It’s like things that look like you’re doing something, but would fall apart if you actually did it. Like lifestyle shoes. Looks like running shoes. But if you ran a mile in them, they would self-destruct.

It means it becomes your life. If you want a day off, you have to close, or run at a loss to hire staff.

Usually a lifestyle business can only just sustain the owners. Adding employees makes them not profitable.

Many, many businesses are like this. Often if there are staff in a small business, the owner draws a smaller wage than the staff.