Beyond the Million-Dollar Mark: Midori Verity on Redefining Success and Leading with Collective Genius

Adrienne Garland: (00:00:00) Leadership isn't just changing. It's evolving in ways we're only just beginning to imagine. And women, we're not playing this game anymore. We're the ones reshaping the entire field, building models, movements, and businesses that serve more than just a few. On the She Leads podcast, you'll hear real conversations with women who've broken through all kinds of barriers—revenue, identity, borders, and expectations. There's no sugar coating here, just the truth told by those who are living it. I'm Adrienne Garland, entrepreneur, strategist, educator, and creator of live experiences, gathering women leaders together for over a decade. And this is the She Leads podcast.
Adrienne Garland: (00:00:46) Hi everybody and welcome back to the She Leads podcast. I am so excited to welcome my next guest. Her name is Midori Verity, and she is the CEO and founder of Fuel to Fire. I am just so honored because I have been a part of Midori's groups, and the women that she attracts into her world are simply phenomenal. Welcome to the She Leads podcast, Midori.
Midori Verity: (00:01:12) Thank you so much. I am thrilled to be here with you and see where this conversation goes. We had a great conversation before we even hit record, so I know we are going to be throwing out a lot of nuggets in this call.
Adrienne Garland: (00:01:25) Well, I think that's probably an amazing place to start because we were talking about making sure that women have the vision and the playbook to get to the next level in their business and in their lives. So, so many of the women who have come on the She Leads podcast in the past are business owners—they're growing, they're scaling.
I've been having different conversations lately with women who have actually gotten past that million-dollar mark or have it in their sights. And as much as they want to continue to grow and maybe sell their business, they're thinking about what's next for them when it comes to true impact. I just find this conversation so fascinating, and I know that you work with a lot of women as well.
What type of conversations are the women that have grown and scaled their businesses having? What are they looking at for their future?
Midori Verity: (00:02:15) Yeah, I love this topic. What I see from those who have already hit a certain level of success is that they experience a different sense of—relaxation's not quite the right term—but they hit that first nugget, that thing that seems so elusive for so many, and they finally achieve it.
From the women I talk to who have reached this level, what I hear most is that they want to give back to those who work for them.
Adrienne Garland: (00:02:47) Yes.
Midori Verity: (00:02:49) They want to help raise others up because they know how hard it is, the struggles involved. That's one of the biggest things I hear—they want to give back to people they can relate to who aren't quite where they are.
Adrienne Garland: (00:03:04) I love that. And I think it's interesting because so many women who have gotten past that mark had a certain set of circumstances they had to overcome.
Midori, I have to take a break because my dog has decided to bark. I don't know if you can hear him, and he needs to be let out.
Midori Verity: (00:03:22) That adds to it. It's all part of it, right? The reality of entrepreneurship and working from home.
Adrienne Garland: (00:03:30) It really is. I would love to have a space outside my home to do all this. For me, that's what I'm looking at next.
Actually, this is interesting—letting my dog out in the middle of our conversation is the reality of women entrepreneurs building businesses while trying to keep expenses low. It's one of those maladaptive things we do. We're looking at how to save expenses because maybe our businesses aren't bringing in the revenue to have offices.
It's interesting because men may not go to the same lengths—they look for a space that suits them and find ways to generate revenue to have a private space. We can learn from that about setting ourselves up for business success. What do you think?
Midori Verity: (00:04:36) Yes, studies prove exactly what you said. Let's talk more about the mindset and approach to business.
Midori Verity: (00:04:47) One thing that's proven is that women tend to play smaller. We have a different mental rulebook led by fear.
Adrienne Garland: (00:05:01) Yes.
Midori Verity: (00:05:03) Men, in general, come together and help each other. The best thing we can do as women is surround ourselves with successful people—not just women, usually including men too.
Observe what they're doing differently that allows faster growth, and be aware of what we do to hold ourselves back—the stories we play in our heads.
Adrienne Garland: (00:05:43) Yes.
Midori Verity: (00:05:44) Thoughts like "I'm not smart enough," "I'm not capable," "I don't have the time," "I'm raising a family"—these keep us from playing at a higher level. You want to operate at seven, eight, maybe nine figures, but you don’t know how.
People run themselves ragged, playing the "I'm so busy, I don't have time" story. For example, someone recently came into my orbit—a newer business owner who bought a business and kept her full-time job. I told her: If you spread yourself too thin, you will never be successful.
Midori Verity: (00:06:54) You have to dive all the way in. Start a business and commit to its success. Mentally tell yourself, "This is it. This is what I'm doing." Be clear on your goals and build a roadmap. The third imperative is to find those who've already done it and learn from them. Take it seriously.
Adrienne Garland: (00:07:53) Midori, this advice applies at many levels. Women can hold a basket of our lives—kids, schoolwork, deadlines—and people rely on us for it. It's a superpower but also a challenge for business because we can't focus. This is why having a vision and going all in is critical—whether for someone buying a business or women at the next level past the million-dollar mark.
Midori Verity: (00:09:32) It's a constant evolution. You have to become a new person at each new level. The CEO at a six-figure business is very different from the CEO at a seven-figure business.
Adrienne Garland: (00:09:51) Yeah.
Midori Verity: (00:09:52) And sometimes your role should change as you scale. Consulting with those already there can simplify the process.
Adrienne Garland: (00:10:17) Yeah.
Midori Verity: (00:10:18) Women often juggle too much. In business, being laser-focused and having a playbook is key. Learning from someone who's been there—what to stop doing, what to delegate, and where to focus—makes everything easier.
