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🥧 When “happy to help” becomes “of course you will”
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It's Up to You to Choose How Your Helpful Extras Become Part of the Job Hey Reader, Early in my marriage, pie was my job for family holiday gatherings. My grandma had taught me how to make fabulous pie crust. I enjoyed making the pies, feeding people I loved, and hearing how much they enjoyed them. There was a lot to like about the arrangement. But somewhere along the way, making the pies became an automatic assumption. I didn’t necessarily want to stop. It was simply nice when someone remembered to ask. You can enjoy doing something and still want a say in whether it becomes your job. That happens in our businesses, too. You offer something useful. The client appreciates it. You do it again. Eventually, the next request arrives with that extra already included. An additional call. Supporting materials. A quick turnaround you’ve managed several times. The client may reasonably believe it’s part of your service. After all, you’ve been providing it. But have you deliberately chosen that arrangement — and accounted for what it requires? In my article-writing work, I began supplying supporting image concepts. Clients eventually wanted to use the images themselves. Seeing the need, I expanded my service and increased my fees to include them. The extra became an intentional part of the offer. In this week’s article, When Helpful Extras Become Client Expectations in Your WFH Business, I share both stories and practical wording for clarifying an arrangement without blaming anyone for how it developed. Because a growing expectation can reveal something valuable. You might want to formally include the extra. Offer it separately. Provide it occasionally. Or simply ask that people check with you first. Each is a reasonable choice. The question is: “What arrangement would let me provide this willingly and sustainably?” CEO You gets to decide what the business offers. Employee You needs the time and resources to deliver it. Clear expectations help both of you — and help your clients know what they can count on. Your Action Step this WeekIdentify one helpful extra or recurring courtesy that has become expected without a clear conversation. Ask: “Do I want to keep providing this, and what would make the arrangement workable?” Choose how you want to continue. Then write one sentence for the next relevant conversation: “Going forward, I can offer _____, and we’ll need to _____.” You might name a fee, a planning step, an agreed limit, or a request to confirm your availability. Account for anything you’ve already promised, then communicate the arrangement before the next project takes shape. You can keep the pleasure of contributing, friend, while having a voice in what comes next. If you’d appreciate support working through that decision, upgrade to Insider or VIP for October’s CEO Decision Bridge, the monthly Mini Power Tools, and their archive. They give you a practical place to connect what matters with the adjustment you want to make. 💛 Insider & VIP CornerTenacious WFH Entrepreneur Insiders and VIPs can download October’s free tool — the CEO Decision Bridge — as well as other ready-to-use pieces of the CEO Toolkit located in the exclusive Mini Power Tool archive. If you’d enjoy practical tools to support your weekly self-leadership, explore Insider/VIP membership here. You can upgrade anytime to unlock not only this month's Mini Power Tool but also the growing archive of practical worksheets, templates, and resources created to help you build your business with greater clarity, confidence, and sustainability. Premium subscriptions start at $7/month. 💎 Upgrade your experience here.
As always, I'd love to know what you think of this week's newsletter. Post your thoughts on social and tag me (@coachmichelepeterson), or simply reply to this email! Thank you. I appreciate you! xoxo, Now for more good stuff ... Upgrade Your Experience ...Tenacious WFH Insiders get access to monthly Mini Power Tool downloadables like this month's CEO Decision Bridge, an exclusive audio version of the weekly newsletter and blog via the private podcast Insiders Only Tenacious WFH Entrepreneur Audio Experience that you can listen to on your favorite podcast platform ... and more! Get all the details here. UPGRADE TO INSIDER or VIP STATUS TODAY! Interesting Reads ...
Win WFH Tip of the WeekWFH Tip: To WIN working from home, break your big goals into smaller milestone goals. Keep taking one step at a time, and you'll get there! Grit & Grace Affirmation of the WeekI believe in myself. I see myself as confident and successful. I am transforming into the woman I am meant to be. Say it. Believe it. Be it. From the book Badass Affirmations by Becca Anderson I hope you enjoyed this week's newsletter. Thank you for linking arms and being part of my working from home tribe! I'll be back next week with more tips, inspiration, and other fun stuff to empower your WFH success. Until then, have a beautiful week! xoxo, P.S. It's my goal to inspire you and remind you of your greatness as we navigate WFH life together. If you loved this week's newsletter, please feel free to forward it to your friends! And just one more thing ...
October 22, 2026 | Coach Michele Peterson
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Coach Michele Peterson
Get my best tips and insights on productivity, confidence, balance, and connection ... learned from 15 years of successfully working from home. Long-term WFH is a CHOICE, a lifestyle, a CULTURE. And I believe that if you're going to do something, you should do it right. But you don't have to do it alone. Activate your free subscription to The Tenacious WFH Entrepreneur newsletter so that you get your weekly dose of grit and grace to keep you going by entering your email address below.
Have Something Ready for the Woman Doing the Work Hey Reader, It’s just the two of us at home now. But when I make pork chops, I’ll often make four. Two for dinner. Two extras for lunches. Leftover soup goes into individual sealed soup mugs, ready to pop into the microwave. I occasionally manage weekend meal prep. But planned leftovers like these examples are something I do frequently. I’m already cooking dinner or putting food away, so a little preparation fits into what’s happening. Later,...
Make Room for the Whole Commitment Hey Reader, A friend invited me to a networking lunch recently. She was one of the sponsors, and I wanted to support her. Making connections was a good reason to attend, too. The event was 90 minutes long. But there was also a 30-minute drive each way. Arriving early to mingle. Staying afterward to continue conversations. Following up with people by text or email. The extra time easily added up to two or more hours. The invitation was for 90 minutes. My yes...
Give One Meaningful Priority a Place to Grow Hey Reader, For about 10 years, I’ve had a small boysenberry patch tucked beside our backyard garden. These berries came from starts brought over from my grandparents’ vines. Grandma and Grandpa had three or four long rows, and I have VERY fond memories of Grandma’s berry pies and boysenberry jam. My little patch has kept that connection growing. We’ve enjoyed a modest crop each year. Recently, though, we removed a diseased loquat tree, and our...