Grit to Glow

Welcome to another episode of Grit to Glow! Today, we’re diving into the heart of what this podcast and this community were truly built on: learning how to take the hardest, most overwhelming seasons of life and transform them into growth, leadership, and impact.
In this episode, I share the deeply personal story behind the Grit to Glow movement, including my experience navigating profound grief after the sudden loss of my father, and how those moments shaped my identity, leadership, and purpose.
This is a conversation about resilience, about the coexistence of pain and beauty, and about learning to see meaning in the moments that feel impossible to understand while you’re inside them.
Get ready to walk away with perspective, permission to feel what you’re feeling, and a reminder that grit and glow are never meant to exist separately.
 
In This Episode, We Cover:
• Why leadership and impact are built through lived experiences, not perfection
• Navigating grief, loss, rejection, and life transitions while still moving forward
• Why no one is immune to hard seasons, even if social media makes it look that way
 
Key Takeaways:
• You cannot experience the glow without walking through the grit.
• Hard seasons are not happening to you, they can shape what you are here to become.
• Leadership is built through lived experience, compassion, and resilience.
 
 
Quote of the Episode:
“You can’t grieve without having loved. And you can’t experience the glow without walking through the grit.”
 
Resources Mentioned:
• Personal reflection + journaling practices
• Community support and sisterhood conversations
• Naomi’s Instagram for connection and continued conversation
 
Connect with Me:
Instagram: @desertluxecreative
Website: www.desertluxecreative.com
Email: hello@desertluxecreative.com
 
Join the Grit to Glow Community!
For more real conversations, leadership growth, and support through every season of life and business, join our newsletter and community for exclusive insights and updates.
 
Subscribe & Leave a Review
If you loved this episode, please hit subscribe and leave a review! Your support helps other women find the show.
And don’t forget to share this episode with a friend who needs a reminder that she is not alone and that her glow is still being built, even in the grit.

Welcome to another episode of Grit to Glow! Today marks the beginning of a brand new series called The In-Between, and this first episode sets the foundation for everything to come.
In this conversation, Naomi explores why so many women want the outcome, the income, impact, and freedom, but struggle to stay present in the middle where those results are actually created. She breaks down why entrepreneurship feels repetitive, quiet, and identity-shaping, and why staying when it stops being exciting is the real skill that separates those who grow from those who quit.
If you’ve ever felt frustrated that things aren’t moving fast enough, or questioned why your effort hasn’t paid off yet, this episode will meet you right where you are, and invite you to see the messy middle differently.
 
In This Episode, We Cover:
Why the middle feels harder than the beginning (and why that’s normal)
The difference between loving the idea of success vs. doing the repetitions that create it
How identity is forged through repetition, not motivation
 
Key Takeaways:
Most women don’t fail because they aren’t capable, they fail because they don’t stay.
The middle is where confidence, self-trust, and identity are built.
The work you’re avoiding is often the work that changes everything.
 
Quote of the Episode:
“The in-between is where you don’t feel confident yet, you don’t see the proof yet but you keep your word anyway. That’s where your identity is forged.”
 
Connect with Me:
Instagram: @desertluxecreative
Website: www.desertluxecreative.com
Email: hello@desertluxecreative.com
 
Join the Grit to Glow Community!
For more real conversations, behind-the-scenes insights, and grounded leadership support, join the Grit to Glow newsletter and stay connected as we move through The In-Between together.
 
Subscribe & Leave a Review
If this episode resonated with you, please hit subscribe and leave a review. Your support helps other women find this message. And don’t forget to share this episode with a friend who’s navigating the messy middle and needs the reminder to stay.

Welcome back to another episode of Grit to Glow! Today’s episode is a deeply honest and vulnerable conversation about identity. Specifically, the identity that quietly forms when you’ve spent years in survival mode.
 
In this episode, Naomi opens up about her personal journey through grief, trauma, and healing, and how unprocessed experiences can silently shape the way we build our lives and businesses. She explores the difference between building from survival versus building from knowing, and how releasing limiting beliefs can transform not only your work, but the way you feel in your body and your day-to-day life.
 
This episode is an invitation to slow down, reflect, and reconnect with who you are becoming, not from hustle or fear, but from trust, embodiment, and truth.
 
In This Episode, We Cover:
What a survival-based identity really looks like (and why it’s often praised)
How to build your life and business from knowing instead of survival
How unprocessed grief and trauma can drive ambition, productivity, and burnout
Takeaways:
Survival once served you, but it doesn’t have to stay in charge of your life.
Healing doesn’t erase who you were, it allows you to build differently going forward.
Clarity often comes from naming your truth, not having all the answers.
 
