There’s a stage in business that many people don’t talk about enough.

Not the beginning, where everything is new and exciting.

Not the scale-up phase, where things feel slick and structured.

But that messy middle.

Where you’re busy. You’re making money. But something isn’t quite clicking.

For Caz Lumbard, owner of Cookies Kitchen, that middle phase lasted longer than she expected.

And what changed everything wasn’t working harder.

It was getting focused.

From Swimming Teacher to Business Owner

Caz didn’t set out to build a cookery business.

In fact, her journey started in a completely different world.

“I had to come out the pool, thanks to my ears and throat… and I was looking at relocating.”

What happened next feels like one of those rare, perfectly-timed moments.

“I dropped the owner an email asking if she had any job opportunities… and the night before she had written an email to say she was closing the business down.”

Instead of applying for a job, Caz was handed an opportunity.

“So did I want to take it over?”

She did.

And 11 years later, she’s still running and growing the business.

The Early Years: Doing Everything

Like many business owners, Caz started by keeping everything going.

The business already had:

• Monthly cookery clubs for children
• Birthday parties
• School enrichment contracts
• Large-scale events

“So at first I kind of ticked along… did the do.”

And for a while, that worked.

But over time, things became more complicated.

The “Busy But Stuck” Phase

After relocating and navigating COVID, Caz found herself juggling too much.

She had:

• A physical venue she’d invested heavily in
• Community sessions
• Regular travel between Norfolk and Kent
• A steady stream of party bookings

On the surface, it looked like success.

Behind the scenes, it was exhausting.

“I was touring Norfolk and Kent like a yo-yo… I was spreading myself too thinly.”

This is the trap many business owners fall into.

More bookings don’t always equal better business.

Sometimes, they just mean more chaos.

The Turning Point: Finding the Right Support

Caz had already invested in learning before.

But something wasn’t quite landing.

“I realised I was listening to very generic people… who didn’t really understand my industry.”

That’s when things shifted.

She started paying attention to advice from someone who actually understood the children’s activity sector.

“I realised the power of homing down on experts who actually know what you do.”

After joining a live challenge and then the full programme, everything started to click.

“It helped me focus… which was huge.”

Why the Way You Learn Matters

One of the biggest breakthroughs for Caz wasn’t just what she learned.

It was how she learned it.

“I was the girl that never did her homework… if it’s just there to do when I’m ready, I’ll always find something else to do.”

Sound familiar?

For her, passive learning didn’t work.

What did work?

• Live sessions with real-time interaction
• Being able to ask questions in the moment
• Short deadlines that created urgency
• Accountability that kept her moving

“Clear the calendar, turn up.”

And that shift in how she engaged changed everything.

The Power of Action and Accountability

Caz didn’t just show up.

She followed through.

And that’s where the real transformation happened.

“The homework had accountability… and it was part of the conversation the next week.”

This meant she couldn’t just consume information.

She had to apply it.

Quickly.

Consistently.

And that’s what moved her from busy… to strategic.

From Doing Everything to Doing the Right Things

One of the biggest shifts in Caz’s business came from stepping back and asking a bigger question:

What actually matters?

Together, the focus became clear.

Instead of:

• Constant weekend work
• Endless parties
• Spreading time across multiple locations

She made some bold decisions.

Including stepping away from parts of the business that were draining her.

“We had that whole conversation about being out every weekend… and we changed direction.”

The new focus?

Schools.

Impact.

Sustainability.

Building a Business That Fits Your Life

This is where Caz’s story really stands out.

Because success for her wasn’t about doing more.

It was about doing what worked.

She built a model that allowed her to:

• Work in term time
• Have school holidays free for travel
• Focus on larger-scale impact through schools
• Reduce unnecessary travel and stress

“It’s about what your version of success is.”

And that’s the part many business owners skip.

They chase growth without asking if it actually fits their life.

More Than Marketing: A Full Business Transformation

Caz originally came in looking for help with marketing.

What she got was much bigger.

“They come in for marketing… but what actually happens is a business transformation.”

Through the process, she gained clarity on:

• Who she wanted to serve
• What actually made money
• Where her time should be spent
• What needed to change

And once that clarity was there, everything else became easier.

The Power of Being Around the Right People

Another key part of Caz’s journey?

Community.

“You always meet the best people… that energy is addictive.”

Being surrounded by people who are:

• Taking action
• Growing their businesses
• Sharing ideas
• Supporting each other

Creates momentum that’s hard to build alone.

“It’s not just you… it’s that community that’s created as well.”

What This Means for You

If you’re currently:

• Busy but feeling stretched
• Saying yes to everything
• Unsure what to focus on next
• Learning from people who don’t quite “get” your industry

Caz’s story is a reminder that clarity changes everything.

Not more effort.

Not more hours.

Better decisions.

Because once you focus on the right things, growth becomes a lot simpler.

Watch the Full Interview

Want to hear how Caz made those decisions, what she changed in her business, and how she built a model that actually works for her life?

Watch the full interview on YouTube – there are so many moments in this conversation that will challenge how you’re currently running your business.