That hit me hard. It was true. Edlong is sought after by many competitors and venture capital folks to buy us. In my darkest hours I contemplated selling because I felt I was failing my people and someone else could do this better than me. My confidence wavered in my ability to lead this company and its people in reaching their fullest potential. Subconsciously did I feel I couldn’t get bigger than the “King”, my father?
It was time to step into my power, find my voice again and become unownable. The Owning Your Legacy platform was born. A vehicle to talk with other leaders and share their experiences, their strength and their hope to inspire a community looking for authentic belonging.
I remember the evening before the launch of our first episode. My mom was at my house. Her dementia was prevalent, but she could still have meaningful insights. This was our last deep conversation, sadly. She sensed my angst and asked me what was going on. I told her I was nervous about this next endeavor in my life. What if it totally failed and no one found value in it? She listened intently as I rambled about what could go wrong and then shared these wise words…
“You are just afraid of being visible. You got this”.
Two and a half years later, having met some of the most intriguing humans ever, I am pleased to say we so got this! My only wish is that my mom could be a follower. She would have loved these podcasts and the wisdom shared by our guests. Mostly, she would be proud of me for being brave enough and vulnerable enough to become visible and own my own legacy, as did she.