This one’s special. Today on patchperfect, I’m joined by my friend Fran, a marketing leader, spin and pilates instructor, and one of the most quietly resilient people I know, to talk about something we rarely hear discussed in high-performance spaces: grief.

Fran lost both of her parents before turning 30, all while building a high-impact career in tech (Meta, Shopify, X…just to name a few). We talk about what it’s really like to show up to meetings, meet deadlines, and perform in fast-paced, high-achieving cultures when your personal world is quietly falling apart.

We get into:

• How grief reshapes your relationship with ambition
• Why “I see you” hits harder than “I’m sorry”
• The invisible full-time job of estate paperwork, taxes, and admin
• Nervous system regulation 101 (spoiler: no Zara lighting allowed)
• Movement as medicine, even if you were picked last in gym class

And in the lifestyle segment, we talk about the quiet rituals that help Fran reconnect with herself. 5AM mornings, intentional outfits, white noise, magnesium lotion, and why showing up to a workout class can spark more than just a sweat. Sometimes it’s the beginning of feeling like yourself again. This episode is for anyone holding it together while falling apart inside.

For anyone processing loss while trying to stay high-functioning. And for anyone looking for soft ways to feel human again.