actually want to live.

If you are ready to stop running on empty and start building a firm that supports your whole life, not just your work, join the CPA MOMS community at https://cpamoms.com/start. You do not have to figure this out alone.

Del Lewis is an entrepreneur, investor, and business builder focused on helping founders create sustainable, profitable companies—without sacrificing their health or lives in the process. He is the founder of TriClare Business Holdings, Inc., where he partners with entrepreneurs to build strong business systems through operational support, corporate finance, and strategic capital.

Del has built and supported businesses across multiple industries including maritime, food service, health and nutrition, and entrepreneurial services. A graduate of the United States Merchant Marine Academy (Kings Point), he holds a U.S. Coast Guard Merchant Mariner’s license and previously served as a Lieutenant Commander in the U.S. Naval Reserve. He currently serves on several for-profit and nonprofit boards.

You can also find more of Del’s work and insights on building a business that fits your ideal lifestyle on his YouTube channel at https://www.youtube.com/@4DelLewis