At the Women in Retail Leadership Summit earlier this year, author, speaker and entrepreneur Jen Hatmaker delivered a candid keynote about navigating upheaval — personally and professionally — and emerging from it with a stronger sense of self.

In a session titled “Reimagine Your Path: Leading Through Change and Challenge,” Hatmaker drew from the collapse of her 26-year marriage, the simultaneous restructuring of her business and nonprofit organization, and the rebuilding process that followed. Her message to Summit attendees was that disruption is inevitable; what matters is how leaders respond to it.

“The question is definitely not, ‘Will I have to navigate unexpected change?’” Hatmaker said. “The question is, ‘How will I navigate unexpected change?’”

Hold Your Center

Hatmaker’s first piece of advice was seemingly simple: “Hold your center.”

During periods of upheaval, Hatmaker encourages leaders to resist panic, shortcuts and reactions that compromise their values. Instead, good character should serve as a North Star, accompanied by authenticity and vulnerability.

That approach has shaped Hatmaker’s career. Rather than carefully manufacturing a personal brand, she has built a community by sharing the messy realities of her life. That authenticity proved particularly valuable when her marriage ended publicly.

“When you lead with vulnerability and humanity, what happens is that your business grows deep, sturdy roots,” Hatmaker said. “Let them see your scars. Let them see your tenderness. Let them see your heart. Be honest about your mistakes.”

For retail leaders managing organizations through uncertainty, Hatmaker’s lesson was clear: trust built before a crisis becomes an asset during one.

Build a Culture of Generosity

Hatmaker’s second leadership tip focused on creating a culture of generosity, both inside and outside of the organization. She pointed to Texas grocer H-E-B as an example of outward-facing generosity, highlighting the company’s long history of supporting food banks and responding to natural disasters in its home state. That consistent investment in Texas communities, Hatmaker said, has produced extraordinary customer loyalty.

Generosity matters among peers as well. Hatmaker challenged the idea that another woman’s advancement somehow reduces opportunities for everyone else. She recalled feeling jealous when an acquaintance landed an extraordinary book deal after Hatmaker had spent years struggling to establish her own writing career. Recognizing that reaction as inconsistent with her values, Hatmaker deliberately began celebrating other women’s achievements.

“Your sister’s success doesn’t diminish yours,” Hatmaker told attendees. “We’re the boats in the harbor of women, and a rising tide lifts every single one of us.”

Hatmaker’s challenge to women leaders was to make generosity a habit — celebrating colleagues, developing employees, and creating cultures in which people actively help one another succeed.

‘Mother Yourself’

Hatmaker’s final lesson turned inward. During therapy following her divorce, her therapist asked a question that initially puzzled her: What would it look like to “mother yourself”?

Hatmaker eventually understood the question as an invitation to apply the same care to herself that she instinctively offered others. That lesson carries particular relevance for leaders conditioned to equate commitment with relentless productivity.

“We cannot lead a meaningful business or a meaningful life while completely abandoning ourselves,” noted Hatmaker.

Self-care also means not being afraid to ask for help. Leaders shouldn’t assume that vulnerability diminishes authority or that they must shoulder difficult experiences alone. Inviting trusted people into challenges is essential to long-term resilience and creativity, Hatmaker advised.

Reimagining What Comes Next

Hatmaker acknowledged that authenticity, vulnerability and generosity don’t come without costs. However, she argued that losing oneself in pursuit of leadership or success carries a much steeper price.

“I submit that self-erasure is more costly,” Hatmaker said.

Nearly six years after believing she might never be happy again, Hatmaker told attendees she feels more alive and optimistic about the next chapter of her life.

Her closing message transformed her personal story into a broader call for women to claim agency over what comes next, whether in their career or personal life: “We do recover. We can rebuild. We can reimagine.”