Bearing It All Ep 6: Courage, Identity & Execution with Heather Emerson

Discover how fear, grief, and bravery shaped a new chapter for multi-awarded entrepreneur Heather Emerson, founder of Offshore Launch. 

In Episode 6 of Bearing It All, Kate Ginsberg, founder and CEO of Queen of To Do, sits down with Heather Emerson, award-winning entrepreneur and founder of Offshore Launch, for a candid conversation about what it really takes to rebuild after success.

Heather shares her journey from closing a multimillion-dollar company to starting a new venture while navigating pregnancy, identity shifts, and fear. They unpack what it means to be women leading with integrity in a world that often prioritizes speed over substance.

Episode 6: Courage, Identity & Execution: Starting Over After Success

The power of sharing your story, embracing pivots, and leading with integrity

• How a meal delivery service during the pandemic sparked an entirely new company

• What it takes to rebuild after identity loss, grief, and business closure

• Why Offshore Launch champions execution over secrecy and gatekeeping

• Navigating entrepreneurship while pregnant and staying aligned with your values

Listeners are encouraged to reflect on their resilience: What is fear keeping you from pursuing? And what version of you could emerge if you went all in?

• How COVID forced business pivots and unexpected innovation

• Why grief and identity loss are part of the entrepreneurial journey

• The myth of the “perfect hire” and what clients need

• Redefining leadership with honesty, integrity, and bravery

• How to lead a team by admitting when something’s not working

 

 

Fear as a Roadmap.

“I didn’t want to do this business. But once I wrote down that fear was the only thing holding me back. I knew I had to.”

— Heather Emerson

Origin Story: Founding Offshore Launch

Heather (01:28): “It was kind of accidental… my experience during COVID was unusual because we were considered essential. We were scared, but we had to keep going; this was our livelihood.”

Heather shares how running a meal delivery business during the pandemic led her and her husband to experiment with international hiring. As needs shifted and margins shrank, they leaned into virtual staffing, without realizing it would become their next big move.

Letting Go of Perfectionism & Control

Heather (7:23): “I didn’t want to do this business. But once I wrote down that fear was the only thing holding me back, I knew I had to.”

After the closure of her previous company, Heather grieved a business that had defined her. It wasn’t until she reflected on the kind of mother and leader she wanted to be, brave & values-led, that she gave herself permission to pursue Offshore Launch fully.

Execution Over Ideas

Heather (11:35): “The advice I disagree with? ‘Don’t share your ideas.’ We’re in the era of idea overload. It’s not about the idea, it’s about the execution.”

Heather and Kate discuss outdated entrepreneurial advice, like gatekeeping business ideas. They advocate for a new era of entrepreneurship, one rooted in transparency, shared knowledge, and the collective rise of women in business.

Leading with Integrity

Kate (19:05): “Seeing our values reflected in a company we do business with was validating. You showed up with integrity, and that meant everything.”

After encountering a misaligned assistant placement, Kate recalls how Heather immediately took ownership, reassessed, and made it right. It was a reminder that great leadership isn’t about never messing up, it’s about how you respond when things go sideways.

Key Takeaways

• • Fear is often the roadmap

  • People-first leadership starts with humility

  • Execution matters more than ideas

  • Integrity is a competitive advantage

  • Share your knowledge: be a library, not a vault

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Guest Info: Heather Emerson is the founder of Offshore Launch, specializing in international virtual assistant placements. Connect with her on LinkedIn under Heather Emerson (Austin, TX).