Episode 216

Setting Health-First Boundaries to Grow a Sustainable Business with Chronic Illness | Brenda Snow

Published on: 10th October, 2025

What if the key to building a sustainable business with chronic illness isn't working harder, but setting better boundaries? In this episode, Brenda Snow, an Amazon Best Selling Author, shares how she built a 420-person company over 30 years while managing MS (Multiple Sclerosis) - without sacrificing her health or burning out.

If you're living with chronic illness and running a business, you know the struggle:

You feel like you need to be extraordinary just to keep up. You're constantly starting over after flare-ups. You can't keep up with the pace everyone else says you should be moving at. And you're terrified that setting boundaries will mean losing clients, revenue, or credibility.

In this episode, you'll discover:

  • Why you don't need to be extraordinary to succeed in business with chronic illness—and what to do instead
  • The predictable emotional phases you'll cycle through (grief, anger, acceptance) and how to navigate them without shame
  • How to set health-first boundaries that protect your energy without losing clients or revenue
  • The "hire to your weaknesses" strategy that allowed Brenda to scale to 420 employees while managing MS
  • Why transparency about your health builds trust with your team instead of undermining it
  • How to give yourself more time than you think you need (and why this is the secret to sustainability)
  • The power of storytelling as a healing tool and how sharing your chronic illness journey helps you AND your audience

Building a sustainable business with chronic illness doesn't require you to be superhuman. It requires health-first boundaries, strategic delegation, and the permission to work at a pace that honors your body. Brenda's 30-year journey proves that long-term success is possible when you stop trying to keep up and start building a business that works WITH your chronic illness, not against it.

🎧 Want to learn more about today’s guest?

Visit CraftedToThrive.com for guest details, key takeaways, and extra links mentioned in this episode.

🌿 If you’re navigating entrepreneurship and chronic illness, or simply craving a more sustainable way to grow your business without sacrificing your health, energy, or self-care priorities, explore Chronically You & Profitable (CYAP).

CYAP is my voice-first business system designed for women entrepreneurs, creatives, and women with chronic illness who want sustainable growth and burnout support while keeping life and wellness first.

It helps you use your voice and story to build a business with systems and strategies that run smoothly, so your work supports your life, not the other way around.

⭐ Enjoyed this conversation? Leave a review and share it with another CEO woman or creative entrepreneur growing a health-first, sustainable business.

📱 Stay connected: Follow me on Instagram.

Transcript
Nikita Williams:

You know what stops most of us from building the

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businesses we actually really want.

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It's not a lack of skill, which

many of us believe is our problem.

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It's not a lack of experience, which

many of us believe is our problem.

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It's the belief that we need to be

extraordinary and know everything

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just to keep up and to create results.

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And when you're living with chronic

illness, the pressure becomes almost

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suffocating because of our internal

dialogue, the noise that we receive from

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the outside world, the conditioning.

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In this episode, our guest, Brenda

Snow, built a business for 30 years.

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She scaled it to over 400 employees, and

she successfully exited that company.

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All while managing Ms.

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Multiple sclerosis.

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And when I asked her how she

did it, she says something

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that stopped me in my tracks.

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You don't need to do

anything extraordinary.

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She says, just living with chronic

illness in itself is extraordinary.

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And this, this conversation, Brenda

walks us through the real journey.

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The grief, the anger, the acceptance

that keeps cycling back and

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forth, the boundaries she had

to set that felt uncomfortable.

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At first.

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I can totally re relate to this, and the

way she had to give herself permission

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to work differently, not harder.

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She shares the exact moment she realized

I always hired to my weaknesses.

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If there was something I wasn't

good at, I found somebody who was,

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and she talks about something.

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We don't discuss enough how vulnerability

is in a weakness in business.

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It's actually what builds

the strongest teams.

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If you've ever felt like you're constantly

starting over after a flare up, if you've

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been told you need to hustle harder

or be more quote unquote, consistent.

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If you're worried that setting

boundaries means losing clients or even

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your credibility, this conversation

is going to shift something for you.

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Because Brenda didn't build a sustainable

business by being super human.

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She built it by being human, by setting

health first boundaries, by being honest

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about what she needed, and by proving

that you can grow a business that

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works with your body, not against it.

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And if this conversation resonates with

you, Brenda has also written the Amazon

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bestselling Diagnose, the Essential Guide

to Navigating the Patient Journey, where

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she mapped out the emotional journey

nearly every patient goes through.

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And how to find hope, rebuild, and create

impact after a life changing diagnosis.

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So stay tuned as we get into it.

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Brenda Snow: Just starting a

business, you know, that's, that's,

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that's like an outlier statistic.

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It's a lot of things.

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I mean, I had good luck.

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I met the right people at the right time.

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I had a good idea, but you don't

need to do anything extraordinary,

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just living with a chronic illness.

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In and of itself is extraordinary.

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Nikita Williams: Welcome to Business

with Chronic Illness, the Globally

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Ranked podcast for women living

with chronic illness who want to

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start and grow a business online.

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I'm your host, Nikita Williams and I

went from living a normal life to all

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of a sudden being in constant pain

with no answers to being diagnosed

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with multiple chronic illnesses.

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And trying to make a livable income.

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I faced the challenge of adapting

traditional business advice to fit

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my unique circumstances with chronic

illness, feeling frustrated and

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more burned out than I already was

while managing my chronic illness to

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becoming an award-winning coach, or the

flexible, sustainable online coaching

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business, I found the surprisingly

simple steps to starting and growing

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a profitable business without

compromising my health or my peace.

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Since then, I've helped dozens of women

just like you learn how to do the same.

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If you're ready to create a thriving

business that aligns with your lifestyle

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and wellbeing, you are in the right place.

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Together, we're shifting the narrative

of what's possible for women with

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chronic illness and how we make a living.

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This is business with chronic illness.

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I am really excited to have

Brenda Snow on the show.

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We are going to talk about

business and life and her new book,

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diagnose The Essential Guide to

Navigating The Patient Journey.

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When I saw that episode, Brenda, I mean

that title of your book I was like.

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Where was this?

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Back in 2000 and like, I feel

like back in:

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got diagnosed with one of my first

chronic illnesses, I was like, whoa.

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There wasn't a book.

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There wasn't a pamphlet.

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No, there was a diagnosis.

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And see you later.

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Here's some medication.

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You're good.

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Right, exactly.

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So please tell us a little bit about you.

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Like how would you

describe yourself today?

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And we'll get into more about you.

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Brenda Snow: Great.

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Well, perfect.

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Thanks Nikita for having me.

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Like you said, my name is Brenda Snow

and I'm a person that's been living with

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multiple sclerosis for three decades

now, so that has its own challenges.

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Anybody, even if your diagnosis isn't ms,

you know, if it's any of these chronic

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conditions that just never go away.

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Mm-hmm.

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It's challenging.

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So three decades.

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Really because I was diagnosed with an

illness, it started my journey to become

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an entrepreneur and a business woman.

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And I've founded my main company,

but a few other things over the

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course of the last three decades

in business, which has been.

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An incredible journey, and I know

something you're passionate about.

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Yeah.

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Women in business.

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Me too.

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But especially being somebody

living with a chronic condition.

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Mm-hmm.

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And then recently I became a

ublished author this March of:

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That's the year I think, right?

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Yeah.

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No,

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Speaker 3: no.

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Brenda Snow: And exactly what you said.

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It's the book that I wish that I had had.

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You know, when I was diagnosed

and in my journey of working

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and dealing with patients over

the last, you know, many years.

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It's something people have

always asked for advice about.

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Mm.

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So when COVID came, I thought,

let's take a stab at this.

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I didn't know anything about writing

a book, but have learned a lot.

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So that's a little bit about me.

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I'm, you know, I love my, some of

my hobbies are, besides reading,

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I like art and travel and so yeah.

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And try to maintain a positive

outlook in spite of it all.

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Nikita Williams: Yeah.

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Yeah.

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I mean.

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First and foremost, I always like

to say to anyone who comes up a show

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who's like, yeah, I'm an entrepreneur

and an author, and we list off all

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of these things, and they're like,

oh, we also have chronic illness.

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It's like such an oxymoron.

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It's almost like, yeah, the two

worlds shouldn't coexist, but

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Brenda Snow: mm-hmm.

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Nikita Williams: I am curious to know,

as you've ventured over this, over

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three decades of living with mm-hmm.

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Chronic illness and living

with multiple sclerosis.

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How would you break down like

the emotional journey of living

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with chronic illness and building

an empire like in its own space?

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Right?

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Yeah.

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How has that looked like for you?

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Brenda Snow: Hard,

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yes.

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Tiring.

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Let's, yes.

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The joy of my life, you know?

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So I think.

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I think what I also wanna tell

people, because you know, I've

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gotten and received a lot of positive

feedback and props for building a

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business in spite of being sick.

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And I'm very flattered by

that, and I'm very humbled.

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But I also like to add the caveat to it

that, you know, this should not be the

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aspirational goal for everybody, right?

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Mm-hmm.

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Like I want people to

feel really at peace.

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At where they're at in their chronic

illness, because these stages change.

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You know?

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It is.

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It's a marathon, not a sprint.

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I mean, that's kind of an

overused term, but I would never

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want anybody to feel less than.

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Nikita Williams: Yeah,

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Brenda Snow: because they didn't

start a business or do something with

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their chronic illness because just.

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Starting a business, you know, that's,

that's, that's like an outlier statistic.

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Mm-hmm.

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It's a lot of things.

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I mean, I had good luck.

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I met the right people at the right time.

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I had a good idea, but you don't

need to do anything extraordinary.

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Just living with a chronic illness

in and of itself is extraordinary.

