A few days ago, someone commented on one of my LinkedIn posts:
"JuJuan Buford, this hits hard. How did you know it was time to pause and not just push through like most entrepreneurs do?"
That question gave me pause.
Because if you’re anything like me (a builder at heart, a doer), you’re trained to push through. We're taught to equate grit with growth. But I’ve learned that relentless motion doesn’t always equal meaningful progress. Sometimes, the bravest thing you can do as an entrepreneur isn't to speed up, but to stop.
Let me unpack what led to my decision to pivot, pause, and get radically clear.
The Temptation of the Coach's Chair
I was neck-deep in workbooks, content outlines, and course drafts: on the brink of building a coaching platform. It felt like the right thing to do. People were asking for it. I had the knowledge. I had receipts.
But here’s the problem: I never set out to be a coach.
I’ve always seen myself as a practitioner: someone who builds, tests, and executes, and then shares the playbook. Coaching, at least in the way I saw it unfolding, was beginning to pull me away from that.
Worse, I found myself doing more than guiding… I was doing the work for people. And while I love helping others win, I realized that coaching without execution - without people grabbing the baton and running - was draining me. I’m built to run alongside people, not drag them.
So I had to ask myself the hard question: Is this who I want to become?
The answer was no.
The Moment of Clarity
The tipping point came during a conversation with a successful coaching entrepreneur. She’d built a scalable platform with systems, staff, and processes. It was impressive. But as I listened (really listened) I realized I didn’t want to build that.
I saw the price she paid to scale. I understood the level of oversight and emotional labor involved. And I knew the trade-off wasn’t worth it to me.
It wasn’t about fear. It was about alignment.
Cutting Through the Noise
As entrepreneurs, we often get caught up in what I call “business creep.” We find success in one area, and then start stacking more and more on our plates. We gain time freedom, only to refill it with more obligations.
To reset, I had to get still.
I cut out the noise, stepped away from social media, stopped soliciting feedback, and tuned into what I really wanted.
Not what others expected. Not what the market was calling for. But what made sense for my life.
Following the Dollars That Set Me Free
Let me say something that needs to be said more often:
It’s harder to build five $50K businesses than it is to build one $1M business.
I had multiple businesses bringing in income. But not all of them were setting me free. Some required constant involvement. Others had potential, but not enough scalability. So I started asking:
Which business deposits into my financial independence fund?
Which one continues to grow without me pushing every step of the way?
Where am I attracting the right talent, systems, and opportunities?
I began following that trail.
That’s where I decided to double down. Not just on passion. But on passion that pays. Passion that scales. Passion that liberates.
Listening to My Internal Board of Directors
Every successful entrepreneur has a talent, experience, skill, and knowledge stacks that they bring to the table, and the combination thereof makes them one of one.
I started treating mine like a board of directors. And at the head of the table sat one question:
Does this direction align with the business I want, the life I’m designing, and the legacy I intend to leave?
The answer gave me permission to say no to things I was good at… but that weren’t good for me.
Work Shapes You. Choose the Right Workout.
Here’s the metaphor I landed on:
The work you do shapes you. A boxer has a different body than a swimmer. A powerlifter has a different physique than a marathon runner.
It’s the same in business. The kind of work you immerse yourself in will shape your mind, your habits, your relationships, your body, and your soul.
I realized that some of the work I was doing was building a version of me I didn’t recognize, or even like.
That was the wake-up call.
So, How Did I Know It Was Time to Pause?
Because when I looked in the mirror (figuratively and literally) I didn’t like the direction I was headed. Because I was no longer working in alignment with my energy, my edge, or my essence.
Because I wasn’t satisfied with just working… I needed my work to work for me, too.
If You're Reading This, Maybe You're at a Crossroads Too
Here’s my advice:
Cut the noise. Tune into your signal. What do you want?
Audit your businesses. Which ones are building income vs. independence?
Follow your talent and your energy. If you’re not excited about it, why do it?
Let your experience guide you. You already have the data: act on it.
I’m not here to be a social media influencer. I’m here to build and to help others build.
If this resonated with you, I’m glad you found it. Maybe you needed permission to pause, too.
Not to quit. Not to give up. But to pivot toward what feeds you.
Keep building. But build wisely.
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