Episode 295: Making More Money Doesn’t Start with Marketing
Why You'll Only Earn at the Speed of Safety: The Hidden Block Keeping Smart Women Stuck at Low Income
She had multiple medical degrees. A stack of business certifications that looked like a tower of pancakes on her desk. Years of studying, learning, and preparing.
But she couldn't get her business off the ground.
Not because she lacked knowledge. And it wasn't because she didn't have the skills. Instead, every time she got close to actually selling her services, her nervous system would sound the alarm: "Not safe. Not ready. Study something else first."
This brilliant woman wasn't procrastinating. In fact, she was protecting herself.
The Truth About Why Smart Women Business Owners Stay Stuck
If you're a highly qualified female entrepreneur who keeps hitting income plateaus, this might be the most important thing you read this year. Despite having all the "right" credentials, you're still struggling financially.
Your business struggles aren't about needing more strategy, better marketing, or perfect branding.
Instead, they're about feeling safe enough to be seen, valued, and paid for what you already know.
After coaching hundreds of women entrepreneurs, I've discovered a pattern. And this pattern changes everything:
You will only earn at the speed of safety.
How Childhood Trauma Affects Business Income
The client I mentioned grew up in extreme poverty. Her childhood was marked by uncertainty. She never knew if the walls would literally collapse. She didn't know where the next meal would come from.
But school? School was different. In contrast, school was her sanctuary.
Learning was safe for her. So as an adult building a business, she kept learning. And learning. And learning.
Because learning felt safe. On the other hand, earning felt dangerous.
Why Women Entrepreneurs Self-Sabotage Their Success
Does this sound familiar? Maybe your version looks different:
- First, taking course after course but never implementing
- Next, perfecting your website for the third time this year instead of selling
- Then, tweaking your offers every few weeks but never launching
- Finally, having a drawer full of certifications but charging bargain-basement prices
This isn't laziness. This isn't perfectionism.
This is your nervous system brilliantly trying to keep you safe.
The Science Behind Earning at the Speed of Safety
Here's what most business coaches won't tell you. Your subconscious mind doesn't distinguish between physical danger and emotional vulnerability.
When you were young, your nervous system learned certain survival rules:
"Don't stand out—it's not safe"
"Don't ask for too much—you might get rejected"
"Don't shine too bright—you might be abandoned"
These protective mechanisms served you then. Now, they're the invisible ceiling keeping you stuck.
This explains why lottery winners often lose their fortunes. It's not safe to hold wealth they haven't internally grown to contain. As a result, their nervous system rejects what feels dangerous, even when it's objectively good.
Fear of Failure vs Fear of Success for Female Entrepreneurs
Most women I coach aren't actually afraid of failing. Instead, they're terrified of what happens if it works.
Success can feel like exile. This happens when you grew up learning that:
- Being visible meant being vulnerable to criticism
- Having more than others created guilt or shame
- Standing out led to rejection or abandonment
So you stall. You tweak. You restart. Not because you're unmotivated, but because part of you is still trying to stay safe in a world that once felt dangerous.
Your "Weirdness" Is Your Business Advantage
Recently, I coached two women who were convinced they were "too weird" for business. Both believed their unique gifts were unmarketable.
First, there was a wheat farmer. She wanted to help people understand how nature provides everything we need. When she shared her stories, people were moved to tears.
Second, there was an actor and therapist. She helped children process emotions through performance. She could make kids laugh while teaching them to work through their feelings.
Both thought their combination of skills was too strange. They felt too niche, too different.
But here's what I told them:
If you're already moving people emotionally with your story and gifts, the value is there.
We pay for movies, concerts, books—anything that creates an emotional experience. Therefore, your weird isn't a bug; it's a feature. The world doesn't need another cookie-cutter coach. Instead, it needs your unique combination of experiences, skills, and perspective.
Building Business Confidence from the Inside Out
Building a profitable business isn't just about external strategies. It's about creating internal safety so you can:
First, trust yourself to be seen without shrinking or hiding
Next, charge what you're worth without guilt or fear
Then, stay present in your business when fear kicks in
Finally, hold success without sabotaging it
This work isn't "woo-woo." In fact, psychologists, neuroscientists, and trauma specialists will all tell you: safety comes first, then growth.
Overcoming Your Entrepreneurial Mindset Blocks
If you're feeling stuck in your business, ask yourself this question. If you're not creating the revenue and profit you know you're capable of:
Where am I scared? Where is my nervous system telling me this isn't going to be safe?
Because until you feel safe being seen, safe with success, and safe with money, you'll keep hitting the same ceiling.
The breakthrough isn't in another marketing strategy or business course. Instead, it's in healing what makes success feel dangerous.
Your Next Step to Higher Business Income
Building a business from the inside out requires courage. And courage is just the first step. It's the portal that opens up safety.
If you've recognized yourself in this article, know this:
You're not broken. Furthermore, you're not behind. You're brilliantly wired for survival.
Now it's time to rewire yourself for success.
Because your gifts, your story, and your unique perspective? Someone out there needs exactly what you have to offer. They're waiting for you to feel safe enough to share it.
About Sarah Walton
Sarah Walton is a business coach, podcast host, and mentor who helps women entrepreneurs build businesses they love. She's the creator of the Abundance Academy, Effortless Sales, and the Game On Girlfriend® podcast. Sarah's mission is to put more money in the hands of more women while teaching authentic, heart-centered business strategies.
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