She Had the Career Everyone Wanted, But Was Miserable

“The stress and anxiety of being in a sales profession was starting to come at me at like, at what cost is this?”This episode felt honest in a way that I think a lot of women need right now. Kelli, founder of Empress Skin Studio, joins me for a conversation about what it really looks like to leave a high-achieving career and build a life rooted in wellness, intention, and alignment. We talk about the pressure of performance-driven environments, the financial and emotional reality of starting over, and the health struggles that pushed Kelli to rethink everything she believed about success. She also shares how her personal healing journey led her to naturopathic care, nervous system support, and the work she does today helping women reconnect with their bodies.5 key takeawaysSuccess is not always alignment: Kelli had a strong career in tech, but she reached a point where she had to ask herself what the stress was really costing her. That question changed everything.Health can force a bigger wake-up call: Her experience with hormonal imbalance, disordered eating, chronic stress, and being dismissed by traditional doctors pushed her to look deeper and rebuild her health in a more holistic way.Entrepreneurship is freedom and responsibility: Owning a business gives you more control over your time and energy, but it also means wearing every hat, managing uncertainty, and learning fast.The right support system matters: Kelli makes it clear that having a supportive partner and trusted people around you can make all the difference when you are taking a big risk.Alignment starts with what gives you energy: A powerful question from this episode is this: what do you talk about outside of work that lights you up?Chapters00:00 - A health scare changes everything06:50 - Falling into tech and thriving in sales12:00 - Leaving corporate to choose alignment18:45 - Health, hormones, and healing from the inside out39:00 - Building a life that feels like yours