When Creative Talent Stops Scaling the Business | Alex Morgan | Part 2

This episode isn’t about creativity.
 It’s about what happens when talent outgrows structure.

In Part 2 of this conversation, Alex explains why creative ability alone couldn’t carry the business forward - and where systems, process, and operational clarity became the real constraint.

This wasn’t a motivation problem.
 It was a structural one.

We cover:
 • Why creative output eventually created friction
 • How lack of systems quietly capped growth
 • The hidden cost of “just figuring it out”
 • Why scaling required saying no to good ideas
 • What had to change to move forward

If you’re a founder or operator whose skills are proven - but growth feels stuck - this conversation will feel familiar.

This isn’t a highlight reel.
 It’s a practical breakdown of what breaks when structure lags behind talent.

Chief Milestones is a video podcast featuring honest conversations with founders, parents, and investors about building real businesses, staying healthy, and raising families.

New episodes release Tuesdays and Fridays.

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@ChiefMilestones

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chiefmilestones/

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/7HLDAe7SP3GnJSTOgAQqLy?si=6e9ac82be46f413c

Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/chief-milestones/id1861185226

Transcript

When Passion Doesn’t Match The Numbers

Alex Morgan 0:00

I wanted to have Private offices and Naproom. And they were. Financially they were. They were Hurting the business more Than they were helping. Other mom's thought it was an amazing Idea. But data was telling us mom's weren't utilizing it. We should be Utilizing that space better even though I was passionate about it. The business was telling us numbers wise that It wasn't needed so I had to let that go. Its loosing us money.

Reshma Vadlamudi 0:24

Whats one piece of advise you wish someone had given you about handling stress before you started your business? How has your business evolved? And what's next for you?

Alex Morgan 0:41

So our big goals.

Reshma Vadlamudi 0:51

Did you guys have to pivot or change the business model in time? And how did that affect your relationship?

Pivoting With New Partners

Pivoting The Back Suite For Profitability

Couples Therapy And Roles

Alex Morgan 1:00

Yeah, so this um past two months we've been pivoting a lot and it's been very hard on me because um we had to bring in uh an additional partner to Chase and Cali for financial reasons and to have another set of eyes that would see stuff that like maybe I was missing or Amy Anderson was missing. So within the business, I've had to not necessarily compromise, but see their point of view and how do we maximize revenue so that the business can survive. So yeah, we've had to change like our back suite area. I wanted to have like private offices and the nap room, and they weren't financially they weren't they were hurting the business more than they were helping. But I was very hot. I it was hard for me to let those go because I saw the need, but obviously the business was telling us numbers-wise that it wasn't needed. So the nap room in particular, like I had come up with it because I was taking like car naps in while I was building out Chase and Kelly because I was exhausted taking care of the kids, and I was like, there has to be a better way that's like a mom who's like struggling with you know sleep deprivation that she can go, you know, come take a nap while we're watching her kids. And I had asked one of the moms' groups, um, other moms like thought it was an amazing idea, but the data was telling us that moms weren't utilizing it, and maybe it was like something that I didn't market enough, or I wasn't letting people know enough. But from Anderson and our partner Joe's eyes, that like okay, well, you spent eight months, you know, trying to market this, it is losing us money, we should be utilizing that space better. So I had to let that go, even though I was passionate about it. Um but now because I did let it go, we've been able to add um someone that does facials to be able to utilize that space better. So it's the give and take.

Reshma Vadlamudi 3:09

Advice for the couples that want to start business together.

Alex Morgan 3:14

Number one thing I would recommend is couples therapy at first. Honestly, we did uh couples therapy and it did help. Having a third person would be like kind of tell you like this is where you would be better, you know. Yes, but we we've also had like friends that like kind of mediate when we're having like hard times, but seriously though, I guess um the communication in the beginning is so important of like, okay, what is your role? What is my role, and what can we expect out of each other? Um that's something that we kind of lacked in the beginning, and it did affect like our relationship, and it probably affected the business a little bit too, not having those clear expectations for each other.

Defining Work-Life Balance As An Entrepreneur Parent

Reshma Vadlamudi 3:58

What is work-life balance to you? Then I can ask you this.

