Let’s talk about that awkward, exhausting place where your business should feel sucessful, but instead, it feels like you’re drowning. You’ve got consistent leads. You regularly hit the revenue benchmarks.
Welcome to the Messy Middle.
It’s that frustrating not-quite-there stage where your business has outgrown its scrappy startup roots… but hasn’t yet graduated into smooth, scalable momentum. You’re stuck in the slog, and starting to wonder if this is just the way it’s going to be.
Spoiler alert: It’s not.
The Messy Middle is what happens when your business has technically “made it.” However, you’re still the glue holding everything together. And if you step away, even briefly, things fall apart.
This is NOT sustainable, and it’s a far cry from the dream of freedom you were after when you started your business….remember that?
What Is the Messy Middle?
You’ve got all the right pieces, but they’re not fitting together. This is the phase where many good business owners quietly stall out and give up.
The Messy Middle doesn’t look like failure, but it certainly feels like epic failure.
Over the last fifteen years of working with clients, I’ve consistently seen a very real stage full of growing pains that doesn’t get talked about nearly enough. It’s hard to pinpoint at times but when I started calling it “The Messy Middle” clients immediately know what I mean because…
The Messy Middle is what happens when your growth outpaces your infrastructure. It’s the in-between phase where your business isn’t brand new anymore. You’ve got traction, revenue, and maybe even a team. You’ve got consistent revenue, clients, and offers. But you don’t yet have the systems and structure to scale without stress.
You’re too big to wing it. But too swamped to stop and fix it.
You’re juggling:
- A team that can’t seem to take ownership the way you hoped.
- A to-do list that regenerates faster than you can check things off.
- Systems that feel more like suggestions.
- New offers that are gathering dust because you can’t find the time to get them out the door.
- A vision so clear in your head it almost hurts but it’s impossible to execute without you directing every single step.
And even though you’re checking boxes and “getting stuff done,” it never feels like enough. You’re still underwater, still reactive, still exhausted. And if we’re honest, you’ve likely reached the stage of wanting to burn it all down on a nearly daily basis because you’re sick and tired of feeling this way.
Here’s what the Messy Middle may look like in your business:
1. You’re the Bottleneck:
You’ve hired a team, but nothing gets done unless you’re involved. You’re still holding the vision, the plan, and all the decision-making weight. The team is there, but you’re still carrying the heavy lifting. You feel like you’re working harder than ever, but it’s just not clicking. And, if someone asks you one more question, you’re going to snap.
2. The Systems Aren’t Working:
You have some systems, but you know they’re not quite right. Your operations used to run smoothly, but now your processes feel like they were built for a different version of your business. But you don’t have the time or energy to fix them, so you keep going, patching things up with duct tape and toothpicks and hoping for the best.
3. Endless To-Do Lists:
Every day feels like a never-ending game of whack-a-mole. You’re constantly putting out fires, never able to get ahead. Your to-do list seems to get longer, not shorter. You feel like you’re moving in circles and you’re starting to ask yourself: “Am I the problem?”
4. Decision Fatigue:
The decisions are constant, heavier, and they’re wearing you down. You can’t tell if you’re overthinking everything or just drowning in too many choices. You’ve read the books, taken the courses, but you still find yourself making decisions based on gut feeling and not strategy.
5. Burnout Is Looming:
You’re tired. So tired. You don’t have the time or mental energy to build new systems, delegate more, or get a clearer strategy in place – even though you know you desperately need them all. You’ve got more data than ever before, but no clear direction. And let’s face it – the burnout is real, and it’s quickly coming for you.
6. You’re One Emergency From It All Falling Apart:
Whether it’s a website issue, a team member getting sick, or a project that falls through, you feel like you’re one emergency (big or small) from collapse. You find yourself obsessing about this ALL THE TIME, even when things are going right.
Sound familiar? Yeah, I thought so. This is the reality for so many entrepreneurs. You’ve got a solid offer and a growing business, but you’re stuck in the weeds, and you have no idea how to get out.
The Real Problem? Success Is Breaking Your Business
Nobody tells you this part: that you can do everything right and still end up stuck. That growing a business sometimes means growing the chaos – unless you intentionally rein it in.
And those new ideas? Those new offers? You know they ALWAYS end up being double the work you expect…but you dive into the tactics without the strategy anyway, because maybe this is the thing that will change it all.
This is all the behind-the-scenes drama no one wants to admit to when they share their shiny success stories.
Why You Stay Stuck in the Messy Middle
Founders like you don’t stay here because you’re lazy or uninformed. You stay stuck because:
- You’re *in it.* It’s hard to fix the engine while flying the plane.
- You think this is just the next level of success—it’s not.
- You’ve tried solving the wrong problems.
- You don’t have the space to think, let alone strategize.
You’re so stuck paying the chaos tax, you don’t have time to address the true, underlying issues.
But here’s what I want you to know:
You are not the problem. Your business just lacks the structure to match your vision, and we can fix that.
If you’re here, odds are you’re not a beginner. You’ve built something real. You’ve got proof of concept, a team (or at least a trusty VA), and a vision that’s bigger than your current bandwidth.
But somewhere between your business vision and your Monday morning to-do list… things got messy.
You probably fall into one or more of these categories…
🧠 The Visionary Without a Map
You’ve got big ideas, big goals, and no clue how to get there without burning out (again). You’re the creative spark — but someone else needs to handle the project plans, timelines, and tactical hell.
You need: A clear-eyed strategy that turns “I’ve been meaning to” into “holy crap, it’s done.”
🧱 The Overwhelmed Builder
You’ve got systems. You’ve got sales. You’ve even got a small team. But somehow you’re still the bottleneck, still buried in the weeds, and still wondering how this was supposed to be easier.
