“I wrote it down…in my head.”

“I wrote it down…in my head.” —Stephanie Doucette (Nov 17, 1971 - May 6, 2024)
Today marks one year since her sudden passing. I think of her daily—especially when I get dressed. I will forever be inspired by her signature silhouettes, timeless sense of style, and the fact that she dressed up (in heels!) every. damn. day.

I had the privilege of her being a dear friend as I collected and wore over 100 of her pieces—some made just for me—including one silhouette named “Britta.” She gave every garment a name: “Maxwell,” “Charlie,” “Wilson”—each one a character, each design full of life and intention.

I met Stephanie over a decade ago when I moved from NYC to Cold Spring, NY and discovered her shop on Main Street. I immediately knew a city girl was behind it. Her pieces were wearable art, each detail—from fabric, thread, button, lining—chosen with precision. I came to admire her commitment to sustainability and luxury, sourcing final rolls of designer fabric to create limited-run collections in NYC’s Garment District.

Stephanie’s legacy lives on in her designs, her mission, and the confidence she inspired in so many women—and in the work I do with founders.

For nearly 30 years, I’ve supported founders and visionary leaders helping build the people, processes, and culture needed to bring their big ideas to life and support teams at every level.

When I launched my consulting practice in 2018, I opened an office across from Stephanie’s shop and began supporting her behind the scenes—work that led to my favorite founder quote of all time.

“I wrote it down…” – Stephanie
“Cool, where?” – Me, ready to get to work
“In my head!” – Stephanie, laughing

We both cracked up—and I knew in that moment why I love working with founders. Their vision is always in motion—often scribbled on napkins, saved in voice memos, or just written in their head. That’s why founders can feel frustrated when others don’t “get it” or their internal clarity hasn’t yet translated externally.

As I embrace my own journey as a founder, I love helping other founders turn what’s “in their head” into something shared, scalable, and sustainable—for their people, culture, growth, and well-being.

I’ve titled my upcoming capstone project for grad school where I’m studying mental health counseling:
“I Wrote It Down… In My Head”
It explores how the stages of human development shape founders and their mental health—and how we can support them holistically as they build.

I remember asking Stephanie how she managed to look so effortlessly elegant every day while juggling being a wife to a loving husband, a mom to three incredible kids, a business owner, a fashion designer, a volunteer at the firehouse, and a champion of sustainability. She said, “It’s my way of taking care of my mental health.”

I’m reminded that taking care of our minds can look many different ways—and that founders, especially, deserve systems of support that recognize the full human behind the vision.