Some episodes feel like a conversation.

And some feel like a passing of wisdom across generations.

My conversation with Nancy Lynk was the latter: a grounding, perspective-shifting journey through work, family, leadership, resilience, and the quiet inner work of becoming.

As the final guest in our Ages & Stages Series, Nancy reminded me (and all of us) that growth doesn’t stop at any age. In fact, some of the most meaningful expansion happens later, when we finally slow down enough to listen.

Here are three powerful portions of our conversation that stayed with me long after we stopped recording.

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Building Confidence Before the World Gives You Permission

Nancy grew up on a Century Farm in rural Iowa surrounded by family, responsibility, and shared work. No job was labeled “men’s work” or “women’s work.” If you were capable, you were trusted to do it.

Only later did she realize how rare and formative that was.

When she entered college and began interviewing for agricultural lending roles, she encountered questions no young man in the same position would have been asked:

“Do you have a special person in your life?”
“What are your plans for marriage and children?”
“How many women do you know in this business?”

Her answer still makes me smile:

“Well… I don’t know any. But is that a requirement for the job?”

Nancy didn’t wait for external validation to believe she belonged. She believed in herself first… and that self-trust became the foundation for everything that followed.

Lesson:
Confidence isn’t granted. It’s claimed.

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Leadership Forged in Crisis

Early in her banking career, Nancy found herself in the middle of the 1980s Iowa farm crisis, a historic moment in our county’s history when land values collapsed, long-stable farms were suddenly vulnerable, and families faced impossible financial uncertainty.

She was young. Inexperienced. And sitting across kitchen tables from farmers trying to save generational livelihoods.

“I didn’t know what to do,” she told me.
“And my dad said, ‘None of us know what to do. Just hang tough. They’re lucky to have you.’”

So she did.

She listened.
She stayed steady.
She created space for families to find solutions they didn’t yet know they had.

Years later, one of those families introduced her to the next generation with these words:

“She’s the reason your grandparents stayed in business… and why you get to farm today.”

A full-circle moment born from simply showing up when it mattered most.

Lesson:
You don’t need all the answers to lead.
You need presence, heart, and willingness.

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The Inner Work of the Later Years

In recent years, Nancy has started thinking about what life will look like after corporate leadership and her unique ability to mentor, consult, and coach others through career and life transitions.

And here’s the truth she discovered about earlier moments in her life when she was considering change:

She was the one holding herself back.

Not lack of skill.
Not lack of opportunity.
Not lack of capacity.

Just chronic busyness.
Putting others first.
Postponing her own inner work.

So in the past decade, Nancy began intentionally investing in herself through coaching, reflection, journaling, contemplative reading, quiet mornings, and honest self-examination. Not complicated. Not time-consuming. Just consistent.

And now, she guides others through the same process helping people identify patterns, reconnect with values, and step into the next stage of their life with intention.

Her final message to listeners:

“Be fearless with your own becoming. Don’t stand in your own way.”

Lesson:
The work you’re avoiding might be the work that sets you free.

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A Closing Reflection

Nancy’s story is proof that leadership isn’t a title.
Growth isn’t confined to youth.
And purpose doesn’t expire.

Every stage has something to teach us — if we’re willing to listen.

Listen to the full conversation in the final episode of our Ages & Stages Series on The Found Podcast with Molly Knuth.

And maybe today, ask yourself:

Where am I ready to stop holding myself back?