After a whirlwind weekend starring the opening of the new Music City Center here in Nashville and the Hit Maker's Awards Luncheon today….I wanted to further tout our amazing city and supply you, my dear friends and readers, with a list of the top 10 reasons why I love Nashville… 10. The spontaneous weather (I actually like this…keeps me on my toes)! 9. The wide array, sounds, smells and tastes of our local neighborhoods…from East Nasty to West Meade. 8. If timed right, you can successfully maneuver around any traffic jam in town. This is NOT Atlanta, folks (well, yet). 7. We are always...

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There is one word that has such significance to me, my life and my career. One word that conveys a message of change, growth and success. One word that illustrates detailed planning and exceeding expectations. Evolution. Many have asked what this nine-letter word means. Well, the answer isn’t brief, but I would like to share with you just why I chose this as the name for my company…. A talented family member actually came up with this name (yes, Heather Barnes, you are awesome). Her main reason behind it was the all-encompassing description of the evolution of an event. From...

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Shortly after I moved to Nashville in 2003, I attended Nashville's signature "Rite of Spring" event, the Iroquois Steeplechase. Having connections to a box (little did I know how coveted these spaces were then), I was thrilled to dress up, meet and greet local folks and enjoy a day at the races. While most others were chatting and drinking, I was watching the event…as a whole. From what was going on in Winner's Circle to what food was being served, where the security guards were posted and what was being announced. Having already been in events for a few years, I was mesmerized. I said,...

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Like many of you, I am a bit of a "mixed breed". No, I am not cultured enough to have a Cherokee grandmother, Irish father and Brazilian mother…but, my nearly 100% German/Italian roots have grounded a Midwestern born, Southern raised, well travelled woman. I am sure most of you are thinking…What! You're not FROM the South because you sure sound like it!? True, believe it or not, I still say "pop" instead of "Coke" and sometimes throw the letter "r" into the word "wash." Ick, I know, it even sounds unattractive to me as I say it out loud to myself... So, let's explain the conundrum...

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In my teens, I played tennis. In college, I played, well, "college." In my early 20's, I played "I am broke." In my late 20's, I finally started to workout at the YMCA. In my early 30's (yes, you now know my age RANGE), I finally got a personal trainer. AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH! Yes, that is the sound the angels make as the clouds part, the heavens open and the fitness Gods shine down on me…genius decision, Fal. Why the 15 year procrastination you ask? Well, I happen to be a little over 5' 10" tall (which, aids in better weight distribution) and when I gain weight, it tends to go to the one place...

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As females, we encounter many men in our lives. From those we date, to our fathers or brothers, from our office counterparts to those that “do” our hair. The gas station attendant is sometimes a man, a man may give us a pedicure and a man can even help us purchase mascara at the Chanel counter. Point is; they are everywhere. In fact, for every 1,434 women, there are 1,381 men (so slightly over 1:1). And, I bet that all 1,381 of those men are not even slightly intimidating to us fearless gals. However, in today’s world of female entrepreneurship, leadership and C-Level takeover,...

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You had your company mission statement completed before you graduated from college. You manage finances better than Warren Buffet. You lead by example and not intimidation; your team loves you. You define the meaning of a successful businesswoman. And you know it. Yet, is your career the only jewel in your crown? Is it sparkling bright only because you are fearful to polish the others? What brilliance are you missing out on due to your (yes, I have to say it) personal insecurities? As women, you have learned from Dear Abby and have mastered the art of the “How-To’s”, now you must...

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I love the way it feels. The smell is even better. And, goodness, how about the way it looks!?! No, I am not referring to the hot body du jour, a new Ferrari or a fur coat. I am referring to my own personal passion, my first true love: being organized. Few things bring me a greater sense of accomplishment than having an organized life. From a clean and tidy home, complete with an organized pantry and "junk" drawer (yes, I know, my junk drawer is even organized), to a thoroughly planned and detailed event, I thrive on being organized. Others have referred to me as "the most organized...

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Last weekend, two dear friends of ours got married. It was a new experience for us, knowing both the bride and the groom so well and therefore making it a true tear-jerker. That night in Alabama, on a beautiful 1,100 acre farm, we ate, we drank, we danced and we pushed trucks out of mud. The heavens had opened as soon as the after-party began, pouring down rain and leaving about 7 inches of thick, southern clay mud. The next morning, we made it back to the hotel (yes, we got stuck on the farm, spending the night with the bride’s family) and were packing to head home. My fiancé noticed...

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I am sure that nearly every single person reading this post has, at one time or another, broken up with a boyfriend or girlfriend. We all have endured the “bottomless pit in your stomach” feeling as we say those dreaded words, watching intently for their reaction, waiting for the tears (if you are a boy). Most of us, depending on the separation reason, have even maintained healthy, friendly relationships with our ex’s. I have been on both the giving and receiving end of these tormenting conversations and am able to admit that the most difficult, was breaking up with my longest lived...

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