Mel Robbins is the creator and host of the award-winning The Mel Robbins Podcast, one of the most successful podcasts in the world, and a #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Let Them Theory. She's also the founder and CEO of the media production company 143 Studios. She has amassed 40 million followers online and is one of the most respected experts in mindset, life improvement, and behavior change. The Wall Street Journal calls her a “billion-view podcaster” and TIME Magazine says she gives millions of listeners around the globe “a reason to believe in themselves.”

Her books have been translated into 63 languages and include the #1 New York Times, #1 Amazon, #1 Audible, and #1 Sunday Times bestselling The Let Them Theory, which is the top selling book of 2025 according to Publisher’s Weekly, with 7 million copies sold within nine months of its release date. It is on pace to have the best non-fiction book launch of all time. She is also the author of the multimillion-copy-selling The 5 Second Rule, The High 5 Habit, and seven #1 audiobook releases on Audible.

USA Today calls Mel “a force to be reckoned with.” She is a global phenomenon in the publishing industry and podcasting. Her Boston-based media production company, 143 Studios, produces award-winning content, podcasts, events, audio series, online courses, journals, and books, along with professional development education forpartners likeStarbucks, Ulta Beauty, JP Morgan Chase, LinkedIn, Headspace, and Audible.

The Mel Robbins Podcast has won some of the most prestigious awards given to podcasts, including Webby, Signal Awards, and iHeart. It was also recognized as one of Apple Podcasts' Top Shared and Followed Shows of 2024 and 2023 and Spotify Top Global Shows of 2024. Notable accolades for Robbins include being named to Time 100 Most Influential Digital Voices of 2025, a Forbes 50 Over 50 Honoree, USA Today Top 5 Mindset & Performance Coaches in the World, and one of the fifty most influential influencers on The Hollywood Reporter’s Creator A-List in 2024.

Thanks for being here!

Learn more at melrobbins.com.

Reach my team:
Press inquiries: TeamMelRobbins@align-pr.com
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Brand partnership inquiries: MelRobbinsTeam@unitedtalent.com

Mel Robbins

Join me in doubling down on compassion this year.

Because you know who’s going through a tough time right now?

Everyone. 

So be kind.

Did you just feel your body relax? Did your shoulders just drop? 

That’s because when you acknowledge everyone around you is carrying something heavy that you can’t see, you realize you’re not alone.

You realize the universe isn’t singularly picking on you.
You realize the way people treat you isn’t personal.
You realize that despite life being hard, there’s still room for love and compassion.

So the next time you feel bitterness or resentment creeping in, remind yourself of this.

#1 NYT Best Selling Author of The Let Them Theory | Host of Award-Winning The Mel Robbins Podcast | CEO, 143 Studios | Co-Founder, Pure Genius Protein

Today we honor Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. — and his words feel more relevant than ever:

“We need leaders not in love with money but in love with justice. Not in love with publicity but in love with humanity.”

The world feels overwhelming right now. Too loud. Too heavy. Too much.

Don’t let the headlines convince you humanity is gone. It’s not.

We're better than this.

Remember, the majority of people are just like you - honest, decent and caring.

Don’t add to the noise.
Be the light.

Be kind to yourself and caring with other people.

Do what is right when you see someone being wronged.

Live your values — especially when things feel upside down.

We will find our way back by remembering who we are and we will get through this the same way we always have: together.

It’s easy to take someone else’s stress, distraction, or frustration and turn it into a story about your worth. But their behavior isn’t feedback on your value - it’s information about what they’re going through.

And whatever they’re carrying is not yours to carry. It’s theirs.

This can be a tough pill to swallow - especially if you’re anything like me: really sensitive, you struggle with anxiety, or you’re a recovering people-pleaser. When your nervous system is constantly on high-alert, you’re always scanning for signals that something is wrong.

And when you’re ultra tuned-in to everyone’s moods AND you tend to be a little paranoid, it’s easy to create stories in your head that say someone’s bad mood is your fault. Stories that say it’s your job to fix it.

But those stories are lying to you. And they’re draining your energy and your power.

When you stop looking for approval from people who are overwhelmed, insecure, or projecting, you take your power back. 

You stay focused.
You protect your energy.
You move forward without shrinking or second-guessing yourself.

Let Them be in a bad mood. Their mood is theirs. Take nothing personally.

This is one of the 7 mantras that I remind myself of every day, and I encourage you to do the same - especially when self-doubt starts creeping in; I’ll link them in the comments for you.

