Susan Fennema
Hi everybody. I’m Susan Fennema, the Chaos Eradicating Officer—CEO—of Beyond the Chaos. I have with me today Bethany McClellan of Rapid Business Plans. Hey Bethany, thanks for joining.
As I recall, when we started working with you almost three years ago, you were really struggling with owner dependency in your business and edging toward business burnout. Let’s set the stage for everyone. What was life like in your business and your personal life at that time? What kinds of challenges were you running into?
That happens to so many small business owners. When you were in the middle of that, how did it affect your personal life? How were you dealing outside of work—if you even had time outside of work?
Was there a specific moment when you realized something needed to change, or did it just build into business burnout?
That’s fantastic. I imagine during the transition—while you were stepping back and taking that break—and when you started focusing on growth and marketing, did you start to love your business again? Did it feel different than before?
Before, you were deeply involved in the day-to-day, handling client problems and selling a bit. Now, you’re mostly the face of the company—marketing, building relationships, and being out in front. Is that how your role has changed?
When you first started stepping back and letting go, how did that feel? Was it scary, messy, or uncomfortable?
Were there any changes you implemented that surprised you with how much impact they had—either on how you felt or how smoothly the business began to run?
I love that because data is so important for decision-making. If owners have to dig through reports constantly, they either delay decisions or don’t make them at all. We call those “beachfront metrics”—the numbers you should be able to glance at quickly to know how your business is doing.
What’s life like now? I follow you on LinkedIn, and it looks like you’re always laying by the pool reading books.
Has there been a moment or milestone where you thought, “Wow, this is really working”?
It’s important to give people a sense of scope. You run a fully virtual business with people all over the country—interns and highly experienced professionals. How did Rapid Business Plans start, and how has it grown?
That kind of growth doesn’t happen by accident. You’ve been very intentional, especially in getting help. I can’t imagine you managing 40 people, all the clients, marketing, conferences, and sales by yourself.
If someone listening today feels stuck, what’s one small first step they could take to start freeing themselves from their business?
I’ll add that Bethany is very willing to trust her team, gives great feedback, and truly partners with the people she works with. That give-and-take has been a huge part of her growth. Letting go is hard, but partnership makes it possible.
Looking back, is there anything you wish you’d done sooner or differently?
What’s the hardest part about hiring friends or family when it doesn’t work out?
We have a question from the audience: How do you know if you’re too involved in your business operations?
Another question—how do you handle employees who are resistant to change?
And finally, how long does it typically take to achieve significant results when making these kinds of changes?
Bethany, thank you so much for sharing your experience. Breaking free from owner dependency is what allows businesses to grow and gives owners the freedom they were looking for when they started. Thanks again for joining me today.
Bethany McClellan
Thanks for having me, Susan. I run a company called Rapid Business Plans. We write business plans and feasibility studies for companies seeking SBA and USDA loans, which are small business loans.
When we started working together, I struggled with not having the right project manager in the right seat, which contributed directly to business burnout. I’d have periods of relief where I wasn’t involved in producing reports, but then someone would quit or go on vacation, and I’d jump right back in. I was also a major bottleneck—lots of decisions couldn’t happen without me—so I couldn’t truly step away. That led to serious business burnout a couple of years ago.
At that time, I was a newlywed, and my husband had quit his job to work in the business. He was learning a new role, so he had a lot of questions, and I was already working nonstop. I barely wanted to sell business plans anymore, which was a clear sign of business burnout. Something had to change.
I had worked with a coaching program that helped me scale the business from just me to hiring my first employees. They were instrumental in growth, and eventually they told me my business needed an integrator. Early on, I had hired someone before the business was ready for that role, but later, when the time was right, I Googled for help and found you. That decision changed my life.
I was able to take most of 2023 off—aside from light marketing involvement—and really step away. I read books, decorated my house, and recharged. When I came back in 2024, I was refreshed and ready to focus on marketing again.
That break absolutely renewed my love for the business. I had more energy, and I stopped showing up to conferences burned out. During a year of business burnout, I remember a referral partner asking how a lead was going, and I honestly didn’t even care. Now, I’m enthusiastic again—about the work, the people, and the impact we’re making.
In 2024, LinkedIn became my main job. I finally had time to understand what was happening in our industry and engage meaningfully. That focus helped us grow the business by 45% that year.
Letting go wasn’t easy. I remember stepping in on a rush request, and our project manager had to tell me, very kindly, to back off because she had it handled. That was hard, but necessary. I have a high “quick start” tendency, so I had to redefine what “timely” really meant and trust the process instead of reacting immediately.
We centralized project management in Teamwork, communication in Slack, and built dashboards that pull data together so I can see margins, job costing, and overhead at a glance. For the first time, I truly understand where the business is and where it’s going.
Now, my work is energizing. I love marketing, conferences, and relationship-building. If I want to take a day off, I can. We live near the beach now, so I don’t feel the need for long vacations—I already have balance.
One of the biggest wins is how our business supports people. We employ interns who go on to successful careers, women reentering the workforce, and professionals who want flexible work. That wouldn’t be possible if the business were chaotic.
Rapid started with just me. Over time, we grew intentionally. Today we have around 40 people—interns, writers, quality control, and project management—working together in a structured way.
If someone feels stuck or overwhelmed by business burnout, I’d suggest writing. Write down where you are now and where you want to be. Once that’s clear, you can start figuring out how to bridge the gap.
I’ve learned that trust and partnership are everything. Once I started teaching others how to do the work, I realized I should teach everyone. Now I don’t have to execute unless I choose to.
Timing mattered for me. I did make some hiring mistakes early on, especially without assessments. Using assessments to put the right people in the right seats made all the difference—especially when working with friends or family.
If I can’t step away from email for a couple of days, that’s a sign I’m too involved. The business should be able to operate independently.
With change, sometimes it’s simply explaining why things are done a certain way. If someone can’t adapt, it may just not be the right fit—and that’s okay.
Results can come quickly if you’re willing to move decisively. You should see changes within three months and significant transformation within six.
Thanks so much for having me, Susan. I really enjoyed the conversation.