My Pivot Year

If I’m honest, going into my 11th year of business at the start of this year, I knew that I needed a change.

It’s a scary feeling when you’ve spent years building, or climbing, hoping that at the top of the ladder you’ll find the ultimate sense of fulfillment and elation, but instead you find a cobweb-filled attic that feels like it’s long moved on before you have.

I knew that I was not in love with what I was doing anymore, and questioned if I should continue in this line of work.

But it was in that questioning, in the breakdown, in navigating the unknown that I began to uncover what wasn’t the end, but a new beginning — one with more meaning, more intention, and more fulfillment.

The Undoing

2026 has been a year of deep healing work both personally and professionally.

Personally, I moved away from the community and support that had held me together for the last 3 years post-birth trauma, and was left to confront all of the healing that I still had left to do. Beyond the emotional healing, I was also left to face the chronic physical effects of postpartum depletion and mismanaged PMOS. For months after our move, I questioned why I was having such a hard time building community and finding my people in our new place — but I truly believe that God had to remove me from my place of comfort in order for me to have nothing else to focus on but my healing.

And in that healing, I found one of my deepest passions — a way to use my own story and testimony to help others. After 11 years of helping other women build brands, many of which were created to solve problems or meet a need, I decided it was my turn to give postpartum moms the tools that they need to rebuild stronger after birth.

Professionally, I imagined my life without this business that I had spent years building, found so much of my identity in, and had so much pride in helping others, and it became less about what I was doing and who I was doing it for.

You see, when I started RISE I was a young, bright-eyed 20-something running around the streets of NYC without a care in the world. All I wanted to do was work in fashion, create editorial-inspired luxury brands, and find a way to give back while doing that.

The years that I spent designing this brands, I found so much joy and purpose in the outcomes, the accolades, the press features, and the gratitude of my clients.

But the truth is, I’m not that 20-something girl anymore. I haven’t been for a long time.

I’m now 32, I live in the South, I have a family, a house full of dogs, and find my peace in the quiet morning light of a more rural life.

For the last 3 years, I’ve been trying to still grip onto any sense of fulfillment I could from the outcomes, the accolades, the press features, and the gratitude of my clients that used to fill me up.

But that’s not what brings me purpose and fulfilment anymore.

And it’s taken me a long time to realize it’s not the work that I don’t love anymore (because I do truly still love creating brands,); it’s the why behind the work that needs to change.

The Recentering

10 years ago, you’d find me hanging up from a discovery call with a potential new client, buzzing about the idea of helping them get their sustainable beauty brand into a big box store — filling the shelves with a brand that gave back in some way, instead of just another ‘fast fashion’ brand.

And don’t get me wrong, I’m still all about helping women achieve that level of success, because I boldly believe in women and their ability to problem solve, creatively fill the needs of thousands, and shape the next generation of brands.

However, that’s no longer what drives my desire to help women build successful brands.

Today, what pulls on my heartstrings is the marketing executive leaving years of climbing the corporate latter to start a mother baby brand inspired by her NICU journey, it’s the Dad starting an outdoors clothing brands so that he can retire from shift work and be home with his family, it’s the AI exec leaving her cushy office behind to start a plant design studio and breathe life into real everyday spaces.

It’s the women creating products, courses, and services that help other women feel heard, seen, understood, and surrounded instead of isolated, lonely, and burnt out.

& being a mother myself, it’s the understanding that building a brand does not mean giving into hustle culture, having no work-life balance, and eventually building just another job that you can’t escape from.

These days, what brings me joy & fulfillment is helping women build meaningful brands alongside their beautiful lives.

Because women aren’t meant to build alone, & you don’t have to carry everything yourself.

The Next Chapter

So what does the next chapter look like, knowing what I know now?

Well, here’s the exciting part.

I’m not quiet sure yet.

Why is that exciting? Because that means the possibilities are endless.

Here is what I do know:

I will still show up to work every day excited to help women in building brands born of purpose, and balance.

Here’s what I’m still figuring out:

I want this next chapter to more than just a service, I want it to be a community — one where women balancing big dreams, and full lives feel held, heard, seen, and helped.

I don’t know exactly what that looks like yet, but the even more exciting part is that I’m doing this out loud.

So that if you are also in a pivot season, if you’re making a big leap, if you’re changing the trajectory of your life, and finally leaning into your deeper why — we get to do this together. It may feel messy at times, but if there’s one thing I know, it’s that often your most aligned and meaningful moments are born from that mess.

If you’d like to follow along this next chapter, feel free to subscribe to my completely free substack below, follow along on Instagram, or join our e-mail newsletter (& get a Free 5-Day Founder Reset).