Justine Froelker: Are You Leading Without Losing Yourself?

21st Century Entrepreneurship

Justine Froelker is a therapist-turned-speaker who helps entrepreneurs and leaders build what she calls “cultures of courage”—in life, business, and leadership. We spoke about the emotional cost of entrepreneurship, the myths of self-care, and the five essential pathways to courageous living. If you’ve ever felt burnt out while chasing your dream, or struggled to lead with both strength and authenticity, this episode is for you.

Justine shares why so many high-performers neglect the very thing that makes performance sustainable: themselves. “We tend to never put ourselves—the care of ourselves—first,” she says. “And I’m going to come back every single time… you cannot give what you do not have.”

Throughout our conversation, she outlines her Five Pathways of Courage—a framework born from decades of therapy work and corporate training—designed to help people not just survive their business journey, but live and lead well. We unpack topics like:

• Why emotional regulation is an entrepreneurial superpower
• The difference between values, beliefs, and identity—and why mixing them up leads to disconnection
• Why self-care isn’t about candles or baths but about boundaries and follow-through
• What it means to show up fully you in spaces that aren’t always safe
• How courage isn’t just in your head or heart—but “built between us”

One of the most memorable moments comes when she reframes what leadership looks like today:

“You can be a very vulnerable leader and your people still not know everything about you… Maybe you’re just vulnerable with how hard it is to lead these days.”

Justine also opens up about leaving a successful private therapy practice to launch a speaking business, driven by a mission larger than revenue:

“To create a space where people remember how loved they are—and then teach them how to live from that love.”

Key Takeaways:

• Feel it all: Emotional literacy is the foundation of courageous leadership.
• Embody again: Show up and follow through for yourself—not just others.
• Be fully you: Authenticity invites connection, and connection is where growth lives.
• Love others well: Empathy and accountability aren’t opposites—they’re partners.
• Do the work: Real change begins when we rewrite the old stories we live by.

Whether you’re leading a team or building your dream solo, this episode is a timely reminder: courage isn’t something you have or don’t—it’s something you build.