"Cringe, Fear, and Failure Are Inevitable—Embrace Them.” | Meet Grace Lemire, the Marketing Maverick Redefining Success

Grace Lemire graduated college with a degree in human rights but desired a career with more time and location freedom. So instead of heading to law school, she launched her freelance marketing business–a 6-figure company just 3 years later. She creates content on social media and co-hosts a podcast, both designed to help women create a life they love.

Miss EmpowHer: What does women's empowerment mean to you? Why is it important?

Grace Lemire: Women empowerment is everything. I've always said as humans, all we've got are each other–we've got to work together to ensure one another feels supported, empowered, and welcomed. As a woman, there's just something special about encouraging another woman. And it creates a ripple effect–when one person feels uplifted, they tend to uplift others, creating a better world overall.

Miss EmpowHer: What advice would you give to other women looking to succeed in your industry? What qualities are the most important and what skills should they focus on developing?

Grace Lemire: I would say just go for it. Know that cringe, fear, and failure are inevitable in the journey to success. If I stopped the first time I felt cringey or scared, I wouldn't have made it past the first day in anything I do (freelancing, content, podcasting, etc.).

The most important qualities to succeeding in owning an online business in general are:

1. Unwavering curiosity → Be open to learning always.

2. A bias toward action → When you're confused, frustrated, etc. look for solutions.

3. Self-trust → Learn to trust that the vision of what can be has been placed on your heart and mind for a reason. There's a million-and-one jobs/businesses/etc you've never had cross your mind. The one that has is there because it's possible for you to achieve. Trust in that and use it to motivate and fuel you.

Miss EmpowHer: Tell us about a woman who has influenced your career and how their guidance has impacted your professional growth.

Grace Lemire: I met one of my closest friends Tarynn in a business coaching program 2.5 years ago. We connected instantly, and it was as if we had known each other forever.?She has a profound sense of self-trust, always having such an incredible sense of peace when one door closes because she trusts that another one is about to open. When we met, I was about 9 months into freelancing and hedging on starting my social media pages. I clung to opportunities that didn't serve me–and more accurately, disrespected, frustrated, and exhausted me. She helped me see that success ≠ working yourself to the bone. Success doesn't come from taking on any and all opportunities in the name of having a full schedule. It comes from an unwavering belief in the vision you have and the self-trust to say "this doesn't fit the vision, but something that does is on its way and I will wait for it.” That has made an immense impact on my professional growth and the trajectory of my business.

Miss EmpowHer: How do you handle work-related stress and pressure, and what techniques or practices do you use to maintain your well-being while pursuing a successful career?

Grace Lemire: I'm a big fan of therapy. Having an outside source to discuss the pressures with is amazing. I've also been intentional about nurturing friendships with other entrepreneurs. They understand what you're going through very well and provide a lot of support. I also journal, write a gratitude list, and practice affirmations every single day. It helps me reflect on my day, focus on the good, and rewire any limiting beliefs I may have around self-imposed pressure or beliefs that lead me to catastrophize and let minor things become more stressful.

Miss EmpowHer: Can you share any lessons or insights you have gained from failures or setbacks in your career, and how you have turned them into opportunities for growth and learning?

Grace Lemire: One of my biggest "I'm failing" moments came from a month 2 years ago where I fired 3 clients in the same month, slashing my revenue in half. The 3 clients were disrespectful to me and other members on the team, but I clung to them because of the revenue it generated. I felt like I had failed and wasn't sure how I'd recover. The next month was my highest income month up to that point. It was eye-opening and made me realize that if you cling to what doesn't serve you, there will be no room for what does. Trust yourself, create space, and let the right things flow in.

"It was eye-opening and made me realize that if you cling to what doesn't serve you, there will be no room for what does. Trust yourself, create space, and let the right things flow in."

Miss EmpowHer: Can you share any strategies or tips for building a successful network and fostering meaningful professional relationships that have helped you in your career?

