I Refused to Let 2024 Mirror 2023—Here’s How I’m Making 2025 Even Better!
Resilience in Action: My Journey from 2023 to 2025
Resilience is a term with different meanings for different people. For some, it’s the ability to push through life’s challenges; for others, it’s about bouncing back even stronger. In the last Global Resilience Project book, I opened up about how 2023 was one of the hardest years of my life. It was filled with challenges, heartache, and unexpected obstacles. As we approach the end of 2024, I wanted to follow up on my journey and share how I’ve built resilience since that last chapter and what exciting plans I have set for 2025.
Let’s start with the public company. Leaving something I had poured three long years into was one of the hardest decisions ever. I worked tirelessly on that company, investing not just my time but my energy, my vision, and yes, even my stock—literally! It wasn’t part of my plan to step away, and honestly, it felt like the rug had been pulled out from under me. I was angry, disappointed, and confused. However, I learned that resilience isn’t just about surviving external challenges but about cultivating a resilient mindset.
For me, resilience meant accepting what happened, learning from it, and finding the strength to move forward. I’m now channeling that energy into something new—a fresh company backed by an incredible team and an investment firm with big plans. We’re aiming to go public by 2025, and I feel excitement for this new venture is like nothing I’ve experienced before. This time, I’m taking everything I’ve learned and applying it in ways that make me feel empowered and capable.
In many ways, 2024 has been the complete opposite of 2023. Where 2023 felt like a series of blows, 2024 has been one win after another. But the truth is, these wins came with struggle. The key difference? I retrained my mind to believe in my ability to overcome. I decided to refuse the negative spiral of depression that 2023 had left me in. It wasn’t easy, but resilience isn’t supposed to be easy. It’s about steady progress, one day at a time, one step closer to the life you envision.
A big part of that transformation came from facing my fears. Fear can be a paralyzing force, especially after we’ve been through tough times. It’s easy to retreat, to play it safe, or to assume that any risk might result in more pain or failure. But I’ve learned that sometimes, the only way to truly heal is to confront fear head-on and take those leaps of faith.
In 2023, I lost a dear friend. Her passing was one of the hardest losses I’ve had to endure, and to make things even more complex, anI was asked to take over her business. I’ll be honest: I was terrified. I was still reeling from the emotional toll of her death, and the thought of taking on her company felt overwhelming. But as 2024 rolled around, I realized that stepping into this role wasn’t just an obligation—but an opportunity. An opportunity to honor her legacy, to build something meaningful, and to challenge myself in new ways.
I wish I could say it was smooth sailing, but it wasn’t. I had inherited her team, and they were far from supportive. They added more stress to an already difficult situation. I was stretched thin, barely keeping everything afloat, and I wondered if I had made a huge mistake. But then, something clicked. I realized that if I was going to succeed, I needed to take full ownership. I couldn’t rely on others who didn’t share my vision or commitment.
So, I decided to go all in for the next big event—the Emmy’s Week gifting lounge. This time, it was all me: my hires, vision, and my execution. Every decision was mine, and I felt in complete control for the first time in a long time. When the event wrapped on September 12th, the sense of accomplishment I felt was indescribable. I had done it. I had taken a massive risk, which paid off in ways I couldn’t have imagined.
To top it all off, several publications named my event the “Best Gifting Lounge of the Week of Emmys.” That recognition was not only deeply satisfying for me but also for the sponsors who had trusted me to represent their brands. Knowing that I delivered an exceptional experience and created lasting impressions for the sponsors reinforced that I was on the right path. It validated my hard work, vision, and ability to bring it together.
That night, after the event had ended and the exhaustion started to fade, I had a profound realization: all of the struggles in 2023 had led me to this moment. It became clear that everything I had been through prepared me for something bigger. It wasn’t just about pulling off one event—it was about discovering my true passion. Events, brand building, and creating meaningful connections between people—that’s where my heart is. And the gifting lounges? They’re only the beginning of what I have in store.
