08/26/2026
In 2017, I took my mom to Nashville.
We did all the things. The Grand Ole Opry. The Ryman. The Museums. A Plantation Tour. We ate, danced, shopped and soaked up as much of Nashville as we possibly could.
But the highlight of that entire trip was seeing Kenny Rogers and Dolly Parton perform together for the final time.
The stage was filled with incredible singers and songwriters paying tribute to them and their music. At times, Kenny struggled to stand, so he sat perched on a stool with Dolly’s hand resting on his shoulder.
When I look at these photos and videos now, I’m flooded with emotion.
Because this trip was about so much more than Nashville.
That same year, I started Soar Creative.
At the time, we were a young family of five with three little kids. My husband was a first responder working gruelling shifts and picking up every extra pay duty he could. I had always been entrepreneurial and would dream up little business ideas as my kids grew, mostly because I wanted some spending money of my own so I could take them to the Science Centre, plan little adventures and say yes a little more often.
Three kids cost a lot. 😉
But in 2017, I decided to take a bigger leap.
One of my biggest motivations for building Soar was my mom. I wanted to earn enough that I could give her some new experiences while she was still healthy enough to travel.
Neither of us had travelled much when we were younger, but I have always had an affinity for planning trips, finding adventures and making memories.
So I worked. I saved. And Nashville became our first trip together.
There’s another part of this story that makes me smile now…
I recently looked back at my original investment guide from those early days of Soar. Over the past decade, my investment has increased by roughly 775%.
Yes. You read that right.
Not because I suddenly became worth 775% more.
Because when I started, I had absolutely no idea what I was worth.
There’s a Dolly Parton quote I’ve always loved: “Pour yourself a cup of ambition.”
I’ll happily take the ambition.
But after nearly a decade of entrepreneurship, I’ve also learned that the traditional 9-to-5 was never really what I was chasing.
I was chasing freedom. Flexibility. Experiences. The ability to be there for my kids. The ability to take my mom on adventures while I still could.
Now, as a single mom, what ive built provides me with these very things, along with an abundance of gratitude.
So if there’s a moral buried somewhere in these old photos, it’s this:
Don't wait.
Take the leap.
Work hard.
Know your worth.
And make the memories.
Because ultimately, those are the dividends that matter most!
PS. If you are lucky enough, call your mom!! ❤️
