We were lucky to catch up with DEE Wagner recently and have shared our conversation below.
Hi DEE, 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.
I am so grateful to wake up every morning excited to step into my life. I see my life as a gift from the universe and how I use that gift is how I show my gratitude. I get up at 5:00am every morning and I’m out the door within 15 minutes to watch the sun come up on a hill near my house with my two dogs. That morning hike always points me in the right direction and try to think “if this is my last day on planet earth–let’s make it a good one”. I absolutely refuse negativity in my life. I believe completely that “I am what I think” so I am pretty much always optimistic.
Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?
I’m the founder of Dee Wagner Events — a woman-owned catering and event planning company based in the San Francisco Bay Area. We create weddings, corporate gatherings, and community events that feel beautifully designed, thoughtful, and rooted in genuine hospitality. Our catering division, Roux Catering, focuses on seasonal menus and strong relationships with local farms, and our floral studio, Flowers by Roux, brings natural, garden-inspired design to the table.
I started this company after years of building million-dollar success stories for others. Taking the leap into entrepreneurship was something I had dreamed about but didn’t fully believe I could do — until I became alcohol-free. The clarity that came with that choice helped me see that denying my own purpose was stagnation. Aligning with my heart and my spiritual connection has brought indescribable joy, creativity, and enthusiasm into my life and my work.
That mission to nourish and uplift people extends into my nonprofit, No Hunger Here, which provides hot meals and a dignified dining experience for neighbors experiencing food insecurity. Our current project, Table for All, brings chef-prepared meals to a local safe-camp community twice a week
Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?
Get still. Only in stillness can you hear your hearts desire. Once you know then step fearlessly into making it happen—today—not tomorrow or next month.
Covid happened two months after I launched my company. If I’d known what was coming I never would have had the courage to step into my power. Martha Beck talks about taking small steps toward your integrity or your calling because eventually if you move just a bit everyday you will be facing a new direction.
As we end our chat, is there a book you can leave people with that’s been meaningful to you and your development?
The first book that was “ah-ha” moment for me was Brene Browns Daring Greatly. I was spiritually and emotionally exhausted and her book opened a window to my heart. I had scaled another mountain for someone other than myself and was left with nothing.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://Www.deewagner.com
- Instagram: Deewagnerevents
- Linkedin: Deewagnerevents
- Twitter: Deewagnerevents
Image Credits
www.susanadlerphotography.com
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