I couldn't have done it alone, and I found help where I least expected it. Whenever I felt like giving up, I looked back at everything we've overcome. Seeing how far we've come reminded me that every challenge made us stronger and gave me the determination to keep moving forward.

The toughest business decision I've ever had to make was choosing integrity over comfort, walking away from a role I loved when I realized I could no longer lead in a way that aligned with my values. It was a difficult choice, but it created the opportunity to pursue work where I can continue empowering future nurses and leading with authenticity, compassion, and purpose.

One of the hardest decisions I ever made was reimagining my leadership team, knowing it would impact talented people who had contributed to our success. I learned that difficult decisions don't have to compromise humanity when you lead with transparency, honesty, dignity, and respect, you can strengthen the business while honoring the people. Leadership isn't measured by the difficult decisions you make, but by how you make them.

The toughest business decision I made was leaving the security of a stable career to build my business independently. It was uncertain and uncomfortable, but it taught me that growth often comes from stepping outside your comfort zone and that the best leaders are willing to pivot when they see a better long-term path.

One of the toughest business decisions I ever had to make as the founder of DeVine Wine Jelly was deciding whether to pause production or take on the challenge of creating my own pectin formula after the product I had relied on for over a decade was discontinued. What made this decision so difficult was that pectin is the foundation of my wine jelly. Without it, I couldn't produce the signature texture and quality my customers expected. I had built my brand on consistency, and I was faced with the very real possibility of disappointing loyal customers or even shutting down production altogether. Walking away wasn't an option, but neither was compromising the quality that defines DeVine Wine Jelly. Instead of giving up, I made the decision to invest in learning. I consulted with a food scientist to understand the chemistry behind pectin, calcium, acidity, and wine. Together, we worked through countless trials, testing formulas, adjusting ingredients, and refining the process until I developed a proprietary pectin blend that met my standards. It was a significant investment of time, resources, and determination, but it was necessary to keep my business alive. That experience transformed my perspective as an entrepreneur. I learned that resilience isn't just about surviving obstacles, it's about being willing to innovate when circumstances force you to. I also learned the value of seeking expert guidance. Asking for help from a food scientist wasn't a sign of weakness; it was a strategic business decision that protected my company and positioned it for future growth. Today, one of DeVine Wine Jelly's greatest achievements is that we no longer depend on a discontinued commercial product. We created our own pectin solution, strengthened our production process, and gained greater control over the consistency and quality of our product. What once felt like the biggest threat to my business ultimately became one of its greatest competitive advantages and a testament to the perseverance behind the DeVine Wine Jelly brand.

One of the toughest business decisions I have ever had to make was deciding not to partner with a larger group and instead bet on myself. At the time, joining an established team seemed like the safer path. It would have provided immediate scale, additional resources, and potentially reduced some of the challenges that come with growing a business. However, after careful consideration, I realized it would have required me to compromise the client experience and vision I had spent years building. Instead, I chose a different path. I invested in myself, my business, and my future by hiring a junior financial consultant and committing to growing organically. It was a significant investment with no guaranteed outcome. Taking on additional overhead before realizing the full benefits of growth required confidence, discipline, and a willingness to embrace uncertainty. What made the decision so challenging was that there was no clear right answer. Leadership often requires making decisions without having complete certainty and trusting your instincts, experience, and long-term vision. Looking back, it was one of the best decisions I have ever made. Not only did I preserve the culture and personalized client experience that are central to my practice, but I also found the right partner in the process. The junior consultant I hired has proven to be exceptionally talented, aligned with my vision, and committed to delivering the high level of service our clients deserve. Rather than simply supporting the business, he has helped create a foundation that allows us to scale far more effectively than I could have on my own. Together, we are building infrastructure, deepening client relationships, and creating capacity for future growth in a way that feels authentic to our values. The experience reinforced a lesson I carry with me today: sometimes the greatest opportunities come from having the courage to bet on yourself. The safest path is not always the right path. By trusting my vision and investing in people, I was able to build something stronger than I originally imagined, and the results have exceeded my expectations.

One of the toughest decisions I had to make was to change my career. I was happy as the general manager of a large pet resort outside of Seattle when life took a different turn, and we moved back to my hometown in Missouri. I took on another general manager position, this time managing college students in a student housing facility. It was a lot of fun, but it also took a lot of time away from my family. I ultimately decided to switch gears and join my grandparents in their life and health insurance agency across town. This allowed me to spend quality time with my family, and I was able to take time off when I was needed at home or to attend one of my daughter's important life events. It was a true blessing during the most significant years of my life. When everything came crashing down after my husband unexpectedly passed away, I was able to take time away from work to reconfigure my life and support my daughter through this difficult time. When I returned to the agency, my grandmother was ready to retire, so we faced the tough decision of who would carry the company forward. Unsure of my ability to run such an endeavor, we decided to sell to a large corporation, which turned out to be the best decision we could have made. This company still allows me to run the office as we always have, without the additional stress of handling everything in the background. Change isn't always foreseen, and it can come at unexpected moments. However, like death and taxes, it is inevitable. Depending on how you view the world, change can often lead to positive outcomes. I believe in "Seeing the sunny side of everything and making my optimism come true" - it's not just a line I recite every week; it's a principle I live by.