These reminders wake you up to what’s already inside of you: you have power, you have confidence, and you have a spark inside you that is just waiting to be lit up.

Emma Grede, the powerhouse behind SKIMS, Good American, and Aspire With Emma Grede, said something in our conversation that I can’t stop thinking about:

How you do anything is how you do everything.

Excellence isn’t about the big moments. It’s about how you show up in the small ones. 

The way you make a sandwich. The way you pack a box. The way you greet someone in the morning.

When you take pride in the smallest details, people notice. It builds reputation. It sets the tone for what comes next.

Stop waiting for the “big break.” Be excellent where you are right now. That’s how doors open. 

This episode of The Mel Robbins Podcast is the most motivational conversation I’ve ever recorded.

Watch now! 🎧 “If You Only Listen to One Podcast Today, Make It This One.”

https://lnkd.in/eJCFEWTh

I recently learned something about failure that I want you to take to heart:

Failure doesn’t hold you back. The thing that holds you back is what you think failure means.  

“If I get rejected from this job, it means I’m unqualified - so I’m not even going to apply.”  

“If this launch at work doesn’t go perfectly, everyone’s going to think I’m bad at my job - so I’m going to play it safe.”  

“If my boss doesn’t like my ideas, she’ll think I’m stupid - so I’m never going to pitch her anything.”

I learned this in a conversation I recently had with CrunchLabs founder Mark Rober on The Mel Robbins Podcast. He’s a former NASA and Apple engineer, and he’s the most watched science creator and educator in the world with 72 million YouTube subscribers. He’s spent his whole life turning failure into data, and setbacks into experiments.

And he said that we dramatically overestimate the negative impact of failure and massively underestimate our ability to handle it. 

He’s right.

You can probably think of a dozen new ideas you would have tried, opportunities you would have taken, moves you would have made… if you hadn’t been so worried about what other people would think if you failed.

So here’s the truth Mark always comes back to:

Failing means you’re testing the limits of something. And the more you test the limits, the more you know how much bigger or cooler it could be.  That mentality is how engineers like Mark land rovers on Mars - and how you build a career and life you’re excited about.

So stop letting the story you’ve been telling yourself about failure keep you from testing your own limits and discovering your potential.  

When you have some time this week, listen to the conversation I had with Mark. He talks about the power of failure, and why it’s something you should actually seek out! It will completely change how you think about failure. Search “The Mel Robbins Podcast Mark Rober” wherever you listen to podcasts. I’ll also link it in the comments for you.

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You might not be everything you want to be yet, but I bet you’re a lot of things you wanted to be a couple years ago.

So give yourself more credit.

Focusing too hard on what you haven’t achieved yet - “I still don’t have my dream job.” “I still haven’t met the love of my life.” “I still have weight to lose.” - just invalidates how far you’ve come.

Don’t lose sight of this amazing truth that you are not where you started - because past-you would be so proud of current-you.

So I want you to own and celebrate the progress you’ve made, and remind yourself today - and everyday: “I’m not everything I want to be yet, but I’m a lot of things I wanted to be two years ago.”

This is one of the 7 mantras that I remind myself of every day, and I encourage you to do the same - especially when self-doubt starts creeping in; I’ll link them in the comments for you.

Like so many of you, I am horrified and heartbroken by what is happening in Minnesota and in many cities around our country right now.

I believe deeply in justice, due process, fairness and human dignity. I believe in treating other people with kindness and that when we disagree our problems are best solved when we work together. These are not just personal values, they are deeply ingrained in my work.

I began my career as a criminal defense attorney for the Legal Aid Society, where I defended our legal rights and due process in courtrooms everyday. When I joined CNN as a Legal Analyst, my job was to explain our fundamental constitutional rights to global television audiences.

In my writing and on our podcast, we celebrate the work of world-renowned experts who share research, wisdom and science-backed advice to our global audience for one purpose - to help you see a bigger possibility for your life and give you the tools to feel and do better.

I believe you are more powerful than you know. That through your mindset and your actions, over time you can change anything for the better. Together, I believe we can make the world a better place.

You may feel afraid and helpless to effect positive change right now, and I have felt that way too.

Whenever I feel discouraged, I read the words of Professor Margaret Mead:

“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has.”

All it takes is one person to do the right thing.

If what’s happening bothers you as much as it bothers me, that person is you and me.