Grace Lemire: Connect with people on LinkedIn that you think are doing cool things–it's literally that simple. Some of my clients have come from doing this.I simply find someone I think is doing something cool or interesting. I shoot them a LinkedIn connect and message saying something like "Hey! Love what you're working on at [xyz company]. [one sentence about why I love it].Let me know how I can support."?I've gotten on several calls with incredible people this way, just by coming from a genuine place of wanting to support what they're working on.

Miss EmpowHer: What strategies or tactics do you use for setting and achieving your career goals, and how do you stay motivated and focused on your objectives?

Grace Lemire: I approach goals a bit differently. I don't set specific metrics I want to reach or set timelines for achieving certain things for most goals. It stresses me out. Instead, I focus on the feeling. For example, I want to feel balanced and refreshed at 2pm, not exhausted. How can I create a work day that allows me to feel that way? Or, I want to feel excited when I create content. How can I shift my content to feel more aligned with who I am, so I'm more excited to post?

Miss EmpowHer: What motivated you to choose your current career field, and what do you find most fulfilling about your work?

Grace Lemire: I wanted a career with time and location freedom. I also wanted to be able to increase my income faster than in a traditional role.?I'm someone with many interests that change often. So instead of thinking "I enjoy doing XYZ, so I'll pursue a career in that," I said "What careers would allow me to have time and location freedom?" then "Which of those allow me to increase my income rapidly?" and then "Of those options, where do I want to start?” Freelance marketing was where I decided to start. Luckily, I've absolutely loved it. But I knew that if I didn't, I'd try something else that afforded me the life and freedom I desired. I find freelance marketing fulfilling because I get to help get someone else's dream (their product/service/company) in front of the right people. I find content creation fulfilling because I know the content I create inspires people, helps them shift their mindset, earn more, and just grow as a person.

Miss EmpowHer: Can you discuss any specific trends or changes in your industry that you see impacting careers, and how you are preparing to adapt to these changes?

Grace Lemire: I think AI has frightened a lot of freelance marketers and writers, but it hasn't scared me one bit. The industry will always change–it's about how you adapt. This might mean you need to shift your services, but it's better to come to terms with that now and start shifting your work than be behind the curve a few years down the line.

Miss EmpowHer: What advice do you have for individuals who are starting their careers or looking to make a career change, based on your own experiences and lessons learned?

Grace Lemire: Follow the true vision you have for your career, not the one you feel is practical. I once thought I could never become a content creator because it wasn't practical. I thought time and location freedom were so far-fetched, especially for such a young person. Yet here I am doing the dang thing in both regards.

Miss EmpowHer: How do you approach professional development and continuous learning to enhance your skills and stay relevant in your industry??

Grace Lemire: Make an effort to get yourself in rooms with people who are smarter than you in some way–a different industry, different skillset, further ahead in their career. You'll learn a ton this way and it's far more engaging than Googling around or taking a clunky Powerpoint training.

"Make an effort to get yourself in rooms with people who are smarter than you in some way–a different industry, different skillset, further ahead in their career."

Miss EmpowHer: Can you discuss any significant achievements or accomplishments in your career that you are particularly proud of and what you learned from those experiences?

Grace Lemire: Building my freelance marketing business to a point where it brings in 6-figures working less than full-time is something I'm proud of. Other than that, the messages I get from people on social media sharing how my content impacted them is something I'm immensely proud of. I want to show people what's possible, and seeing that happen is incredibly rewarding.

Miss EmpowHer: How do you balance your career ambitions with other aspects of your life, such as family, hobbies, and personal well-being?

Grace Lemire: I've built my business to a place where I work no more than 40 hours per week. Working remotely, I get more time back from not having to commute, so it's easy to plan time to exercise, see friends, etc. I've learned that I'm 100x more creative, efficient, and successful when I have that balance, so it's something I'm very realistic about and prioritize.

Miss EmpowHer: Are there any specific books, podcasts, email newsletters, thought leaders/influencers, or training courses/programs that you would recommend for personal or professional growth?

Grace Lemire:

- Amanda Frances' book Rich as F*ck changed my money mindset.

- $100M Offers by Alex Hormozi is an incredible read if you sell a product/service.

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