In June 2017, I received an email from the talented team behind The Reset Conference notifying me that I had been chosen to speak at their 2018 conference.
I was thrilled and humbled and nervous and excited for the chance to speak at my first big creative conference.
During my decade of climbing the corporate ladder, I had spoken many times at different events. I’ve been in front of groups ranging in size from 2 to 2,000.
I spoke at events full of hourly employees and others where I was the sole presenter to a group of Senior VPs and leaders of the Fortune 25 company I worked for at the time.
But there was something different about this moment. About this conference. About this particular group of people that sent the butterflies flitting about in my stomach.
The heart and mission behind this conference are what really sets it apart. Kellie Penn, owner of Across the Miles Photography, and Rebekah Albaugh, owner of Rebekah Albaugh, started this conference to:
- Create a community of like-minded and like-heart creative professionals
- Provide training and learning opportunities that would help attendees use their talents for good and help them thrive financially
- Push the reset button on life and business, so these creative professionals could capture life and live it first, instead of living in the constant hustle of business
I was honored to be speaking alongside a truly humbling list of savvy and successful business professionals who are fueled by heart and passion and serving others.
As a speaker, I also got the opportunity to attend speaker sessions (there were over 50 speakers and breakout sessions this year!) alongside conference attendees. What an absolute privilege to learn from some of the best of the best.

Today, I’d love to share some of my biggest takeaways with you from the conference.
Experience is the most memorable part of our business.
Doug Weittenhiller of Twig + Olive Photography shared with us that the experience we give our clients matters from start to finish. It’s what can set us apart and it’s what keeps our clients coming back time and again and referring us to their friends.
Persistence is vital.
Cinnamon Wolfe of Cinnamon Wolfe Photography, Cinnamon Wolfe, and the Focus(ed) Podcast reminded us that sometimes things don’t happen as quickly as we want them to, but persistence is vital for getting the results you desire, regardless of what that might be – from blogging to improving our craft and more.
Share your story, not the superficial.
Stacey Greene of Stacey Greene Brand Storytelling & Calligraphy talked with us about how we so often only share the superficial things with others when meeting for the first time. She helped us learn how to go deeper with our telling our story to connect with people more authentically throughout our brand – from our website to social media, in our newsletters and beyond.
Personalization is more than just a name.
Dannie Fountain of Dannie Fountain, Marketing Strategist, Author, Speaker, taught us that personalizing your email newsletter is more than just learning how to use the first name mail merge function. To truly personalize your content, you need to get to the core of the human experience and connect with people on their journey.
Don’t try to be a fish if you’re a bird.
Elisa Watson of ShowIt beautifully demonstrated how ridiculous it is for us to try to be something or someone that we’re not. When we try to be someone else, we end up drowning… and dead. Focus on your own unique talents, skills, and abilities in order to soar. And stop trying to be someone you’re not.
Use your creativity to get you INTO situations.
Jeff Rojas of Jeff Rojas New York Portrait & Fashion Photographer explained to us that we often use our creativity to get us out of situations. (Example: Don’t have enough rent money this month? You get creative to make the money you need and get out of this bad situation.) He encouraged us to flip this type of creativity on its head and use it to get into our ideal or dream scenarios. What else can you do to make those big dreams happen?
Your mentality fuels your business.
Joey Vitale of Indie Law taught us about the importance of LLCs and when to become one in our businesses. But he also taught us about fueling our business with our mentality. That sometimes it takes a “results or die” mindset to give us that extra push to make big things happen.
Remember your truth.
Emily Moore of One Moore Emily and Moore Media Group reminded us to separate ourselves from our work. That we are so much more than just this one small part of our identity. When times are rough and we’re feeling defeated in business, we should remember our truth and don’t let this emotional low in one area of our life dictate everything about who we are.
I feel truly honored to have been able to present alongside these speakers about preparing your small business for hiring a team and encouraging the attendees of my session along on their journeys.
To learn more about The Reset Conference visit them online at www.theresetconference.com and follow them on Facebook and Instagram. Check out this great behind-the-scenes video of all the fun and learning that took place at this year’s event. Stay tuned to register for next year’s event taking place on March 22nd- 24th in Lexington, KY!