( ENSPIRE Health & Wellness ) Kantor Leaves the Corporate World to Embark on a Journey of Personal Reinvention
ENSPIRE Contributor: Serena Chen
When a high-powered marketing executive steps away from the corporate world to pursue a more profound sense of purpose, what does it look like? Lenore Kantor, former FinTech executive and founder of Growth Warrior, did just that. After leading companies through IPOs and M&A deals, she realized success wasn’t just about external achievements, but also about authentic alignment. Now, Lenore is a transformational coach, speaker, and author who helps leaders, entrepreneurs, and professionals uncover their true calling.
Lenore blends practical business strategy with somatic, energy medicine, and modern Feng Shui to help individuals break through limiting beliefs and create meaningful impact. Her approach is different from traditional coaching in that she uses the many lineages and ancient traditions that have inspired her work to help individuals break free from the patterns and societal expectations holding them back. This holistic, purpose-driven mindset reflects ENSPIRE’s mission to spotlight changemakers creating positive, transformative shifts in their communities and beyond. Lenore can offer the guidance and insight needed to help them achieve a personal and professional transformation, find their true calling, and make a lasting impact.
You had a successful career in FinTech, leading companies through IPOs and M&A deals. What prompted you to leave that world and embark on a personal and professional reinvention journey? Is there a specific moment or experience that made you realize that external success wasn’t enough?
I’d worked for fast-paced, high-growth companies and enjoyed that spirit of innovation and driving change for twenty years. Joining a much larger, fifty-thousand-person bureaucratic organization post-acquisition shocked me, even though I’d worked at larger organizations earlier in my career. I realized I couldn’t do the type of work I most enjoyed or what the organization needed to drive change. So, some professional frustration was compounded by the awareness that my job was no longer (and never really had been) aligned with my values, and I couldn’t keep faking it.
I call it my Tower Moment, for those who may be familiar with the tarot, but anyone can relate to an existential crisis or wake-up call. I came out of a meeting, went to the bathroom, and had an emotional breakdown where something inside me just snapped. I recognized I couldn’t keep up the charade anymore and knew I had to leave. That led me to start my own consulting and coaching business, where I had more freedom, flexibility, and choice around what I did and who I worked with and for. It seemed essential to be guided by my priorities and preferences, rather than the capricious whims of an organization and challenges I didn’t care about.
How did your background in corporate leadership shape the work you do now as a transformational coach? What were some of the biggest challenges that you faced?
One of the biggest challenges I faced early on was over-engineering my business and putting in more structure than was needed at that growth stage. Frankly, it was a distraction and created a lot of overhead, which I eventually needed to unwind. Focus on the basics for those thinking of starting something new. Determine which systems are necessary to support you, then go from there.
How did you realize that holistic approaches were the key to guiding others on their journey?
While I love strategy, only considering our heads doesn’t reveal the full picture. If what you’re doing doesn’t connect with your heart and passions, your whole body will feel it. Things will be out of sync. I help people find more alignment that comes from having a clear vision, understanding their underlying beliefs, behaviors, and patterns, connecting with their power, and then taking appropriate action.
When our orientation isn’t aligned, we intuitively feel disconnected and know something isn’t right. While changes don’t happen overnight, when we can clear out enough of the noise, my clients can connect to their inner signal and trust they have a clear beacon they can always return to for clarity. They begin to know what they need and can act accordingly in a way that feels grounded.
What common limiting beliefs do you see in professionals, and how can they overcome them? Is there any advice you would give to individuals who feel stuck in their careers but are afraid to change?
While there are many excuses that people can make, they often don’t believe what they want is possible. Somewhere along the way, whether through their family or a difficult work experience, they took on a challenge where they couldn’t have what they wanted. Maybe they don’t think they can earn a living doing what they love, their interests aren’t severe enough, or some other variation on that “not enough” theme.
The most crucial first step that people can take is to start asking “What if?” to both themselves and others. That inquiry and exploration will open up the discovery process to see what might be possible. It can also be helpful for people to realize that there are no mistakes. Everything that happens to you has meaning and purpose; your work is to uncover the lines to make sense of your hero or heroine’s journey. I share multiple exercises, practices, reflections, and rituals in my book, So, What Do You Do, to guide people to more clarity around these challenges. The Authentic Alchemy Path to Find Who You Are.
Looking ahead, how do you see the future of work evolving? Will more professionals and individuals seek holistic approaches to success?
With the advent of AI and fake news, many of us will seek more authenticity and truth, to find experiences that feel more genuine and work with meaning. I think there will be a place for those building community and connection, who care more (or at least as much) about relationships than transactions.
Companies with cultures centered on values people can relate to and find important will likely attract and retain the best talent. I hope individuals will pursue more ways to bring their full selves to their work to be more effective, successful, and fulfilled. Also, while things are in a period of considerable flux right now, I remain optimistic that opportunities will emerge for those who wish to positively impact others through their work.
If you could give one piece of advice to your younger self, what would it be?
Take the time to figure out what you enjoy. Start by going within, instead of looking outside yourself at what everyone else is doing. There’s no rush or race to figure it out. Explore what brings you more joy, and don’t be afraid to take more risks.
What’s next for you? Are there any exciting projects or specific goals that you are working towards?
I loved writing and publishing my book – it was such a fulfilling creative endeavor that I’m planning my next book, which will likely be fiction. My transformational coaching work continues to evolve as I integrate more modalities and tools. I enjoy guiding conscious leaders and soul-preneurs who are navigating change. I am exploring new ways to support their personal growth on their path to wholeness and professional purpose.
Lenore Kantor’s journey is a reminder that success isn’t just about external achievements but about doing something you believe in and living your truth. Whether through her offerings or her book “So What Do You Do?”, one can combine practical business strategy with intuitive insights and holistic approaches to create a more meaningful impact and a better life. Lenore challenges us to live more authentically and redefine success, rather than gaining validation through external success. She said that one should “build a meaningful life through fulfilling work that lights you up!”. Find more information about Lenore at her website or LinkTree. You can also connect with her on Instagram and LinkedIn.
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