Skip to main content

The Quiet Business Method

Published on
August 18, 2025
Joelene Mills

H


ow I Run My Business (and Why You Might Want To)

Surprisingly, running an online business is loud these days. Everyone has advice that they need to put in front of you. Most of it sounds like this:

  • Show up everywhere, all the time.

  • Launch bigger, launch faster, then launch again.

  • More funnels, more platforms, more content.

If you’re an introvert, or just a human with a nervous system, I know you know what happens next: burnout. Only, now it is wrapped up in a pretty little bow and disguised as “hustle.”

That’s the path I went down—twice. Once in photography, once when I pivoted into the online business world. I followed the playbook. I did what the “big names” said. I was exhausted, scattered, and somehow less clear than when I started.

Finally, after a couple of personal meltdowns (that may or may not have included a pint of Ben & Jerry’s and Moulin Rouge on repeat), is when I started piecing together what eventually became The Quiet Business Method.

The name came later because at first, it was just me trying to survive. I started stripping back what wasn’t working:

  • Instead of juggling five half-baked offers, I focused on one service that actually paid me.

  • I stopped posting everything everywhere, all the time just to be “seen”, and I committed to writing one substantial piece of content that is helpful.

  • Instead of chasing every shiny new trend, I asked myself: Is this actually useful—or just another thing the internet thinks I should care about?

Over time, I noticed a rhythm in how I worked through problems. Every time my business felt stuck, it wasn’t because I needed “more.” Nor did I need to search for the latest online business guru to tell me yet another way to hustle my way to success. It was because I needed to clarify, simplify, and show up—but only one at a time.

That rhythm became a framework. And that framework became The Quiet Business Method.

Quiet Business Menthod in Three Steps

1. Clarify: This is the pause button. What is actually working? What isn’t? Instead of spinning in circles, you take a step back and name the one thing that matters now. What will move the needle forward? Clarity isn’t sexy, but it’s always the first step.

2. Simplify: Now that things are clear and you know what matters, you cut the extra. The extra offers, content, systems—whatever’s bloated or unnecessary gets trimmed. Simplify doesn’t mean making your business “easy.” It means making it workable without draining your energy.

3. Show Up: Then, and only then, you take it out into the world. Not with frantic daily posts and 37 platforms. With quiet consistency. You show up where it counts, in a way that feels sustainable. Blogging. Email. Pinterest. Showing up doesn’t mean shouting—it means being findable.

Why Do I Use It?

Because I need a filter. I’ve been told that my whole life—but this isn’t that kind of filter. Every week there’s a new marketing “must.” Another viral trend. One more social media challenge designed to burn hours and promise visibility. The Quiet Business Method is how I decide what’s actually worth my energy.

  • When I feel stuck → I ask: What needs clarifying?

  • When I feel scattered → I ask: What can I simplify?

  • When I feel invisible → I ask: Where do I need to show up?

That’s it. No dashboards. No 47-step funnels. No endless to-do lists. Just three questions, on repeat.

When I Use It?

Honestly? Always.

  • Planning content? I run it through this method.

  • Deciding on a new offer? Same.

  • Feeling overwhelmed and starting to burn out? Definitely.

The Quiet Business Method is not a one-and-done concept—it’s more of a perpetual strategy. Businesses (and humans) are messy. Sometimes you’re in a “clarify” season. Sometimes you’re simplifying. Sometimes you’re ready to show up more.

The trick is knowing which one you’re in, instead of trying to do all three at once.

Why It's Quiet

Because introverts like us don’t need another system yelling at us to do more. The Quiet Business Method is about steady momentum, not endless noise.

It is the foundation for building a business that doesn’t drain you, is profitable, and truly yours—not a copy of someone else’s playbook.

You don’t have to pretend to be an extrovert and always be “on”. You don’t have to drown in busywork. This method is proof.

If your business feels heavy right now, you don’t need a shiny new way of doing things. You just need to ask:

  • What do I need to clarify?

  • What can I do to simplify?

  • Where do I need to show up?

That’s the method. It’s not flashy. It’s not loud. But it works.

Interovertered Entrepreneur Working on her laptop with a camera beside her.

Want help showing up without burning out?

Subscribe to Coach’s Corner

Get one plug-and-play blog post starter every Thursday—built for introverted coaches in the messy middle of business. Just $5/month for full access to weekly templates, swipe files, and a no-fluff archive that makes writing easier (and actually worth it).

Join Coach's Corner and Make Blogging Easy