Powerful and Unfinished: Finding Worth Beyond What You Endure
Self-doubt doesn’t announce itself. It settles in slowly, shaped by the stories we inherit, the peace we sacrifice, and the secrets we carry.
In Episode 337 of The Main Street CEO, Theresa Cantley sits down with filmmaker and author Denise Soler Cox to talk about her new book, What Will They Say, and the journey of healing, grief, and self-discovery that produced it.
What You’ll Learn in This Episode
- Why Denise pivoted from documentary film to writing a book
- The moment that gave rise to the line “We can be both powerful and unfinished”
- How losing $200,000 in business reshaped her sense of identity
- The mother-daughter chapter that was the hardest to write
- Why storytelling is the most effective tool for healing
- How to strip away the shields that keep you from being truly seen
From the Line of Secrets and Dreams to the Page
After her documentary screened at over 400 events, Denise noticed something striking. People lined up to share dreams they’d abandoned — and secrets they’d never told anyone. That pattern repeated so often she believed it was a sign.
She tried to make a second film, but the story wouldn’t come. Then in 2021, a major publisher reached out, and the book finally began.
Powerful and Unfinished
While writing the manuscript, Denise lost roughly $200,000 in business and moved her family into an 800-square-foot basement apartment in Denver.
One morning, furious at how far she’d fallen, she typed a line into her phone: I can be powerful and unfinished.
From that day forward, she could hold both truths at once — that parts of her life were in shambles and that she was still capable, still contributing, still worthy.
The Chapter That Almost Didn’t Get Written
Chapter six, about Denise’s relationship with her mother, was the hardest to write. It forced her to confront a lifelong pattern of choosing someone else’s peace over her own truth.
As she puts it, “Whenever I chose her peace over my truth, I paid a price.”
The chapter’s closing line — she begins to believe she is worthy — became a guidepost, inviting readers to start believing the same about themselves.
What Inheritance Do You Want to Leave?
For Denise, the answer is her two daughters. She is raising young women who know who they are, supported every step of the way.
The book is published simultaneously in Spanish and English, and Denise invites every reader to photograph their annotated pages and share the lines that moved them most.
Pick up What Will They Say wherever books are sold, and tune in to Episode 337 for a conversation about breaking open, finding your worth from within, and leaving a legacy rooted in truth.
Bookshop link to purchase Denise’s book:
🔗 Connect with Denise:
Website: https://denisesolercox.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/denisesolercox/
Threads: https://www.threads.com/@denisesolercox
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/denisesolercox/
Download the full episode transcript
About Theresa Cantley
Theresa Cantley is a business growth strategist and consultant who helps small to mid-size business owners step into their CEO role, build scalable systems, and breathe new life into their brands. After years in corporate America, Theresa now combines business strategy, creativity, and visioneering to help founders create sustainable success on their own terms.
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