Why Your “Authentic” Business Isn't Making the Money It Should (And How to Fix It)

You vowed to leave corporate and never look back. You chose the entrepreneurial path because you can’t stand another day pouring your life force into someone else's vision…especially one that makes you feel like you’re slowly dying inside.

You crave freedom. You want to make money doing what you love, what you were designed to do, your actual soul mission.

But somewhere along the way, your idea of "authentic business" started blocking your financial flow. 

Maybe you're working 60-hour weeks because hiring help doesn't feel "authentic."
Maybe you're undercharging because higher prices feel selfish or salesy.
Maybe you're sharing every personal struggle on Instagram because you think that's what "being real" means.

After working with hundreds of spiritual entrepreneurs over the past decade, I keep seeing the same expensive mistakes when it comes to "authentic" business. Let me show you what's really keeping you from the income you desire….and how to fix it.

[Be sure to have your notebook and pen handy for the powerful exercise at the end of this post.] 

The Expensive Authenticity Mistakes You're Probably Making

Here's what most people get wrong about authentic business:

Myth #1: Authentic Business Should Always Feel Good

This is probably the most financially dangerous myth of all.

Yes, you want to love your work. Yes, you want alignment. But authentic doesn't mean every day should feel like rainbows and unicorns.

Real authentic business means showing up even when:

• You're scared to raise your prices
• You have to have difficult conversations with clients
• You need to pivot your offerings because what you're doing isn't working
• You have to step into leadership that feels uncomfortable

The truth: Growth requires discomfort. If your business always feels easy and comfortable, you're probably not expanding at the pace your income goals require. I show you exactly how to move through the discomfort of growth in THRESHOLD so you never block your success again. 

Myth #2: You Must Do Everything Yourself

Some of y'all are doing THE MOST, thinking that handling everything personally is the "authentic" way.

You're designing your own graphics (badly), writing your own sales copy (that isn’t making sales), managing your own social media (inconsistently), doing your own bookkeeping (stress-fully), and then wondering why you're burned out and barely profitable.

Here's what's actually authentic: Hire the geniuses who are better at those things than you are and focus on what only YOU can do.

Your zone of genius likely isn't graphic design, copywriting, AND bookkeeping, AND social media management. Stop trying to be authentic by being mediocre at everything.

Hone in on your zone of genius. Delegate the rest. Yes, even now while your income is slow you can hire amazing freelancers off Fiverr or Upwork. Get used to investing in support or you’ll stay stuck in solo-preneur purgatory forever. 

Myth #3: You Have to Share Everything to Be "Real"

Look, just because you don't tell the cashier at Target about your latest relationship drama doesn't make you fake. You have boundaries in real life, right? Your business should too.

But somehow, we've gotten this idea that authentic business means turning our Instagram into a 24/7 therapy session. I see well-meaning entrepreneurs sharing every breakdown, every struggle, every private moment because they think that's what "keeping it real" looks like.

Here's the truth: Those are friend conversations, not marketing content.

You're burning yourself out trying to be an open book for strangers on the internet. Authentic sharing absolutely has boundaries. You can be genuine, relatable, and real without treating social media like your personal diary.

Being authentic doesn't mean being an open wound online. It means being honest about what serves your audience while protecting what's sacred to you.

Myth #4: You Must Stay True to Your [Old] Self

Ooh, your old self is not going to like this...

The you that started your business is not the you that will take it to the next level.

Trying to stay true to your original vision, your original pricing, your original way of being in the name of authenticity is holding you back not just from your personal evolution but from your next financial milestones.

I've seen entrepreneurs refuse to:

• Raise prices because "I've always been affordable"
• Hire team members because "No one can do it quite like me"
• Expand their offerings because "I've always just done [this thing]"
• Step into bolder leadership because "I'm just a humble [coach/healer/artist]"

Here's the truth: Authenticity includes your evolution. The caterpillar doesn't stay true to its [old] self when it becomes a butterfly.

Your True Self will require you to die a thousand deaths. So never define authenticity by how you used to be. Be ready to grow, evolve, and change at every stage of your business.

And watch your bank account grow with you! 

Here's What Authentic Business Actually Means (And How to Make Good Money Doing It)

       1. Align Your Business Model With Your Life Force

Here's how to actually do it:

•  Work with your energy, not against it - If you're not a morning person, don't schedule client calls at 8am. If you need downtime to recharge, build that into your week instead of booking yourself solid.
•  Focus on what you're actually great at - Stop trying to be good at everything. Figure out your zone of genius and build your whole business around that. Hire people for the rest. Yes even in the early stages. Hire freelancers for small projects and get used to delegating. 
•  Price based on the results you get people - Your pricing should reflect the transformation you provide, not just the hours you put in. I teach you exactly how to do this with the LifeTime Value model in Soulful Success.
•  Build systems that make your life easier - Create processes that support you instead of stressing you out. Automate what you can, streamline what you can't, and stop making everything harder than it needs to be.

