I want to talk about something we don’t say out loud very often.
I blew $50,000 in my business last year. Yep, $50,000.
Basically lit it on fire. 🔥
Not in a dramatic, reckless way. Not because I wasn’t paying attention. And not because I don’t know how to run a profitable company. I do.
I blew it because I was willing to try something new.
And I think that distinction matters.
This Wasn’t Careless. It Was Intentional.
Let me say this clearly: this wasn’t a late-night decision or a Hail Mary move. This was a thoughtful investment made by a seasoned CEO who has built a nearly eight-figure business over more than a decade.
I saw an opportunity. I believed in the strategy. I assessed the upside. And I decided it was worth the risk.
It just didn’t work.
That’s the part we don’t normalize enough—especially among female leaders. We celebrate wins. We share growth. We talk about success metrics and milestones.
But we rarely talk about the investments that don’t pay off the way we hoped they would.
And yet, those moments shape us just as much, if not more.
The Moment I Knew
There’s usually a moment when you realize something isn’t going to turn the corner.
For me, it wasn’t dramatic. It was quiet.
The data was clear. The energy wasn’t there. The return wasn’t materializing. And instead of forcing it—throwing more money or time at it just to avoid admitting it—I stopped.
That, too, is leadership.
Knowing when to pivot.
Knowing when to pull back.
Knowing when to say, this was a miss, and that’s okay.
What Lindsey Said
As Lindsey (on our leadership team) and I were evaluating our decision and next steps, I was bracing for disappointment—maybe concern, maybe frustration.
Instead, she said something that reframed everything.
She reminded me that this tactic we had taken may be what we saw others doing, but it wasn’t true to Choice. It wasn’t part of our DNA. It was transactional instead of relational. And that, sweet friends, is not how we’ve built this business. The reason I have a career, the reason TIME and The TODAY Show and The View return my calls is because of relationships. The reason we receive referrals and have a nearly eight-figure business is because we lead and do our best work with people we are in deep, meaningful relationships with.
And this marketing tactic wasn’t that.
Growth doesn’t happen without risk. You don’t build something meaningful by playing it safe forever.
And then Lindsey said, essentially: We tried it. We learned. And we’re taking that learning and moving forward.
Matt had great perspective here, too, when he asked, “Remember when you wouldn’t have had $50,000 to spend?”
Here’s the truth: I didn’t lose my confidence. I didn’t lose my footing. And I didn’t lose momentum. Honestly though, I did question if I’m a smart business woman. Would XXX (insert the name of any female leader you admire) have made this mistake? Isn’t that how we always do? That inner critic was trying to make me feel less than. Thankfully I’ve surrounded myself with a circle who immediately helped me shut that down.
What I lost was a line item. What I gained was clarity.
What the $50K Taught Me
That investment sharpened my discernment.
It reminded me that not every good idea is my idea to execute.
That timing matters just as much as strategy.
That expansion without alignment is expensive.
It also reaffirmed something I already knew but needed to relearn at a deeper level: my intuition is one of my greatest leadership tools—but it works best when paired with patience.
I don’t regret the decision. I regret only the moments where I briefly questioned myself afterward.
Because confidence isn’t about never missing—it’s about not unraveling when you do.
Why I’m Sharing This
I’m sharing this because I know there are women reading this who are:
considering a big investment
navigating a decision that feels risky
replaying a past “mistake” and wondering if it defines them
It doesn’t.
Strong leaders make informed bets. Some pay off. Some don’t. What matters is how you respond—and whether you’re willing to learn without losing your nerve.
Blowing $50,000 didn’t make me less capable.
It made me more precise.
More grounded.
More discerning.
More committed to leading from alignment, not urgency.
The Real Lesson
The real lesson isn’t about money.
It’s about courage.
About trusting yourself enough to try.
About respecting yourself enough to stop.
About staying in the game long enough to let experience compound.
If you’re building something meaningful—whether it’s a business, a career, or a life you love—there will be seasons where things don’t go as planned.
That doesn’t mean you failed.
It means you’re leading.
And I’ll take that lesson every time.
With love,
Heather
PS: And as always, if you need support launching or build something that matters, my team and I would love to explore working together. You can learn more about what we do and book a Free Brand Strategy Call with our team here.