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Yeah.

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So I really want people to.

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Take a deep breath and pat

themselves on the back because life

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can throw a lot of stuff at you.

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Just the fact that you're getting on

with getting on is amazing, really,

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Nikita Williams: truly.

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Absolutely.

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And I, and I really feel that way.

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It really is true.

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Yeah.

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Yeah.

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I agree with you.

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This is not for everybody,

like it's just kind of like.

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I'm sure, and I, I know looking at the

premise of your book and looking at

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that, you really talk about the journey

from the patient's point of view.

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It's not a memoir, it's not

necessarily like your story, it's

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more about a collective of stories

of what that looks like, right?

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Yeah.

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And.

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I really align with that with the

show myself because it's like, yes,

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this is about business with chronic

illness, because some people have

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decided I have more power in my hands

when I have more control of my time,

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my flexibility and all of that stuff.

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Hundred percent living with

chronic illness and making money.

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Right.

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And also it looks different in

every person I talk to, and it's

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just like chronic illness, like our

journeys are unique yet the same.

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Yeah.

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And so for you and your experience.

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First of all, just living

with chronic illness yourself.

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Brenda Snow: Yeah.

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Nikita Williams: How have you

found similarities and also

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challenges when you're looking at

other patients and their journey?

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How has that affected your

outlook, your perspective?

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Brenda Snow: Yeah.

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Well, I think, you know, I mean, early

on with my ms, you know, the first

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three years were really debilitating,

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Speaker 4: you know,

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Brenda Snow: largely wheelchair

bound and dependent on an, you

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know, an aid to ambulate, and I

really wasn't even necessarily.

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Thinking about working again, I frankly,

I had no idea how I was going to do that.

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As I started to get better and realized

that I was a 30-year-old with a 5-year-old

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and at some point had a long life ahead

of me and no way to pay the bills, that

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was when sort of the first seeds of what

could it look like and what could it be?

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And you know, again, for me.

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I was very passionate about the

state of healthcare and the state

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of chronic care, so I will never

forget the year I turned 30.

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I was living in a long-term

rehabilitation center.

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Everybody in there was over

the age of 75 with end stage

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neurological conditions and.

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I just thought to myself, wow, you

know, how am I gonna define my life?

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Like, how, what am I going to

do for the rest of my life?

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And seeing nobody that looked like

me, seeing nobody that had ms,

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nobody that was 30 years old was

really where this seed got planted.

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Like Prego, pre-chat rooms of

like, how do you have the power?

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A first person narrative storytelling.

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How do we get people together

that have chronic conditions

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to sort of lift each other up?

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And that was sort of the genesis

of what became Snow Companies.

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And we worked in the biotechnology

space because also on my journey, I

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came to realize that while research

and development in pharmaceuticals and

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therapeutics is amazing, mm, they could

probably show up a little bit differently.

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For patients.

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And so I couldn't believe that, you know,

I was gonna have to take a medication

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potentially for the rest of my life.

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And it's like you said before we

started recording, you know, they

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didn't even hand you a pamphlet.

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You know, you got, you're

diagnosed with this and good luck.

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Yeah.

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So that was kind of the same thing.

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I had no idea how to manage the side

effects or what was gonna happen to me.

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I mean, everything about me had changed.

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I call it, you know,

an identity earthquake.

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I didn't look the same.

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I didn't think the same.

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I didn't feel the same.

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And nobody around me

knew how to act either.

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Yeah.

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You know, there is stuff in

this book for care partners

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because your world is rocked.

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Mm-hmm.

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So I think.

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What you learn as you live with

a, a life changing condition is

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how to sort of handle the seasons,

the ups and downs, the detours.

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Yeah.

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Better, differently, more proactively.

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But again, it takes some time.

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What I'm able to do now when I have

a hiccup is very different than how

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I felt emotionally and physically

and mentally prepared 20 years ago.

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Speaker 2: Yeah.

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Brenda Snow: So again, people have

to just give themselves some grace.

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Speaker 2: Yes.

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You know, that's such a powerful

point to the perspective of

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there is no one and done fixing.

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Like there's not a really a fix.

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You know?

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I know some of us.

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Compare ourselves.

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Mm-hmm.

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Look at other and be like, man, she does

that thing, or she's doing that thing

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while she's living with chronic illness.

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I often get in my dms personally, like,

Nikita, how are you doing all of this?

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Yeah.

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And I always, I'm like in the bed crying.

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I'm like saying, I'm

like, I'm not doing it.

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The social media, and I think for me,

and I'm sure for you, Brenda, when

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you first started this journey, like

social media wasn't necessarily a thing.

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No.

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No.

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Right?

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Speaker 5: No, no.

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Speaker 2: How has the visibility of

chronic illness become so different

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from when you began snow companies and

dealing with your own challenges with

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your chronic illness, like transform

between now and between then and now?

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Brenda Snow: That's great.

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Well, it's a wonderful question, and

I feel like we're still in its infancy

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of getting rid of the disgrace, the

shame, the stigma around chronic illness

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or life changing illness, frankly.

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It annoys the heck outta me

that, you know, people do

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make a judgment against you.

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The stories Nikita, and I'm confident

you've heard them too, over the decades

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I've been doing patient work of people.

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You know, losing their job that's illegal.

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Mm-hmm.

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You know, getting terminated from it.

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Getting canceled from their insurance,

not being allowed insurance, not having

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access to Medicaid, Medicare, you know,

so, long-term disability benefits, you

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know, can't have access to a physician,

underserved patient populations.

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Mm-hmm.

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I mean, all this stuff is

real and it's bloody hard.

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Mm-hmm.

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It's really hard.

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And when you are sick.

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And you don't feel good.

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It's almost darn near impossible.

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Mm-hmm.

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To navigate.

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I talk about this in the book, but why I

like that more people are speaking out.

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Why I like that there's these podcasts

and there's social media, and in the

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field of ms, you've got people like

Christina Applegate and Selma Blair.

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Mm-hmm.

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You know, coming out

and owning it, I mean.

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I remember there was a time where

nobody of a person of visibility

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Speaker 4: mm-hmm.

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Would

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Brenda Snow: share that

they have anything.

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And I was even early on told to hide it.

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Mm-hmm.

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And anybody that knows

me knows, like, I'm me.

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What you see is what you get.

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Yes.

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All the time.

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Every time I'm, I've always been my

authentic self and I sat there looking

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like this advice person at three heads.

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It's like, what do you mean

I wouldn't tell anybody?

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Right.

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But they said, well, you, you'll risk.

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Being basically, you know, before

the term was a term canceled.

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Mm-hmm.

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And, but I went, go against

the grain, you know?

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Mm-hmm.

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And I think that's, again,

one of the things I feel very

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proud to do is hopefully have

inspired other people to say.

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You know, there is nothing wrong and

I did not do anything to deserve this.

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Don't feel guilty.

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You didn't do anything, deserve it.

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Your family didn't do

anything to deserve it.

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Mm-hmm.

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To the contrary, I like to say that

when you live with one of these terrible

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things, it means you're extra special.

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Speaker 2: Yes.

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And creative and amazing and

absolutely all those different things.

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Right.

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Brenda Snow: Hundred percent girl.

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Yes.

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That's what I think.

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Yes.

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Speaker 2: And you, and you talk about.

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In, in the book about the phases.

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Mm-hmm.

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I have, so I don't know if you've

heard me talk about this or if

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you've listened to this show.

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Yeah.

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But I have an idea of, I, I call

it three phases, and this is

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just my like very drilled down

fundamentals of what I feel like Yeah.

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Especially those of us living

with chronic illness go through,

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because I personally went through

my own journey with that, right?

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Mm-hmm.

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And so I call it like the newbie

phase of like, you don't know

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what's going on with your life.

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Yep.

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Yep.

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You just know you woke up one

day, likely you had a normal

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life, and then all of a sudden you

didn't, and you're like, correct.

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What the heck is going on?

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Yep.

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So that can happen for years.

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And a part of your journey has been

like you were misdiagnosed, believed,

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didn't know what was happening.

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Mm-hmm.

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You know, and then you get to an.

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An awareness, I guess

a diagnosis in a way.

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Yeah.

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And then you're kind of like in

this phase of like, okay, now what?

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What is my life?

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Mm-hmm.

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I call this like mm-hmm.

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The awareness haze.

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Like what are we doing?

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Yeah.

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What's happening?

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Right.

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It's a good one.

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Yeah.

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And then I call the last phase,

which really is never a last.

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Right.

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It's the OG phase where you know,

you'll just keep repeating those

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two faces over and over again.

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Yeah,

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Brenda Snow: exactly.

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Exactly.

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So repetition.

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Speaker 2: Right.

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And so I'm curious, you talk about the

emotional phases, the emotional journey of

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those of us living with chronic illness.

395

:

Yeah.

396

:

I'd love for you to share a bit

about what did that look like

397

:

in your own personal journey?

398

:

Brenda Snow: That's great.

399

:

Well, I love your three phases and

I think they fit perfectly into

400

:

the way that I see it as well.

401

:

So, you know, in the book the chapters

are, are, are set up exactly like this.

402

:

And in that, you know, I start off in

this pre-diagnosis phase because so

403

:

many people know there's something going

on with them, there's something wrong.

404

:

And I've seen sort of two things happen.

405

:

The denial card.

406

:

Mm.

407

:

And I, and I like to say,

we're not talking about the,

408

:

you know, the river in Egypt.

409

:

Right.

410

:

It's not the, yeah.

411

:

Okay.

412

:

So, so the denial where it's

like, I'm just overtired.

413

:

Mm.

414

:

It's because I didn't eat right yesterday.

