On this week’s podcast, I had the pleasure of speaking with Dr. Michele Rice-Kirkwood, a strategic business advisor and certified exit planning advisor who helps business owners build value and create options to scale, step back, or exit on their own terms. Our conversation explored what it really means to face an unexpected business transition, the identity shift that follows, and how to rebuild a life with intention on the other side.
When the Plan Changes Without Warning
Michele spent 38 years in the McDonald’s system, including 24 years as a multi-unit franchise owner. What began as a family business became her life’s work. But toward the latter part of her career, a prolonged legal battle forced her into a decision she never planned to make: selling the business.
She described what it was like to suddenly have limited options. Continue a costly and exhausting fight, or step away from everything she had built.
Ultimately, she chose to sell—not because it was easy, but because it was the path that aligned with how she wanted to live.
Her experience now shapes the work she does today: helping business owners plan ahead so they have real choices when it matters most.
The Hidden Reality of Letting Go
What Michele didn’t anticipate was the depth of the loss that followed.
Selling the business wasn’t just a financial or operational decision. It was the loss of identity. For decades, her sense of self had been tied to being a business owner, a leader, and part of something she helped build from the ground up.
After the sale, she found herself asking a question many people face in moments of transition:
Who am I without this?
She spoke candidly about the grief that followed, including the period of feeling stuck, questioning what had happened, and trying to find her footing again.
Moving Through Grief Instead of Around It
What helped Michele begin to move forward was not pushing past the emotions, but allowing herself to fully experience them.
She intentionally created space each day to slow down and process what she was feeling through practices like journaling, meditation, prayer, and exercise.
One of the most important shifts she made was acknowledging that what she was experiencing was grief—and that it was valid.
She also made a conscious decision not to stay in a victim mindset. Instead, she began to consider that what had happened might be part of something larger, even if she didn’t yet understand it.
That shift allowed her to begin moving forward, one step at a time.
Listening to Intuition in Difficult Decisions
One of the defining moments in Michele’s story was choosing to trust her intuition.
Even before she had full clarity, she knew internally what the right decision was. It took time, conversations with her family, and support from those close to her to fully step into that decision.
Her mother’s response—simple and direct—gave her the final confirmation she needed: sometimes, you don’t have more options. You just have to move forward.
That moment reinforced something many business owners struggle with: trusting their internal knowing, even when the outcome is uncertain.
Slowing Down and Rediscovering Life
After years of operating at a high level, Michele found herself in a completely different rhythm.
For the first time in decades, she had space.
She began exploring what brought her joy—not what was productive, not what was required, but what genuinely felt good. From interior design projects to pickleball, reading, and simply walking through her neighborhood, she started reconnecting with parts of life she hadn’t had time for before.
One moment that stood out was realizing how much of her own environment she had missed while she was fully immersed in her business. Places, routines, and experiences that had always been there—but that she had never fully noticed.
This led to a powerful realization: without intention, it’s easy to miss your own life while building your work.
A Different Way to Build Going Forward
Michele shared that she may own another business in the future. But if she does, it will look different.
She spoke about the importance of having a “joy plan”—being intentional about what brings fulfillment, and making space for it alongside business growth.
Her perspective now is not just about building a successful business, but building a life that works as a whole.
Because success without presence comes at a cost.
Writing the Next Chapter
Michele closed with a message that applies far beyond business.
No matter what challenges, setbacks, or unexpected turns we face, as long as we are here, it is not the end of our story.
We always have the ability to write a new chapter.
It may not look the way we imagined. It may not unfold on our timeline. But step by step, something new can begin to take shape.
Learn more about Michele:
Dr. Michele Rice-Kirkwood is a strategic business advisor and certified exit planning advisor who helps business owners get clear, build real value, and create options to scale, step back, or exit on their terms.
With 38 years in the McDonald’s system, including 24 as a multi-unit franchise owner, she brings practical insight, real-world experience, and a deep understanding of what it takes to build a business that supports both growth and life beyond it.
Having navigated her own unexpected exit, Michele now helps others plan intentionally so they can move forward with clarity, choice, and confidence.
Get in touch with Michele:
Website ✧ LinkedIn ✧ Instagram
