SUPER EXCITING NEWS! But I’ll be honest — this isn’t the post I expected to write.

After taking quite a significant step back from social media this last year, I figured I might fade into the background a bit. Less visibility. Fewer inquiries. Slower growth.

Instead?

I’ve been named Local Business Person of the Year for Roselle, IL by Alignable!

Over the years, I’ve learned that networking isn’t about pitching your services or swapping business cards — it’s about planting seeds. It’s about showing up authentically, having real conversations (yes, even the awkward ones), and building relationships that grow over time. Some of my favorite collaborations, clients, and creative breakthroughs came from casual coffee chats or quick DMs that turned into something bigger. Where my amazingly random new besties via Threads at?! I mean for reals – I'm barely on there and somehow still came out with some incredible new peers and podcast guests.

This last year, I’ve been doing some serious internal brand work — not just with clients (though that’s always my jam), but on my own brand. Getting clear (again) on who I’m here to serve, how I want to show up, and what kind of impact I want this business to create.

I traded constant content creation for deeper client relationships.
I hit pause on the hustle and chose aligned connection.
I said yes to in-person events and coffee chats — not to pitch, but to listen and serve.

And guess what? That shift created real ripple effects.

More referrals.
More aligned collaborations.
More confidence — not just in what I offer, but in why it matters.

It's no secret, I heavily teach that your brand isn’t just your logo or your tagline — it’s the experience people have when they interact with you. And the more clarity you have around who you are and how you serve, the more magnetic your brand becomes.

Receiving this award wasn’t just about me. It was about every relationship built over coffee, zoom, lunch, you name it. It's about every client I served beyond surface level, and every seed I planted when no one was watching.

Thru TWTF, I help entrepreneurs build brands with deep roots — brands that are grounded in clarity, strategy, and self-trust. And just like branding, the best networks are grown intentionally. You don’t always see the results right away, but every seed you plant matters.

This recognition is a beautiful reminder that the slow, consistent work of showing up and serving your community does pay off.

So if you’re in a season of “quiet,” don’t panic. Sometimes stepping back is exactly what your brand needs to leap forward.

These awards aren’t just mine, it's yours. It belongs to every client who trusted me to help them (re)discover their magic, every biz bestie who cheered me on, and every member of the TWTF fam who believes branding is about more than a pretty logo.

Thank you to everyone who’s been part of my journey — the clients who trusted me with their vision, the friends who cheered me on, and the Roselle biz fam who helped this brand blossom.

Here’s to building bold brands, making real impact, and lifting each other up along the way.

Thank you, Alignable, and thank YOU, Roselle. Let’s keep growing — from the brand up.

XoXo,
Your Mega Hype Girl