#135: Glin & Tonic - I'm letting go of business ownership

I like being spontaneous, but even this was a bit unusual for me. I had only been home for one hour after returning from Hervey Bay last week when I booked a trip to Perth to see my good friend Zoe.

The flight was departing two hours later. I had 15 minutes to pack, an hour-long trip to Brisbane Airport, and I boarded the plane 7 minutes after arriving at the departure gate—it was very fast and scarily smooth!

My nerves were a little shot, though—I’d never moved so fast before. But what started as a gentle suggestion from John turned into a five-night trip over New Year to spend quality time with a friend and a hugely transformative end to what was the most expansive year I’ve had to date.

I’m not the same person I was a week ago.

I’ve experienced another significant death of my ego, and I couldn’t feel freer in my own skin.

The most transformative decision I made this week was to let go of my businesses.

I’m letting go of Heart of Human and The Value Negotiator as businesses, and I’ve let go of my identity as the founder of those businesses.

Why? Because the biggest realisation I had this week is that I’m not a business owner.

It’s been an identity I’ve tried to embrace for many years. I guess it’s some hangover from my corporate identity and my ego needing to prove something to myself and others.

Leave corporate, start your own business, make a fortune—that’s the dream, right?

The truth is, the identity of being a business owner and having two businesses isn’t me.

When I started The Value Negotiator over two years ago, I had to reduce my focus on Heart of Human to avoid overburdening myself or confusing people on what I did.

Over the last six to eight months, I’ve noticed how the deeper inner transformational work of Heart of Human is calling to me again—asking me to invest more time and go even deeper.

I’ve realised that by focusing on growing and scaling my businesses, I’ve kept myself constrained to doing things in the way I thought I should, or how others have advised me to do them.

I’ve spent an absolute fortune over the last seven years joining various business accelerators and mastermind groups, and they’ve all been superbly interesting and valuable in helping me build and grow my businesses.

And yet, I’ve also found myself feeling entirely inadequate and trapped at times.

If you’ve read my weekly heart-to-heart for a while now, you’ll know this year has been one where I’ve been shedding and purging layers of my past self.

It’s my old corporate identity that still seemed to have this insane grip over me—concerned with what others thought and how they would judge my path and measure my success.

I know many of my friends and colleagues would never choose to do what I’ve done, and there has been a part of me that’s wanted to show them how incredible and wonderful it is to have left a world that had more safety and security than the one I chose.

I’ve grown. I’ve shed more layers of my false self. And what I know for sure, deep in my bones, is that the only measure of success that counts in my life is my own.

It’s for this reason that I’m giving up being a business owner and focusing my efforts and energy instead on being all of myself—who, at heart, is a creative soul desperate to be free to be who she is.

For a long time, I defined myself as a business owner, focusing on scaling my businesses each year. But in doing so, I unknowingly kept myself stuck in a framework that didn’t align with who I truly am.

It wasn’t until I started reflecting more deeply that I realised my true mission was never tied to the business structures themselves—it’s bigger, deeper, and more fluid than that.

It was through the process of building these businesses, serving others, and reflecting deeply that my mission became clear:

Helping mission-led individuals accelerate and elevate their impact and contribution through inner transformation.

The businesses played an invaluable role in helping me uncover this truth. However, I now realise that my mission isn’t confined to those structures. It’s more expansive, fluid, and dynamic than any framework can contain.

The problem was that I started defining myself by the businesses I’d created, rather than by the mission itself. I thought I needed to fit into the identity of “business owner” to fulfil my purpose. But over time, I realised:

I’m not a business owner—I’m a creator.

What’s the difference?

Being a creator means I’m no longer tied to rigid structures or labels. Instead, I focus on the work that lights me up and serves others.

But I’ve only just realised why I’ve never felt fully in flow in either of the businesses. It’s because I’m not a business owner, and they aren’t meant to be businesses.

If I’m a creator, then Heart of Human and The Value Negotiator are my creative platforms—expressions of myself, my art, and the kind of work that lights me up.

But like any traditional artist, I get to choose which projects I give my time to. I get to choose who I want to share my work with. I get to go deep on whatever I feel called to do.

Deep down, I’ve always known I’ve needed to be free to create and self-express. I’m my own person—I want to do whatever lights me up and make a meaningful difference in the world.

I want to know my time here counted, and I know for sure it won’t be the same if I keep constraining myself and my true brilliance.

Practically, here’s how this shift looks:

• I’ll continue sharing insights, guidance, and tools—but they’ll be offered more flexibly, as I’m inspired to create them.

• I’ll be more intentional about the opportunities I take on, focusing on those that feel aligned and energising.

• I’ll experiment with new, creative ways of working: writing more, speaking, sharing, collaborating, and offering resources as they emerge naturally.

What hasn’t changed:

• My commitment to empowering transformation and meaningful collaboration.

• My expertise in negotiation, leadership, and personal growth.

• My commitment to training teams and individuals in negotiation skills and deepening my own practice.

• My dedication to helping mission-led individuals amplify their impact.

The biggest shift for me is that I’m embracing my creativity first and foremost.

I’m not just focusing on what I do—I’m embracing who I am and letting that guide the work I share. The shift from "scaling a business" to scaling my own growth feels liberating. I’m not bound by expectations or rigid paths—I’m creating my own.

The past few years have shown me that success isn’t about the structures we build—it’s about how we show up. It’s about making the space to express who we truly are and letting that work serve the world.

So, I’m throwing out the rulebook and stepping into a new kind of freedom.

2025 is here, and I’m embarking on this quest with excitement, anticipation, and full alignment. The journey ahead is one of creative exploration, and I can't wait to see where it leads.

I’m in flow. It feels like I’m finally in the right rhythm with myself—and that, in itself, is a victory.

As you hear my reflections, what resonates with you?

What rules are you ready to throw out as you step into your own flow?

Until next week, Happy New Year! Keep going and keep growing.

Love Glin x

P.S. Three wins from my week:

1. Evolving my identity: Ego deaths aren’t particularly fun, but thankfully, John knew I needed to be with the only person who could hold the space for me to step into my next level.

2. Rottnest Island: Wow, what a little piece of paradise with such a bougie vibe! While I didn’t have my own boat to join the “who’s who in the zoo,” I did get my first-ever selfie with a Quokka. Who knew rat-looking creatures that jump like kangaroos could be so cute?

3. Quality Time:  Spending quality time with my friend Zoe was simply superb. We indulged in beach walks, ocean swims, nourishing food, and quality, deep, reflective, and transformative conversations.