What happens to your business when life forces you to stop? In today’s episode, I’m reflecting on what it was like to move through grief this year in one of the hardest years of my life. Plus, the perspective I gained on my life and business now that 2025 comes to a close.
Clocking In with Haylee Gaffin is produced by Gaffin Creative, a podcast production company for creative entrepreneurs. Learn more about our services at Gaffincreative.com, plus you’ll also find resources, show notes, and more for the Clocking In Podcast.
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Grief Doesn’t Care About Your Calendar — And What That Taught Me About Building a Business That Holds
Putting this year into words has been… a lot. 2025 was the hardest year of my life personally—and somehow, the best for my business. I’m finally ready to take down the wall I usually keep up between my personal life and the podcast mic.
This is the most vulnerable I’ve ever been in an episode, but it feels important to share. Because life doesn’t wait for us to be ready. Neither does grief. And if you’re building a business—or running one solo—you already know how deeply personal and professional can become entwined.
Losing Two Grandparents in Four Months
It started at the end of 2024. My Papaw, my mom’s father, went into the hospital right after I returned from a work trip. I didn’t know it then, but I was about to enter one of the most emotionally challenging seasons of my life.
He spent the last three months of his life in and out of the hospital and rehab. And every single day, I was there. I’d grab a caramel brulee latte for me and a caramel apple spice for my Mimi, and we’d sit by his side.
When he passed in February, I had already been grieving for months.
Then in June—right in the middle of my annual retreat, the one I spend all year planning—I got the call about my Mamaw. My dad’s mom. She had been struggling with dementia for years, but this was different. I left the retreat to say goodbye. A week later, she passed.
I didn’t know it was possible to hold such deep gratitude and such deep grief at the same time. But here I was. Doing both. Feeling broken, but also… strangely clear.
When You’re the Business, What Happens When You Break?
As business owners, we don’t talk enough about what happens when life happens. There’s no emergency backup team. No “out of office” that truly captures the depth of what you’re experiencing.
I remember thinking, if I stop showing up, everything stops.
That’s the pressure of solopreneurship. And it’s also the danger.
But this year, I experienced something different. I did step away. I did break down. And my business didn’t crumble. That wasn’t luck. It was the result of years of building support systems, both human and operational.
Community is a Business Strategy
This year, I worked with around 20 clients. And when I told them what was happening, every single one of them offered grace. They didn’t just give me space—they asked how they could help. How they could shift deliverables, who they could talk to on my team, what they could take off my plate.
That support was a mirror. A reflection of the kind of business I’ve intentionally built.
And my team? They carried things behind the scenes so I could rest, cry, and come back when I was ready. That’s what sustainability really looks like. Not automation. Not batching. People.
We often say “build a business that works while you sleep.” But maybe we should be saying: build a business that works while you grieve.
Redefining Success—For Real This Time
In past years, I measured success by output. How many clients we booked. How much we launched. How consistent I was. This year? I basically took the first two months off.
And yet… 2025 was my best year in business.
It wasn’t hustle. It was clarity.
It wasn’t grinding. It was support.
It wasn’t pushing through. It was pausing when I needed to, and knowing the foundation I’d built could hold me.
That clarity came from loss. From quiet. From being reminded—painfully—of what really matters.
Why I’m Sharing This
I’ve always tried to show up with intention. I share enough to connect, but I’ve kept that small wall between my personal life and this mic. Until now.
Because if you’re walking through something—grief, burnout, overwhelm—you need to hear this:
You don’t have to be strong all the time to build something strong.
You can be a leader and still be a human.
You can grieve and still grow.
And if this year stretched you, it doesn’t mean you broke. It means you grew deeper roots.
What This Means For You
If you’re still solo in your business, consider this your invitation to start building support now—before you need it. Whether that’s a virtual assistant, a trusted contractor, a systems strategist, or simply a network of business besties who get it.
Build slowly. Build with intention. And build with the understanding that you are not a machine.
You are a person.
And you deserve a business that holds space for your life, not just your work.
Find It Quickly:
When everything around me stopped (1:15)
Getting the call during Mic Check Retreat (4:45)
Grief doesn’t care about your calendar (6:05)
Building a business that can hold you (7:27)
Perspective from the hardest year of my life (9:48)
Mentioned in this Episode:
Episode 151 Dropping Everything & Finding My Why: gaffincreative.com/151-dropping-everything-finding-my-why
