Here's your latest Violet View—bringing you actionable leadership insights that cut through the noise.
Hi there, it's Stefanie (Founder of TVG)—back with your monthly dose of leadership insight.
Happy Halloween! I'm a big fan of spooky season — in the midwest, it brings crisp fall weather, changing colors, scary movies, and a sense of liminal space in shifting seasons. [I also love a good pumpkin spice coffee, which my team was surprised by 😉]
Last month, I reflected on how some seasons of life feel like a full reset, all at once. This month, as The Violet Group heads toward our fourth year, I’m reflecting on what it’s meant to build, stretch, and stay all-in on this entrepreneurial journey.
If you’re building something, or thinking about it, here are five lessons I’d share with my earlier self. Maybe they’ll resonate with you, too.
1 – You may not build what you thought you’d build.
You start with a vision and a lot of energy. Then the market speaks, clients respond, and you follow the pull of what sticks. Initially, this can feel disheartening, like your original idea isn't coming to life.
The real magic happens when you realize that's the whole point. Staying open, seizing opportunities, and refining your focus based on what makes you different and valuable.
2 – Hire a great lawyer, accountant, and coach. (I have all 3 + some).
Invest in yourself, financially and in time and effort. Then build your personal board of advisors.
Entrepreneurs often move fast. We see possibilities everywhere. But speed isn’t strategy. Your board will challenge your thinking, slow you down when needed, and help you make smart, sustainable decisions. Have them on speed dial (or in my case, voice memos and standing check-ins).
3 – Just when you think, “We’re in a good place," a curveball will hit.
Expect it. Embrace it. Every curveball becomes part of your playbook. Every challenge strengthens your leadership muscles.
4 – There’s theory, and then there’s practice.
In my consulting work, I talk a lot about the “knowing-doing” gap. Running a business has made me live it.
Practice is messy. You’ll revise what you thought you’d do, over and over again. You'll wish you could go back in time and do something differently—make a choice faster, approach a conversation more thoughtfully, slow yourself down before you moved.
That’s not failure, that’s the work. Action is how we learn. You get data to work with. That builds clarity and then over time, confidence.
5 – Find the joy and fun in it all!
This is demanding work. Early mornings. Late nights. Travel. Tough conversations and emotional moments. You'll get "nos" or "not right nows" or no response at all. Keep doing it anyway.
Celebrate your team. Celebrate the wins. Rest when you can. Then get back in the arena. There’s immense energy in this if you let yourself feel it.
And when the hard days hit (they will), that’s when your board, your people, and your purpose matter most.
I’m endlessly grateful for our team TVG, our wise advisors, and the incredible clients we get to serve.
If you’re building something, whether you’re just starting out or you are years in, what have you learned? What would you tell your earlier self?
Hit reply and share. I’d love to hear.
And for now—stay safe, eat your favorite candy (I’m partial to Kit Kats or Reese’s), and enjoy the weekend.
Gratefully,
Stefanie
What We're Reading: Prepping for High Stakes Conversations 📖
High-stakes conversations are part of leadership—performance reviews, feedback moments, and resets with peers or stakeholders. And while many leaders focus on what to say, real impact comes from how you prepare.
We use a simple, repeatable approach to help leaders prepare:
Understand the context. What’s the situation? What’s at stake for you and for them?
Map your stakeholders. What do they care about? How do they make decisions?
Prep your talking points but stay flexible. You don’t want a script, but you do want to clarify your overall message. What do you need the person to hear?
Set your intention. How do you want to show up and be experienced?
A recent Harvard Business Review article by Jeff Wetzler adds one more powerful step: the "curiosity check.” 💡
Before stepping into any conversation, ask yourself: How open am I to learning something I don’t already know?
This quick gut-check shifts your mindset from performance to connection and can make the entire conversation more productive.
Many of our clients are in the thick of year-end review season—calibrating performance for the year, noting key accomplishments, making promotion decisions, and prepping to have productive career discussions.
We've curated practical suggestions to help, rooted in custom training modules we deliver for our clients.
Whether you're a people leader prepping to support your team, or an employee wanting to demonstrate ambition, the below strategies will help you show up ready. ↓
For People Leaders
These conversations can feel like a "check-the-box" task. But if approached strategically, they’re an important leadership opportunity.
→ To reflect on someone’s impact
→ To give meaningful feedback
→ To clarify what’s next
→ To open a career conversation that drives retention, motivation, and results
If your team is coming prepared with accomplishments, lessons learned, and early ideas for a 2026 development plan, you need to meet that effort with your own thoughtful preparation.
“You’ve been successful in the roles you’ve held. But now, you’re playing a new game… You are now the leader who needs to get extraordinary results.”
— Mike, CEO and TVG Coaching Client
At some point in every leader’s career, the old playbook stops working.
The role gets bigger. The stakes get higher. The problems become more complex and ambiguous. And the instincts that once led to success? They don’t quite land the same.
These are inflection points—moments when a leader either levels up or stalls out and hits their limit. They’re also the moments when Executive Coaching can be most valuable.
When Mike stepped into the top job at a PE-backed company, he had a track record of results, deep technical expertise, and many years of leadership under his belt. So, when the firm recommended a coach, something he had never experienced before, his first reaction wasn’t enthusiasm...
Each year, we open Q1 by launching cohort-based leadership programs, and we close Q4 by celebrating the growth, transformation, and impact those programs delivered.
This month marks a meaningful capstone moment for many of our 2025 cohorts. While every program is customized, this final phase serves a powerful purpose:
Showcase leadership capability
Reflect on lessons learned
Shape what’s next
Our participants step into the spotlight—planning, coordinating, and delivering presentations back to their senior leaders and sponsors. We stay behind the scenes, guiding and supporting. But the learning? That’s all them.
What they demonstrate isn’t just knowledge, it's growing authority and leadership impact:
Self-awareness and self-regulation
Effective communication and influence
Strategic thinking and collaboration
The ability to operate through ambiguity
It’s one of our favorite times of year. A chance to listen, observe, and celebrate the real progress of the leaders we’ve been privileged to coach.
And then? We get to do what we love: Take stock of learnings and design what’s next.
Our 2026 programs are already underway, shaped by what we’ve learned from this year’s results. If you’re planning your L&D strategy or budget for 2026 and want to build a leadership program that delivers—we’d love to help. Send us a note.
What We’re Up To at TVG 🚀
New look, same high standards. Our updated website launches next month—stay tuned for our official unveiling!
Until then...happy listening, learning, and leading, TVG community!
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The Violet Group, 7998 Broadway Avenue, Merrillville, IN
