“Becca, how are you able to run a business, care for your daughter in the hospital, and raise a son with special needs?”
This is a question I’m asked often, and honestly, I understand why. From the outside, it might look like I’m balancing the impossible.
However, what keeps me grounded, focused, and moving forward are five core principles that I live by every day. These aren’t just financial strategies—they’re life strategies. They’ve helped me navigate trauma, build a business, and create a life filled with clarity and purpose.
And they are the foundation of my upcoming book, The Financial Success Principles, launching in July 2025.
But First, What Does Success Mean to You?
Take a moment and really sit with this question.
This is what I know: most people are chasing one big shiny thing—a big income goal, a certain number of clients, or that elusive freedom. And in the process, they forget to acknowledge all the little wins that brought them here.
When was the last time you gave yourself credit for surviving a hard season?
For graduating?
For starting over?
For showing up?
Here’s a powerful exercise: Create a list of 100 personal successes.
It could be anything—raising a child, surviving a medical procedure, starting your business, or getting through a breakup. These are not small things. They’re the bricks that have built your foundation.
And once you start celebrating those, something shifts. You begin to move forward with gratitude, not guilt, with momentum, not burnout.
The Moment My Life Changed Forever
At 25, I was told I couldn’t have children.
IVF was our only option—and it came with a $15,000 price tag. That number felt completely out of reach. But I had a vision. I saw myself holding my baby, baking cookies, running through pumpkin patches. That visualization was so vivid, so emotional, I could almost feel it.
That vision became my why, and it changed everything.
My husband and I launched a cleaning business. We committed to paying ourselves 10% from every paycheck and tracked every dollar. We stopped saying, “We can’t afford it,” and instead asked, “How can we afford it?”
Eventually, we saved $15,000.
Today, I’m a proud mom of two beautiful children. That dream came true not because we had perfect circumstances but because we had a clear vision, took aligned action, and embraced financial clarity.
The 5 Financial Success Principles That Changed My Life
These five principles are at the heart of everything I teach. They aren’t just strategies for money—they’re the foundation for how I live, parent, and lead.
1. Know What You Want
Start with clarity. Write down 100 things you want to do, be, or have. What does your dream life look like? The clearer your vision, the quicker the path reveals itself.
2. Know How Much It Costs
Stop saying, “I can’t afford it,” until you know what it actually costs. You may find your dream is more affordable than you thought, or at least now you know what to work toward.
3. Know Your Numbers
Face the truth about your finances. You need to know your income, your expenses, your debt. You can’t change what you avoid. Financial clarity is empowering.
4. Act As If
See yourself as already successful. Visualize it, feel it, embody it. This isn’t fake it till you make it—this is believe it while you build it.
5. Take Inspired Action
Every day, take one step toward your vision. One call, one post, one decision — action creates traction — and even small steps lead to big momentum.
Numbers You Need to Know (That Your CPA Probably Won’t Tell You)
Let’s talk real numbers because while mindset is powerful, you also need a plan.
You need to know:
How many clients do I need, at what price, to fund the life I want?
Here’s how to find that number:
- Start with your vision.
Look at every area of your life—personal, professional, health, relationships, legacy, fun/free time. What do you want? How much does that life cost monthly? - Calculate your breakeven.
Total the cost of your dream life. Then add 30% to that number to account for taxes and your Pay Yourself First account. That’s your breakeven. - Align your pricing with your purpose.
If your break-even is $10,000/month, ask yourself:
👉 Do I want 1 client at $10,000?
👉 Or 10 clients at $1,000?
👉 Or 20 clients at $500?
The point is that when you know your breakeven, you can reverse-engineer your business model with confidence and clarity. You’re not pricing out of fear; you’re pricing with purpose.
A Lesson From My Son: Success Is Not One Action
The other day, my son wanted to go to a hockey game.
I told him, “You need to vacuum the house first.”
He did. ✅
Later, he hit his sister. ❌
I said, “If you do that again, you’re not going to hockey.”
He looked at me, confused, and said, “But I vacuumed!”
Just like that, I saw the biggest lesson most entrepreneurs need to learn:
Success is not one action.
It’s a routine. It’s a rhythm. It’s my responsibility.
To earn that hockey game, my son had to vacuum, eat his food, drink water, take a nap, and be kind to his sister.
And guess what?
To earn your success—your dream clients, your next milestone, your peace—you need the same thing.
Aligned, consistent, intentional effort.
Final Thought
Success isn’t about your bank account.
It’s about clarity, confidence, consistency, and knowing what truly matters to you.
So let me ask you:
What are five small things you can do today to move closer to your dream?
Because success isn’t something you achieve someday—it’s something you build every single day.
And remember:
If you can dream it, you can achieve it.
Let’s start building your success story today.
💜
By Becca Heissel, Founder of Business Owners Advocate / Author of “The Financial Success Principles” (Launching July 2025)