As Dr. King said: “The time is always right to do what is right.”

I am not here to tell you what to do. Lots of resources online can give you ideas. I can only remind you, as a friend, that the more you watch but do or say nothing - the more helpless and hopeless you’ll feel.

Your voice matters.

Be still.

Find your center.

Listen to your heart and you’ll know the right thing to do.

We’re better than this. America’s better than this.

Together we will find our way back to our center.

Together we will create the wave of positive change we long to see.

Want better mornings and clearer headspace? Put your phone in the bathroom tonight.

Trust me, your peace is worth it. 

Thank you Oprah Winfrey for having me on this episode of the Oprah Podcast! Check it out now 🎧 "Oprah and Mel Robbins on How to Calm Anxiety."

https://lnkd.in/gwgWsbjU

If you’ve been feeling stuck or questioning what’s next, what my dear friend Jay Shetty shares in this moment is exactly what you need to hear:

“You’re not stuck. You’re grieving a past version of yourself.”

Jay said you feel stuck not because you don’t know what to do next (you do), but because you’re holding on to an identity, an expectation, a behavior, or a time and place that no longer exists or no longer serves you. And your fear of change is blocking you from doing what you have to do to move forward.

It’s no wonder you thought this was one of the most powerful conversions of 2025 on The Mel Robbins Podcast; my team and I went through all 106 episodes of the year, crunched the data, and found that this was one of the the top 9 moments that changed how you think, how you love, and what you believe is possible for your life.

If you want the best advice of 2025, all in one place - or maybe you’re new to the podcast and you’re not sure where to start - the episode I’m linking in the comments is for you; it’s those 9 top moments condensed into one episode - “9 Habits That Will Change Your Life: The Best Expert Advice I’m Using This Year.”

Listen now on Spotify and Apple Podcasts - search ‘The Mel Robbins Podcast Best Expert Advice.’

One of the biggest lies you’ve been telling yourself is that being harder on yourself will make you better.

It won’t.

According to Terry Real - one of the most sought-after couples therapists in the world - harshness brings zero value to your relationship with yourself or anyone else.

He wrote in his NYT bestseller - ”Us” - that, “Harshness does nothing that loving firmness doesn’t do better.”

In this episode of The Mel Robbins Podcast, Terry shares the kind of relationship advice nobody teaches you - the kind that quietly transforms how you show up in love, conflict, and intimacy.

Whether you’re in a relationship, healing from one, or hoping to build a healthy one, you need to listen to this episode.

“The Best Relationship Advice You Will Ever Receive” - Listen now on Spotify or Apple Podcasts - search “The Mel Robbins Podcast Best Relationship Advice.” I’ll also link it in the comments.

Don’t underestimate the power of getting 1% better every day.

James Clear - author of New York Times bestseller Atomic Habits - told me on The Mel Robbins Podcast why tiny changes compound faster than big, dramatic ones, how time can work for you instead of against you, and how to set yourself up so progress becomes automatic.

Small habits might not feel powerful in the moment - but over time, they can either quietly move you forward, or keep you stuck exactly where you are.

He shared some cool math to prove it: 

If you were to practice a skill - like writing - every day for one year, and you got 1% better each day, by the end of the year you’d be over 37x better at it than you were at the start of the year!

1% better every day won’t feel like a lot at first, but those improvements compound over time. The consistency of small habits like this set you on a trajectory - and the quality of the habits determine the quality of the trajectory.

If you want this January to lead to a different year, this episode will show you how. James breaks down the steps and the science behind building small but powerful habits that actually fit into your life - especially when your schedule is packed, your days are long, or your energy is low.

“How to Become 37.78 Times Better at Anything: An Easy & Proven Way to Build Habits” - listen now on Spotify or Apple Podcasts - search “The Mel Robbins Podcast James Clear.” I’ll also link it in the comments.

Dr. Jim Doty, Stanford neurosurgeon, neuroscientist, and expert in manifestation and visualization, had a profound impact on my life.

In this emotional moment, he explains how learning to question the negative voice in your head - and being truly seen by another human - can change the trajectory of a life.

This conversation on The Mel Robbins Podcast is a reminder that your thoughts are not the truth, your past doesn’t have to control your future, and kindness is far more powerful than we realize.

This episode is one of our most popular episodes of all time. I hope it serves as a reminder that being kind to each other - and to ourselves - matters more than you know. 

