Meet Dana!

Over the past 18 years, Dana has built and operated four successful businesses in the Raleigh NC area with her business partner, and sister, Courtney. They run 2 planning companies, and event venue, and their consulting firm. Starting off from ordinary, they paved their way by sheer grit and tenacity splashed with some therapy and coffee along the way. You can hear them weekly on their Podcast Hustle and Gather with Dana and Courtney. And since that just wasn’t enough, Dana is also an adjunct professors at a local college - inspiring the next generation of hospitality professionals and entrepreneurs. 

Dana is passionate about helping others. As past Triangle NACE President, and current NACE national board member, she has built her career on serving the events industry. In 2022 she was awarded the prestigious National NACE Member of The Year, and it is one of her proudest moments.

When Dana is not hustling at her business or serving the wedding industry community, she is at home with her beautiful family. As a mom of 2, she knows how busy and insane life can get. Her passion is to educate others on how to use simple tools to help create the life they want.

Closing Keynote Session:

Reignite Your Vision: Moving Beyond the Daily Grind to Reconnect with Purpose  

Dana Kadwell reveals the journey of rediscovering passion and vision in your business, guiding entrepreneurs who feel stuck in the daily grind to reconnect with their journey to success and growth from her personal experience. She highlights the red flags of burnout, the importance of creative problem-solving, and practical methods for reclaiming the time and energy needed to dream big again like you did when you started your business. Dana shares her insights on cultivating a fresh perspective, structuring time for visionary thinking, and the influential role of connecting with mentors and peers.

Presentation Takeaways:

  • Recognize the signs of losing vision: Learn the red flags that indicate when your business needs a reset.

  • Create space for visionary thinking: Practical strategies to delegate effectively and structure your time to allow big-picture planning.

  • Reconnect with your purpose: Build a support network and develop creative routines to re-energize and guide your business forward.