Behind the Bluff
Behind the Bluff is where wellness meets community. Through conversations with experts, leaders, and members, we explore health, longevity, leadership, and the intentional choices that help us live with purpose. Every episode closes with Healthy Momentum—practical inspiration to help you live with greater intention.
Behind the Bluff
Making Big Events Feel Small | Stephanie Sekula
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A 2,000-person Fourth of July party with limited power and no kitchen sounds like a nightmare on paper, yet at Palmetto Bluff it can still feel strangely personal. I’m joined by Stephanie Sekula, our Director of Special Events, to talk about what it really takes to build experiences that members remember years later, from the first planning meeting to the last shuttle ride back to the car.
We dig into the philosophy behind “member experience first” and why familiar faces matter so much in hospitality. Stephanie shares how our teams bring a small, cared-for feeling into huge outdoor events, how themes like Bluffstock come to life, and what she listens for when defining whether an event was actually successful. Then we flip the script to something wildly intimate: the Off-Course dinner series, where 12 guests win a lottery, receive a hand-delivered invitation, and get transported to a secret location for a fully curated five-course dinner complete with clues, storytelling, and immersive design.
After our main conversation, I leave you with a mindset tool I keep coming back to: asking “Is this a fact or a belief?” when imposter syndrome and limiting stories creep in. If you care about event planning, community building, leadership, wellness, and human connection, this one is packed with practical insight and perspective. Subscribe, share this with a friend, and leave a review so more people can find the show.
Welcome And Meet Stephanie
SPEAKER_00Are you ready to live an active lifestyle? Welcome to Behind the Bluff, where we believe every moment of your life is an opportunity to pursue wellness on your terms. I'm your host, Jeff Ford, and today I'm joined by Stephanie Sakula, director of special events here at Pomado Bluff. If you've ever attended the epic Fourth of July party, experienced an off-course dinner series, or you happened to find yourself on the haunted trail, she is the person behind all of these unforgettable events that happen here behind the gates at Palmetto Bluff. As you'll hear today, Stephanie's role goes far beyond planning events. It's about creating experiences that bring people together. And frankly, it's about moments that members remember long after the event is over. Stephanie, welcome to the show.
SPEAKER_02Hi, thanks for having me.
SPEAKER_00I'm thrilled we could get you into the new studio. You're the second person to experience here.
SPEAKER_02Very lovely.
SPEAKER_00Yeah. Well, let's jump right into learning about your journey.
From Imposter Syndrome To Standards
SPEAKER_00You have been in special events for a long period of time at this juncture in your career. Was there a moment when you realized this was exactly what you were meant to do?
SPEAKER_02Yeah, so I'd say that probably didn't happen until I got to Palmetto Bluff. Um, in my first year here, uh, I'd say I felt a little imposter syndrome. Felt like, oh boy, I jumped in to something that um maybe I wasn't a hundred percent prepared for. Uh it was an interesting time when I was here. I was here uh when we were still with Montage. The split happened about six months into me being here. Um, and then it was kind of a year of really figuring out what we wanted the club events to look like. Um, so Rye came on around that time and we just sort of hit the ground running and really created what you experienced today, sort of with that year. It was um, I would say, kind of a trial and error learning as we went. Um, we figured out what worked, we figured out what didn't work. Um, we figured out what works for Palmetto Bluff, what works for our club. Um if you've ever come to any of our events, it's a lot of outdoor kitchens. We do a lot of outdoor events. Um, and I think that's challenging, right? If you kind of present that to anybody, it's there's a lot that goes into that. Um, you know, we're doing events that are sort of in the middle of nowhere. We're popping up um 2,000 people at 4th of July in an area where there is limited power and there's no kitchen. Um, but I think we do it really well because we found that that's sort of what we like. We live in a beautiful place, we like showing it off. Um, you know, we like to kind of go deep and we like to challenge ourselves in that way.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, with the logistical challenges and not having an indoor event space that would accommodate 2,000 people, doesn't matter what you build. Yeah, you're you're gonna have to figure out how to continue to put on amazing events for the growth of this community with how many members are living here now. And it seems like you came in during a time of reorganization.
SPEAKER_01Yeah.
SPEAKER_00And you, Chef Rai, the entire team, had to set standards around events, operations. Walk us through kind of that transitional period of the things you really implemented right away and things you've kind of learned and and grown from.
