I attended ‘Social Media on the Sand’ for the 3rd time, fully expecting that I would come away with the advice and tools I needed to make me better at what I do.
What do I do you ask? Well, I found myself asking that same question a lot over the past few months. I mean – don’t get me wrong; I know what I do and I do it well. I provide parents with a variety of platforms and tools to help them to parent in the most effective way they can. And as my children are growing and evolving, so too am I.
Something had been happening to me recently – emotionally, socially and mentally even. The strangest insecurities began to consume me. I would learn throughout the course of the 6 days I spent at Beaches Resort in Provodenciales, Turks & Caicos, that I was not the only one feeling the things I was feeling.
The line up of speakers told me that I was in for some solid words of wisdom. I already knew who they were, what they did, and I’d figured out how their presentations would add value to me and my life.
Daymond John needed no introduction. If you’re an entrepreneur living on this side of the hemisphere, you probably know about Shark Tank and Daymond’s role on that show. He’s a visionary risk-taker who credits his mother’s influence as central to his success. I knew of Rebecca Minkoff because her brand is everywhere classy women want to be! I’d met her the previous year at SMOTS and already have a few of her accessories in my closet. While BALANCE may be elusive, Rebecca remains ‘normal’ and relatable, despite her incredible achievements as a retail powerhouse.
(Photo by John Parra/Getty Images for Beaches Turks & Caicos Resort Villages & Spa)
I didn’t know Jaime Kern Lim, so I did my due diligence and learned the basics about her brand, IT Cosmetics. Her story, like so many others of us in business, was one of dedication and ‘stick-to-itive-ness’ and I looked forward to hearing from them all.
John Parra, Getty Images
"Because beauty is personal and infinite and it doesn’t have one definition or look." Jaime Kern Lima, IT Cosmetics
But little did I know that I would have been brought to tears, not just from powerful presentations by the speakers, but also by a community of women who shared so much in common.
Beaches’ mission for SMOTS this year, was to ignite the senses of the participants and help define and grow their brands, all while prioritizing family.
But I got so much more, and then some.
Jamie made me cry. I felt connected to her story in a way that shook me emotionally. And I’m sure I wasn’t the only one who resonated with her struggles. When you create something, believe in it with all your heart and soul… you know, it’s a kinda gut feeling where you KNOW it’s a winner, you can’t help but expect positive results. But then you hear NO. Over and over again. “No, it’s not good enough.” After a while, that NO, begins to sound like “No, YOU’RE not good enough.” 7 years of hearing NO is a damn long time. But Jaime, like many other women, comes from a place of authenticity. Her desire to correct her personal ‘beauty issue’ became the catalyst for changing a global perspective on confidence-building. “Because beauty is personal and infinite and it doesn’t have one definition or look.” Her story is real. Her passion is as real as her pain, and her journey, both professional and personal, could have been the story of most, if not all of us in the room.
That’s when I cried. I tried not to sob too loudly, but the ladies who sat beside me saw it, and they too commiserated, because it turns out we were all feeling the same thing.
I did stop crying though. The tears dried up when she mentioned the part about IT Cosmetics being sold to global cosmetics giant L’Oreal in 2016 for 1.2 billion dollars.
No More Tears.
(Photo by John Parra/Getty Images for Beaches Turks & Caicos Resort Villages & Spa)
Authentic.
I heard that word a lot last week. There was a common thread in the stories told on the podium and on the beach, over drinks. Our aim to be authentic is often compromised, especially now when the digital domain demands perfection and precision. But we were reminded, over and over again that the authenticity and realness that we use to parent our children, is the same required of us in business.
I try.
I love my children. And while Beaches is our favourite family vacation spot, (we’ve been going there for 7 years now) I did not miss them terribly this time around. (Calm down critics.)
I reveled in the joy of being alone.
We spoke every day while I was gone, which satisfied my motherly instinct to connect with them. But I did not miss hearing “Mummy this” and “Mummy that” for six consecutive days. A huge thank you to my mother and father who held the fort for me while I ate as I pleased, (there are 18 restaurants at Beaches TCI), I drank at leisure, and I didn’t have to referee not one single fight!
Heaven.
