In this candid episode, Kelly shares a behind-the-scenes story about how a string of mismanaged logistics, broken agreements, and skyrocketing costs at a luxury hotel led to a major shift in her business model - and a powerful lesson about burnout, boundaries, and making executive decisions to prevent burnout.
What began as a stressful event planning experience turned into a breakthrough moment that resulted in a full overhaul of Kelly's live event strategy. Now, she's running more impactful, accessible, and profitable events - all without sacrificing joy, client experience, or her mental well-being.
If you feel like you've been forcing a part of your business to work (even when it's clearly broken), this episode will give you permission to stop spinning your wheels, and start reinventing.
01:20 – Why burnout is the most dangerous threat to your business
04:00 – Learning to prevent burnout, not just respond to it
06:40 – The hotel event disaster: broken promises, rising costs, and poor service
17:45 – The radical pivot: shifting to alternative venues and brand sponsorships for lower overhead costs, more flexibility and control
24:30 – Making high-level retreats more accessible and affordable for clients
27:05 – The deeper lesson: when iteration isn't enough, it's time for reinvention
29:00 – Why joy should never be the cost of your next growth phase
Burnout doesn't just happen from overwork. It happens when misaligned systems wear you down
Iteration isn't always the answer; sometimes you need a total reinvention
Being decisive in making executive decisions protect your energy and your impact
Creating accessible, profitable events can be done without selling from stage
When your business model starts to feel heavy, it's time to question the structure - not your mission