Business Lessons from a Solo Trip: Trust Your Systems, Step Away

Of all my excuses for not taking the Upper Peninsula trip, “I can’t afford to be off-grid, I’m a solopreneur” felt the most legitimate. Unplugging was my biggest challenge. As a solopreneur, my business relies on me. But burning out helps no one. I had to create a system: notifying clients weeks in advance, setting a clear out-of-office message, and, most importantly, trusting that system. I checked email briefly in the evenings to handle any true emergencies, but the world didn’t end because I was unavailable for a few days.

You must have systems that allow you to step away. This isn’t just about vacations; it’s about sustainability. If your business cannot function without your constant, immediate attention, it’s not a business; it’s a job with terrible hours. Creating clear processes is an act of respect for yourself and your clients.

Apply it:

• Two weeks before any time off, send a simple heads-up with dates and an emergency definition.
• Delegate triage with a flowchart: “If X, do Y. If Y, escalate to me.”
• Use a “re-entry plan” for the first 48 hours back: one inbox sweep, one finance check, one priority reset. No meetings on day one.

Standing on Miners Beach that first morning, watching Lake Superior’s waves under a gray sky, I realized the trip wasn’t just about finally seeing the places I’d been putting off. It was about proving to myself that my business could breathe without me hovering over it every second. That cold, rainy week in the UP taught me more about running a sustainable business than any conference or course ever could. Sometimes the best business decision you can make is to close the laptop, trust your systems, and go see what you’ve been missing.