This year has stretched so many of us in ways we didn’t expect. Not because we’re doing it wrong, but because we’re doing it all.
I said to a team member recently, “I feel like I’ve been chasing my tail all year.” And that’s with the unwavering support of my husband, Jason, and a trusted network of people I can lean on without hesitation.
Which made me pause. If I’m feeling like this, what about the women I mentor?
Because even the most capable, driven business owners are carrying a lot right now.
It’s hard to go a day without being hit by something heavy – in the news, online, or even just in the inbox. It’s relentless out there. The emotional load, the financial pressure, the invisible expectations – they’re real.
And while I can offer space, empathy, and strategy, what I’ve realised over the past year is this:
I can’t help someone grow a thriving business if their well-being is quietly crumbling behind the scenes.
Over the last six months inside Elevate, I’ve had countless conversations that had nothing to do with pricing, positioning or visibility.
They were about:
- Relationship breakdowns
- Parenting through crisis
- Navigating illness
- Financial stress
- The exhaustion of caring for everyone else while keeping the business alive
These moments broke my heart and opened my eyes.
Because strategy means nothing if you can’t sleep. If your nervous system is fried. If you’re pushing through while silently falling apart.
In corporate life, there’s a structure for this. Employee Assistance Programs. Access to counselling. An HR department to call.
But in business?
You’re it.
You’re the safety net and the one walking the tightrope. And that’s not sustainable.
So, I decided to do something I’ve never done before.
With the help of the incredible Anastasia Massouras, CEO of Work Happy, I created a dedicated EAP – a confidential wellbeing support service for the women inside Elevate.
No gatekeepers.
No waitlists.
Just real, professional help when life gets hard.
There’s no financial gain in it for me. And that’s exactly the point.
This isn’t performative. This is leadership. This is about backing up what we say we stand for – with real, tangible action.
When I launched this at a recent Elevate Mastermind, someone said to me,
“I can’t believe you’ve done this. There’s nothing in it for you.”
But they’re wrong.
There’s everything in it for me.
Because I’m not here to build a business on burnout.
I’m here to build a legacy rooted in care, connection, and impact.
One where women don’t have to sacrifice their health or humanity for success.
If we want to grow something sustainable and meaningful, we have to stop separating well-being from achievement.
We have to hold both.
And whether you’re a business owner craving deeper support, or a corporate leader rethinking how you care for your people – I hope this message lands exactly where it needs to.
Because the status quo isn’t serving us.
And you, we, get to change that.
Janine x