415

:

So.

416

:

'cause you don't really, it's scary

to be like, what could be going on.

417

:

So there's kind of people stuck there.

418

:

And then there's the other place where

like they know something's going on.

419

:

But again, they can't get to the

right place to get the diagnosis,

420

:

whether it's an access problem or

you know, a whole host of things.

421

:

So really, this is where you need

to listen to your inner voice.

422

:

Mm-hmm.

423

:

Man, usually that little voice is bang

on, so if it walks like a duck, quack

424

:

like a duck, it's usually a duck.

425

:

So if you're feeling crummy, really try

to stay the course because I say while.

426

:

Hearing the words, you have ms.

427

:

Or you have breast cancer, or you

know, you have a LS, whatever it is.

428

:

It is a terrible day.

429

:

I'm not gonna sugarcoat that.

430

:

Speaker 5: Yeah.

431

:

But

432

:

Brenda Snow: it's also the first day that

you have a plan that can start to form.

433

:

Mm-hmm.

434

:

That you have some choices that you

don't even see yet on the horizon.

435

:

Hmm.

436

:

So that whole pre-diagnosis

and diagnosis phase.

437

:

Really then sets off that journey.

438

:

And I think the next phase

that I talk about is grief.

439

:

Speaker 4: Mm.

440

:

Brenda Snow: You know,

there's a lot of grieving Yes.

441

:

That happens to you as an individual.

442

:

I know from my own personal experience,

I was so caught up in the grief

443

:

of what my life wasn't gonna be.

444

:

Mm.

445

:

All the things that I lost.

446

:

Mm.

447

:

All of the.

448

:

Doom and gloom.

449

:

And you know what?

450

:

It wasn't until years later and

sitting down and writing this book

451

:

again that I realized, although

those things were not even true.

452

:

Speaker 4: Mm.

453

:

Brenda Snow: They, you know, they

weren't even things that had happened.

454

:

Yeah.

455

:

They were all these, this,

this catastrophic thinking.

456

:

Speaker 4: Mm-hmm.

457

:

Brenda Snow: So like, yes, grieve that

something's happened to you, grieve

458

:

that there's changes, there's changes

in your home, your abilities, some of

459

:

your relationships, again, your work.

460

:

But that grief.

461

:

Is a normal part of the process.

462

:

Yeah.

463

:

And as you let it, as you feel it and

you and you start to kind of move through

464

:

it, you will get to a place that gets

better for yourself and your family.

465

:

You know, anger happens.

466

:

I was really you.

467

:

A word I can't say on the podcast.

468

:

I was really mad.

469

:

And and for me, I harness

that anger, like as action.

470

:

Mm-hmm.

471

:

Different for different people.

472

:

Don't stay in anger too long.

473

:

Mm.

474

:

Because it can be like a really

ugly weed in the garden and then

475

:

you're gonna, you know, start

to work your way to acceptance.

476

:

And I think it's when you can.

477

:

Start to normalize your new normal.

478

:

Mm, which again, is very hard is when

you can see that there might be some

479

:

brightness and some beauty and some

significant positive changes for yourself.

480

:

Mm.

481

:

But you're gonna have to go

through that muck at first.

482

:

And as you perfectly said.

483

:

This is sometimes a rinse repeat, right?

484

:

Yes.

485

:

Just because you kind of feel like

maybe for a few weeks you worked

486

:

through grief, it doesn't mean

that it ain't ever gonna come back.

487

:

Exactly.

488

:

And that there's not gonna be a

time you feel totally bummed mm-hmm.

489

:

About this happening to you.

490

:

So I think the more you can kind

of like understand that these

491

:

things are predictable mm-hmm.

492

:

The better off you're

able to cope with it.

493

:

Speaker 2: So good.

494

:

I love that you said that.

495

:

'cause I say, I'm like, when you live with

chronic illness, Brenda, and you and I

496

:

both know this, like a part of the fear.

497

:

And I think also sometimes the

false aspect of this is thinking.

498

:

My life is gonna be so

uncertain and unpredictable

499

:

that I can't have any control.

500

:

Like I can't plan, I can't do all

of these things a hundred percent.

501

:

And I have found like, well,

I already know my body's

502

:

gonna do what it's gonna do.

503

:

And that is more than most people

have where they just wake up one

504

:

day and they're in the hospital.

505

:

And we all probably experience that

at the very beginning of the stages.

506

:

But after some time, you know,

okay, I'm heading into a flare

507

:

up, or this is about to happen.

508

:

Yeah.

509

:

And you can create your life.

510

:

To some way sustain that.

511

:

Brenda Snow: Right.

512

:

Ex.

513

:

Exactly.

514

:

That's perfectly said.

515

:

And that's that newbie phase

that you were talking about.

516

:

That's the reassurance I think that

podcasts like this and the book

517

:

can help give people, is to know

that that part will get better.

518

:

Right?

519

:

Yes.

520

:

Because it's really, it is scary

and it's overwhelming and people.

521

:

You know, it's, it's talked about

more today and I, I love that

522

:

some of the younger generation

is like more tapped into it.

523

:

Mm-hmm.

524

:

And that they, they get

the vibe, but you know.

525

:

Vulnerability is hard.

526

:

Speaker 2: Yes.

527

:

It's,

528

:

Brenda Snow: you know, vulnerability

is hard and you're gonna become,

529

:

you're gonna get a masterclass

in it real quick, real quick.

530

:

Yeah.

531

:

You're, you're gonna get a masterclass.

532

:

And again, it's one of the things I think

if you can kind of, sort of absorb that,

533

:

like the art of it and be vulnerable

and let people show up for you in ways

534

:

that maybe you never would've before.

535

:

I have control issues too.

536

:

So, this has been a big

part of my learning process.

537

:

There's a lot of beauty in that.

538

:

Mm-hmm.

539

:

There is.

540

:

It's and a lot of stress relief.

541

:

Mm.

542

:

And you know, you don't need to put

extra stress on yourself when you're

543

:

living with a chronic condition.

544

:

Speaker 2: So true.

545

:

Mm-hmm.

546

:

I'm curious, you know, you just, you

share like, it's a lot of stress and

547

:

it's a lot of, a lot of these things.

548

:

I mean, first of all, we're

talking about just the, right

549

:

now we're just talking about life

with chronic illness, like Yeah.

550

:

What that looks like in the phases.

551

:

But when you got to this space.

552

:

Brenda of like, okay, now I

need to take care of my family.

553

:

I need to take care of me.

554

:

And also going through that

forever loop of those emotions.

555

:

Mm-hmm.

556

:

How did you, like, can you walk us

through how you managed your business

557

:

during like these intense phases?

558

:

Brenda Snow: Yeah.

559

:

You know, that's that wasn't always easy.

560

:

And I think it's, it's like, again, like

we're saying, it got, I got better at it.

561

:

Mm-hmm.

562

:

As time went on, I think one of the

biggest pieces of advice, you know,

563

:

I would give to female founders or

entrepreneurs or, you know, anybody

564

:

out there wanting to do that is, I

had a lot of passion for what I wanted

565

:

to do, so I think a lot of that.

566

:

It wasn't just sort of like a job to me.

567

:

Mm.

568

:

It was really a more of a feeling of

like, I, you know, I kinda wanna change

569

:

the world and I wanna make a difference.

570

:

And so I think for me, that

created a lot of energy.

571

:

Mm.

572

:

And helped sustained.

573

:

Some of those fatigue times for me.

574

:

So I would say whatever you're thinking

about doing and building, make sure that

575

:

it does align to your passion, your core

values, you know, what you believe in,

576

:

whether it's a product or a service.

577

:

Because to be successful at it,

you're gonna have to pour in.

578

:

Every waking minute of yourself.

579

:

And sometimes that might not be as

many hours as somebody that isn't

580

:

living with a life changing illness.

581

:

So first of all, make sure

it's something you really like.

582

:

Yeah.

583

:

Make sure it's something

that you really wanna do.

584

:

And then.

585

:

Be good about setting your own boundaries.

586

:

It's hard, and I'm gonna be

really honest with everybody.

587

:

I wasn't great at it at first.

588

:

Mm-hmm.

589

:

You know, I wasn't, I sometimes I was like

those stupid EverReady bunny commercials

590

:

that, you know, that wanted to keep going

and going and going, going, and I had

591

:

gone too much and then I set myself up

for a big attack or two weeks in beds

592

:

when it maybe could have just been a day.

593

:

Speaker 5: Yeah.

594

:

Brenda Snow: So be get real

with conserving your energy.

595

:

What your boundaries look like.

596

:

There's gonna always be I think whether

you're sick or not in startup mode or

597

:

in early growth years of your business,

there's gonna always be a naysayer.

598

:

Of course, there's gonna always be

somebody to tell you all the reasons

599

:

why it's not gonna work and all the

reasons why, you know, it's not, and

600

:

like, keep that in context, right?

601

:

Mm.

602

:

Some of it might be good

advice, but if it's.

603

:

A person that's kind of saying those

things maybe because of jealousy

604

:

or ulterior motives, or they, they

don't understand your condition and

605

:

they just think you're a sick person.

606

:

Drown out that noise, man.

607

:

Mm-hmm.

608

:

You know, those are people that

definitely put your boundaries.

609

:

Those kind of people in my life were not

people that stayed in my inner circle.

610

:

Mm.

611

:

They were not people that I leaned into.

612

:

They were people that I leaned away from.

613

:

Mm-hmm.

614

:

So I think, I think that's something

to, to think about as well.

615

:

And again, back to me,

I can only say I am.

616

:

Authentic, what you see is what you get.

617

:

I was very transparent with my team.