SPEAKER_02Yeah. So it was it was interesting. So, you know, montage, you have the banquet team, you've got sort of that full structure. Um, we knew 100% it was going to be member experience first, of course, right? You know, that's we want to cater to a member. When they come to experience an event that we do, you want to feel taken care of. Um, we knew we also wanted that experience to go beyond just sort of the moment that you're at the event. We wanted it all to be to the people that you see around you. All of our events are run by staff that works in the restaurants. So you're experiencing those people in a restaurant at Kohl's, but also at an event. So there's a familiar face that's around. We realize that's what we wanted our events to look like. We wanted it to feel like people you knew. You wanted to be able to walk up and you wanted to be able to shake somebody's hand, you wanted to be able to smile because you saw them on Thursday night at a restaurant.
SPEAKER_00So instead of seeing them at Kohl's like you typically would, you see them out and about at the events, serving in a way that's unique, incredible experiences, uh, but with that familiar face.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, absolutely. And there's just there's a relationship there, you know. There's you see, you know, a member across the way and you know they really want to diet cope with a lime, you're gonna go give it to them. Right. There's just there's a comfort that I think we sort of bring into the fold by doing that. And we realized early on that's that's what we wanted to do here. And we've we've continued to do it five years later.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, the group of volunteers and the logistics of of staffing these unique events all over the property is impressive. It's it's really inspiring to me as someone who has a lot of logistics with five different fitness centers now to watch what you do and and learn from your team. And I think uh you're in a role that most of our members they don't necessarily interact with you directly every day, but they interact with your experiences. How
Scaling Events With Small Teams
SPEAKER_00does that responsibility feel?
SPEAKER_02Um, vast. Yeah, right. You know, and it it we love what we do. So, you know, my team is small. It's it's me and Mia, our special event manager, who, you know, day in and day out, we're just thinking about new ways to bring new experiences. And we love it, right? So then, you know, when you love it, you you want to put out something great and you want members to love what you're doing. We're not gonna nail it all the time, right? There's gonna be times where maybe we didn't really not execute it properly, but maybe it wasn't the event that really just resonated with everybody. We tried it, it didn't really work out. We can accept that we didn't do it exactly right, right? Like that's that's the beauty, and I think in in doing what we do is we can say, oh, yeah, that was us, right? Like we didn't, we maybe didn't interpret it the way that we should have, and and but we're gonna try something new and we're always gonna do that. And it's I think being able to say that and being able to try something different and and being able to actually take a you know a member's perspective and and trying to interpret that and executing something, it's it's big and it's it's great though. You know, it's it's the best thing I've ever done in my career being here in the job that I do. And I think that that's just it's huge, right? It's just it's what I love and I always want to do it.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, it's a unique environment and to get kind of the philosophy behind how you approach it as it being a big responsibility. It's it's okay to have some events that don't go according to plan and you learn from them. And I I love how you're you're very dynamic when you're planning an event, you can see the wheels turning in your head, and just your the word that comes to mind to me that describes you is is adaptability and and this openness of like, cool, you've you've you've gotta be ready for the next event. It's like, how can we make it better the next time? And also how can we interpret that member feedback? It's it's something that events team, all of our departments do really well, which which is unique to Club World, I think.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, thank you.
SPEAKER_00Yeah. Uh we we've worked closely together for years. I don't think everyone knows that you oversee all the departments as well. So when departments are planning individual events, we have the support of you and Mia, especially, you know, for our department, like Turkey Trot.
SPEAKER_01Yeah.
SPEAKER_00If we didn't have Stephanie and Mia, we'd be in a lot of trouble because it's so many people.
SPEAKER_02Yeah.
SPEAKER_00But that's just your everyday.
SPEAKER_02It is, it is, and it's the best. You know, we we have our sort of what are our core events that we do, but being able to help the departments do all of their stuff is so fun. I mean, I would never have been able to experience helping put on a race like that, not having been here. You know, the it's so fun to be able to sort of dive in and it allows us to be creative in a different way, you know? It allows us to sort of tap into something that we maybe wouldn't have. Um, yeah, it's it's it's great. It's a lot, you know. There's a I think it's you know, 300 and plus events a year that we kind of help navigate. Um and it just it it gets easier every year, right? That first year was like, you know, kind of like fire hose just like hitting me every day, you know. It's and it was, you know, a first club experience. So I think that sort of coupled with the vast number of things we do was a lot that first year. Obviously, you know, you know, year to year it gets better like anything. Um, but it's just, you know, organization. And I I always say that, you know, I'm I like to hire somebody who helps me in the areas that I'm not the best in. I'm a very chaotic thinker and a very chaotic uh planner.
