Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Linnea Nelson. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Alright, Linnea thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. What’s the backstory behind how you came up with the idea for your business?

I want to take you on a journey through my childhood so that you can truly understand the process of how I discovered my passion. From as far back as I can remember, I’ve always loved the feeling of being able to experience something exciting and new, the feeling of looking forward to something fun and the smiles on my loved ones faces as they enjoyed a new experience with me. Growing up I loved to plan my own parties and planned my first at the age of 8. It was a Halloween party and I remember having pumpkin shaped invitations that I was so proud to pass out at school lol. From that day forward, I continued to plan parties anytime I got the chance. In college, I was selected to be a BET (Black Entertainment Television) Marketing Rep for my campus at Howard University and loved coming up with fun ways to engage the students in order to help bring awareness to the network’s programming and specials. They were so impressed with my creativity and work ethic that they flew me to LA to assist at the BET Awards. This is when I really began to realize that I had a love for creating memorable experiences. But not only do I love creating them, but I love participating in them just as much! And then I noticed that I really started enjoying telling people all about the experiences and things that I came across! I love the excitement, variety and fulfillment that new and unique experiences bring into my life. They truly give me life and I want others to have the same enjoyment that I’m experiencing. That’s definitely the mission and there are two ways that I’m working to accomplish this.

First through providing inspiration and information, which I do through sharing my experiences, mainly on social media. I like to show and tell my online community about new and cool things to do, most of which I’ve had an opportunity to experience myself. Givin’ Me Life is a lifestyle brand at it’s core with a goal of reaching those who have an interest in living an adventurous, exciting and fulfilling life.

The second way that I accomplish my mission, is through Givin’ Me Life’s experience planning services. Once I’ve provided the inspiration, some people may want to take steps towards living their best lives, but need a little help. This is where the experience planning comes in. We can take the work out of planning an amazing experience so that our clients can focus on enjoying themselves. This approach is unique because there are a ton of event planners out there, but few that specialize in planning of experiences such as date nights, girls trips and other outings and activities.

Linnea, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

I’m an Experience Producer, Lifestyle Architect and Founder of Givin’ Me Life, creating impact though innovative and exciting experiences that inspire a dynamic and fun-filled lifestyle. I’ve always embraced stepping outside of my comfort zone to try new things to make life more interesting and exciting. After graduating Magna Cum Laude from Howard University with a BBA in Marketing, I returned home to Detroit to begin a career in advertising and event planning working with brands like Coca-Cola and Ford. I knew that it was time to take my passion to the next level, which meant doing more of what I love and inspiring others who share the same appetite for adventure.

We’d love to hear about you met your business partner.

I’d like to say that I’m pretty lucky because when I gained my boyfriend, I eventually gained a business partner and Operations Manager as well! My boyfriend, Dewayne McAllister II, started out just helping me out by taking pictures and video. He has a background in CG animation and went to art school and I noticed right off that he had a really good eye when it came to content creation.  He is also very strong in management, organization and has a strong work ethic like myself, so I asked him to join the team. I felt in the long run the business was something that could benefit us individually and as a unit. Regardless of who your partner is or what position they hold, its always great to have help. Even if its just someone to bounce ideas off of. Two or more minds are better than one. A company is also ran more effectively and efficiently when team members can focus on the areas they’re strongest in.

We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.

If I told you that the growth was quick, I would be lying. In this industry you have to deal with annoying algorithms, competition, you name it, but what I wont do is quit. I love what I do, I know for a fact that I’m working in my passion and I’m helping others. That’s enough for me to never quit, plus I see the growth even if its not all happening overnight. I count all the wins. Like literally, I keep a running list of all of the accomplishments, wins and firsts that Givin’ Me Life achieves each year. It helps plus we receive so much positive feedback. We’re making a difference and our impact is only going to increase. Can’t stop, won’t stop!

Contact Info:

• Website: givinmelife.com
• Instagram: @givinmelife (https://www.instagram.com/givinmelife/)
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GivinMeLife
• Linkedin: Givin’ Me Life
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC5I5Peoq12a_qFIOm3zX1bw
• Other: TikTok – OfficialGivinMeLife Email: [email protected]

Image Credits
Davide Anderson (for the first photo with the all pink background and the photo of me on the electric scooter) Dewayne McAllister, II (photo of me sitting on the bar in the red shirt, photo of me pointing to the Patron drink tree, and me sitting in front of the blue chill sign) The rest of the photos don’t need to be credited.