Hi friends!

Welcome to the June edition of my newsletter.

This time of year has a way of stirring things up… schedules shift, routines break, and suddenly the cracks in your strategy (or your sanity) start showing.

I’ve been sitting with something I think more founders (and people in general) need to hear: sometimes the smartest move isn’t to push harder. It’s to pause.

This month’s note is inspired by The Setback Cycle by Amy Shoenthal, a book that reframes setbacks not as detours, but as critical turning points. If you’ve been feeling stuck, stalled, or just over it… you are not behind or alone. You might just be at the start of something new.

Also, heads up, starting this month, the full blog post is included right here in the newsletter. If you prefer to read it on the website you can find it here.

Let’s make this mess useful.

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🧪Alchemy Notes

This month’s featured post:
Moving Fast? You Might Be Missing the Point.

School’s almost out up here in the PNW… again. And somehow, this year evaporated… again.

Summer brings more daylight, less structure, and CEO-level logistics: booking camps in January, negotiating grandparent time, and trying to manufacture “relaxed” instead of “overbooked.”

Last year, we sent our daughter to visit her grandparents before day camp season kicked off. It felt like a win. This year? Same chaos, minus Gulliver.

Gulliver, our elderly, beloved, and highly opinionated house bunny, passed away on Mother’s Day. (I wrote a little tribute to him here. He earned it.) He was my excuse to stay close to home and skip spontaneity. His absence this summer is a strange kind of space: part grief, part permission slip. Funny how loss unlocks a dozen new choices you didn’t want.

Transitions rarely ask permission. Sometimes they creep in quietly. Other times, they drag grief and guilt behind them. Either way, they don’t wait for your spreadsheet to catch up. Many times, they don’t even feel like a new beginning. And, whether we are talking about family life or business strategy, we rarely get to plan them neatly. 

Which brings me back to a book that’s stuck with me: The Setback Cycle by Amy Shoenthal.

The Setback Cycle: A Survival Guide Disguised as a Business Book

In The Setback Cycle, Amy Shoenthal reframes setbacks not as something to rush past, but as inflection points. Sometimes the pause is the path forward.

She offers a framework for what to do when things fall apart (or just stall out), and how to turn the “what now?” into your next move. This book reminded me that:

• Career zigzags are usually where the gold is (even if it doesn’t feel that way).

• Waiting isn’t failure. Sometimes it’s strategy in disguise.

• The best ideas usually show up late and uninvited.

It hit especially hard because I’ve lived this rhythm before. After nearly two decades in finance and operations for global brands, I’ve seen how easily teams can sprint past clarity in the name of momentum. Now, I help growth-stage founders translate complexity into clarity so they can avoid that trap.

Slowing down isn’t quitting. It’s often the smartest move on the table. You don’t need more to-dos. You need someone who can translate your financials into something useful… like a decision.

Strategic Pause > Constant Hustle

Let’s get something straight. Pausing does not mean giving up. It means pulling over long enough to ask yourself if you are even heading in the right direction… or just really fast towards a wall. 

Ask yourself:

• Do my numbers help me make decisions, or do they just sit there looking smug?

• Is our strategy actually aligned with where we want to go?

• Is my team still structured for last year’s goals?

If you are feeling like a “maybe?” or an “ugh, I should know that,” congratulations. That’s the starting line for getting unstuck.

So, Why Does Any of This Matter?

Because most businesses don’t stall from lack of effort.

They stall when the plan stops making sense, and no one pauses long enough to notice.

Summer gives you a window to slow down without losing momentum.

Use it. Take a breath. Look at your numbers. Ask better questions. Make fewer, smarter moves.

This isn’t about taking time off. It’s about taking time seriously.

Final Thoughts

For most adults, summer isn’t a break. It’s a blur of half-working days, snack requests (from kids or your own stressed-out brain), and low-key existential business crises. But it can also be a great time to pause, reflect, and make a smarter plan.

Pause. Look around. Then get back to it with actual clarity.

Ready to trade chaos for clarity? I turn financial noise into strategy. Let’s talk.

📚The Alchemist’s Bookshelf

Why these books made the cut:
I don’t recommend just anything. These are titles I’ve read, loved, and still think about. Some links are affiliate, which helps support this newsletter, at no extra cost to you.

✨Read of the Month: The Setback Cycle by Amy Shoenthal

Shoenthal gets it… setbacks aren’t detours, they are strategy cues. If you’ve ever white-knuckled your way through burnout or tried to spreadsheet your way out of a career stall, this book will feel uncomfortably familiar (in a good way).

It’s part survival guide, part strategic reboot. You’ll walk away with a new way to look at what’s not working, and a better plan for what comes next.

📖More picks for whatever phase you are in:

• Summertime beach read, with a little midlife rage:

  🔆The Change by Kirsten Miller

  Feminist revenge and witchy vibes.

• For a different vision of the future:

  🌍Abundance by Ezra Klein and Derek Thompson

  A practical, hopeful alternative to our current scarcity-obsessed mindset.

• For Pride Month:

  🏳️‍🌈Under the Whispering Door by T.J. Klune

  Found family, second chances, and tender queer joy.

• For when your brain needs a rom-com:

  💘The Bodyguard by Katherine Center

  She’s the bodyguard. He’s the client. Everyone’s confused, including your heart.

• For fairy tale lovers with rage issues:

  🗡Damsel by Evelyn Skye

  Trust me… way better than the Netflix movie.

• For Great Outdoors Month:

  ⛰Wild by Cheryl Strayed

  Because sometimes you need to hike through a meltdown to get to the clarity.

📚 P.S. I read a lot… across strategy, memoir, psychology, and the occasional 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).

⚗️Potion Shelf Pick

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.

Still on my favorites list: Armoire

Yes, I’m mentioning it again… because it’s still saving me from wardrobe decision fatigue whenever I need to look like I have my act together. If you’ve seen me in person in recent months chances are at least part of my outfit was rented.

Armoire is a clothing rental service with curated, high-quality pieces that actually fit your style (and your life). Great for travel wardrobes, seasonal swap-outs, or just keeping things fresh when you’re short on closet space. I love being able to try new things every month without the commitment (or the clutter).

Try Armoire here (referral link—means you get a discount and I get a little credit).

💡 Coming Soon

Last month’s blog was all about why KPIs might matter more for small and mid-sized businesses, not less. (If you missed it, you can catch up here.)

I’m still working on that free KPI starter guide to help you focus on the numbers that actually matter in your business. It’s almost ready.

I’ll be sharing on Instagram and LinkedIn when it’s live. Follow along so you don’t miss it.

📣Let’s Stay Connected

Hi, I’m Tara, Founder and Chief Alchemist of Alchemy Advising. I help growing businesses untangle their finances, rethink pricing, and build smarter systems so they can scale without burning out.

With nearly 20 years in operations and finance, including FP&A leadership at brands like HOKA and UGG, I now work with founders and execs who need clarity, not just spreadsheets. From budgeting and forecasting to long-range planning and pricing strategy, I bring grounded financial insight that actually supports day-to-day decisions.

If this newsletter made you nod, pause, or breathe a little easier, here’s how to keep it going:

• 👉 Follow along on Instagram and LinkedIn for more insights, reads, and behind-the-scenes of Alchemy Advising.

• 📬 Know someone buried in metrics but starving for direction? Forward this to a founder or exec who needs strategic clarity, not just financial reports.

• 💬 Got thoughts? Hit reply. I read every message and yes, I care what you think.

• 📅 Curious about working together? Learn more at www.alchemyadvising.co.