Bearing It All: Vision & Voices with Michelle Savage

Discover how vulnerability, reinvention, and collaboration can transform business and life in Bearing It All with Kate Ginsberg and Michelle Savage.

In the fourth episode of Bearing It All, host Kate Ginsberg, founder and CEO of Queen of To Do, sits down with Michelle Savage, international bestselling author, keynote speaker, and founder of Sulit Press. Their conversation explores the power of starting over, building community-based businesses, and giving yourself permission to be both brilliant and still learning.

Episode 4: Polished and in Progress – Owning Your Story and

Asking for Help

Key themes discussed:

• Why being polished and a work-in-progress is not a contradiction

• How entrepreneurship often begins with intuition and evolves through trial

• Collaboration over competition in publishing and business

• The emotional labor behind storytelling and how to hold it with care

• Why accepting help isn’t weakness—it’s wisdom

What would happen if you allowed yourself to ask for help, share your story, and stop trying to hold everything alone? What if the thing you think makes you "too messy" is actually the most powerful part of your journey?

Kate and Michelle’s conversation is filled with laughter, deeply *deeply* relatable moments, and very solid advice. Awkward jokes and business epiphanies- these two 

Together, they talk about the publishing industry, the beauty of doing things before you’re ready, and how letting go of independence culture opens up space for true transformation.

 

A writer, publisher, and woman on a mission, Michelle’s work is as heart-driven as it is high-impact.

“You can be polished and still a work-in-progress. Those things don’t cancel each other out—they coexist in every great entrepreneur I know.”
—Michelle Savage

With more than a decade of experience guiding authors through the writing and publishing process, Michelle saw a critical need: a publishing space that values the author as much as the book. She created Sulit Press to fill that gap.

At Sulit, Michelle helps business owners, founders, and creatives go from “maybe someday” to published author—faster, smoother, and with the kind of personal support most hybrid publishers forget to offer.

Her motto? Every story deserves to be told—and told well.

Michelle Savage’s Mission to Elevate Women’s Stories

Michelle didn’t set out to run a publishing house. But after watching too many authors get lost in the hybrid publishing “book mill,” she realized she could create something better. Something more intentional. Something grounded in connection.

Sulit Press was born from this need to do things differently—with care, depth, and a woman-centered approach. Today, Michelle helps entrepreneurs and creatives step into authorship through solo and collaborative books that are equal parts: healing and empowering.

Introduction

Kate (00:18):
Hello, hello, and welcome to the Bearing It All podcast. I’m your host, Kate Ginsberg. Today I’m so excited to introduce you to the fantastic and engaging Michelle Savage—bestselling author, keynote speaker, and founder of Sulit Press, a boutique publishing house in Austin.

Michelle (00:48):
Thanks for having me, Kate! I never thought I’d run a publishing house, but I saw too many authors get left behind. I knew I could build something more supportive, something different.

The Intuition Behind a Business

Michelle (03:29):
I literally sat on my meditation cushion one morning and said, “Alright, you up there. What’s next?” And this message hit me: “Start a publishing house.” My first thought? “Nope. That sounds hard.” But I asked for clarity—and I got it.

Polished and In Progress

Michelle (11:28):
I just started my podcast and had to tell people, “Hey, I’m figuring this out!” You can be good at one thing and a total beginner at another. That doesn’t take away from your credibility. It makes you real.

Collaboration Over Competition

Michelle (15:45):
Even accomplished women feel nervous sharing their stories. There’s imposter syndrome, perfectionism. But we guide our authors gently through that. I teach a session called How to Write About Hard Things Without Blowing Up Your Life. That vulnerability is powerful.

Letting Yourself Be Helped

Michelle (31:32):
Yes! Asking for help doesn’t just support you—it gives other people the joy of helping. There’s even a name for it: the helper’s high. It’s a gift for everyone involved.

Kate (33:00):
When my husband was in cancer treatment, I had two young kids and a business. I switched our house locks to a keypad so people could come help—drop off meals, do laundry, anything. That keypad was a game-changer. It was hard to accept help, but it saved me.

Key Takeaways

1. Being polished and a work-in-progress can coexist – You don’t need to be perfect to start something meaningful.

2. Your story is powerful, even when it’s messy – Vulnerability invites connection, not judgment.

3. You’re not meant to do it all alone – Collaboration creates stronger businesses and happier lives.

4. Help is strength, not weakness – Receiving support opens up room to grow.

5. Build from values, not expectations – Let your gut, not outside pressure, guide your business.

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Stay tuned for future episodes, behind-the-scenes moments, and more real talk from humans making big moves with full hearts.