Alex Morgan 4:03

Work-life balance to me. I would say I feel like I'm achieving work-life balance when I'm not feeling completely overwhelmed with like when I walk home, when I get walk into the dorm, I'm not so overwhelmed that I can't give my kids attention. So how do I achieve that? Usually, like I have to make sure that the kids are getting enough attention from me. Um, and then I have to plan out my schedule accordingly. So it's like I'm not spending, you know, 7 a.m., 7 p.m. every day at work because then when I get home, I'm so overwhelmed that I can't give them attention and then I'm not I'm not balanced. Um, so I usually try to make sure that I'm at least leaving at 5:30, having a little bit of alone time, and then I can give them my full attention. I'm not like on my phone trying to catch up with emails. Um, that really didn't happen for the first six months, and I was extremely overwhelmed. Um, and I started to realize like I have to make a change or I'm gonna get so burnt out that I'm not good for anyone. I'm not gonna be good for my employees, I'm not gonna be a good wife, I'm not gonna be a good mom. So if I'm just like rattling myself wagging, like, you know, again, I'm not I'm not a good leader to anyone. So making sure that I'm not overextending or saying yes to every single thing that people are expecting of me. Um saying no.

Learning To Say No Without Guilt

Reshma Vadlamudi 5:44

How good are you at saying no?

Alex Morgan 5:46

Not the best, but I am working on it. Um, but I have been getting better at saying like I can't right now, but let's circle back in a couple weeks, you know, and then that kind of gives me that breather of saying, instead of being like, I feel bad saying no in this instant, saying like let's circle back in a couple weeks, and then we can plan that out better. Because like in my mind, I know in that moment I want to say like no, like I'm not doing it, but I don't want to disappoint someone by saying no. It's that people pleaser in me that want to just always say yes, even though I don't want to say yes, but yeah, the circle back in a couple weeks has been helping me of not feeling bad saying no, but also like not saying yes just to make that other person happy.

Reshma Vadlamudi 6:37

And how do you handle the pressure of being everything to everyone as a mom and entrepreneur?

Handling Panic Attacks, Pressure, And Delegation

Alex Morgan 6:45

To be honest, I've had lots of panic attacks this year, um, because the pressure is a lot, and it's been a huge transition for me. I've never had to have so many people depend on me. Um, so how I have handled it. Um I guess being like upfront and honest with especially the people that are closest to me, like, hey, like I'm having a hard day. Like, I just I need some space. Um, usually that's to like Anderson or um so we we've hired my sister-in-law, who's now our general manager. She has like taken a lot like off of my plate, but I can also be like very um honest with her if like I'm having a hard time just voicing that and usually just voicing it also like has that valid validation that like I'm not in it alone, you know. Um delegating, I guess, is the biggest thing too.

Reshma Vadlamudi 7:45

How do you enforce those boundaries between family time and um business?

Alex Morgan 7:55

So I guess with having my sister-in-law as our general manager, like I've told her, like, hey, like when we're here, like we're not sister-in-laws, you know, like we're we'll always be in a family, but like we have to like almost take out that um factor that I'm still like I'm still her boss, you know, like and it's nothing it's hard because like again, I don't want her to feel like I'm superior, you know, like because like we are equals, you know, in the family sense. Um, but at work, like that has to like become second, you know, like if I'm giving you advice on how things should run, it's not because I don't value you as my sister-in-law, it's like we need to modify things for the business sake, and that has been and just being honest about that, like, hey, it's about you know business and how we can make sure that the business is flowing correctly, and so we don't really have like those like personal issues. Um we have another like family member that works with us, and it is harder for them to like understand that it's we make decisions based on like the business, not based on like our family, you know, connection. Um so again, like it doesn't work every time. There's honestly like yes, based on personality, personality-wise, like, and that's where it is hard like figuring out like what family family members you will be successful working with and who won't be. You know, sometimes that's like trial and error too. Like, I went into it thinking that this family member would be like a long-term, you know, fit, but like in a business setting, it's not the best way. And that's like, and so we have the conversation, like, hey, after your you know, last day, like we're gonna take you out to dinner because our family, like, that's still like we're never going to that's never gonna change. We're always gonna be family. So, and it's okay that it didn't work out in the business setting, you know, we're not going to like hate each other for that, you know, just like still so you would have that conversation up front saying that this uh let's try this thing out and see how that goes.

Reshma Vadlamudi 10:08

If it's gone, that just the business but business part of it is gone. It's just like hiring anyone else. How do you manage the stress of business growth while ensuring your children still feel supported just that one-on-one time? Or is there any other thing that you would?

Alex Morgan 10:27

Um, I am very um upright and honest, specifically with Callie, on what we're trying to do and what mommy does do for work, um, so that she also too understands like what I'm doing when I'm not with her. Um and not everyone can do that, not everyone can like bring their kids to work with them because of like what you know what the job that they have. Um, but I do bring them and I let them like see me working and I talk to them about it, and I think that has helped a lot. Um, like a couple weeks ago, Callie on her own free will was like, Mommy, I want to make a video about Jason Callie, and I could tell like she started to like talk like me on how like I talk about the business, and so it like it does help that she understands what I'm trying to do. Um, so I think that has been the biggest help of like balancing, like is just them also understanding, but sometimes like kids are so little that they don't understand, like our three-year-old, he doesn't know, you know, but like um, and that's where sometimes I start start to feel guilty that like he doesn't understand right now when I'm not there that it's I'm not just gone, you know. Like I'm gone because I'm trying to do something important, you know, like and I don't want him to feel like he's not important, you know. But um, with Callie and Jojo, like they understand like this is what mommy's doing when I'm not with her.

