Designing a business you’re stoked about starts here—welcome to The Monday Muse, your weekly guide to business, branding, and creative strategy. 🤸🏼‍♀️

Picture this: Me, bundled up in bed on a Sunday morning, scrolling through the Forbes Richest Self-Made Women list completely captivated.

Every single story was different. Different industries. Different backgrounds. Different starting points. But there was one thundering similarity:

Massive. Freaking. Risk.

Not the “play it safe” calculated risk that comes with a paraglider (wink wink). I’m talking about the “bet everything on yourself” kind of leap where you don’t know if the net will catch you—where you spend your last $5K, leave your job, or put everything you own on the line to bet on yourself.

Take Judy Love, for example. In 1964, she and her husband, Tom, started Love’s Travel Stops & Country Stores with a $5,000 loan. They risked everything to build their dream—and today, Love’s is a $26.5 billion company, with plans to open 25 new locations this year.

Or Judy Faulkner, who founded Epic Systems in 1979 from her basement. Judy took the leap to build what is now one of the most widely used healthcare software companies in the world, revolutionizing how patient records are managed.

And let’s not forget Sara Blakely, who started Spanx with $5,000 in savings while selling fax machines by day and sewing prototypes by night. She didn’t have investors or a roadmap, but she had a vision—and that risk transformed her into one of the youngest female billionaires.

They didn’t wait for the “perfect time.” 

They didn’t wait until they had all the answers. They bet on themselves and the visions they couldn’t ignore. They had a passion for what they were building, and they were willing to risk it all to see it through.

Passion isn’t just about loving what you do. It’s about believing so deeply in your vision that you’re willing to face the fear, uncertainty, and what-ifs to make it happen.

It’s what keeps you up at night brainstorming ways to make it work. It’s what fuels you to show up even when the odds feel stacked against you. It’s the energy that transforms an idea into a business.

Passion without risk is just a hobby. Risk without passion is just recklessness.

And those women on the Forbes list? They had both. Passion alone isn’t enough. You have to pair it with action—and often, that action looks like taking a risk.

When I made my first big investment in my business, I went through every self doubt in the book. I slapped a five-figure investment on my credit card, knowing I had to make it work

No trust fund. No backup plan. Just a credit card, a vision, and enough audacity to believe I could make it work.

I committed to doubling—maybe even tripling—the return, and I did. That leap of faith forced me to step up, show up, and fully trust in myself.

This year, I did it again. Different investment, bigger numbers, same fear—but the belief that it’s worth it has never wavered.

Every big risk I’ve taken has pushed me further than I thought possible. I’m a pretty normal girl and I’m here to remind you that the same can happen for you. 

Risk isn’t about recklessness—it’s about commitment.

It’s about saying: “This matters enough to me that I’m willing to face failure, fear, and uncertainty to make it happen.”

Building something extraordinary means stepping outside your comfort zone. It means taking risks that might make you (and everyone around you) uncomfortable.

Every single one of those self-made women on that Forbes list didn’t just take a risk. They made calculated decisions to bet on themselves. They combined their passion with bold, intentional moves to create something they believed in.

If you’re building a business, whether you’re just starting out or scaling to your next level, you’re already taking risks. Every decision you make, from investing in your branding to saying “no” to the wrong clients, is a bet on your future.

But here’s the question: Are you playing it safe, or are you all in?

Because the truth is, the brands and businesses that stand out for good are built by people who take bold, unapologetic action.

Whether you’re starting your dream business, pivoting to serve your ideal clients, or doubling down on your brand, here’s your reminder:

The people who “make it” don’t have a top secret formula. They have passion, and they take risks.

What risk have you been avoiding? What passion have you been holding back?

This is your sign.

Not a gentle nudge—a full-blown, can’t-ignore-it SIGN.

The world doesn’t need another careful entrepreneur. It needs you. Fully, wildly, unapologetically YOU.

If you’ve been sitting on the edge of a big decision, waiting for the “perfect” moment, here’s the truth: The moment is never perfect. But if your intuition is pulling you toward it, trust yourself to make it happen.

Imagine what could happen if you went all in.

Stoked to see ya next Monday,
Bri