SPEAKER_00You got a lot of invention in you. You're always willing to keep the invention going.
SPEAKER_02Yeah. And so I I always try to couple somebody who's extremely organized with me. And and Mia, who's on my team now, is is that for me in a huge way.
SPEAKER_00So she's pretty dialed in on just different ways to have the behind-the-scenes systems operate efficiently with the 300 plus events that are going on. Yeah. Well, I love the calendar planning. I know we're in the middle of budget season to get everything squared away, and I know all of our department heads are just super appreciative of of everything that goes into this uh year after year.
Creating Memories During Peak Holidays
SPEAKER_00So for me, as I was preparing for today, I was thinking about how cool, you're the director of special events, awesome, great title. But what you really do is you create moments that people remember. And as we get older, moments and memories are all that we have. And I know you take that with such pride and uh close responsibility for that this is important. Like we have the ability to create moments for people every single holiday.
SPEAKER_02Yeah.
SPEAKER_00How does that resonate with you?
SPEAKER_02It's super important. You know, people bring their, let's think of um Thanksgiving, for instance. It's our busiest week of the entire year. People bring their entire families here, you know? It's it's a lot, and that's that's something they've done for years, right? So the events that we do and the experience they have here, it matters, right? They come and they leave and they want to come back again because of things that we did. Um, I I this is just an example of something recent. Fourth of July, I drove, um, I shuttled people from the event to their cars. Um and like you said, I'm not face-to-face with people a lot, so a lot of people don't know who I am.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, that must have been kind of cool being in years as the driver.
SPEAKER_02A little sneaky that, you know, um people just kind of got in and started talking about the the experience that they had. And it's always lovely to hear, you know, when you do something, you know, that big, but when you do an event in general, and it's just it, it still has those small touches where at no point did they feel like it was 2,000 people and we sort of forgot that there could be a group of 10 people who want to go get a drink and they got that drink quick. You know, we still had that small feel to the event, even though it's so vast.
SPEAKER_00That small feel is something that you and the team think about when you're planning like a 2000 plus. Was that the biggest event that we've ever hosted?
SPEAKER_02That's the biggest event in my time I've been here have ever hosted. Wow.
SPEAKER_00It's just nuts because I know it was like 1400 the year before.
SPEAKER_02Yeah.
SPEAKER_00And so it jumped by like 600. So clearly you you all are creating these moments, these memories for families. And it had to be just humbling to hear that people felt that it still felt small and intimate.
SPEAKER_02It is because that's that's what you kind of, you know, you never want someone to say, um, oh, I just felt like they kind of forgot the things because there were so many people, or or I I felt like I, you know, if I was on one side of the space, it it was missed because they thought maybe, you know, you have to think about it as a whole. Still, you have to still think about it the same way you do that 12-person off-course dinner. You know, that's still experience. You want that to still be had there. Um so yeah, it's it's a it's a huge responsibility. And um, like I said, it's people bringing their families every year. It's the same families coming every year sometimes, and and you want that same feeling to be had every year.
SPEAKER_00Yeah.