Quote of the Episode:
“Survival taught me how to keep going, but it didn’t teach me how to feel safe while doing it.”
 
Connect with Me:
Instagram: @desertluxecreative
Website: www.desertluxecreative.com
Email: hello@desertluxecreative.com
 
Join the Grit to Glow Community! For more tips, exclusive insights, and the latest updates, join our newsletter here!
 
Subscribe & Leave a Review If you loved this episode, please hit subscribe and leave a review! Your support means the world and helps other amazing women find the show. And don’t forget to share this episode with a friend who needs a little extra glow today!

The Truth About Premium Client Experience
Season 2, Episode #5
Description:
Welcome to another episode of Grit to Glow! Today’s conversation is a little unhinged, deeply honest, and long overdue. We’re pulling back the curtain on what premium client experience should actually look like — and where so many high-ticket spaces are missing the mark.
In this episode, I’m sharing a raw, unscripted breakdown of what it truly means to lead with integrity in premium offers, why reputation matters more than lead generation, and how onboarding, experience inside the container, and offboarding directly impact retention, referrals, and long-term success. If you’re charging premium rates (or plan to), this episode will challenge you to raise your standards, not just your prices.
 
In This Episode, We Cover:
What premium and luxury client experience should look like (and what it absolutely shouldn’t)
The restaurant analogy that exposes why “deliverables-only” thinking fails high-ticket clients
Why onboarding is one of the most underestimated success levers in any container
How missing touchpoints quietly cost you referrals, renewals, and reputation
The real cost of client acquisition vs. retention — and why experience always wins
How integrity, structure, and intention set you apart in a noisy online space
Key Takeaways:
Premium pricing requires premium experience at every touchpoint — not just good marketing
Strong onboarding and off-boarding collapse time, build trust, and increase results
Retention, referrals, and reputation matter more than chasing the next client
Small acts of care create massive long-term ROI
Client experience is not extra — it is the work
Quote of the Episode:
“Client acquisition costs way more than it does to retain the people already in your world.”
Connect with Me:
Instagram: @desertluxecreative @naomibirm
Website: www.desertluxecreative.com
Email: hello@desertluxecreative.com
 
Join the Grit to Glow Community!
For more real conversations, elevated business leadership, and behind-the-scenes insight into building brands with integrity, join our newsletter here!
 
Subscribe & Leave a Review
If this episode resonated with you, please hit subscribe and leave a review. Your support helps more women find the show and helps raise the standard across the industry. And if you know someone charging premium prices who needs to hear this, share it with them.
Until next time, keep leading with intention, integrity, and glow. ✨

Welcome come back to another episode of Grit to Glow! In this heartfelt and timely episode, I open up about the unspoken emotional and mental load women carry during the holiday season from juggling motherhood, business, and everyone else’s expectations while trying to stay grounded.
 
This isn’t another “holiday hustle” pep talk. It’s your permission slip to redefine productivity, protect your peace, and design a season that feels intentional, simple, and aligned. I share my favorite five boundaries to help you reclaim your joy, your time, and your energy as both a mom and CEO.
 
So grab your coffee (or wine), light that candle, and tune in for the reset your nervous system has been craving.
 
In This Episode, We Cover:
The emotional and invisible layers of the holiday season — from gift lists to family dynamics.
Why “doing it all” doesn’t mean you have to do it alone.
Redefining productivity and what it actually means during December.
How to create intentional joy, rest, and presence for the holidays.
A simple exercise to set your “December Success List” — your roadmap to ease and alignment.
 
Key Takeaways:
“Easefulness is the new sexy, December doesn’t have to be about doing more; it’s about doing what matters most.”
Productivity in December means strategic simplicity, not endless output.
Your energy, not your to-do list, is the foundation of your success this season.
Boundaries are leadership — not selfishness.
The glow-up isn’t found in hustle, but in coming home to what actually matters to you.
 
Quote of the Episode:
“You can be a present mom and a powerful CEO. You don’t have to sacrifice one for the other — and you get to do December differently.”
 
Connect with Me:
Instagram: @desertluxecreative
Website: www.desertluxecreative.com
Email: hello@desertluxecreative.com
 
Join the Grit to Glow Community!
For more inspiration, behind-the-scenes insights, and exclusive resources to help you build a business (and life) that feels as good as it looks, join our newsletter today.
 
Subscribe & Leave a Review:
If you loved this episode, please hit subscribe and leave a review!
Your support helps other ambitious women find the show — and don’t forget to share this episode with a friend who could use a little glow this holiday season. 

