Chapter 4: When the Storm Changes Your Course

The old adage “what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger” applies in this chapter of discovering our personal brand. In August of 2005, I was tested in ways I never imagined. Within the span of just 30 days, I experienced four life-altering events:
Navigated the end of my marriage…
Mourned the passing of my father in South Africa…
Lived through Hurricane Katrina which significantly damaged my home…
Lost my job in Convention Services as the was Beau Rivage significantly damaged….
It would’ve been easy to feel defeated. The truth is, that month taught me what no textbook or training ever could: the meaning of RESILIENCE.
My calling came through loud and clear when I entered the world of non-profit fundraising with the American Heart Association. It was here I found purpose again: raising funds for a mission that mattered deeply (especially since my father had succumbed to heart disease), while planning galas, silent auctions, and conferences that moved hearts and advanced change: A discovery in building experiences that mattered, inspiring generosity, bringing people together, while creating impact.
That passion led me into the world of association meetings and conferences where I deepened my expertise in speaker and exhibitor management, contracts, and logistics.
What did this chapter teach me? TENACITY and ADAPTABILITY. And a reminder that the little things really are little things. When the storm passed (literally and figuratively) I was stronger, focused and more certain than ever that building meaningful events is more than just my career, it’s my purpose.