Inside The Off-Course Mystery Dinner
SPEAKER_00Well, you mentioned off-course series, and I'm not sure all of our members are familiar with this new event that pops up two times a year, if I have it right. Correct. This is one of the most unique experiences I've heard about when it comes to palmetal buff events. I I thought the sandbar primal that we did was pretty unique. I I think this this trumps that only 12 guests are selected through a lottery. They don't know where they're going until they're picked up and they're taken to a secret location for a five-course dinner. The highlight for me is I think it was Mia who makes these extremely cool cards that they receive. And I can let you go into depth on that, but every small aspect to this off-course dinner series, this intimate, this 12-person event is is thought about. So let's let's just begin with whose idea was this? Tell us the story behind it.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, so um it was very much a collaboration like anything we do. Um, I I believe it was around the same time we're sort of doing what is next year gonna look like for events. And, you know, we have our around the table dinner series, which are which are 40 people, you know, very themed um dinners, which are great. And we thought, gosh, that's once again, it sort of always comes back to the property is so beautiful. How do we get people to experience all the places that we don't really get to see often? So that was sort of the the the sort of start to what we were thinking about for this dinner series. And uh I think it was when Sadie was here at the time, which was the previous special event manager, and we're kind of sitting in the office and we're sort of chatting about ideas of what this could look like. Rye kind of overhears us and he comes in and he sort of throws out an idea. And then it we start to think, God, this could be something. And Sadie just throws out, what if it's called off course? And it was like, God, it was that perfect. And it just sort of it was one of those moments where it thought, uh, this is it. Like this is something we we've sort of just been chatting for about an hour and we've already sort of come up with a baseline of what we want this to look like. The second step was wanting it to feel different than anything else we've done. Right. So, so, you know, a different reservation system, you know, this being a completely the mystery is there, um, a from start to finish curated where you receive that hand done invitation on your doorstep, you receive that, um, and it's you know, it's giving you all the details. It's just it we wanted it to feel extremely unique. We hope it does still.
SPEAKER_00Um and that's the first time that the the guest knows that they've been invited when the invitation arrives at their doorstep. Correct. So cool.
SPEAKER_02Correct. And we drop it off. Um, uh my team. Do you run?
SPEAKER_00Do you like run away once you put it on the door?
SPEAKER_02We do. We do. I think one time, um, which was fun for Mia, she she knocked on the door, left it, the member came to the door, and she got to have which was really fun because it is exciting. It's 12 people, right? I think that's what makes it so special. Not only is it the mystery, not only is it you experience experiencing a place on property that you have never seen before, it is that you are of a small group of people that get to experience this in a year. Um, and so it was really fun for her to be able to have that moment and um the invitations are just so crafted. I mean, Mia really, she took a calligraphy class last year and she started to hand-do the, I mean, it is just really well done, crafted. So it was fun too for, you know, the member sort of opened it in front of her and she was able to kind of chat through it. Um, it's great. It's one of the most creative. We're creative with everything we do, but this event is is truly a way to be so uniquely creative and very tangibly. You know, we get to do those, those, those crafted invitations are special.
SPEAKER_00It's like a ton of touch points before the event, during the event. And I have to ask, they're not blindfolded when they're in the van. What does it look like when you scoop up the guests?
SPEAKER_02Yeah, so we try to be really unique with the way that they are taken.
SPEAKER_00So we've used Taken, like in a bag.
SPEAKER_02They're picked up.
SPEAKER_00Okay.
SPEAKER_02We like to make it a little bit fresh and new each time. So we've done Duffy tours, Duffy rides to locations. We've done um the club Yukons. Um, we um I won't talk about it now, but the one we have coming up in the fall is exciting. We've got a plan for that. So we try to keep it unique. It's also very fun. I have um I've driven one of the cars once, and uh, you know, people speculate the entire time of where they think they're going, which is kind of fun to experience. To listen to the anticipation. Of where they think they're going. And, you know, then they're talking about the invitation, and then they're talking about, oh, well, there was because we we like to put a little um little Easter eggs in the invitation. So they say, Oh, well, I saw this on there. I wonder if that's a clue. Um, it's it's great. It's a really fun thing to do. But yeah, we we allow them to sort of speculate the whole time in the drive.
SPEAKER_00It's it's very inspiring, the creativity. I know the five-course meal is also curated by our culinary experts based off where they are on property, with like what resonates with that unique spot, which I think is cool. And then gene is also an aspect to this too, right? With just selecting wine and the different different pairings to it.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, we once again we wanted it to feel like completely immersive. So the selection of the location ties into the decor, it ties into the invitation, not only the food, you know, we wanted it to feel like everything had uh it was fluid in the whole experience.
SPEAKER_00Fluid um fluid, purpose, intention. And now you mentioned a few things about this before we switch gears into Fourth of July. We've we've already brought up the sheer scope of that type of event. But for you the mystery, the setting, the food. What's the magic behind this if you had to key in on one thing?
SPEAKER_02I think it's I think I think it's the mystery of it all. I think you know it's the it's the discovering a place on property you would never have found. And I think this property is so large and it is so beautiful. And there's, you know, the drive-in is beautiful, but there are there are little places tucked in that are so special that we are discovering.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, and you're exposing members to those places. Yeah. Yeah. It's it's cool to hear that you're a a conduit for the land through these events.
