We wanted to take a moment to share what happened in our first wild and wonderful year of business. (It's been quite a ride, so buckle up!) 

In February this year I did what I never thought I’d do: leave a successful, long term career as a Fortune 500 design & tech leader. Mind you, it didn’t happen without a little internal kicking and screaming.

I actually loved working in corporate. So many things felt right for a long time: consistent pay and benefits, building teams of A-players, driving impact at scale, inspiring leaders and peers, paid time to travel the world. The list goes on.

Then life came knocking. RTO five days a week, health challenges that incapacitated my husband, and three kids in three different schools with an average of twelve hours a week commuting. The logistics became increasingly hard to handle.

It forced a crossroads moment. Stay in corporate and burn myself to the ground trying to be everything to everyone… or go full time into my side hustle, bet on myself, and get the flexibility my family needed.

After much reflection, financial planning, and conversations with family and trusted advisors, I took the leap into entrepreneurship.

[cue jumping off a cliff with an untested parachute: “this thing is going to work, right?!”]

Here are a few highlights from our wild and wonderful year:

• Day 1: I hired our first part-time team member, Catalina Velez-Watson. From operations to podcasts to programs, she has been a steady force and true thought partner. PB to my Jam. 💜

• February: Attended Catherine Brown’s GROW Conference, an immersion into B2B networking that sparked new collaborations and mentors. I’ve since been invited to join as an Executive Coach for GROW Conference 2026. 🎉

• March: I earned my PCC through the ICF after 500+ coaching hours. Catalina began her ACC journey (through Positive Coaching Solutions) and is on track for certification in 2026. Congrats, Catalina! 🙌🏼

• April: We renamed the business. Resonant Purpose Coaching became Worthy to Lead, aligning the company with the podcast and mission. The paperwork was brutal (do not recommend!), but the name is here to stay, trademark pending end of 2025.

• April–September: We delivered live training for corporate leaders on coaching, influence, executive communication and more. When leaders show up willing to do the work, magic happens.

• June: The Worthy to Lead podcast found its rhythm with support from Catalina and Podcast Pointman. We’re on track for Episode 30 as a top 1% global podcast in 2025.

• July: I joined the Texas Coaches Coalition Board as Director of Marketing & Communications, and met a community of coaches I couldn’t live without.

• August: We launched the Core Leadership Lab, providing affordable human centered leadership development for leaders at all levels. So thankful to our amazing founders!

• September: Collaborated with Tim Hamm to help job seekers build their brand, network effectively and land roles faster.

• October: Joined Archimedes, a LinkedIn accelerator, alongside brilliant minds. Deep thanks to Jade Bonacolta, Ben Meer, and Colby Kultgen!

• All year: Hundreds of hours in coaching and career conversations helping leaders navigate chaos with more calm and clarity. This is the heart of our work.

Shout out to the mentors and friends who supported us - too many to name! Ginnie Plauche, Bob Hoeffner, Jessica Kral, Caleb Schmidt, Patty Shull, Jen Halpern, Greg Bro, and Brian Collins.

If you’ve been following along, thank you! Your engagement truly matters. If you have thoughts on the podcast or anything else Worthy to Lead, we’d love the gift of your feedback: https://forms.gle/87fYaT651ECRQefz9

Whether your year was defined by growth or unexpected turns, we hope 2026 brings work that fills your cup and gives you purpose.

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays,

Kristiana Corona
Founder and CEO, Worthy to Lead