5 Money Mistakes that Women Owners Make (and How to Avoid Them)

You’re not bad with money. You just haven’t been taught how to own your numbers yet. In this week’s episode of Breadwinning Business Women, I’m calling out the five money mistakes that quietly keep smart women broke — and how to fix them for good. And I know them all because I’ve been there. Think of it as a financial detox for your business. You’ll learn: 💸 The #1 number you need to pay attention to in your business and it’s NOT revenue. 💸 How to start paying yourself even if your cash inflow is inconsistent. 💸 Why hiding from the numbers in your business is costing you way more than you think. This episode isn’t about spreadsheets. It’s about stepping into your power as the businesswoman you already are. Because CEOs know their numbers. And after this episode, you will too. Let me know which mistake your letting go off over on Instagram @JamilaPayneMBA  

You sit at your laptop. The email draft to a potential client is open. The cursor blinks. But you freeze. You tell yourself you’ll come back to it later. But “later” keeps turning into someday, maybe, never. That’s not procrastination. That’s success avoidance. In this week’s episode of Breadwinning Business Women, I’m breaking down how fear, doubt, and discomfort quietly sabotage your next level and how to stop letting emotions block your income. You’ll walk away knowing exactly how to build your emotional edge—the skill that separates stuck entrepreneurs from those who scale. Here’s what we’re getting into: 🎯The sneaky signs you’re avoiding success (and don’t even realize it). 🎯How childhood messages like “don’t be too much” still shape your business. 🎯The 24-hour micro-move that gets you unstuck and paid faster. P.S. Send me a DM on Instagram with your biggest insights @JamilaPayneMBA Mentioned in this episode:  Resistant Feelings Success Avoidance

Your calendar is full. Revenue feels stuck. You are doing more work, not getting better results. You need skills that convert effort into income. I’ll share seven of them today. In this week’s Breadwinning Business Women, I coach you through the skills that pay the bills. I show you how to practice each one without overwhelm. Clear steps. Real examples. What to do first, and what to stop doing now. Here is what you will take with you: The two-date method that makes projects ship on time. The sales shift that stops overtalking and starts closing. The 10-minute weekly marketing check that proves what is working. If you want steady revenue, clear plans, productive days, and cleaner money decisions, start here.  Send me a DM on Instagram @JamilaPayneMBA with your biggest insights.  

Success doesn’t sit around waiting while you “think it over.” It moves. Fast. I learned that the hard way early in my career—watching mentors, colleagues, and even friends leapfrog to results while I was still making color-coded pros and cons lists. That’s what this week’s episode of Breadwinning Business Women is all about: why success loves speed and how you can finally stop waiting and start winning. Here’s what I break down inside: The one sneaky habit that makes you feel productive but actually keeps you stuck. A two-minute practice that will kill your procrastination dead. The difference between people who talk about their next move and the ones who make it happen. This isn’t about hustling harder—it’s about moving faster on the things that matter, so you stop letting fear and indecision rob you of the results you want. And when you do, send me a quick DM on Instagram @jamilapayneMBA and tell me your biggest takeaway. I want to hear what action you’re committing to this week.  

Picture this: Your business is rolling. Bank deposits are coming in. Clients feel steady. And then—bam. One shift, one decision, one email from your “big client”... and your cash flow dries up overnight. That happened to me. And the mistake cost me six figures. In this week’s Breadwinning Business Women episode, I’m pulling back the curtain on that story—and more importantly, the strategies you can use to make sure it doesn’t happen to you. Here’s a taste of what you’ll hear inside: Why depending too heavily on one client is riskier than you think (and how to spot it before it’s too late). The hidden trap of getting “comfortable checks” that quietly kill your hustle. The simple revenue rule I use now to protect my business from collapsing if one client walks away. If you’re ready for the unfiltered truth (plus some very practical fixes), hit play on this episode now. P.S. DM me on Instagram @jamilapaynemba with your biggest takeaway from the episode. I read every single one.  

You know what most business owners do in August? They coast. They slow down. They “wait until September” to get serious. And then they spend the first month of Fall playing catch-up while the clients… the opportunities… the profits… pass them by. I’m not letting that happen to you. That’s why I just dropped a brand new episode of the Breadwinning Business Women podcast: Prep Your Business for a Profitable Fall (My SIMPLE 5-Step Routine) Inside, I’m breaking down exactly what to do right now to: Set clear sales targets that make your Q4 revenue predictable Lock in the marketing moves that actually bring in ready-to-buy leads Prioritize only the projects that matter (and park the rest) Identify the team support you need to make it happen Adjust your schedule so you’re in control — not your calendar If you want Fall to be your most profitable season yet, this is the plan. Because the truth is… Fall belongs to the business owners who prepared for it in August.    

