Reluctant Leadership & Leaving Corporate with Stacey Bailey – Ep.370

What happens when your body starts telling you it's time to walk away, even before your mind is ready to admit it? In this episode of Wickedly Smart Women, host Anjel B. Hartwell welcomes Stacey Bailey, a leadership coach, strategist, and facilitator who helps entrepreneurs and creative leaders grow businesses with heart. A certified System and Soul™ Implementor and Dare to Lead™ Certified professional, she brings more than 15 years of experience in leadership and operations within the creative services industry.
Stacey shares her evolution from accidental leader to COO, and ultimately to entrepreneur, revealing the internal struggles, physical burnout signals, and emotional transitions that led her to make a bold exit.
If you've been questioning whether it's time to leave your current role, or wondering how to transition into entrepreneurship without burning out, this episode offers clarity, validation, and a practical path forward.
What You Will Learn:
Leadership is not about having all the answers but about guiding others to find their own.
Burnout often shows up physically before you consciously recognize it.
Leaving corporate requires both emotional readiness and strategic financial planning.
True leadership balances empathy for people with the realities of business decisions.
Entrepreneurship demands self-trust without the constant validation of a team.
Creating space to rest and reset is essential before building what comes next.
Connect with Stacey Bailey
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