Adrienne Garland: (00:11:10) Yeah.
Midori Verity: (00:11:11) Scaling to six, seven, or eight figures isn't hard if you have a roadmap. If you play the "I can't afford it, I'm too busy" script, you won't get there. But with a guide, the path becomes clear.
Adrienne Garland: (00:11:43) Yeah.
Midori Verity: (00:11:44) Recently, I had a call with a high-level person, which was supposed to be 45 minutes but lasted an hour and a half. He laid out the playbook, and suddenly it didn’t seem so hard. I realized I just needed the roadmap.
Adrienne Garland: (00:12:28) It's a different playbook, a different game.
Midori Verity: (00:12:30) Yes, with different language and acronyms. My groups bring in women from corporate backgrounds who haven't run a successful business yet, and we can learn a lot from them.
Adrienne Garland: (00:13:06) Yes.
Midori Verity: (00:13:07) It's a marriage of experience—corporate and entrepreneurial—to learn from one another.
Adrienne Garland: (00:13:22) Corporate experience is valuable: resources, budgets, teams. Switching to entrepreneurship removes all that support. Scaling solo requires learning to be the maestro of everything again. Many entrepreneurs struggle with this phase.
Adrienne Garland: (00:14:41) Personally, I haven’t yet reached the corporate-level resources in She Leads Media. The business model and ideal audience might not be aligned. Talking about these phases helps women learn to support each other, as men often do.
Adrienne Garland: (00:15:43) How can women help each other more?
Midori Verity: (00:15:47) First, consider what you said about reaching higher levels. Once a team is behind you and delegation is possible, success comes. My question is: how do you get yourself there?
Adrienne Garland: (00:16:40) What’s that gap keeping me from reaching the next level? For She Leads Media, the business model and audience may not be aligned.
Midori Verity: (00:17:21) Look at the business: what's possible if you scale? Who are your clients? What’s the average ticket size? Should there be a tech component? Implement now.
Midori Verity: (00:18:24) Operate from your zone of genius at least 80% of the time.
Men get funding more easily—VC, lines of credit. Play smart: partner with someone who can fill gaps creatively.
Adrienne Garland: (00:19:10) Yes.
Midori Verity: (00:19:11) Consider partnerships or other resources to reach your goal faster. It doesn’t have to be so hard. Play a different game.
Adrienne Garland: (00:19:54) For years, I’ve worked with Dr. Kent. He helps people create books, podcasts, and build their thought leadership. His Genius Discovery Program is intensive and helps impact-driven people grow their brands. Talktokent.com or DM me on Instagram at sheleadsmedia.
Adrienne Garland: (00:21:26) Reflecting on what you’ve said: globally, leadership swings from all-male to all-female, but balance is key. Men have been playing this game for longer; women are relatively new. Listening and combining genius is powerful.
Midori Verity: (00:22:04) Men have had more time to play the game. Women are newer. When we come together, listen, and amplify each other, the magic happens.
Adrienne Garland: (00:23:22) Absolutely. Claiming a new way forward: understanding women’s and men’s zones of genius and collaborating for a better outcome benefits all.
Midori Verity: (00:24:43) 100%.
Adrienne Garland: (00:24:45) She Leads should communicate that leadership is collective, not competitive.
Adrienne Garland: (00:25:21) Having a space for women to talk authentically is crucial, though spaces exist for men and women too. Together, we rise faster.
Adrienne Garland: (00:27:03) I want to circle back: tell us about Fuel to Fire and the 21-Day Power Sprint, and your story—where did Midori come from and where is she going?
Midori Verity: (00:27:35) I love doing things in reverse.
Midori Verity: (00:27:40) Background: my first business started right out of college. I was a communications and sociology major. My boyfriend, now husband, and I started a business. Early on, we adopted Google Ads and the business took off—luck played a role.
Midori Verity: (00:28:20) Working with my husband was challenging. I eventually went my own direction, remaining an advisor. That led to Fuel to Fire and the concept of community.
Midori Verity: (00:28:51) I wanted support, talking with other women who had done it. Fuel to Fire started with goals and accountability and evolved into the Power Sprint.
Midori Verity: (00:29:58) The biggest challenges businesses face: high-quality leads and converting them. Nail those two, and your business grows. Power Sprints create laser focus on these areas in 21 days, cutting out distractions.
Adrienne Garland: (00:31:00) The 21-Day Power Sprint addresses the biggest issue to get fast results, like a short-term diet to create momentum and prove results are possible.
Midori Verity: (00:36:58) Momentum is key. The first 21 days act as a boot camp. Women often struggle with money; you need to solve financial gaps to accelerate. Identify your zone of genius, delegate what you aren’t good at, and focus on what you do best.
Adrienne Garland: (00:42:25) This applies at all levels. Vision exists within you—identify steps to accelerate and execute.
Midori Verity: (00:43:46) Stop playing small. Find ways to play bigger. Learn from those who have already done it to shorten your learning curve.
Adrienne Garland: (00:44:31) How can people get in touch or join your program?
Midori Verity: (00:44:38) Visit fueltofire.co to connect.
Adrienne Garland: (00:44:56) Thank you, Midori. Your work inspires and gives permission to think bigger, bringing incredible visions to life.
Midori Verity: (00:45:33) Thank you for having me and creating space for women to learn and grow.
Adrienne Garland: (00:45:41) If this conversation moved or inspired you, leave a five-star review and share it with someone. Your insight could shape future episodes. Follow the show for more conversations on the She Leads Podcast Network.