Some journeys aren’t loud because they’re flashy. They’re loud because they refuse to be erased.

In this episode of The She EmpowHers Podcast, Chrishon Lampley, founder of Love Cork Screw, sits down with Kimmah Lewis for a conversation that is equal parts business, belief, burnout, and becoming. From luxury retail to entrepreneurship, from being underestimated to being undeniable, Chrishon names the realities many founders live but rarely say out loud.

This episode is not about overnight success. It’s about staying in it while you wait for the world to catch up. And knowing when it’s finally time to pop out and show em who you are.

Here are the five Glow Notes from the episode. Let them meet you where you are.

1. Sometimes You Gotta Pop Out and Show Them

Chrishon names a truth many women founders know too well: even when you do everything right, it still may not be enough for the room you’re in.

As a Black woman making wine in Michigan, people often assumed she was the ambassador, not the owner. That misunderstanding wasn’t about her capability. It was about rooms that weren’t ready to recognize excellence when it didn’t match their expectations.

Chrishon didn't shrink to fit those rooms, she changed how she responded. She learned to build strength, develop thick skin, and decide when to answer questions and when to keep it moving. Sometimes you have to step forward and claim space because the world refuses to give it freely.

This isn’t about ego. It’s about survival in systems that were never built with you in mind.

Try this now:
Where in your life are you shrinking out of habit instead of strategy? What would it look like to pop out on purpose?

2. Focus Is What Creates Fire

One of the most practical lessons in the episode comes from a simple metaphor. If you move a magnifying glass around a newspaper too much, nothing happens. Hold it steady long enough, and it creates fire.

Chrishon shares how trying to be everywhere slowed her growth. The shift came when she stopped chasing every opportunity and concentrated her energy where it mattered most. Momentum followed focus.

Doing less doesn’t mean dreaming smaller. It means directing your power.

Try this now:
What is one area of your business or life where sustained focus could create momentum if you stopped spreading yourself thin?

3. You Can’t Control the Uncontrollables

Chrishon shares a moment that captures the reality of entrepreneurship: her Chicago art gallery flooded after someone flushed baby wipes down the toilet. Years of work, inventory, and momentum were suddenly underwater.

There was no strategy that could have prevented it and no mindset shift that could undo it. It was a reminder that control is often an illusion. What mattered wasn’t the setback, but her response. She let herself feel the frustration and defeat, then chose to keep going instead of spiraling into blame or what-ifs.

Growth often requires accepting that some things will break, even when you did nothing wrong.

Try this now:
What are you holding onto that you cannot fix, force, or control? What would it feel like to let it go and move forward anyway?

4. You’re Not Crazy. You’re Carrying a Lot

Chrishon doesn’t pretend balance is easy. She speaks openly about being a caregiver, a newlywed, and a founder while still processing the grief of losing her father. There is no neat bow here. Just honesty.

Mental health struggles don’t mean you’re failing. They often mean you’re holding multiple responsibilities with care and showing up anyway. Chrishon reminds us that exhaustion is not a personal flaw. It’s often the cost of commitment.

You are not weak. What you’re carrying is heavy.

Try this now:
Name one role you’re carrying that deserves more compassion than criticism.

5. Sometimes It’s Not About You

One of the most powerful moments in the episode comes when Chrishon reflects on a stranger approaching her in Las Vegas, simply to say thank you for inspiring her. That moment reframed everything.

Some journeys are not just personal. They’re proof. They’re permission. They’re visibility for someone watching from the sidelines who needs to know it’s possible.

Your story may be bigger than your own success. It may be someone else’s fire or survival.

Try this now:
Who might be watching you quietly, drawing courage from the way you keep going?

Gentle Close

Chrishon’s story is not about perfection. It’s about persistence. About pressure turning into purpose. About staying rooted when the world questions your right to exist in the room.

Sometimes you don’t need to do more. Sometimes you need to hold steady so that you can pop out when the moment is right.

Your journey matters. Even when it feels heavy and especially when it feels unseen.