SPEAKER_02It's it's really fun. I mean, one of the best parts of my job is being able to collaborate with departments. Um, we work with the conservancy super closely on this um because they are, I mean, they discovered experts on the land. Yeah, they discover it more than anyone else. Um, so it's it's great. We we are constantly um doing uh tours with Aaron to discover new locations, and they even will find somewhere and say, Oh, we saw this the other day and we think this would be a lovely spot. They let us know and we keep it in our back pocket for something in the future.
SPEAKER_00Stephanie, so you get a lot of text messages at like 5 a.m. with just idea generation from people with different locations. I'm sure it comes up with certain certain individuals you work with.
SPEAKER_01It does.
SPEAKER_00Now, off course is about creating this unforgettable evening, this evening where they go tell their friends about it, and then they want to sign up for the lottery for for the next ones that pop up. I love that you only do it two times a year. It creates this scarcity approach to it, it keeps it special.
Fourth Of July Themes And Bluffstock
SPEAKER_00Into the complete opposite, nearly 2,000 members and guests were at our 4th of July party this year. And um, I want to commit on air. I want to be involved next year. I had family in town this year, I want to be a bartender or something so that I can experience this because members just say such positive things after they make the commitment with their families on one of the, you know, next to Thanksgiving, the second busiest holiday that we we host here at Palmetto Bluff. So I'm I'm excited to hear more and then dig in next year to be a part of it. Everyone seems to wonder one thing leading up to the event. They ask this question to me what's what's the theme gonna be? Walk us through some of your favorite themes over the years, including this year's Bluff Stock, and give me a bit more detail into why are people always asking about the theme?
SPEAKER_02Yeah, so um the themes are sort of a new thing. So when I first got here, uh we didn't do themes, and uh one of my favorites, um, because it just was our first, uh, we did a circus theme, um, which was great. It was, you know, the the first one. We had a bunch of different acts that came out um throughout the night. Um, and it was it was just extremely unique. Uh I loved that. Um, we did the 1950s fair theme, um, which was really cool. This was the last year that we were on Moreland Green. Um, it was the year we realized that we have outgrown that space. So that holds a little special place to my heart because at the end of that I thought. Oh, we have got to find a new location. The arena's really the only option here. And then it was a year-long planning of how do we execute that. Um, and then that first, that first event at the arena will, I think, always be really special to me. Um, because it was, I mean, you want to talk about feeling like you are really good at your job at the end. It was that event.
SPEAKER_00You had that humility, that you just feeling that wow, this went how we wanted it to go.
SPEAKER_02And and, you know, it was, you know, it was the space we needed, right? It it was gonna hold the number of people we were seeing attend this event. It has the cover, so we're good on weather, you know, all of those sort of need to have items. Um, but you're you're still just not sure, right? You're at a stable. Brand new. It's brand new, you know. It we're hoping this is great because it's checking all of our boxes for what we need. Is it gonna feel right? And for members to love it was just like, whoo, you know, we we ended that event going, wow, logistics-wise, like executing something to this, this caliber in a place where there is no kitchen and there is limited power. And we feel really great at the end is one thing. But for members to love that, um, yeah, just one of those moments where you go, oh God, maybe I actually can do this.
SPEAKER_00Your imposter syndrome was demolished after that event.
SPEAKER_02Yeah.
SPEAKER_00Yeah. Yeah. I I love that you brought that up because regardless of who's taking the time to listen to the conversation today, imposter syndrome we all struggle with. And I think it's especially present with high performers and in roles where you have big responsibility. You know, you second guess is is this going to be the right location in in this case? And that feeling of wow, yes, this went smooth for the the ops, but the member feeling like, and so your your member feeling and that connection to that's so cool that you you got that experience. Uh tell us a little bit more about Bluffstock.
