I’ve thought about this day for a long time.

June 2 marked my 11 year anniversary since I first stepped into entrepreneurship. Eleven years of choosing to build something of my own. Eleven years of learning how to lead myself, through success, setbacks, silence, and everything in between.

What started as a means to feed my family from my dining room table soon turned into clients I adored, a team that just got it, and an office so beautiful I still think about it every day. 

Recently, I’ve gone back….I mean waaaaay back and looked at old work, client proposals, old onboarding docs, notes and photos. Oh, the photos get me every time. Why? Because it all feels like a lifetime ago. And honestly, I forgot what I had built.

Entrepreneurship has tested me in ways I couldn’t have imagined back when I first began. It’s brought me to my knees and lifted me beyond my wildest expectations. There were seasons where I thought about quitting—where I tried to walk away completely. And still, I always found my way back.

But what’s wild in this season of life and business, is I am so much better than I was back then, but for some reason, I’ve been more afraid than ever. With time, more comparison and judgement came instead of experience that grew confidence. I know it’s in me, but I’ve allowed what others are doing to stifle my belief in myself. 

I drank the Koolaid and believed it had to be fast, it had to be online, I had to build a course and create income while I slept, I had to have a value ladder of free > low ticket > medium ticket > high ticket offers that kept me creating vs. sharing. 

I believed it could be easy even though it was really hard the entire time and that internal conflict is enough daily torture on oneself, but to add fuel to the fire, I also knew this entire time that I am here to do good work, and I felt like every move I was making was pulling me away from what I am here to create. 

So it all had to go. Ok, some of it had to go. And now, it feels like I’m just getting started.

Because I really am.

A friend of mine once said something that I now fully believe:

“Entrepreneurship chose you. You didn’t choose it.”

And she was right. Because once you get a taste of building something for yourself, from scratch, with heart, grit, and vision, nothing else quite compares.

There is so much more to come about this next chapter for me and my business, but for today, I’m honoring my 11 year journey with a reflection on 11 of the biggest lessons I’ve learned.

Of course, there have been a million more. But these are the ones I carry with me like gold.

1. When the creative juices stop flowing, take a walk.

Creativity needs breathing room. Some of my best ideas came after I closed the laptop, took a shower, or let myself sleep on it. You don’t have to force it. Magic is usually waiting on the other side of rest.

2. You’re allowed to evolve. The business will too.

Your brand, your offers, your voice, it will all change. It’s supposed to. Growth requires you to release the things that no longer fit. Honor the pivots. 

3. Build the business you want to run.

Oy, just getting to the real center of this one. Build something, not because of what some coach, influencer or the industry says you “should.” This is your life. Your name on the line. Build from alignment, not from trying to seek approval.

4. Rest is a strategy.

I used to think burnout was “normal”, that it was the rite of passage to entrepreneurship. Now I know better. If you’re constantly tired, the business isn’t sustainable. Your nervous system deserves peace, not pressure.

5. Relationships matter more than reach.

The right people will open doors no algorithm ever could. Take care of your network. Stay in touch. Be a good human. That’s the best growth strategy out there.

6. Don’t underestimate what you bring to the table.

Your energy, your story, your lived experience, that is the brand. The most magnetic thing you can do is be fully, unapologetically you.

7. Take the risk before you feel ready.

Every big move I’ve made scared me. But clarity doesn’t come from waiting. It comes from moving. Action breeds alignment.

8. You’ll outgrow things (and people).

That doesn’t make you a bad person. It makes you someone who’s growing. Let go with love. Keep moving forward.

9. Success is quieter than you think.

It’s not always big wins or viral moments. Sometimes it’s closing your laptop at 2pm so you can go to the gym, or taking a Monday off because you can. Sometimes success is simply peace.

10. Your energy is your edge.

Protect it. That means boundaries. That means saying no. That means building systems that support you, not drain you.

11. You’re never starting over.

And last but not least, my daily reminder that I am starting this new venture from experience. And that changes everything.

All of these require my daily intention to stay true to what works for me, my family, my business, my clients and my soul’s purpose. 

To that I say, to every woman building something with heart and depth, whether you’re in year one or year eleven, I see you. This journey is not for the faint of heart. But it is one of the most soul-stretching, courage-demanding, purpose-defining journeys you’ll ever take.

If you’ve ever felt like entrepreneurship chose you too, drop me a DM or voice note [my preferred method] to @becca.feauto I’d love to hear your story. And if this resonated with you, I invite you to share this with someone who needs to hear it. 

My final note of wisdom, don’t downplay how far you’ve come. Because the version of you when you started, she’s probably dreamt of the moment you’re living right now.