The Moment That Changed Everything: How a 7-Figure Coach Chose Family Over Fortune

In today’s hustle-driven entrepreneurial world, hitting 7-figures in revenue is often seen as the finish line, a badge of honor. But for Isaac Stegman, the man behind Kaizen Unlimited, a coaching and training company with seven figures in revenue, crossing that line was only the beginning. In the end, he didn’t find more money or accolades found clarity, alignment, and a richer, more meaningful and family foucsed life.

Rather than discussing business strategies, his story is more about radical self-awareness. If you’ve been chasing success silently wondering why it still feels like something’s missing, this may be the wake-up call you’ve been waiting for.

The Moment That Changed Everything

Isaac’s transformation began with a moment that haunts many ambitious professionals: choosing work over family. One evening, he arrived home late after a long day. His youngest son, a lively, homeschooled boy, had spent the day creating a Lego creation, eagerly awaiting his father’s return. As Isaac walked through the door, still on the phone, mentally disconnected, his son stood up, beaming with pride. Isaac instinctively held up his finger, the universal “one minute” gesture, and continued to finish the seemingly urgent client conversation.

Almost 90 minutes later, the house was silent. His son was asleep. Suddenly, the moment was gone.

Professionally, the call was a success. But, personally, something finally broke.

It was in this moment that he realized he could no longer ignore something painful: despite claiming his family was his top priority, his behavior told a different story. In the wake of that realization, he completely revised his approach to life and business.

Stated Priorities vs. Demonstrated Ones

Isaac says there are two types of priorities. Stated priorities and demonstrated priorities.

Most of us say that family, health, or faith are our top priorities. But what would they see if someone audited your bank account or calendar? Isaac could not deny the disconnect between what he claimed to value and what he actually lived.

His calendar wasn’t lying. Despite his unspoken “no’s” to his wife, kids, and personal well-being, he kept saying “yes” to work, clients, and opportunities after opportunities. There was a consistent message, not just an implicit one.

It was this distinction between words and actions that lay the foundation for the subsequent transformation of both the individual and the organization.

A Coach’s Family Wake-Up Call

In addition to selling Cutco knives, working as a firefighter, serving in the military, and finding success in real estate, Isaac had built a thriving business through a series of demanding, varied jobs. Through these experiences, he developed his toughness, drive, and leadership abilities. He eventually built a coaching company that reached seven figures quickly.

From the outside, he appeared to have everything. But something wasn’t right inside. Success felt hollow.

After a while, he began to wonder if he was truly helping his clients create lives they loved or if he was simply chasing numbers for the sake of it? While spreadsheets, scripts, and productivity hacks are valuable, are they transformative?

As a result of the answer, he developed a new philosophy.

The 4 P’s: A New Coaching Framework

Isaac developed his new model based on the “4 P’s”: Perspective, Purpose, Principles, and Priorities. It was these values that became the foundation for not only his coaching, but for his entire life.

1. Perspective

According to Isaac, our entire life experience is fundamentally shaped not by objective reality, but by the stories we tell ourselves about it. People often report feeling lost, unfulfilled, or even depressed despite having enormous wealth, fame, or conventional success. The root issue lies not in their external circumstances but in their interpretations of their lives, their past, and their future. By shifting our perspective, we empower ourselves instead of limiting ourselves.

2. Purpose

Isaac emphasizes the importance of daily, intentional action by drawing inspiration from cutco’s “Off self, on purpose” ethos. According to him, true purpose isn’t a grand, abstract mission statement hung on a wall and never re-examined. Instead, it’s a constant choice to prioritize something bigger, more meaningful, and greater than oneself. In other words, aligning every small action with a higher purpose.

3. Principles

Based on Ray Dalio’s influential work, Isaac describes principles as deeply held standards — the non-negotiable guidelines for how you aspire to live, how you make critical decisions, and how you choose to act. Unless we have a clear set of guiding values, we will drift into a state of reactivity, reacting to external pressures, fleeting emotions, or other people’s expectations. As a result of principles, we maintain a clear course of action that keeps us on track.

4. Priorities

Here, Isaac draws on Warren Buffett’s famous productivity tip: “Make a list of 25 things you want to accomplish. Cross off all but five.” This seemingly ruthless approach illustrates the discipline required for true focus. In order to build a lasting legacy, we must decide what are our absolute top 5 priorities, whether that is being Level 10 in fatherhood, marriage, faith, work, or building a lasting legacy. It is only through saying “no” to the merely good that you can truly say “yes” to the great.

Presence: The Fifth (and Most Overlooked) “P”

Isaac eventually added a fifth element: Presence.

We live in an age when distraction is constant, making presence a rarity-and a radical notion. As he puts it, “carefree timelessness” is the act of fully embracing a moment with someone you love. No phone. No multitasking. Just presence.

In an attempt to foster real conversation, friends of his instituted a simple family ritual: stacking phones during meals. It’s a small act, but it makes a big difference.

Presence is where connection lives. And connection, as Isaac realized, is where fulfillment begins.

The Scarcity of Time — and the Power of No

In business, one of the most dangerous myths is that time is unlimited. There’s always “tomorrow” for things that matter, right?

That is, until there isn’t.

Whether you’re in the middle of your career or about to retire, Isaac warns that unstructured time is often taken up by well-intentioned, but low-impact activities. Your family, health, and peace are crowded out by volunteering, meetings, and side projects.

As long as freedom is not accompanied by intention, it becomes a distraction. Having the courage to say “no” isn’t selfish — it’s essential.

Leading a Business with Heart

Using this framework, Isaac restructured everything-from how he coached to how he led to how he lived. Success was no longer defined solely by business metrics. He started asking better questions: Are you aligned with your values? Do you know what your priorities are, or are they just rhetoric?

Instead of promoting productivity hacks, he helps people focus on what really matters. Clients may come initially for business results. But, they stay for transformation.

And Isaac? He’s still building. But now, he’s building with heart.

Final Thought

Isaac’s story reminds us that success isn’t about chasing more, but about choosing better. You don’t have to wait until you hit rock bottom to recalibrate. You can start now.

Start by asking yourself the hardest question: Are my actions aligned with what I say matters most?

If not, that’s fine. That’s your invitation to change.

Like Isaac, you might just discover true success begins when you stop trying to prove your worth and start living in alignment with it.

Key Takeaways

• Actions speak louder than words. Your true priorities are revealed not through what you say matters, but by what you do with your time, attention, and resources. Check to see if your actions are aligned with your values by carrying out a “calendar audit”.
• The danger of the “just a minute” mindset. When small, dismissive gestures are made, they can send profound, damaging messages to the people who matter the most. You should be mindful of the impact your seemingly insignificant choices can have on relationships.
• Success without fulfillment is empty. Achieving external milestones (like 7-figure revenue) does not automatically lead to lasting happiness or peace of mind. The true meaning of success is integrated with personal values.
• Beyond tactics: focus on transformation. Having a clear perspective, a compelling purpose, and principles is essential to sustainable growth for coaches, leaders, and individuals.
• The power of the 4 P’s (and the 5th P). Build a framework based on Perspective (reframing your story), Purpose (daily intentions), Principles (guiding standards), and Priorities (ruthless focus). But, the ultimate gift is to give undivided attention to your presence.
• The liberation of saying “no.” If you understand your top priorities, you can decline good-but-not-essential opportunities, allowing you to focus on what matters. As such, you should treat your time as a sacred, finite resource.
• You can’t reclaim missed moments, but you can stop missing the next. There will always be regrets in the past, but there are opportunities to live a fulfilling, intentional life in the present.

Featured Image Credit: Vidal Balielo Jr.; Pexels: Thank You!