5 Things We Gave Up to Achieve Financial Freedom: A Journey into Entrepreneurship

In today’s episode of The Donkey and the Bee with your hosts, Brett and Laura Chotkevys, we dive deep into the beginning of our journey toward wealth and financial freedom. If you're new here, welcome! And for our loyal listeners, welcome back. In this episode, we reflect on the pivotal changes we made about 10 years ago when we decided to make the leap into entrepreneurship, cut out some old habits, and commit to financial independence.

We believe that when you commit to a goal as ambitious as achieving wealth and financial freedom, you’ll need to make sacrifices along the way. It’s not all sunshine and rainbows—there are some uncomfortable changes that come with the territory. Let’s break down the five major things we gave up to get where we are today.

1. Family Expectations
The first and perhaps hardest thing to give up was the weight of family expectations. Growing up, we were told that success meant going to college, securing a solid job, climbing the corporate ladder, and eventually retiring with a pension. Entrepreneurship, financial freedom, and building businesses weren’t even on the radar—let alone encouraged.

For me, the pressure to stick with the traditional path lingered for years. I felt torn between making my family proud by following the well-trodden road and following my own dreams of financial freedom. The discomfort of stepping away from this prescribed life plan held me back for a long time.

Laura also felt this pressure. She faced the additional challenge of her parents financially supporting her college education. That sense of obligation and gratitude towards her parents made it even harder to break away from the “normal” path. But both of us came to realize that true success wasn’t defined by these external expectations—it was about creating a future that aligned with our own goals and vision. And looking back now, it was 100% worth it.

2. Friendships That No Longer Fit
One of the toughest transitions for me personally was giving up friendships that didn’t align with our new direction in life. I’ve always been social and valued relationships, so realizing that many of our old friends couldn’t understand our entrepreneurial journey was difficult.

As we focused on building our business and our financial future, we had to cut back on the time spent socializing. We didn’t have the luxury of going out every weekend, going on expensive vacations, or attending parties anymore. Our priorities had shifted. And when you make these kinds of changes, your friends may not always understand. There will be questions—"Why don’t you want to hang out anymore?" or "What happened to having fun?"

It’s important to recognize that sometimes, as you grow and evolve, your circle of friends may naturally shift. You may outgrow people who don’t share your vision, but this is part of the journey. Over time, you’ll find new friends who align with your values and goals, and that’s where the magic happens.

3. Free Time
When we first started out in entrepreneurship, we had so much free time. We had no kids, no major responsibilities, and we could relax, travel, and do whatever we wanted. But once we took the leap and opened our first business, free time became a thing of the past.

Entrepreneurship requires an enormous amount of time and energy, especially in the beginning. There’s no paycheck to rely on, so every dollar you make is directly tied to the work you put in. We went from working 20-30 hours a week in our day jobs to working 60-80 hours a week in our business. It was exhausting, but necessary.

We had to learn to balance our time, prioritize our goals, and give up the “luxury” of free time. But now, years later, that time investment is paying off. The freedom we’re building for our future is worth every hour spent grinding in the early days.

4. Comfortable Living
One of the biggest sacrifices we made was selling our house and using that equity to fund our business. We took a risk, stepping out of our comfort zones and into the unknown. It was a scary move, but we realized that true financial freedom required us to get uncomfortable.

We could’ve stayed in our comfortable life, enjoying a predictable salary, and living in a home we loved. But we knew that true financial freedom wouldn’t come from comfort—it would come from taking calculated risks and making bold moves. So we let go of the security and stability of our old life and put everything into our business.

It was a huge leap of faith, but it was the right one.

5. Instant Gratification
The final thing we gave up was the desire for instant gratification. In our early twenties, we lived for the weekend—spending money on fun, dining out, traveling, and enjoying life without thinking too much about the future.

When we committed to building a financially independent life, we realized that we needed to start prioritizing long-term rewards over short-term pleasures. This meant cutting back on discretionary spending, focusing on our business, and working tirelessly to set ourselves up for success down the road.

It wasn’t easy, and it wasn’t fun at first. But as we continue to work toward financial freedom, we’ve learned that the sacrifices we made along the way were worth it. Now, we’re in a position to enjoy the rewards of our hard work, knowing that we put in the time and effort when it mattered most.

Final Thoughts
Becoming wealthy and achieving financial freedom isn’t a quick or easy process. It requires sacrifice, discipline, and a willingness to step outside of your comfort zone. If you’re ready to make these changes in your life, understand that it won’t always be easy, but the rewards are well worth it.

Remember, it’s not about cutting out everything you love, but about creating the space to build the future you want. So, if you’re committed to making these changes and striving toward financial freedom, you’ll look back one day and realize it was all worth it.

​Thank you for joining us today. We hope this episode inspires you to take action, make the tough decisions, and start building the life you deserve. Stay tuned for more episodes where we share our journey and the lessons we’ve learned along the way!