🎧“#1 Neurosurgeon: How to Manifest Anything You Want & Unlock the Unlimited Power of Your Mind” - listen now on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or YouTube - search “The Mel Robbins Podcast Dr. Doty.” I'll also link it in the comments.

If you’re telling yourself “I should be further along by now”… hear me out:

Who says you should be further along? 

You’re on a unique path that was carved by a unique combination of your decisions, your life experiences, and your inner compass - a combination that is distinct to YOU. 

That means there’s no way you can be falling behind - because no one else is on your path!

So don’t let “should” turn into undeserved shame that will ultimately drain your confidence and slow you down.

Forget “should.” Forget comparison. Forget all-or-nothing mindsets. Because real change doesn’t follow a calendar or a one-size-fits-all prescription. It follows consistency, and it follows habits and systems that work for you and your life.

That’s exactly what my newsletter helps you build. 

Every Monday and Thursday, I send one clear, practical tool that’ll help you stay intentional and move forward on YOUR terms.

Tomorrow, I’m sharing something that will totally shift your perspective on dopamine, pleasure, pain, and willpower. If that sounds like something that could help you right now, join my newsletter; it’ll show up in your inbox first thing tomorrow morning: https://lnkd.in/ek_8wyaX

If you want a change in your life to stick, steal this hack from one of the world’s leading behavioral scientists:

The Wharton School professor Dr. Katy Milkman, PhD, explains that willpower isn’t the problem. The problem is how you’ve been trying to motivate yourself.

Her solution is simple: pair something you have to do with something you love to do.

Only drink your favorite tea when you do work you always procrastinate on.
Only listen to your favorite audiobook while you’re at the gym.

Suddenly, the thing you’ve been avoiding becomes something you look forward to.

Dr. Milkman joined me on The Mel Robbins Podcast to break down the 7 hidden barriers that keep you from changing - and the evidence-backed tools that actually help you overcome them.

Trying harder doesn’t work.
Using the right tools does.

“Change Your Life This Year: How to Get From Where You Are to Where You Want to Be” - listen now on Spotify or Apple Podcasts - search “The Mel Robbins Podcast Katy Milkman.” I’ll also link it in the comments.

If you’re sick of setting goals for the new year that you abandon by February, this is the shift that changes everything. Here's what most people miss about setting goals:

Your goals only stick when they really mean something to you. When goals come from a deeply personal place, that internal meaning becomes fuel.

Psychologists call it intrinsic motivation.

It’s the difference between “I should” and “I get to.”

And that’s exactly what I walk you through in this episode of The Mel Robbins Podcast.

You’ll learn how to connect who you’ve been, who you are right now, and who you want to become - and why taking a few minutes to reflect and write it down is the key to changing your behavior in the year ahead.

“How to Make 2026 the Best Year: 6 Questions to Ask Yourself” - listen now on Spotify or Apple Podcasts - search The Mel Robbins Podcast Best Year.

I had no idea I had ADHD until I was 47 years old.

I’m part of what they call the “lost generation” of women who had ADHD as kids or teens, but never knew it - because we were misdiagnosed or not diagnosed at all.

A huge reason why this happens is because when doctors first made ADHD a diagnosis in the late 1970s, they only studied boys. So most of what we’ve been taught about ADHD is based on how it presents in boys:

They’re disruptive and interruptive.
They’re fidgety, and have a hard time sitting still.
They’re impulsive.

ADHD tends to manifest physically - outwardly - for them.

But for women, the symptoms tend to be more internal:

We’re forgetful.
We’re disorganized.
We daydream.
We’re hard on ourselves.

This is why so many women with ADHD don’t get diagnosed at all. Instead, we get diagnosed with anxiety.

Not because anxiety is the root issue, but because it’s often the result…
The result of growing up feeling different.

Of constantly working twice as hard as your peers just to keep up with them.

Of spending so much energy masking and overcompensating.

Of blaming yourself for doing and feeling things you don’t have much control over.

This is exactly what happened to me - and my nervous system was constantly on edge because of it. So I spent decades getting treated for anxiety - not ADHD.

That’s why getting diagnosed about 10 years ago was a massive relief. 

It explained my decades of struggles. I no longer had to feel bad about all the things I thought were character flaws. And I could start learning how to work WITH my brain, rather than work against it.

Thank you, Chris Williamson, for letting me talk about this on your podcast, Modern Wisdom. 