I’ve gotten to a stage in my life where I don’t question when things happen anymore. Instead, I try to look for the reasons. When my flight developed maintenance problems and I had to stay an extra night, my teenaged son sent me a text message to let me know that he missed me. He didn’t use those exact words, but I deduced this sentiment from his tone. My 11 year-old-daughter and I share daily I-love-you’s, but if you have a teen boy, you’ll understand the significance of this. `You see, I’d been so busy recently, and so caught up with ‘life’, that I’d lost sight of a few things. I took the time, or rather, I got the time to reconnect to me and my senses while on this trip.
But I didn’t reconnect intentionally. It just kind of happened. Serendipitously.
I had first met Sandra in 1993 close to the end of our sojourns as models. She was a ‘mega’ model having graced the covers of UK Cosmopolitan, Elle and Marie Claire, and she was as cool then as she is now. I found this out once again as the universe placed her in my path 26 years later to remind me of the magic in sharing your story. Sandra recently authored her first book and I inhaled it – Cuts of A Diamond, while lying on the beach, champagne in hand, and getting lost in the similarities of our stories as women.
I met Project Runway alum Amanda Perna for the first time. With her 3 year-old daughter Stella in tow, her story took me back to the days when my children, my inspirations in business, were with me everywhere I went. She’s interned and worked with Calvin Klein and Oscar de la Renta, and now her own designs are found in stores across and outside of the US. She’s achieved so much, not because it was handed to her, but she’s dreamed, believed and worked for it.
You may be different from me. Your business is different. You look different. You may come from someplace I’ve never even heard of, but guess what? Our experiences are pretty much the same. We want the same things. The things that hurt me, hurt you too. And we have the same goals and dreams for ourselves and our families.
I don’t think it’s a secret that as women, we can also be our worst enemies. I’ve learned some pretty harsh lessons over the years. I sit here today genuinely grateful for the women who have been a part of my journey – from the ones who insert the knife, to the ones that turn it, to those who come along to remove it and help dress the wound. We have encountered them at some point or the other.
I have struggled for so long because I’ve been insecure about my story. (My friend Dwayne has challenged me to remove the word struggle from my vocabulary – working on it D). In the world of digital connections, I certainly don’t have a lot of ‘followers’. But whether I liked it or not, this is what was needed for the growth of my business. Eyes on me and my brand. It’s crazy – I struggled to even make a damned video! Would it be intriguing enough? Exciting enough? Would it look good enough? Probably not.
But it is real enough.
@LauraDeePhotography
I listened intently to an amazingly energetic lady Emily, who reminded me that genuinely supporting each other as women is the single greatest thing we can do. Because when we “lift each other, everything elevates.” I had fallen in love with @TheTravelMom when we first met a year ago.
In Jamaica we call it ‘spirit tek’!
Our connection was instant as she became my friend over drinks and then became my mentor over solid conversations about love and life, business and humility. I knew nothing of her influence and reach because it’s not something she wore on her sleeve. What was obvious about this total live wire, was her passion for seeing people happy. Because at the end of the day, if you don’t want to see those around you succeed, you really shouldn’t be around them.
Serendipity is the occurrence and development of events by chance in a happy or beneficial way.
I spent 6 days in heaven.
And by heaven, I mean Beaches Resort & Spa, Grace Bay Beach, Providenciales, Turks & Caicos Islands.
Located at the luxurious Beaches Turks and Caicos Resort, ‘Social Media on the Sand’ has become the annual ‘go-to’ conference for digital mom influencers looking to improve their craft. The week serves to educate and inspire attendees with strong digital content that fosters genuine connections with their followings. Attendees heard from inspirational keynote speakers, including fashion designer Rebecca Minkoff, entrepreneur and founder of IT Cosmetics Jamie Kern Lima and businessman, investor and television personality Daymond John. Things got gram-worthy from the moment the guests arrived at the resort at the Sun-sational Playground, followed by a number of interactive activities including a branded Beauty & the Beach Village (sponsored by Drybar and IT Cosmetics), a Live Your Best Life Health & Wellness Village, an exclusive Match Ups & Mimosas networking event and a special performance by country music platinum-selling recording artist, Hunter Hayes. Beaches rounded out the week with a custom 5 Senses on the Sand Instagram Playground and a farewell party, delectably named Willy Wonka’s Splendiferous Fun Factory.
Michelle 2day 
Love this Mish 🙌🏽. All the very best to you. I appreciate and share the struggle
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Appreciated this sharing. Something I needed in this moment.
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