What do you do when your health changes and the business you've built can't keep up?
In this episode of Business with Chronic Illness, I sit down with Jemi Crookes (https://www.thetflab.com/) , founder of The Think Lab, to talk about what happens when a diagnosis forces you to redefine leadership, business, and success itself.
After a misdiagnosis of Type 2 diabetes, Jemi discovered she was actually living with Type 1.5 (LADA)—a rare form of autoimmune diabetes (https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/type-1-diabetes/expert-answers/lada-diabetes/faq-20057880) that upended everything she knew about her body, her energy, and the way she worked. She left her corporate executive role and rebuilt her business from the ground up, using AI, authentic leadership positioning, and personal branding to create more freedom and less burnout.
In This Episode You'll Learn:
✅ How Jemi turned a life-changing diagnosis into a business that supports her health
✅ The difference between corporate leadership and capacity-honoring leadership
✅ Why "your job title is rented, but your leadership is forever"
✅ How to use AI as a tool (not a replacement) for your positioning and time
✅ What it really takes to build a brand rooted in your values and lived experience
✅ The mindset shifts that allow you to keep growing—even when your energy fluctuates
✅ Why you can't position yourself (even if you're a strategist) and who can help
✅ How advocating for your health teaches you to advocate in business
You'll hear how Jemi learned to trust her intuition when doctors got it wrong, design business models that flex with her energy, and help other women leaders build brands that can thrive, no matter what life brings next.
A gift from Jemi, our guest - Custom GPT tool: SO FUN!!!! https://chatgpt.com/g/g-67d37e2edbf48191b062e108c6bb1994-tf-leadership-intro-ida
🎧 Want to learn more about today’s guest?
Visit CraftedToThrive.com (#) for guest details, key takeaways, and extra links mentioned in this episode.
🌿 If you’re navigating entrepreneurship and chronic illness, or simply craving a more sustainable way to grow your business without sacrificing your health, energy, or self-care priorities, explore Chronically You & Profitable (CYAP). (https://www.thrivewithnikita.com/cyap)
CYAP (https://www.thrivewithnikita.com/cyap) is my voice-first business system designed for women entrepreneurs, creatives, and women with chronic illness who want sustainable growth and burnout support while keeping life and wellness first.
It helps you use your voice and story to build a business with systems and strategies that run smoothly, so your work supports your life, not the other way around.
⭐ Enjoyed this conversation? Leave a review (https://www.craftedtothrive.com/reviews/new/) and share it with another CEO woman or creative entrepreneur growing a health-first, sustainable business.
📱 Stay connected: Follow me on Instagram. (https://www.instagram.com/thrivewithnikita/)
