Breaking Free from Hustle Culture: How Women in Business Can Work Less & Live More with Jo Hooper of Get Wildly Free
- Amanda Hughes
- Sep 1
- 3 min read
We’ve all heard it: hustle harder, work longer, push through. Somewhere along the way, the message became that burnout is a badge of honour and success only comes if you sacrifice everything else.
But what if that’s the biggest lie we’ve been sold as business owners?
That’s exactly what I explored with Jo Hooper, founder of the Me First Method, in this week’s episode of Small Business Growth Addicts. After two breakdowns in her corporate career, Jo decided to build a business that put her first — and now she helps ambitious women do the same.
If you’ve ever felt like you left the 9–5 grind only to become your own worst boss, this conversation is going to feel like a deep breath of fresh air.
Why Hustle Culture Keeps Women Stuck
Jo explains how hustle culture is more than just long hours and late nights — it’s rooted in patriarchy and capitalism. We’ve been conditioned to believe our worth is tied to productivity, and that ease equals laziness.
For women especially, this shows up as:
Working more hours than ever, but still feeling behind
Saying yes when we really want to say no
Charging less than we should out of fear of being “too greedy”
Putting clients, family, or everyone else first — at the expense of our own needs
Sound familiar? You’re not alone.
Jo’s Me First Method
Instead of subscribing to “hustle or fail,” Jo teaches business owners how to flip the script with her Me First Method.
It comes down to three things:
Beliefs — Rewiring the thought that working less makes you less valuable.
Decisions — Setting boundaries, pricing with confidence, and choosing what’s right for you.
Actions — Designing offers, schedules, and systems that protect your time and energy.
One of my favourite takeaways? Jo’s reminder that time is also currency. Unlike money, you can’t make more of it — so your business needs to be built around the life you want, not the other way around.
In this episode, you’ll learn:
The sneaky ways we become our own worst bosses
Warning signs of burnout before it becomes breakdown
How patriarchy and capitalism fuel hustle culture for women in business
Jo’s practical steps to reclaim your time, money, and confidence
Why success doesn’t have to mean sacrifice
👉 Hit play on the episode above, and don’t forget to scroll down for Jo’s freebies, my resources, and exclusive discounts.
P.S. If burnout is something you’re worried about, I also sat down with psychotherapist Lauren Young to dive deeper into recognising the signs and protecting your mental health as a small business owner in a previous episode. Catch that episode here.
Meet Jo Hooper
Jo is on a mission to help ambitious women stop low-balling their lives for their work and truly live now. After two breakdowns before the age of 31, she knew she had to create a business that supported her life instead of consuming it. Today, she runs Get Wildly Free and helps others do the same.
👉 Grab Jo’s free Me First Diary Reset: Download Now
👉 Watch The Shit List on Instagram: Click here
A word from our sponsor
This episode is brought to you by Diane at Quinn Hypnosis (@quinnhypnosis)
Confidence wobbles? Imposter syndrome shouting “who does she think she is?”
That’s where Diane comes in. She helps small business owners reduce anxiety, overcome overwhelm, and step into their business with confidence through NLP and Hypnosis techniques - which I have personally tried and can recommend!
Free Resources for Small Business Owners
If this episode hit home, you’ll love my free resources designed to help you grow without the overwhelm:
Exclusive Discounts
Want to save money while growing your business?
Check out my collection of exclusive Small Business Discounts.
This conversation is your reminder that business doesn’t have to feel heavy, hard, or all-consuming. It gets to feel good. Hit play and let Jo show you how to make it happen.
Let’s keep this conversation going! Come say Hi on Instagram → @amandahughes.uk
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