SPEAKER_02Yeah. So second year at the arena. Um, there were things the year before, obviously, that we realized, okay, we didn't think this through. Let's adjust. Uh, we made those adjustments. This theme actually came from um a member actually in the survey, sort of pitched this sort of festival idea. Um, and we loved it. Um, we we wanted to sort of, you know, do sort of a 1970s sort of Woodstock feel, but our spin on it. Um this is, you know, I've you know, I've been here for five years now, so it's my fifth fourth of July. But um, this is Mia just hit her um year one, actually, yesterday. Um, so it's her first, first fourth of July, which is, as we've been kind of talking about, the vastness, it's a huge deal, right? Like it is, it is the event that you get to the end of and go, okay, wow. You know, there's there's things you learn about yourself. There, there's so much. And she took the theme on and she, I mean, just blew it out of the water. Um, you know, she found new vendors and created relationships with people that we're gonna use moving forward and um just the the yeah, the scope of what it was. And and she, if anyone did not attend the event, we had um a couple um bugs out front. One that is um they were member owned, um, who allowed us to have them at the space and sort of present them.
SPEAKER_00So bugs, not insects cars like the old school cars. That's fun. So as you're walking in, those cars were just walking in, those were presented.
SPEAKER_02Um, and you just it just yeah, it's a it's such a fun event to sort of we had um we we tried new things. It's just a she did a great job and it was a really fun, really fun theme. Um we loved the scope, we tried some different stuff. We did a silent disco this year, which people loved, which you just never know.
SPEAKER_00You put the headsets on and you just start going at it.
SPEAKER_02You're in your own rhythm, you're in your own groove. Um, yeah.
SPEAKER_00It was how was the attire of the members who attended and guess?
SPEAKER_02Crushed it.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, they they really go on. They really showed up.
SPEAKER_02They really showed up. It was it was great.
unknownMan.
SPEAKER_00Bluffstock, that is a trademark name, I think, that could definitely be carried on in the future. Now, before we dive into lasting impact, I I love just getting the passion behind our directors who have the opportunity to to jump into a conversation.
How A Massive Event Gets Built
SPEAKER_00I want to get a little bit more into the nitty-gritty of how do you actually bring an event to life, especially one of this magnitude. There's so many departments involved in making something like this happen. What are the steps, like very high level that the by to give us the behind the scenes?
SPEAKER_02Yeah. Um, so it is, you know, for 4th of July specifically. Um it is a it is a year, right? So we we already start planning pretty much immediately after the fourth.
SPEAKER_00Do you have the theme for next year?
SPEAKER_02We do have the theme for next week. You do?
SPEAKER_00No way. Okay, keep going.
SPEAKER_02Um, so we we pretty much immediately kind of start. There's, you know, the recap that happens after. Um Mia and I, it sort of starts with us, right? We sort of start scheduling out. Um, it's, you know, a number of meetings that start in March, um, and they kind of base out, you know, what departments are going to be taking care of what, what needs to happen when. Um, so a lot of scheduling, um, a lot of spreadsheets, right? You know, there's a lot of it's it's small stuff. It's, you know, it's a really large event. You think big, but then that's what keeping with that, that small experience, that, you know, the making sure those member touches are there, it's all those tiny things. Um so yeah, we start now and and we then start to pull in departments as we get a little bit closer. It's one of those things I always have to kind of remind myself is I am constantly thinking about that in events every single day, right? You know, that's my job. Events department. We're we're constantly doing that every single day. Um, you know, we have to we fold everyone in, you know, when when necessary, right? You know, I think bringing everyone in the fold a little bit too soon, it just, you know, there's a lot going on in the general operations.
SPEAKER_00Yeah. Yeah. Makes sense.
SPEAKER_02So we sort of curate what we need and then we sort of present the package of this is what's happening for the next few months.
SPEAKER_00Yeah. Well, you and the team do a great job of staying on top of the checklist, the BEO meetings, just making sure that everybody is communicating, I'm sure, is the biggest piece to this with so many uh different groups of people involved and and all the details behind even the food alone, right?
SPEAKER_02Yeah, and it it hits so many departments. I mean, the security has to be involved. The stables team is so gracious for letting us use the space for as long as we do and you know, making sure everyone's being respectful of that. It's yeah, it's it's a lot.
SPEAKER_00All right, Stephanie. Well, let's let's go deep here.
What Success And Community Look Like
SPEAKER_00As the event lead, I'm sure when the music ends and everyone goes home, in your heart, you have a way of defining whether the event was successful or not. How do you get to that definition of success?