Being resilient isn’t just about surviving—it’s about thriving. It’s about having the courage to bet on yourself, to take risks, and to trust that no matter how hard things get, you are capable of more than you ever imagined. I’ve learned that resilience means being willing to take those leaps, even when the ground beneath you feels shaky. You have to believe that you’ll land on your feet or at least find a way to get back up if you fall.
Looking ahead to 2025, I have big plans. The new company is moving toward an IPO, and I’m expanding my role in events and brand building. I want to help others navigate their journeys of resilience by creating opportunities for them to shine, connect, and grow. The world might feel like it’s constantly shifting, and sometimes it even feels like it’s on fire. But at the end of the day, resilience is about focusing on your healing and growth and doing what will push you forward—even when the path isn’t clear.
One of the biggest lessons I’ve learned through this is that resilience is deeply personal. It’s about timing, it’s about listening to yourself, and it’s about knowing when to push and when to pause. There will always be external pressures, deadlines, and expectations, but true resilience comes from being in tune with your own needs. You have to give yourself the space to heal, rest, and regroup. But you also have to know when to take action, even when it’s scary.
As I continue to move forward, I carry the lessons of 2023 and 2024 with me. I’m stronger, wiser, and more determined than ever before. I know that life will throw more challenges my way—because that’s just how life works. But now, I also know I can handle whatever comes my way. Because resilience isn’t just about getting through tough times—it’s about coming out the other side, ready to take on whatever’s next.
Resilience wasn’t something I discovered overnight; it was tested and built through some of the hardest moments of my career, especially during that first event with my inherited team. When I took over the business in 2024, I had no idea what I was walking into. I was still grappling with the grief of losing my friend, and stepping into her shoes felt daunting. But I figured, “I have her team behind me. They know the ropes. I can trust them.”
That’s where I was wrong. From the start, the cracks began to show. Miscommunication, disorganization, and a lack of accountability from people I thought I could rely on began to wear on me. Long days became even longer as I tried to fill in the gaps, manage their mistakes, and keep the vision for the event alive. The mornings felt even harder—exhaustion would settle in before the sun even came up, but I had to keep going. I had no choice but to push through because the event was approaching fast, and failure was not an option.
I remember waking up at 5 a.m., eyes burning from lack of sleep, staring at my to-do list, which seemed to double overnight. Each day felt like a battle, balancing logistics, trying to motivate a team that seemed unwilling to carry their weight, and making decisions on the fly to prevent the entire thing from falling apart. I was doing the work of several people, but I couldn’t let that stop me.
The pressure was intense. I had to navigate last-minute vendor changes, oversee setup details, and deal with constant emails flooding in—each one presenting a new problem to solve. Every corner I turned, there was another fire to put out. I tried to delegate but quickly learned that the team wasn’t up to the challenge. They lacked the urgency and dedication I needed. I found myself picking up the slack, staying up late into the night while others clocked out, leaving me with a mountain of unfinished tasks.
During one of those late nights, I was sitting at my desk with nothing but the glow of my computer screen and a cup of cold coffee, and I had a moment of clarity. I realized that if this were going to succeed, it would have to be because of me. I trusted others to make it work, but they weren’t as invested in the outcome as I was. I was the one who needed to lead, to put in the extra effort, and to ensure that everything came together. I had to rely on myself.
From that moment on, something shifted. The long days and tired mornings continued, but my mindset changed. I stopped expecting my team to step up, and instead, I stepped up for myself. I trusted my vision and my ability to execute it. I hired the right people—people I chose, not just the team I had inherited. I started building a team that matched my energy and my drive. It wasn’t easy, and the sleepless nights didn’t magically disappear, but I began to feel a sense of control over the chaos.
By the time the event came to fruition, I knew I had made the right call. Every challenge had been worth it. When I stood at the event, watching it all come together, I realized that resilience isn’t just about surviving difficult situations—it’s about taking control of your circumstances and trusting yourself to overcome them. I had done it, not because everything went smoothly, but because I refused to let the obstacles define the outcome.
If I can leave you with one piece of advice, it would be to STAY true to yourself.
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