We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Bridget Hennessy. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Bridget below.
Hi Bridget, thank you for being such a positive, uplifting person. We’ve noticed that so many of the successful folks we’ve had the good fortune of connecting with have high levels of optimism and so we’d love to hear about your optimism and where you think it comes from.
Optimism is my only success story. When I was in high school my basketball coach used to say, “Life is 10% about what happens to you and 90% how you react to it”. I’ve carried that with me.
Whenever I find myself in a challenging situation, professionally and/or personally, I intentionally choose optimism. Through frustration, anger and jealousy I am never met with success. When I actively take a moment and tell myself to trust the process, follow my gut, and uplift others through my work, I am met with new, exciting opportunities.
Lastly, my family. I have a group of friends who are incredibly optimistic and continuously support my dreams and help me sort through difficult times. When you are in a friend group that helps each other stay positive, allows you to express yourself and vent while also helping you shake the dirt off and hit the ground running, it is impossible to fail. It is necessary to feel your feelings, including defeat and sadness, but it takes a village to ensure you get back up and try again. I cannot stress enough how important it is to protect your peace and surround yourself with people who try to see the bright side to this beautiful, messy walk of life.
Thanks, tell me about your business and upcoming projects?
Before my husband and I became small business owners, it wasn’t our dream. In fact, we had no idea what we wanted to do career wise. All we knew was we weren’t happy with our current jobs, we didn’t fit into the 9-5 mold, and we wanted to see each other more. I am thankful we found our purpose through running our own businesses that involves art.
My biggest passion is art. Whether it be a gorgeous building you pass by, the food on your plate, the book you’re reading, the song you’re listening to- art surrounds us and when we starting seeing everything as art, life becomes more beautiful and precious.
With Hennessy Events we specialize in massive balloon sculptures. What I love about our art form is that it is temporary. Our balloons are biodegradable and after some time they lose their life. Being temporary makes each piece rare and makes me appreciate them more. When people hire us for an art installation, there is a short timeframe to be able to see it in person.
Alpha Lit 904 and Alpha Lit Space Coast both provide the same service in different areas in Florida. We create displays with light up marquee letters and numbers for events and special occasions. When we first began our Alpha Lit journey we had no idea the positive impact it was going to make on our lives. The words we spell out at birthday parties, weddings, baby showers, celebrations of life, etc. all honor someone in someway, and it feels good to be a small part of that.
Lastly, I am Co Founder of Electric Winter Wonderland (also known as EWW). EWW is a small, private music and arts festival. It’s my favorite thing I have worked on and challenges me in ways I never knew. Curating an event that revolves around so much love and happiness is an indescribable feeling. I’ve learned more about myself and life planning this festival than I have in the past decade. Planning EWW and bringing it to life was the product of MANY hands, and the friends that have become family through EWW is the best part of it all. Thankful doesn’t cover it.
There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?
1. Dedication. I had to make my art my full time focus. I was privileged to be in the position where I could do this. Motivation comes and goes, but when you are dedicated to something and make it a habit, you’ll push through the trying times and will find that light at the end of the tunnel.
2. Sacrifice. Someone once told me in order to achieve your goals, you must live the opposite way for some time. To gather riches, you have to live on a tight budget. To become physically strong, you’ll feel weak when you first start. To become skilled at something, you have to be okay with being terrible at it at first. Anything worthwhile takes time and serious energy and sacrifice. It’s through sacrifice and persistence that you’ll learn how to grow into your destiny.
3. Boundaries. This one didn’t hit me hard until this past year. Not everyone should have access to your energy, time, dreams, support. You can wish people the best and still distance yourself. Spend your time the way you spend your money. It’s an invaluable resource that you can’t get back. Don’t waste it on people who are going out of their way to misunderstand you or tear down your confidence to reach your goals. Invest your precious time and energy in people who are a good influence on you.
Thanks so much for sharing all these insights with us today. Before we go, is there a book that’s played in important role in your development?
A book I read often and gift to others is The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho. Someone once gifted this to me and every time I read it I get something new out of it. You must read the book to receive the valuable messages, but a few important points I got from The Alchemist was to trust in the universe, have faith in yourself, and know that small ideas can make massive impacts. I feel my successes are not from one grand idea, but many small ones that connected to each other and created a stable road for me to journey down.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.hennessyevents.com
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/hennessyevents
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/hennessyevents
