Introducing The Solidago Institute
GROW ANYWHERE
Hey friends,
For nearly two years we have been reflecting on the power of a pause. Back in May, InnerShift took a pause. If I’m being 100% honest… it’s not because we were feeling particularly mindful or zen. We took a pause because we got hit with some really challenging news: we found out we can't own the trademark for the name InnerShift. It was a total gut punch.
If you’ve seen the movie, A Christmas Story, it felt exactly like that moment when Ralphie says, “FUDGE!!!!” (Watch)
As my closest friends can attest, I’m someone who rarely swears (except on days that end in “y”), but all jokes aside, I was left feeling gutted. Our team has poured so much heart, and passion, and energy, into building our InnerShift community, and suddenly we had to rebuild.
I felt lost.
Of course, I had to ask myself—what would I tell a client if they were in a situation like this? For the past year, we’ve been talking about leadership compost, the idea that healthy leadership means sifting through crappy situations, keeping what’s useful, and turning it into something that leads to growth.
So, we decided to sift through our own “oh F*#%!!” moment. We reflected. We revisited our vision. We took stock of the work we most want to do and how we want to show up in the world. We reflected on one of the small but meaningful hallmarks of our gatherings: the persistent presence of fresh flowers and plants—something alive and rooted that we believe shifts the energy of a space.
With this in mind, we started searching for a natural image that reflected the heart of our work—something resilient, full of possibility, and able to thrive in diverse ecosystems, just as we hope our work helps people and organizations do. And that’s when the most beautiful metaphor emerged…
I’m thrilled to announce that we are now The Solidago Institute.
Solidago is the scientific name for Goldenrod—a resilient wildflower that thrives in diverse ecosystems. It has a history of use in healing and symbolizes restoration, renewal, and quiet strength, and is also the state flower of Kentucky, a place deeply tied to our story.
The genus Solidago originates from the Latin root Solidare, meaning “to mend, to make whole, to heal.” Solidago grows in tough conditions, supports entire ecosystems, and often marks the start of something new. Honestly, it’s the perfect metaphor for where we’re going next.
We’ll always love our InnerShift years, but this new chapter feels exactly right. And while this won’t be the last challenge we’ll face, if there’s one thing we’ve learned, it’s that navigating challenges in community makes all the difference.
We’re excited to gather in community, celebrate, and kick things off at the Solidago Institute Kickoff Reception on Wednesday, October 1st at the beautiful Green Bay Botanical Garden—also home to our next Green Bay cohort program.
This event is both the launch of our next chapter and our 2nd anniversary as an organization. We’ll toast to where we’ve been and share a peek at what’s ahead.
We’ve got a new website coming, exciting programs to roll out, and a whole lot more to share. Stay tuned, and thanks for being part of this ride with us.
Peace,
Billy
Founder & President
The Solidago Institute
(formerly InnerShift)
P.S. With the deepest respect to Taylor Swift, we want to clarify that the timing of this announcement is purely coincidental. We would never intentionally upstage the announcement of her 12th album