618

:

Mm.

619

:

You know, I started off with a team

of me and one other person, and

620

:

as I exited my business two weeks

ago, it's a team of 420 people.

621

:

Mm.

622

:

But no matter what the size of it was.

623

:

I shared where I was at with my health.

624

:

Obviously we worked in health.

625

:

Yeah.

626

:

But I let people know, so I

felt really passionate about

627

:

educating them along the way.

628

:

Mm.

629

:

Like I'm canceling my meetings today

because it's not a good day for me.

630

:

I'm exhausted.

631

:

I'm not thinking clearly,

and I wanna show up for you.

632

:

Yeah.

633

:

In a way that you deserve.

634

:

'cause you're an awesome team member.

635

:

Yeah.

636

:

And I wanna help guide you or

make the best decision together.

637

:

So we're gonna need to

reschedule this till Friday.

638

:

And I found that people were like, cool.

639

:

But if I had probably done it differently,

it would've made people feel more insecure

640

:

and maybe been like, well, should we even

be working for this lady that's sick?

641

:

Do you know what I mean?

642

:

Right, right.

643

:

So I think I've been very transparent

and forthcoming about where I

644

:

was as their, as their boss.

645

:

Yeah.

646

:

I mean

647

:

Speaker 2: that right there.

648

:

Everybody like that right there.

649

:

Like I feel like in general we all

wish we had more space and agency in

650

:

advocating in that way for ourselves

and for whatever businesses we have.

651

:

I'm curious, as you grew into that

role of, in your business, did your

652

:

advocacy for yourself, health wise.

653

:

Really amplify how you were able

to show up in your business?

654

:

Brenda Snow: A hundred percent.

655

:

It absolutely did.

656

:

It absolutely did.

657

:

Because it's kind of like these

stages in the books we were talking

658

:

about, you know, you're processing

it more, you're owning it more,

659

:

you're understanding yourself more.

660

:

Mm-hmm.

661

:

You're getting familiar with your.

662

:

You know, your boundaries, your

barriers, your overall health.

663

:

You know, as I had to go, lots of places

to meet with prospective clients, and

664

:

you're on a plane every other day.

665

:

Okay.

666

:

I did that because that was what

was expected, and then I had to say

667

:

to myself, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa.

668

:

You know, you can't do a plane every day.

669

:

Yeah.

670

:

Here's another great example.

671

:

I just had a two week book

tour that darn near killed me.

672

:

Oh my.

673

:

I mean, I, it was a plane

every day across the country.

674

:

The US twice and once overseas.

675

:

I was like afterwards, talked to my

team and said, no, no, no, no, no.

676

:

I'd forgotten.

677

:

We, we need to schedule

some down days in here.

678

:

Yes.

679

:

I gotta go to bed.

680

:

Yes.

681

:

Because I really, I mean, I came

back from that and I did not move.

682

:

Out of the bed for 48 hours.

683

:

But this is another great example

of the rinse repeat cycle.

684

:

Yes, I know this, but I did it anyways

because I was excited and passionate.

685

:

Yeah.

686

:

And then I had the little gentle reminder,

hello, you need a little bit more rest.

687

:

Mm-hmm.

688

:

And so now as I'm looking at

the next month, I have built

689

:

in that time to just save.

690

:

Come on.

691

:

Practice what you preach, right?

692

:

Yeah.

693

:

Speaker 2: Yeah.

694

:

It's you're, yes, absolutely.

695

:

I think especially when you're passionate

and excited about it, I think, yeah.

696

:

There's two places in our lives.

697

:

I think we can, to your point, there's

naysayers or there's people who are

698

:

saying, you can't do it that way because

that's not how it's done in business.

699

:

Yeah.

700

:

Or that's not how we do things

in the professional space.

701

:

Right.

702

:

So you have that noise and

then you have your own.

703

:

You're own like mm-hmm.

704

:

Oh, I'm so excited.

705

:

I'm so passionate.

706

:

And then you're ignoring the body who

is saying yo, we gotta slow this down.

707

:

Exactly right.

708

:

Yeah.

709

:

Speaker 3: Yeah.

710

:

Speaker 2: Yeah.

711

:

So I'm curious for, for those that

are listening, who might be in this.

712

:

Space of growth because I find

that for my clients specifically

713

:

within the space of growth and

scaling, yeah, a hundred percent.

714

:

They, they move away from some of the

boundaries and things that they have in

715

:

place because of those two examples I

just shared, which is like, you're excited

716

:

and then you have a world telling you you

can't keep sustaining growth and scaling.

717

:

Mm-hmm.

718

:

If you don't just sacrifice

more of what your body needs.

719

:

So I'm curious how, what

would you share with someone

720

:

who's in that space right now?

721

:

Brenda Snow: Great.

722

:

I love that question.

723

:

So, first of all, I wanna validate

that there's probably no more

724

:

absolute fun in building a business

than growth and scale, right?

725

:

Yes.

726

:

I mean, because that is a real world

example of what you're doing's working.

727

:

Mm-hmm.

728

:

So if you're seeing growth

and you're seeing scale, then

729

:

you're doing something right.

730

:

Mm-hmm.

731

:

So first of all, KU know kudos.

732

:

Yes, absolutely.

733

:

Absolutely.

734

:

Because that's, that's not easy to do.

735

:

So again, keep the enthusiasm, keep

your recipe because now we have

736

:

a proof point that it's working.

737

:

Your, your, your scale

and your growth is there.

738

:

So keep, keep doing what you're doing.

739

:

So we're drowning off those

nail naysayers by just owning.

740

:

The proof is in the pudding.

741

:

You can see it on your p and l or you

can see it in your head count, or you

742

:

can see it in your overall sales or

your profit margin, whatever your metric

743

:

might be of, of how you're judging this.

744

:

And then allow yourself to know.

745

:

That if you need a hot minute,

whether it's 10 or a day or whatever,

746

:

that everything you've created

will not fall apart in that time.

747

:

It will not fall apart.

748

:

It's gonna feel like it is.

749

:

Absolutely control issues.

750

:

I bet you everybody that's listening

to this, I've also always said over

751

:

the years, if you end up with a

chronic condition, it's probably

752

:

because you are a control freak.

753

:

But that's a topic for another podcast.

754

:

Totally.

755

:

So anyways, just know that by you

needing to do a self-care day.

756

:

Or, you know, a life changing condition

day, or a doctor's appointment or sitting

757

:

down and having a real conversation

with your family about where you're at,

758

:

your business isn't gonna fall apart,

your business is not gonna fall apart.

759

:

And that also says this lesson, you

know, when you're scaling, let's make

760

:

sure that executive team, or your

trusted confidant, whether it's your

761

:

COO, your CFO, your veeps, your pre,

whatever it is that you know, you.

762

:

I always hired to my weakness, you know?

763

:

Mm-hmm.

764

:

There's a lot of things I'm excellent at,

or I'm a, you know, I'm a, I'm a master.

765

:

Mm-hmm.

766

:

There's a ton of things

that I am terrible at.

767

:

Speaker 4: Mm-hmm.

768

:

Brenda Snow: And I

always looked for people.

769

:

That had next level skills

way better than my own,

770

:

Speaker 4: and

771

:

Brenda Snow: they were on the team

because I knew like leaning into them

772

:

during these times when I needed to

for my health, we were in good hands.

773

:

Yeah, great, great individuals.

774

:

Speaker 2: I love that.

775

:

Such a good point I think to your

story and your experience of like

776

:

knowing that you can say no or you can.

777

:

I have confidence in your team because of

advocating, because you and your business,

778

:

you're not just advocating for you.

779

:

You built a business around

advocacy for patients.

780

:

Yeah.

781

:

Yeah.

782

:

So living and breathing that in your

values and the way you showed up.

783

:

Definitely seems like it.

784

:

It applied to how you decided to

grow and leverage your, like the

785

:

strengths you have to help others

do the same, which is so cool.

786

:

So cool.

787

:

Thank you.

788

:

So cool.

789

:

I appreciate

790

:

Brenda Snow: that.

791

:

I appreciate that.

792

:

Yeah, it's been, it's been just the most

incredible, you know, my daughter I think,

793

:

sometimes gets somewhat annoyed because

I tell her sometimes, oh, I loved doing

794

:

that more than, you know, raising you.

795

:

And she's like, mom.

796

:

And I'm like, oh, I'm just kidding.

797

:

But I think anybody that's

built a business, they do.

798

:

They, you feel, you feel like

you, you do for your kids.

799

:

It was one of my kids, you know?

800

:

Mm.

801

:

And, and I think it was really

important to me to, to create a culture.

802

:

At Snow companies of,

you know, inclusiveness.

803

:

It's largely, I mean, I, I,

again, I've just exited, but.

804

:

You know, there was a time

that it was 80% women.

805

:

You know, the executive team

was all women, but one male.

806

:

Like these things I'm very proud of

people of color, people that identify,

807

:

you know, gender wise, different.

808

:

Like, I'm very, very, very proud

of those things because I believe.

809

:

That's what makes the world

great, you know, is like

810

:

different perspectives, different.

811

:

And I don't have all the answers.

812

:

I'm never gonna have all the answers.

813

:

Yeah.

814

:

Nobody is.

815

:

Yeah.

816

:

Nobody is.

817

:

Yeah.

818

:

But you know, if you don't,

if you're not open, yeah.

819

:

To other people's thoughts and

perspectives, I think that limits

820

:

your ability to be successful for me.

821

:

Speaker 2: Yeah.

822

:

No, I totally agree with you.

823

:

And this is something

that I really found very.

824

:

Just line when I was researching

you, learning about you.

825

:

It's your passion for storytelling.

