From Unhinged to Unstoppable: Embracing 2026 with a CEO Mindset
As I look back on the wild, beautiful, slightly unhinged ride that was 2025, I can’t help but laugh a little and think… wow, I really did that. Going into year five of CB Grey, I chose two words to guide me: Unhinged and Unstoppable. And I didn’t just pick them — I lived them.
That year felt like my last big, all-in push. The kind where you say yes before you’ve fully thought it through. Where you figure it out on planes, in hotel rooms, in the carpool line, and at 2am after everyone else is asleep. My goal was simple (and exhausting 😅): do anything and everything I could to get CB Grey in front of more people, in more places, on bigger stages.
And wow… we ran.
2025 looked like... designing custom pieces for Mar-a-Lago for the 3rd year in a row. It looked like creating custom designs for three Discovery Land Company clubs, two incredibly meaningful customs with CHOA, and collaborating with two amazing local Atlanta female-founded brands that I admire so deeply.... It looked like continuing to help grow Women 4 Women in Atlanta, something that fills my cup in a way business alone never could.
It also looked like taking CB Grey on the road — New Orleans, Houston, and Alys Beach — packing up silk, setting up shop, hosting trunk shows, meeting new customers face-to-face, and watching people connect with the stories behind the designs in real time. Add in countless local pop-ups and shows in between, and somehow I just kept saying yes.
It looked like designing a custom scarf for Kelly Stafford, then flying across the country to hand-deliver her designs at the Rams Women’s Christmas party (still a “wait… is this real life?” moment)....It looked like being trusted to design the 2026 Rex scarf for Mardi Gras — a true pinch-me honor — and being asked to design a scarf for America 250, a project that carries so much history and meaning.
When I say unhinged and unstoppable, I mean it with my whole chest. That year required grit, courage, stamina, and a whole lot of faith. And I’m so proud of myself for showing up the way I did.
Now, as I step into 2026, my theme has shifted.
This year’s words are Button Up and Buckle Down.
Not because I’m slowing down — but because I’m leveling up.
After five and a half years of pushing, proving, hustling, and doing all the things, I finally feel like I’ve earned the right to be more intentional. To be more strategic. To pause before saying yes. To say no when it doesn’t align. To protect my energy a little more and lead with clarity instead of pure adrenaline.
This is me fully stepping into my CEO role. This is me acting like the boss I’ve been building toward all along.
And I want to say this very clearly: I wouldn’t be here without you.
My customers. My supporters. My cheerleaders. The people who buy the scarf, share the post, send the DM, bring a friend to a pop-up, and believe in this brand just as much as I do. Because of you, I finally feel like I can loosen my grip a little — not because I care less, but because what we’ve built together is real. And strong. And growing.
And don’t worry — I’m still the same Courtney.
Just because I’m buttoning up and buckling down doesn’t mean the fun, quirky, chaotic, unhinged-and-unstoppable version of me is disappearing. She’s still very much here. She’s just sliding into the passenger seat for a bit while the CEO version of me takes the wheel. The spirit that got us here isn’t going anywhere — it’s just getting a little more focused.
So here’s to 2026.
Here’s to growth, confidence, boundaries, and big vision.
And here’s to leveling up — together!
xo - Courtney