29: Closing the Business, Taking the Gap Year, and Dressing the Life You Actually Have — with Kirsten Smith of Bettyquette

What does it actually look like to step away from a business you've built — intentionally, bravely, and at 52 — and call it the best decision you've ever made?

That's exactly what Kirsten Smith of Bettyquette did, and honestly this conversation stopped me in my tracks.

Kirsten is someone I've spoken to before on the podcast, and when I heard what she'd done in the time since, I knew we had to sit back down together. She closed her business, gave herself a gap year, and came out the other side with a clarity about herself — and her wardrobe — that I think so many of us are quietly searching for.

We talk about what led her to that decision, what the gap year actually looked like (it's not what you might expect), and what she noticed about herself when she stripped away the busyness and the identity that comes with running a business.

And of course, because it's us, we talk clothes. We talk about dressing for a season of life that doesn't quite have a name yet — that in-between space where you're not who you were, and you're not yet sure who you're becoming. Kirsten has such a beautiful way of thinking about this, and I think you're going to feel very seen.

This one is warm, honest, and a little bit life-affirming. I hope you love it as much as I did.

Ashley 💕

About Kirsten:

Kirsten Smith is the founder of Bettyquette, a natural skincare brand, and someone who has spent years thinking deeply about how we care for ourselves — inside and out. You can find her at https://www.instagram.com/kirstenandco/

Connect with Ashley:

• Instagram: @lovingcolour__
• Virtual Colour Analysis: lovingcolour.au
• The Colour Collective membership: lovingcolour.au
• Find My Colours Masterclass: lovingcolour.au