Bro Marketing has you hustling for validation, not results

You don’t need more strategy. You need a reset! Here's how I'm doing it...

Original image by kaboompics.com via pexels. Modified by Author.

I’m pissed, I’m tired of all this, and I had to get out.

Not out of my business… but out of the noise. Out of the Bro Marketing bubble. Out of the echo chamber of ego, urgency, and those empty promises that dominate the online business space.

This industry feels broken, and it has done harm for the sake of making a profit.

People spent so much money, time, and energy… chasing while still feeling lost, pushing while still questioning everything, and achieving while still not feeling whole or fulfilled.

I’ve watched too many smart, purpose-driven entrepreneurs (myself included) get manipulated into buying $1k, $2k, $5k, and $10k+ “miracle” programs or courses that were never aligned to begin with. Not because they didn’t need the help, but because someone sold them a shiny solution wrapped in fear, false urgency, and that I-know-better-than-you authority.

THAT is the dark side of marketing.

It’s sneaky psychological warfare disguised as freaking business advice! (Ugh! This got me so riled up writing this!!)

And I’m so done with it…

Bro Marketing didn’t just warp the way we sell. It warped the way we think, and it hijacked how we work.

It drilled into us that urgency equals value. That being constantly busy means you’re “productive” and how that proves your serious dedication and unwavering commitment. That results should come fast, impressive, and visible—or you’re doing something wrong. That if you’re not scaling, automating, or optimizing every damn minute of your time, you’re behind or failing.

Bro Marketing isn’t just in the funnels and the fake countdown timers.

It’s in the color-coded calendars and productivity planners.

It’s in the optimized to do lists and back-to-back-call schedules.

It’s in the glorification of “getting up at 5am”, “the ONE strategy that rules them all”, and “slay your goals like a SHE-EO or Girl Boss.” (Oh yes, Bro Marketing is in the female entrepreneurial space, too.)

So many of them set unrealistic standards and promote quick fixes. They often try to get you to push through your natural human tendencies and neglect the unique circumstances of your life and the nuances of your goals. Then oh, wait… for… it… Cue making you feel inadequate and frustrated when those methods don't yield those promised results in a short period of time.

Through all that, I thought there was something wrong with me. That I failed because I couldn’t live up to their standards and perform their strategies to the T. And even when I tried, I burned out.

Here are some the Bro Marketing equivalents in the productivity world:

• Weaponized urgency = “You’re just one routine away from 10x-ing your life.” “Treat every minute like it matters.” “You can sleep when you’re dead.”

• Manufactured scarcity = “You have the same 24 hours as (insert your role model).” “There’s never enough time, so you have to squeeze more in.” “You only get one shot at a first impression.” “Your competition is already ahead of you.”

• False authority = “This guru’s morning routine is the key to success, so copy it.” “I’ve worked with thousands of clients, and this system always works.” “Only amateurs/procrastinators/dabblers wing their success.”

• FOMO = “Everyone’s doing this, and it changed their life!” “You should be way further along by now.” “This thing helped me hit 6 figures.”

It’s the… same… manipulative pressure, just dressed up as “high performance.”

And all that is messing with our Work Identity.

We’ve been conditioned to believe that:

• If you slow down, you’re lazy.

• If you rest, you’re uncommitted.

• If you’re not producing or growing, you’re falling behind.

• If you aren’t always on, you don’t want it badly enough.

That identity is built on pressure, performance, and pretending like burnout is just part of the deal.

I’ve lived that, I know better, and hey, there are times these tactics still influence me.

So the Work OS Sandbox isn’t just a cute idea. It’s a necessary rebellion.

It’s a space to detox from all that noise.

To pause. Reflect. Remember what you actually want.

To challenge the lies that shaped your pace, your priorities, and your self worth.

To discover your own unique productivity combination.

Because if we don’t slow down and rewire the way we work, we’ll keep…

• Building businesses that look good online but feel like pressure cookers inside

• Performing success instead of experiencing it

• Abandoning ourselves to meet someone else’s definition of productivity or success

This is what needs to change

We need to redefine what real productivity looks like—one that actually leads to fulfillment, clarity, and choice.

It’s not that you’re broken, inept, or a complete failure for not getting these “right” or not being able to keep these up long term.

It’s because you were given these one-size-fits-all tactics since they’re easier to sell versus teaching you the deeper principles for why it works so that you could figure out how to make it effective for yourself.

That’s why in the Work OS Sandbox, I’m building around these principles:

• Go at your own pace – because urgency is not a virtue

• Reflection fuels progress – because clarity isn’t found in the noise

• Set your own standards – because your business should fit you and your life

• Less but better – because doing more doesn’t make you more

• Embrace imperfect action – because progress is made in motion, not perfection

• Patient perseverance – because rushing ruins what resilience refines

• Fulfillment is the real metric – because peace, not pressure, is the point

This isn’t about working less just to “relax more” or work on your laptop while at the beach.

This is about working differently because the old way was never built for entrepreneurs like us—people who care, who feel, who want their work to actually mean something, and who are no longer willing to sacrifice what truly matters to us.

So yes, on the surface, I’m testing the 4 day work week model.

