Campfire Chronicles, Vol. 2 - Building Your Solo Safety Net
Pressure moments show you who’s in your corner and who’s just in your inbox. Learn how to build a safety net so your business keeps going no matter what.
Hey ya’ll, hey!
Last month, we started off strong with just a little ditty about pressure-proofing your business. And, I gotta tell you, this past family emergency had me checking and rechecking my systems and networks to make sure they were solid. I learned so much in the process, but maybe the biggest lesson was just how much you learn about the people around you when you can no longer show up for them in the way they are accustomed to…especially clients.
We had some clients who were brilliantly grace-filled and others who…well…weren’t so much. Let me catch you up…
My son had just had surgery.
A rod. In. His. Femur. (Ya’ll, motorcycles are heavy…having one land on you…10/10 DO NOT RECOMMEND.)
I was juggling ice packs, timing meds, and monitoring him like a hawk. And then ding — a message pops up:
“We’re praying for your son, and I know you’re super busy, but do you have time to talk for a minute?”
I know, it sounds sweet.
But the subtext was clear: “Your crisis is noted… but my stuff still comes first.”
And in that moment, something in me clicked.
We’d known this client wasn’t a great fit. We’d been avoiding the conversation, telling ourselves stories about “potential” and “it’ll get better.”
Pressure clarified what our tattered boundaries could not.
Because when life throws you a plot twist, some clients become partners and others become takers.
Pressure reveals patterns.
→ The client who respects your time before the emergency? Will still be there after.
→ The one who guilt-trips you during your hardest moment? Won’t ever stop.
Pressure moments are like business truth serum; they show you who’s really in your corner and who’s just in your inbox.
I just tell this story ‘cause if you’re feeling that tension—between the care you want to give and the treatment you’re actually receiving—pay attention. It might be time to stop overdelivering and start setting some boundaries.
Boundaries aren’t harsh.
They’re a kindness—to you and to the clients who genuinely value your work.
Building a Campfire Crew
Last month, we talked about “pressure proofing” your business — setting it up so a sudden curveball doesn’t throw everything into chaos. The response from my solopreneur friends was loud and clear:
“That’s great if you have a team, Cari. But what if you are the business?”
Fair question.
I’m lucky. I have a business partner, and my executive assistant also happens to live under my roof. But before Storyteller Wordsmith grew into a “we,” I had to figure out how to protect my “me.”
Years ago, Michael Brant (hi Michael 👋) had a hard conversation with me about succession plans and even who to put on my out-of-office email (gasp - you should set those and set them often). He had intentionally built a small group of people who could step in when he needed to step out. And he told me I should, too.
So I did.
Today, I have a micro-network inside my larger network, let’s call them a Campfire Crew, because I know how to run a good metaphor straight into the ground. Mine is a handful of people I trust to carry the baton if I ever have to step off the track for a while– ya know folks to take over if you get sick, go on a two month vacation (I’m looking at you again, Michael), or, I dunno, have to help your kid learn to walk again. They share my values, work the way I work, and see clients the way I see them. They’re as much my people as I am theirs.
Here’s how you can build your own “campfire crew”:
1️⃣ Define Your Litmus Test
Don’t just pick people who can do the work — pick people who will do it the way you would.
Do they share your philosophy?
Do they work at a similar pace and quality level?
Do they treat clients the way you expect your clients to be treated?
If the answer isn’t a clear yes, they aren’t your person.
2️⃣ Find Them Before You Need Them
You don’t want to build your safety net mid-fall.
Start by strengthening relationships with peers who serve similar audiences (but aren’t in direct competition for your exact sweet spot).
Look in your past workplaces, mastermind groups, or even conferences.
Be bold enough to say, “I think we could work well together if either of us needed backup.”
3️⃣ Build Trust Before There’s a Crisis
Test-drive the relationship before you need it (I cannot stress this enough…bold it…italicize it… and all that jazz). Collaborate on something small so you know how they roll under pressure.
Refer work to each other.
Invite them into small collaborations.
Share resources, tools, and insights freely.
4️⃣ Create a “Break Glass in Case of Emergency” Plan
Write down where your key files are.
Document active client projects and deadlines.
Give your backup crew access instructions — and permission — to step in.
Keep an updated “cheat sheet” for your most important workflows.
It’s not about being paranoid. It’s about not having to rebuild your business from the ER waiting room. The truth is, a business that depends entirely on you is also vulnerable to life doing what life does. Your “campfire crew” keeps your fire burning, even when you have to step away from tending it.
Now… Imagine Leveling Up On Purpose
What if instead of waiting for life to pull the fire alarm, you set aside 3–4 days to work on your business, with other owners who’ve also been meaning to:
Get their marketing together
Build systems that actually, you know, work
Finally, create content that doesn’t feel like pulling teeth
You’d be in a cozy lodge with coffee, snacks, and professional guides (hi, that’s us 👋) walking around like benevolent hall monitors — answering questions, checking your work, and helping you get unstuck right there on the spot.
By day, you’re cranking out the good stuff — website copy, emails, lead magnets, a content calendar that’s not just wishful thinking.
By night, you’re swapping stories around the fire with people who get it.
No fluff. No 87-slide PowerPoints. No “someday I’ll finish this” notebook.
Just real, done-and-dusted progress.
We’re Dreaming It Up for 2026 — And We Want You In On It
Before we start booking cabins and buying marshmallows, we want to know:
What would you most want help with?
Where would you be willing to go?
How much would you be ready to invest in 3-4 days of hands-on business building?
What would make this a “heck yes” for you?
Click here to spill your thoughts ➜
Your answers = your (ok…full disclosure…my) dream retreat.
Three minutes now could turn into a game-changing few days next year.
Ya’ll, I’m so over sit-and-get retreats where you get talked at and go to a bajillion breakout sessions that just amass notebooks full of someday, maybes I’ll get to doing that. I’m talking about time away to work on your business with experts there to help you and a plan to have you walking out with shit actually done. Someday is a scam; this is like the ultimate study hall, body double retreat…only for your business. We think it’s genius…what do you think?
