Have you ever felt like your life needed a complete shake-up? That moment when staying in the same routine feels more risky than blowing everything up and starting fresh? That’s exactly what one ambitious woman experienced when she decided to launch her own business right as she got the call to compete on one of television’s toughest reality shows.
At 34, she found herself juggling multiple massive transitions at once. Moving to a new state, committing to a serious relationship, starting a company from scratch, and secretly training for the adventure of a lifetime. Her story isn’t just entertaining—it’s packed with practical wisdom for anyone thinking about making bold career moves while navigating personal changes.
The Dream That Wouldn’t Let Go
From the time she was a little girl, she had been captivated by Survivor. Watching it at eight years old planted a seed that grew into a full-blown dream. Years later, when she finally hit submit on her audition video in early 2023, she had no idea how dramatically it would intersect with her professional ambitions.
At the time, she was working at a tech PR agency, having climbed the ranks to associate vice president. On paper, it looked like success. In reality, she felt stuck. The role had shifted away from the hands-on work she loved—crafting strategies for founders and shaping brand narratives—toward more management and operations. Something needed to change.
I’ve always admired people who listen to that inner voice telling them it’s time for more. In her case, that voice led her to take the leap and start her own PR agency, Roses PR. The decision wasn’t made lightly, but it felt necessary for her growth.
Timing Everything Perfectly (Or Not)
Life rarely hands us convenient timelines. Just as she was building her business from the ground up, the casting process for Survivor kicked into high gear. Months of interviews, medical checks, psychological evaluations, and intense preparation followed—all while she was trying to establish credibility with new clients.
She commuted regularly between New York and Washington D.C. during this period, often working on business plans and client strategies during train rides. Meanwhile, she was preparing mentally and physically for the brutal conditions awaiting in Fiji. Talk about multitasking.
I’m kind of blowing up my life in a lot of ways.
– The entrepreneur reflecting on her simultaneous major changes
That honest admission captures the mix of excitement and terror that comes with big transitions. Moving from New Jersey to Arlington, Virginia to live with her now-fiancé added another layer of complexity. She was essentially rebuilding her personal and professional foundations at the same time.
The Business Challenge No One Sees Coming
Launching a service-based business like public relations requires trust and consistent communication. How do you maintain that when you know you’ll be completely unreachable for four to six weeks? This became one of her biggest pre-filming headaches.
She couldn’t tell clients the real reason for her upcoming absence due to strict non-disclosure agreements. Instead, she crafted a creative cover story involving a prospective health and wellness client offering retreats for high-stress professionals. It was plausible enough, but she still worried about how it would be received.
At that point, her agency was essentially a one-woman operation. To keep things running smoothly, she brought in a former colleague to step in during her absence. This person started a month before filming and stayed a month after to ensure a smooth handoff. The planning was meticulous and expensive, but necessary.
- Hiring temporary support well in advance
- Creating detailed client transition plans
- Setting clear expectations for communication blackouts
- Preparing backup strategies for urgent situations
Self-employment gave her something many contestants didn’t have: true flexibility. While others had to quit jobs or exhaust all their paid time off, she could structure her business around this extraordinary opportunity. That freedom came with its own stresses, of course.
Skills That Translate from Boardroom to Island
Public relations professionals develop unique abilities that prove valuable in unexpected places. For her, years of pitching stories, building relationships, and adapting to fast-changing situations became survival tools in more ways than one.
Pitching herself during the casting process felt like the ultimate client presentation. She drew on her experience crafting compelling brand narratives to tell her own story convincingly. Those storytelling skills helped her stand out among thousands of applicants.
On the island, her ability to connect with people and read social dynamics—honed through years of managing client relationships—gave her an edge in building alliances. The constant need to adapt strategies on the fly mirrored the unpredictable world of startup PR, where plans can change hourly.
I work with startups, so being super nimble, and being able to make a new decision and shift at every moment… that’s a lot of how the Survivor gameplay goes.
This insight reveals something profound about transferable skills. The qualities that make someone successful in high-pressure business environments often translate remarkably well to other challenging situations. Perhaps we’ve underestimated how much modern work prepares us for the unexpected.
The Reset Everyone Craves
One of the most compelling parts of her experience was the complete digital detox. For someone accustomed to being available 24/7, weeks without a phone or internet connection felt revolutionary. No emails. No notifications. No constant pinging that demands immediate attention.
She described it as truly amazing. The absence of digital demands created space for something many of us have forgotten—pure presence. Being fully engaged with her surroundings, her tribemates, and her own thoughts without distraction.
In our always-connected world, this kind of reset is incredibly rare. Most people can’t disappear for a month without serious professional consequences. Her ability to do so through self-employment highlights one of the often-overlooked benefits of entrepreneurship: control over your time and boundaries.
Rediscovering Play and Joy
Beyond the strategic gameplay and physical challenges, the experience reconnected her with something fundamental—play. Living outdoors, facing unpredictable conditions, and engaging in raw human interaction brought back a childlike sense of wonder and fun.
“I felt like I was a kid again,” she shared. That statement hits hard in a culture that often prioritizes productivity over presence. When was the last time you felt pure, unfiltered joy in simple activities? For many adults, especially entrepreneurs, it can be years.
This aspect of her journey might be the most valuable lesson. Sometimes the best way to recharge your professional life is to completely step away from it. The motivation and stamina she gained from unplugging translated directly into stronger business performance upon return.
