This conversation with Kellie Grutko reveals what a purposeful pivot in midlife can look like when a woman finally claims every part of her story.
Every woman who joins our Kuel Life Thought Leader community brings her own spark, her own story, and her own brave truth. Kellie Grutko is no exception. She arrives with fire. Reinvention. Depth. And a midlife clarity that refuses to shrink, apologize, or follow anyone else’s definition of success.
This is not an introduction. This is a welcome to a woman who is rewriting what strength, identity, and purpose look like after 50. Meet Kellie.
Why A Purposeful Pivot in Midlife Matters Now:
Fast, Fierce, and True
1. What have you stopped apologizing for, and what changed once you did?
I stopped apologizing for my decision not to have children. For years, I felt the need to explain it to justify why I had chosen a different path. But once I truly accepted that I do not have to be a mother to live a deeply meaningful life, everything changed. I realized purpose does not come from a single role. It is found in how we show up for others and ourselves. That shift allowed me to pour my energy into mentoring, creating, and leading in ways that nurture differently through my work, friendships, and community. I stopped measuring my life by traditional expectations and started focusing on making everything I do truly count.
2. What truth do you say out loud that other women still whisper?
I do not have to be a corporate executive anymore to be successful. For years, my title was my identity. Senior Vice President, Global Marketing Leader. It defined how I saw myself. Stepping away from that world taught me that success wears many faces. Today, success means freedom, purpose, and the ability to make an impact in a way that feels authentic. It is not about climbing the ladder anymore. It is about helping other women discover their next step and redefine what success looks like for them.
3. What is a part of midlife you were never warned about, but wish someone had told you?
No one told me that even in midlife, after all the lessons and achievements, you can still feel uncertain about who you are. I expected clarity, but instead I found myself questioning everything from my direction to my identity. It can be unsettling, but I have learned that uncertainty is not something to fear. It is a sign that you are growing. Midlife is not about having it all figured out. It is about giving yourself permission to evolve, to rewrite your story, and to explore who you are becoming next.
4. What is a recent moment that made you feel fully alive?
This fall, I attended the American Cancer Society’s annual gala in Charlotte, an event that means a great deal to me. I have been part of the Executive Leadership Committee for four years, but this was the first year I hosted a table under my company, Purposeful Pivot. I filled that table with my closest friends, women who have stood beside me through every chapter, and the night was overflowing with laughter, love, and purpose.
The energy in the room was electric with live and silent auctions, heartfelt stories, incredible food, and a shared sense of hope. I felt alive in every sense of the word. Grateful to be surrounded by friends who were there not just to support a worthy cause, but to support me. Knowing my volunteer efforts helped advance cancer research and patient programs made it all even more meaningful.
5. Give us a midlife myth you are burning to the ground.
The myth that you cannot be as strong physically or mentally as you once were. I do not buy it. Strength does not fade. It evolves. It may look different than it did in my twenties, but it is deeper now, built from experience, resilience, and self-awareness. I have learned that midlife is the perfect time to rebuild strength from the inside out. It is not about chasing youth. It is about honoring the body and mind that have carried you this far and keeping them strong for whatever is ahead.
6. What made you say yes to adding your voice to Kuel Life, and what ripple do you hope to create?
I said yes because I see so many women navigating this stage of life quietly, balancing excitement and fear, curiosity and doubt, wondering if they are the only ones feeling it all. I wanted to be a voice that says, you are not alone. Through Purposeful Pivot, and now through Kuel Life, I hope to spark honest conversations that help women see midlife not as a decline but as a doorway. My ripple is about helping women show up fully with courage, authenticity, and the belief that their best chapters are still being written.
7. Tell us one thing you do for your body, mind, or pleasure that others might raise an eyebrow at, but you swear by.
I wake up at 4 a.m. every day. Part of it is practical because I have a 5:30 a.m. workout. Mostly it is because I love the quiet of those early hours. It is my sacred time before the world stirs. I sip my coffee, my dog curled up beside me, and ease into the day with intention. At 58, movement feels more important than ever. I do bootcamp three days a week, yoga twice, and a personal training session once. Some people think that is over the top, but for me, it is non negotiable.
On my 50th birthday, I competed in a Spartan Race, climbing walls, hauling buckets of rocks, crawling through mud. These days, I may not line up for something quite that grueling, but I like knowing I could if I wanted to. A strong body keeps the mind strong, and the two work hand in hand. Staying fit is not about vanity. It is about vitality, confidence, and fully participating in life on my own terms.
Going Deeper
8. What part of your story took the longest to own, and what helped you claim it?
It took me a long time to own the fact that I am no longer a corporate executive. For decades, my identity was tied to that world. The titles, the structure, the constant striving. When that chapter ended, I felt lost. I kept chasing the same validation I once found in my career until I finally realized I did not need an organization to define my worth.
What helped me claim that truth was a mix of frustration and freedom. Frustration when the old doors did not reopen, and freedom when I realized they were not meant to. That realization became the spark for Purposeful Pivot. I stopped asking who will hire me and started asking what am I here to create.
9. What is a radical boundary or decision you have made in the past five years that shifted everything?
I made the decision to take off my marketing executive blinders and see myself as someone capable of completely reinventing. It was both terrifying and liberating. Once I gave myself permission to evolve beyond my old title, I rediscovered joy. I started creating programs, workshops, and communities that light me up and help other women rediscover their spark, too. That single decision, to step out of the box that once defined me, changed everything. It allowed me to build a life that feels aligned, expansive, and entirely my own.
If Kellie’s story sparked something in you, explore more of her work and offerings at Purposeful Pivot at https://www.purposefulpivot.net/
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