Lessons I've Re-Learned From The Meridian Experience
Recording this episode feels ceremonial because I almost always do a lessons round up whenever I complete a major professional endeavor.
Doing these types of reflective round ups gives me space to sit down with what I've accomplished - like to really stop & reflect on the project in its entirety - as well as a chance to assess what's next. With The Meridian Experience Weekend being my largest feat to date, believe you me, lots of lessons were re-learned & even more were affirmed. The Meridian Experience Weekend took me 10 months to plan & execute, and that doesn't account for the previous 4 years of ideating... building on and/or remembering all of my previous lessons. A lot was relearned & affirmed in those 10 months, in addition the week of actually living the experience... and what a week it was!
In this episode, I'll be recounting all of the lessons from HPMKT, The E-Design Experience, launching a podcast, and STMN. And while I never did an official lessons round up for my first book, the lessons from that process as well. My hope is that in sharing my "favorite" self reflections from Meridian, you learn a lil something for yourself - and about yourself - while also taking this as your cue to pause in between your big ideas & build on your lessons from one to the next.
One question I've been getting a lot lately - which is to be expected I suppose - is "how does it feel?" How does it feel to take on such a large endeavor... to cause a ripple in the industry that has often made me feel small... to impact the lives of my peers... to be known for something bigger that me? It's not until I sat down to write out this episode that I was really able to sit with my feelings and come up with an answer for how it feels.
1. THERE’S SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE — NO MATTER YOUR STAGE OF BUSINESS
In the words of my favorite wizard, "I've always prized myself on my ability to turn a phrase. But I would, in this case, amend my original statement to this..."
The Meridian Experience did more than show me there's something for everyone, no matter their stage of business. The 4-day experience showed me that there's a place for everyone - that everyone belongs - no matter their stage of business.
On more than one occasion I heard it echoed by Meridian attendees, "I can't believe I'm here." This sense of disbelief stemmed from what society & social media has told us makes us "worthy" - following, status, recognition. Unknown creators or creators with smaller audiences could not believe that they were sitting side by side with published designers and 6-figure influencers. Again, I say...everyone belongs no matter their stage of business... no matter their audience size... no matter their accolades (or lack of). Watching 100 designpreneurs share space & join in communion to humbly grow their businesses, expand their minds, and open their hearts... that put all of us in the room on equal standing.
2. PLAN WITH DISCERNMENT... LEAVE ROOM FOR AGILITY
What were once two separate lessons, I recently realized can/should actually co-exist. Going into anything without clear objectives is a bad idea because you can easily get swept up by shiny new ideas & other distractions; however, being rigid in those plans can be a one way road to blocking your blessings.
I had very clear objectives for The Meridian Experience Weekend & my guests, however, there's a lot that I had to scale back and/or eliminate leading up to opening, not to mention the countless pivots I had to make during the actual event. Without agility, I likely wouldn't have had a very successful event... not at the risk of my own sanity at least. Being able to adapt, without compromising my original objectives, allowed things to move forward as needed.
3. YOU DON’T KNOW WHAT YOU DON’T KNOW
If I've said it once, I've said it twice...and I'll keep saying it as a reminder to myself and everyone around me - you don't know what you don't know. I planned lots of things for lots of people, however, I've never planned a large scale 6-figure in person industry conference gathering attendees & speakers from all over the country... not even close. I didn't even plan a wedding.
Having never done this before, there's a lot I didn't know. I researched, asked friends, and relied on the expertise of the vendors I used, however, there's still so much I had to ultimately learn on the fly. How do I budget for wi-fi or power when I can't predict how much wi-fi or power will be used? With no historical data, everything was a guesstimate or a gamble.
Now having year one under my built, I can bring this newly obtained tangible knowledge into next year.
4. TAKING A LEAP OF FAITH TO FOLLOW A PASSION IS AN ACCOMPLISHMENT IN ITSELF
This one requires no alterations or revisions because I witnessed first hand what my own leap of faith created, while also seeing what could happen when other people take the leap!
