The Balancing Act: How a Business Owner Keeps Faith, Family & Success in Harmony

Running a business while staying true to your faith and being present for your family isn't about perfect balance: it's about intentional alignment. After years of building Southern Royalty Service LLC, I've learned that success isn't measured solely by revenue or market share. Real success happens when your business becomes an extension of your values, your family feels supported rather than neglected, and your faith guides every major decision.

The challenge isn't finding more hours in the day. It's about creating harmony between the three pillars that define who I am: my relationship with God, my commitment to my family, and my responsibility to run a business that serves others with excellence.

Faith as the Foundation

Every morning before I check emails or review the day's cleaning schedules, I spend time in prayer. This isn't just routine: it's the foundation that keeps everything else in perspective. When you ground your business decisions in faith, you're not just asking "Will this make money?" You're asking "Does this align with my values? Will this serve others well? Am I being a good steward of what God has entrusted to me?"

In the cleaning industry, we're invited into people's most personal spaces. We see their lives up close: the mess, the chaos, sometimes the struggle. That's sacred ground. My faith reminds me that what we do at Southern Royalty Service isn't just about removing dirt and grime. We're restoring peace of mind, creating environments where families can thrive, and treating every client's home with the respect we'd want for our own.

This perspective transforms how we operate. When a client calls upset about a missed spot or a scheduling mix-up, my first instinct isn't to defend or deflect. It's to listen, understand, and make it right. That's not just good business: it's living out the principle of treating others how you want to be treated.

Setting Boundaries That Protect What Matters Most

Early in my entrepreneurial journey, I made the mistake of believing that being available 24/7 meant I was more dedicated. Wrong. Being constantly "on" meant I was never fully present anywhere. My family got the exhausted, distracted version of me, and ironically, my business decisions suffered because I was operating from a place of constant stress rather than clear thinking.

Setting boundaries wasn't about working less: it was about working smarter. I established specific hours when I'm fully focused on business operations and other times when my phone goes in the drawer and my attention belongs completely to my family. This discipline has actually improved both areas of my life.

Sunday is sacred in our household. Just like Truett Cathy demonstrated with Chick-fil-A closing on Sundays, I've learned that honoring the Sabbath isn't just a religious practice: it's a business strategy. Rest and reflection make you sharper during the work week. Quality time with family refuels your spirit and reminds you why you're working so hard in the first place.

When clients occasionally push back on our Sunday policy, I explain it simply: "This is how we ensure you get our best service the other six days of the week. Our team is refreshed, focused, and ready to exceed your expectations because we've taken time to recharge."

Family as Your Greatest Investment

My background shaped my understanding of what family really means. Growing up with a Japanese mother and a father from Georgia who served in the Navy as a musician, I learned early that family isn't just about genetics: it's about showing up, being present, and creating stability even when life gets complicated.

Those early experiences taught me that consistency matters more than perfection. My kids don't need a father who's always working to provide for them. They need a father who's present, engaged, and modeling what it looks like to work with integrity and purpose.

I involve my family in the business journey whenever appropriate. They hear about our wins, understand our challenges, and see firsthand what it takes to build something meaningful. This isn't about putting pressure on them: it's about helping them understand that work can be a form of service, that treating people well has rewards beyond money, and that building something valuable requires patience and persistence.

When we celebrate a major contract or overcome a significant challenge, it's a family celebration. When we're problem-solving a staffing issue or figuring out how to improve our service quality, sometimes the best insights come from dinner table conversations. My family's perspective often cuts straight through business complexity to the heart of what really matters: taking care of people.

Redefining Success Beyond the Bottom Line

The cleaning industry can be purely transactional if you let it be. Client pays, service is performed, repeat. But that approach misses the deeper opportunity. Every home we clean, every office space we maintain, every satisfied client represents something bigger: we're creating environments where people can focus on what matters most to them.

Success in our business isn't just measured by profit margins or growth rates. It's measured by the single mom who can spend Sunday afternoon with her kids instead of scrubbing bathrooms. It's the busy professional who comes home to a spotless house and can actually relax. It's the elderly client who maintains dignity and independence because we help with tasks that have become physically challenging.

This perspective changes everything about how we operate. We're not just selling a cleaning service: we're selling peace of mind, time with loved ones, and environments that support people's best lives. When you see your work through that lens, excellence becomes non-negotiable. Integrity becomes automatic. Service becomes worship.

Our team understands this mission. We don't just train on cleaning techniques: we talk about why our work matters, how we're serving families, and what it means to be trustworthy in someone's personal space. This creates a culture where people take pride in their work beyond just earning a paycheck.

Managing the Creative Tensions

Anyone who tries to operate a business with strong values will face moments where doing the right thing and maximizing profit seem to conflict. These aren't problems to solve: they're tensions to manage with wisdom and prayer.

Sometimes we've turned down clients whose values clearly conflicted with ours. Sometimes we've absorbed extra costs to make things right when a mistake happened. Sometimes we've chosen the harder path because it aligned with our principles, even when the easier path would have been more profitable short-term.

These decisions require faith. You have to trust that operating with integrity, even when it costs you in the moment, builds something more valuable long-term: reputation, team loyalty, client trust, and personal peace.

I've learned to see these tensions as opportunities for growth rather than problems to avoid. Every time we choose character over convenience, we strengthen the foundation of what we're building. Every time we prioritize relationships over transactions, we create the kind of business that can thrive for generations.

Quality Over Quantity in Everything

Balance isn't about dividing time equally between faith, family, and business. It's about being fully present in whatever season or moment demands your attention. Some weeks require longer business hours to serve clients well. Some family situations need extra attention and availability. Some spiritual seasons call for deeper prayer and reflection.

The key is intentionality. When I'm praying, I'm not thinking about client schedules. When I'm with my family, I'm not mentally reviewing profit and loss statements. When I'm working, I'm fully focused on serving clients excellently. This presence, rather than perfect time allocation, creates the harmony that makes everything work.

This principle applies to our business operations too. We'd rather serve fewer clients exceptionally well than stretch ourselves thin trying to take every opportunity. Quality relationships, quality work, and quality service create a foundation for sustainable growth that's actually enjoyable rather than constantly stressful.

Building Something That Lasts

At the end of the day, I'm not just building a cleaning company: I'm building a legacy. I want my children to see what it looks like to work with purpose, treat people well, and integrate faith into every aspect of life. I want our clients to experience service that reflects the love and excellence God calls us to. I want our team members to grow professionally and personally through their experience with Southern Royalty Service.

This long-term perspective makes daily decisions clearer. When you're focused on quarterly profits, you might cut corners or compromise values. When you're building for generations, every choice reflects the character and mission you want to be remembered for.

The balancing act isn't about perfection. It's about alignment. When your faith guides your decisions, your family supports your mission, and your business reflects your values, you're not juggling competing priorities: you're living an integrated life where every piece reinforces the others.

That's not just good business. That's good living. And in my experience, when you get the living right, the business tends to follow suit.