SPEAKER_02I love to have sort of our our own defining moment, right? So, so if Mia and I step back, do we feel like we're proud of what we presented? You know, do we feel like what we did was what we were sort of hoping to execute? But then from the side of a member, you know, do you know, hearing that direct feedback, we don't constantly get it, you know, sometimes because we're not front-facing, you know. Um, but yeah, I think if somebody leaves feeling like, wow, that was really cool. Yeah, wow, we brought something that was a little bit unexpected. Um, they felt taken care of. That's that's where we we know we've done a good job. Um, if somebody leaves feeling like they were taken care of um and they were given an experience that that's lasting, that's yeah.
SPEAKER_00So the event has to be cool, has to feel like they were taken care of, and then I heard the guest or member experienced something unexpected. Yeah. Yeah, that's good. And I also think at the end of the day, Palmetto Bluff is way more than the beautiful homes and the land. It's about the people and the experiences that we are able to share together. You mentioned the team. What role do you think those shared experiences play in creating a true sense of community?
SPEAKER_02That's why people stay. I think when you ask people about Palmetto Bluff, and it's, you know, there, there's, you know, it's beautiful, it's lovely, the, the atmosphere, but it's the staff, right? It's the I I go to Cole's and I love seeing, you know, Mason at the bar, right? It's the it's the people that that people remember and it's why they stick around.
SPEAKER_00Human connection.
SPEAKER_02Oh, yeah, it's big.
SPEAKER_00Such a cool thread. I mean, I it feels like every director, teammate that I've had outside of the wellness department on the podcast always go back, goes back to this thread of human connection is what drives community. And we each just uniquely are providing a different experience to drive human connection and community. Yeah. It's it's actually pretty simple.
SPEAKER_02One of the off-course dinners that we did, um, I drove everyone back and, you know, they're all chatting in the back about how great the dinner was. Um, you know, but then it sort of transitioned into, oh, well, what are, you know, what are you guys doing after this? And then, you know, they got out of the car and all wanted to go sit at the bar and um at Cole's. And I later saw that group of members at an event and they had decided to hang out. And I think, you know, we have noticed that having events where members are able just to gather and they get it's such a big property, right? Sometimes it's hard to get to know people here. And, you know, we've, you know, created campus crawls, we've created those events where it's low stress, it's super easy, you kind of show up, it's a great little fun, happy hour. You may meet somebody that um you end up hanging out with in two weeks, or you know, we have workshops that you know you go to and you discover that somebody else is super into painting, and then you know, you guys create that sort of bond, and then it you go off and and do more workshops. I think, I think that's the that's the overarching focus of what we're trying to do is ways that people can meet and grab a connection, and then they take that and they and they go experience things together.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, they develop a lifelong friendship where they experience more and more on this amazing property.
SPEAKER_01Yeah.
SPEAKER_00All right, Stephanie, we're at that time.
Wellness For Event Pros And Leaders
SPEAKER_00Final question. What does wellness mean to you?
SPEAKER_02So on a personal level, it's a miracle if I drink a bottle of water a day. Um, but with work for my team, you know, we when we're planning, you know, it's it's a huge mental game, right? And it's it is it's hard. I think we love what we do. We are constantly evolving. Me and I text each other constantly about new things we see. Um, I'm I'm very focused on when we have a very long week or we have a very big event weekend, we're taking that time to sort of get that back. Um, you have to have moments where you can disconnect, you know. You've you have to sort of like take your brain out of there and and go and just sort of have days where you're not thinking about what we're doing here. Um so I make sure we we do those. I make sure we we we take those days where we're just going and we're just if whether it's a family, if we're just going and having some personal time, or we just you know by yourself. Um, you know, that's it, that's really important to me, making sure that we're we're always, we're not constantly here thinking about, you know, what what's happening.
SPEAKER_00Um there is time where you're able to disconnect.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, you have to. You know, it it it uh yeah, I think you're better, right? You're better, your your work is better. Um, you know, you have to have this the the time away.
SPEAKER_00Yeah. I think so often we think about wellness as pushing the physical or the next habit. And one of the best aspects of wellness is knowing when to take time, when to step back. You might not be perfect at hydration, but having a system in place where you give your brain, your body, the focus on recovery. It's it's only gonna be more and more needed as our world progresses.
