ORLANDO, FL - A bucket list item I didn’t know I had was to hold an Olympic gold medal.

When you are born with little balance or coordination, Olympic aspirations fly right on by, and the idea of holding something so symbolic is so far out of reach you can’t even dream the dream.

“I brought my gold medal because it is for each and every one of you,” Dominique Dawes shared with a room of over 300 women earlier this month.

The speaker for Southeast Produce Council’s 21^st Southern Roots luncheon left an impact I’m still carefully examining weeks later.

Olympian, entrepreneur, business owner, mother, and wife, this maven immediately captured us as an audience with sincere gratitude. Talking about wanting to quit constantly, she said it was the fans’ support that kept her going through her Olympic career before sending her gold medal around the room.

“To say thank you to all who gave the cheers in the Georgia dome,” she explained, handing the treasure to Kristin Yerecic Scott of Yerecic Label to ensure as many as possible had a turn. “We felt the pressure, but we made history to inspire girls and women, so thank you for that.”

That Kristin was the one charged was its own cosmic circle, as she explained to me later.

"Fun fact: Years ago, I had the incredible opportunity to participate in the Champions Tour in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, which was an unforgettable experience as a young competitive gymnast. As one of my childhood heroes, Dominique’s words resonated deeply, reminding me how much trust, dedication, and resilience it takes to succeed. Her message was a powerful reminder that whether in sports, business, or life, success is never a solo journey," Kristin shared.

Indeed, while honoring us all with what felt like the best intrinsic item an athlete could pursue, Dominique spent much of her time sharing with us that the podium was not where she felt she achieved her greatest success.

“It’s great to talk about the highs and successes, but don’t forget about the journey. Success is a journey, not a destination,” she shared. “Working through pain gets you to passion which gets you to your purpose.”

That said, here are the top lessons this powerhouse imparted that could apply to any of us:

• T.E.A.M: Together Everyone Achieves More; are you supporting your teammates or are you judging them?
• Life is not an individual sport
• Be honest with yourself in deciding what success is for you
• Checking ego at the door; ego is not grateful, appreciative, or optimistic, and will see everything wrong with everyone
• Use discernment when you have control, grace when you don’t

Finally, for any fellow perfectionists out there, Dominique herself shared there is a time and a place: “If I carried my Olympic mindset throughout everything I would be miserable.”

As SEPC itself observed, Dominique has transcended the world of sports, politics, entertainment, and culture.

“Dominique Dawes wowed attendees at the Southern Roots Luncheon with her powerful message on teamwork and perseverance,” Kristin concluded.

In addition to Dominique’s magic, an additional highlight was the attendance of retired industry veteran Teri Miller, Founder of Southern Roots, to see the event grow from 14 attendees to this year’s record-breaking 340-plus. Our industry’s own showing of perseverance, strength, and refusal to quit.

I cannot think of a better way to kick off—for many—the travel season as our industry continues to work toward uplifting and empowering its female foundation.