Skin in the Game: Why the Hustle Almost Killed Me and the Business Model That Saved My Life (Paperback) (ISBN-13: 9798898560348)

What happens when the business you've worked so hard to build becomes the very thing that's breaking you?

Elaine Essien knows firsthand.

Born with sickle cell anemia, Elaine spent much of her life navigating chronic pain, hospital visits, and uncertainty. Traditional employment repeatedly failed her, forcing her to create her own path through entrepreneurship. What began as makeup services in a college dorm room evolved into a thriving seven-figure esthetics business.

But success came at a cost.

As her spa grew, so did the demands on her body. Long hours, constant client appointments, and the pressure to always be present left her exhausted and questioning whether the life she built was sustainable.

Then she discovered a better way.

In Skin in the Game, Elaine shares the mindset shifts, business strategies, and personal lessons that helped her transition from trading time for money to building a business powered by expertise, systems, mentorship, and recurring revenue.

Part memoir, part entrepreneurial roadmap, this book is for:

- Service providers who feel trapped by their own success

- Beauty professionals seeking greater freedom and scalability

- Entrepreneurs battling burnout and exhaustion

- Individuals living with chronic illness or physical limitations

- Anyone who wants to build a business that supports their life instead of consuming it

Through powerful storytelling and hard-earned wisdom, Elaine demonstrates that your limitations are not liabilities. They are design constraints that can lead to smarter, more sustainable success.

If you're tired of building a business that depends entirely on you showing up every day, Skin in the Game will help you rethink what's possible.