We recently had the chance to connect with Karin Freeland and have shared our conversation below.
Karin, so good to connect and we’re excited to share your story and insights with our audience. There’s a ton to learn from your story, but let’s start with a warm up before we get into the heart of the interview. What are you being called to do now, that you may have been afraid of before?
That’s such an interesting question and one that I don’t think a lot of people discuss. I’m all about reinvention, so there isn’t much I’m afraid of in life. Leave behind a six-figure salary to start a business? Check. Write a book and start a podcast? Check. Launch a speaking career and find time to volunteer? Check. I’m used to taking massive action and making bold pivots.
But lately, I would classify my transformation as a season of quiet reinvention. There have been subtle changes on the inside that most people in my life wouldn’t even know are happening. And what I’ve found in this season is that I’m being asked to surrender my plans and be obedient to God.
In the past, I was always scared to do that because I was chasing society’s version of success. I felt I had to perform and reach some invisible trophy in my business. But for the first time, I’m letting go of the reigns and trusting God completely with my path. It’s funny because, thus far, it has been a much easier journey for me. I’m getting to experience so many new things that I probably would’ve missed out on if I was still trying to control every aspect of my life and business. Plus, I feel less pressure and more peace in my day-to-day life. (And who doesn’t want that?!)
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
I’m a Speaker, Award-Winning Author, and certified Life Coach. My passion is helping high-achieving women transform their lives and careers so they can pursue their biggest, boldest dreams with confidence. Through my coaching programs and signature EDIT Methodology™, I guide women through a powerful four-step process (Envision, Document, Invest, and Take Action) to uncover their purpose and create a career path that feels aligned, meaningful, and enjoyable.
Today, my favorite work is helping women make an Empowered Exit™ from their six-figure corporate roles into entrepreneurship. As a former breadwinner myself, I understand the fears and mindset shifts that come with walking away from a title, a steady paycheck, and an identity you’ve held for years. Supporting women as they realize they can provide for their families and build a fulfilling business of their own is truly one of the most rewarding parts of what I do.
I’m also the host of Rock Your Reinvention, a weekly podcast dedicated to helping women rethink what’s possible in their careers and lives. Launched in 2023, the show has become a place where I share strategies, personal lessons, and real conversations with women who have left corporate. What I love most is that the podcast grows alongside my own journey—it’s an evolving, honest space for women who are ready to reinvent.
In addition to my coaching and speaking work, I recently stepped into the role of Ministry Coordinator at Switch, a faith-based non-profit working to end sex trafficking in Upstate South Carolina. It’s deeply meaningful work, and I’m honored to support an organization bringing light, hope, and restoration to survivors in our region.
Whether I’m coaching, speaking on stage, podcasting, or serving in ministry, my mission remains the same: to help women step boldly into the purpose they were created for and build a life they’re proud to wake up to every single day.
Amazing, so let’s take a moment to go back in time. Who were you before the world told you who you had to be?
Ha! I can see it now! One of my favorite pictures from when I was younger came to mind when you asked that question. It’s me on roller skates, wearing a dress, and having the time of my life. I mean, who wears patent leather shoes and tights to roller skate? It wasn’t at all practical but that was me! I actually use that picture in my presentation, Creating Unshakeable Confidence. I always open with the question, “Does that girl look like she needs confidence?” The audience always shouts back, “No.” Of course I didn’t. Confidence was innate. I was carefree, comfortable in my skin, excited about what life had to offer. I think most of us were that way when we were younger.
But then life happens. We learn that certain behaviors aren’t cool, or that we have to be more ladylike, or we are shamed for our emotions, so we bottle things up. I remember in eighth grade I was labeled the problem child by several teachers and they called my parents in for a meeting one evening. The teachers took turns telling my parents all the things that were “wrong” with me. Being too loquacious was at the top of the list. “I’ll show them! I won’t talk at all.” I remember shutting down for the rest of the year; I made it my mission to be as quiet as I could in their classes.
