04 From Overwhelmed to Empowered — How Sophie Baldwin Learned to Build a Business That Works for Her, Not Against Her

In this episode of the What One Thing podcast, Phil Davenport from Affirm IT Services and Hayley Baxter from Corbar Accounting sat down with bookkeeper and business owner Sophie Baldwin, who shared a journey that many small business owners will recognise — starting a business for freedom, only to wake up years later feeling trapped by it.

Sophie’s story is about more than bookkeeping. It’s about personal growth, learning to let go, and transforming a “monster business” into one that supports your life, not swallows it.

1. When Growth Becomes a Grind

Sophie’s business started from humble beginnings — a laptop, two clients (thanks to her husband’s door-to-door marketing skills!), and a box-room office.

Fast forward a few years and she had a thriving business, a growing team, and a long client list. But with that success came something else: exhaustion.

As Hayley put it during the chat, “It’s so easy to create that monster business without even meaning to. You start saying yes to everything, and before you know it, you’ve built something that’s running you.”

Phil agreed, adding from his own MSP experience, “I think we’ve all been there — firefighting, fixing problems, and convincing ourselves it’s progress. But if you’re not looking up and steering, the business just grows into chaos.”

That realisation hit Sophie hard. She’d built the business she thought she wanted — but she wasn’t enjoying it.

2. From Doer to Business Owner

At her lowest point, Sophie considered selling up completely. But something shifted. Instead of walking away, she decided to change the business — and herself.

She hired a coach, joined a mastermind, and surrounded herself with other business owners who understood the journey.

As Phil said on the episode, “We all start off as the engineer — the one who fixes everything. But at some point, you’ve got to become the business owner. You stop asking ‘How do I fix this?’ and start asking ‘Why is this broken in the first place?’”

For Sophie, that meant building processes, trusting her team, and finally stepping out of the day-to-day weeds.

3. Investing in Yourself Isn’t a Luxury

Sophie’s “one thing” was clear: growth starts with personal growth.

When she joined a peer group of other bookkeepers and accountants, something clicked. She realised she’d spent years investing in her business — software, systems, staff — but never in herself.

As Hayley reflected, “I think a lot of us see investing in ourselves as indulgent. But it’s the one thing that actually moves the needle. You can’t grow a business beyond your own capacity to lead it.”

That lesson rings true for every business owner — whether you’re managing IT systems, finances, or teams. The biggest bottleneck isn’t your tools or your team. It’s you.

4. Building a Business That Gives Back

Today, Sophie runs a team of seven, focuses on process and client experience, and champions neurodiverse entrepreneurs — a cause close to her heart.

Her journey is a reminder that freedom doesn’t come from “more”. It comes from clarity, confidence, and control.

Or as Phil summed it up: “If you can take a two-week holiday and the business still runs — that’s when you know you’ve built something real.”

And that’s exactly what What One Thing is all about — real stories from real business owners, and the small shifts that make the biggest difference.

🎧 Listen to the full episode: What One Thing Podcast – Sophie Baldwin
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