After more than 16 years of being an intrapreneur, helping CEOs and founders build innovative businesses, “I’m finally doing it,” I exclaimed with unrestrained enthusiasm to my good friend–an entrepreneur many times over. I was starting my own business.
“Yeah, you are!” She gave me a big hug, looked me dead in the eye, and said, “Call me when you’re in the sh*t pit.”
Then she dug into her bag, grabbed a paper napkin from the table and drew me a diagram I’ll never forget. One side measured time, and the other measured money. Inside was a graph measuring the progress of a business against your tolerance to, well, weathering the sh*t.
She circled a section and labeled it the sh*t pit, described as the sweet spot where you’re stretched too thin, pulled in all directions, money is flying out the window, and progress, profitability and impact haven’t yet hit the upward curve.
“Call me when you’re there,” she pointed at the circle and gave me another hug.
Not once did she try to dissuade me from starting a business on trauma-informed leadership–even though we both knew it would be an uphill battle. Not once did she ask how I would monetize something that a lot of the world likely wasn't ready for.
And rightfully so. She had earned the right to believe in the seemingly impossible because she had started multiple social impact businesses that defied the norm. People used to laugh her out of corporate events because her business was so far ahead of the curve.
But she did it anyway because she saw what other people couldn’t and wouldn’t see.
Ten years later, political leaders across the globe and huge corporations are begging her to take them on as clients. And the disbelievers pretend they believed in her from the start.
Belief in the face of doubt
Not everyone embraced my idea when I began gradually sharing my vision of bringing more trauma-informed practices into the workplace. Not everyone understood why:
- I would attempt to entirely shift the narrative on success and redefine how we approach stress and burnout at work.
- I was driven to help high-performing women reclaim their well-being as they navigate gender inequities in male-dominated industries.
- I wanted to challenge organizations to consider more sustainable paths to profitability and growth.
More often, the response went something like, “You want to do what?” Followed by a steady stream of unsolicited and irrelevant advice after sharing my elevator pitch.
Or one of my personal favorites: "Why are you telling people they shouldn’t work? That’s the last thing the economy needs.”
But I did it anyway. I left a nice, comfy executive job in tech without a full plan for what would come next. I was driven by a wild desire to impact change. I enrolled in a three-year program to become a Somatic Experiencing Professional with Somatic Experiencing International and began to dig deep into the resolution and prevention of trauma, stress and burnout.
Because, for me, there was no way back. I’d seen and experienced too much that needed changing in the workplace–and the world. I wanted to use my skills as a force for good and to drive change from the inside out.
I want to bring trauma-informed practices out from behind closed doors and into the workplace to address the root causes of stress and burnout.Danielle Smeltzer
Like my friend who dared to believe in a different future, I saw a version of the world where leaders had the skills they needed to navigate the complexities of the modern workplace and make informed decisions, not knee-jerk reactions fueled by overwhelm that spawned toxic cultures. Where the foundational conditions of change-making work, like psychological safety and gender equity, could be created through more trauma-informed leaders.
I envisioned a future where CEOs didn’t have to quit in an email, never to be seen again because they’d become so stressed out they couldn’t go on for one more day.
This defiance of social and systemic norms is what fuels me every day, especially as we continue to see inequities play out in the social and political landscape.
And it’s this point of difference that brings people together around a common goal of change.
And change is happening.
Turning vision into action
Since launching my business earlier this year, I’ve started a podcast that brings together guests who blend psychology, somatics, neuroscience, and other embodied practices. Through my company Awarely Embodied Leadership, I also launched my first community workshop on trauma-informed leadership. And it sold out. I also began writing for progressive business publications–like Digital Entrepreneur–to initiate meaningful dialogue around workplace wellbeing.
My goal is to inspire leaders and entrepreneurs to find the sweet spot between work and wellbeing through personal stories and disruptive ideas.
I’ve hosted workshops and roundtables for impactful female-driven groups, to help bridge the gender gap for leaders and entrepreneurs. I’ve coached high-performing women to reclaim their wellbeing as they rise. I developed my own trauma-informed leadership model and curriculum, which I launched with a sold-out workshop.
I’ve built a community of believers and changemakers who lift each other up to defy the norm. And this is only the beginning.
Do I have moments where I cry on the bathroom floor, wondering why I left everything comfortable to do something ridiculous, like believing I could change the world? Yes.
Do I feel terrified and humbled? Almost daily.
Have I called my friend when I’m in the sh*t pit? Multiple times.Am I doing exactly what I’m meant to be doing? Heck, yes.
Because the world needs more people who dare to defy the norm and do it anyway, laughing in the face of the naysayers, the disbelievers and the internet trolls.
Is impact slow? Absolutely not.
Sure, there are vanity metrics like impressions, followers and page views I can use to measure progress and impact. However, the real deal barometer for success is the article that makes someone feel seen for the first time. The DM that says, “You inspired me to make a big change.” The testimonial that thanks me for giving them skills they didn’t know they needed, or the email that says, “Thank you for the important work you’re doing–keep going!”
This is impact that makes a difference.