If you’re a woman and you’re wondering if you have ADHD - if any of the above resonates with you - please know you’re not alone, and you’re definitely not broken. I’d recommend you check out my conversation with Chris; we talk about how I gained more control of my ADHD, the best ways to motivate yourself, and how to stop letting fear of other people’s judgement run your life.

It’s linked in the comments. I’ll also link to some helpful episodes of The Mel Robbins Podcast where we cover ADHD in depth.

If you’re dealing with neck pain, headaches, or upper back tension, your phone could be a big part of the problem.

According to Dr. Betsy Grunch - one of the world’s top neurosurgeons and spine surgeons - the position you hold your phone can dramatically increase the pressure on your spine.

When your head tilts forward to look down at your screen, the weight on your neck jumps from about 10 pounds to 60 pounds 🤯

Over time, it can lead to chronic neck pain, tension, arthritis, and even frequent headaches - what doctors now call “tech neck.”

In today’s episode of The Mel Robbins Podcast, I’m joined by Dr. Grunch (also known to millions online as @ladyspinedoc) to break down the small, practical changes you can make to protect your spine, reduce pain, and feel better. 

If you want 2026 to be the year you feel stronger, move better, and take control of your health, this episode is for you.

“2026 Body Reset: How to Get Stronger, Lose Fat, & Take Control of Your Health” - listen now on Apple Podcasts or Spotify - search “The Mel Robbins Podcast 2026 Body Reset.” I’ll also link it in the comments:

Success won’t sustain you in your career.

Chasing outcomes, applause, accolades, or “what’s next" - the shiny success stuff - will only lead to dissatisfaction and burnout in the long run because it comes and goes, it's inconsistent, and a lot of it's out of your control. 

What sustains you is staying focused on your mission, your purpose, and what makes you feel like a good person. When you stay anchored in those things, the work stays meaningful. THAT’S what keeps you going not just on the good days, but on the long days, the hard days, and every day in between.

For me, my anchor has always been: help people feel and do better. 

It guides everything I do. Every podcast episode,  every book, every speech, every partnership. And as long as you’re telling me what I’m doing has helped you improve your life - awards, press, followers… They're just cherries on top.

Your anchor sustains you when everything else shifts.

If you’ve ever wondered why habits are so hard to change, this explanation from James Clear, the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Atomic Habits, will help you break down your habits and build better ones:

Every habit follows the same 4-step loop: 

Cue
Craving
Response 
Reward.

So once a habit is built, it runs almost entirely on autopilot - which is why willpower alone never works.

But James said you can intentionally redesign any 4-step loop - and habit - with this simple, 4-step trick:

Make it obvious.
Make it attractive.
Make it easy.
Make it satisfying.

James joined me on the Mel Robbins Podcast to break down how to use this exact framework to build habits that actually last - and how to break the bad ones that are holding you back.

If you want this year to be different because your daily habits are different, this episode will give you the system you’ve been missing.

“How to Become 37.78 Times Better at Anything: An Easy & Proven Way to Build Habits” - listen now on Spotify or Apple Podcasts - search “The Mel Robbins Podcast James Clear.”

When I was in the thick of building my career 15 years ago, I was on the road 150 days a year. My kids were young. And because I was never home, I missed a lot of them growing up. That guilt almost broke me.

But I don’t regret the choices I made. I’ll tell you why:

We were nearly $800,000 in debt. I was desperate. Saying yes to every opportunity that came my way wasn’t optional - even if that meant being away from my family more than I would’ve liked. 

So I don’t regret doing what I had to do to get us out of debt, put food on the table, and give my kids the life I wanted for them. 

I also loved what I was doing. I loved the thrill of speaking to an audience and making a positive impact in people’s lives. And I’m lucky that, because I was good enough to get paid to do it, it was a vehicle my desperation could drive in order to rebuild security for my family. 

So I also don’t regret that as a result of being relentless in providing for my family, I found success in a career I love. 

So parents: whether desperation, ambition, or a combination of the two is your main motivator right now, I need you to hear this:

Guilt serves no one.

When you say to your family, “I feel guilty,” you’re placing the weight of your choices on them. It makes THEM feel guilty - because they think it’s their fault that YOU feel bad.

Instead, do what I did: replace guilt with gratitude.

“Thank you for supporting me.”
“Thank you for cheering me on.”
“I couldn’t do this without you.”

Remove guilt from the equation entirely.

And let your kids know that when they grow up and want to chase some dream of theirs, you will be their loudest cheerleader.

