Lee Tracy Norwood

My success came when I stopped trying to fit myself into a box that was never built for me.

I spent years in a very structured corporate environment, and for a long time I wondered if I was just not the right kind of employee. Eventually, I realized that was not the truth. I was not a bad employee. I simply work at a different cadence than a traditional, rigid business model allows.

When I gave myself permission to work in a way that matched my strengths, everything changed. I work best when I can move quickly, solve problems in real time, think creatively, and follow the energy of the moment. Sometimes that means catching an idea and acting on it immediately. Sometimes it means working at night. Sometimes it means shifting gears quickly because that is how my brain works best. Being free to work when I am strongest, clearest, and most creative has made me a better business owner, counselor, and leader.

I also attribute much of my success to buying an existing business rather than starting from scratch. That gave me credibility from the beginning, along with a foundation I could build on. From there, I was able to grow the company, shape it with my own voice, and expand its impact.

Most importantly, I believe our success comes from loving what we do. Families can feel that. Students can feel that. We care deeply, we tell the truth, and we work hard to lower stress during one of the most overwhelming seasons in a family’s life. That passion shows up in our relationships, our results, and our Google reviews. When you truly love the work, people notice.

Oh, and when you get a little older, and turn your give-a-shitter off - life makes more sense.

The best advice I ever received was to learn how to use my energy instead of fighting it.

For years, I thought success meant forcing myself into someone else’s structure, schedule, and expectations. But I eventually learned that my energy is one of my greatest strengths when I know how to work with it. I am most effective when I can move fast, think creatively, respond in real time, and work when my brain is fully engaged.

That advice changed the way I lead, build, and serve families. It helped me stop apologizing for the way I work and start designing a business around it. I do not need to fit into a rigid mold to be successful. I need to understand my own rhythm, trust it, and use it well.

Learning how to use my energy has made me a better entrepreneur, counselor, and leader. It allows me to bring my full self to the work, and that is where the magic happens.

My advice to young women is this: learn AI and learn how to use it well. The world is changing quickly, and the women who understand how to use new tools, solve real problems, and move with confidence will have more opportunities.

Find a need and fill it. Pay attention to what people are struggling with, where things feel harder than they need to be, and where your skills can make a difference. Then be authentic. Do not build a life or career around what looks good from the outside. Build something that feels honest, meaningful, and aligned with who you are.

And most importantly, do what makes you happy. That does not mean it will be easy. It will not be. But when you are doing work that matters to you, the hard parts become worth it.

The biggest opportunity in my field right now is access, understanding AI and analog connection.

College admissions has become extremely confusing for families, and unlike my previous career in the highly regulated pharmaceutical industry, college consulting has very few formal regulations. That means families need to be careful about who they trust. Experience, ethics, credibility, results, and a proven process matter.

A huge part of our work is helping families navigate the process the right way. We believe every student deserves access to a college counselor, not just families who can afford high-end private consulting. The need is real. A significant number of students who start the Common Application never complete it, and many of those students come from low-income or Pell-eligible families.

At the same time, middle-class families are getting squeezed. Higher-income families can often afford private support, and lower-income families may qualify for federal or institutional aid, but many middle-class families are left paying full price unless they build the right college list and understand merit aid and scholarship opportunities.

That is where I see the greatest opportunity: making expert college guidance more accessible, ethical, and strategic, so more students complete the process, find the right-fit schools, and families do not overpay for college.

Access: Every student deserves a college counselor, not just families who can afford high-end private support.

Integrity: You believe in doing things the right way, especially in a field that does not have many formal regulations.

Honesty: You tell families the truth, even when it is not always what they want to hear, because honest guidance leads to better decisions.

Family first: You believe the college process should support the whole family, lower stress, and protect relationships.

Friendship: You value real relationships, loyalty, laughter, and showing up for the people you care about.

Data as a tool: You use data to help families make smarter, calmer, more strategic decisions, not to scare them or reduce students to numbers.

Authenticity: You are most successful when you work in a way that matches your energy, strengths, and personality.

Practical impact: You care about outcomes: better college lists, stronger applications, merit aid, scholarship opportunities, and helping families avoid overpaying.

Joy in the work: You believe loving what you do matters, and that passion shows through in your team, your clients, and your results.