Hey Friend,

My five words to describe the first three quarters of 2025? 👉🏻 Illuminating. Bonkers. Hazy. Disorienting. Courage-filled.

Five words to describe my first six years in business? 👉🏻 Expansive. Nonlinear. Unfolding. Stretching. QUICK.

What has it NOT been (at least not entirely)? 👉🏻 Calm. Straightforward. Easy. Clear. Comfortable. Glamorous. Predictable.

And let me tell you, this is okay, and I wouldn't have it any other way. Last night, I even found myself telling people I'm living my BEST life.

There is so much out there that tells us how we should feel. There is even more out there that tells us that the road to success is about certainty, consistency, and control.

But if the past six years (and especially the last nine months) have taught me anything, it's that real growth and true "success" is often the opposite.

It's messy. It's tender. It's full of uncomfortable detours, unexpected obstacles, pervasive doubts, very loud naysayers, and countless moments that make you question whether you're still on the right path.

I've realized that, for me, all of this is about making the path as I go and trusting that I'm moving towards something richer and more meaningful than anything I could imagine.

This requires a level of chaos. This requires a level of discomfort. This requires luck and serendipity. This requires detachment from outcome. This requires listening to the words and energy of people like you, and trusting myself enough to respond.

Even if—perhaps especially if—it feels hard.

This year has reminded me that becoming who we are meant to be (as leaders, as business owners, as humans) isn't about having it all figured out. It's about staying open, doing the hard things, choosing alignment over autopilot, and understanding that there is as much risk in "not rocking the boat" as in flipping the boat.

Earlier this week, I had a conversation with a longtime coaching client leader about this exact point. We were discussing the risks of leaving her stable corporate job for something more inspiring and aligned with her values. She had a really long list of reasons why this was a terrible idea. And yes, this change would be risky for her and her family in lots of ways. That is 100% true.

And what we also discovered was 100% true was that staying in that job carried its own very real risks for her and her family. Things like:

Not being surrounded by people who inspire her

Not being able to use her gifts every day

Having to turn off her humanity to make it through the week

Losing touch with her own sense of purpose and possibility

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Of course, we need to make money to survive in a capitalistic society. Of course, there are systemic inequities that make it difficult (and sometimes, dangerous) for some people and groups to tip boats over without big consequences. Of course, there is absolutely NOTHING wrong with following the rules and choosing the stable, "less" risky path.
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AND...taking risks doesn't have to be the big, cinematic adventure -- quitting your job without a plan, moving to another country, or burning it all down to start over.

It can mean being selective and intentional about the rules you can break, the status quo you can question, and the path you can take.

This is as relevant for organizations as it is for people. Institutions also cling to comfort, usually in the name of minimizing risks. They play it safe, protect what’s familiar, and reward those who don't rock the boat, even though they are risking stagnation, deepening bias, eroding trust, and losing the very people and ideas that could move them forward or help build more, even stronger boats.

The point here is that avoiding risk doesn’t eliminate risk. It just trades the short-term comfort of control for the long-term cost of possibility.
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Six years ago, I made a deliberate choice to take the courageous step of starting a business on my own terms.

I chose this risk over the approval of many people I love deeply.

I chose this risk over staying "comfortable" in a career path that was killing me.

And I chose the risk knowing full well that failure wasn't only possible, but likely.

I chose to flip my boat over and build a new one, even when it would have been far easier to stay put or jump into someone else’s boat. And it would’ve been easiest of all to cling to the shoreline.

And statistically? Taking these risks and making these decisions wasn't supposed to work.

• More than half of small businesses don't make it past their fifth year.
• 88% (!) of women-owned businesses never generate six-figures in annual revenue.
• Nearly half of solopreneurs (48%) experience at least a month with no income.

Yet, here I am.

Six years in.

Five years over six figures in profit.

Three years in multiple six figures in profit.

Not a single month with no income.

Not because I followed "the rules" or because I have everything, let alone most things, figured out. I promise you I don't. Most days, I still feel like I'm winging it and building the boat as I'm rowing it.

I've made it here because* I decided the "rules" didn't make sense to me, and redefined the metrics that matter to me and that I want my business to embody.

• Impact, not just income.
• Legacy, not just longevity.
• Community, not competition.
• Equity, not ego.
• Integrity, always.

*I’m also deeply aware of the unearned privileges that have helped me get here. I’m committed to using every resource I have to pull others up, too.

I've built something that feels alive and aligned. Something that ripples out and fills my soul in ways that spreadsheets or P&L statements could never measure.

And to me, that is the truest version of success there is.

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If you, your team, or your organization have been sitting with questions about what comes next, consider this your invitation to move beyond "business as usual" and take a step toward lasting and liberatory success.

For yourself. For your team. For your movement. For the world.

The end of the year is the perfect time to pause, take stock, and strengthen the foundation for what comes next. Whether you’re rebuilding trust, navigating change, reimagining culture, or simply trying to lead with more humanity, you don’t have to do it alone.

At Reloveution, we help leaders and organizations:

• Strengthen team cohesion and culture
• Deepen leadership and management effectiveness
• Transform conflict into learning and repair
• Prevent burnout and cultivate professional well-being.

In short, we help you cultivate the clarity, connection, and courage to create workplaces and leadership paradigms that feel as good as they look on paper.

If you’re ready to partner with a values-aligned consultant and facilitator who believes in sustainable growth, compassionate accountability, and the magic of humanity at work, I’d love to chat.

Even more specifically, please reach out if you're looking for someone to:

• Design and facilitate your next team retreat or offsite
• Train your new, emerging, or growing managers
• Mediate lingering conflict between people or on teams
• Coach you or your leaders through what's happening and what's next.

You can explore offerings or schedule a connection call at https://bit.ly/reloveutionconnectioncall. Or simply reply to this email and tell me what feels risky, real, or right for you right now.

Here for all of it! Hopefully, for another six years and then some!

With love,
Marissa

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PSSSST - We have a few public offerings coming up you might be interested in 👇🏼

1️⃣ TODAY, Friday, October 10, I'll be having a virtual Heart-to-Heart with Robyn Harper of the Chiron Project on Burnout, Compassion Fatigue & Vicarious Trauma in the social impact sector. This will be a candid, unscripted conversation about our own experiences, what we're seeing in our work with clients, and helpful strategies for cultivating professional well-being. Learn more and register here.

2️⃣ We're running a three-part mastermind for millennial leaders on Navigating the Emotional Labor of Leadership. This experience is limited to 10 people (FOUR SPOTS LEFT), and registration will be open until October 24. Learn more and register here.

3️⃣ ChatGMB: Wisdom & Insights for Today's Leaders is now up to EIGHT episodes. Subscribe today to get access to episodes on supporting a team through a looming restructure, handling a manager who is constantly changing directions, and navigating ambiguity and change at work. Learn more and subscribe here.