RESA Ottawa Chapter member Cindy Charbonneau wrote and provided permission for me to reproduce her blog post here.
I have to say however, that having had the opportunity to meet a celebrity from our own industry, adds a little something extra special:) I’m sure each of us, will always remember the experience with fondness and will have grown individually from the experience, as a result of everything Amanda Forrest shared with us that evening with such charm and grace.
Introducing Amanda Forrest
For those of you who may not know Amanda, I would like to take a brief moment to introduce her to you. Amanda Forrest is a Nationally Recognized expert in home construction, design and lifestyle trends and is a expert designer on the Marilyn Denis Show. She is a devoted mother of seven children and a proud supporter of women entrepreneurs. You can see why, this was a great honour and privilege to attend such an event for our RESA members.
Style, Beauty and Success to describe a few of Amanda Forrest’s many traits!
Amanda’s Stage Presence
From the moment that Amanda walked onto the stage, she captivated your attention. She is beautiful, stylish and personable. Her friendly air, created a warm and inviting atmosphere that is relate able, so it was easy to stay focused and engage in questions and comments throughout the evening.
One of my favorite parts of Amanda’s entire presentation was the sharing of her own personal experience. We all can get information on interior design at the touch of a key with today’s technology, but to have the opportunity to listen to some of the struggles and obstacles that even someone in her caliber in the design industry have overcome, can provide a renewed outlook that anything is achievable! You can not get that from reading a blog, watching it on TV or hearing it on the radio. It is in the presence of a person that evokes an emotion and from that, it is marked in your memory for years if not a lifetime.
I found this part invaluable really, because it almost answers some of your very own personal questions about how you are performing in ‘your‘ business. To feel that someone else has been there, done that and succeeded is such a relief and builds renewed strength to go out there and get it!
It wasn’t only her personal story that grabbed our attention, of course we gobbled up anything we could that she had to teach us. Like; Branding and Marketing your product and yourself, having a clear vision of where you want to go and having a positive impact on others and so much more! All such valuable insights in this very sensitive industry, as we are deeply involved in peoples personal lives.
A Quote Recited from Amanda
“There is a vitality, a life force, an energy, a quickening, that is translated through you into action, and because there is only one of you in all time, this expression is unique” – by Martha Graham
How poignant!
A Thank you Note to Amanda
In such a competitive industry as is the Home Staging and Interior Decorating industry, I think I speak for all of us when I say Thank You, for taking the time to meet us all in such an intimate way. To share your thoughts, vision, ideas and to provide us all with such valuable advice and, to tailor it in such a way that was fun, entertaining, engaging and knowledgeable is so greatly appreciated.
Kindest regards to you Amanda, I hope we will have the honour to meet again.