Hey Leader!
I just got back from a week-long RV trip—unplugged, restorative, and full of unexpected joy (and more s’mores and steak quesadillas than I can count!).
As expected, unplugging & making space to actually be bored again was phenomenal.
As I sat down to prep for my next mentee session, I noticed something:
Even with a brand new group of early-career women, the themes are the same as last year.
Different roles, different names. Similar questions, same undercurrents.
Not because they lack talent. Not because they don’t know what they’re doing.
But because they’re navigating workplaces that still expect them to shrink, shape-shift, or hustle harder in order to belong.
What they’re asking for isn’t more advice.
It’s deeper mentorship. The kind that makes room for reflection, identity, and clarity.
Here’s what I’m hearing—and what I think it means for all of us.
Lead boldly, live fully, & don’t forget to breathe.
In your corner,
Lead Boldly & Live Fully
This was me last week in the Alvord Desert—tea in hand, no cell service in sight.
The stillness gave me clarity I loved. Now that I’m back, I’m hearing the same hunger for reflection from the women I mentor.
Here’s what I’m hearing—and what I think it means:
These aren’t just early-career concerns.
They’re leadership questions.
Permission questions.
Identity questions.
Culture questions.
System questions.
And they deserve more than quick fixes.
If we’re serious about building workplaces where people & business can thrive, we have to treat these questions with the weight they carry—not as quirks of youth or “confidence issues,” but as signs that the system needs to shift.
Because these are the quiet, powerful questions that keep showing up:
✨ “How do I ask for more when I’ve already been doing more?”
✨ “How do I set boundaries without being labeled ‘difficult’?”
✨ “What if I don’t want to lead like the people above me?”
✨ “Can I want impact and ease? Is that allowed?”
✨ “How can I develop more confidence?”
✨ “How do I not tie my identity to work?”
These women don’t need to be “fixed.” They need to be supported. What they’re really asking for is:
A space to untangle the unwritten rules of work
The freedom to define leadership in a way that feels like them
Models of success that don’t demand burnout or bravado
Examples of people who are great at what they do, enjoy it, and have a personal life
And frankly? These aren’t just questions for emerging leaders, or women.
They’re questions for anyone who’s trying to lead by design, not by default.
Try This Today
Here are 3 small ways to support the next generation of leaders, and honestly, yourself too:
Make reflection part of the work.
Ask: “What’s something you’re navigating that doesn’t show up in your job description?”
It’s a signal that you care about the whole person, not just the output.Share something real.
Tell a story from your early career where you struggled, asked for too little, or chose differently. Make mentorship (& leadership) feel human—not performative.Name the unwritten rules out loud.
So many early-career leaders are navigating invisible expectations. You can help by naming them—and inviting curiosity.For example:
“I know it might feel like saying ‘yes’ to everything is the way to prove yourself—but around here, we actually value discernment.”
“There’s an unspoken work pressure to always be ‘on.’ I just want to say: that’s not how I measure commitment.”
Naming these quietly powerful norms gives others permission to question and rewrite them.
Behind The Scenes
A peek inside what I’m building — at work & in life!
Work in Progress
I did zero work while on vacation this past week!
So my “work in progress” for last week was learning how to work the RV — the auto leveling system, how the slider works, how quickly the tanks fill and how to empty them, and how to drive it for 30 miles on a dirt road (SLOWLY!) 😂
Life in Progress
The Wallowas are one of the most beautiful places I’ve ever been!
It felt a little bit like being in Switzerland, except it was still Oregon.
We spent 4 days here and it was absolutely stunning and one of the best ways to unwind.
Fun fact - we drove the RV 1,000 miles 😂
My Thought or Fuel from the Week
I’ve taken work-free vacation my entire career - whether it’s been easy or not - but this was my first time doing it as an entrepreneur and that hit different.
What surprised me most?
My husband and I didn’t just not work.
We barely thought about work at all.
That kind of mental spaciousness? That’s what I want for more leaders.
Not just rest—but relief. Not just time off—but actual presence.
My hope for you this week? That you have moments of peace as delightful as Moose felt napping in the photo above.
In Case You Missed It
Over-functioning isn’t a leadership strategy. And capable doesn’t mean invincible.
This isn’t my first time going fully offline. But it’s still rare enough that people notice.
Still treating wellbeing like a perk? Your competitors thank you.