Here’s to Spitting Out the (Salty) Lemonade
Image by Yu Hosoi via Unsplash
Close-up of salted lemon halves on dark background, representing the ‘salty lemonade’ metaphor from Brave Not Perfect.
Why letting go of perfection might be the
smartest business move you can make.
July is here, and as always, it’s giving existential audit.
The combination of my birthday and the “how is the year halfway over” spiral means I usually spend this month reflecting more than usual.
Have I done enough? Should I be further along? Am I wasting time?
(Just, you know… light and breezy stuff.)
But this year, I found some grounding in a Bold Moves dinner hosted by Kristen Rocco. We shared stories about being bold - what it looks like in our lives and times when we have chosen boldness over comfort. The stories had range: laughter, tears, and a few emotional gut punches.
It reminded me of Brave, Not Perfect by Reshma Saujani, a book I first read during my corporate days and recently picked up again. It hits a bit differently now.
One moment Saujani highlighted has stuck with me for years. Saujani shared a study she found: when given lemonade made with salt instead of sugar, boys were quicker to speak up. Girls? Most sipped it, smiled politely, and said thank you. They didn’t want to offend anyone or make them uncomfortable.
The first time I read that… I cringed. Because… yeah. That was me… for way too long.
For years, I tried to be the “good” employee… the one who didn’t cause trouble… the one who said yes. The one who smiled through the salty lemonade. Playing it safe worked… until it didn’t.
Letting go of perfection has been a long, messy process. Parenting helped… so did burnout…. so did quitting the corporate climb and building Alchemy instead.
And halfway through this year? I’m not perfect, but I’ve been brave.
Moves That Took Guts (Not Perfection)
Here’s what that’s looked like:
Doing an Instagram Live and an Instagram takeover (in the same week!)… both VERY much outside my comfort zone.
Posting regularly on social media, even when it’s not perfect (and posting to Instagram for the first time EVER).
Starting and consistently publishing my newsletter and this blog.
Drafting my referral sheet and asking trusted people to give me honest feedback (a former perfectionist’s nightmare).
Launching the Alchemy website.
Attending my first conference as the founder of Alchemy.
Reading 70 books and counting (and finally starting a book journal to help me better remember them).
Progress still feels slow, and it never moves as fast as I want. But I am learning to share things that are “good enough.”
Done over perfect.
Clarity over control.
Beyond My Bubble: Bravery in a Bigger Fight
This year has also forced a different kind of bravery: collective bravery. Watching women continue to lose rights we thought were settled has been gutting… infuriating… exhausting (not to mention all the other BS happening in this country). We’re not just battling burnout… we’re fighting a system that keeps asking us to do more while stripping away basic autonomy.
We are now fighting for rights we had as girls, that our daughters may not have as women.
And that fight won’t be tidy. It won’t be polite. It sure as hell won’t be perfect.
But I see more women showing up: boldly, creatively, relentlessly. And that gives me hope.
Lately, I’ve been thinking a lot about the intersection of that fight and the work I do. This year, I read Financial Feminist by Tori Dunlap and Rich AF by Vivian Tu - two smart, accessible books about feminism, money, and power. And even though a lot of it was familiar territory for me, it was a gut check.
If personal finances still feel murky for so many, how many women are silently struggling to make sense of the financial strategy behind their business numbers?
Probably a lot.
Plot twist: I didn’t always love numbers. As an undergraduate, I chose one of my majors based on the most science with the least math (which turned out to be psychology). It wasn’t until working on my MBA that I discovered financial analysis and realized how much I could enjoy working with numbers. That shift didn’t just change my career; it changed how I think.
Because understanding financial analysis gave me something I hadn’t realized I was missing: clarity… control… confidence.
That’s part of why I started Alchemy. To help women (and small, growing teams) get the strategic CFO-level financial clarity that lets them operate with power… not just hustle. Because money isn’t just numbers - it’s time, choice, and leverage. It’s the fuel behind bold decisions and sustainable growth.
So now, I spit out the salty lemonade. I speak up. I own what I’m good at. I don’t play small to make others comfortable.
As Saujani says:
“Perfection might feel good for a few fleeting moments, but bravery powers us through the difficult times and deep losses that can feel insurmountable.”
Here’s to bravery. To clarity.
To the power in saying, “Nope, this lemonade tastes like sh*t, and I’m not drinking it.”
What’s Next?
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About Me
I’m Tara, founder of Alchemy Advising, a consulting practice that helps small and mid-sized businesses grow with clarity, confidence, and a lot less chaos.
This blog is where I share reflections on entrepreneurship, ambition, motherhood, and the magic (and mess) of building something meaningful—one decision at a time.
Curious about working together? Reach out here—I’d love to hear more about your business.