We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Emily Brown. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Emily below.

Emily , thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Risking taking is a huge part of most people’s story but too often society overlooks those risks and only focuses on where you are today. Can you talk to us about a risk you’ve taken – it could be a big risk or a small one – but walk us through the backstory.

One of the biggest risks I ever took was walking away from the life I thought I was supposed to want. I was a CEO’s wife, a stay-at-home mom, and from the outside, everything looked shiny and picture-perfect. But on the inside, I felt like I was disappearing. I had spent so many years meeting the expectations of others, trying to be what a “good woman” is supposed to be—supportive, selfless, agreeable. I was afraid to want more.

But something deep in me knew: I couldn’t keep modeling this version of womanhood to my daughter. So I left. I walked away from a marriage, financial security, and a picture that no longer reflected my truth.

I didn’t have a five-year plan. What I had was a deep commitment to rediscovering myself—and slowly, steadily, I built a new life. I trained as a coach. I started helping other women find their way back to themselves. I founded GRLPWRDEN as a space to give back and create community.

It wasn’t easy. It was humbling, expensive, and emotionally intense. But it was worth it.

Because what I’ve learned is that sometimes, the bravest thing you can do is choose yourself—not once, but again and again, until the life around you matches the truth within you.

Emily , before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

I’ve worked in colleges and high schools across the country, and no matter where I’ve been, one thing has always remained true: women find me and start telling me their stories. It’s been that way my whole life. Maybe it’s the way I listen, or maybe it’s just something they sense—that I’m not here to judge, I’m here to witness and help them find their way forward.

I have a Master’s in Women’s Studies, a certification in Positive Psychology from UC Berkeley, and training in Rational Emotive Behavioral Therapy (REBT) and Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR), and I’ve spent years writing articles on relationships, parenting, and the messy middle of personal transformation. My work is about helping women see clearly and act courageously. I cut to the chase. I’m not interested in fluffy, feel-good mantras that don’t land in real life. I want to know what actually works—what brings relief, clarity, and sustainable peace.

The problems I solve for my clients often come down to three things:

~Transitions: when someone is navigating uncharted territory like divorce, career change, or claiming their voice in a new way, I help bring structure, language, and resources that make the unknown feel less overwhelming.

~Philosophical peace: the deep questions about meaning, identity, and what it really means to be fulfilled as a woman. These are the under-the-surface struggles we rarely say out loud, and I help bring those into the light.

~Direction: here’s so much pressure to follow a path: perfect mom, perfect partner, perfect house. But one size doesn’t fit all. I guide women back to their own inner compass, not someone else’s checklist.

But here’s what I want potential clients, followers, and fans to really know: I’m not here to focus on my own power or story. Through The GRLPWRDEN Podcast, I center the conversation on you—on how you define power, how you feel bold, and what lessons you’ve learned. It’s about your journey to owning your strength and voice. Please reach out if you’d like to share your story!

With my EvesDropping Podcast, Meg—my spiritual mentor in so many ways— and I sit down to have honest, unfiltered conversations about life. With her spiritual insight and my logical perspective, we share secrets, laughs, and those moments that changed everything for us. No pretenses, no perfection—just raw truth about life, love, and finding courage. We believe we are all works in progress so why not share our fumbles and find connection along the way!

What sets me apart is that I don’t just do mindset and behavioral coaching work—I help women find the intersection of soul, strategy, and self-responsibility. And I’ve lived it. I’ve been the woman asking, “Is this it?” I’ve been the woman rebuilding. I know what it feels like to lose yourself and I know the fire it takes to come home.

What I’m most proud of is the awakening moment—when a woman says, “This is what I was told would make me happy, and it’s not.” Or when a young woman asks, “Where do I fit in this world right now?” That’s the moment we begin. That’s when the real work starts. And it’s always, always worth it.

At the heart of everything I do is this: I remind women to come back to themselves. That’s where the power lives. And I invite everyone to stay curious, find their inner badass, and start evolving with me.

What’s a lesson you had to unlearn and what’s the backstory?

One of the biggest lessons I had to unlearn was that being the “good girl” would keep me safe.

For a long time, I believed that if I was agreeable enough, quiet enough, accommodating enough—I’d be protected, chosen, accepted. But that conditioning came at the cost of my voice, my creativity, and my sense of self. Unlearning that meant letting go of the version of me who was constantly performing for approval, and instead choosing to live—and build a business—rooted in truth.

That shift is at the heart of everything I do now.

In my work, I ask the questions many people won’t. I write about the messy, nuanced parts of relationships, womanhood, motherhood, and identity. I coach women who are standing at a threshold—feeling like something doesn’t quite fit anymore—and guide them back to themselves.

My business exists because I refused to keep shrinking. And now I help other women do the same.

I believe entrepreneurship—especially for women—is a reclamation. A chance to create something in full alignment with who you really are, not just what the world told you to be. That’s the lens I bring to every offering, every article, every session. My work isn’t about chasing success in the traditional sense—it’s about building lives and businesses that feel true, expansive, and soulfully ours.

Any insights you can share with us about how you built up your social media presence?

I built my audience on social media the same way I’ve built everything else in my life and business: by being real.

My presence online isn’t about perfection or strategy—it’s about intimacy. I want people to feel like they’re sitting with me by the fire pit in my backyard, having a conversation about what it really means to choose yourself, to question old conditioning, to start over, to laugh through the mess.

Over the years, I’ve published articles on platforms like Elephant Journal, Tiny Buddha, and DivorcedMoms, and those pieces helped me grow an audience that resonated with my voice. I also have a blog where I write more personally (EmilyBrownConsulting.com), and Instagram (@GRLPWRDEN) has been the place where I show up most playfully—cursing a little, laughing at spiritual memes, and sharing what’s alive for me in real time.

I post when I want to. I follow my own rhythm. That might not be the typical “advice,” but it’s what’s made it sustainable for me. People can feel when you’re being authentic—when you’re not just performing but actually connecting. And I think that’s what makes people stick around.

My advice to anyone just starting out: be brave enough to be yourself. Don’t water down your personality to fit a trend. Show your quirks. Speak directly to the people you’re meant to reach, even if you’re only reaching ten of them right now. That’s how intimacy and trust are built—and that’s what really grows a community.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://EmilyBrownConsulting.com
• Instagram: @GRLPWRDEN
• Other: EvesDropping Podcast
  

  The GRLPWRDEN Podcast
  https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-grlpwrden-podcast/id1817991181?i=1000710776432