Welcome to another episode of Grit to Glow! Today, we're diving into how success looks and feels different now than when I first started my business. In this episode, I’ll be sharing that you can't automate alignment, it has to come from your own strategy; when I finally felt the chains get taken away, and when I figured out what finally lights me up, and am now doing THAT. Get ready to take away tangible insights and, as always, a big dose of encouragement to keep you glowing!
In This Episode, We Cover:
Performing a self-audit of your life and business, and how they can work together
How pouring into your life outside of your business feels and what that looks like for me
Its okay to have the tough conversation with yourself, and here is how I did it
Key Takeaways:
Maybe today success for you looks like rest or looks like taking a step back in that way. Maybe it is putting boundaries around your energy.
We don't build successful businesses by just copying and pasting someone else's dream.
I thought that if I could build enough funnels, set up enough automations, and copy/paste what everyone else was doing online that I'd finally be free.
Quote of the Episode:
“My truth of motherhood is that I want to do this so that I can enhance the time that I'm with my kids and be more present in those moments.”
Resources Mentioned:
Follow me on Instagram @desertluxecreative
Catch up on last week’s episode: The Grit: What No One Talks About When You’re Building Your Dream
Connect with Me:
Instagram: @desertluxecreative
Website: www.desertluxecreative.com
Email: hello@desertluxecreative.com
Join the Grit to Glow Community!
For more tips, exclusive insights, and the latest updates, join our newsletter here!
 
Subscribe & Leave a Review
If you loved this episode, please hit subscribe and leave a review! Your support means the world and helps other amazing women find the show. And don’t forget to share this episode with a friend who needs a little extra glow today!

Welcome back to Grit to Glow! In this week’s episode, we’re diving deep into the gritty side of growth... the part no one talks about when they’re chasing their dreams.
I’m sharing one of my own messy middle moments: when my income dropped, my confidence wavered, and I questioned everything I had built. From scaling fast to pivoting hard, this episode is a real, raw look at what happens when alignment shifts and things get uncomfortable.
 
Because here’s the truth:
Grit isn’t about struggle for struggle’s sake. It’s evidence of devotion to your mission, your vision, and your evolution.
You’ll walk away feeling grounded, seen, and reminded that the “in-between” is where your strength and your glow are being built.
 
In This Episode, We Cover:
✨ What “grit” really looks like behind the scenes of entrepreneurship
✨ My story of going from $12K months to a major income dip (and what it taught me)
✨ How to reframe setbacks as refinement, not failure
✨ The difference between motivation and discipline (and why discipline will carry you farther)
✨ Why sharing your imperfect moments makes you more magnetic, not less
 
Key Takeaways:
Grit is not failure, it’s foundation. The pressure is building something within you that will hold the glow when it comes.
You get to be all of you. Every pivot, every version, every part of your story has a place in your evolution.
You’re not behind, you’re being refined. Every season of discomfort is shaping you into the woman who can hold more.
 
Quote of the Episode:
“The glow doesn’t come in spite of the grit. It comes because of it.”
 
Resources Mentioned:
Follow me on Instagram @desertluxecreative
Catch up on last week’s episode: Rewriting the Rules — Creating a Podcast (and Life) That Feels Aligned
 
Connect with Me:
Instagram: @desertluxecreative
Website: www.desertluxecreative.com
Email: hello@desertluxecreative.com
 
Join the Grit to Glow Community!
For more tips, exclusive insights, and behind-the-scenes episodes, join our newsletter here:
👉 naomibirm.mykajabi.com/desertluxe
 
Subscribe & Leave a Review:
If this episode hit home, please subscribe and leave a review! Your feedback helps Grit to Glow reach more women who need this message.
And don’t forget to share it to your stories and tag me @desertluxecreative. I love seeing which parts resonated most with you ❤️‍🔥

Welcome to a brand-new season of Grit to Glow! In this kickoff episode, I’m sharing what it really looks like to build something that aligns with your life, not the expectations of others. This isn’t about perfection or polished production. It’s about pursuing what feels true to you. I’ll talk about why I’m choosing to keep this podcast seasonal, how I’m embracing imperfection, and what it means to build a brand that fits your real life as a busy mama and entrepreneur.
Get ready to release the pressure, drop the “shoulds,” and feel empowered to go after what you want — on your own terms.
 
In This Episode, We Cover:
The importance of creating a brand and business that fits your life season
Why authenticity matters more than editing or perfection in your podcast and business
How to give yourself permission to break traditional rules of marketing and structure
The real reason I’m making Grit to Glow a seasonal show and what that means for you
How to honor motherhood, creativity, and business without guilt or burnout
 
Key Takeaways:
You don’t need to follow every “rule” to succeed — alignment beats algorithm every time.
Your authenticity is your magnet. Your people want you — not a polished version of you.
It’s okay to pause. You can take breaks, create seasonally, and still grow something beautiful.
 
