Opportunity in Times of Upheaval | Julie Ellis on Growth, Change & Big Gorgeous Goals

There are moments in life and business when the ground shifts beneath us.

Sometimes it’s a market correction, sometimes it’s personal, and sometimes it's a global moment that cracks open the status quo. The world can be full of change, and today, we are certainly experiencing that.  For entrepreneurs and female leaders, these moments can bring a natural instinct to protect what we’ve built—to hold on tightly, to weather the storm.

But what if, instead of bracing against the wind, we leaned in just a little?

What if we asked: Where is the opportunity in all this?

I’ve come to learn that upheaval, while uncomfortable and disorienting, is also one of the most fertile spaces for growth. It can be the exact crack in the foundation where something new and beautiful can take root.

When we sold Mabel’s Labels, it was the pinnacle of a thirteen-year journey—something I had imagined, built, nurtured. And yet, after the sale, I found myself on the couch, unsure of what came next. That season, as hard as it was, offered me something I hadn’t planned for: space to dream again.

It didn’t happen overnight. It took reflection. Grace. Stillness. But slowly, I began to see that this wasn’t the end of my story—it was an inflection point. One that offered an entirely new kind of opportunity: the chance to step into a new identity as a coach, author, and guide for other bold women.

Upheaval isn’t just a threat to what is. It can also be a doorway to what could be.

In this season of uncertainty, I invite you to ask yourself:

• What is this season trying to teach me?

• Where is the opportunity to evolve, not just to endure?

• Is there something I’ve been too busy to notice until now?

• If I lean in, just a little, what could be possible?

These are not easy questions, but they are rich with possibility.

Remember: your big gorgeous goals don’t disappear in times of challenge. They just get quieter—waiting for you to look up from the your To Do list and ask, What if now is the moment?

So yes, protect what you’ve built. Be wise, be grounded. But also—stay open. Because sometimes, in the middle of upheaval, the next chapter is already beginning.

And it just might be your most gorgeous one yet.