In a world where entrepreneurship is often glamorized as the ultimate path to freedom, it’s easy to overlook the nuances and challenges of building a sustainable business—or balancing it with other life priorities. On this week’s episode of the Salesy Podcast, we spoke with the incredible Tonya Rapley, a financial education pioneer, entrepreneur, and advocate for designing a life that aligns with your goals and values.

From her early days in nonprofit work to becoming a three-time business founder, Tonya shared her journey of resilience, transparency, and intentionality. Here are the key takeaways from our conversation.

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Starting with Purpose: Turning Challenges into Opportunity

Tonya’s entrepreneurial journey began in the nonprofit sector, working with low-income women. Witnessing the struggles of women who had once held successful careers but faced financial insecurity in later years inspired her to learn about personal finance.

She began blogging as a way to hold herself accountable and share what she learned. Eventually, that blog turned into a full-fledged financial education platform, My Fab Finance. Tonya’s story underscores the power of turning personal experiences into purpose-driven work.

Key Insight: “Necessity is often the spark for entrepreneurship, but opportunity is what keeps it alive.”

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Overcoming Challenges in Business

One of the biggest challenges Tonya faced in building her businesses was sifting through the overwhelming amount of information available to new entrepreneurs. Without a clear roadmap, she found herself experimenting with different strategies to see what worked.

Tonya highlighted the importance of finding a “path to profit” that’s not only viable but also sustainable. For her, this meant creating multiple revenue streams and ensuring her business could support her lifestyle and goals over time.

Key Insight: “Patience and intentionality are critical—give time the chance to do its job.”

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The Role of Financial Literacy in Entrepreneurship

With a strong foundation in financial literacy, Tonya approached her businesses with a level of preparedness that many entrepreneurs lack. From budgeting for inconsistent income to setting up retirement and investment accounts, she treated her business as a wealth-building tool rather than just a source of income.

Key Insight: “Your business should serve as a pathway to financial stability and freedom, not a source of constant stress.”

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Redefining Identity and Success

For many entrepreneurs, their business becomes deeply tied to their identity. Tonya spoke candidly about the emotional challenges of transitioning back into a 9-to-5 role after years of running her own businesses.

Rather than viewing it as a failure, she reframed her identity as a “change agent” who creates impact regardless of her title or role. This mindset shift allowed her to embrace new opportunities without shame or guilt.

Key Insight: “Success isn’t about fitting into one mold—it’s about aligning your career and lifestyle with the season of life you’re in.”

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Lessons on Growth and Letting Go

Tonya’s journey highlights two critical lessons for entrepreneurs:

1. Be Willing to Release: Let go of things that no longer serve you, whether it’s a business model, a role, or even a mindset.
2. Keep Trying: Before giving up, ask yourself, “Have I truly done everything I can?” Often, the answer is no. Take action, implement new strategies, and keep pushing forward.

Key Insight: “It’s not over until you stop trying—and sometimes, the most powerful thing you can do is pivot.”

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Embracing a Hybrid Life

Today, Tonya thrives as both a business owner and a remote employee. By combining her entrepreneurial skills with her corporate role, she’s designed a life that aligns with her current season.

Her story reminds us that entrepreneurship doesn’t have to be all or nothing. Whether you’re running a business, working a 9-to-5, or doing both, success is about finding what works for you.

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Explore Tonya’s Resources

Tonya is passionate about helping others design their ideal life and tap into their unique potential. Here are two resources she recommends:

• Life Alignment Quiz: Discover how aligned you are with your ideal life. Take the quiz at MyAlignedLifeQuiz.com.
• Mini-Private Podcast: Learn how to get paid to be yourself with You, Inc. Check it out at TheYouIncPodcast.com.

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Final Thoughts

Tonya’s journey is a testament to the power of resilience, alignment, and intentionality. Whether you’re navigating the early stages of business, transitioning back to a corporate role, or balancing both, her insights offer inspiration and actionable advice.

Remember, success isn’t a one-size-fits-all journey. It’s about creating a life that works for you in the season you’re in.

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Want more inspiration? Connect with Tonya on Threads, Instagram, and LinkedIn.

Let us know how this resonates with you in the comments! How are you designing a life that aligns with your goals?