LeverageUp Magazine & Movement
A Magazine for Thinkers, Builders, and Leaders. Unstoppable in Grit
Her Story
is a dedicated space in LEVERAGEUP where women’s journeys take center stage—raw, real, and unapologetically powerful. Each feature shines a light on the triumphs, challenges, and lessons learned along the way, reminding us that success is never a straight line but a story worth telling. We include Her Story because every voice matters, and by sharing these experiences, we build connection, inspire resilience, and prove that one woman’s journey can spark another’s breakthrough
My Story
Choosing the Path That Lets You Keep Moving
By Robin Roberson
Why I chose a meniscus repair over a full knee replacement while launching LEVERAGEUP—and what that choice taught me about momentum, timing, and grit.
I didn’t move to East Tennessee to slow down—I came for connection. My lifelong best friend, Donna, invited me to “grow old together on the mountain,” and it sounded perfect after years in Dallas where the cost of living kept soaring and I was scraping by. Life had other plans. A deep dog bite. Weekly debridements. Medical bills. The realization that I’m not built for retirement. Somewhere between wound care and mountain sunsets, I remembered: I need to build.
So I did. I launched a local magazine. It worked—but small markets have smaller budgets, and medical costs kept stacking up: dental implants, cataract surgeries, a meniscus repair. Savings dwindled. Just when I needed wind in my sails, a dream opportunity arrived: help build and direct a philanthropic foundation—LITE: Life Is Tough Enough—and give meaningful money to worthy causes. It was the perfect role for my heart and skill set! A dream come true!
And then, the delay parade. Contested wills. Assets discovered and rediscovered. Fraud cases unraveling. Federal investigations. Each time release seemed imminent, the finish line moved. We stayed in the “almost there” chapter far longer than anyone imagined. In the meantime, I did what builders do: I created LEVERAGEUP—a magazine and movement for women who are ready to make their next brave choice.
Recently I faced one of mine: full knee replacement or another meniscus repair (other side, same knee). On paper, a replacement might be the big, sweeping fix. But the recovery would sideline me during a critical moment—right as LEVERAGEUP is launching, right as our community is forming, right as advertisers and sponsors are looking our way. I chose the meniscus repair.
Not because I’m avoiding a hard thing—but because I’m choosing the path that lets me keep moving.
What the last five years have taught me
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Momentum is a resource. When you’re building something fragile and new, momentum matters more than “perfect.” Choose the option that keeps the wheel turning.
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Timing is strategy. The right solution at the wrong time is still the wrong solution. Shorter recovery now gives me room to grow—if I need a replacement later, I’ll do it when LEVERAGEUP is humming.
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Grit is gentle. Grit isn’t always “push harder.” Sometimes it’s making the practical choice that serves your future and protects your energy.
There’s a new chapter coming—Pensacola on the horizon, a condo by the beach, a new Toyota Highlander Turbo Hybrid that handled the mountain roads like a champ. (If I’d known the beach was next, I’d have picked a Porsche convertible and a silk scarf to match.) The foundation funds are closer than ever to being released, and when they are, I’ll pour everything I’ve learned into building LITE and giving where it changes lives.
Until then, I’ll keep choosing the path that lets me keep moving—one step, one story, one issue at a time.
Need a Little Inspiration ? Read our Little Book of Inspiration
A Recommended Read
ABCs of Business Intuition
By Melinda Cooper
Business intuition is a crucial skill for leaders and entrepreneurs in the 21st century. In our fast-paced and complex world, relying only on data or logic isn’t enough. Intuition in business helps bridge the gap between our subconscious instincts and rational thinking, empowering leaders to make confident decisions, navigate uncertainty, and foster innovation in competitive markets.
The benefits of harnessing business intuition are significant. It serves as a compass in navigating the ambiguities and rapid changes in the business environment. Developing skill in applying intuition enhances decision-making, reduces reliance on biased judgment, and fosters creative problem-solving. Leaders who cultivate intuition are better equipped to identify opportunities, anticipate challenges, and inspire their teams to excel in dynamic environments.
Visionaries like Albert Einstein, Steve Jobs, and Warren Buffett have understood the value of intuition. Einstein believed the rational mind should serve intuition, calling it a "sacred gift." Steve Jobs, who spent months in Indian villages learning to calm his mind, said intuition is more powerful than intellect and can be developed. Warren Buffett relies on intuition to assess the character of his business partners, partnering only with those he deeply trusts.
In this 3 part series, we’ll explore what business intuition is, why it matters, and how you can develop it. By understanding the principles of business intuition and incorporating mindfulness and reflective practices, you'll discover how to cultivate and apply intuitive intelligence across all aspects of business leadership - from strategic planning and decision-making to building an intuitive business culture.
What Is Business Intuition?
Business intuition is the ability to access your subconscious for business purposes, which enhances creativity, innovation, and your power to handle change. Business intuition is the bridge between your subconscious and rational mind; it connects the rich field of information in your subconscious to your business thinking. By picking up subtle cues and unapparent connections, it helps you to succeed at strategic planning, entrepreneurship, leadership, and decision-making. It is rooted in your personal experiences, know-how, and subconscious field of information.
Intuition in business does not replace logical problem-solving; rather, it complements it by providing breakthroughs that rational thinking can further develop and refine. As Thomas Edison said, “Genius is one percent inspiration, ninety-nine percent perspiration.” Effective problem-solving can be seen as a two-loop process where intuitive breakthroughs form the first loop, and rational analysis forms the second loop. Intuition guides us in deciding when to switch between these two modes of thinking.
In developing his theory of relativity, Einstein relied on mental images, later using rational analysis to validate his intuitive insights. German physicist Hermann von Helmholtz observed that creativity often bursts forth after extensive rational investigation. Similarly, Graham Wallas, cofounder of the London School of Economics, described creativity as a four-stage process: preparation, incubation, illumination, and verification. Rational and intuitive thinking interact and enhance each other throughout this process.
In my next issue (Mar-Apr) I will discuss Why Intuition in Business Is Important Today?
Melinda Cooper, Helping coaches automate the best strategies
to get them in front of the right audience. Founder of Living the Dream Business (.com)