826

:

Yeah.

827

:

Okay.

828

:

Like that's the reason why I have

a podcast like legitimately and

829

:

it's a huge thing, and I have found

so much healing myself and so much

830

:

empowerment myself through hearing

other people tell their story and

831

:

then my own ability to tell my story.

832

:

So how did that show up in your life

and the operation of your business?

833

:

How did that affect that?

834

:

Brenda Snow: Yeah.

835

:

Well first of all, you do a

great job telling stories too.

836

:

I wanted to say that

you're, you're wonderful.

837

:

I appreciate it.

838

:

Yeah, you're wonderful to listen to.

839

:

You're a natural.

840

:

Well, I think it was, without

knowing it at the time, it's

841

:

only a reflective question.

842

:

I knew that when I started sharing

my story at support groups and just

843

:

very grassroots and organically

early on before the company

844

:

was founded, it was healing me.

845

:

Hmm.

846

:

There was so much power.

847

:

I mean, there's part of my story that

I, I talk about, and there is parts

848

:

of my story in the book, although

it is not a memoir, you know, when

849

:

my daughter thought I was gonna die.

850

:

Speaker 4: Mm.

851

:

Brenda Snow: And she was five

years old and it was just her

852

:

and I that her biological father

wasn't present in her life.

853

:

And I mean, I still get tears to this day.

854

:

Yeah.

855

:

Looking at her face and her

saying, mommy, are you gonna die?

856

:

Hmm.

857

:

The book opens that way

and that I must have.

858

:

Shared my story tens of thousands

of times and cried like a baby

859

:

every time I got to that point.

860

:

And then one day I didn't cry as hard

or as long at that part and I went

861

:

back home and had like a meditative

reflective moment and I thought

862

:

it's because you've started to heal.

863

:

It's because you started to heal.

864

:

And then I thought, well, wow.

865

:

Now, what if you can amplify that?

866

:

What if every patient has an

opportunity to share their story

867

:

and move somebody else to thinking

about their condition differently?

868

:

Or it's a call to action, or

they just don't feel so alone?

869

:

Yes.

870

:

You know.

871

:

Then that's, that's really powerful stuff.

872

:

Mm-hmm.

873

:

Also, the way we learn things like

the reason you read books Yeah.

874

:

To kids.

875

:

I mean, it's, it's proven with MRI

scans and all kinds of science that

876

:

you learn in the form of the parable.

877

:

The Bible's written in the parable, the

koran's written, you know, whatever it is.

878

:

I mean, it's not a religious

thing, it's just a nursery rhyme.

879

:

Speaker 4: Yeah.

880

:

Brenda Snow: A storybook.

881

:

That's how we

882

:

Speaker 2: learn

883

:

Brenda Snow: what, what,

that's how we think.

884

:

Actually.

885

:

It's, that's how our s work.

886

:

It's how exactly, and it's how

complicated thoughts make sense

887

:

Speaker 4: Yes.

888

:

Brenda Snow: In your brain.

889

:

So, you know, you could, I, so I

started to see all kinds of patients

890

:

that had gone to the doctor a million

times, been told in their five

891

:

minute, you know, appointment and

like you said, maybe handed a leaflet,

892

:

but when they could see Johnny.

893

:

Tell his story that had the same, you

know, condition, age-related, macular

894

:

degeneration and what he went through when

he was blind and how he got to a place

895

:

of help and acceptance or they, and that

person was like, oh my God, like this

896

:

is the most profound moment of my life.

897

:

I thought this is what

needs to be amplified.

898

:

Speaker 2: Hmm.

899

:

Speaker 5: Yeah.

900

:

So

901

:

Speaker 2: powerful.

902

:

It's interesting that

a part of your story.

903

:

And the healing came from

the repetitiveness Yeah.

904

:

Of telling it, right?

905

:

Yeah.

906

:

Do you think that where we are

in times now, there is an aspect

907

:

of that that we're missing?

908

:

Brenda Snow: You know, I do a little

bit and, and I don't know if this is.

909

:

Gonna answer it exactly maybe the

way you're asking the question.

910

:

So let me, let me try here and

we can go back, but I think

911

:

there's so much more noise.

912

:

Yes.

913

:

For humans today, you know, our

attention spans we know have gotten

914

:

shorter than even 20 years ago.

915

:

You know what used to be somebody

had the attention span to watch

916

:

for 15 minutes is now like four.

917

:

Speaker 4: Mm-hmm.

918

:

Brenda Snow: So.

919

:

We have these phones attached to

our, you know, head and hip and

920

:

everywhere else, and there's just

a lot of incoming information

921

:

all day, every day, all the time.

922

:

And it's my personal belief, only

my personal belief that we're

923

:

struggling with the art of listening.

924

:

Mm.

925

:

Yep.

926

:

And, yep.

927

:

And how can you be

understood if you don't hear?

928

:

Mm.

929

:

You are not listening.

930

:

And when somebody is in this vulnerable

state that we talked about and they're

931

:

wanting you to listen, man, you got it.

932

:

This is the big validator, right?

933

:

Because they're gonna feel 10

times worse if you don't listen.

934

:

Speaker 4: Mm-hmm.

935

:

Brenda Snow: If you don't acknowledge

their pain, their suffering, their joy,

936

:

whatever it is, and you are on the phone.

937

:

Or you're looking away, or your

own attention span is such that

938

:

you can't be emotionally available.

939

:

So the art of listening I think is key.

940

:

And I think it's as a country, forget

chronic illness to be understood.

941

:

We need to hear

942

:

Speaker 2: listening.

943

:

Yes, I hear you.

944

:

I hear you with that.

945

:

I think.

946

:

What I have seen very much so

Brenda, in the space of that

947

:

is that we're craving that.

948

:

Yeah.

949

:

People are craving that.

950

:

I think this is why communities,

smaller, niche communities are growing.

951

:

They're becoming more important.

952

:

I don't care how, this is

my whole thing about ai.

953

:

I am like, I don't care how

much AI comes into the world.

954

:

We're still gonna need human beings

to be human beings, and we're still

955

:

gonna wanna connect to each other.

956

:

I, I just do not, hundred percent.

957

:

You know?

958

:

And so I think it's such a

powerful point that you're

959

:

bringing out that the listening.

960

:

Key.

961

:

We're not actually listening.

962

:

We think we're listening.

963

:

And this is very much, you

know, as a patient myself.

964

:

Mm-hmm.

965

:

Even with our doctors, even with our

healthcare team, we almost have to like

966

:

sit them down and tell them how to listen

to us because they're not even present.

967

:

They're not even listening.

968

:

And so I.

969

:

When we have books and we have authors

and we have leaders or thought leaders,

970

:

however you wanna call us, right?

971

:

Yep.

972

:

That we are also

listening back and mm-hmm.

973

:

Providing spaces to be

listened to or to be heard.

974

:

Mm-hmm.

975

:

And I know you've done a lot of

that work with, within your company

976

:

and as well outside of that.

977

:

So what has that look like for you,

building those spaces for people

978

:

to be listened to and connect?

979

:

Brenda Snow: Yeah.

980

:

You know, like really humbled

beyond belief and beyond measure it.

981

:

It's, I think it's sacred, you know?

982

:

Mm.

983

:

Like sometimes, you know, I'm a stranger

and two hours later, you know, your

984

:

deepest, darkest secrets and emotions and

the best thing, you know, you're, you're,

985

:

you're feeling comfortable to do that.

986

:

But again, I think it's because.

987

:

I make people feel comfortable.

988

:

So again, listening, making people

feel comfortable, being open yourself.

989

:

I will share, you know, all,

all of my things and they're,

990

:

they're not all great, you know?

991

:

Mm-hmm.

992

:

But that this is also normal.

993

:

Yeah.

994

:

So.

995

:

I think it's, it is having,

having that space for people.

996

:

I mean, yes.

997

:

When you talk about like online

communities and all kinds of

998

:

things, you know, there's also

some simple rules of engagement.

999

:

Be kind.

:

00:44:22,830 --> 00:44:23,050

Yes.

:

00:44:23,150 --> 00:44:23,450

You know?

:

00:44:23,710 --> 00:44:23,930

Yes.

:

00:44:24,325 --> 00:44:26,185

Like literally be kind.

:

00:44:26,335 --> 00:44:31,195

One of my biggest insecurities about

launching the book, and I don't have

:

00:44:31,195 --> 00:44:35,815

many honestly, and it's taken me to

become old to, to get rid of all the

:

00:44:35,815 --> 00:44:38,365

insecurities, but, was the trolls.

:

00:44:38,485 --> 00:44:38,845

Mm-hmm.

:

00:44:38,905 --> 00:44:41,785

You know, it was the people that

it's like, and you know, it's like

:

00:44:41,785 --> 00:44:43,915

my parents when I was growing up,

say, if you don't have anything

:

00:44:43,915 --> 00:44:45,445

nice to say, don't say it at all.

:

00:44:45,715 --> 00:44:47,875

And kind of never truer words, right?

:

00:44:48,235 --> 00:44:48,325

Mm-hmm.

:

00:44:48,325 --> 00:44:51,595

So, you know, kindness, people

need you to show up, kind.

:

00:44:51,595 --> 00:44:54,355

People need you, you to show

up with a sense of gratitude.

:

00:44:54,625 --> 00:44:59,635

And then I think you, these things

can happen a lot more organically.

:

00:44:59,665 --> 00:44:59,695

Mm.

:

00:45:00,025 --> 00:45:04,285

Where you can have the

opportunity to educate.

:

00:45:04,850 --> 00:45:05,900

Be educated.

:

00:45:06,080 --> 00:45:06,260

Yeah.

