Episode Notes: Her Comeback with Kellie Grutko

In this episode, Michelle sits down with Kellie Grutko, founder of Purposeful Pivot and a North Carolina–based coach for women navigating “post-success reinvention.” After 30+ years in corporate marketing, Kellie shares the moment she realized success had become its own trap—and what she now calls “post-success drift,” the slow disconnect between external achievement and internal direction.

What you’ll learn:

• The “hidden cost of success” — why doing everything right can still leave you feeling stuck, and why no one checks in once you’ve “made it”
• How to recognize drift even when life looks great on paper (Sunday scaries, fading motivation, pulling back from people and projects)
• Why reinvention doesn’t mean starting over — it means using the skills and wisdom you’ve already built toward something new
• Kellie’s PIVOT framework: Prepare your mindset, Identity exploration, Vision crafting, Opportunity mapping, Tailoring your path
• The difference between burnout and a true pivot signal
• Why confidence comes after action, not before — and how small steps build momentum
• A simple two-column exercise to identify what brings you joy (and what doesn’t)
• Kellie’s free “Hidden Cost of Success” assessment

Memorable moment: Kellie shares a story about a client so steeped in corporate language she couldn’t answer a simple question for herself — until Kellie asked her to imagine she’d never worked there at all.

Connect with Kellie: Website: purposefulpivot.net (free assessment on the resources page) Email: [email protected] LinkedIn: Kellie Grutko

A note from Michelle:Courageously You officially launches June 25th on Amazon! If today’s conversation resonated, the book goes even deeper into frameworks like this one—with stories, reflection questions, and tools to actually do the work. Sign up for updates at hercomebackpodcast.com so you’re first to know when it drops.