Why We Quit Our $2M Coaching Business

How we pushed logic aside to find joy with our business

Ever had that nagging feeling that something just isn't right, even when everything looks perfect on paper? That's exactly what happened to us with our coaching business - and here's the wild story of why we decided to close it down.

First, let me give you the backstory. About eight or nine years ago, Jeni and I started a software company (now called Marvelous) to serve the online wellness industry. Like many bootstrapped founders, we needed a way to fund our tech dreams. So we did what any scrappy entrepreneurs would do - we started coaching others on how to build successful online wellness businesses.

And you know what? It worked brilliantly. We built up an incredible client base, created valuable courses, and grew it into a $2M business. During COVID, it absolutely exploded as everyone rushed to move their wellness businesses online. Picture this: we had two thriving companies, amazing clients, and a well-oiled machine. The dream, right?

Wrong. Despite all the success, something felt... off. We kept trying to fix it - we switched from a high-ticket program to a membership model, adjusted our roles, split the companies into two different legal entities. But that low hum of unhappiness wouldn't go away. As Sandy put it, "We were using logic to make sense of this and we would say like, what is wrong with us? We have incredible clients, great courses... it's like saying you've got the house and the partner and the car and the job - why aren't you happy?"

The truth? We're founders at heart. We come alive when we're creating new things, not maintaining established systems. After years of teaching the same fundamentals (which, by the way, are now freely available all over YouTube), we were ready for new challenges. Plus, the constant context-switching between two very different businesses was exhausting our creative energy.

Here's what finally clicked: Sometimes the most illogical decision is the right one. We realized we didn't have to keep doing something just because it was working. We could choose to focus our energy on growing our software company and pursuing new creative projects that light us up.

The best part? All our coaching content isn't disappearing - we're actually making it more accessible than ever. Instead of keeping it behind a high-ticket paywall, we're turning it into affordable standalone courses and sharing our knowledge freely through our podcast and YouTube channel.

Was it scary to walk away from a successful business? Absolutely. Did we worry about disappointing our amazing clients? You bet. But as Sandy shared, "Damn does it feel good... I wake up with a lot more pep because it's like, what are we gonna do now? We talk more and dream more."

Sometimes the bravest thing you can do is listen to that quiet voice telling you it's time for a change - even when everything looks perfect on the outside. For us, closing our coaching business wasn't about what wasn't working - it was about creating space for what could be next.

p.s. If you’re curious about our business courses, they’re right here.