The Power of Showing Up: How One Moment Can Change Everything

One brownie. One question. One reminder that showing up can change everything.

At a professional association meeting, I was eyeing a brownie when a waitress stopped me. “I’m sorry to bother you,” she said softly, “but… can I ask how you got started? You always look so confident—how did you get in this room?”

I must have looked surprised—after all, my focus was firmly on the dessert table.

The answer: it has been a long road. What she didn’t see were the years behind that moment—the chapters I’ve already written, literally and figuratively. The downfall, the divorce, the two-year-old on my hip while I tried to hold everything else together. It wasn’t pretty. But it ended up pretty alright.

As we talked, she shared that she, too, had been through a divorce and was trying to rebuild. She told me she was working three jobs—doing everything she could to make ends meet—but still felt stuck. She wasn’t just looking to make more money; she was searching for freedom. For space to breathe. For a chance to build something of her own.

I didn’t know her full story, but mom to mom, woman to woman, I could feel her longing for what’s next. That spark—the quiet, determined “there has to be more than this”—was something I recognized instantly.

I gave her my contact information and invited her to a Key4Women event that UpStart Maine was hosting, where I was speaking about The Lifecycle of Entrepreneurship.

To my delight, she showed up. I could tell she was nervous—the kind of nervous that comes when you step into a room that feels bigger than you’re used to. But the moment I greeted her, I saw her shoulders drop and her whole posture soften. She told me she’d never been to anything like this before and that it felt far outside her comfort zone.

And that’s exactly where growth happens.

After my talk, she said, “I came in thinking I wanted one kind of business, but you helped me realize I want something else. You taught me there are so many ways to make money—and I want to take a risk doing something that makes me happy.”

Another woman nearby joined the conversation and invited her to brainstorm how to take her side hustle to the next level.

That’s the power of showing up—one act of courage, one open conversation, and everything starts to shift.

Show up. Be open. You never know which conversation could change your life.

If you’re looking to connect, collaborate, or take your first step, I invite you to come to one of our UpStart events. It’s hard to know where to start—but that’s exactly why I’m here.