In this episode of the Modern Direct Seller Podcast, we’re joined by business coach and “accidental entrepreneur” Lianne Kim for a powerful conversation about redefining success, building a sustainable business, and embracing a life-first approach to entrepreneurship. From solo backpacking adventures in Southeast Asia to running a thriving international community of mompreneurs, Lianne shares how she built a values-aligned business that allows her to work less—and win more. We also unpack sales mindset shifts, team-building tips, and what it really takes to grow without burning out.

Catch Lianne on Instagram and tune in to her podcast, The Business of Thinking Big,  where she shares mindset, strategy, and hustle tips to help you grow your revenue and serve more dream clients. Planning to be in Toronto? Check out MamaCon, her annual conference for mom entrepreneurs, happening November 7. Curious about the book Lianne’s currently loving? It’s Be Ready When the Luck Happens by Ina Garten.

Time based notes:

Work Less and Win More: What Sustainable Success Really Looks Like

Lianne Kim has spent the last decade helping mom entrepreneurs scale businesses that don’t sacrifice their personal lives in the process. Her take? The most sustainable growth doesn’t come from doing more, but from doing what matters, building repeatable systems, and defining success on your own terms.

Here’s what that can actually look like in real life.

Start Small, Iterate Often

You don’t need a perfect plan, a six-figure launch, or a flashy brand to get started. Lianne’s earliest coaching offer was just ten hours for $500. Her signature event, MamaCon, started with 40 women and a $350 budget. The real transformation came from staying consistent and improving along the way.

Too often, entrepreneurs hold themselves back waiting for perfection. But action builds confidence. And every version you release teaches you something that gets you closer to the business you really want to build.

Success That Supports Your Life

It’s easy to fall into the trap of chasing growth at the expense of everything else. But what if success meant alternating work weeks and vacation weeks all summer? Taking random weekdays off for your kids? Not working weekends?

That’s the kind of life Lianne intentionally designed for herself, and it’s one more entrepreneurs are learning to claim. The key isn’t doing more. It’s getting clearer, systemizing what works, and creating a calendar that prioritizes both profit and peace.

Stop Creating Just to Stay Busy

A common pitfall for entrepreneurs, especially creatives, is constantly reinventing the wheel. That could mean new offers, funnels, or launches. But sometimes, new isn’t necessary.

Lianne warns against building out of boredom. If something’s working, the smarter move might be optimizing it. Systematize your offers. Stick to a simple launch calendar. Let your team reuse and refresh what already exists. Rinse and repeat doesn’t mean stale, but rather… scalable.

Build a Team That Grows With You

Sustainable businesses don’t run on solo energy. Lianne’s team handles most of the backend of her business by design, and it didn’t happen overnight. She hired early, hired for alignment, and treated every hire as a trial until the right fit clicked.

Her advice? Start by offloading just a few tasks you don’t want to do. Communicate clearly. Check in regularly. Most importantly, reward your team, even in small ways. You’ll go further when your business isn’t built to depend on you alone.

Rethinking Sales: It’s Not About You

One of the biggest mindset shifts in sales is realizing the conversation is primarily about the person in front of you. Lianne teaches her clients to ask better questions, listen longer, and get comfortable with silence.
The more space your prospect has to reflect, the more likely they are to connect the dots themselves. And when you genuinely care about their goals, you don’t need to pressure them—they’ll feel the alignment.

When You Feel Stuck, Start Here

Plateaus are part of the process. But when business starts to feel heavy or stagnant, Lianne encourages entrepreneurs to pause and ask the simplest question: What do I actually want?

Sometimes it’s more time. Sometimes it’s a specific revenue goal. Sometimes it’s just more breathing room. Once you define what success really looks like, you can reverse-engineer the business to match—and often, it involves doing less, not more.

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