We were lucky to catch up with Nancy Bruce recently and have shared our conversation below.

Nancy, appreciate you joining us today. One of our favorite things to brainstorm about with friends who’ve built something entrepreneurial is what they would do differently if they were to start over today. Surely, there are things you’ve learned that would allow you to do it over faster, more efficiently. We’d love to hear how you would go about setting things up if you were starting over today, knowing everything that you already know.

If I were starting over today, I’d create Love Camp even sooner—because it’s exactly what I needed when I was dating after divorce.

After my marriage ended, I remember feeling overwhelmed. Dating in midlife felt like a completely different world, full of new rules, new fears, old habits, and a good deal of self-doubt. I craved a space where I could pause, reflect, and reconnect with who I was before marriage, divorce, and life happened. That space didn’t exist for me at the time,so I built it now.

If I were starting over, I wouldn’t wait. I wouldn’t question whether women over 40 needed this kind of retreat, because I know they do. I would speak directly to the version of myself who once felt lost in the dating world and tell her: You don’t have to do this alone.

Love Camp isn’t just about dating strategies and how to use the apps, it’s about rediscovering yourself, feeling confident in what you want, and learning how to attract love from a place of wholeness. That’s the message I would have led with from day one.

Looking back, I know Love Camp is exactly what I wish I had during my own journey. And if I could do it all over again, I would have created it much sooner—because I know how much it changes lives.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

I’m Nancy Bruce, and I created the Love Camp retreat because I know firsthand how daunting it can feel to reenter the dating world in midlife. For years, I looked for guidance that felt real—not just surface-level dating tips, but true emotional support, confidence-building, and a community of women who understood what it meant to start over in midlife. When I couldn’t find that space, I created it.

Join me this April 23 – 26 in Leavenworth, Washington, for a one-of-a-kind retreat designed for women who are ready to unleash their romantic hearts. It’s about reconnecting with yourself and stepping into dating from a place of confidence and authenticity. Through expert-led workshops, group discussions, and personal reflection, I want to help women move past old relationship patterns, trust themselves again, and attract the kind of love they truly desire.

I’m here to build a community of women who show up for each other and are ready to explore midlife love in a whole new way. If you’re tired of dating feeling like a chore or a source of frustration, I want you to know there’s another way. Love should feel good, and it starts with you!

This is the retreat I wish existed when I was dating after divorce—a space to feel seen, supported, and empowered. If you’ve been waiting for a sign, this is it.

Can you tell us about a time you’ve had to pivot?

When I first created findinglove.co and the Finding Love Podcast, my goal was to create a space where people in midlife could feel seen, supported, and empowered in their journey to finding love.

The conversations were deep, the insights were powerful, and the community that formed around it was inspiring. But I realized something was missing, a lot of the women didn’t just need advice, they needed an experience. They needed a space where they could step away from their daily lives, immerse themselves in healing and self-discovery, and really transform how they approached love in midlife.

The idea for the Love Camp retreat came from my own experience. I’ve attended writing retreats that completely changed how I saw my work and my process. The power of surrounding myself with like-minded people and engaging in deep, intentional reflection was life-changing. I knew I wanted to create something similar for women navigating dating and love over 40.
That’s when the pivot happened. I decided to take every conversation, insight, and piece of wisdom from the podcast and turn it into an immersive experience. Love Camp isn’t just a retreat, it’s a reset. It’s a space for women to reconnect with themselves, release old patterns, and step into love with confidence.

Now, as we get ready for Love Camp 2025 (April 23 – 26 in Leavenworth, Washington), I can see how necessary this pivot was. The podcast started the conversation, but the retreat is where the transformation happens. And I couldn’t be more excited to bring this vision to life!

Only a few spots are left for our cozy Pacific Northwestern retreat! Join us at Love Camp and give yourself the space to open your heart and step into the love you deserve.

We often hear about learning lessons – but just as important is unlearning lessons. Have you ever had to unlearn a lesson?

For a long time, I thought love was just a matter of finding the right person. I believed that if I kept showing up and kept dating,, the right man would eventually appear.

But I had to face a hard truth, I wasn’t just looking for love, I was repeating the same love story over and over again.

I was drawn to the same kind of man, the same kind of dynamic, and the same patterns that ultimately left me feeling unfulfilled. It took deep reflection (and a heartbreak or two) to finally realize: If I wanted a different outcome, I needed to choose differently. I had to break free from my old habits, question what I truly wanted in a partner, and start dating in a way that reflected the kind of love I actually deserved.

This lesson became one of the biggest inspirations for Love Camp. So many women in midlife find themselves in the cycle of dating the same type of person and expecting a different result. At Love Camp, we’re unlearning old patterns, rediscovering self-worth, and learning how to date with intention.

Love Camp 2025 is happening April 23 – 26 in Leavenworth, Washington, at a private riverfront lodge. A few spots are still open—join us and start creating the love story you truly desire.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://findinglove.co/love-camp-retreat/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nancy.h.bruce/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/findinglovenancybruce/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nancybrucefindinglove/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCpxijx2kOQgR3cnQxU9f5OA/featured
• Other: Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/finding-love-podcast/id1713639824

  Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1NrWsClaqq0BlVkHpeBdog?si=90aab8b8f03a47b7

  TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@nancy.h.bruce

Image Credits

Photo credits to Kelsey Kurtis Photography
https://www.kelseykurtis.com/