What Happened in Spartanburg

I got back from Spartanburg last Monday, and I'm still processing everything that happened at our conference last weekend.

Twenty-four Virtual Assistants came together for the VA Connection LIVE, and what unfolded was more meaningful than I could have imagined.

Friday night, we kicked off the event with a welcome reception. Drinks, appetizers, and that exciting and magical moment when people who've only known each other online finally meet face-to-face. Everyone was snapping selfies, hugging, and talking about their journeys to be together.

The energy in that room set the tone for everything that followed.

On Saturday morning, we began with a puzzle called the 15-puzzle. I had one as a kid.

It was the perfect metaphor for what we spent the weekend talking about: transformation happens one move at a time, you can't force solutions, and sometimes you have to go backward to move forward.

Then April Pertuis shared a story that had the whole room leaning in. She talked about being in Paris, standing in her hotel room with a red dress laid out on the bed. The safe choice was the yellow dress. The comfortable choice. But she chose the red dress - and that decision to be seen, to take up space, to stop playing small became a turning point.

She guided us through understanding imposter syndrome - not as something to overcome once and for all, but as a voice we learn to recognize and choose differently around. The red dress wasn't just about clothing. It was about deciding you deserve to be visible.

And then something beautiful happened. People started sharing their own stories. Raw, honest moments they hadn't shared before. Stories about disappointments in life, feeling like frauds, about the voices that tell them they're not qualified enough, smart enough, experienced enough.

The room transformed. Everyone came closer together, recognizing themselves in each other's struggles, nodding in understanding, offering encouragement. The vulnerability in that room created a safety that carried through the entire weekend.

After lunch, Amy Sutter reminded us that we can't step into our power if we're running on empty. She talked about movement and nutrition - not in that exhausting "optimize everything" way, but as essential fuel for doing brave things. You can't show up powerfully in your business when you're depleted. Simple truth, but one we all needed to hear.

Later on Saturday, I talked about something that resonated with so many people in the room - how we learned early in life that being ourselves wasn't safe. That taking up space was wrong, that our voices were too much.

And I watched recognition spread across the room. So many heads nodding. So many people who'd been taught the same lessons - different moments, different words.

Here's the big takeaway: The very things we learned to keep us safe as children are the exact opposite of what we need to do to be powerful adults.

We wrapped up the day with a panel of VAs sharing their real stories - not highlight reels, but honest accounts of doing scary things that turned out to be exactly right. 

Saturday night, everyone got a partner and a homework assignment: take one brave action in your business that your inner voice told you not to do. Follow up with someone. Send your newsletter. Reach out to a past client. Do the thing you've been avoiding.

Sunday morning, the stories came pouring in. People who'd been paralyzed for months were suddenly taking action. Connections made. Emails sent. Boundaries set.

This is what community looks like. Not perfect people who have it all figured out, but brave people willing to do the work of becoming who they're meant to be.

And then Jen Lehner blew our minds with AI. She showed us tools and strategies that made the whole room go "wait, WHAT?" The technology isn't just about efficiency - it's about amplifying your capabilities in ways that used to be impossible.

If you've been wondering whether it's worth it to invest in yourself, to take time away from your business, to do the deep work of examining what's really holding you back - I'm here to tell you it is.

The people who came to Spartanburg didn't just learn new business strategies. They started rewriting the stories that have been running their lives for decades.

And that changes everything.