The real trap isn’t failure; it’s success built on someone else’s terms.

Most founders don’t burn out because they worked too hard. They burn out because they built the wrong thing, a business that eats their time, drains their energy, and leaves them chasing the next algorithm change. Jordan Tait hit that wall at 30, wrote two numbers on a napkin, and walked away from the grind. In this edition, you’ll learn how he rebuilt everything around freedom: choosing the right business model, mastering strategy over effort, and creating systems that let him work less but earn more.

Stay to the end, and you’ll walk away with a blueprint to design a business that pays you, fulfills you, and never owns you.

It happened somewhere between Chicago and Vancouver.

Jordan was 30, exhausted, and staring out the airplane window while his body begged for rest. He pulled a napkin from the seat pocket and wrote two numbers. How much do I need to live well for a year? How much do I already have? The math told him something his body already knew—he didn’t need another client; he needed a reset.

That napkin became a line in the sand.

He realized money wasn’t the prize—time was. Within weeks, he left his corporate coaching job and took a full year off. That space gave him perspective: what he truly wanted was autonomy, not just income, but control.

“All the money I’d saved wasn’t security. It was freedom I’d already earned,” he told me.

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When Jordan started again, he flipped the traditional script.

Instead of asking, “what business should I build?” he asked, “what life do I want to live?” His answer was clear: travel, flexibility, and meaningful work with people he respects. From there, The Intentional Business was born. He set one hard rule—32 hours a week, max. Those limits forced ruthless focus. Every task had to justify its place. Every client had to align with his vision. What looked like restriction became leverage. By designing the business around his life, he created a company that supported his values instead of stealing from them.

“Freedom isn’t found at the end of a 100-hour week. It’s built into how you start,” Jordan said.

Most entrepreneurs think working harder means making more.

Jordan learned that profit has nothing to do with hours—it’s a measure of efficiency, not effort. He’s coached seven-figure founders who make $60K a year and solopreneurs who make $300K with no team. The difference isn’t talent. It’s model design.

His framework is simple:

A business that’s lean and focused on results can out-earn one that’s bloated and busy. That’s why Jordan tells every client: stop chasing the top line, and start optimizing the bottom line.

Jordan built his business almost entirely through LinkedIn—but he’s honest about its limits. “Every platform is rented land,” he said.

“Algorithms change, reach dies, and your clients vanish.” His solution is what every founder needs to hear: build your own audience. That means treating social media as a front door, not a living room. Use it to invite people in, then move them to your email list—a space you control. Whether you run a coaching offer or a digital agency, the same truth applies. Your list is your leverage.

It’s the difference between hoping for attention and owning it.

When we talked about purpose, Jordan paused before answering.

“Men are starving for meaning,” he said. “They chase success, but deep down they want to feel useful.” His story is proof that purpose doesn’t come from grind; it comes from alignment. He found meaning by stripping away noise—the constant comparison, the endless hustle—until only the essentials remained. The result wasn’t less ambition. It was clarity. If you build a business that serves your values, every hour becomes an act of alignment.

You’ll still work hard, but you won’t lose yourself in the process.

Talk soon,

Roman