We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Courtney Gary. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Courtney below.
Alright, Courtney thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. We’d love to go back in time and hear the story of how you came up with the name of your brand?
We chose the name “The L.I.V.E. Project” because we wanted a name that truly reflected our vision for the company. Our goal is to inspire women to live boldly, authentically and unapologetically, and “L.I.V.E.” stands for Lifestyle, Inspiration, Vision, and Empowerment. These are the pillars that define what we aim to achieve and represent in everything we do.
Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.
The L.I.V.E. Project, at the onset, started as casual girls’ trips among three friends, whose paths crossed in 2011. Sheila Howell, Melissa Johnson and I met at a military leadership development training. Up to this point in our careers it was uncommon to be in the company of more than one other woman, let alone other minority women in many of these courses. We bonded immediately through our shared life experiences in the US Army as leaders, and in our personal lives. We became known for having a great time whenever we were together, no matter the location and especially on our “girls’ trips”! Every excursion came with lots of laughs and unforgettable experiences. Through our adventures, we found that other women wanted to experience this same type of friendship and sisterhood the way we did: no competition, no cattiness, none of the stereotypical things groups of women have been known to embody.
There is quote that can be found on many social platforms that says “Every woman deserves to be surrounded by other women who think they are a big deal. No competition, no jealousy, no hate, just ‘I love you and support you’.” The L.I.V.E. Project is building that community of women through our highly curated luxury group travel experiences. We want ladies to come away from our trips having a community of like-minded women that will support and encourage them, not only during the trip, but throughout the rest of the year. In our community we celebrate birthdays, other trips the women may be taking, professional accomplishments and of course any personal achievements. This builds confidence, contentment, and extends that consideration that we all have to so many others.
Many ladies we’ve met through our careers are doing so much in their daily lives, professionally and/ or at home and find challenges with prioritizing things for themselves. We feel these women deserve self-care and our trips aim to do just that. We provide the convenience of doing all the planning for them, so all they must do is show up. This enables us to take on the mental load for the women, and remove the overload of decisions, planning and coordination that we all have in our daily lives, and sometimes struggle with. We also incorporate activities to help them reset, recharge and get outside of their comfort zone to broaden their horizons about themselves and the world.
I’m most proud of the growth we’ve had with each travel experience, from the initial vision to execution and the number of participants who have found value in what we’ve delivered. Earlier this year we had our largest trip to date, a group of 20 ladies, descended into Rio de Janeiro, Brazil for an unforgettable carnival-inspired experience, further supporting our efforts
What’s been the best source of new clients for you?
Our best source of new clients continues to be “word of mouth” and testimonials from our past travelers! Every trip introduces a new lady to the group who knows at least two other ladies that need relief from life stresses in the form of a vacation. Additionally, being military service members and veterans, we’ve found our network inherently includes many high-achieving, decision makers that look forward to relinquishing those types of duties, even if only for a short time!
Are there any books, videos, essays or other resources that have significantly impacted your management and entrepreneurial thinking and philosophy?
One resource that has significantly impacted our management and entrepreneurial philosophy is “The Art of Gathering: How We Meet and Why It Matters” by Priya Parker. Her principles around creating meaningful gatherings resonated deeply with our approach to group travel, as they emphasize making each experience more impactful for everyone involved. This book has helped us refine how we design our travel experiences, ensuring that they foster connection and authenticity. This is crucial because meaningful gatherings lead to more enriching and memorable experiences for our clients, which ultimately strengthens our community and the value we provide.
Image Credits
Tanesha Davis of Teancious Developments
Fernanda Fernades of Fernanda Photografias
Craig Gary of CraigCapture
Rob Lo of Solo Mio Photography
Ceara Janelle of Ceara Janelle Photography
Brian K. McQuain of Secret City Visual Arts Studio