Stop Waiting For Retirement — My $30K/Month Freedom Business Blueprint
How I Abandoned My $2M Business For 8 Simple Tools That Cost Me Less Than $425 Per Month To Live A Retirement Lifestyle Now
"You must be killing it!"
That’s what people used to say when they saw my coaching business pulling in almost $2M a year.
And on paper? I was.
Except... I wasn’t. I was burnt out, drowning in overhead, and living on a spreadsheet of expectations.
Here’s the truth: Some months, I made a lot of money, and I loved it. Other months, I was FREAKING out about how to make payroll.
During good months, I felt like a Queen.
But when things weren’t going according to plan, I avoided the pain by hyper-focusing on trying to fix and control.
Feast and famine.
Highs and lows.
Growth with a heaping side of anxiety.
Success that looked good on Instagram—but didn’t feel good in my body.
My monthly expenses to run the business were near $80K. I had two exec-level team members making $150K+, a custom-built client portal, and a retreat staff the size of a wedding crew. We were spending thousands a month on Facebook ads and email funnels just to feed the beast.
Sure, I had a "successful business." But it came at the cost of joy, time, freedom—and eventually, my nervous system.
These days?
I run a simple, wildly fulfilling $10K/month minimum business from my home office (and sometimes from a trailhead, an RV or a beach) that gives me freedom, flexibility, and enough profit to fund my life, my work, and my vision.
Let me show you how.
The 9 Core Tools That Power My Freedom Business
Here’s what I use to run my business and life—without burning out or blowing up my calendar.
1. Expert Sites – $197/month
A one-stop shop for all backend client systems—replaces multiple platforms like Docusign, Calendly, and Zapier. (And if you’ve ever had to duct-tape five tools together with Zapier just to make your business run? You’ll understand why this is a dream.)
Built by a trusted colleague, it's intuitive and seamless. It is a CRM, has a quiz funnel, sales pages, calendar, SMS, and a client hub all in one. Built by a colleague and way simpler than the $495/month monster I left behind, I may consider moving my primary website to Expert Sites too, but to date, I am still emotionally attached to the brand new baby I built in late 2024 at MarniBattista.com
2. Mail Software – $35/month
Primarily, I email my contacts using Substack. However, I did invest in an email software as a backup email list and segmentation tool. Because relying on one platform is risky.
3. Slack – ~$20/month (annual plan)
Keeps the micro team organized and connected without clutter, and gives my 1:1 clients real-time access to me. This is the secret sauce. We’re in a true partnership, not a program.
4. Zoom – $18/month
Used for coaching sessions, VIP days, and group programs. I need breakout rooms and whiteboards, and this gets the job done.
5. Canva – $25/month
All graphics for the brand, from podcast covers to worksheets and social posts. No designer needed for quick work, and the part-time design expert on the team can quickly take it all to the next level quickly.
6. AWS – $30/month
Where I store all PDFs, meditations, and downloadable content on the cloud for my clients and paid Substack subscribers. I have an amazing vault here I use almost daily as I have been creating content for nearly 16 years.
7. Riverside – $24/month
What I use for podcast and video recording. Crystal clear and super reliable. Plus, it creates show notes, clips, and has a teleprompter because memorizing is not my jam.
8. Chat GPT – $21/month
My copy partner, brainstorming assistant, and creative muse—especially for podcast scripting, creating custom meditations, and marketing copy.
9. G-Suite - $11/month. I primarily use this to retain access to years of client emails and shared docs from my old team. Could I migrate it all? Sure. But for now, the peace of mind is worth the cost.
What Most People Miss
When people talk about building a freedom-based business, they obsess over tools and tactics. They spin out researching platforms, piecing together workflows, or stressing over which CRM integrates with what.
But underneath that? It’s not about the tech.
It’s the fear that they’re not actually capable.
That if they do get it all set up, they’ll still mess it up. That they’ll invest time and money and still fail. That everyone will finally see they’re an impostor.
Tech becomes the perfect hiding place.
But the real levers?
How you spend your TIME.
How much space you leave for LIFE.
Whether your business serves your nervous system—or hijacks it.
Most people overcomplicate their systems, undercharge for their brilliance, and confuse "busy" with "thriving."
But here's the truth: your life is the blueprint.
I reverse-engineered my life around what actually matters to me—like movement, mountains, sourdough, travel, slow mornings, and meaningful coaching.
My day usually looks like this:
Daily movement within a 2-hour workout window that includes lunch (non-negotiable)
Slow mornings (coffee, meditation, Substack scrolling)
No standing meetings except one weekly Zoom co-creation call with my mini-team
Work that ends by 5 PM and usually starts after 9 am, more often than not.
Bread baking, trail walks, skiing, time to read and look for Moose, and actual rest
My Team
I have:
A full-time EA + podcast producer who does everything except service delivery. He’s learned SEO, helps me implement ideas, and keeps the machine running. ($1200/month)
A graphic designer ($600/month) who’s been with me forever and adapts as we evolve.
A social media manager ($700/month) who repurposes my content and shows up consistently.
Podcast Editor – ($50/episode) Because I love doing the show—not editing it. This amazing young man is 18 years old and the nephew of my EA. He always makes sure I sound polished while keeping podcast production sustainable and affordable.
That’s it.