It’s a shame though because it’s my speaking that typically earns me the most money. I just didn’t know how to harness my love for talking back then. I wonder how things would’ve been different if those teachers had seen my talkative nature as a gift and helped me use it more effectively. We’ll never know, but I try to be mindful of that as I raise my children and when I’m coaching my clients.
When did you stop hiding your pain and start using it as power?
For a long time, I carried my pain quietly. I spent four years suffering in silence, feeling stuck, frustrated, and unsure of how to break free from the life I had built. In my book Grab Life by the Dreams, I open up about that season and how deeply it affected me. Like many women, it took back-to-back deaths in my family to shake me awake. It forced me to ask myself hard questions about purpose, fulfillment, and what I was doing with the one life God was giving me.
Even then, I didn’t immediately share what I was going through. I tried to push through, to keep performing, to keep the image together. After all, that was adulting, right? It wasn’t until my corporate layoff in 2020 that something shifted. Suddenly, I had nothing left to hide behind. And instead of letting that moment break me, I chose to let it remake me.
That’s when I started boldly sharing my reinvention journey publicly, honestly, and without apology. What began as me owning my story has now become the core of my work. I’ve built an entire brand around helping women transform their pain into purpose and their struggles into strength. It’s the most meaningful work I’ve ever done, and every time I see another woman rise because I was willing to go first, it reminds me why I stopped hiding.
I think our readers would appreciate hearing more about your values and what you think matters in life and career, etc. So our next question is along those lines. Is the public version of you the real you?
Oh, that’s a tough one. I’m wrestling with perimenopause at the moment, which means mood swings galore, so I try not to let the real me out too much. For real, no one prepared me for perimenopause. We really need a national movement to create more awareness.
Kidding aside, I would say for the first time, since I was that little girl on roller skates, the public version of me is 90% accurate. I’ve always been a pretty direct, what you see is what you get, straight shooter type of woman. But I’m actively working on getting it to be 100% in sync with who I am behind the scenes.
As I’ve gone through my quiet reinvention, my faith has become more instrumental in my life and business than ever. But I have always operated in very secular environments. No one brings faith into the board meeting at a Fortune 500 tech company. It wasn’t part of my DNA. But back in January I made a hold move and consecrated my business to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, which basically means I made Him CEO and I got demoted. I’m still finding my footing with expressing my faith externally and finding the right balance for me and my clients. Then in August when I joined Switch, I was thrust into the non-profit world and found that faith was the fuel for many of these organizations. It’s been so refreshing, and I feel like I can bring my whole self to everything I do.
The one thing I know is that it’s better for us to be our authentic selves, because it’s exhausting when you have to put on a mask or hide behind your values. As I surround myself with more leaders and business owners who are sharing their faith, I’m emboldened to do the same. And while I’m speaking about faith, you can really apply that concept to anything. If you want to start a business, surround yourself with entrepreneurs. If you want to be an author, hang out with people who write.
Okay, we’ve made it essentially to the end. One last question before you go. If you knew you had 10 years left, what would you stop doing immediately?
Waiting… waiting to go to the Amalfi Coast, waiting to go on a girl’s trip with my friends, waiting to share my faith unapologetically, waiting to go on another silent retreat, waiting to start another business. You get the picture. We all assume we have more time but tomorrow really isn’t promised. I try not to put things off, but I definitely have a bucket list that I want to check off. If I only had 10 years left, that would be the first thing I’d bring to fruition.
Oh, and I would definitely delete all of my social media accounts. I actually deleted my X account last week. I only use social media for my business, so if I had 10 years left, I would just take clients by referral or personal invite. Scrolling and being on social would take up too much of my precious time!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.karinfreeland.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/karinfreeland/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/karinfreelandaviles/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/karin.freeland
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCo7biPzje7hyzfnByoXk_yQ
- Other: Podcast: www.karinfreeland.com/podcast
Image Credits
Yolanda Perez
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