Nicole's Case study
How Nicole Cut Her Work Hours in Half, Stopped Feeling Pulled in Every Direction, and Started Leading with Clarity
The Cycle of Busyness That Wasn’t Working
Nicole Clausen built Veterinary Care Logistics from the ground up, helping veterinary teams streamline inventory, cut costs, and improve efficiency. She loved her work, she loved her mission—but somewhere along the way, her business started running her, instead of the other way around.She was working 70 to 80 hours a week, constantly moving but never feeling ahead. Every decision, every project, every task felt important."Before I started working with Summer, my company was growing and expanding, and I felt like I was a little bit on the hamster wheel. I wasn’t quite sure what to focus on—it seemed like I was moving in all different directions, and I didn’t really have a strong focus."Like many nonprofit leaders and business owners, she was pulled in different directions by ideas, opportunities, and daily fires that needed putting out.Then, life forced her to pause.When her beloved dog of nearly 13 years passed away, everything shifted."I was working like 70 to 80-hour weeks easily. And when he passed, my whole world shut down. But then after that, I was like—why am I working so much? I don’t want to be doing this."She knew something had to change, but she wasn’t sure how to step off the hamster wheel without everything falling apart.Breaking Free from the Overwork Trap
When Nicole started Vision-Driven Leadership Coaching, the goal wasn’t just to “work less.” It was to work better.Together, we focused on helping her:
✅ Get Crystal Clear on Priorities – "Still, to this day, I have Summer’s words in the back of my mind—What is the main task? What is the main priority? What actually matters? That really helped me filter through what I was doing."
✅ Delegate with Confidence – "Another big thing I took away after working with Summer was learning how to delegate. What do I actually need to be doing versus what can my team be doing? That really helped clarify not only my role but the roles on my team as well."
✅ Align Her Business with Her Values– "We did a values audit—what are my values, what are my priorities in life? Reconnecting with those helped shift the lens for how I was thinking about my business and my time."
✅ Lead with Intention Instead of Reaction – "I went from reactive to proactive, from chaos to clarity. That’s the biggest transformation."And the results?From Constantly Working to Time-Rich Leadership
🔥 She cut her work hours in half. "I almost cut the number of hours I’m working in half. I’m working significantly less these days—still maybe 40 to 50 hours, but it’s much more intentional and moves the needle more."
🔥 She starts her days with clarity and ease. "I start my day in a very intentional way. I read, I meditate, and I really plan out my day. I like to call it 'priming my day.' That really kicks off my day in a nourishing way."
🔥 She reclaimed time for what matters most. "To me, being time-rich meant being well-nourished—emotionally, mentally, physically. And I think that is so much more true now. I get to spend more time with my dogs, my niece and nephew, my sister, my family."Nicole’s Reflection
"If you’re considering working with Summer, just do it. The process will challenge you, but in the best way possible. You learn so much about yourself and what’s important to you. You stop just going through the motions and start asking—Is this actually what I want? Is this aligned with who I am?""I feel like I went from reactive to proactive, from chaos to clarity. That’s the biggest transformation."Why This Matters for Nonprofit Leaders
Nicole’s story isn’t just about running a business. It’s about what happens when your mission and your work start to consume you—and how you can take back control.Many nonprofit leaders feel the same way: constantly pulled in different directions, overwhelmed by decisions, and working endlessly without feeling like they’re truly getting ahead.That’s where Vision-Driven Leadership Coaching comes in.If you’re ready to break free from constant busyness, unclear priorities, and decision fatigue—so you can scale your impact and lead with more clarity, confidence, and ease—let’s talk.Book a Free Discovery Call