I’m often asked the question:

How do you have a multiple 6-figure business and only work 20 or so hours per week?!

The answer is:

I’m in a weird cult that holds masked sex parties + initiation rites in a secret crawlspace inside of Jay-Z’s NYC penthouse!

OK. Just kidding.

The real answer is much less glamorous, but I’d love to share it with you.

Here’s a never-before-shared, behind-the-scenes tour of my business …

:: What I do to make money.

This year, I’m working with a handful of private clients as a publicity + sales mentor who invest and sign a full-year contract of love.

In addition to working with private clients, I sell lots n’ lots of delicious online classes on publicity, blogging, product design and sales.

When the right opportunity comes along, I occasionally take on acting gigs or paid speaking gigs. (These excite me less and less these days, though.)

It’s separate from my business income, but I also make money through two rental properties back in my hometown of New Jersey — fixer-upper houses that we bought ages ago and rent out for profit.

:: How long it took me to “get” here.

I need / must / want to underscore a very important fact:

It took time to get to a place where I can say, “I’d like a handful of clients, please!” or “Hey look, a new class!” and have my bank account fill up like boom.

Nearly ten years of time, to be exact.

Time to build credibility in my field. Time to build respect, amongst my audience. Time to build a body of work — helpful content, useful tips — and a style that people instantly recognize.

I’m not saying it’s going to take you a decade before you can turn a profit — of course not. My business was profitable from year two — just on a different scale, and with a different (read: way more stressful) model.

What I am saying is that sustainable success does not happen in 6 weeks, 12 weeks, or because of one “epic win.” It takes … time.

But “putting in the time” can still be pleasurable and fun. 🙂

:: How I live my life.

I feel best when I live simply.

Right now, my home base is on a farm in Napa Valley. My home is compact, but I like it that way. I’ve never been one for sprawling McMansions. It’s more important me for to have access to natural beauty + interesting places + be nomadic enough to visit other interesting spaces.

Which is exactly what I’ve got.

My backyard is a vineyard. I can hike to private swimming pools. I’m steps away from the best restaurants in Napa Valley and not far from beaches and the bustling city of San Francisco.

Living simply gives me enough discretionary income to save and then invest in things that make me happy — like traveling to meet up with friends for quiet writing retreats in Sweden and Hawaii, working out with a personal trainer, savoring the best organic food, and the (occasional) Kate Spade binge. 😉

:: How I run my business. 

My philosophy is: “It’s not what you make, it’s what you KEEP.”

I am very careful not to waste money on “assistants” or “consultants” that I don’t absolutely need.

I don’t hire anyone unless I’m completely maxed out OR there’s no way I would ever be able to do the particular activity I’m hiring for (because it’s completely out of my skill set and I have zero interest in learning.)

I have a part-time assistant who works for me when I need a little extra help at various points in the year, but not all the time. I work with a fabulous writer and an editor who help fairy-dust bigger projects. I outsource things like web and graphic design completely. I use a professional photographer, makeup artist, and stylist for promotional campaigns. I occasionally hire coaches or consultants to kick my ass in something specific.

Other than that, I don’t have a “team” of people who manage my day-to-day operations.

By keeping my life + business simple, I’ve found that, for me, it’s just not necessary.

:: How I make decisions.

Pretty much every business decision I make comes down to one question:

Will doing this feel pleasurable, or not?

When it comes to my work, “pleasure” is a combination of “freedom,” “flexibility,” “fun,” and “obsession.” Every project has got to have that spine-tingling, guilty pleasure x-factor that makes me want to stay up all night working on it… or it’s just not worth it.

Very few things feel pleasurable, like that.

Which means that I say NO to a LOT of things.

Even if saying YES would mean making more money.

This year, for example, I opened up my doors to only a handful of clients. Now, I have a massive waiting list of people who want to work with me in 2015 (which is flattering + amazing). Could I have taken more clients this year? Absolutely. But my schedule wouldn’t have been as flexible… and my time with my current clients wouldn’t be as pleasurable because I’d be all stressed and freaked out. I wasn’t willing to sacrifice my freedom, just to pad my bank account.

:: How I work, write + stay motivated.

I only check email twice per day.

I shut off all email and social media if I’m writing.

I spend no more than 15 minutes a day on social networks.

I go on frequent sabbaticals to places where I have really focused time alone. When I was in Sweden with my friend Alex this summer, we stayed in a quaint cabin in a little village with no Wifi or cell access. It was such a joy to work uninterrupted for long stretches of time … except for the occasional deer saying “hello!” through the window!

Most of all … I don’t worry about list building, traffic, blog comments, likes, shares, re-tweets, or any of the noise that tends to drive business owners crrrrazy.

Numbers are just numbers. My focus is on quality + engagement. This means that I honor the people who are already hanging with me — rather than constantly trying to attract more, more, more!

I listen to my audience. I ask them what they need. I create classes + content especially for them. And then … they are delighted! It’s that simple.

You don’t need 50,000 people on your list in order to have a successful 6-figure biz. You don’t even need 10,000. Or 1,000.  There are plenty of ways to make bank without a big list.

:: What I don’t know …

… is how to build a 7-figure business – in 12 weeks or less! – that’s a total dream to run, working from your PJs, popping raspberry truffles into your mouth.

That’s not something I’ve ever done — or seen anyone do, ever.

:: What I do know …

… is how to take a pleasurable approach to building a 6-figure (or multiple 6-figure) business that’s lean, low-stress and low-drama.