The Courage to Begin Again: Finding Purpose, Embracing Change, and Leaning on Community

What does it take to walk away from something you've worked years to build and begin again? Sometimes it's not about wanting something different, but recognizing a problem you feel called to solve—and finding the courage to do something about it.

That was the heart of our October Women & Wine gathering, The Courage to Begin Again, where we explored the realities of entrepreneurship, the sacrifices that come with pursuing a passion, and the importance of surrounding ourselves with people who encourage us along the way.

While Meghana Helder wasn't able to join us in person due to an exciting opportunity to pitch her business for another round of funding in New York, we were fortunate to connect with her ahead of the event and hear part of her journey. We then continued the conversation live with Gretchen Heinen, who shared openly about the challenges, sacrifices, and rewards of building a business around a problem she knew needed solving.

When You See a Problem You Can't Ignore

Both Meghana and Gretchen built their businesses because they saw problems in healthcare that they felt compelled to address.

For Meghana, a cardiac surgeon, that moment came after an especially difficult week caring for patients with aortic dissections. Despite the extraordinary efforts of her surgical team, one patient didn't survive. The experience left her questioning whether there could be a better way to treat these patients.

Rather than accepting the limitations of existing treatments, she felt called to help create a solution.

That decision ultimately led her to develop a medical device and build a company, while also navigating a significant shift in the professional identity she had held since childhood.

Meghana shared that she had dreamed of becoming a cardiac surgeon since eighth grade. Transitioning into entrepreneurship challenged not only her career path, but how she saw herself.

Today, she has found a way to continue practicing cardiac surgery part-time while building her company, creating a new chapter that brings together two important parts of her life.

Gretchen's journey began with a similar desire to solve a problem.

As a nurse, she repeatedly saw medical claims being denied because the necessary information wasn't available or documented adequately. She recognized an opportunity to make a difference and decided to build a business around solving that problem.

But having an idea and acting on it are two very different things.

The Courage to Bet on Yourself

During our live conversation, Gretchen shared just how difficult it was to take the leap.

Although she had started businesses before, this time was different. She was leaving an established career, investing a significant portion of her family's savings, and asking her husband to trust that she could turn her vision into something meaningful.

There were no guarantees.

She had to acknowledge that while she understood the problem she wanted to solve, she had much to learn about building and running a business.

And that's where curiosity, humility, and community became essential.

Gretchen leaned on people who had knowledge and experience she didn't. She asked questions, built relationships, learned from others, and kept moving forward despite the inevitable challenges.

Her story was a reminder that we don't have to know everything before we begin. We just need to be willing to learn, ask for help, and surround ourselves with people who believe in us.

Success Requires Sacrifice—and Knowing What Matters Most

One of the most authentic parts of Gretchen's conversation was her willingness to talk about what she's had to give up along the way.

Building a business takes time, energy, and an incredible amount of responsibility. She still works long hours, makes difficult decisions, and carries the weight of knowing that the success of the organization depends on her leadership.

But she's also learned that she can't do everything.

Sometimes that means skipping a manicure, accepting that her house won't always look perfect, missing an event, or simply saying no.

Gretchen shared the priorities that guide her decisions:

God. Spouse. Children. Work.

Those priorities help her determine where to invest her time and energy, especially when everything seems important.

I appreciated her willingness to share this because so many women struggle with the expectation that we should be able to do it all—and do it all well.

The reality is that every season of life requires choices.

Meghana echoed this in our earlier conversation, sharing how she intentionally protects time with her young children, prioritizes exercise, and creates opportunities to connect with her husband without the distractions of technology.

We talked about what I like to call midlife mindfulness—being more intentional about how we spend our time, where we place our energy, and what truly matters.

It's not about having perfect balance. It's about making thoughtful choices that align with our values.

Learning to Lead—and Let Go

Another important takeaway from Gretchen's story was the realization that the same passion and determination that helped her build her company could eventually become a barrier to its growth.

As founders, it's easy to carry everything ourselves. After all, we're the ones who saw the problem, believed in the solution, and invested so much to bring it to life.

But sustainable growth requires trusting others.

Gretchen shared her hope of bringing on another leader in the coming year to help shoulder some of the responsibility and allow the organization to continue growing.

Recognizing that you might be the bottleneck in your own business takes self-awareness and vulnerability.

It also takes courage to let others step in.

A Special Gathering at BDH

Beyond the conversation, one of the highlights of the evening was the opportunity to gather in the beautiful offices of BDH in Minneapolis.

The space was certainly a topic of conversation throughout the evening!

A heartfelt thank you to Sheila Mozayeny-Hale for welcoming our Women & Wine community into such an incredible environment.

And a special thank you to Jennie Kautz of Newmark for working with Sheila to help secure this beautiful location for our gathering.

We also had the opportunity to learn about the history of BDH, a company founded by a woman more than 55 years ago and still led by its female founder today.

Hearing about the obstacles women faced when starting businesses decades ago was a powerful reminder of how far we've come—and the determination of the women who helped pave the way.

One story that stood out was the difficulty BDH's founder encountered when trying to secure a lease as a woman.

It was a reminder that the opportunities many of us have today were made possible by women who persisted despite barriers that should never have existed.

What a fitting setting for a conversation about courage, entrepreneurship, and believing in something enough to pursue it.

Why We Keep Showing Up

As much as I enjoyed hearing Gretchen's and Meghana's stories, what continues to amaze me most is the women who make up this community.

It was wonderful to reconnect with so many familiar faces and welcome several new women to Women & Wine.

The energy in the room, the conversations, the laughter, and the willingness to share openly are what make these gatherings meaningful.

I've often reflected on why we keep coming back.

I believe it's because vulnerability creates connection, and connection builds community.

When someone shares a challenge, a fear, a difficult decision, or even a success that came with unexpected sacrifices, it gives others permission to share their own experiences.

We begin to realize we're not alone.

We feel heard. We feel understood. And we build trust.

That's what Women & Wine is all about.

Not simply gathering for an evening, but building relationships that extend beyond our events and into the many different areas of our lives.

Gretchen and Meghana reminded us that pursuing something new takes grit, curiosity, sacrifice, positivity, and the courage to ask for help.

But perhaps most importantly, it takes people who believe in us, challenge us, and encourage us to keep going.

Thank you to Gretchen for sharing so openly, to Meghana for making time to contribute despite her busy schedule, to BDH and Newmark for making our gathering possible, and to every woman who joined us.