I Created My Own Stage—And Faced All My Fears While Doing It

If you’ve been around for a while, you know I don’t sugarcoat the behind-the-scenes of building a business while navigating motherhood. I share the wins, the flops, the crying-on-the-kitchen-floor moments, and everything in between. And today, I want to walk you through the real, raw journey of how This Mother Means Business LIVE came to be—because it wasn’t just a cute little event at a winery (though, yes, it was stunning). It was the culmination of months of doubt, decision-making, deep inner work, and... doing way too much on my own (more on that later).

This is part one of a two-part blog series. Today? We’re talking about the before. The idea. The fears. The moments I almost backed out. The lessons I had to learn the hard way. So let’s rewind to where it all started: October 2024.

 

 

I had this moment last fall where I realized—I want to speak on more stages. I have a message. I have a voice. I want to use it. But here’s the thing about speaking gigs: they often want to see a speaker reel. And how do you get one if you’ve never had a stage?

You build your own damn stage.

That’s what I decided to do.

I was inspired by my friend Sarah Jansel who did exactly that—she hosted her own event to create the opportunity she needed. And it clicked. Why not me?

But then came the bigger idea. What if this wasn’t just about me speaking? What if I created a space for other moms—women like you—to connect in person, build community, and be seen? The kind of space we’re always craving in our community calls when I ask, “What do you need right now?” and the answer is almost always, “Connection.”

 

 

I toured the Holland Marsh Winery—the same spot I got married, which felt like a full-circle moment. The space had a 50-person minimum, which honestly scared the crap out of me.

Fifty women? In a room? For something I’ve never done before?

I had to sit in that discomfort. I knew I could get 20. Maybe 25. But 50? That felt like a stretch. And I questioned everything. What if no one came? What if people I thought would come... didn’t?

Spoiler alert: Some of them didn’t. And that brought up alllll kinds of stuff.

I went straight back to younger-Laura energy. “Why don’t they want to come to my party?” And yeah, it sounds silly, but if you’ve ever sold anything or put yourself out there—especially something as vulnerable as an event—you know the feeling.

 

 

Selling tickets for this event was one of the most vulnerable things I’ve ever done in business. And I’ve done a lot of vulnerable things. But this felt different. This wasn’t a digital product. This wasn’t a launch I could hide behind on social media. This was an invitation to come be in the room with me.

And when people didn’t buy tickets—especially people close to me—it stung. I had to do a lot of work around separating their “no” from my worth. That was tough.

But it was also powerful.

Because it reminded me that our businesses will always ask more of us. They’ll stretch us, challenge us, and pull us into the growth we need. And this event did exactly that, before it even happened.

 

 

Let’s talk about cost for a second—because events are expensive. And I went into this knowing I needed sponsors. I was able to secure some incredible in-kind and small business sponsors (thank you, truly), but I didn’t land the big corporate ones I had hoped for.

And again—I learned so much.

I learned about the process. I learned what brands look for. I learned how not to pitch. And I realized that I’ve only scratched the surface of what’s possible when it comes to getting Canada’s big brands involved in supporting ambitious moms.

So yeah, next time? I’m coming back with even bolder asks.

 

 

And here’s my honest truth... I didn’t hire an event planner.

Would I do that again? Absolutely not.

Did I pull it off? Yes. But I did way more than I should have. I was at my desk every single second, working in a way that didn’t feel aligned. I knew it was a season and that April 4 would come and go—but it was too much. And I don’t want that for myself (or for you).

So let me be your cautionary tale: delegate. Hire the help. Let people support you.

Because if there’s one thing I know to be true, it’s this—we’re not meant to do this alone.

 

 

So many people reached out to me asking to speak at the event. Boldly. Confidently. And while I couldn’t say yes to most of them, it was a giant wake-up call.

It’s something I’m still working on—because even after all these years, I still catch myself waiting to be chosen. And this event reminded me: we can’t do that. We have to ask. We have to take up space. We have to go for the thing we want—even if it feels terrifying.

Because on the other side of that fear? Is the version of you you’ve been waiting to meet.

Listen to the full episode HERE.