INTO THE GREAT wide open

Tom Petty knew what he was singing about. If you love him like I do, you know “Into the Great Wide Open” isn’t just a song — it’s a story about possibility, risk, and rediscovering who you are. It’s the rush of being “a rebel without a clue,” chasing something new, and the sting of realizing how easily success can chip away at your authenticity. I’ve been that rebel — full of drive and passion — and I’ve felt those chips, too. But here’s the beautiful part: I got the chance to rebuild.

Twenty years. That’s how long I’ve been creating, writing, organizing, strategizing, producing — leading with equal parts heart and hustle. I can still picture my first day at 23, tucked in a corner desk, terrified and hopeful all at once. Fast forward two decades, two marriages, and one whip-smart, hilariously sarcastic teenager later — and here I am.

After more than a decade in a senior leadership role, one ordinary day turned extraordinary: I walked into a meeting employed and left ten minutes later without a position. Restructuring. Just like that. The heartbreak was real — anger, shock, grief — but so was the clarity that followed. By dinner that night, I wasn’t broken. I was that 23-year-old again — terrified, yes, but also hungry.

I realized this wasn’t an ending; it was a reset. A moment to strip away the noise and return to what I love most — storytelling, strategy, connection, and helping others shine. That’s how Core Narrative was born: from the belief that every brand has a heartbeat, and my purpose is to help it be heard. I get to partner with passionate people doing meaningful work and craft stories that move others — the kind of work that makes you end the day feeling proud, fulfilled, and alive.

Because sometimes, losing your place in the song is exactly how you find your rhythm again.