:

00:45:06,260 --> 00:45:11,330

And you know, now that I really look

to like a lot of my philanthropic

:

00:45:11,330 --> 00:45:15,140

work and, you know, give back, not

only with, with, with, you know,

:

00:45:15,140 --> 00:45:21,980

financial resources, but my time

resources, people are so appreciative.

:

00:45:21,980 --> 00:45:22,580

Speaker 4: Mm-hmm.

:

00:45:22,790 --> 00:45:23,030

You know,

:

00:45:23,120 --> 00:45:24,740

Brenda Snow: they really, really are.

:

00:45:25,130 --> 00:45:29,330

And it's simple act of kindness again.

:

00:45:29,570 --> 00:45:32,240

And when you see somebody that's so.

:

00:45:34,025 --> 00:45:37,535

Appreciative because you showed

up or because you cared, you,

:

00:45:37,805 --> 00:45:39,215

because you did something.

:

00:45:39,635 --> 00:45:44,405

I think these things are very, they,

they like, I'll use my last word.

:

00:45:44,405 --> 00:45:45,185

They snowball.

:

00:45:45,305 --> 00:45:45,335

Mm.

:

00:45:45,705 --> 00:45:48,975

You know, they, they, they,

they create synergies.

:

00:45:48,975 --> 00:45:49,845

They really do.

:

00:45:49,935 --> 00:45:53,650

And, and that's the kind of

stuff that I think we need.

:

00:45:54,960 --> 00:45:59,700

As people living with chronic conditions

to, to be our cups filled up and to

:

00:45:59,700 --> 00:46:01,890

be able to keep giving back in ways.

:

00:46:02,160 --> 00:46:05,520

But I think it also just,

it spreads and it magnifies,

:

00:46:05,640 --> 00:46:06,150

Speaker 2: yeah.

:

00:46:06,510 --> 00:46:06,630

Yeah.

:

00:46:06,630 --> 00:46:06,960

The baby

:

00:46:06,960 --> 00:46:07,410

Brenda Snow: steps.

:

00:46:07,410 --> 00:46:10,230

Speaker 2: The baby steps,

the ripple effects everything.

:

00:46:10,230 --> 00:46:10,290

Yeah.

:

00:46:10,290 --> 00:46:11,070

You know?

:

00:46:11,470 --> 00:46:17,500

Is, is there, I have a question that

I ask everyone, and I usually ask it a

:

00:46:17,500 --> 00:46:19,570

little later, but I'm gonna ask it now.

:

00:46:19,990 --> 00:46:25,210

What is something that when you to,

and this is kind of two prong, you

:

00:46:25,210 --> 00:46:26,950

can answer this both ways honestly.

:

00:46:27,460 --> 00:46:27,850

Sure.

:

00:46:28,030 --> 00:46:31,990

What is something that you thought

was true when you were first diagnosed

:

00:46:32,860 --> 00:46:34,510

that you no longer believe is true?

:

00:46:35,980 --> 00:46:39,040

Brenda Snow: Well, I think

when I was first diagnosed, I

:

00:46:39,040 --> 00:46:41,950

thought I was gonna absolutely

have a terrible, miserable life.

:

00:46:42,190 --> 00:46:42,490

Speaker 4: Mm.

:

00:46:42,580 --> 00:46:45,310

Brenda Snow: And that why would

I even wanna continue going on?

:

00:46:45,730 --> 00:46:46,030

Mm.

:

00:46:46,060 --> 00:46:53,710

Like this was such a horrible diagnosis

and the news I got from various

:

00:46:53,710 --> 00:47:01,240

neurologists, from being misdiagnosed to

painting a very bleak picture for my life.

:

00:47:01,300 --> 00:47:03,820

Honestly, if I didn't have my daughter.

:

00:47:04,360 --> 00:47:08,800

And know that she needed a mother,

like I really thought there

:

00:47:08,800 --> 00:47:11,020

was nothing worth living for.

:

00:47:11,530 --> 00:47:17,710

And I know that to be categorically

inaccurate, never true, totally wrong.

:

00:47:18,220 --> 00:47:18,970

It's false.

:

00:47:19,510 --> 00:47:22,810

You know, as many ways that

I can condemn that thought.

:

00:47:23,320 --> 00:47:25,510

So that's, that's

probably the biggest one.

:

00:47:25,510 --> 00:47:26,350

And it's a heavy one.

:

00:47:27,355 --> 00:47:27,985

Speaker 2: Yeah.

:

00:47:28,095 --> 00:47:28,575

Yeah.

:

00:47:29,505 --> 00:47:33,525

Yeah, I can, I can feel that I can relate

to that in a lot of different ways.

:

00:47:34,025 --> 00:47:34,265

Yeah.

:

00:47:35,525 --> 00:47:41,225

It's scary to have that be your first,

you know, belief and it's, and at

:

00:47:41,225 --> 00:47:43,955

the time it feels very real, right?

:

00:47:43,960 --> 00:47:44,180

It feels it does.

:

00:47:44,180 --> 00:47:44,195

Mm-hmm.

:

00:47:44,795 --> 00:47:47,400

So, unbelievably real.

:

00:47:49,145 --> 00:47:54,695

And then when you learn that it's not,

that it is a relief, I think it also

:

00:47:54,695 --> 00:47:59,195

lightens what we experience with our

chronic, with our chronic illnesses.

:

00:47:59,195 --> 00:48:02,765

Like the, the, the level of

intensity that they have.

:

00:48:02,795 --> 00:48:04,595

They felt, to me personally, lighter.

:

00:48:04,595 --> 00:48:08,945

I don't know if that's an experience,

but I feel like once you let go of that

:

00:48:09,275 --> 00:48:11,765

falseness, it's, it shifts everything.

:

00:48:12,125 --> 00:48:12,575

Right.

:

00:48:13,130 --> 00:48:13,670

It does.

:

00:48:14,060 --> 00:48:14,300

Yeah.

:

00:48:14,300 --> 00:48:14,645

And the,

:

00:48:14,750 --> 00:48:18,230

Brenda Snow: you know, the snow family

creed, and I got so sick and tired of

:

00:48:18,230 --> 00:48:23,150

hearing it from my father, and it was so

simple, but it was like, stay positive,

:

00:48:23,150 --> 00:48:27,350

Bren, you know, always stay positive,

find the positive thing in all of this.

:

00:48:27,350 --> 00:48:30,500

And, you know, I remember one time

looking at him, this is years ago,

:

00:48:30,500 --> 00:48:33,350

and just losing it, just being

like, it's not being confident.

:

00:48:33,470 --> 00:48:33,560

Mm-hmm.

:

00:48:33,800 --> 00:48:35,630

You know, but like, he was right.

:

00:48:35,840 --> 00:48:35,900

Mm.

:

00:48:36,260 --> 00:48:38,750

Like trying to find.

:

00:48:39,680 --> 00:48:41,930

That one nugget to hold onto mm-hmm.

:

00:48:42,260 --> 00:48:43,400

Is exactly what you said.

:

00:48:43,400 --> 00:48:45,110

Nikita lightens everything.

:

00:48:45,320 --> 00:48:45,740

Speaker 2: Yeah.

:

00:48:46,520 --> 00:48:51,230

And you know, to your, to your

point with that, I, I have, I have

:

00:48:51,230 --> 00:48:56,120

a, I don't know how you describe

it, but I have a dance with that.

:

00:48:56,180 --> 00:48:56,420

Right.

:

00:48:56,420 --> 00:48:57,110

A dance with.

:

00:48:58,595 --> 00:49:03,365

Being okay with sometimes it truly

100% sucks and I am not gonna see

:

00:49:03,365 --> 00:49:07,805

the positive and I'm okay that I

don't see the positive right now.

:

00:49:07,925 --> 00:49:08,285

Yep, okay.

:

00:49:08,285 --> 00:49:09,365

It just sucks.

:

00:49:09,455 --> 00:49:14,705

And then also I always say it's never

this or it's always, and then also,

:

00:49:15,125 --> 00:49:20,615

yeah, there is something powerful and

being like, yeah, that was the worst

:

00:49:20,615 --> 00:49:22,685

day of my life and I'm still here.

:

00:49:23,120 --> 00:49:23,420

Right.

:

00:49:23,450 --> 00:49:23,510

Yeah.

:

00:49:23,510 --> 00:49:25,520

Like there is an aspect of that.

:

00:49:25,520 --> 00:49:25,580

Yeah.

:

00:49:25,580 --> 00:49:29,600

And I think we, to your point, we talk

like full circle in this conversation.

:

00:49:30,170 --> 00:49:36,170

We have to give all of us permission to

be riding those waves, how they come.

:

00:49:36,170 --> 00:49:36,260

Mm-hmm.

:

00:49:36,260 --> 00:49:37,610

And not judge someone.

:

00:49:38,210 --> 00:49:38,360

Yeah.

:

00:49:38,360 --> 00:49:43,040

On whether or not they're just only

seeing right now the funnel of negativity.

:

00:49:43,670 --> 00:49:43,910

Yep.

:

00:49:43,910 --> 00:49:48,080

Because it is what their

lived experience is right now.

:

00:49:48,080 --> 00:49:48,140

Yeah.

:

00:49:48,500 --> 00:49:51,320

And also hope that they get

to see some light later.

:

00:49:51,560 --> 00:49:51,800

Exactly.

:

00:49:51,800 --> 00:49:52,760

I'm not shame them

:

00:49:52,760 --> 00:49:53,840

Brenda Snow: for either way, you know?

:

00:49:53,840 --> 00:49:54,500

Exactly.

:

00:49:54,560 --> 00:49:54,770

Yeah.