Ever hit a wall in your business and wonder, ‘Is this all there is? At that moment I wanted to throw in the towel because it hit me like a ton of bricks: I can’t scale my business if I’m the only one doing the work.  So, I took a leap. Instead of just coaching clients one at a time, I started a group program and brought on two coaches.  It wasn’t the smoothest transition, but let me tell you—it was worth every second of discomfort. In this week’s episode of the Breadwinning Business Women podcast, I’m flipping the script a bit.  For the last few weeks, we’ve been talking about group coaching and why it’s such an amazing tool for scaling—but today, I’m giving you the real story: how I transitioned from one-on-one to group, and more importantly, how I knew I was ready. I’m diving into: The turning point that made me realize I needed to level up. It wasn’t about being busy—it was about being effective. The unexpected lessons I learned about what makes group coaching different (and better!) than one-on-one). Hint: it’s not just the numbers. The signs that will tell you when your business is ready to make the shift. It’s not about waiting for the “perfect” time; it’s about being honest with where you’re at. So if you’ve been on the fence about whether group offers are the right fit for you or if you’ve been hearing all this talk about scaling and thought, “Yeah, that sounds great—but how do I get there?”—this episode is for you. Listen to the full episode here.  I’m pulling back the curtain on the exact thought process that led me to create a group offer that truly worked—and I’m breaking down the mindset shifts and strategies that you need to think through to make the same leap. By the end of it, you’ll have clarity on whether now’s the right time for your group program (and how to make it happen if it is).  You don’t have to be a “guru” or have everything figured out to build a successful group offer—you just need the right pieces in place. And trust me, you’ve got this. Let’s make this happen. P.S. After you listen, I want to hear from you. What’s the one thing that stands out most from this episode for you? DM me a on Instagram @JamilaPayneMBA, and let’s talk!   Mentioned in the episode Signs a group offer is right for your business

I met a brilliant service provider—a woman who helped C-suite executives get clear on their personal brand. When I asked about her client experience, she said: “Oh, it’s completely custom. Every single one is different.” My eyebrows raised. And my business coach radar went off. Because “completely custom” sounds luxurious—until you realize it’s also completely unsustainable. She was overdelivering, undercharging, and staying stuck in the cycle of trading dollars for hours. So I asked her: What if you didn’t have to keep teaching your expertise from scratch? What if your genius could be delivered at scale—without sacrificing the results? That’s the heart of this week’s episode of Breadwinning Business Women: Package Your Expertise into a Scalable Group Offer If you've been secretly wondering whether your work could ever be delivered in a group format, this is your episode. 🎧 Inside, you’ll learn: ✨ The myth about 1:1 clients that’s quietly draining your time and profit ✨ How your clients actually win more inside a group offer ✨ What makes a group offer high-value (hint: it’s not live calls or more access) And this isn’t just theory—I’m teaching all of this live in my upcoming training: 🗓️ 3 Secrets to Creating a Group Offer That Pays You Recurring Revenue Every Month 📍 Wednesday, July 23rd at 6PM ET | 3pm PT 🔗 RSVP NOW Because your work deserves to reach more people—without you working more hours. And your clients? They deserve your method, not just your minutes. See you at the workshop Xo- Jamila

I remember staring at my calendar—17 client calls booked for the week. Every hour filled. Every day color-coded and accounted for. I had built what some would call a “successful” business. But it didn’t feel like success. It felt like I was stuck in back-to-back Zoom sessions, trapped by my own creation. I loved my clients...but hated how I was living. And that’s when I realized something that changed everything: I hadn’t built a business—I had built a really demanding job. If your day’s are filled with client work, this week’s episode of the Breadwinning Business Women podcast is one you can’t miss. 🎙️ The Business Model That Gives You Your Time Back is live now, and we’re getting into what nobody tells you about the “booked and busy” trap—and what freedom actually looks like. Here’s what you’ll learn: ✅ Why a full calendar doesn’t always mean a full life ✅ What a week looks like when your income is leveraged (yes, examples!) ✅ How to spot the moment your business model is holding you back This is the mindset reset that so many high-achieving business owner need before they burn all the way out. And if you’ve ever whispered to yourself… “I can’t take a vacation without the business falling apart.” “I want more clients, but I physically don’t have the time.” “I’m stuck at capacity and don’t know how to grow without cloning myself…” You’re not alone—and you don’t have to keep doing business this way. Then RSVP for my brand new live training: 🗓️ 3 Secrets to Creating a Group Offer That Pays You Recurring Revenue Every Month 📍 Wednesday, July 23rd at 6PM ET | 3PM PT We’ll go deep on how to shift from 1:1 exhaustion to recurring revenue with a group offer that’s aligned, profitable, and 100% doable. ✨ Save your seat here →  Mentioned in this Episode DM me on instagram @JamilaPayneMBA Check out the book: Built to Sell

This week, I did something I hadn’t done in a while. I opened up my client spreadsheet and started reading through the names of people I’ve worked with over the years—clients I loved serving. Some I hadn’t talked to in months, others in years. I’ll be honest… I hesitated. My brain kicked in with noise: “What if they think it’s weird I’m reaching out?” “What if they don’t even remember me?” I had to remind myself—and I want you to hear today: The value you delivered doesn't expire just because time has passed. If you helped someone win before, you can help them again. So I sent a few emails. Nothing complicated. Just honest, kind, and direct. No fancy funnel. No launch. Just a real conversation with a real human. So many business owners I work with—have deep expertise, long client lists, and a wealth of goodwill built up in their business. But you’re sitting on it like it’s buried treasure. Meanwhile, you’re trying to post 4 times a day on Instagram, praying the algorithm throws you a bone. Let’s make this easier. In this week’s episode of the Breadwinning Business Women podcast, I’m breaking down how to: ✅ Reconnect with past clients in a way that feels authentic (not awkward) ✅ Ask for referrals without sounding desperate or salesy ✅ Set up a simple system to track relationships and revive revenue consistently If you’ve ever felt like, “I should follow up with people… I just don’t know what to say,” this episode is your permission slip. 📩 And to make it ridiculously easy, I’m giving you my exact email scripts—one to re-engage past clients and another to ask for a referral (you can send them today).  Mentioned in this episode: Grab the scripts here List the book a call with Jamila