It is not the strongest of the species that survives, nor the most intelligent,
but the one most responsive to change.

~ Charles Darwin

So we saw that the ‘90s brought periods of economic and social unrest – recession, the riots in ’92, the Northridge quake in ’94. It really seemed like I was handed a career that was impacted by every financial and dramatic challenge that this 500-acre “movie production lot” called Los Angeles could dream up. Throw in a con artist and a scuffle in an underground garage to keep from getting bored… I know this will appear self-centered, but in retrospect, it seems like the Universe planned an obstacle course just for me to toughen up my prosperity muscles and to dare those spiritual laws to prove themselves. Along with some very intensive financial challenges – even moments when I thought the Universe must have decided to abandon me - came the proof - special clients and large creative events that drew me into a different world. I look back now and see the vivid contrast of my sheltered creative world of big corporate spending against the backdrop of an erratic and uncertain world, a world even more uncertain than any of us could have ever have imagined. The second half of the ‘90s through the second quarter of 2001 brought shelter such as…

The Citibank Private Bank dinners

Home & Garden Television cable industry events

Michelin North America Centennial

Amersham Health, Mallinckrodt, and GE Medical, for medical conventions

Extron Electronics, with 4,000 guests at their ‘star bash’ party

Crestone International, an adult rave party for a software convention

Arter & Hadden, law firm holiday parties and client open house

There was also a different kind of unrest in the late’90s. I was increasingly losing my passion for my business and felt subtle stirrings that hinted that there was something different – something more that I was to be doing. I was maturing, entering a (biological) life passage and slowly losing the inspiration for my business. But every time I thought about leaving it, I would end up with new clients and contracted into the future for events. So it was a business that didn’t let go of me. And I had no idea what else I could do. The special events industry was all that I knew. I was not trained for anything else. Something was going on inside of me but I didn’t know what. I was always too focused on the business to pay attention.

Until September 11, 2001…

To be continued...

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