It’s the beginning of the holiday/end of year frenzy… but I’m trying to take it slow. At least as slow as I can. If taking some time off after leaving corporate life has taught me anything it is that I am terrible at relaxing (I’m not sure I even know how). I’ve been busy with work, life, and traveling more than usual (which I actually love… minus the fact I am terrible at unpacking and am now so behind on laundry).

I just got home this last weekend from an absolutely amazing retreat in Scottsdale, AZ. I’ve never gone on anything like that before and the words to describe how amazing it was elude me. I was lucky enough to have met some of these women in person over the last couple of years, but some I had only ever “met” virtually. Getting to see them all in person was a true gift.

These are women who I’ve gotten to know over the past year or two and having them as part of my circle has made such a huge difference to my life. They inspire, support, and challenge me to go after what I really want. They show me what’s possible when I move past fear and do the thing anyway.

It’s been non-stop busy since I got home late Saturday, but hopefully I’ll be able to say more on it once I’ve had some more time to reflect.

If you want to watch an Instagram reel that one of my fellow attendees, Kim O’Hara, made with me (in a very impromptu manner) during a sunrise hike you can check it out here. Also, thanks to the incredible Ellie Wu for filming the reel.

Was I comfortable doing it? No.

Did I do it anyway? Yes.

I’ve also shared a quick update on some goals I’d shared on social media before the quarter started below.

I hope you enjoy the update and the new additions to the ⚒️Workbench!

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Back at the end of August I shared my September + Q4 goals on LinkedIn and now that we are halfway though Q4 I’m taking a look back to see what progress I’ve made. My original goals are below:

Honestly, looking at this list now is kind of crazy. A lot has happened since late August. I’m sure I’ll share some of it at a later date. For now, here is the updated status of each goal:

🟡Content creation: I am definitely not at a place where content creation is sustainable. I have thought on it and less will be more here. I think I’ll aim to post 2x a week on LinkedIn and Instagram will be TBD.

🟡Newsletter: I’ve accomplished 2x a month publishing🍾, however, I have not thought about 2026 content at all yet.

🔴Voice of the Customer Interviews: Nothing on this yet, but it is still on my radar.

🔴Referral Doc: I’m rethinking some things on this and then, ready or not, out to my fellow business owners.

🟡Updates to website: These are in progress and some are almost ready to go! This is thanks to my Hype Huddle that I’m doing as part of my HypeHQ membership. It’s been great at helping me keep momentum on this project.

🟢Virtual Summit: Done!

🟡Coworking Space: I’ve come to the conclusion that I’ll cancel the portion of my membership that allows for time in the space and just use it for my mail. I still haven’t done a single work session in the space since August.

🟡Finish the Courses I’ve Paid For: Well… I haven’t finished these… but I also haven’t paid for any more courses so I’ll consider this partially achieved.

📖The Wolf and the Witch by Charissa Weaks (Currently Reading)

This is book 3 of The Witch Walker Series… I quickly went through books 1 (The Witch Collector) and 2 (The City of Ruin) on my Kindle, so reading book 3 was a no-brainer. Warning that there is a 4th (possibly 5th) book on the way, so it’s not a complete series YET… but, if you enjoy fantasy with some spice (more slow burn/med-spice) this series is for you.

📗Tiny Experiments: How to Live Freely in a Goal-Obsessed World by Anne-Laure LeCunff

I am always looking for ways to move forward in my goals without burning myself out, so when I heard about Tiny Experiments it seemed like a book that could assist with that mindset. It’s gotten good reviews, so hopefully it will live up to what I’ve heard about it.

📗The Library of Lost Dollhouses by Elise Hooper

I can’t remember where I first saw this, but it sounds riveting and, while I love fantasy, I am always trying to read a variety of genres, so this seemed like a good addition for the Workbench since it’s been a bit fantasy heavy lately.

📗A Kingdom of Blood and Betrayal by Holly Renee

Book 2 of the series. I read book 1 (A Kingdom of Stars and Shadows) a year or two ago and the library didn’t have book 2 at the time. They finally got it, so now it’s time to see how much I remember of book 1. Book 3 (A Kingdom of Venom and Vows) will be released this week.

📗The Psychology of Money: Timeless lessons on wealth, greed, and happiness by Morgan Housel

This is a non-fiction book that’s popped up on my “bookstagram” quite a few times and the author recently published a new book (The Art of Spending Money: Simple Choices for a Richer Life), so it’s been showing up more often. I decided to see if it lives up to the hype.

📗The Book Club For Troublesome Women by Marie Bostwick

This is book that I saw on “on order” at the Seattle Public Library and put on hold. It’s finally arrived and I’m looking forward to giving it a read. Another non-fantasy fiction book to help round out my reading.

✨There are no new additions this month, much to the relief of my family.✨

📚 P.S. I read a lot… across strategy, memoir, psychology, and the occasional fantasy/romance/thriller/witchy novel. The book recs in this newsletter aren’t filler. They’re part of how I think, lead, and help clients navigate complexity. Want to see what else is on my shelf? Take a peek at my bookstore (affiliate link, updated regularly).

I only recommend things when I think, “Oh, this could actually help someone skip the spiral.” This is the stuff I use, enjoy, and would suggest over coffee if you mentioned the right kind of headache.

So, as you probably know by now, I worked in footwear for almost 20 years. To say I am particular about my shoes is possibly an understatement.

However, I recently traveled for business and knew I’d be walking a lot so I did an obscene amount of research and decided on the Vionic Uptown Loafer (I got the black leather in a size 7.5W). I walked over 3 miles in them with a laptop loaded backpack and my feet and back didn’t even notice! I’ve never tried Vionic shoes before, but I will definitely be back.

Check them out here.

With the holidays and special events coming up - don’t forget that you can rent your clothes! If you want to give it a try my referral code gets you a discount to test it out (and me some referral credit).

I was hesitant about renting clothes, but now I’m not sure I will ever go back (it’s been a full year). It’s been amazing and I’m happy to talk to anyone who is interested in testing it out for themselves.

Hi, I’m Tara, Founder and Chief Alchemist at Alchemy Advising. I help founders and execs untangle their finances, rethink pricing, and build smarter systems so their businesses can scale without burnout. After nearly 20 years in finance and ops (with brands like HOKA and UGG), I now bring that big-brand strategy to growing businesses who need clarity, not just spreadsheets.

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