When I decided to sell Well Lived Woman, I did what I thought I was supposed to do, I hired a business broker. I didn’t know how to sell a business and I didn’t want to learn a whole new skillset. That’s what brokers are there for, right?

But it quickly became clear that the traditional approach didn’t lend itself well to what Well Lived Woman is. It’s not just a brick-and-mortar business but a community, a concept, something that exists far beyond a single location. And I had built it that way intentionally.

At my core, I’m a therapist and a group leader. That’s the work I love most. I created Well Lived Woman to fill in the gaps of what's needed to live well that therapy and life in general don’t easily offer… connection, community, and specific healing and education opportunities. I wanted it for my clients, for other women, and honestly, for myself.

And it worked. I built something I’m deeply proud of. People understood it, valued it, and showed up for it. 

But building it and running it were two very different things. Running a business like this — events, retail, space rental, content, community — it’s a lot. And I wanted to be participating in what we offered, not just managing it. At the same time, my life shifted 2 years ago when I was going through a divorce. I felt stretched thin between my therapy practice, the business, and what required my attention personally.

It became clear that Well Lived Woman needed more than I could give it. And I needed less.

Selling wasn’t a last resort, it was a decision to let Well Lived Woman grow beyond what I could give it.

Working with the broker initially gave me a sense of structure but it didn’t feel aligned. I was encouraged to keep the sale quiet, to be strategic in order to protect the business’s value. But that didn’t sit right with me. So much of Well Lived Woman is about honesty and agency. It didn’t make sense to handle the sale in a way that felt secretive or disconnected from the community that had built it with me. 

So I followed my own sense. I told the community. I decided to navigate the sale imperfectly but in my own way. 

It was vulnerable but it felt right. And immediately, there was considerable interest. That reinforced what I already knew: the right person to take this on wouldn’t be a stranger. It would be someone who already understood and valued what Well Lived Woman is.

The process wasn’t traditional – it was transparent, community-based, and built on relationships rather than secrecy or competition.

Without the broker, I had to figure things out as I went. We created a simple application for interested parties, had conversations with those who seemed like a good possible fit, and — in a very unorthodox move — brought interested people together in a group setting. It allowed people to meet each other, explore potential partnerships, and hear each other’s ideas. It was efficient, but more importantly, it felt aligned with how Well Lived Woman operates: collaboratively.

I was honest throughout the process, even about the parts that weren’t ideal. For example, the Topanga location was beautiful but not financially practical. If someone wanted to keep it, it would be a heart centered decision, not a business one. That mattered to me to say out loud, not to try to minimize our weak spots or trick people. 

During this process, Petkana (our now owner) initially offered me her help. She offered insight, perspective, and support without any agenda. That stood out. Over time, she became interested in owning WLW herself and she wasn’t just capable, she was aligned. She was thoughtful, transparent, and genuinely cared about doing this in a way that felt good for both of us.

Finding the next owner of WLW wasn’t just a financial decision for me. It was relational. I cared deeply about who would carry this forward. It wasn’t only their skill set that mattered but their ability to preserve what makes Well Lived Woman a place where women can show up as they are…without hierarchy, without performance, and be met with warmth and safety.

There were other strong candidates. But with Petkana, things flowed. Our conversations felt easy, honest, and mutually respectful. I trusted her.

And more importantly, I felt excited about her taking Well Lived Woman forward.

She already understood Well Lived Woman — not just as a business, but as a lived experience. She had been part of it, benefited from it, and contributed to it. That made her the right person to carry it into its next chapter.

It feels like the kind of transition Well Lived Woman was always meant to have.

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Hear Petkana's perspective, and a continuation of the story, next week.

Jaimi Brooks is a licensed marriage and family therapist, women's group leader, founder of The Well Lived Woman, and creator of the Values Deck. You can stay connected with her over on Substack and on Instagram.