Everyone who attended - from speakers, to sponsors, to ticket holders = did so by taking a leap of faith in my vision while also getting on themselves & their peers. Their passion for design, for the community, and for entrepreneurship propelled them into making this weekend investment. Everyone could've made another choice - a choice to not attend - and instead they joined me in this leap and we're all better for it.
5. HUSTLING ISN’T A BADGE OF HONOR
One theme I heard repeated throughout our 4 days together was how refreshing the entire experience was - people were relieved to have breaks in between sessions, to have a mix of inspirational & informational content, and to have time to digest the whole thing with other attendees. What I was really hearing what that people were tired of the hustle culture and how pervasive it was, that it even expected to seep into the events we attend.
As much as I talked about this being a retreat & a safe place for healing connections, in addition to education, people were still surprised to attend an event where it actually happened. Imagine being able to learn & connect, without having to sacrifice rest. What a novel idea.
6. THINGS CAN POSSESS A BALANCE OF INFORMATION AND INSPIRATION.
I wrote my book with the intention of it being both pretty & practical. That's actually how I approach most things... from my design work to the content I create. I absolutely wanted to ensure that the Meridian curriculum would teach people & provide them with actionable material to be used in their businesses; however, I didn't want to do that at the expense of their emotional wellness. I wanted to nourish their hearts alongside they minds, and objective that was, by all accounts, accomplished.
Our workshops were full of practical - not just theoretical - lessons, while our panels provided soul food through deep, anecdotal conversations.
7. INFLUENCERS ARE PEOPLE TOO
When I took on the share the mic now home edition initiative, it primarily consisted of me jumping in the DMs of some heavy hitters in the industry. The rest was based on my personal relationships and letting my network work for me with organic connections. Meridian followed the same formula, except that many of the heavy hitters were now personal connections that I could call on directly versus a cold pitch.
For me, I just reaching out to my friends & peers.
By the time we all gathered in Bellevue, may of the attendees fully planned on fan girl'ing on to realize that **gasp** their fav influencers are people just like them - they struggle, they laugh, they cry... regardless of their perceived "fame" they share the same trials, tribulations, and insecurities as someone just starting out, with the only difference being that they've done it longer & therefore learned a lot more along the way.
Attendees were shocked that their favorite designers & influencers were sitting in on classes and that they were have personal conversations for 30- 45- and even 60-minutes with attendees... citing both of the aforementioned as one of the most unexpected aspects of the weekend.
8. ALWAYS BET ON YOURSELF & THE REST WILL FOLLOW
This last one is a culmination of everything I've ever done, including the ones not cited here. I am constantly have big, wild, and crazy ideas... many of which never leave the ground floor. The ones that do, however, life changing!
I went into Meridian with no guaranteed funding, no industry conference experience, and with a multitude of perceived handicaps - a young black woman in an industry that is predominantly middle aged, white, and wealthy. I jumped out the window this this idea with my faith as my only parachute. I bet on myself. Everyone who purchased a ticket, also bet on themselves - they made an investment that would contribute to their professional & personal growth, knowing that the ROI would be fuel for their big, crazy, wild ideas.
I took a bet and people bought tickets, sponsored provided support, and as I said... the rest will follow. While this year didn't generate any revenue, it set the stage for Meridian to leave a lasting impression on the industry and put everyone on notice that we're here to stay.
Trust me when I say I could go on and on when it comes to other lessons...
lessons about this industry, about people, about relationships, and about myself.
lessons about what I think I know & revelations on what I thought I knew.
lessons on moving forward, stepping back, and simply being still.
As I said at the top of this introspective, my hope is that in listening to my lessons, you takeaway some of your own for whatever your next steps look like, and then we all come out better on the other side.
Today’s episode is brought to you by The Meridian Experience Weekend 2023.
The Meridian Experience Weekend is a first of its kind 4-day retreat style conference designed to educate & celebrate the multi hyphenated design creative. The 2023 waitlist is now open!
