At the end of July, I joined some of my favorite friends in the creative industry for my fifth Creative at Heart Conference experience in beautiful Denver, Colorado! I remember when this vision was just a big, scary dream my sweet friend Kat Schmoyer of Dear Sweetheart Events held close to her heart, and after many a group text, heartfelt conversation and I’m sure more than one leap of faith, it’s been such a joy to watch this conference sweep the creative community by storm. This creative conference is quite like any other I’ve had the privilege to be a part of, and not only because I know of no other event that consistently brings together so many top industry leaders and innovators as speakers, panelists and sponsors! No, friend, this conference is different because of the heart behind it — “to inspire the hearts of like-minded creatives.” Because although we can come together in many educational environments to learn how to practically grow our businesses, there is nothing quite as powerful as the community that stems from coming together to unite with like-minded boss ladies and gents, the kind of people who will not only stand beside you in your creative journey, but will cheer you on through every high and every low. And I can wholeheartedly say that last month, the Denver conference transformed lives as friendships were made, light bulb creative moments took place every single day, and people courageously dug deep into how they can build the business they’ve always dreamed of.

What I personally love most about the Creative at Heart experience is that this content is the perfect blend of inspirational and practical! Even after five other experiences at this conference, I can honestly say that I learn something new every single time. One of my biggest takeaways from this Denver conference came in the form of a fantastic talk from Abby Springmann of Abby Grace Photography. Sweet Abby spoke straight to my heart when she shared her approach to the “gentle no,” a way of saying no to what doesn’t matter in order to free up more energy, time and mental space to say “yes” to what matters most! In my current season of life, this was encouragement in its purest form that spoke straight to my heart and reinforced my belief that “no” is ultimately a boundary that protects our ability to create the life we want. Because thoughtful, gentle “no’s” that stem from a place of intention free you up to give so many “yeses” to the types of relationships, experiences and opportunities that fuel your priorities and protect your quality of life. So thank you for that much-needed reminder, Abby! It was such an uplifting truth that I know we all needed to hear.

When I wasn’t busy filling my notebook with nuggets of wisdom from my fellow speakers, I had the honor to lead a presentation on creating the type of client experience that wins hearts and represents your brand well! As an introvert by nature, speaking in front of a group of over 100 creatives is daunting to say the least, but I care so deeply about how lives (and businesses!) can be positively impacted that I’d rather suffer through a little stage fright than not speak at all. And this November, I’ll be joining the Creative at Heart team again for our Memphis conference, sharing my step-by-step process to help you inspire client loyalty, represent the heart of your work thoughtfully, and lay the foundation for lifelong client relationships. And I would love to see you there, boss lady. If you’re ready to join me and dozens of other speakers for two full days of game-changing content, incredible friendships just waiting to be made, and some memories you won’t forget, then head over to the Creative at Heart Conference website for full details and tickets!

Photography by Alicia Lacey Photography and Bulloss Photography