:

00:49:54,770 --> 00:49:58,010

I, I the judgment, I have

no tolerance for Yeah.

:

00:49:58,040 --> 00:49:58,670

No room.

:

00:49:58,670 --> 00:50:01,520

And, you know, as I've been out

speaking about the book, if that's

:

00:50:01,520 --> 00:50:05,570

the one thing I could say is, you

know, hope you're not alone and,

:

00:50:05,600 --> 00:50:07,700

you know, just do not feel judged.

:

00:50:07,730 --> 00:50:09,080

Do not take on that guilt.

:

00:50:09,440 --> 00:50:13,460

Do not take on any of that because

it's, it's just, it's just.

:

00:50:14,525 --> 00:50:16,595

It just will, it can just eat you alive.

:

00:50:16,655 --> 00:50:16,775

Yeah.

:

00:50:16,775 --> 00:50:17,135

You know?

:

00:50:17,135 --> 00:50:21,785

And any and anybody that really loves

you and is really worth having in your

:

00:50:21,785 --> 00:50:23,705

inner circle isn't gonna judge you.

:

00:50:23,710 --> 00:50:24,000

Yeah.

:

00:50:24,095 --> 00:50:24,875

And the ones that do.

:

00:50:26,420 --> 00:50:27,410

That's what I have to say.

:

00:50:29,095 --> 00:50:29,595

She said

:

00:50:30,175 --> 00:50:30,830

Speaker 3: she, yeah,

:

00:50:30,955 --> 00:50:31,115

Brenda Snow: yeah,

:

00:50:31,185 --> 00:50:31,475

Speaker 3: yeah.

:

00:50:31,670 --> 00:50:32,030

You guys

:

00:50:32,030 --> 00:50:34,250

Speaker 2: wanted to check out

the video part of that because

:

00:50:34,550 --> 00:50:36,440

it's a very visual moment there.

:

00:50:36,470 --> 00:50:36,710

Yeah.

:

00:50:36,740 --> 00:50:37,400

Brenda Snow: Sticking out.

:

00:50:37,400 --> 00:50:40,040

Sticking out my tongue, making the sound.

:

00:50:40,580 --> 00:50:40,820

Exactly.

:

00:50:40,820 --> 00:50:40,850

I

:

00:50:40,850 --> 00:50:41,330

Speaker 2: love it.

:

00:50:41,330 --> 00:50:41,990

I love it.

:

00:50:42,350 --> 00:50:45,860

Okay, and then lastly, what is

something true about business?

:

00:50:46,370 --> 00:50:48,440

What is something that you

thought was true about business?

:

00:50:48,440 --> 00:50:49,160

That is no.

:

00:50:49,220 --> 00:50:50,540

You are like, yeah, that's not true.

:

00:50:51,620 --> 00:50:51,650

Oh

:

00:50:51,650 --> 00:50:52,070

Brenda Snow: boy,

:

00:50:52,070 --> 00:50:53,000

Speaker 2: a ton,

:

00:50:53,000 --> 00:50:53,360

Brenda Snow: right?

:

00:50:55,220 --> 00:50:56,690

Oh, let's see.

:

00:50:57,080 --> 00:50:59,120

Well, let's see.

:

00:50:59,120 --> 00:51:05,000

Something that I thought was true about

business that I found out that it wasn't

:

00:51:05,000 --> 00:51:15,080

true, I think I thought it would be a lot

easier to manage large teams of people.

:

00:51:15,695 --> 00:51:17,705

Than it turned out to be.

:

00:51:17,735 --> 00:51:17,825

Mm-hmm.

:

00:51:17,975 --> 00:51:24,935

And I'm talking about implementing

best in class, you know, training

:

00:51:24,935 --> 00:51:26,615

and development opportunities.

:

00:51:26,645 --> 00:51:26,735

Mm-hmm.

:

00:51:26,735 --> 00:51:31,265

Because when you're smaller, you as the

founder or the entrepreneur are really

:

00:51:31,565 --> 00:51:32,975

touching everybody and everything.

:

00:51:33,215 --> 00:51:33,305

Mm-hmm.

:

00:51:33,695 --> 00:51:35,405

And this osmosis is happening.

:

00:51:35,405 --> 00:51:35,415

Mm-hmm.

:

00:51:35,465 --> 00:51:37,595

And this knowledge transfer is happening.

:

00:51:37,600 --> 00:51:37,820

Mm-hmm.

:

00:51:37,900 --> 00:51:40,540

And that energy is happening

and you're just like all in it.

:

00:51:41,135 --> 00:51:45,275

Once you've hit about, at least

for me in my business, that

:

00:51:45,845 --> 00:51:49,775

80 people mark, 80, 80 people.

:

00:51:50,255 --> 00:51:54,455

I wasn't, it was just humanly, it

was just not possible, you know?

:

00:51:54,485 --> 00:51:54,515

Mm.

:

00:51:55,085 --> 00:52:00,185

And back to that scale, but it was

like, well, how do we infuse in all this

:

00:52:00,185 --> 00:52:02,465

next generation of great team members

:

00:52:02,615 --> 00:52:02,825

Speaker 4: mm-hmm.

:

00:52:03,425 --> 00:52:05,105

Brenda Snow: All of the things.

:

00:52:05,655 --> 00:52:10,335

That this kind of first group had, and I

thought that would be easy and it wasn't.

:

00:52:10,425 --> 00:52:10,575

Mm.

:

00:52:10,605 --> 00:52:16,545

So keeping the culture alive, keeping that

story alive, keeping the purpose alive,

:

00:52:16,785 --> 00:52:19,875

keeping the quality and the excellence.

:

00:52:19,905 --> 00:52:24,165

Mm, alive that's very

hard, remains challenging.

:

00:52:24,435 --> 00:52:29,175

And it's something again, as the founder,

the CEO, whatever your job that you

:

00:52:29,175 --> 00:52:31,155

really can't take your eye off of because.

:

00:52:31,590 --> 00:52:33,750

That is the one thing I found

out that like, nobody's gonna

:

00:52:33,750 --> 00:52:34,800

do it quite like you either.

:

00:52:35,010 --> 00:52:39,390

Or if it's not an important initiative

from your desk, it's not gonna be an

:

00:52:39,390 --> 00:52:41,130

important initiative from anybody's desk.

:

00:52:41,160 --> 00:52:41,190

Speaker 2: Mm.

:

00:52:42,660 --> 00:52:44,460

So interesting.

:

00:52:45,060 --> 00:52:46,260

That is so interesting.

:

00:52:46,260 --> 00:52:50,880

It's, it's kind of, and, and a

reflection of a advocacy for yourself.

:

00:52:51,360 --> 00:52:54,720

Like no one is gonna know

what your body feels.

:

00:52:55,785 --> 00:52:59,925

And you can be in a room of doctors and

trying, they're telling you what the,

:

00:52:59,925 --> 00:53:03,885

you know, paper says that it says, but

you're like, no, but my body is saying

:

00:53:03,885 --> 00:53:06,645

different or I'm feeling it different.

:

00:53:06,735 --> 00:53:10,155

Only you can really advocate

to that level, right?

:

00:53:10,155 --> 00:53:13,635

And so trying to infuse that into

a business where like, I know you

:

00:53:13,635 --> 00:53:17,415

think that's the way we need to

go, but I know in my bones that

:

00:53:17,415 --> 00:53:19,245

this is how we need to do it.

:

00:53:19,545 --> 00:53:22,185

And you may not agree because

you don't see the vision.

:

00:53:22,780 --> 00:53:25,690

And that's what I hear you saying

it was that it's like a lot more

:

00:53:25,690 --> 00:53:29,500

challenging over time as you add

more people into that vision.

:

00:53:29,770 --> 00:53:29,980

Yeah.

:

00:53:29,980 --> 00:53:31,180

To expand on that.

:

00:53:31,480 --> 00:53:31,930

Brenda Snow: Yeah.

:

00:53:31,960 --> 00:53:36,850

And keeping those core competencies,

you know, alive and nurtured and

:

00:53:37,300 --> 00:53:42,850

making sure that kind of like the

success of how you did things and

:

00:53:42,850 --> 00:53:44,800

why you did things that got you here.

:

00:53:45,220 --> 00:53:47,590

You know, we're not throwing the

baby out with the bath water, right?

:

00:53:47,595 --> 00:53:47,625

Mm.

:

00:53:47,710 --> 00:53:47,860

Mm-hmm.

:

00:53:48,105 --> 00:53:49,570

That, that, that's continuing to do.

:

00:53:50,415 --> 00:53:55,995

And I, I, I find that the more people

on the team, it's not impossible.

:

00:53:56,235 --> 00:53:58,245

Just becomes harder to do.

:

00:53:58,245 --> 00:53:58,305

Yeah.

:

00:53:58,335 --> 00:54:01,065

And you have to come up with

different strategies to do it.

:

00:54:01,065 --> 00:54:02,145

'cause you can't do it all.

:

00:54:02,295 --> 00:54:02,595

Speaker 2: Yeah.

:

00:54:03,105 --> 00:54:07,215

I heard this to your point,

I heard this from Sarah, I

:

00:54:07,215 --> 00:54:08,445

wanna say it's Sarah Blakely.

:

00:54:08,445 --> 00:54:10,305

Spanx, the CEO of Spanx.

:

00:54:10,305 --> 00:54:10,365

Yeah.

:

00:54:10,365 --> 00:54:10,725

She's great.

:

00:54:11,025 --> 00:54:15,765

And she was saying, you know,

depending on how you scale is.

