If you’ve ever found yourself wrestling with outdated tools in your business—whether it’s your website, your systems, or your photos—this one’s for you.

A while back, I got so frustrated trying to update my website that I rage-quit the whole thing.

I just wanted to swap out a few photos and tweak some copy. Simple, right? But every time I tried to make a change, it felt like my platform was working against me. One tiny edit turned into a full-blown tech headache.

So in true stubborn-small-business-owner fashion…

I doubled down.
Rolled up my sleeves.
Got scrappy.
And powered through.

I rebuilt the entire site.
On a new platform.
By myself.
In three days.

Not exactly what I planned to do with my week—but here we are.

And honestly? I don’t regret it one bit.

You’ve Got to Know When to Fold ’Em

The biggest lesson I took from that week-long whirlwind? One I actually learned as a kid from Kenny Rogers:

You’ve got to know when to hold ’em… and know when to fold ’em.

My old website looked nice. I’d hired a designer. I’d invested money, time, and energy into building it.

But at the end of the day—it wasn’t working for me.
I couldn’t easily update things on my own. I dreaded even opening it. And yet, I kept trying to “make it work” because I’d already put so much into it.

Sound familiar?

We rural business owners are wired to tough things out. To grit our teeth and power through. And while that kind of determination can be an incredible strength—it can also keep us stuck.

Because sometimes, it’s not about working harder.

Sometimes, it’s about letting go of what isn’t working so you can try something new.

I See the Same Thing with Photos All the Time

I work with rural businesses across Alberta and Saskatchewan, and I hear the same stories over and over:

• “I just pull photos from my phone that kinda work…”
• “I used an old headshot from a family session because I didn’t have anything else…”
• “I feel like my marketing never really reflects what I do or who I am.”

That’s your “fold ’em” moment waving at you.

Photos aren’t just decoration—they’re tools. And when they’re outdated, off-brand, or hard to find, they slow you down and make your marketing feel like a chore.

After a brand session, clients always tell me the same thing:

“This makes everything else so much easier.”

That’s the real win.

3 Signs It’s Time to Let Go of What’s Not Working

Whether it’s your website, your images, or some other part of your marketing, here are a few signs that it might be time for a fresh start:

• You’re wasting time trying to make something work that doesn’t fit anymore
• You’re avoiding your website or marketing tasks because they feel clunky or overwhelming
• You keep using photos that don’t reflect what your business actually looks like now

If that’s you, maybe this is your permission slip.

Let this be your sign to stop muscling through something that isn’t serving you—and try something new instead.

Because whether it’s your website, your workflow, or your brand photos—sometimes the most productive thing you can do…
is fold ’em.