I worked in law firms for 25 years, not realizing all of the skills I was accumulating. I thought it was just work.

I started a virtual business in 2006 when no one knew what that was. I was a single parent with a 4-year-old and walked away from my perceived “safe” job to take a chance on me.

It was the best thing I’ve ever done. Over the years, my business evolved as I saw how valuable my skills were. And 3½ years ago, at age 58, I took another chance on myself. After two hard clients, I shut things down and built the business I wanted.

It has not been easy, but it was exactly what I needed to do. As I went through the process, I saw how my work could help other women facing their Third Act build sustainable businesses that they love and can have for as long as they want.

In the middle of all of this, I was given the unexpected gift of The Real 50 Over 50, which has grown to 166 women featured through 135 interviews and 18 panels. It’s grown into a community of remarkable women I’m lucky enough to call friends, colleagues, and clients.

The life-changing message that runs through my personal experiences and so many of these conversations is that we’re remembering, not reinventing. When we hit 50 or 60, we have space, maybe for the first time, to think about what we want, not what someone else needs. And as we start to design the lives and businesses we want, all of the parts of our stories that we forgot, put aside, or discarded come back into play.

I am a gatherer of all the parts of the stories. I help women see them again and weave them into the foundation of what’s next.