You don’t have to burn yourself out to build a successful business.

I learned that the hard way.

On paper, everything looked great.
✔ Built three businesses to $200M in revenue
✔ Bootstrapped a service business to $25M with 25 people in five years
✔ Scaled a VC-backed tech company to $28M ARR in under two years with just 12 people
✔ Made a double-sided consumer marketplace profitable in three months with a five-person team
✔ Raised $30M in venture capital

But behind the scenes, I was exhausted, constantly putting out fires, and convinced the business would fall apart if I stepped away.

So I pushed harder, thinking that was the only way.

Then life forced me to stop.

I ran headfirst into a glass window. A concussion took me out for eight weeks. No emails, no meetings, no problem-solving. For the first time, I couldn’t step in to fix things.

And when I came back, I was shocked. The business hadn’t just survived. It had thrived.

That moment forced me to question everything.

I always thought the key to scaling was working harder and building better systems. And systems did help. But what really made the difference wasn’t the business. It was me.

I had built a company that depended on me, not because it had to, but because I didn’t know how to let go. I believed that stepping back meant losing control. That if I wasn’t involved in everything, things would fall apart.

That belief had to change.

Learning to trust my team, step back, and stop being the bottleneck wasn’t easy. But once I did, everything changed.

The systems worked because I let them. My team thrived because I gave them space. And the business grew faster than ever, not because I was in every decision, but because I wasn’t.

Now, I help founders do the same.

Most founders come to me because they feel stuck. They’re scaling, but at the cost of their time, health, and freedom. It doesn’t have to be that way.

If you’re ready to build a business that grows without you being in the weeds, join me for daily insights on scaling, leadership, and personal growth.

Let’s get started.
—--
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⚫️ 1:1 CEO Coaching – If you want direct guidance to break free from the grind, let’s talk. 

Let’s connect:
Email: hello@christinecarrillo.com
Twitter: @ChristineCarril

Christine Carrillo

Sher Downing Ph.D.

𝗖𝗘𝗢, 𝗙𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿, 𝗦𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗴𝗶𝘀𝘁, 𝗖𝗼𝗮𝗰𝗵, 𝗙𝗮𝗰𝘂𝗹𝘁𝘆, 𝗗𝗶𝘀𝘀𝗲𝗿𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗶𝗿—these roles reflect a career spent at the intersection of entrepreneurship, education, and real life. But it's that last part—real life—where my work has evolved.

For 30+ years, I've specialized in strategic business transformation—from C-suite roles at R1 research institutions to founding 𝗗𝗼𝘄𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗘𝗱𝗧𝗲𝗰𝗵 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘀𝘂𝗹𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 in 2018, where my team and I continue to partner with K-12 schools, universities, and EdTech/AgeTech companies on digital transformation, strategic partnerships, and market entry.

This foundation in education technology, business scaling, and demographic trends led me to recognize an underserved intersection: entrepreneurs managing significant caregiving responsibilities. In 2024, I launched 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗘𝗻𝘁𝗿𝗲𝗽𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗲𝘂𝗿 𝗦𝗮𝗻𝗱𝘄𝗶𝗰𝗵™ to address this gap—coaching entrepreneurs through the strategic business challenge of scaling while caring for aging parents, family health needs, or sandwich generation demands.

My 𝗗𝗼𝘄𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗘𝗱𝗧𝗲𝗰𝗵 work deepened my understanding of aging populations, technology adoption, and the sandwich generation from an institutional perspective. My 𝗘𝗻𝘁𝗿𝗲𝗽𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗲𝘂𝗿 𝗦𝗮𝗻𝗱𝘄𝗶𝗰𝗵𝗧𝗠 coaching applies decades of operational strategy, business transformation, and scaling expertise to individual entrepreneurs facing these same demographic realities.

𝗗𝗼𝘄𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗘𝗱𝗧𝗲𝗰𝗵 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘀𝘂𝗹𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 serves education institutions and EdTech/AgeTech companies with digital transformation, curriculum innovation, go-to-market strategies, and strategic partnerships. Our expanding AgeTech focus addresses the intersection of technology and aging populations.

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗘𝗻𝘁𝗿𝗲𝗽𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗲𝘂𝗿 𝗦𝗮𝗻𝗱𝘄𝗶𝗰𝗵® (book launching February 20, 2026) serves entrepreneurs building sustainable businesses during caregiving seasons through coaching, courses, and community—the first in a series exploring how different caregiving scenarios impact entrepreneurship.

These aren't separate practices—they're the same strategic business expertise applied to institutional transformation and individual entrepreneur success. Whether advising on market entry or coaching through operational restructuring, the foundation is focused on business strategy, digital transformation, and sustainable scaling.

Podcast Host 

Welcome to EdTech Speaks, a podcast bringing guests together to share their expertise and advice on navigating business and education in a technology driven world. From entrepreneurs to vendors, higher education to corporate leaders, we’ll uncover their perspective regarding the latest trends and technologies impacting your career or business. Got a question? EdTech Speaks!

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