   

  2. Make Decisions From Your Truth, Not Your Fear

• Turn down clients who aren't a good fit, even when you're tight on money - I know it's scary, but that nightmare client who pays you $500 will cost you way more in energy, time, and sanity than they're worth. Trust me on this one.
• Invest in help that actually grows your business - Stop trying to do everything yourself because you're "saving money." Get a VA, hire a copywriter, work with a mentor. The right support pays for itself by freeing you up to focus on what only you can do.
• Step into the bigger version of yourself - The you who makes $5K a month isn't the same person who can handle $50K a month. You've got to grow into the leader, the decision-maker, the business owner who can hold that level of success.
• Trust your gut, even when it doesn't make sense on paper - Sometimes your intuition tells you to pivot, launch something new, or take a risk that looks crazy from the outside. Those "illogical" moves are often exactly what leads to your biggest breakthroughs.

        3. Honor Your Evolution

Your business should grow as you grow:

•  Clean house regularly - Every few months, look at what's working and what isn't. If it doesn't light you up anymore or serve your mission, it's time to let it go. Don't keep doing the same thing over and over just because it used to work. Evaluate your systems and redesign them for who you are now. 
•  Step up your leadership game - As your business grows, you can't keep operating like you're still a solopreneur working out of your kitchen. You need to make bigger decisions, lead a team, and show up as the CEO of your business, not just the worker bee.
•  Update what you're offering - The courses, services, and programs that made sense when you started might not fit who you are now. If you've grown in wisdom and capacity, your offerings should reflect that evolution.
•  Let your prices grow with you - Stop charging what you charged three years ago when you had half the experience and results. Your income should reflect your increased value, expertise, and the better results you're now getting for people.

Your Authentic Business Action Plan

Ready to stop leaving money on the table in the name of authenticity?
Grab a pen and notebook for this…

1. Take an honest look at your business - Where are you confusing "authentic" with just plain ineffective? Be brutal here. What's not working? Where are you staying true to your OLD self instead of evolving?
2. Figure out what you're actually great at - What's your real zone of genius? Once you know, stop doing everything else. Seriously. Let other people handle the stuff you suck at. Make a list of all the things you do in your business then circle the things that are in your zone of genius. Delegate the rest.
   
   For me my zone of genius list is:
   - Writing content and curriculum
   - Leading classes and courses
   - Delivering 1-on-1 sessions
   
   What gets delegated?
   Everything else…graphics, webpages, automations, scheduling, all backend tech, anything that’s not in my ZOG. If it doesn’t require my voice, my vision, or my actual presence, someone else handles it.
3. Look at your prices with fresh eyes - Do your rates actually reflect the transformation you're giving people? If someone's life changes because of your work, your pricing should reflect that. Use the Lifetime Value Method in Soulful Success to help you calculate the true value of your sacred work. 
4. Think about your next level - Who do you need to become to hold that bigger income, that wider impact? What needs to shift in how you show up? Not just how you show up for your business, but how you show up for yourself. Your body. Your lifestyle. Your mission. 

Make 2 lists:

1. Serves my next level
2. Doesn’t serve my next level

Get brutally honest about the habits, relationships, thought patterns, and daily choices that are dragging you down. What do you keep tolerating that would never fly in your highest version of life and leadership? What needs to be cut, upgraded, or simplified?

Then commit.

The woman who leads at the next level doesn’t keep doing things out of guilt, fear, or habit. She audits her life and makes aligned, courageous shifts.

At the end of the day, you don’t want to leave your 9-to-5 just to feel trapped all over again.

You started this business journey because you knew you were meant for more…more freedom, more impact, more alignment with who you really are.

But if you’re still undercharging, overworking, and trying to do it all yourself in the name of being “authentic,” something’s gotta change.

This is your chance to clean it up, get real, and build a business that actually works for you.

About Leandra Rose

Leandra Rose is a Master Guide for spiritual visionaries & entrepreneurs, blending over a decade of expertise in somatic healing, nervous system mastery, and purpose-driven mentorship. Her signature approach has helped thousands break free from limiting patterns, heal deep emotional imprints, and align their lives with their soul’s mission.

Through Leandra’s programs, leaders unlock authentic self-expression, embody their spiritual gifts, and cultivate sovereign success that is both purposeful and abundant. With her unique ability to merge intuition and strategy, Leandra empowers you to step boldly into your divine calling and manifest the impactful, prosperous life you’re here to create.

Work with Leandra 1-on-1 

Client Testimonials  

“I wouldn’t be showing up in my leadership with the confidence I have today without Leandra’s gentle but fierce mentorship... I also had my highest ever cash month in my business while working with Leandra.”

-Mariko Brenner, CEO of Modern Muse

“Before working with Leandra, I felt like I was crazy. I needed a mentor who understood me as a spiritual leader, not just a business coach. Since working together, I am so much more confident in my truth. I’m also no longer afraid to be bold in my business content or to step into my leadership with soft authority. Leandra also helped me learn how to sell the value I provide rather than selling “myself.”

- Sherri Kirk, Owner of Moonlight Soul Tuning

"I’ve never made such profound leaps forward in my self-development process and connection to myself as I have with Leandra. If you are ready and willing to open yourself up to who you really are, I cannot recommend Leandra enough."

-Michael Peer, Director & Screenwriter, Los Angeles