The Power of Clarity
I’ve started four companies. All of them were “successful” by many measures—strong sales, glowing feedback. But only one of them lasted.
(Yes, this one.)
The first was a marketplace to help women who made beautiful things—jewelry, candles, notebooks—sell them more easily. The second was a home goods company I started with my husband and a business partner. The third was a spice blend company my husband and I built to help busy people like us cook healthy, global meals in 30 minutes or less (which we are planning to sell or close down by the end of the year…know anyone?).
Each had merit. Each had momentum. But they all shared the same flaw: a lack of clarity.
Not just about what we were building—but why. Not just about the business model, but about how we wanted to spend our time, what success really looked like, and what kind of life we were designing alongside the business.
We skipped over the hard questions. We let the excitement of the idea carry us past the moment where we should’ve asked:
“Is this aligned with who we are and what we want?”
In hindsight, the issue wasn’t execution. It was intention. We didn’t get clear before we got going.
Now, in my work with companies and individuals at pivotal moments, there’s one thing I return to again and again: clarity. Not productivity. Not confidence. Not even strategy.
Clarity.
Because without clarity, everything else is compromised. You hesitate. You overthink. You run around in circles. You start down paths that aren’t aligned. And often, you don’t even realize it until the results don’t feel quite right.
So what do I mean by clarity?
It’s not about knowing every step. It’s not the same as certainty.
Clarity is grounded. Certainty is rigid.
Clarity leaves room for evolution and nuance—it helps you make decisions with intention, even when the future is fuzzy. Certainty demands answers you may not have yet. When you let go of the need for certainty, you open yourself up to clarity.
It’s:
Knowing what you’re building, and why.
Being honest about what success looks like for you.
Understanding the people you want to serve, and how you want them to feel.
Having a point of view you’re willing to stand behind.
When you have that? You stop chasing. You stop comparing. You start making aligned decisions.
The good news? Clarity isn’t something you either have or don’t. It’s something you uncover, refine, and return to—especially when things feel scattered or stalled.
So if your next move feels elusive right now, don’t start with a new tool or tactic.
Start with clarity.
And if you’re having a hard time finding it on your own—know that you don’t have to. This is the work I do every day, and I’d be honored to help.
Reflection Prompt
Ask yourself:
What do I know for sure about what I’m building/planning?
Where do I feel pulled—and where do I feel pushed?
What does “clarity” look like in this season of my life or business?
Mini Exercise: One Page of Clarity
Open a fresh doc or grab a notebook and write for 10 minutes in response to this prompt:
“The thing I know for sure right now is…”
Let it be messy. Let it be incomplete or overly verbose. The point isn’t to get it all right—the point is to find something true.
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