When life delivers a rupture, some women break. Others bend. And a rare few—like Liz Benditt, founder of The Balm Box—rebuild something stronger, more intentional and profoundly meaningful from the pieces. After spending decades at the top of her field as a marketing executive, Liz could never have predicted that her most defining career chapter would unfold not in boardrooms, but in oncology waiting rooms. Facing multiple cancer diagnoses, she was confronted with the emotional and physical realities of treatment—along with an unexpected insight: the world had plenty of sympathy, but very few useful ways to support patients.
Instead of retreating, she transformed her adversity into clarity. Drawing on her professional expertise, compassion, and lived experience, Liz created The Balm Box—a company devoted to providing practical, comfort-focused care products for people navigating medical challenges. Her journey is not one of a dramatic pivot but of purposeful evolution, defined by grit, reinvention, and a deep desire to turn personal hardship into communal help.
She’s Got Issues Contributor Hope Daniels sat down with Liz for our first “Women We Know” profile. In this conversation, Liz opens up about the mindset shifts, the barriers of midlife reinvention, the courage it takes to begin again and the purpose she’s discovered in entrepreneurship. Her story reminds us that second acts aren’t just possible—they can be the most powerful chapters of all.
Hope: Can you share a bit about your career journey and what brought you to this new chapter?
Liz: I spent 25 years as a marketing executive before life nudged me in a very different direction. After navigating multiple cancer diagnoses—and receiving plenty of well-meaning but wildly impractical gifts—I realized there was a huge gap in the market for thoughtful, actually useful support for patients. Combining my professional expertise with personal experience, I launched The Balm Box to create products that genuinely help people feel more comfortable and cared for during some of life’s toughest moments. It was less a sharp pivot and more a natural evolution toward work with deeper purpose.
Hope: What was the turning point that made you decide it was time for change?
Liz: There wasn’t a single lightning-bolt moment—more like a series of quiet realizations in waiting rooms. I kept thinking: If I’m going to rebuild, I want it to matter. Over time, that pulled me away from the corporate world and toward something more human-centered. The Balm Box became the answer to a question I didn’t even know I was asking: “How can my experience help someone else’s journey be easier?”
Hope: What were the biggest challenges of starting over in midlife?
Liz: The biggest hurdle was my own mindset. Age bias exists, sure, but the self-doubt was louder. Reinventing yourself after decades in one lane comes with plenty of “Are you really doing this?” moments. I also had to learn entirely new skills—everything from packaging logistics to e-commerce troubleshooting. But I tapped into smart mentors, hired great people (including a former student of mine!), and reminded myself that midlife reinvention is not only possible—it’s powerful.
Hope: How did you prepare yourself for this new career?
Liz: I leaned heavily on both experience and curiosity. My marketing background gave me a strong foundation, but I also dove into research, spoke with oncology teams, listened to caregivers, and tested ideas directly with patients. Teaching as an adjunct professor helped too—it gave me ongoing access to new thinking and a little financial cushion so I didn’t have to pull money out of the business before it was ready. Preparation looked less like a big leap and more like steady, intentional steps.
Hope: What do you love most about this stage in your professional life?
Liz: Alignment. I get to build something meaningful while using every skill I’ve collected over the years. There’s freedom, fulfillment, and a real sense of purpose in knowing the work we do directly supports people during vulnerable times. It’s the first time in my career I feel like all roads—corporate, caregiving, teaching—meet in the same place.
Hope: What advice would you give to other women considering a second act?
Liz: Start small and stay flexible. You don’t need a perfect blueprint to begin—just a direction and the confidence to take one step. Keep learning, ask for help, and surround yourself with people who encourage your evolution. And most importantly: trust your instincts. They get sharper with age, not weaker.
Hope: What’s next for you as you continue to grow in this new role?
Liz: We’re focused on scaling The Balm Box in a thoughtful, patient-first way—expanding our product line, deepening partnerships, and bringing more comfort-focused, research-backed products to the people who need them. I’ll continue teaching, mentoring, and building a business that proves compassion is not only good humanity—it’s good business.
Through The Balm Box, Liz has found a way to align experience with purpose. Her journey reflects the reality of midlife change: challenging, uncertain, and ultimately rewarding. It’s proof that meaningful work can emerge from moments we never planned for.
