The Stitch #8: When you stop waiting for perfect, everything shifts
Welcome back, corporate leaders, aspiring escapees, and entrepreneurs!
I'm still processing what happened last Wednesday.
I was so excited (and honestly a little nervous!) because for 15 years, I've been behind the scenes helping senior executives shape stories that didn't just inform... they influenced, inspired, and created lasting impact. But this was different. This was me, front and center, no safety net, teaching the framework I built to help leaders find their golden thread.
Thread Studio's first live workshop. Friends from every chapter of my life showed up. Former colleagues, Entreprenista sisters, My Nasdaq Milestone Circles cohort, San Antonio Startup Week friends. And so many new faces who found me on LinkedIn or through the San Antonio Hispanic Chamber of Commerce.
And you know what happened? The room showed up!
We pulled threads, we named fears, and got honest about perfectionism. We talked clarity, confidence and the stories we tell ourselves before we ever tell a story to anyone else.
My favorite moments were when people started connecting the dots for themselves. When the fog lifted. When someone said
"I'm pulling fear and growing confidence."
When people realized they don't need perfect timing, they just need to show up.
This month has been incredible. Three new clients signed on last week and more coming! I'm thrilled to help them untangle their ideas into one clear brand story so they can launch with confidence. I'm also in the thick of my Nasdaq Entrepreneurial Center Milestone Circles cohort (12 weeks of mentorship, resources, and community to scale Thread Studio). And next week, I'm taking Thanksgiving off to volunteer, rest and be fully present with our three boys, my husband, and Mabel, our Chief Barketing Officer who just turned ONE!
This is what happens when you're a (human) boy mom who finally gets a girl!!
That's something I couldn't always do in corporate. And it's one of the reasons I help people make their corporate escape.
This month's Stitch is about what happens when you stop waiting for perfect, when you find your golden thread, and when you finally give yourself permission to lead.
-Lu
Have a brand strategy or business launch question you’d like answered in a future issue?
🎯 When the Strategy Comes Before the Tactics
One question that came up during the workshop:
"From your experience, what marketing direction should I avoid? What's actually working?"
There's so much noise out there. Everyone's telling you to post 3-5x a day. Run ads, build a funnel, start a podcast, launch a newsletter.
And it's overwhelming because you're trying to do all of it before you've done the one thing that matters most: get clear on your brand strategy foundation.
Think of it like building a house. You need a foundation before you start putting up walls. Otherwise you're throwing spaghetti at the wall hoping something sticks.
Here's what actually works:
Start with your brand strategy foundation. Who are you? What do you stand for? What's your story? What makes you different?
Figure out your user personas. Who are you actually serving? What do they need? What keeps them up at night?
Map your client journey. How do people go from "I don't know you" to "I trust you enough to work with you"?
Then build awareness. Show up consistently in places where your people already are.
Build community. Focus on relationships over reach. Community over competition.
Nurture relationships. Not everyone is ready to buy today. Stay in their orbit.
Strategy before tactics. Story before scale. Once the foundation is clear, the right tactics become obvious whether you’re leading at the executive level, building a business, or planning your next chapter. Speaking, events, campaigns, partnerships, or focused platforms. The strategy stays the same. The tactics shift to fit your goals.
That's what I help my clients do. Whether it's through Personal Brand Strategy, Brand Strategy Foundation, or my Fractional Chief of Staff work, we start with clarity. Always.
🎬 Missed the Workshop? Watch the Replay
Corporate leaders building influence without sounding generic. Aspiring escapees on the edge of their next chapter. New founders brilliant at what they do but paralyzed by "So what do you do?"
That's who filled the (virtual) room last Wednesday. And they showed up ready to do the work.
The chat was on fire. People were identifying their brand roles (so many Guides and Anchors!). They were committing to real action:
"Mindset shift--be brave and just do it...I got this 💪"
"Not obsessing about being perfect or perfect timing, just show up!"
"This was actually very, very helpful and something that I needed as I clear the fog :)"
"Excellent!!! One of the best! Thank you so much Lu!"
Here's what we covered in 60 minutes:
The mindset shifts that keep you invisible (and how to break through them) The 5 Stitch Framework for building a brand story that actually connects The 5 Brand Roles that solve problems for your audience Your Golden Thread, the one thing that ties your purpose, story, and values together
Plus live Q&A on everything from showing up authentically without oversharing to when the right time is to focus on brand (spoiler: it's now).
Whether you're in corporate building your influence, planning your escape, or already running your own business, this framework will help you stop second guessing and start showing up with clarity and confidence.
🤖✨ Introducing: The Pitch Stitch
Speaking of clarity, I've been working on something for you, and last week's workshop attendees already got a sneak peek!
One of the most common questions I get:
"Lu, how do I stop rambling when someone asks what I do?"
You know the feeling. Someone asks what you do and suddenly you're listing everything: "Well, I help businesses with strategy and marketing, but also operations, and I coach people, and sometimes I do consulting..."
Five minutes later, their eyes have glazed over and you still haven't said anything memorable.
Your elevator pitch shouldn't be a resume, or a list. It should be a story. And it needs to do one thing: make people want to know more.
That's why I created The Pitch Stitch.
It's a free AI powered tool that helps you craft a clear, confident elevator pitch in minutes. No more rambling. No more "I help people with... [insert vague thing here]."
Just a compelling way to introduce yourself that actually makes people lean in.
And it works. One workshop attendee used it during our Q&A and said:
"Shout out for Lu's Pitch Stitch tool - I used it while we were doing Q&A and the elevator pitch it drafted for me is spot on!"
Join the waitlist to be the first to try The Pitch Stitch!
☕ Cafecito with Amy Pierre-Russo
Do you ever feel like there just aren't enough hours in the day, stretched thin, overwhelmed, or guilty no matter where you spend your time? Amy Pierre-Russo helps moms trade stress and guilt for ease and creativity by designing work-life rhythms that truly fit their family and business. This month, we talked about her corporate escapee journey, what she's celebrating right now, and why your greatest strengths need their own check and balance system.
Lu: What sparked your corporate escapee journey?
Amy: When I joined HR decades ago, I wanted to support people and understand their real needs. After years of watching pay gaps grow while people did their best to manage work and life, I decided I could do more. I became a Certified Life and Leadership Coach focusing on creating real harmony. There's a unique reward when someone has more confidence in the parts of their life they'll remember when they're 80.
Lu: What's been a challenge on your journey?
Amy: As a mom and mompreneur, the isolation felt even stronger. Not everyone understands the demands of building a business while raising little ones. Connecting with mentors and other women in business changed everything for me.
Lu: What are you celebrating right now?
Amy: The launch of the Harmonious Moms Community! It will support entrepreneurial moms and create a ripple effect through their families and communities. It's a space for authentic connection, collaboration, and meaningful growth where moms don't have to do it all alone.
Lu: What advice would you give to another founder?
Amy: Ask yourself: How are you leveraging your gifts and how are you managing them? Our greatest strengths can work against us if left unmanaged. The drive and creativity that build your business can also lead to burnout. Be intentional about creating checks and balances.
Lu: What lights you up outside of work?
Amy: Dance parties with my son, heated yoga, and getting lost in a good book!
Connect with Amy: coachingwamy.com | LinkedIn | Instagram
Know a founder I should spotlight? Reply and let me know!
🪡 The Stitch to Remember
Your story is your superpower. When you find the thread that connects everything, you stop hiding and start leading.
Whether you're in corporate building your influence or building your own business, the world needs to hear what you have to say.
So say it. Clearly, confidently, and consistently.
That's how you build a brand that lasts.
