Permission to Pursue
Permission to Pursue by Stacy Murphy is a modern guide for women who are determined not just to survive the evolving world of work, but to define it on their own terms. We will spend one-third of our lives working, and if we set an intention to align our work with our authentic selves, we can create the opportunity to not merely find joy in our work but meaningful purpose. As AI reshapes industries and longstanding inequities such as the wage gap persist, the author argues that women’s greatest advantage is one that can’t be automated: the power of authentic human connection.
With candor and wit, Stacy explores why women so often downplay their accomplishments, how gender bias still shapes opportunity, and why leadership is a choice available at every level. She dismantles the myth of work–life balance, reframing fulfillment as an intentional pursuit of what matters most. Through real stories, expert examples, and her own experience, Stacy illustrates how community, visibility, and aligned action can propel women’s growth. Readers will learn to map their own career paths through practical, thought-provoking exercises, build advocates, embrace their personal style, and create a work life aligned with their values.
Centered on three core pillars, this book ultimately declares one essential truth: when women claim their purpose and boldly share their talents with the world, they gain the freedom to create careers—and lives—they genuinely love.
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Stacy Murphy
About Stacy Murphy
Stacy Murphy is a brand strategist and design leader with over fifteen years of experience in the commercial interiors industry. A fierce advocate for women in the workplace, she is known for her servant leadership, design acumen, and commitment to helping women of all stages in life find purpose and meaning in their professional careers.
She holds degrees in Interior Design from the New York School of Interior Design and LSU and has been recognized with the HIP Award from Interior Design Magazine and as an Emerging Leader by Floor Focus Magazine. Stacy has also dedicated over a decade of service to the International Interior Design Association, where she has served as Chapter President and International Foundation Board Trustee.
Based in Austin, Texas, Stacy leads, writes, and speaks on personal brand, leadership, and the power of showing up with intention.
Learn MoreWhat People Are Saying
What People Are Saying
Permission to Pursue is a powerful, confidence-building guide for ambitious women ready to own their value and amp up visibility and impact. Stacy's must-read book helps readers reclaim confidence, build an authentic personal brand, and chart their path to fulfilling, professional success.
This book couldn't be more timely. At a moment when careers are shaped as much by perception as performance, women need more than encouragement-they need a clear path forward. Stacy takes on a question I spend a lot of time thinking about, and one the youngest generations especially need answered: how to build visibility, credibility, and agency in a rapidly changing world of work. She doesn't just explain why personal branding matters now; she shows exactly what to do about it-and, importantly, gives women permission to pursue it. Thoughtful, direct, and deeply relevant, this book offers both a practical roadmap and an invitation to want more from our careers and our lives.
Stacy writes with clarity and honesty about the challenges women face in today's workplace. Permission to Pursue is inspiring, practical, and full of specific steps to grow your career as your true self, while building a personal brand and network that advocates for you even when you're not in the room.
Permission to Pursue is powerful, brave, and deeply needed. Reading it felt soul-nourishing, an invitation to slow down, reflect honestly, and reconnect with who you truly are. This work gives language and permission to choose growth with intention, not burnout.
