Employee to Entrepreneur Mindset Means Thinking Bigger

CEO Mindset Monday

Employee to entrepreneur mindset isn’t just a catchy phrase—it’s a foundational shift that shapes how you lead, plan, and build. When I first started Backbone America, I was still carrying an employee mindset without realizing it. I wasn’t afraid of work—I knew how to show up, meet deadlines, and “do my job.” But what I didn’t know yet was how much of my thinking was still rooted in safety, approval, and predictability.

And honestly, I liked those things.

I liked structure. I liked systems. And I liked solving problems—but preferably ones someone else had already scoped out. And if I’m honest, I still like all that structure mapped out for me.

But somewhere between getting laid off, returning to a rigid classroom job, and finally stepping back into tech, I realized I wanted more than just stability. I wanted freedom. And that required something I hadn’t yet built: a bigger mindset. One that didn’t just respond to the work—it directed it. One that wasn’t waiting to be chosen—it was choosing.

That’s where the shift really began.

What Employee Thinking Looks Like

Let’s be honest—most of us were trained to think like employees long before we ever got our first paycheck. We were taught to follow instructions, keep our heads down, and measure success by how well we met someone else’s expectations. That’s not a character flaw—it’s conditioning.

And for a while? It worked.

As a teacher—and even as a mom—I used to tell people that the most important thing you could do was follow instructions. That was how you earned trust, how you got the grade, how you proved yourself. I carried that into my own education, too. I finished my MS in Software Engineering with a 4.0 GPA not because I was some genius, but because I mastered the skill of delivering what was asked. Every paper, every project, every group assignment—I treated the rubric like gospel.

I’ll never forget one class where I was on the edge of losing my 4.0 with only a couple of courses left. My groupmates had already resigned themselves to the idea that it was too late. But I wasn’t willing to let go of that standard. As the project manager in the group, I went line by line through the requirements. I made sure we hit everything the professor asked for, and only after that did we even think about going above and beyond. The extra was optional. The foundation wasn’t.

Like I said, it worked.

That mindset—the one that says, “Just do the job, just meet the bar, just stay inside the lines”—served me well for years. It helped me earn degrees, promotions, and the reputation of being dependable.

But at some point, falling in line stopped feeling like a strength. It started to feel like a ceiling.

Because here’s what no one tells you: the same mindset that earns you high marks in school can keep you stuck in business.

Employee thinking sounds like:

• “What do I need to do to get this right?”

• “Let me wait and see what others are doing.”

• “I’ll follow the template and then tweak later.”

It focuses on execution over vision. On meeting standards instead of setting them.

If you’ve ever felt frustrated in your business because you’re “doing everything right” and still not moving forward—this might be why.

So take a moment and ask yourself:

• Where am I still waiting for permission?

• Am I building based on my own vision—or someone else’s blueprint?

• What would shift if I stopped aiming to get it right… and started aiming to own it?

Recognizing this mindset isn’t about blame. It’s about awareness. Because once you see it, you can start to shift it.

What Entrepreneurial Thinking Looks Like

Where employee thinking focuses on meeting expectations, entrepreneurial thinking focuses on shaping direction. It’s not about ticking boxes—it’s about deciding which boxes matter.

Entrepreneurial thinking means:

• Claiming ownership over outcomes, not just inputs

• Making strategic decisions even when no one’s watching

• Choosing direction based on vision, not just urgency

• Building systems that grow with you—not ones that rely on you

That shift is uncomfortable at first, especially if you’ve spent years being praised for dependability, for delivering on time, for being the person who always gets it done. I know that version of success. I lived it. But here’s what I learned: a business doesn’t reward you for being obedient—it rewards you for being intentional.

You don’t get extra credit for burning out while checking every box.

You earn freedom by creating systems that don’t need you to be perfect to work.

Entrepreneurial thinking shows up when you stop asking, “What do I need to do today?” and start asking, “What am I building here?”

It’s a different energy. You move from being reactive to proactive. From being driven by tasks to being guided by priorities. You start making decisions not just for today—but for the business you want to run six months from now, a year from now, three years from now.

Take some time to reflect:

• What if you weren’t just doing the work… but directing it?

• What would it look like to stop managing your time and start designing your systems?

• What kind of future would you be building if you weren’t stuck in the present?

You don’t have to have all the answers. But you do need to start asking different questions.

The Turning Point: When You Start Thinking Bigger

You might not even realize it at first. There’s no flashing sign. No grand announcement. Just this slow, growing tension between the life you’re living and the one you can’t stop thinking about.

Maybe you’re doing everything “right”—showing up, delivering, checking the boxes—but you can feel something shifting. The stability that once felt comforting now feels… confining. The routines that used to anchor you start to feel like walls.

That’s usually how it starts.

Not with a leap—but with a whisper. A quiet what if.

• What if I could structure my days differently?
• What if I built something I didn’t have to recover from every night?
• What if I stopped waiting for someone to hand me permission and started choosing my own path?

If those questions have started circling in your mind, you’re already in the middle of the shift. You’re starting to think like an entrepreneur—not just someone who wants more money, but someone who wants more agency.

When I look back, my own turning point wasn’t marked by a single moment. It was a series of realizations. Small frustrations that piled up. A sense that I was capable of more—but only if I started thinking differently. Not like someone following the rules. Like someone writing them.

So now, I ask you:

• What feels “off” about the way you’re working now?

• Where are you still following routines that no longer serve you?

• What would need to change for your business—or your life—to feel like yours again?

You don’t need to have all the answers yet. But if you’re starting to ask these questions, that’s the moment. That’s the shift.