Managing Judgment And Pressure From Extended Family

Reshma Vadlamudi 11:56

Man, how do you communicate with the family about the demands of entrepreneurship?

Alex Morgan 12:02

So my own family is very understanding because they themselves are business owners. My husband husband's side is not um and that has been a huge um stressor. I honestly have had to put up um some extreme boundaries with extended family because they don't want to or understand um the stress that does go into it. And it is um sad feeling like family don't care or don't want to understand um and you almost feel judged, you know, uh because how you parent is different how than someone else will parent. But that's I feel like for myself, feeling confident in this is who I am as a person, this is who I want to be for my children, and how I want my children to also communicate with me, just being confident on these are my decisions, you know, and um if someone isn't wanting to be a supportive role, being okay, letting them do their own thing, you know, let them judge you if they want to, you know, let them talk negatively about you and just being confident in who you are as a person.

Reshma Vadlamudi 13:41

It's um but it's hard, yes, yes, especially, I don't know, when when it's it's your family and they don't get it and they're not there to solve you. Um yeah, it it is hard. And uh does Anderson understand that? Does how does he take it?

Getting Aligned As Spouses Under Family Stress

Alex Morgan 14:06

Um at first when things were first starting to happen, he had a hard time understanding, um, and then he saw certain things for himself, and it like once he could experience things, it um and he started standing up to certain like mistreatments. Um it was easier for us to be on the same team. At first, we I felt like we were on two separate teams, and we both had to realize like, oh no, we're we're on the same team. How do we work together through like certain hardships of dealing with family members that um weren't being supportive? Um and I kind of let him take the the lead with you know his his family, um and that was hard because I didn't want him.

Reshma Vadlamudi 14:55

Do you feel like you're falling behind because you have kids?

Alex Morgan 15:04

No, I've never felt like I'm falling behind because of the kids. Um I do feel like I have more pressure because of the kids, but I feel like they have almost pushed me to be better. Um like I don't think I would be do what I'm doing if I didn't have my children. Um there's definitely if I they weren't in the picture, it would be I'd probably have more time, or I wouldn't feel as much pressure to be um performing better or making sure that we're the business is surviving the way that I need it to because obviously I need to support them, you know. Um but I don't feel like I am behind.

Reshma Vadlamudi 16:01

What is your advice for parents in business who are sharing their physical and mental energy between two very demanding and important roles? So it's it's like parents who are in business both are like parent being a parent and being a business owner is both hard. So what's your advice for parents in business?

Finding Purpose Outside Of Motherhood

Alex Morgan 16:28

I mean, my main thing for myself was still remembering what my purpose was outside of motherhood. Um because that's where I did feel like I was maybe held back by having the kids because I wasn't following through with um my passions or I wasn't listening to what other purposes I had outside of motherhood. If I would have stayed on just being a stay-at-home mom, even though being a stay-at-home mom, some people that is their purpose, like my own mom. Her purpose she felt was being a stay-at-home mom, and everything that she did was for us. Um, I personally did not feel that that calling. Um, so I knew that I needed to follow my passions so that I could be a better mom. Um, so focusing on the business has helped me to be a better mom.

Reshma Vadlamudi 17:28

What are some ways you have involved your children in your entrepreneurial journey?

Alex Morgan 17:35

Well, our whole business is named after our oldest. Um, and she knows it. Um does your second one say I get my and so I do have like plans of like each one of our kids like having like um their own little like legacy that like I pass on to and like Callie, obviously like I want chasing Callie to be her thing, and she she knows that. Um Jojo and I have a plan for that, and Cam, our youngest, um, he's actually the fourth, so he's Charles Anderson Morgan the fourth. So um I have a plan for him too. Um but Callie being the oldest, I'm focusing on that first. Um, and then once we're at a better you know spot, then I you know I want each one of them to feel special. Anderson with like real estate, he's always said like he wants to have a property that each one of the kids like that's their you know their piece too.

Reshma Vadlamudi 18:35

Yes, so it's real estate and something from your creative side too, yeah, right?

Alex Morgan 18:43

Yeah, and then like maybe you know Jojo might not necessarily when she gets older want to do that business, but then she has the opportunity to, you know, either she could sell it or you know, do what she would like to do with it.