The toughest business decision I've ever had to make is weighing survival over happiness. Often times the toughest choice is making the decision to walk away from the sure thing, the money that's in front of you, or leave and create the life you want and deserve. I chose to walk away from my teaching career and become a full time recruiter, still close to students with a focus on student athletes who want a collegiate scholarship. I show up at work every day regardless if the money is there or not because helping others reach their dreams is my goal, my passion, and my lifelong mission. I found a way to shift from educating in a classroom to educating worldwide. Pursue your dreams, create the life you deserve, and do the thing you would do if fear wasn't a factor. At the end of the day life is less about image, more about impact and ALL about what makes you happy to be authentically you!

The toughest business decision I've made was choosing to restructure my support system and operate independently. It meant ending a partnership that no longer matched the scale or direction of my work, even though the transition was uncomfortable. Accepting that outgrowing something is a natural part of leadership taught me to trust my vision, take ownership of my career, and build systems that support long-term impact rather than short-term comfort.

One of the toughest business decisions I've had to make was declining funding requests from organizations doing meaningful work in our community when the activity didn't align with our CRA strategy or available budget. What made it difficult was that the decision wasn't about the worthiness of the organization. Many were serving real needs, and I had built relationships with the people leading those efforts. As a CRA officer, I have to balance community impact, regulatory requirements, strategic priorities, and finite resources. Saying "no" to a passionate nonprofit leader after hearing their mission is never easy. The experience taught me that leadership isn't about avoiding disappointment. It's about making decisions consistently, transparently, and with integrity. I learned the importance of clearly communicating the rationale behind a decision and, whenever possible, helping organizations identify alternative opportunities or resources. People may not always agree with your decision, but they appreciate honesty and respect. The biggest lesson I learned is that difficult decisions become easier when they're grounded in objective criteria and a clear mission. Leadership often requires choosing what's best for the organization and the community over what feels easiest in the moment.

I had every reason to stop, but purpose gave me a reason to keep going. Grief became part of my story, but I refused to let it become the end of my story. I'M STILL here and that says it all.

The toughest decision I ever made was walking away from a program I cared about because it no longer aligned with my values. Leaving was painful, but staying would have meant compromising my integrity. What I learned is that real leadership isn't just about what you build. It's about knowing when to step away. Choosing values over comfort strengthened my voice and my purpose.

The most difficult decision I made when I started my business was to not compare myself to competitors charging so little. I cried, and cried... I prayed asking God, that I want to be just me, be myself not a cheap copy, be my own color. I want to run my own race. The decision was difficult. I was determined to not compare or have a volume, instead I wanted to have quality! I had just two clients the 1st year. It was difficult to see how other businesses were making a lot of money. I was and still am determined to run my own race... With Purpose.

Be true to who you are. You are enough.

One of the most difficult decisions I have faced in proposal management was recommending that we not pursue an opportunity after the team had already invested time in it. The RFP presented significant compliance concerns, an extremely compressed timeline, and requirements that did not align well with our solution. Continuing would have required substantial effort from multiple departments without a strong probability of winning. The decision was challenging because I understood the work already invested and the potential value of the opportunity. However, my responsibility was to evaluate the facts objectively and speak up, even when the recommendation was not what everyone wanted to hear. I documented the risks, identified the requirements we could not meet, and explained how proceeding could affect both the submission quality and other active priorities. My military background taught me that discipline is not only about completing the mission; it is also about assessing risk, using resources responsibly, and making difficult decisions based on the available information. I learned that effective leadership requires honesty, sound judgment, and the confidence to recommend a different direction when it is in the organization's best interest.

I guess the toughest decision I have had to make with my business is putting myself on social media and talking to people. I used to be a shy, silent person, more of an observer, then I would talk to you. Now I will talk to people. I have just had to learn to get to know someone first, then talk to them about the business.

The most difficult business decisions I've made have rarely been about numbers or strategy, they've been about knowing when it's time to take the next step and trusting myself enough to do it. I've had several points in my career where I was successful in the role I was in, but I knew I wasn't in the right space anymore or fully answering what I felt called to do. This past year was one of those moments. I made a significant career change and started asking myself a different question: How can I show up better for myself every day while also being of greater service to other people, without giving so much of myself away that there's nothing left? That required me to trust the process before I could see exactly where it was leading. Since then, opportunities have come into my life that have pushed me into business development, leadership, technology, innovation, and entirely new spaces of discomfort. What I've learned is that growth rarely feels comfortable while it's happening. Sometimes the hardest business decision is simply believing that you're ready for the next chapter before you have all the proof. I've learned to trust my experience, stay curious, and keep walking toward the opportunities that challenge me to become a better leader and a better version of myself.