Quote of the Episode:
“You don’t have to follow someone else’s rules. Drop them, rewrite them today, and go make some magic — because that’s where the glow exists.”
 
Resources Mentioned:
The Ed Mylett Show
Earn Your Happy with Lori Harder
The Rachel Hollis Podcast
 
Connect with Me:
Instagram: @desertluxecreative
Website: www.desertluxecreative.com
Email: hello@desertluxecreative.com
 
Join the Grit to Glow Community!
For more tips, exclusive insights, and the latest updates, join our newsletter here: www.desertluxecreative.com/newsletter
 
Subscribe & Leave a Review
If you loved this episode, please hit subscribe and leave a review! Your support means the world and helps other amazing women find the show. And don’t forget to share this episode with a friend who needs a little extra glow today. 

Welcome to another episode of Grit to Glow! Today, we’re diving into a conversation for the woman who’s already in the room — the high-level entrepreneur who’s invested in herself, worked with the “big names,” and still feels like something is missing.
In this episode, I’m breaking down the real reason your momentum feels stalled — even though your work is incredible and your business is already thriving. We’ll talk about why strategy alone isn’t the thing that’s going to get you to your next level, and the five brand shifts that truly change the game.
Get ready to get honest, get activated, and walk away with powerful clarity on what your business really needs right now to scale without the burnout.
In This Episode, We Cover:
Why high-level mentorship often isn’t enough — and what’s usually missingThe 5 brand shifts that help you scale with more power and less pressureHow to finally build a brand that reflects the leader you’ve already become
Key Takeaways:
You’re not behind — your brand just hasn’t caught up to your brilliance.Your messaging isn’t meant to explain — it’s meant to activate.Scaling doesn’t require more effort — it requires deeper alignment and visibility.
Quote of the Episode:“You don’t need another mentor — you need a brand that matches the power of the woman you’ve already become.”
Resources Mentioned:
Apply to work with Desert Luxe Creative
DM me “LUXE” on Instagram @desertluxecreative to explore your next brand era
Connect with Me:
Instagram: @desertluxecreative
Website: www.desertluxecreative.com
Email: hello@desertluxecreative.com

Welcome to another episode of Grit to Glow! Today, we're finishing in our series, the 7 Figure CEO with Bre Cain, Founder and CEO of The Cain Collective LLC, where she helps women turn their GENIUS into wildly profitable and FUN remote businesses. Her VA Leadership Academy has changed the lives of 400+ women and she helps those same ambitious entrepreneurs scale to 7 figures in her mastermind, FIRST CLASS. Outside of business, she spends time with her daughters on her 10 acre farm in Minnesota. Get ready to take away tangible insights and, as always, a big dose of encouragement to keep you glowing!
In This Episode, We Cover:
The people you see on the front of Forbes, the entrepreneurs who scale, they build a company, they get themselves out of the day-to-day and then go build another company
Look at who is already earning and doing what and where you want to be at and learn from studying their business model, because that 20% strategy looks different from 5K months to 10K months
That anything that you believe is possible, is possible, it's just your brain that decides what is and isn't so when expand the vision and the realm of possibility you can go blow your own mind today and tomorrow.
Key Takeaways:
It truly is 80% mindset, 20% strategy and who you want to be is far more important than the how. Don't psycho analyze the 37 step processes to do whatever, you just do it, because it's who you are. 
What you wear, is a subconscious identify trigger and can actually rewire your neuropathways in what you believe about yourself
When you think in terms of scalability and team what you're available for in your business, hours wise, what if you could double the work your business was doing, the capacity by hiring team (systems/ads etc.) and focus on scalability, you then 3x the capacity of your business. Just cause you only work 15-20 hours a week but what if your business was working for you 80 hours a week but you're only putting in 15-20 hours.
Quote of the Episode: “Know where you're headed, follow that track no matter what, ignore the evidence and results because you know you're relentlessly in pursuit of your vision and your goals and you move forward on them everyday and you tune out any doubt in your own or people around you then it can't not happen”
Resources Mentioned:
Email: hello@momtova.com
Website: https://www.breannacain.com/
Instagram: @heyitsbrecain
All things Bre: https://www.breannacain.com/hangwithbre/
Join her FREE Facebook Group for aspiring & current VA's: https://www.facebook.com/groups/momxva
Connect with Naomi:
Instagram: @desertluxecreative
Website: www.desertluxecreative.com
Email: hello@desertluxecreative.com 
Subscribe & Leave a Review
If you loved this episode, please hit subscribe and leave a review! Your support means the world and helps other amazing women find the show. Don’t forget to share this episode with a friend who needs a little extra glow today!