Reshma Vadlamudi 18:54

How do you prioritize maintaining the wellness and energy levels like throughout the day?

Alex Morgan 19:00

At the end of the day, I'm not feeling like I'm catching up because that's when I start to feel overwhelmed if I'm playing catch up at the end of the day, because then I feel like I'm still continuing to do catch up when I'm at home with the kids. So scheduling, like you know, my where I catch up on my emails in the beginning of the day opposed to the end of the day. Um so that's currently what I've been working on to like schedule my time better, um where at the end of the day I feel more refreshed, you know. So it's like what can I do at the end of the day where by the time I'm leaving, I'm not feeling overwhelmed. Um, and usually that's where I'm just like organizing or planning for the next day. Um, and then my catch up time is usually in the morning. So I'm like, okay, I've caught up with my emails, you know, anything that comes the rest of the day, I'm gonna be doing that tomorrow morning.

Reshma Vadlamudi 19:53

Especially on those high stress days. What do you do? Is there anything else you would do other than like the one hour time off? Or is there a routine you would follow, or um other than my audiobooks and not making dinner?

Alex Morgan 20:11

You're saying order dinner? Like, okay, we're what are we gonna or I'm picking stuff like I'm picking up Skyline on the way home, yeah. Because like I know that mentally I have reached a capacity that like I'm just not there, you know, and being okay with that too, you know, like okay, I had a hard day, like I don't have to make dinner right now. Like I can pick up you know skyline. Is it the healthiest? No, but you know the kids are fed, they enjoy it, it takes one thing off of my plate, and I'm not gonna make myself feel bad that I'm sacrificing on a healthy like meal in that moment.

Reshma Vadlamudi 20:52

Yeah.

Alex Morgan 20:52

Um, finding that balance too of like it's it's okay.

Reshma Vadlamudi 20:56

What's one piece of advice you wish someone had given you about handling stress before you started the about before you started your business?

Stop Taking Everything Personally

Alex Morgan 21:06

Um to not take things personally. Um I in the beginning, if anyone was upset or they didn't like something, I took it so personally that like I am a failure. Like this person is mad at me, they're they're not happy with whatever. And I constantly was thinking that I wasn't good enough because that person was upset. Um and it would make me go down this like dark hole of feeling like worthless. Um that maybe I made a bad decision because this person was mad at whatever the situation it is. Um but I had Um a friend tell me, like Alex, like, why are you holding yourself like to this so high standard that like other people's emotions, like you have to cater to their emotions, like you have to stop doing that, or you're gonna consistently be in this like circle of feeling like you have to control every little thing? So I had to almost take a step back of like, okay, if someone's having a hard time with me giving them a certain goal, you know, and they don't like that goal, like that doesn't mean that like I'm a bad person, you know, because they're not happy.

Reshma Vadlamudi 22:38

Did you let go of perfectionism or control in business and parenting? And how are you doing it?

Alex Morgan 22:47

Yes. Um people will say I'm a control freak for sure. Um and I think it kind of stems off of my anxiety mainly on I want to make sure that I am planning to so that the future like strap because that's true, yeah, like ever the place doesn't burn down. Yeah, so it's like I am trying to work on within myself of like okay, if something does fail, it's it's okay, we can pivot, you know, and like um not feeling like I have to have control over every single thing, you know. Um so that's kind of like something that I've been working on within myself of not feeling like I have to be in control, um, and being confident that the team that I have can do their jobs, you know, and letting them too, you know, like if I'm telling them what to do in every certain aspect, I'm doing a disservice to them because they can't fully do their job and learn from their mistakes too.

Reshma Vadlamudi 23:54

How has your business evolved? And what's next for you?

Evolving The Model: Systems, Profitability, And A Second Location

Alex Morgan 24:03

Um, so our big goals is to have a second location. Um, but right now we obviously have to get all of our like systems and procedures set in place where it's easy to like duplicate. Um and that's been obviously something I've never had to do, you know. So um making sure that we have the right systems in place is right now what I'm focusing on so that like we can do a single location or we can do like a franchise because like having I have big dreams and big goals, but like obviously I have to like take the steps to make sure that those goals can happen, you know, and it be successful, you know. So like making sure that Chasen Cali is at a level of like profitability, like that we can't even think about second location necessarily until like we are at like it's stable.

Reshma Vadlamudi 24:58

Got it, yeah. So where are your where would be your ideal second location?

Alex Morgan 25:05

We have been talking about like Milford or um somewhere at least where it's like a half hour, like where we're not competing necessarily with customers at like the current location. Um but we want to be in like another like family-friendly um area of town where um there are a lot of like young families that need support. Um, but again, the right property just like we want to obviously like we want to buy the property because that's Anderson's big thing, is like owning the real estate.