Why would anyone ever decide to cut their revenue in half? Is it possible to do so while actually INCREASING your profit margins and free time? I take a deep dive into answering this in this video.

My most “successful” year was actually 2020. I made $61,861 (by the way that is over double what I made working for an employer 2 years prior, but I digress). Although that number may look shiny, we obviously need to factor in Total Expenses ($12,319) and Taxes ($12,386).

I think we need to pay WAY more attention to the FINAL TAKE HOME INCOME ($37,157) number as I believe your revenue is a vanity metric too many people try to chase.

READ MORE: 2020 review + my struggle with comparison this year and 2019 review

So let’s look at 2021. The year I went on a 3 month maternity leave…

My total income was $49,438. I spent $8,596 in expenses so my profit after taxes was $30,631.

READ MORE: A look back at 2021 – year in review, 

2022 – $41,007 total income // $4,317 in expenses // $27,517 in take home

READ MORE: Business recap – 4 years in biz (I share how much I made in year 1, 2, 3, & 4)

2023 – MY WORST YEAR, but really my best (3 month maternity leave) – $35,748 total income // $5,083 in expenses // $22,999 in take home

READ MORE: How I Am Making $2,000-$5,000 a Month During Maternity Leave as an Entrepreneur

As you can see, my revenue was cut IN HALF from 2020 to 2023, however my time spent in my business was about 5-10 hours A WEEK.

All of a sudden 23k take home looks pretty good (remember I spent 5 years building my business to get to this point).

READ MORE: Lessons I Learned in my Business in 2023 + Quarterly Revenue Breakdown

Why did I choose to take a pay cut?

1. Daycare for two is expensive so although I didn’t bring in as much, I also didn’t need to pay for daycare
2. I wanted to be a SAHM my whole life, 2023 gave me the space to experience that
3. I didn’t want to take as many web design projects because they weren’t bringing me as much joy. I decided to focus on affiliate income and my courses

What expenses did I slash in my business?

I didn’t invest in anything in 2023. Like no courses or memberships or coaches. Usually I invest in one thing (like that) a year. That’s the major thing. I also got rid of my course platform (Podia) which was $396/ year and switched to ThriveCart which is a one-time fee.

READ MORE: 8 reasons I moved all my courses to ThriveCart 

2024 – This year I am investing WAY more in my business (in January I invested in a $4,000 course/ funnel strategy), I also will probably need to buy a new computer ($1,800+), and then I have all the other expenses ($4,000 – $5,000). In addition, I have my kids in daycare twice a week. I am ready to see my business GROW!

READ NEXT: What Made Me Quit & the Biggest Lessons From My 5 Years in Business