Hi, friends!

The end of November felt like a gigantic exhale, didn’t it?

I spent several slow, delicious days last week with family and friends for the US holiday. Somewhere between the mashed potatoes and the long walks in sweatpants, I started to feel like a human again, not a nose-to-the-grindstone builder sprinting toward the next business-y thing! I am sad to report though that I still hate turkey no matter how painstakingly it is carved.

But with that little pocket of ease, I am happy to report that I have wrapped up the final bits and pieces to get my book set up on Amazon. Eep! We’re only days away from a soft print run now, and I cannot quite wrap my head around the fact that very soon I’ll be holding an actual, physical copy of my first book. The cover art? Absolute chef’s kiss. I am in LOVE with the final book design. It is starting to feel so real now, and I cannot wait to start sharing more news re: the book with you all in the New Year.

💅 The Fun Stuff

In the middle of the final push and tedium of book setup this week, I distracted myself a bit by listening to an unexpectedly tender conversation between Hayley Williams and Amy Poehler on Good Hang. I’ve loved Paramore for what feels like forever so hearing Hayley talk about her new album—and the identity shift she’s moving through in her late 30s—was a lovely surprise. She spoke so openly about softening into parts of herself she’d sidelined, after years of armoring up in an industry that teaches women to survive by being harder, tougher, and not fully themselves. (Sound familiar 😉?!). It’s a fantastic listen for my readers that are only children or eldest daughters (or as I like to refer to us, the OG emotional pack mules.)

On Utopia Syndrome & Career Binaries

In this week’s episode of the pod, I reconnected with executive coach Ashley Rudolph to talk about when our ambition slips into autopilot and how “inertia disguised as achievement” keeps so many of us chasing roles we don’t actually want. We share our frustration with the many binaries shaping today’s career discourse (girlboss vs. no boss, corporate is dead, personal brand is dead) and, in the process, reframe portfolio careers as a path of identity—not just income—diversification. We also explore Gen Z’s missing rite of passage, the leadership gaps opening up at the executive levels, and how the coaching economy is stepping in to meet the moment.

Listen now:

Spotify / Apple

Community Spotlight

It’s time for another Community Member feature!

This month, I am shining a light on Storytelling Coach Renee Frojo ✨

For those of you that want a community based power-up to look forward to in 2026, you are in luck! Renee is co-hosting a retreat April 16–19 in Point Reyes, CA called New Narratives which is meant to be part business mastermind, part personal reset. It’s designed for established founders and solo business owners who want to step out of the noise and into their next chapter with more clarity, intention, and support.

Over four days, Renee and her partner Kari create a deeply thoughtful container for participants to slow down enough to hear themselves again. Expect focused strategic guidance, honest conversations, and the kind of breakthroughs that come from being surrounded by people who talk about growth, meaning, and money in the same breath.

This retreat is for you if:

• You’re at an inflection point and want community to help figure out what’s next.

• Your business “works,” but you want to make sure it still works for you.

• You value depth over hustle and know intimate community is a strategic asset.

• You want to leave with clear next steps, new collaborators, and the energy to act on them.

👉 Applications are now open. (And tell Renee that I sent you!)

That’s it for this week.

As always, building with you,

Brie