05/04/2026
It’s been over a month since the WIPA Philadelphia Gala, and I’ve been meaning to put this into words…
That night stuck with me.
Not because of the production or how everything looked, although it was incredible, but because of the people in that room.
I was up there on stage, dealing with a few technical hiccups, trying to serve my role… and at the same time just feeling the energy of the room.
And it was overwhelming in the best way.
Watching people get recognized, seeing the emotion behind it…you could feel the years of work, the sacrifices, everything that goes into what we do.
If you would’ve told me I’d be up there getting emotional handing out awards, I wouldn’t have believed you.
But that’s what that room does. That’s what these people do.
People weren’t clapping just to clap, they were genuinely happy for each other.
And that’s why WIPA.
When people ask me what it’s about, I tell them it’s not just networking or education.
It’s a group of people who actually want to see each other win.
Who show up.
Who step in when things get hard.
On the original day, we had a tornado warning…had to move the entire gala to the next day, shifted everything across vendors and teams and still delivered something special.
That doesn’t happen without people who care.
And for me, this one hit differently.
We were days away from welcoming our daughter into this world. She arrived April 2nd, and since then, everything has shifted in the best way.
It makes you think about what matters, the work you do, the people you’re around, the example you’re setting.
And it made me even more grateful…for my wife, my family, and the clients who trust us.
It also brought things full circle.
Tomorrow we host our Mastermind, led by Shannon Wellington.
Years ago, I was in a room she was a part of when I was still figuring things out with my business. That experience changed how I saw this industry and what was possible.
That’s what rooms like this can do, but only if you’re willing to step into them.
That’s what WIPA has been for me.
And that’s why I stand behind it.
