You already know something needs to change.
You don’t need another breakthrough, a perfect plan, or someone to tell you what you want.
You need to get honest about what’s keeping you stuck, take responsibility for what’s yours to change, and choose what you’re going to do next.
It’s your life, and you get to choose the direction.
Photo by Kalen Jesse Photography
I work with women who know something needs to change and are ready to take responsibility for changing it.
Maybe you’re stuck in a pattern you can’t seem to break. Maybe you’ve outgrown the direction you’re heading. Or maybe you know what you want, but you keep getting in your own way.
I’m not here to hand you the answer or tell you how to live your life. I’m here to help you get honest about what’s working, what isn’t, and what you’re willing to do differently.
Together, we’ll untangle what’s keeping you stuck so you can hear your own voice more clearly, trust yourself enough to make a choice, and have the courage to act on it.
I’ll support you, encourage you, and when needed, call you on your bullshit.
There is room here for uncertainty, fear, and changing your mind, but there is also an expectation that you’re willing to take ownership of what happens next.
Because this is your life. I’m not here to lead it for you.
I’m here to help you find the courage to lead it yourself.
Work With Michelle
You don’t need to become a different person before you can create a different life. But you may need to make different choices, let go of what is no longer serving you, and be willing to change along the way.
Whether you’re looking for a space to work through what comes next, support as you make a meaningful change, or a partner who will challenge you to keep moving when it would be easier to retreat to what’s familiar, there are a few ways we can work together.
1-on-1 Coaching
For women who know something has to change, but can’t quite see the path yet.
This is a space to untangle what’s keeping you stuck, reconnect with what you actually want, and rebuild the courage to choose your own direction.
Together, we’ll work through the messy middle between knowing you want something different and actually creating it, with honest conversation, meaningful support, and an expectation that you’ll put what we uncover into action.
Leadership Training
For teams and organizations ready to build leaders at every level.
Leadership isn’t something that begins when someone gets a title. It happens every day, through the way people communicate, make decisions, navigate conflict, take responsibility, and influence the people around them.
Through customized workshops, multi-session engagements, and leadership programs, I help teams understand the impact they’re already having and become more intentional about the impact they want to have. The work is practical, honest, and designed to change what happens long after the training ends.
Keynote Speaking
Keynotes that don’t just inspire, they shift how people think and act.
Every talk blends stories and real-world leadership experience with ideas audiences can carry back into their own lives and work.
I want people to leave thinking differently about the choices they make, the influence they have, and the responsibility they hold, with clear takeaways they can actually put into practice long after the event ends.
I’m Michelle Gruening, and I believe we have far more influence over the direction of our lives than we sometimes realize.
For nearly 20 years, I’ve led teams and built programs inside organizations ranging from Walt Disney World and Starbucks to SaaS companies and startups. I’ve changed careers, built a business, climbed Kilimanjaro, started over more than once, and learned that very few meaningful decisions come with the certainty we wish they did.
What I’ve come to believe is that leadership begins long before we’re responsible for anyone else. It begins with the way we lead ourselves: the choices we make, the responsibility we take, and our willingness to change when the direction we’re heading no longer fits.
That belief runs through everything I do. Whether I’m coaching a woman through a season of change, working with a team to become more intentional about their influence, or standing on a stage, I’m interested in the same thing: helping people recognize where they have a choice and find the courage to make it.
I don’t have your answers, and I won’t pretend that I do. I will bring curiosity, encouragement, openness, and the willingness to challenge you when you need it.
Because no one else gets to decide what your life looks like.
You get to choose your direction.
Photo by Kalen Jesse Photography
What clients and audiences are saying:
Working with me is simple.
Step One
Book A Discovery Call
We’ll cut through the noise and identify what kind of support actually fits: leadership training for your team, 1-on1 coaching for you, or a keynote that challenges and equips your audience. This conversation is about clarity, direction, and making an intentional choice about what’s next.
Step Two
Choose To Take Action
Clarity means nothing without a decision.
This is where you stop hesitating, commit to a direction, and raise the standard for how you show up. Once the path is clear, we get to work on focused, aligned, and momentum-driven.
Step Three
Deliver With Impact
Growth doesn’t happen by accident.
It happens when you stop spinning and start executing. With the right guidance, you’ll see measurable progress, stronger leadership, and results you can’t ignore.