From Fortune 100s to Founder with Impact: Kim Groshek

Every entrepreneur has a story – one filled with big wins, heartbreak and defining moments. Those stories deserve to be heard. This new featured members series is our way of sharing those journeys with you. In their own words, these women reveal the highs, the lows and the lessons they’ve learned while building their businesses.

Kicking us off is Kim Groshek, a powerhouse entrepreneur with over 35 years of experience growing companies and leading teams to incredible success. She’s helped Fortune 100 teams generate $20 billion in revenue, fostered a community of over 14 million people and drives change with her events and programs, like the Mentor Me Summit and Revitalize Fest.

Here’s how she built a career – and a life – that prioritizes explosive growth without devastating burnout.

Introduce yourself!

I’m Kim Groshek, often known as The Pause Lady, and I serve as the Chief “Pause” Executive of Lifeful Habits—a company and movement rooted in one core belief: when we pause with intention, we unlock the power to live and lead dynamically. With over three decades of experience influencing industry standards and helping build billion-dollar enterprises, I’ve witnessed firsthand that true transformation doesn’t come from burnout, hustle, or noise—it comes from clarity, connection, and conscious living.

What makes my business one of a kind is that it sits at the intersection of innovation, mental wellness, and human connection. Lifeful Habits empowers high achievers—C-suite executives, thought leaders, and legacy builders—to reclaim their time, clarify their purpose, and scale their impact without losing themselves in the process. Through our exclusive programs, international summits, bestselling books like Practice the Pause, and platforms like the Golden Phoenix Mastermind and Creatively Canny, we offer strategic simplicity in an overcomplicated world.

I don’t just teach pause—I live it. I’ve trained thousands globally on how to integrate mindful pauses into everyday decision-making to elevate performance and well-being. What sets us apart is the holistic approach: we help leaders align mind, body, and business through tools, storytelling, and systems that sustain growth without sacrificing joy, connection, or peace.

In a world that’s always speeding up, I help people remember the power of slowing down.

Describe your company in three words.

Aim. Purpose. Arrive.

What inspired you to start your business?

My journey to founding Lifeful Habits was born from a personal realization: success without intentionality is a fast track to burnout.

After decades in high-level leadership roles—helping build billion-dollar companies and leading major initiatives—I found myself surrounded by brilliant, high-performing people who were constantly depleted. I was one of them. We were achieving on paper but losing ourselves in the process. That’s when I hit pause—literally.

I began studying what happens when we intentionally pause—not just to rest, but to reflect, redirect and reconnect. What I discovered changed my life and became the foundation of everything I now teach. The pause isn’t weakness—it’s power. It’s where our clarity lives. It’s where alignment begins.

Lifeful Habits was created to bring this insight to leaders and changemakers around the world. I wanted to offer a framework that blends performance with presence, strategy with soul and ambition with authenticity. I believe legacy is not just what we build; it’s how we build it. Through this business, I’m helping others design lives and businesses that feel as good as they look from the outside.

This isn’t just my passion—it’s my mission. To help people pause… and become more dynamic because of it.

What excites you about your work?

Two things truly excite me about my work: connecting with incredible new people and helping others rise to their fullest potential.

There’s something electric about meeting someone new—hearing their story, understanding their vision and discovering how we can create something meaningful together. Each connection opens a door to new possibilities, fresh ideas and powerful collaborations that inspire me every day.

Equally, I’m deeply passionate about helping others rise—whether that’s guiding leaders to unlock their true power, supporting high achievers in breaking through their limits, or creating spaces where transformation can happen. Seeing someone step into their strength and shine is the greatest reward and motivation I could ask for.

Together, these experiences fuel my purpose and remind me why I do what I do: to build community, elevate potential and create lasting impact.

How is your company different from others in the same space?

Many companies offer coaching or leadership programs focused on motivation or strategy, but what makes my approach different is the level of visibility and accountability I bring to every engagement.

When you step onto my stage or into my coaching space, I don’t just offer inspiration—I require transformation. I ask more of the people I work with because true growth demands more than just good intentions. If someone isn’t fully aligned or equipped yet, we uncover what’s missing and set clear expectations: growth happens only through committed action.

I create environments where high achievers not only gain tools but are challenged to show up, do the work and hold themselves accountable to the next level of their potential. This blend of deep connection, honest visibility and unwavering expectation is what sets Lifeful Habits™ apart.

It’s not about easy fixes or quick wins. It’s about real transformation—intentional, measurable and lasting.

What’s one mistake you made early on in your business, and what did you learn from it?

Early in my entrepreneurial journey, I made the mistake that so many high-achievers fall into. I dove right in and didn’t come up for air. I worked 24/7, rarely took vacations and convinced myself that constant productivity was the price of success. On paper, things looked impressive. But inside, I was slowly losing myself.

