When I launched Her First $100K, I promised myself I’d build the kind of company I always wanted to work for — one that didn’t glorify burnout or “hustle culture.”
No fake “unlimited” vacation policy no one feels safe using. No late-night Slack messages. No “work-life balance” lip service without policies to back it up.
Today, I run a multimillion-dollar financial education company: $5 million in annual revenue, a bestselling book, a top podcast, and a global community of 5 million women. And every quarter, my team of seven full-time employees gets a fully paid, week-long company break. No emails. No meetings. No work.
That’s 26 additional paid days off every year, on top of holidays and unlimited PTO.
How our quarterly breaks work
Every quarter, we shut down the entire company for one week. This isn’t “take time off whenever you want.” It’s a collective break, so no one returns to a flooded inbox or projects that moved forward without them.
We alert our audience and partners ahead of time, and our systems handle the essentials while the humans rest. For my team, that week is sacred. They travel, spend time with family, or just do nothing. Guilt-free.
What surprised me most? Our community loves it. When we announce our breaks, followers cheer us on. They see us modeling the boundaries and work-life balance we teach, and it deepens their trust in us.
Why I don’t care if it slows down business
1. Burnout costs more than rest
Every founder says they care about their team’s well-being. But if your employees are running on fumes, you’re paying for it in lower productivity, higher turnover, and mistakes that cost money and morale.
Research from Stanford University shows productivity plummets after about 50 hours of work per week, while studies from NIH link chronic stress to reduced performance and creativity.
Our breaks are a proactive investment. Instead of fixing burnout later, we prevent it altogether. I’ve watched employees come back from these breaks re-energized, more engaged, and more creative. That return far outweighs the temporary dip in output.
2. Creativity requires space
The irony of overwork is that the more you push, the less inspired you get. In my own life, I’ve noticed that my best ideas (new product concepts, creative marketing angles, partnership pitches) come when I’m not in front of my laptop. For my team, it’s the same.
When you’re constantly reacting to notifications, your brain doesn’t have time to wander, and that’s where innovation lives.
Quarterly breaks give us that mental white space. The result? Fresher ideas, better problem-solving, and a renewed excitement to execute.
3. Trust builds loyalty, and loyalty drives results
Offering a paid week off every quarter sends a powerful message: I trust my team. I trust them to take time away without things falling apart, and I trust them to return ready to keep building this company with me.
When employees know you’ll prioritize their health, they’ll go the extra mile when it matters. They’ll stay through the busy seasons. They’ll advocate for your business as if it’s their own. And they’ll give you their best work because they know you see them as more than just a means to an end.
Yes, the business slows down for a week every few months. I wouldn’t have it any other way.
What founders and employees can learn
You might be thinking: That’s nice, but there’s no way I could run my business like this.
I get it. But we’re proof that you can. Her First $100K is on track to do over $8 million this year with a 64% profit margin — while shutting down four times a year.
If a full week off feels impossible, start smaller:
Give your team a long weekend after a big launch.Enforce real “no meeting” days.Encourage employees to actually use their PTO, without guilt.
The point is to make rest part of your culture, not a perk people are afraid to take.
And if you’re an employee stuck in a burnout cycle, start setting your own boundaries: no late-night emails, no “quick check-ins” on vacation, and regular mental resets. Advocate for what you need. If your workplace can’t support that, it might be time to find one that does.
Tori Dunlap is an money expert who has helped over one million women negotiate salary, pay off debt, build savings, and invest. She is the author of “Financial Feminist,” and her work has been featured on Good Morning America, the Today Show, the New York Times, and more. An honors graduate of the University of Portland, Dunlap now travels the world, writing, speaking, and coaching about personal finance, online businesses, and confidence for women.
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