That’s you, thinking bigger.

How to Cultivate the Employee to Entrepreneur Mindset

You don’t need to quit your job to start thinking like an entrepreneur. In fact, the shift often needs to happen before you take that leap. Otherwise, you risk building a business that mirrors the very same structure you’re trying to escape.

This mindset shift doesn’t happen all at once. It’s gradual. It’s subtle. And at times, it’s uncomfortable—because it asks you to unlearn habits that once earned you praise.

So where do you begin?

You start small. Intentionally. Internally.

Start reclaiming a small pocket of your week—just for you.

When you’re in employee mode, it’s easy for every hour to feel spoken for. But you’re more than your work hours. What if you carved out just 20 minutes a week—not for a task, but for a higher-level decision, a systems check, or a journal entry that reconnects you to your long-term vision?

It doesn’t have to consume hours of your time. But it does need to be intentional. That small shift—from reacting to everything around you, to choosing something that serves your future—makes a bigger difference than you’d think.

Notice where you’re still asking for permission.

Are you waiting for someone to validate your next step before you take it? Entrepreneurs move before the crowd catches on. You don’t have to be reckless, but you do have to trust yourself enough to move without a green light.

Shift your default question.

Instead of “How can I get this done?” try asking, “What’s the best way to build this for the long run?” That one question can change everything. It invites systems. It invites strategy. It invites scale.

Stretch your identity, not just your to-do list.

It’s easy to stay busy with safe goals—finish the website, post on socials, fix the funnel. But real growth happens when you start to become the kind of person who leads, decides, and builds with vision.

Pause for a second and consider this:

• Where am I still operating from habit instead of intention?
• What’s one decision I could make this week that aligns with where I’m going—not just where I’ve been?

You don’t have to get it perfect. You just have to get started. And those small mindset shifts? They compound fast.

Where to Start: Small Shifts That Add Up

You don’t have to overhaul your mindset overnight. In fact, you shouldn’t.

Most entrepreneurs don’t wake up with a brand-new way of thinking—they build it through small, intentional choices. And those choices compound. They build trust with yourself. They start to rewire the way you approach your work, your time, your vision.

So if you’re wondering where to begin, start here:

Notice what you default to.

Do you try to squeeze more into your day instead of stepping back to look at the bigger picture? Do you avoid visibility because it feels too bold, too loud, too much? Do you over-prepare instead of launching—telling yourself it’s not ready yet, when really… maybe it’s you who doesn’t feel ready?

Don’t judge it. Just notice it. Awareness is the first step toward change.

For me, one of those defaults was hiding in the work. I’m introverted by nature. I don’t crave the spotlight. I used to believe that if I just worked hard and stayed consistent, people would notice eventually. I didn’t want to market. I didn’t want to sell. I just wanted to build something solid and stay behind the scenes.

But staying in the shadows doesn’t create freedom. It creates invisibility. And I had to start asking myself: Am I avoiding exposure—or am I avoiding growth?

That question alone started to shift how I showed up.

Decide one thing differently this week.

It doesn’t have to be dramatic. Maybe you block time to plan instead of just do. Maybe you move forward on something imperfect because you know it’s time. Or maybe—just maybe—you say no to something that no longer fits, even if you used to say yes.

That was a turning point for me. I can’t even pinpoint exactly when I started saying no to things I didn’t want to do—but I do know what changed once I did. My yes started to carry more weight. It wasn’t compliance—it was choice. I could show up and say, “This isn’t obligation. I’m here because I want to be.” And there’s something deeply powerful about that kind of clarity. It reshapes the way you move—not just in business, but in your life.

Give yourself permission to think long-term.

Employee thinking keeps us focused on getting through the week. Entrepreneurial thinking asks: What do I want three months from now—and how can I move toward that today? Even 15 quiet minutes with that question can shift everything.

This isn’t about doing more. It’s about doing differently.

You don’t need a fancy planner. You don’t need a certificate. You need the willingness to lead your life—and your business—with vision, not reaction.

I started applying this mindset even in my day job. We’re encouraged to pursue training that supports our career growth—but now, I evaluate those opportunities differently. I ask myself: How can this serve both my job and my business? How can I get two-for-one value from the effort I’m putting in?

Not every role offers that kind of overlap, but many of us overlook opportunities to make smarter, more aligned choices. You might find them in how you learn, who you connect with, or where you invest your energy.

Long-term thinking isn’t about abandoning your responsibilities. It’s about aligning them with your goals—so your progress compounds, even in the background.

If something inside you is stirring—if you’re starting to feel the pull toward more—trust that. That quiet tension between where you are and where you want to be?

That’s the invitation

You’re Already Thinking Bigger—Now Keep Going

If you’ve made it this far, you’re not just curious about entrepreneurship. You’re already stepping into it—one thought, one decision, one perspective shift at a time.

You don’t have to have it all figured out to move forward. You just need to stay connected to what you’re building—and who you’re becoming in the process.

That’s why I share stories, tools, and strategies with people who are doing exactly what you’re doing: shifting from structure to freedom, from reaction to vision, from employee to entrepreneur.

📬 Want to keep growing without getting overwhelmed or lost in the noise?

Join my email list, and I’ll send you practical, thoughtful guidance designed for real life—not just the highlight reel. You won’t get fluff or hype. You’ll get systems thinking, mindset tools, and honest insight from someone building a business with the same time and energy constraints you have.

👉 Sign up here to stay in the loop and keep building the mindset—and systems—that will carry you forward.

Because this next version of you?
They’re already taking shape.