She hiked 2,000 miles to find clarity—and used it to build a better business

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I didn’t set out to create a new offer.

I just wanted to understand why so many brilliant entrepreneurs—myself included—felt invisible, even after doing incredible work.

Then I heard Myron Golden say:
“An ounce of proof is worth 10,000 pounds of promise.”

And everything clicked.

We’ve been told to “just keep showing up.”
But showing up isn’t enough if no one sees what you’ve actually done.

So I created Wildly Known—a 5-day brand sprint that helps you turn your quiet credibility into visible, magnetic proof.

No hype. No reinvention. Just clear, powerful content that shows what’s already true about you.

If you're ready to stop being the best-kept secret, this is for you.
No sales page yet—just a short application form if you’re curious.

Now speaking of clarity and walking away from the noise...

This week’s feature is about someone who literally walked thousands of miles to find what truly matters—and built a business that reflects it.

Meet Amelia Ellenstein: brand strategist, long-distance hiker, river paddler, and quiet powerhouse. Her journey from the C-suite to the Appalachian Trail will shift how you think about strategy, simplicity, and what makes a brand actually feel good.

How Amelia Ellenstein Hiked Away from Burnout and Built a Business That Actually Feels Good

It started, like a lot of entrepreneurial stories do, with a gut feeling.

Not a breakdown. Not a dramatic exit. Just a quiet moment of truth.

Amelia Ellenstein had spent two decades climbing the corporate ladder—earning the title, the salary, and the seat at the executive table. But somewhere in all those 60- to 80-hour weeks, she’d drifted.

One degree at a time, she moved away from the things that made her feel alive. And when she finally looked up, she realized she didn’t want the life she’d built. She wanted more adventure. More connection. More meaning.

So she and her husband sold the house. The car. The furniture. All of it.

And then they walked out the door.

From the C-Suite to the Appalachian Trail

When Amelia says she walked across America, she’s not speaking metaphorically.

She hiked the entire Appalachian Trail—from Georgia to Maine. All 2,193 miles of it. She wasn’t out to prove anything. She just needed to know what she was capable of.

The answer? A lot more than she thought.

Amelia had never thought of herself as an athlete. And maybe still doesn’t. But trail life has a way of shoving your limits in your face—and then daring you to move past them. She showed up for the blisters, the bears, the rain, and the relentless climbs. And in return, the trail gave her something corporate life never could: clarity.

She wasn’t just physically strong. She was mentally tough, resourceful, and wildly resilient.

Turns out, that kind of mindset carries over into entrepreneurship.

Lessons From the Trail—and the River

After the Appalachian Trail came a new challenge: paddling the entire Mississippi River. With zero experience.

She and her husband dropped a canoe into the headwaters in northern Minnesota—just 6 feet wide and 6 inches deep at the start—and didn’t stop until they hit the Gulf of Mexico.

That journey, Amelia says, taught her something entirely different. The trail taught her about her own strength. The river taught her about the strength of community.

Along the way, strangers fed them, housed them, welcomed them like old friends. They were called voyagers. People cheered them on.

In a time when headlines are full of cynicism and conflict, this trip was proof that kindness is still alive and well.

That sense of connection became a core value in Amelia’s work—helping leaders not just build brands, but build them around something real.

Adventure, Strategy, and the Business of Being Human

Amelia didn’t just pivot into any business. She became a brand strategist—one who helps founders, CEOs, and solopreneurs build businesses that reflect their values.

But not in a fluffy, vague, “follow your passion” kind of way.

Her brand plan process has guided over 2,500 leaders to clarity by helping them express what matters most. It’s not just about what they do. It’s about how they do it—and why.

That “why” gets lost sometimes in the noise of productivity hacks and social media trends. But Amelia brings people back to the root.

Because your brand isn’t a color palette or a tagline. It’s a reflection of what you stand for—and how you show up in the world.

Simpler Life. Sharper Thinking. Better Business.

Trail life changed more than Amelia’s schedule—it changed her mindset.

When you live in a tent or paddle a river for weeks on end, you realize how little you actually need. Safe drinking water becomes a luxury. A warm meal is a gift. A clean pair of socks? Pure joy.

That perspective stripped away all the mental clutter.

And that minimalist lens shaped how she works today. She doesn’t believe in overcomplicating your offer, your message, or your calendar. She believes in saying less—but saying it better. Doing less—but doing it well.

That’s the kind of clarity she brings to her clients, too.

Process + Practice = Purpose

Amelia talks a lot about the balance between process and practice.

Process is the structure. The roadmap. The set of steps that helps you move forward. It’s essential.

But practice is where the meaning lives. It’s the reflective side. The connection to your values, your goals, your bigger picture.

Most entrepreneurs swing too far to one side or the other. Too much process and you burn out. Too much practice and you never get traction.

Amelia teaches both. Because fulfillment comes from the combination—not the extremes.

Walking as a Business Strategy

Every day, Amelia walks. Doesn’t matter if she’s in a desert, a city, or a campground.

She straps on a backpack and gets moving.

Sometimes, the walks are for physical strength—she and her husband train with weighted packs. But most days, they’re for mental clarity. For brainstorming. For untangling tough ideas.

“If our feet are moving, our mouths are moving,” she says. That’s how they work out their business ideas, test new strategies, and find creative solutions. It’s not separate from their work—it is their work.

Walking, she says, keeps her open. Less resistant. More curious.

Which just might be the best productivity hack out there.

You Don’t Need All the Steps—Just the First One

One of Amelia’s favorite reframes is this: You don’t need to see the whole path to get started.

When she left corporate, she had no idea how she’d build her business. She only knew the first couple of steps.

A mentor told her, “If you wait to know all ten steps, you’ll never start. Because steps three through ten don’t even exist yet. They only appear after you take the first two.”

That changed everything.

Because starting isn’t about confidence. It’s about curiosity. It’s about stepping forward with what you know—and letting the rest unfold.

Want a Business That Feels Like You?

If you’re ready to stop drifting and start building something that fits you, Amelia’s a great place to start.

Her approach is strategic, soulful, and shaped by every muddy mile she’s walked.

Connect with Amelia at ameliaellenstein.com

Speaking of Proof… For Amazon Sellers Only

What if there was a way to get your product in front of real people who actually care about what you’ve built—without violating Amazon’s TOS, begging friends for help, or crossing your fingers for social proof?

That’s exactly what I’m putting together.

I’m hosting a quick info session to share how you can feature your product at our next Product Discovery Club event—where real buyers show up to meet founders, hear their stories, and shop with heart.

🛍️ No shady tactics.
✅ Fully TOS-compliant.
🎯 Designed to spark real customer connections (and yes, usually some reviews too—but the organic kind Amazon loves).

Here’s what you’ll learn on the call:

• How the event works and what makes it different from other “promo parties”

• What buyers get (and why they show up)

• How you can apply to be a featured creator

• What’s included in the $250 founder showcase spot (it’s juicy—this won’t stay at that rate for long)

If you’re ready to show off your product in a way that builds trust and boosts traction, this might be your next best move.

🎉 Join me for the info session:
Friday, April 25 at 4 pm Eastern
https://us06web.zoom.us/j/87566201655?pwd=YLVka6mrd9qNNDDrl3W2Q69w1FJdLE.1

Can’t wait to show you what we’re building!

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