You need: Someone who can simplify the moving parts and create a sustainable path forward — one that doesn’t depend on you doing everything.
🪞 The Enthusiastic (But Disappointed) Team Builder in a Funk
You’ve hired smart people, so why does everything still land on your desk? Delegating is a mess, communication is clunky, and you’re one Slack ping away from screaming into the void.
You need: Someone to diagnose what’s actually broken (hint: it’s probably not your team) and help you lead with clarity.
⏳ The Stalled Owner
That course? That funnel? That dream offer? It’s 85% done and 100% not earning you anything. You’re too swamped to finish it, and too smart to pretend it’ll launch itself. Or even worse, once it is actually finished, you know you won’t have the time or resources to actually market it, so it’ll still keep collecting dust instead of making you money.
You need: A plan, and a partner, to get your half-finished brilliance over the finish line.
🔄 The Strategy-Burned Entrepreneur
You’ve invested thousands in coaches. You’ve tried the templates, the blueprints. You’ve downloaded the Notion dashboards. But none of it has actually solved the real problems behind the scenes.
You need: A grounded, strategic brain you can trust. Someone who won’t just hand you a to-do list, but help you figure out what really matters right now.
If you recognize yourself in any of these personas, it’s not because you’re bad at business. It’s because you’re trying to do it alone without the necessary tools.
The Real Cost of the Messy Middle:
Let’s be clear: staying in the Messy Middle is expensive—not just in money but also in time, energy, and peace of mind.
Here’s what it’s costing you:
- Time You Can’t Get Back: Every hour you spend putting out fires is an hour you’re not building the future of your business. You’re spending way too much time on things that don’t move the needle.
- Missed Opportunities: Every opportunity that passes you by because you don’t have the systems to capture it is lost revenue. You’re not just losing money, you’re losing momentum.
- Burned-Out Team: You’ve hired people, but you can’t let go of control. Your team could be incredible, but they’re not reaching their full potential because you’re still holding the reins too tightly.
- Revenue Stagnation: You’re stuck at a certain revenue level, and no matter how hard you work, the growth just isn’t there. This is the growth ceiling caused by poor systems, lack of direction, and you being too involved in the weeds.
How to Break Free From the Messy Middle
Getting out of this space requires more than mindset shifts or motivation. It requires new systems, new thinking, and a strategic partner who isn’t afraid to tell you the truth and help you implement change.
Let’s walk through the steps:
1. Acknowledge You’re Here
Stop gaslighting yourself. Yes, your business is “working,” but it’s also breaking. Naming (and accepting) the Messy Middle is the first step to getting out of it.
2. Bring in a Second Business Brain
You don’t need another productivity hack. You need an operational partner who understands your brain and translates your ideas into action. Someone who can build the engine while you fly the plane.
3. Use the Finish Line Formula
This isn’t just about fixing what’s broken. It’s about creating a streamlined, personalized roadmap to get unstuck, reclaim your role as a leader, and set your business up for scalable success.
- Prioritize the right project
- Clear the clutter from your system
- Identify what’s half-built but worth finishing
- Establish team accountability (without micromanaging)
5. Shift From Doer to Leader
It’s time to step out of every task and into every decision, from reactive to proactive, from default decision-maker to intentional CEO.
The Finish Line Formula in Action
I’ve used this approach with countless founders who felt just like you. Overwhelmed, underwater, and wondering if this was all there was.
Together with my various clients, we’ve regularly:
- Turned a scattered course into a profitable evergreen funnel.
- Rebuilt internal workflows to eliminate 80% of recurring fires.
- Aligned team roles so the founder could actually take a vacation.
- Launched long-stalled offers that had been “almost ready” for over a year.
How the Finish Line Formula Gets You Unstuck:
Enter the Finish Line Formula.
This is the framework that takes you from the chaos of the Messy Middle to a streamlined, efficient business that runs like a well-oiled machine. You don’t need more hustle or another program promising the “quick fix”. You don’t need another business coach.
You need a customized plan to execute.
This isn’t about more work; it’s about strategic execution that leads you to your goals.
The Finish Line Formula is a tailored, customized plan specific to your business that gives you the clarity and direction you need to break free from the Messy Middle.
Here’s how it works:
1. Pinpointing the Bottlenecks: We’ll help you identify where things are falling apart. Is it your systems? Your team? Your decision-making process? Whatever it is, we’ll get crystal clear on the real issue.
2. Streamlining Operations: Say goodbye to chaos and hello to efficiency. We’ll help you identify the systems and processes that will actually work for your growing business – and how you can create them.
3. Creating a Customized Execution Plan: You need a plan that’s specific to your business. Yes, customized and specific for YOUR business. A plan that takes into account your vision, your team, and the unique challenges you face. No more generic advice. This is your plan that helps you get things across the finish line.
4. Eliminating the Chaos Tax: The Chaos Tax is the mental and emotional cost of working in chaos. We’ll help you eliminate that by putting the right systems and structures in place so you can confidently lead your business.
It’s Time to Break Free From the Chaos of the Messy Middle
You didn’t build this business just to stay stuck in the messy middle.
You built it to lead. To grow. To create something sustainable and meaningful.
But that won’t happen if you keep putting out fires instead of building fireproof systems.
Business shouldn’t feel like a never-ending emergency.
You’re not broken. Your business is just under-structured.
Let’s change that.
Schedule a consultation to learn more about how we can use the Finish Line Formula to get you out of the Messy Middle and onto the path of intentional, aligned, scalable growth.
You’ve done the hard part. Let’s make it simpler from here.