Marina Mogilko, thank you so much for having me on your podcast Silicon Valley Girl and for giving me the opportunity to talk about this! I’m going to link our conversation in the comments - I loved talking to you about entrepreneurship and ambition.

Candace Nelson

Guest Shark l Founder | NYT & WSJ Best Selling Author | Angel Investor | Speaker | SWEET SUCCESS out now!

Hey, I’m Candace! I’m a Serial Entrepreneur, Guest Shark (season 15!), NYT and WSJ Bestselling Author, WSJ Contributor, Angel Investor, TV Personality, Executive Producer, Wife and Mom.  I started my career working in investment banking and the internet start-up scene before completely shifting gears to follow my passion and attend pastry school. Here’s what happened next…

In 2005, I opened the doors to Sprinkles, the world’s first cupcake bakery. Despite early naysayers, our 600-square-foot bakery in Beverly Hills disrupted the legacy bakery industry and ignited a worldwide cupcake phenomenon! 

In 2012 Sprinkles introduced its Cupcake ATM, a cutting-edge contactless cupcake delivery system. 

Later that year we sold Sprinkles to PE firm KarpReilly. Today, Sprinkles has sold over 200 million cupcakes, has over 20 stores, 30 Cupcake ATMs, and 1000 employees. 

In 2017, I co-founded Pizzana, a fast-growing chain of award-winning Neo-Neapolitan pizzerias, leading the “third wave” of pizza in the US. Pizzana cemented Los Angeles as a pizza destination and revolutionized pizza takeout with its innovative heat and slice at-home method. Pizzana also ships its frozen pizza nationwide. 

In 2021 I co-created and executive produced Best in Dough, a Hulu show starring Pizzana Executive Chef Daniele Uditi, streaming now!

Today, through my company, CN2 Ventures, a family office, and venture studio, I’ve backed a diverse portfolio of startups in the specialty food, retail, health, wellness, and early childhood spaces with a focus on female and underrepresented founders.

You may have seen me on the small screen where I am the executive producer and star in Netflix’s Sugar Rush and Food Network’s Cupcake Wars. 

My book, Sweet Success: A Simple Recipe For Turning Your Passion Into Profit was published by HarperCollins Leadership in November 2022  and is a WSJ bestseller. 

Check it out and order your copy here ➡️  https://candace-nelson.com/sweet-success/

Book me to speak ➡️  https://www.chartwellspeakers.com/speaker/candace-nelson/

Join my substack here ➡️  https://news.candace-nelson.com/

Follow me on other social media channels:

Instagram ➡️  https://www.instagram.com/candacenelson/
TikTok ➡️  www.tiktok.com/@candacenelson

You can grab my NYT bestselling cookbook, The Sprinkles Baking Book here ➡️ https://amzn.to/3QzmGFS

Founder

Michelin Bib Gourmand award winning Neo-Neapolitan pizzeria. The leader in "third wave" pizza concepts.

If you’re letting age hold you back from chasing your dreams, here’s the truth: age is an advantage in business.

You’ve heard the quote: “The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago. The second-best time is now.”

Honestly? Now might be the best time.

I built Sprinkles through my 30s - my first business baby. I’ll always be proud of what we created.

Now I’m building Pizzana in my 40s and 50s… and this time, I brought the wisdom with me. 👊🏻🩵

Here are a few things I love about building in my 50s vs my 30s.

What would you add to the list? ⬇️

Founder of Pizzana. Founder of Sprinkles Cupcakes (Exited 2012) Guest Shark | Keynote Speaker l NYT & WSJ Best Selling Author | Angel Investor

A few words from me. ❤️

Link to the full post: https://lnkd.in/gPBccMfF

You're probably not unfocused.

Or behind. Or indecisive. Or simply unable to "figure it out."

If you're trying to build your dream career path, but keep finding the answer isn't *quite* so clear-cut, I have some good news:

You may be a multi-passionate. 👀

Having a 5 year plan isn't the key to success. Sometimes, embracing your creativity and following the spark can take you even further.

My career path as an entrepreneur has taken twists and turns over the course of 20 years. Perhaps the most unexpected chapter was my latest - stepping into the pizza business with Pizzana. 

You can't plan when inspiration strikes, or know for certain what your life will look like 5 years from now. But you CAN learn to recognize patterns of passion and lean into your creativity.