The wake-up call came during a weeklong trip to Europe with my daughter. We were walking through a charming village, and I noticed something so simple and so profound. Women were strolling arm-in-arm, window shopping, laughing and lingering over coffee at outdoor cafés. No rushing, no to-do lists in hand. Just presence, connection, joy.

In that moment, I realized what I’d been missing. I had built success by all external measures, but I had forgotten how to be. That trip changed everything. I came back and began restructuring how I worked, lived and led. I started practicing the power of pause—not as a break from the work, but as part of the work.

That experience ultimately inspired the creation of Lifeful Habits and my mission to help others build lives that are fulfilling, not just productive. The biggest lesson? Busyness isn’t a badge of honor. Presence is. And when you build from a place of alignment, you don’t have to lose yourself to find success.

What’s your proudest business milestone so far?

One of my proudest milestones isn’t a number on a balance sheet or a headline—it’s the moment I realized the real impact of pausing.

After decades of building businesses and influencing billion-dollar empires, I created Lifeful Habits™ to bring a new kind of leadership to the world—one grounded in presence, intention and human connection.

But the milestone that truly fills me with pride is seeing thousands of leaders and high achievers embrace the power of the pause in their own lives. When I hear stories about how a simple shift—taking a breath, stepping back, or choosing presence—helped someone avoid burnout, reclaim joy, or transform their leadership, I know I’m on the right path.

That ripple effect—the transformation beyond profit—is what makes every challenge worth it. It’s proof that success isn’t just about doing more; it’s about being more.

What’s a business myth you’d love to bust?

One of the biggest business myths I’d love to bust is this: You have to hustle 24/7 to be successful.

It’s not only untrue—it’s dangerous. We’ve glorified burnout as a badge of honor, equating constant motion with progress. But in my experience, both personally and with the high-achieving leaders I coach, nonstop hustle leads to one thing: disconnection. From yourself, your purpose, your team and often your original vision.

The truth is, pausing strategically is one of the most powerful business moves you can make. When you stop chasing and start aligning, everything changes. Innovation becomes clearer. Decisions become cleaner. And your leadership becomes more magnetic.

I built Lifeful Habits to prove that success doesn’t require sacrificing your health, peace, or presence. You don’t need to be “on” all the time to grow. You need clarity. You need rhythm. You need intention.

So no, hustle isn’t the holy grail. The real power comes when you learn how to pause… and lead from a place of grounded purpose. That’s when businesses—and people—truly thrive.

Who’s a female entrepreneur that inspires you?

I find myself most inspired by a unique combination of two seemingly different yet deeply aligned women: Barbara Corcoran and Gabrielle Bernstein.

Barbara Corcoran embodies resilience and tenacity. She’s the kind of leader who built something from absolutely nothing, turning a $1,000 loan into a multimillion-dollar real estate empire. Her confidence, scrappy resourcefulness and unapologetic authenticity remind me that boldness isn’t just a trait—it’s a strategy. She didn’t wait for permission and neither have I. Like Barbara, I’ve always believed in creating my own opportunities. I deeply respect her ability to pivot setbacks into stepping stones.

On the other hand, Gabrielle Bernstein brings something equally powerful: alignment. Her work reminds me that purpose, intuition and inner peace are not luxuries. They’re leadership essentials. She leads from the inside out and that’s something I model in my business every day. Like Gabrielle, I believe that pausing to connect with your deeper self isn’t a detour—it’s the roadmap.

Together, these two women reflect what I stand for: the strategic and the soulful. The hustle when it matters, and the healing when it’s needed. It’s the integration of both that’s allowed me to build businesses that are successful and meaningful.

What advice would you give to other female entrepreneurs?

Invest in systems, not just hustle. Instead of relying solely on personal hustle, focus on building strong systems and processes that keep your business running smoothly, even when you’re not in the room. Automate repetitive tasks, document workflows and delegate effectively to scale sustainably. This strategic foundation frees you to lead with vision and make high-impact decisions, rather than getting bogged down in day-to-day operations.

Anything else you want to share?

If you’re ready to move beyond the grind and build something truly sustainable, I invite you to join Rise Like a Phoenix—my yearlong global think tank designed to ignite your forward momentum.

This program combines a powerful sprint to get you moving fast, with building the right systems and processes that keep your business running smoothly, so you can focus on what you love to do.

Whether you want to be a guest on my podcast, teach in my mastermind, or simply plug into a community of high-impact leaders committed to growth, Rise Like a Phoenix is where transformation happens.

If you’re ready to rise, reconnect and lead dynamically, this is your moment. Visit lifefulhabits.com and let’s make it happen together.

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