Feast and Famine in Your Business—and How to Get Out of It

Yah's Apothecary
4 days ago
3 min read

If you’ve been running your own business for a while, you’ve probably felt the feast and famine cycle. It’s when one month feels abundant—you’re landing clients, selling products, or hitting record numbers—and the next month feels like crickets. You’re either feasting or you’re scrambling to survive.

The truth is, this cycle wears you out. It makes you doubt yourself, your calling, and even whether your business can last. But the good news? It’s not permanent. Feast and famine happens for specific reasons—and that means you can break out of it.

Why Feast and Famine Happens

Most often, feast and famine happens because we rely too heavily on things we can’t control. Organic social media, algorithms, and word-of-mouth referrals all can work, but they’re not predictable. When you don’t have systems in place to consistently generate leads and revenue, you’re stuck waiting for opportunities instead of creating them.

Another big reason is focusing on the wrong tasks. It feels safe to spend all day answering emails, tinkering with designs, or scrolling for content inspiration. But those are admin tasks. They won’t move the needle. If your calendar is full of “busy work,” you’ll stay in famine mode.

Step One: Build a CEO Schedule

The first way to break the cycle is with a CEO schedule. That means structuring your week so your time is dedicated to revenue-driving tasks—not just survival tasks.

For example:

CEO tasks = pitching yourself for a guest podcast, designing a new offer, nurturing partnerships, creating sales funnels
Admin tasks = inbox replies, endless editing, formatting documents

You’ve probably heard people say, “Work on your business, not in your business.” Here’s what that actually means: working in your business is reacting to whatever comes up—managing clients, putting out fires, and chasing sales. Working on your business is strategic—you’re building systems, planning offers, and creating work today that brings in revenue tomorrow.

Actionable Ways to Break the Cycle

Do a money audit. Each week, write down 2–3 tasks that will directly generate income. Then check daily: Did I actually move toward money today?
Systematize the admin. Use templates, automation, or delegate low-value tasks. Your brainpower belongs on CEO work.

👉 Vault Members: Log in to the Herbal Business Vault and access the lesson on Building a CEO Schedule to see exactly how to map yours out.

Step Two: Balance Lead Generation

Feast and famine happens when leads come in bursts instead of consistently. To break the pattern, you need multiple streams of lead generation. Organic content alone won’t cut it—you need a mix.

For example:

Keep sharing organic content, but add guest podcast features to tap into new audiences.
Collaborate with aligned businesses or organizations that already have your people.
Build evergreen lead magnets that bring new subscribers onto your list daily.

When you diversify where your leads are coming from, you smooth out the valleys and stop relying on luck.

👉 Vault Members: Check the module on Offline Marketing for templates and step-by-step walkthroughs.

Step Three: Create Recurring Revenue

The last step to stabilize your business is to create revenue streams that repeat without constant effort. Launches and one-off sales create the highs and lows. Recurring revenue keeps the baseline steady.

Examples include:

Memberships or subscriptions (monthly tuition, Vault access, group coaching)
Digital products or class replays that sell on autopilot
Payment plans that spread out income instead of lump sums

Recurring revenue isn’t about getting rich overnight—it’s about having a safety net. Even when one stream slows, your baseline income remains. That’s what gives you room to breathe and plan.

👉 Vault Members: Access the lesson on Recurring Revenue Models to learn how to add one into your business.