SPEAKER_02Yeah. And it it's hard, right? You know, because it I think you don't we get through a uh, you know, an event week and it's you get back and you're you're chatting about it. And so you kind of have that just like that adrenaline of how it went. And it's hard to recognize that you need the time. Oh, no, no, I'm good. I'll come in tomorrow. No, you have to, right? Like you've you've got to take the time because I know I'm feeling it too. We're jazzed about what we just did and and we're feeling great, but at some point we are going to hit that wall where you know it.
SPEAKER_00You're no longer being effective because you didn't take the time you needed.
SPEAKER_02Right.
SPEAKER_00Yeah. Well, Stephanie, I've I've enjoyed this conversation. I want to give you a shout out, Mia, as well, Chef Rye, all of the teammates involved in creating events. It's a very healthy culture, healthy operation, the organization of things. I I love the deadlines. It helps me feel prepared every year. It helps our team feel prepared. Like just all the guidance that you give to every single department doesn't go unnoticed. So thank you so much.
SPEAKER_02Thank you.
SPEAKER_00Yeah.
Limiting Beliefs And The Stories We Tell
SPEAKER_00Listeners, this is a wrap on our main conversation. Feel free to hang out with me for a few more minutes and get some healthy momentum for the rest of your week. The thought I want to leave with you this week stems from the very beginning statement that Stephanie Sakula vulnerably shared as we learned more about her background. We talked about imposter syndrome, that feeling of wondering if you're capable or if you truly belong. Well, clearly, anyone listening today knows Miss Sakula truly belongs at Palmetto Bluff. The depth of what she does to help every member and their guests experience memories is something that you can't viscerally feel or touch. But as we discussed, it's all in the approach, the care, the we're gonna make this the best it can be, and we're gonna learn event after event with a few things in mind. How do we ensure it stays small and intimate? How do we create the unexpected? And what can we do differently so that everyone feels cared for? That's the type of thinking that in any industry, any leader, when they adopt it, leads to success. And as I reflected on the conversation, I realized we have to talk about imposter syndrome because it's something much bigger. It's just one example of where we can drive our car in the wrong direction. Imposter syndrome has all to do with the stories that we tell ourselves. For me, it triggered because this was a recent learning moment that I shared with my internal team. I had read the book Your Best Year Ever by Michael Hyatt, and his first section about the three types of limiting beliefs were powerful for me. There are three types of limiting beliefs: beliefs about the world, beliefs about other people, and beliefs about ourselves. Beliefs about the world are the story is the story that we tell ourselves about how life works. Beliefs about other people is the story we tell ourselves about others, and beliefs about ourselves is the story we tell ourselves day after day about who we are. And you know, this is interesting, it's a powerful reflection. We are the ones creating these stories, and these stories, in effect, are building our identity. Think about some of the stories that you've maybe told yourself. I know for me, I sometimes say, Man, I could be a better leader. I'm not a leader. Or maybe you're the type of person that struggles with organization and you say, I'm just not organized. Or potentially you shy away from difficult conversations. So you've begun to define yourself as I'm not good at difficult conversations. Well, here's the message. Those aren't facts, they're beliefs. Stories we've repeated so many times that they begin to feel true. One of the most important skills we can develop isn't just solving problems, it's recognizing the stories we're telling ourselves. I've begun asking a simple question in order to challenge these beliefs. And the question is is this a fact or is it a belief? We've spoken about this before on the podcast. Beliefs are powerful, but maybe it's time for you to challenge your beliefs. One thing Stephanie and I also talked about was the importance of human connection. That's one of the greatest gifts our relationships provide. The people who know us best can often see the truth more clearly than we can. They're a better mirror than we are. And that's why I value having a sounding board, someone I trust to challenge my thinking and remind me of what is actually true. Who's your sounding board? Who are you asking to give you the truth? Because when we keep those stories to ourselves, they tend to grow. But when we share them with someone we trust, they often begin to lose their power. So here's my encouragement for you this week. Pay attention to the story you're telling yourself. When you hear that inner voice telling you who you are or who you aren't, pause and ask, is this a fact? Or is it a belief? If it's a belief, challenge it. Invite someone you trust into the conversation. Let them help you see what you might be missing. Because when we change the stories we believe, we often change the actions that we take. And that's the exact point where the dots connect and healthy momentum begins. With that message, it brings us to the end of this week's conversation. I want to thank you so much for taking the time to listen. If this conversation sparked something in you, please share it with someone in your life who might benefit. And until next week, remember to actively participate in life on your terms.
