The End of an Era: What Leadership Looks Like After LossWhen It’s Time to Bury the Thing You Built

Eight years ago this month, I said yes to something that would change my life. Not just my schedule. Not just my nails. My identity, my confidence, my leadership.

It gave me community when I didn’t even realize I was lonely. It gave me purpose when I was in between seasons. And it gave me confidence I didn’t realize I’d lost.

We were scrappy, savvy, and sparkly. We built a culture rooted in possibility—where everyday people said yes to something simple… and grew into something extraordinary.

14,000 Teammates. $70 Million. And a Million Memories.

Over the years, more than 14,000 teammates passed through the doors of Team SHINE.

We sold over $70 million in nail strips. Most of them just $11–$13 at a time.

That’s what happens when belief spreads like wildfire. When everyday people say yes to something simple—and go all in. When you mix hustle, heart, and a little sparkle.

Hosts, customers, sideline sisters (and brothers), lifelong friends—YOU were the magic. You showed up, gave your time, believed in something bigger, and helped me build something I will always be proud of. 

When Growth Means Letting Go

I used to think a good leader stayed until the bitter end. Now I believe a wise leader knows when the culture has shifted—and doesn’t stay just to prove a point.

Sometimes, the thing you built with the best of intentions becomes something you no longer recognize. Sometimes, the table you helped set no longer values your voice.

Leadership isn’t just about building. It’s also about knowing when to release.

And so, this week, I’m doing what we rarely talk about in business:

I’m grieving. I’m releasing. I’m honoring the legacy—and walking forward with my head high.

The Leadership Lesson: Release with Integrity

We don’t talk enough about exits in leadership. How to grieve them well. How to walk away with clarity and class.

Because sometimes, the most courageous thing you can do isn’t holding on tighter—it’s letting go with care.

That version of me? She was brave. She did hard things. She built something real. And she paved the way for what’s next.

I couldn’t have written this 90 days ago. But time really does help heal wounds. The scars are still visible—and that’s okay. They are proof that something meaningful happened. And that it changed me.

What I’m Taking With Me (And What I’m Leaving Behind)

I’m taking the relationships. The resilience. The belief that people rise higher when we rise together.

I’m leaving behind the need to explain myself. The pressure to stay small to make others comfortable. The room that no longer makes space for my voice.

This is not bitterness. It’s clarity. It’s closure. It’s the kind of goodbye where you stand tall, honor what was, and walk forward with strength.

This Is Not Just My Story—It’s Yours Too

If you’re holding onto something you once loved but no longer recognize… If you’re feeling the quiet nudge that a season is ending… If you’re afraid of what it means to walk away from something you helped build…

You’re not alone. And it doesn’t mean you failed.

It might mean you grew.

Journal Prompts:

• What season in your life are you holding onto, even though it no longer fits?
• What have you built that may need to be honored and released?
• Where are you being called to rise—even if it means walking away?

To the Teammates Who Helped Build It

To my customers, my teammates, my friends—thank you. You made this part of my story unforgettable.

Here’s to what was. And here’s to what’s next.

With love, gratitude, and a little sparkle,
Lorri