I Had It All—Then I Lost Everything. Here’s What I Learned.

Success in business often comes with a sense of invincibility. When everything is going well—when revenue is growing, when your team is thriving, when your clients trust you—it is easy to believe that nothing could shake the foundation you have built.

That was my reality.

I had built a multi-million-dollar NDIS business from the ground up. I had a dedicated team who believed in our mission and worked tirelessly to provide the best possible support to our clients. We had earned the trust of the people we served, and the financial security I had worked so hard for gave me the freedom to reinvest in the business and create even more impact.

It was everything I had envisioned when I first started. Years of dedication, sacrifice, and long hours had paid off.

Until, one day, I had to make the hardest decision of my life.

Closing the Business and Walking Away

When my business faced challenges, I had a choice. I could fight to keep it going, regardless of the strain it was placing on me and my family, or I could put the needs of my clients first and ensure they received the continuity of care they deserved.

I chose them.

I made the gut-wrenching decision to close my business, handing over my entire team, my entire client list, and all of the intellectual property, processes, and procedures I had spent over five years perfecting.

I handed over everything—a multi-million dollar, fully established business—for free.

I walked away, knowing that by doing so, my clients would experience seamless care without disruption. Without my overheads locked in, it was the only way to ensure stability for them.

But that decision did not just affect my business. It turned my entire world upside down.

Closing my business did not just mean walking away from my professional achievements, it meant uprooting my entire life and my family’s future.

We had to sell our family home.
We sold our family car.
We packed up our lives and left behind everything familiar.

With my husband and our four children, including two kids living with Autism, we had no choice but to start over completely.

And in those moments, as I saw my family go through this massive upheaval, I felt an unbearable weight.

I felt like I had failed as a wife—because my decisions led to us losing our home.
I felt like I had failed as a mother—because I had disrupted the security and routine my children needed.
I felt like I had failed as an employer—because I could no longer provide for the team I had built.
I felt like I had failed as a business owner—because I had let my clients down.

The shame, the grief, the regret—it was overwhelming.

The Risks No One Talks About

When your business is growing, it is easy to assume that everything is secure. Revenue is flowing, the team is expanding, and the numbers all seem to be heading in the right direction. But growth without protection is a dangerous path.

Many business owners believe that if they simply focus on providing excellent service, success will be inevitable. The reality is that even the most successful businesses can fail if they are not structured to withstand challenges.

Looking back, I can see exactly where the vulnerabilities were in my business. These are the same risks I now warn other business owners about because I know firsthand the consequences of ignoring them.

The Three Hard Lessons I Learned

1. Financial Overcommitment and High Overheads

Revenue growth does not always equate to financial stability. My business was generating millions, but I had also taken on high overheads and financial commitments that were unsustainable when circumstances changed.

It is easy to justify expenses when business is booming. Investing in expansion, hiring more staff, and increasing operational costs all seem like necessary steps in a growing company. But when revenue suddenly tightens—whether due to external factors or unexpected disruptions—those expenses can become a significant liability.

The moment cash flow became restricted, my financial obligations became impossible to sustain. The pressure that followed was overwhelming, and without a strong financial buffer, I had no way to ride out the storm.

2. Prioritising Others Without Protecting Myself

I built my business with a strong commitment to serving others, my clients, my team, and my community. While that dedication was an essential part of our success, I failed to protect myself in the process.

I believed that if I took care of my team and my clients, everything else would take care of itself. But in business, there must be boundaries. Without proper legal protections, financial security, and safeguards in place, even the most well-intentioned business decisions can lead to personal and professional loss.

At the end of the day:

• No one was responsible for my financial security except me.

• My sacrifices did not provide me with protection when things went wrong.

• I was left with nothing, despite all I had given.

It was a painful but necessary lesson. Being generous and supportive is a strength, but without securing your own financial and legal standing, it can also become a liability.

3. Lack of a Crisis Plan or Exit Strategy

Perhaps the most damaging mistake I made was not having a clear contingency plan or an exit strategy.

Every business will face challenges. Whether it is regulatory changes, market shifts, economic downturns, or internal crises, the ability to pivot and adapt is crucial. I had not prepared for the possibility that my business could face an unexpected disruption.

Without a crisis plan, I had no way to navigate challenges strategically. Instead of adjusting, restructuring, or pivoting, my only option was to shut down completely. If I had a structured plan in place, I could have protected key elements of the business, secured my financial position, and continued operating in a different capacity.

The lessons I learned through this painful experience are exactly what I teach inside my Bestie in Business program.

I break down:

• Exactly where I went wrong so you don’t make the same mistakes.

• How I would do things differently if I were to start again today.

• How to build a profitable, scalable, and protected business that can withstand challenges.

Because knowing how to build a successful business is one thing. Knowing how to build a business that lasts is another.

If you want to build a profitable, protected, and scalable NDIS business, I can show you how to do it the right way.

The decisions you make today will determine whether your business thrives long term. If you are ready to build a business that not only succeeds but also withstands challenges, let’s talk. Because a year from now, your story could look very different.