Tomorrow marks the one year anniversary of The Setback Cycle. Can you believe it’s been a year? Can you believe it’s been ONLY a year?

I’m thrilled because I’ll be spending the evening donned once again in the iconic orange suit speaking to a group of interior design industry leaders at Bernhardt Design’s Women’s History Month event.

This past year has been kind of transformative. Companies now bring me in to facilitate corporate workshops, I've spoken at major organizations like Google, Meta, LinkedIn, and Samsung, I did a TEDx talk that went sorta viral, and I started working with incredible new client partners. Along the way, I’ve made amazing new friends and even started coaching management teams and individuals through their career and organizational setbacks.

My own career setback was not long ago. As many of you know, I was ironically laid off from my job only a few months before The Setback Cycle came out. So as I prepared for my book launch, I was simultaneously shifting my side hustle into my full time business. Now, as the dust has somewhat settled, it feels like I’m graduating from what I call the “fumbling-around” phase of solo-preneurship. Obviously I’ll always be fumbling to an extent (just ask the group of dads and children who were standing behind me the other day at the park as I flopped over a short fence into a tree stump -- I’m fine other than an unfortunate deep purple bruise on my thigh, my dignity is another story.)

Fumbling around as you build, grow and adjust a business is part of the process. But lately, things have been clicking. Momentum is building, clients keep referring me to more clients to the point where I can barely keep up. What once felt like constant trial and error now feels more like refinement. Maybe I've graduated from fumbling around to figuring shit out.

But here’s what’s been gnawing at me: once we settle into a groove, new anxieties creep in.

Am I doing enough?

Can I sustain this momentum?

What’s next now that the book is a year old?

I see this same theme with my clients. Most of you have built something solid. You’re exceptional at what you do. But you’re craving the next challenge, the next level of impact, the next version of yourself. You want the people around you (your boss, CEO, stakeholders, competitors, customers, your industry) to finally recognize your contributions.

P.S. If you’re new here, I’m Amy, a corporate speaker, marketing consultant, journalist and USA TODAY bestselling author of The Setback Cycle. Want to work with me? Reach out here.

At Luminary’s Women’s History Month Summit (March is busy for women speakers!), I kept hearing the same question: How do I pivot? Emily Garbaccio made a brilliant point: having the courage to start something new isn’t about one giant leap. It’s a series of small, intentional choices that build into something bigger.

Then, at the Female Founder’s Collective Summit last week, Spanx creator Sara Blakely shared that even after building a billion-dollar company, she struggled with self-doubt while launching her next venture, Sneex. If Sara freaking Blakely still battles self-doubt, it’s proof that our inner critic never disappears, we simply learn how to move forward regardless.

She also said something that could have been pulled straight from The Setback Cycle:

"If you live your life fearing embarrassment, you’re missing so many opportunities."

Please see above for my most recent embarrassing moment from this past Sunday at the park!

Anyway yes, pivoting is scary. Change is inevitable.

And as I always say: you are capable of so much more than you realize, even when that inner critic/self-doubt speak gets loud.

When I start working with a new client, I create a strategy that not only organizes all their ideas into one cohesive narrative, I help them shape that story as they step into their next chapter—whether that’s a new industry, role, or company. Through a deep-dive intake process, we uncover their unique strengths and connect the dots so their past experience leads naturally into where they’re hoping to head next.

I start by asking questions like:

• What have you learned from your previous roles? (List each role with 1–2 key takeaways.)
• What topics do people naturally seek your advice on?
• What’s obvious to you that others struggle to see?
• What would your best friend say about the role you play in their life?
• Think back to a time you felt most energized by your work—why was that?

The answers unlock the intersection of their passions and their strengths. It sounds cheesy, but honestly guys, this is really and truly where the magic happens.

If you're still trying to figure out your next move, sit down and answer these questions. And if you want to write out your answers and talk through them, send them over to me. I’m offering complimentary strategy sessions to help you begin to map out your next move. I’m also working on a program for folks who were recently laid off since I seem to be one of your first phone calls when that happens now and I want to try to do even more to help you get through it.

Whether you’re still fumbling around or well on your way to figuring it out, let’s build the foundation for your next chapter together.

In the meantime here’s what I’m:

This Nollapelli pillowcase. I hadn’t heard of them until Gwen Whiting connected me to their founder, Allison, who was kind enough to send me some samples to try. I’m excited to use their sleep mask next week during some family travel.

My talented friends over at ReadyPretty. Thanks to them I now have a gorgeous new website! I’d love to know what you think. And if you’re looking for a website upgrade, I’d be happy to make an intro.

These four fun signs of aging giving us all something to look forward to. Teeth will shift, height will shrink. Joy!

My friends at WIN Summit. For those who want to do more speaking this year, they are offering opportunities for thought leadership through their speaker sponsor package. I'll be at their May conference, so if you’re going, come say hello!

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I'm also giving the keynote at Toastmasters' Spring conference in April (and Astoria Bookshop has been so kind to set up a site where you can order books to be picked up while on site at the event!) so if anyone here will be attending, please let me know. I'd love to say hello.

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Happy (almost) Spring! Those seeds you've been planting are about to flower. Enjoy.

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