Nancy Norelli
Retired North Carolina District Court Judge and NCBA Legal Practice Hall of Fame inductee
“After I filed to run for an open seat on the N.C. District Court, I discovered that I had a life-threatening tumor on my acoustic nerve that required highly specialized neurosurgery. The surgery left me deaf in my left ear and my face partially paralyzed. Campaigning with frequent speeches suddenly looked daunting! How would I explain my broken face? Fortunately, my advisor, Bob Cordle, told me to begin each speech: ‘You will notice that my face is a little crooked, and that is caused by a temporary surgical injury that will get better. But for the moment, enjoy one candidate who can only talk out of one side of her mouth!’ Voilà! Laughter followed.”
Donna Julian
Chief Venues Officer for Hornets Sports & Entertainment
“Trust your instincts and speak up sooner. Early in my career, I often waited until I had all the answers before sharing an idea or perspective. What I’ve learned is that your viewpoint has value long before you feel ‘ready.’ The sooner you contribute, ask questions and take a seat at the table, the faster you grow. A career is truly a journey. Along the way, there are peaks and valleys—lean into both. These are mile markers, which offer challenges but yield invaluable lessons. They build resilience, empowerment and capacity. Stepping forward and embracing uncomfortable moments with vigor produces the confidence needed to boldly move ahead with strength of purpose as you navigate the journey.”
DeeDee Dalrymple
Author, speaker, mother and founder of Effortless Entertaining
“My biggest parenting fail was trying to be in control with three children so close in age. Chaos was the norm. Our home and our children were not going to be tidy. Life was going to be messy. I wasted too much time trying to control it all. Now I tell the younger, thirty-something women I work with, that you’ve got to let some of that stuff go. Sure, we want to keep our homes organized, and we don’t want our kids running around in dirty clothes, but you will not pass this way again, so live in it and enjoy it. I sweated the small stuff, and I’d like to get some of that time back.”
Molly Barker
Founder of Girls on the Run International
“I had to unlearn the idea that being a ‘good person’ included people-pleasing. For a long time, I thought my job was to make sure everyone around me was comfortable, proud of me and happy with my choices. That’s exhausting work—and it slowly disconnected me from my own voice. Over time, I realized leadership doesn’t come from trying to impress people. It comes from listening inward and being willing to live from that place, even when it disappoints someone else. The more I’ve practiced that kind of honesty, the more useful—and more peaceful—my life has become.”
Michelle Tunno-Buelow
CEO of Bella Tunno
“I’ve learned that not every problem deserves my emotional energy. Early on, every issue felt urgent and personal, like it required my full attention and stress level of a small crisis. Now I try to ask: Is this a real problem… or just a moment? Because if everything is a big deal, nothing is. If something felt uncomfortable or difficult, I used to assume I was off track. Now I know: hard often means you’re exactly where you’re supposed to be—learning, stretching, building something that doesn’t come easy. Easy is nice. Growth is usually not.”
Kathy Izard
Award-winning author and speaker
“You have to let go of who you are to become who you were always meant to be. If you are dreaming of a different kind of life—whether that is a job, a move or a creative pursuit—you have to start moving in the direction you want to see your life going. You will not have a roadmap or a guaranteed certainty of the outcome. But if you are feeling stuck where you are, make one small, brave step each week. Before long, you will be able to see the shore of the new life that’s been waiting for you all along.”
"What I’ve learned is that your viewpoint has value long before you feel ‘ready.’ The sooner you contribute, ask questions and take a seat at the table, the faster you grow." -DONNA JULIAN