341: Hard Isn't Bad: Telling The Difference Between A Tough Season And The Wrong Path, With NeuroBiz Coach Emily Duval Ledger

What would you do differently if you started your business all over again today? In this episode of I Love Neuro, hosts Erin Gallardo, PT, DPT, NCS, and Claire McLean, PT, DPT, NCS, talk with NeuroBiz Coach Emily Duval Ledger, who is marking 20 years of entrepreneurship, about the lessons they'd hand to their newer business-owner selves. Claire pushes back on the premise, since you couldn't make today's decisions without the experiences that got you here, and the conversation turns to what actually matters: getting started, expecting your business to change as your life does, and learning to tell the difference between work that is simply hard and work that is a square peg in a round hole. All three open up about how the desire to be liked led them to pay early team members more than the business could support. They also cover why buying enterprise-level software or hiring consultants before you understand your own needs can drain your budget, and why you should keep at least a toe in the parts of the business you hand off, from bookkeeping to SEO. Claire shares how she uses AI tools like Claude to research market pay, map out a hiring process, and think through decisions between coaching sessions, and why her most useful thinking partner turned out to be her therapist rather than someone with strong business opinions. Emily reflects on quieting the persistent voice that says she should want more, and Erin describes searching her own brain for answers before looking outward. The episode closes with a parable about a farmer and his horse, the seasons of running a business, and a reminder to appreciate what's special about the stage you're in right now, even if that means enjoying a midday nap while your schedule is still filling up.