:

00:54:16,920 --> 00:54:21,720

On like how diluted your, your thoughts

and your values become, especially if

:

00:54:21,720 --> 00:54:25,560

you're taking on investors and all those

kind of things, and why her business

:

00:54:25,560 --> 00:54:29,790

felt like she did so well is because

she didn't do that at the beginning

:

00:54:29,790 --> 00:54:31,950

and it took her a long time, decade.

:

00:54:32,550 --> 00:54:34,140

Yeah, over a decade to get to that point.

:

00:54:34,140 --> 00:54:38,700

And so yeah, her vision kept staying

clear to what she wanted it to be.

:

00:54:38,700 --> 00:54:40,530

And I think that's an interesting thought.

:

00:54:41,130 --> 00:54:42,810

I think that's right too, right?

:

00:54:42,810 --> 00:54:45,570

I think that's an interesting

thought as we think about our

:

00:54:45,570 --> 00:54:49,260

businesses and how do we finagle,

that's a whole nother conversation.

:

00:54:49,260 --> 00:54:49,650

Right on.

:

00:54:49,650 --> 00:54:51,570

It is okay if you are going to be growing.

:

00:54:52,030 --> 00:54:56,260

With a, a smaller team, how do we

create systems and things around

:

00:54:56,260 --> 00:55:01,720

you so that you're not sacrificing

yourself completely and your wellbeing?

:

00:55:01,720 --> 00:55:05,080

So that's a, that's an interesting

thought, but I appreciate you sharing

:

00:55:05,080 --> 00:55:06,595

that with me, that that's amazing.

:

00:55:06,705 --> 00:55:08,195

Love that we can question, we can make

:

00:55:08,290 --> 00:55:10,210

Brenda Snow: a list together

and come back and talk about it.

:

00:55:10,210 --> 00:55:10,270

We

:

00:55:10,360 --> 00:55:11,290

Speaker 2: totally can.

:

00:55:11,860 --> 00:55:12,970

We totally can.

:

00:55:13,420 --> 00:55:15,700

Well, please let us know how.

:

00:55:15,770 --> 00:55:16,940

Everyone can find you.

:

00:55:16,940 --> 00:55:18,560

We know we'll have

everything in the show notes.

:

00:55:18,560 --> 00:55:18,650

Sure.

:

00:55:18,650 --> 00:55:22,070

But I always like to have the guests share

with us how they can find you and how

:

00:55:22,070 --> 00:55:26,050

they can support some of the initiatives

you're in are up doing right now.

:

00:55:26,050 --> 00:55:26,140

Well,

:

00:55:26,140 --> 00:55:27,760

Brenda Snow: that's, that's,

that's very, very kind.

:

00:55:27,760 --> 00:55:29,940

So, brenda snow.com

:

00:55:29,970 --> 00:55:31,620

is, is the website.

:

00:55:31,620 --> 00:55:35,580

I think it's will be looking fancy

and new and refreshed here in

:

00:55:35,580 --> 00:55:38,730

the near future, but you can also

get ahold of me through there.

:

00:55:38,730 --> 00:55:38,890

You can.

:

00:55:39,190 --> 00:55:42,730

Contact me and, and I will get an

email and I will respond to you.

:

00:55:43,060 --> 00:55:46,000

And then I think, you know,

the book is really helpful too.

:

00:55:46,000 --> 00:55:51,020

I just do want people to know that all

of the proceeds that I receive will be

:

00:55:51,020 --> 00:55:53,030

donated to health related charities.

:

00:55:53,030 --> 00:55:56,430

So I look forward to announcing that,

you know, at the end of the year and.

:

00:55:57,150 --> 00:56:00,840

Nikita, if you have any special ones,

all of the lovely people that have had

:

00:56:00,840 --> 00:56:02,790

me on the podcast, I'd love to know.

:

00:56:03,030 --> 00:56:03,150

Yes.

:

00:56:03,150 --> 00:56:06,600

So that I can make sure that some

of those contributions go to things

:

00:56:06,600 --> 00:56:07,830

that you're passionate about.

:

00:56:07,830 --> 00:56:08,100

Absolutely.

:

00:56:08,100 --> 00:56:10,920

Because I do appreciate

the time and your audience.

:

00:56:10,920 --> 00:56:15,450

And the last thing I would say

is, you know, never, ever, ever.

:

00:56:15,830 --> 00:56:22,550

Let one of these insidious life changing

chronic illnesses define who you are.

:

00:56:22,790 --> 00:56:22,820

Mm.

:

00:56:22,880 --> 00:56:25,400

Because you're awesome

just the way you are.

:

00:56:25,520 --> 00:56:25,550

Mm.

:

00:56:25,760 --> 00:56:30,410

And the sooner that you like, come to

terms with that and own that, you're

:

00:56:30,410 --> 00:56:38,690

gonna be just, you know, feeling so

much better and achieving all of the

:

00:56:38,690 --> 00:56:41,900

things that you deserve to be achieving.

:

00:56:42,905 --> 00:56:43,475

Speaker 2: I love that.

:

00:56:44,015 --> 00:56:45,575

Well, thank you so much, Brenda.

:

00:56:45,580 --> 00:56:45,620

Thank.

:

00:56:45,635 --> 00:56:46,115

Thank you too.

:

00:56:46,115 --> 00:56:46,685

This was lovely.

:

00:56:46,685 --> 00:56:48,275

I enjoyed it so much.

:

00:56:48,485 --> 00:56:49,055

Speaker 5: Me too.

:

00:56:49,055 --> 00:56:50,555

Sending you big kiss.

:

00:56:51,275 --> 00:56:52,115

Same here.

:

00:56:52,565 --> 00:56:53,165

Same here.

:

00:56:53,190 --> 00:56:54,575

Thank you.

:

00:56:54,575 --> 00:56:55,385

Thanks everybody.

:

00:56:55,385 --> 00:56:55,780

Take care.

:

00:56:56,320 --> 00:56:56,780

Bye y'all.

:

00:56:56,780 --> 00:56:57,180

Bye-bye.

:

00:57:03,455 --> 00:57:06,275

Speaker 2: That's a wrap for this

episode of Business with Chronic Illness.

:

00:57:06,485 --> 00:57:09,545

If you would like to start and grow

an online coaching business with me,

:

00:57:09,875 --> 00:57:12,995

head to the show notes to click a link

to book a sales call, and learn how

:

00:57:12,995 --> 00:57:14,345

to make money with chronic illness.

:

00:57:14,795 --> 00:57:19,325

You can also check out our website

at ww dot crafted to thrive.com

:

00:57:19,505 --> 00:57:23,105

for this episode's, show notes and

join our email list to get exclusive

:

00:57:23,105 --> 00:57:27,425

content where I coach you on how to

chronically grow a profitable business.

:

00:57:27,525 --> 00:57:30,345

While living with chronic illness,

until next time, remember,

:

00:57:30,345 --> 00:57:33,225

yes, you are crafted to thrive.

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Show artwork for Business With Chronic Illness: CEO Women For Sustainable Growth and Burnout Support

About the Podcast

Business With Chronic Illness: CEO Women For Sustainable Growth and Burnout Support
A podcast for entrepreneurs who want success while keeping their health first in business.
Running a business while living with chronic illness is not easy, and most business advice ignores the reality of burnout, living with autoimmune disorders, unpredictable energy, and navigating everyday health and wellness while starting and growing a business. That’s why this podcast is designed to help you build a business that works with your body, not against it.

If you’re a woman entrepreneur, creative, or CEO navigating chronic illness, burnout, or healing and recovering from hustle culture, this show is for you.

Every week, host Nikita Williams brings you simple, sustainable business strategies rooted in her four core content pillars:
• Business Systems and Operations: capacity-first planning, automation, and flare-proof operations.
• Sustainable Marketing and Sales: creative, voice-first strategies like podcasting that convert without social burnout.
• Mindset & Life with Chronic Illness: stories, resets, and tools to honor your health and energy.
• Empowering Entrepreneur Stories: real women building profitable businesses with chronic illness.

Expect a mix of coaching insights, practical strategies, and inspiring interviews delivered with warmth, realness, and the reminder that rest is a strategy and you can be successful at whatever pace you have right now.

As a globally-ranked podcast host (top 2.5%), award-winning business coach, and speaker, Nikita has built a six-figure business while navigating endometriosis, Hashimoto’s, Fibromyalgia, and chronic pain. She’s helped hundreds of women say yes to building profitable businesses that align with their health, life, and values.

Featured guests include thought leaders like Jasmine Star, Danielle Bayard Jackson, Natasha Samuel, and more.

Business With Chronic Illness is where women come to find support, clarity, and simple strategies to grow without the hustle.

Follow the show now so you don’t miss an episode, and visit craftedtothrive.com
to learn more, grab free resources, and join the community.
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About your host

Profile picture for Nikita Williams

Nikita Williams

Welcome to Business with Chronic Illness — the podcast for women who are building big dreams with limited energy.
I’m Nikita Williams, and I know what it’s like to be living in pain, carrying a diagnosis (or several), and still wanting more — more purpose, more income, more alignment, more ease. After leaving behind a traditional path and navigating the emotional rollercoaster of chronic illness, I decided to rewrite the rules of success. And now? I help other women do the same.
Here, we have honest conversations about what it really takes to build a sustainable, profitable business when your health is unpredictable. No hustle culture. No toxic positivity. Just powerful stories, practical strategies, and mindset shifts that work — even on flare days.
You’ll hear from guests who get it, solo episodes from my heart to yours, and insights I’ve learned coaching dozens of women through launching and growing their dream businesses — on their terms.
Because business is personal. And when you build it that way, it not only becomes easier… it becomes life-giving.
💬 Tune in, take what you need, and know this: You Are Crafted To Thrive.