Rethinking ROI in a burnout culture

Because not everything that counts can be counted.

Return on investment. It’s the gospel of modern business.

But ask yourself: ROI for what?

For most, it means time in → money out. Output. Visibility. Growth curves. But in the race to maximize, we rarely ask what we’re actually measuring—and at what cost. We optimize every funnel. Track every click. Chase every open rate.

But meanwhile? We’re exhausted. Disconnected. Building systems that reward speed… not meaning.

Here’s a hard truth:

If your ROI model doesn’t account for human energy, mission clarity, or long-term trust—it’s incomplete. And if your marketing strategy leaves your team burnt out, your audience indifferent, and your brand hollow…

Who’s really winning?

What if ROI looked different?

What if it measured depth of resonance?

Trust earned over time?

How someone feels after watching your film—not just how fast they click?

What if your return was presence… not just performance?

This isn’t about throwing strategy out the window. It’s about building it on new metrics:

• Clarity.

• Integrity.

• Energy that lasts.

Because a business that burns out its founders to hit Q2 goals might be profitable on paper—but it’s bankrupt in purpose.

The new ROI?

Return on intention.

Return on integrity.

Return on what matters most.