There's nothing quite like the panic of realizing you're about to run out of gas in a remote area with no cell service and a flight to catch. You start to recount your mistakes: not fueling up as you passed an endless stream of gas stations. Following Google Maps instead of taking the way you knew. Watching your cell signal go from 1 bar to SOS. This moment captures our first year building **Forecast.ing**: talking to hundreds of content marketers and building out a data science and AI pipeline, but sometimes feeling like we were running on fumes. ## Running on Empty A few months ago, we decided to rebuild our product from the ground up. Just like we hoped we'd find gas around the next bend, we'd been telling ourselves the launch was doable. We had our route planned out, working 7 days a week. What could go wrong? As our deadline approached, the backlog only got longer. It was like the road had turned from paved to gravel and our phones went into SOS mode. ## Leaning Back Instead of Leaning In Something felt different this time. We made a decision that I didn’t see in any of the startup books. We joined our friends at a cabin in Maine. Instead of doubling down on the grind, we decided to work less. Be together in real life instead of staring at each other through Zoom squares. It felt irresponsible. It felt like exactly what we needed. ## The Maine Routine We established a rhythm: Wake up at 5 AM. Coffee overlooking the lake. Group hike through the woods. Then, we worked. But it wasn't the "grind" anymore. It was focused, inspired progress. Sometimes you have to slow down to go fast. We found our "gas station" in the middle of nowhere, and it gave us the fuel to reach the finish line.