651 | Letting Go of Control: How Mike Learned to Lead Without Carrying It All

If you’ve ever felt like the only one holding your business together, this episode is for you. Mike Rawlings, owner of Atlanta Painting Company, once believed carrying it all made him a good leader... until it nearly broke him.

Hear how he learned to delegate, build trust, and lead without losing control. This conversation will help you break free from overfunctioning and discover what healthy, effective leadership really looks like.

Our Guest: Mike Rawlings (00:02:04)
Meet Mike Rawlings, business owner and leader, sharing his journey from burnout to breakthrough.

When Carrying It All Becomes a Burden, Not a Badge (00:03:14)
How striving to do everything yourself becomes a leadership liability.

The Real Reasons We Resist Delegation (00:09:17)
Why delegation feels risky and how to do it right without losing control.

Breaking the Cycle of Leadership Overload (00:14:51)
The turning point: how structure, process, and consistency changed everything.

What Healthy Leadership Looks Like After the Shift (00:21:31)
Freedom and growth happen when you stop doing and start developing others.

Why Coaching Was the Game-Changer (00:26:00)
How coaching helped Mike see blind spots and lead with greater clarity.

Action Items (00:30:21)
Four practical steps to stop carrying it all and start leading well.

Additional Resources (00:33:20)
Listen to Episode 634: The Cost of Doing It Alone for more insights.

Next-Level Leadership LIVE Event 2026 (00:33:43)
A transformational event to help you lead with clarity and connection.

Conclusion (00:36:08)
The first step out of overload isn’t working harder, it’s thinking differently.