Michelle McKenzie is the Founder and Chief Insights Officer at Empowering Insights, a leadership development firm that helps entrepreneurs strengthen their inner capacity to lead and scale. She is a purpose-driven strategist who has moved more than $120 million in catalytic capital to support founder growth around the world. Drawing on her background in international development, angel investing, and coaching, she teaches leaders how to build trust, communicate clearly, and evolve with their businesses. Michelle is also the creator of The Unbreakable Founder and host of the WHERE'S THE FUNDING? (WTF) podcast.

Growing a business often feels like trying to steer a ship while building it at the same time. The pressures to perform, lead, and stay resilient can stack up fast, especially when you're scaling beyond your first wins. But what really makes a founder unbreakable, and how do you know when it's time to shift from doing the work to actually leading the people behind it?

According to Michelle McKenzie, a seasoned global development strategist and leadership coach, the answer starts with the founder's inner evolution. As she explains, most accelerators teach entrepreneurs how to build companies, not how to build themselves, which is why so many hit a wall when they begin hiring and scaling. Michelle views leadership as an "inner game" that requires trust, clarity, and the courage to let go of old ways of operating. For her, real scale only happens when leaders grow at the same pace as their business, becoming steady, trustworthy anchors for their teams and investors.

In this episode of The Soul Soothing Podcast, Cerice Berndsen is joined by Michelle McKenzie, Founder and Chief Insights Officer at Empowering Insights, to discuss the shift from doer to leader. They explore why trust is the foundation of sustainable growth, how clarity strengthens team culture, and the role of community in building resilient founders. Michelle also shares advice on cultivating emotional agility during times of change.