Creative work thrives on courage, yet too often we hold our­selves back, waiting for the world to say yes. Julia will challenge this notion, redefining growth for creative minds. She shares her personal journey: for years, she waited for permission — from parents, bosses, and mentors — before taking risks or trusting her ideas. In her forties, she realized she could grant herself that per­mission, a dis­covery that reshaped her under­standing of growth.

Growth, she explains, isn’t solely about career advance­ment. It’s about building meaning­ful connec­tions, colla­borating with like-minded people, and be­coming who you already are. Many of us live bifur­cated lives — our ward­robes, behaviors, and daily routines reflect it. Julia will show how real growth happens when we bring our whole selves into every room and stop waiting for external validation. Authen­ticity, she argues, isn’t a risk. It’s a strength. This talk is about per­mission, authen­ticity, and the many ways we grow.