Yes, in theory, I could do all the admin, research, and logistics. But why would I?
Let’s talk about this for a second.
Sure, you can do it all yourself. Many people do—especially at the beginning. But real freedom doesn’t come from bootstrapping everything forever. It comes from making smart investments that protect your time, energy, and creativity.
There’s a bit of a trend in the online world that glorifies running a business with “no help.” But that kind of martyrdom often keeps women stuck in burnout loops, afraid to ask for help or delegate.
If you want real freedom—the kind that lets you be present for your life—you have to learn to let go of anything that doesn’t require you.
Delegating non–service delivery tasks is not a luxury—it’s a leadership move.
Income Snapshot 2025
A steady base of 10k/month recurring revenue from private 1:1 coaching clients (my core service and main income source). I typically add 1-2 clients per month, and 75 percent of my clients continue working with me because we get awesome results together. The recurring revenue is gold when a month is slow.
$1000 a year from Substack paid subscriptions (and growing)
6 clients are currently enrolled in my DREAM LIFE NOW year-long program, that generated $155,000.
2–3 retreats/year, open to select clients outside the year-long program ($1500 per person, excluding travel/accommodation)
A Hybrid 1-1/Group Coaching Program in a small group container, with support via Slack
And random surprise wins from experiments and offers.
This is a high-impact, low-burn business. 90% of my income is from coaching. I like it that way. I spend most of the time doing what I love — coaching, creating, and connecting.
What I Gave Up
Huge team.
Sales calls that went on for hours and hours with high-pressure tactics.
Massive launches.
A constant need to scale and get bigger to feed the machine.
Custom backends and over-complicated tech stacks.
What I gained?
Walks with my friends
A weekly hang with my 14-year-old mentee that includes art projects and baking
A consistent workout practice.
Peaceful mornings and time to bake bread
Time with my daughters.
Flexibility to travel
Space to think, rest, and be creative
Ouchy Truths That Keep Women Stuck.
“It’s too late.” — I was 42 when I launched my coaching business. I hadn’t worked in business for 10+ years. I was a nursery school teacher making $24k a year.
“I can’t make as much as I did in corporate.” — Yes, you can. You just need a new strategy and a CEO identity to back it up.
“What if it fails?” — What if it works?
“I need a big audience or a polished brand.” — No, you need one good offer, one clear message, and belief in yourself. There are ways you can make money from your soul-aligned gifts that the conscious mind can’t even imagine (yet!)
“My gift isn’t special enough.” — It is. Especially when packaged well. And if you don’t know what your gift is yet, use a process or plan and discover it.
FAQs
Do your clients get annoyed that they have to work on your schedule?
Nope. If anything, they respect it. My calendar sets the tone for theirs. And because I’m not overwhelmed, I can offer spontaneous support, walk-and-talks, and quick check-ins when needed.
Do you still do proposals or high-pressure sales tactics?
Nope. I do a 15-minute vibe check. If it’s a yes, it’s a yes. We schedule a second call to dive deeper which typically lasts no longer than 45 minutes. I make an invitation on that call. Minimal to zero follow-up. No pressure.
Can this work if I don’t have a big following?
Yes. 100%. Your people don’t care how many followers you have. They care about whether you can help them. In midlife, your network is huge. Leverage it.
My Freedom Philosophy
I had to nearly break to figure this out.
After a near-crippling ski accident in 2020 (pre-toilet-paper-hoarding), I realized I was living a life built on “shoulds.”
I was performing, proving, and pushing—but never pausing to ask:
What do I actually need?
Now I help other women ask better questions.
We use soul mapping, design thinking, and experimentation to prototype your next chapter—before you blow up your life or wait another year.
You don’t have to burn it down.
You just have to start designing differently.
🚀 Ready to Build Your $10K/Month Freedom Life?
You don’t need a fancy funnel.
You don’t need a huge audience.
You don’t need to overthink.
You just need to start.
👉 Join my 12-Month Freedom Club + Get access to the 3-day “F*ck The Hustle Bootcamp: How To Create Your 10k A Month Freedom Plan” for less than $14 a month until May 8th.
PLUS, you will get immediate access to my entire TECH STACK and a critical Time-Money Audit you can take in less than 2 minutes to find out how you can start to cut your hours immediately and get back time, wherever you are in the FREEDOM life process.
That’s less than your monthly manicure, ladies.
You will get the Bootcamp and Access to:
My epic “Get Out of Overwhelm” tool, The Life Wheel Exercise that will help you pinpoint hidden energy leaks and opportunities for massive shifts without adding extra stress to your life.
My best meditations to manifest quickly + new meditations delivered all the time
My “Allowing Abundance” Series.
The CALM Prosperity 30-days to less stress and more $ daily practice. Doing this practice alone again and again shifted my identity from brokeAF to having more than enough.
Monthly coaching with me in a small group
Let’s design your escape plan, experiment with soul-aligned offers, and build a life and income that lights you up. For details and more click the button below.
PS: Once you join, we will send you access to my full tech stack—complete with links, notes, and the behind-the-scenes setup tips that make it all run with ease. No fluff. Just what actually works.
Make today your Day One—instead of waiting for One Day.
If you are already a paid subscriber (that means that you are already a member of our 12 month Freedom Club), get your Tech Stack and Money Audit here →