Transitions: Life After Selling Your Business

After 28 years as a retail business owner, I did something that felt both thrilling and terrifying: I sold my business and retired.

It was a huge milestone- a moment I had worked toward for years. The day I walked away was filled with excitement, relief, and pride. But what no one talks about is what happens next—on that quiet Monday morning when you have nowhere to go.

Suddenly, the life you once knew—the routine, the purpose, the people—is gone.

For nearly three decades, I was surrounded daily by customers who became friends and a team that felt like family. My days were full of decisions, challenges, and the rhythm of a business that kept me grounded. Then, it was just… me. No title. No team. No place to be.

Rediscovering who you are without your job title takes on a life of its own.

I tried to “fill the space” with hobbies like travel, reading, and walking. While those brought moments of joy, what I was truly searching for was deeper: my purpose. Who am I now? What is my life about if not the business I built?

I found my way back to something meaningful—coaching other retailers. I poured my life experiences, lessons, and missteps into helping others get out of the weeds and find freedom . But even that came with another layer of transition. A new identity to grow into. A new set of challenges. A new version of me.

And it' s not always smooth. It' s not always fun. Growth, as Helen Marie beautifully said in a recent post, can be lonely. It can feel unfamiliar and disorienting, especially when others only know you as who you were.

Whether you' re facing retirement, a divorce, a move, a loss, or any kind of life transition—there' s always grief. And there' s always growth.

Many would argue you just need to “suck it up” and move on. But if we' re being honest, it' s not that simple. There' s a necessary tenderness in these transitions. We must give ourselves permission to feel, to pause, and to heal. Most importantly, we need to trust.

Trust the timing. Trust the process. Trust yourself, even when you don' t fully recognize the person in the mirror just yet.

Because one day, you' ll look back and realize—you were never lost. You were just becoming.