Why I take breaks from my business

Step away from your business. It might be the most beneficial thing you do to push your company forward.

Making space between you and your business might seem counterintuitive when you're deeply invested in its success, but taking this time becomes critically important as you grow — for you and the company.

Here's what I've learned when I've had time away from Wistia for parental leave, vacation, or personal development.

You get a direct pulse on the strength of your leadership

Earlier in my Wistia journey, disconnecting from daily operations was daunting. I worried about hiring decisions I wouldn't be involved in, missing out on 1-on-1s, and losing touch with the finer details of the business.

But what I discovered instead was a powerful truth: if the company truly needs you to manage the day-to-day, it's a sign that your leadership approach might need reevaluating. Effective leadership means building a team and structure that can operate independently, allowing you to focus on the bigger picture.

Shifting to long-term thinking

As your team takes on more and takes it further than you could, it gives you more time to work on the business instead of just in the business. A natural byproduct here is it usually allows you to become more long-term focused in your thinking. 

You'll notice that the more time you have to do long-term thinking, the easier it is to make big decisions that come up in the short term.

Look at your business from the outside

It can be easier to critique and come up with ideas for other businesses you know well, but sometimes you don’t see all these same obvious opportunities in your own business. 

One of the reasons this can happen is that in your business you know WHY things are the way they are. 

You might have an org structure issue, a product in the works, an old failed product, or simply too much organizational complexity which makes it obvious why you can’t do a new thing… expect that customers don’t care about any of this. They don’t care WHY something is bad or missing, they just want it or want it to be better. Removing yourself from organizational complexity makes it easier to see these opportunities by setting yourself up to see your business more like a customer.

The power of trust

When you can step away from the business, it's great for your well-being as the leader. It's also a powerful signal to your team: "I know you've got this. I trust you."

Empowering your team to make decisions and take ownership in your absence strengthens the organization as a whole. By stepping back, you're not just giving yourself a break—you're allowing your team to grow and thrive.

If you're asking yourself: "Can I afford to step away?" I challenge you to consider: "What's the worst that could happen?"

Once you're able to overcome your separation anxiety, I'm willing to bet you can't afford NOT to step away. It may be the very best you can do for your company in the long term.