Who's embracing being a multi-passionate in 2026? 👋🏻

Career Guide for Multipassionates

This is the biggest paradox in business 😬

The thing that makes your business take off in the beginning… can become the very thing that holds it back later.

It’s called founder syndrome - when your strengths as a founder become your biggest bottleneck.

You’re the vision. You’re the engine. So you hold on too tightly for too long… and the business can’t scale past you.

It can look like:
🚩 “If I don’t do it, it won’t be right”
🚩 Being the bottleneck for every decision
🚩 Struggling to trust other people’s judgment
🚩 Hiring great people… then not letting them lead

I first saw this up close when I was an investment banker working with startups, so when I started building Sprinkles, I was really aware of it.

And still… I almost fell into it.

Because the details mattered. A lot. They were the magic. The experience. The reason people fell in love. 🫶🏻

But here’s the lesson I had to learn (and re-learn): There’s a difference between caring deeply… and trying to control everything.

Letting go of some control is what allowed the company to grow past one store, build a real team, and become a brand. Because if everything runs through you, growth eventually hits a ceiling.

So if you’ve been feeling stuck, overwhelmed, or like you’re carrying the whole business on your back… 

it might be time to loosen the grip - just enough to let it breathe. If this hit, slide 8 is for you 😉

Have you ever seen founder syndrome in action? 🤔

Behind the Founder Syndrome Phenomenon

Let's try something! Tell me a business idea you’ve been sitting on your entire life - the one you never say out loud because it feels too weird, too wild, too unrealistic…

The bigger, the better. I’m all ears. 👇🏻

2016 vs 2026 business strategies 👀

2016 nostalgia is hitting social media hard right now, and it got me thinking about the business landscape 10 years ago. I was gearing up to launch Pizzana 🍕 and my priorities looked wayyy different... 

2016 was all about creating the MOST IG-worthy spaces possible. 😂 

In-person traffic was EVERYTHING, and you had to leverage getting in the big publications or going "viral" to get it.

Then, 2020 changed the entire foundation for businesses. In-person experiences became irrelevant, and we had to figure out how to pivot. 

In 2026, your business HAS to connect with customers in a deeper way than surface-level buzz. 

Right now, I'm focused on building long-term relationships at Pizzana through becoming a "third space", hosting community events, and creating a GREAT loyalty program. (Shoutout to Cacio Club!)

I care more about making the overall customer experience enjoyable, which includes ALL of our digital touch points. We optimize everything from our website to social media - and we leverage things like comments, online reviews, and surveys to keep improving.

Has your business evolved with the times, or are you stuck in 2016? 🫣🫢

So honored to be MenuMasters 2026 Digital Innovator of the Year alongside so many people and brands I admire. Huge congrats to all the MenuMasters winners and thank you to Nation's Restaurant News and Ventura Foods. I can’t wait to celebrate in Chicago on May 16!

Candace Nelson named MenuMasters Awards Digital Innovator of the year. The ‘Queen of Cupcakes’ and founder of Sprinkles and Pizzana was a pioneer in leveraging media http://ow.ly/oWWn106tPZr

I've been trying to answer all your questions around Sprinkles closing its doors...

(for reference, I created SprinkIes Cupcakes in 2005 and sold in 2012)

Here's my take on why I wouldn't start a new cupcake company. 

However, I come bearing some hopeful news: I've come up with a way to help keep the treats you loved alive...

Keep an eye out for a special announcement next week! 👀

What do Taylor Swift and Gregg Renfrew have in common?

They both made baller business moves - buying back their IP and reclaiming their power.

My friend Gregg had a disappointing experience after selling her original business, Beautycounter. 

Then, she turned around and created Counter Beauty.

Especially as women, we can tend to outsource our power and intuition to others - even unknowingly. How powerful to step back into it.

What other women do you know with similar stories?

taplio

The Battle

Mel Robbins

Candace Nelson

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Performance ScoreCandace Nelson's LinkedIn Performance

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taplio

The Battle

Mel Robbins

Candace Nelson

Followers

Posts

Engagements

Likes

Performance Score.css-goub6s{font-size:var(--chakra-fontSizes-md);font-weight:500;color:var(--chakra-colors-gray-600);display:block;margin-top:var(--chakra-space-1);}Mel Robbins's LinkedIn Performance

Performance ScoreCandace Nelson's LinkedIn Performance

Ready to grow your LinkedIn presence?

Performance ScoreMel Robbins's LinkedIn Performance