Coming Back Stronger
Returning to the business after such an intense experience brought fresh perspective. She approached client work with renewed energy and different insights. Having experienced the other side of media attention through the show itself, she could better understand what her clients face when seeking coverage.
The temporary team member helped maintain momentum during her absence, but the real test came in reintegrating and capitalizing on the growth opportunities the experience created. Being open about her Survivor journey after the season aired actually strengthened many client relationships.
Some clients had suspected the truth all along. Others became even more invested in her success after watching her compete. The authenticity and vulnerability of sharing this wild chapter resonated with people who appreciate bold moves.
Lessons for Modern Entrepreneurs
Her story offers several powerful takeaways for anyone building something new. First, timing is rarely perfect. If you’re waiting for ideal conditions before making changes, you might wait forever. Sometimes you have to move forward even when everything feels chaotic.
Second, transferable skills matter more than we realize. Don’t discount the value of what you’ve learned in previous roles. Communication, adaptability, relationship-building, and strategic thinking apply across vastly different contexts.
- Prepare thoroughly but remain flexible
- Build systems that can run without you
- Invest in quality support during transitions
- Use challenging experiences as fuel for growth
- Embrace the reset when opportunities arise
Third, the courage to pursue dreams outside your comfort zone often creates unexpected professional benefits. Her visibility from the show likely opened doors that traditional networking never could.
The Personal Side of Big Changes
Beyond the business aspects, her journey involved significant personal evolution. Moving to a new state to build a life with her partner while pursuing these ambitious goals required balancing multiple priorities. The support of a committed relationship during such turbulent times can make all the difference.
Many people face similar challenges when trying to grow their careers while nurturing important relationships. The key seems to be open communication about goals and realistic expectations about the demands of each pursuit.
She continued incorporating elements of her island experience into daily life afterward—leaving her phone at home during evening walks, making time for reading and creative hobbies like scrapbooking. These small changes help maintain some of that reset feeling even in normal routines.
Why This Story Resonates So Deeply
In an era where burnout stories are common, her experience offers a different narrative. Instead of choosing between career and adventure, she found a way to pursue both. The discomfort of major life changes became the catalyst for meaningful growth in multiple areas.
There’s something inspiring about watching someone bet on themselves so completely. Starting a business, committing to a relationship, relocating, and chasing a childhood dream simultaneously shows remarkable confidence and resilience.
Of course, not everyone needs to go on reality television to find their reset. But her story encourages us to look for opportunities that push our boundaries and remind us what we’re capable of when we step outside familiar patterns.
Applying These Insights to Your Own Path
Consider what a “Survivor-style reset” might look like in your own life. It doesn’t have to involve television cameras or tropical islands. Maybe it’s a sabbatical, a bold career pivot, or finally launching that side project you’ve been dreaming about.
The important elements seem to be creating space for disconnection, embracing discomfort, and approaching challenges with both preparation and adaptability. Building support systems that allow you to step away temporarily can be game-changing.
Also worth noting is the value of reflection after intense experiences. She returned with clearer priorities and renewed motivation. Taking time to process what you learned and how you want to apply those lessons prevents the reset from becoming just a temporary break.
It truly was a reset.
Those simple words carry so much weight. In our fast-paced world, genuine resets are rare and precious. Whether through travel, intense challenges, or strategic time away from technology, finding ways to reconnect with yourself and your priorities can transform how you approach everything else.
Her continued commitment to daily walks without phones and making time for hobbies shows how the lessons stuck. It’s not about one big dramatic change but about integrating new perspectives into everyday life.
The Bigger Picture for Ambitious Professionals
Many high-achievers reach a point where success starts feeling hollow. The promotions come, the responsibilities increase, but the daily satisfaction decreases. Recognizing that moment and having the courage to do something about it is rarer than we admit.
Her decision to leave a stable role for entrepreneurship, combined with pursuing a long-held personal dream, demonstrates the power of aligning actions with deeper values. It’s messy and complicated and requires significant planning, but the rewards extend far beyond any single outcome.
Even though she didn’t go as far in the competition as she hoped, the experience itself delivered value that no amount of strategic gameplay could match. The personal growth, professional insights, and renewed passion for her work made the entire journey worthwhile.
That’s perhaps the most encouraging message for anyone considering their own big moves. You don’t need to win the game to benefit enormously from playing it. The attempt itself, when approached with intention and preparation, creates its own success.
Looking back, her story beautifully illustrates how personal and professional lives intertwine. The support of her partner during this turbulent period, the lessons learned about balance and presence, and the way the experience strengthened rather than strained her new business all point to the importance of holistic growth.
In a world that often pushes us to specialize and compartmentalize, her integrated approach—pursuing career ambitions while honoring personal dreams and relationships—feels refreshingly complete. It reminds us that we don’t have to choose between different parts of ourselves.
Whether you’re thinking about starting a business, making a major move, or simply needing a reset in your own life, her journey offers both inspiration and practical strategies. The key is preparation, support, adaptability, and the willingness to embrace discomfort for the sake of growth.
Most of all, it shows that sometimes the best way forward is to dive into the unknown with both eyes open and a willingness to learn. The reset you need might be waiting in the most unexpected place.
What bold move have you been considering but haven’t yet made? Sometimes the stories of others who took the leap can give us just enough courage to take our own. Her experience proves that the rewards often exceed even our highest expectations—not necessarily in the ways we anticipate, but in deeper, more meaningful ways that reshape how we approach everything afterward.