But more importantly, I’m dismantling the shackles of “hustle equals worth.”

This is the new way I choose to work:
Steadier, even if it’s slower. Smarter with more purpose. Most importantly, mine!

In the journey of discovering mine, I’ll show you how you can experiment your way to yours, too.

Here’s how we’ll go about this

Each week, I’ll talk about a specific concept and tie that back to a particular element of the Work OS. That’ll help you start seeing where in your Work OS needs some updating and restructuring.

Since I’ll be jumping around, tackling this as I go, you can always refer back to this Work OS Frameworks page, where I’ve organized content, resources, and larger-scale experiments for the Work OS element you want to focus on.

At the end of each Post, I’ll also include “Experiment Field Notes” to give you more context and details about where I’m at, what I’m focusing on, and suggested strategies to experiment with based on where you’re at. Paid subscribers will also gain access to additional templates, resources, and in-depth insights, when relevant.

As for the tracking metrics, I am highlighting several practical contexts to ideally help you formulate better apples-to-apples comparisons to your journey. I’ll be sharing the stage of my business, the progress of my project, my average work day hours this week, how many days I worked, and relevant Context Notes.

Btw, here’s an important distinction I’m making: untangle the “Business Season” stages you’re in from the “Project Phase” ones. Because each stage has its own unique requirements of time, energy, and focus. With better context and awareness, you’ll be able to map out and spot trends in how you work on a regular basis, compared to the times that do require more of you.

Without further ado, here goes…

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4 Day Work Week Experiment ⟬ 2025 Edition № 01 ⟭ Apr 5-11

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Context Notes:

I’m building the Work OS framework and Sandbox as I go through this 4 Day Work Week Experiment. So that’s compiling triple the amount of planning, strategizing, researching, and building simultaneously. Yup, A LOT of behind-the-scenes work and being in multiple stages at once.

Everything feels like it’s taking longer at the moment because I’m trying to thoroughly think things through and get feedback from coaches, peers, and clients along the way, too. My brain is filled with so many ideas and possibilities, so it feels like I’m marinating in this creative problem solving mode… all… the… time.

I admit it is a bit hard to pull away, and I’m grateful for my husband for his gentle, kind nudges for me to wrap things up in the evenings.

At the same time, it’s super rewarding and exhilarating that I finally know where I’m taking this Substack and how I’m planting that flag, declaring what I’m all about and how I can help you. I’m loving every moment of this, so even though it’s “work”, it doesn’t feel like it.

Factors to consider:

• I might need to clarify what I define as “work”. Are learning and journaling my thoughts (to mentally process all my ideas) considered “work”, too? What if enjoyable work IS my hobby? (I know, I know… I totally sound like a workaholic there.)

• I’m participating in Notes Challenges right now, so I’m also spending a lot of time on Substack Notes at the moment. This isn’t sustainable in the long run, so what can this look like in the long run?

Average work day hours:

7am to 830pm (- 2 hrs for meals - 1.5 hrs of personal time)

Work days per week:

5 days + Sunday afternoon

✨ I know, not ideal. But this gives you a clear idea of how “bad” it’s gotten, and you’ll see how I’ll go from this overworked state into one that is more sustainable with more ease and freedom, without my work taking over my life anymore.

Focus of your Work OS - Your Work Identity

Reconsider…

Is your definition of productivity truly yours… or was it inherited?

Ask yourself:

• Whose work ethic influenced what you think “productive” should look like?

• What unspoken rules are you still trying to follow—about time, effort, and results?

• Are you optimizing for peace… or performance?

Most of us didn’t choose this hustle blueprint. We just absorbed it from others around us over time. The good news is that you can uninstall it!

This is your permission to pause and challenge it all. The way you work should support who you are, not pull you further out of sync.

Experiments to explore

🧱 If you're feeling STUCK…
You might feel like you’re running on autopilot—doing things because you’re “supposed to,” not because they feel right. That disconnection can be frustrating and disorienting. It’s okay to take a breath and pause here.

Try this journal prompt:
“What expectations or ‘rules’ have I adopted that no longer serve me?”

Sometimes clarity starts with noticing what no longer fits.

🧪 If you want to EXPLORE…
You’re starting to question the hustle habits and want to try something that feels more like you. Awesome! You don’t need a whole new system—just a small rebellion.

Try this:
Pick one work habit you’ve outgrown (like always responding immediately or stacking your calendar).

Release it for a day and notice what frees up—mentally and emotionally.

📐 If you're ready to REFINE…
You’re here to protect your energy and refine your systems with more intention going forward. Now’s a great time to zoom in on and highlight what is still subtly driven by pressure.

Try this:
Choose one part of your workweek, such as your Monday start, your planning ritual, or your time blocks, and ask: “Is this supporting my wellbeing, or did I set that up due to some sort of productivity guilt?”

Consider how you can adjust it in a way that feels more spacious, not stricter.

P.S. If this Post gave voice to frustrations you’ve been quietly holding or helped you see how deeply hustle culture has shaped your pace, tap the ❤️ to honor that clarity. Share or restack to help others recognize how bro marketing might still be subtly warping the way they work. The Work OS Sandbox is here to help us all rebuild with intention.