Cycle Breakers & Money Makers
Cycle Breakers & Money Makers
Mariela De La Mora | Leadership & Business Mentor for Women of Color
78. Five business behaviors that are Survival Mode in disguise (and what to do)
32 minutes Posted Sep 14, 2025 at 11:00 am.
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Show notes

Some of the sneakiest forms of self-sabotage don’t feel like sabotage at all.

They feel like tightening up your calendar. Making a “smart pivot.” Pressing pause after a launch. Saying no to support because “it’s just faster to do it myself.”

But if you’re a high-achieving First Gen entrepreneur, especially a woman of color, chances are what you’re calling strategy... is actually self-protection.


In this episode, I break down 5 business behaviors that are actually Survival Mode in disguise, and how they keep high-achievers stuck even when things are working:


These are the patterns I see come up most in my clients that are behind some of their biggest breakthroughs.


  1. Stopping what was working because you’re no longer triggered into action
  2. Solving for over-giving at the expense of your own profit vs setting normal business boundaries
  3. Fixating on what’s missing vs what's working
  4. Anticipating and avoiding rejection in normal business activities
  5. Hyper-independence that blocks you from having the team support you need or from accepting help from your partner because you feel ashamed for accepting help.


I also share reflection questions and shifts you can make now—so you can lead from trust instead of protection.


🎟 My free workshop, Scaling Beyond Survival Mode for WOC Entrepreneurs, is happening October 1st. I’ll be coaching through these exact patterns and showing you how to grow without abandoning your nervous system.


Register via the links below.


📲 Want to be in the room with me as I coach on this in real-time? I’m also sharing more on this topic all month inside my new Instagram broadcast channel (@mariela.delamora)


Links mentioned in episode: