We recently connected with Morgan Leigh and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Morgan , thanks for joining us today. Crazy stuff happening is almost as certain as death and taxes – it’s technically “unexpected” but something unexpected happening is to be expected and so can you share a crazy story with our readers

One of the craziest parts of entrepreneurship for me is that my business didn’t just grow through unexpected challenges. It survived something that completely changed my life.

I had started Sedona Picnics with my mom just a few months before everything happened. We were in that early stage, figuring things out, building momentum, putting our hearts into something new and exciting.

And then, out of nowhere, I had a brain AVM rupture that caused a stroke.

One day I was building a business, and the next I was in a hospital bed, facing a reality where I didn’t even know if I’d be able to walk, work, or return to the life I had been building. Everything paused. The business, my routine, my sense of control were gone in an instant.

The craziest part was the emotional whiplash of it all. I went from thinking about growth and bookings…to just hoping I could recover.

Meanwhile, the business still existed. My mom was still holding things together. Life didn’t just neatly stop. It kept moving, even when I couldn’t.

As I slowly worked my way through recovery, there was this strange overlap of worlds. On one hand, I was relearning how to use my body and rebuild my strength. On the other, I was trying to step back into this business we had just created, but as a completely different version of myself.

There were moments of frustration, grief, and honestly disbelief that this was my reality. But there were also moments where I realized how much deeper everything felt.

Coming back to Sedona Picnics after that experience changed the way I see it. It’s not just a business to me. It represents resilience, support, and the fact that something we built before everything fell apart was still there waiting for me when I came back.

Entrepreneurship is unpredictable in ways no one really talks about. Sometimes the “crazy” isn’t a viral moment or a bad customer, it’s life hitting you in a way you never saw coming, and having to find your way back, both personally and professionally.

Looking back, what felt like everything falling apart ended up shaping how I show up in my business now, with more perspective, more gratitude, and a deeper understanding of what really matters.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

I’m the co-founder of Sedona Picnics, a luxury picnic and experience company that I started with my Mom in Sedona, Arizona. What began as a simple idea, to create beautiful, intentional spaces for people to gather and celebrate, quickly turned into something much more meaningful.

We specialize in curated outdoor picnic experiences set against Sedona’s red rock landscape. From proposals and anniversaries to birthdays, girls’ trips, and just-because moments, we design each setup to feel elevated, personal, and effortless for our clients. It’s not just about aesthetics, it’s about creating an environment where people can slow down, connect, and actually be present in the moment.

What really brought me into this work, though, goes deeper than just the concept of luxury picnics.

A few months after starting the business, I had a brain AVM rupture that caused a stroke. That experience completely changed my perspective on life, how quickly things can shift, how fragile time really is, and how important it is to appreciate the moments we often rush through.

Coming back to the business after that gave everything new meaning.

What we create now isn’t just “a pretty setup.” It’s an intentional experience rooted in the idea that moments matter. Whether it’s a proposal someone has been planning for months or a simple gathering with people they love, I understand on a very real level how meaningful those moments are.

I think what sets us apart is that level of intention and care. Anyone can set up a picnic, but not everyone approaches it with the understanding of what that moment might represent in someone’s life. We focus on the details, the energy, and the feeling our clients walk away with, not just how it looks in photos.

What I’m most proud of is not just the business itself, but what it represents. It’s something that existed before one of the hardest chapters of my life, and something I was able to come back to and grow afterward. It represents resilience, partnership with my Mom, and creating something meaningful out of both the good and the difficult parts of life.

For anyone discovering Sedona Picnics, I want them to know that what we offer is more than a service. It’s an experience designed with intention, care, and a deep appreciation for the fact that moments like these aren’t guaranteed. And because of that, they deserve to be celebrated.

How’d you meet your business partner?

My cofounder is actually my Mom, which makes this story a little different, but honestly, it’s the foundation of everything we’ve built.

There’s not one specific moment where we “met,” obviously, but there is a moment where we chose to build something together.

Starting Sedona Picnics came from a shared idea and a willingness to just go for it. We’ve always been close, but building a business together added a whole new layer to our relationship. We were figuring everything out side by side. Learning, creating, problem-solving, and putting our hearts into something that felt exciting and a little unknown.

What I didn’t know at the time was how much that partnership would come to mean.

A few months after we started the business, I had a stroke. Everything in my life changed overnight, and I wasn’t able to show up the way I had been. During that time, my Mom didn’t just step in as a business partner. She became my stability through everything.

She kept the business going. She held everything together when I couldn’t. And beyond that, she was just there for me in every way someone could be.

That experience changed how I see our partnership completely. It’s not just about running a business together. It’s about trust, support, and knowing that no matter what happens, we have each other.

Now, when we show up for Sedona Picnics, there’s so much more behind it than just the work. There’s a shared resilience, a deeper appreciation, and a bond that’s been tested in a way most business partnerships never are.

I think that’s what makes it so special. We didn’t just choose to start a business together. We’ve chosen, every step of the way, to keep showing up for each other through whatever comes with it.

Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?

One moment that really defines resilience for me wasn’t a single big milestone, it was the quiet, in-between moment when I stepped back into my life after my stroke.

After my brain AVM rupture, everything became about survival and recovery. Progress wasn’t linear, and there were days that felt frustrating, slow, and uncertain. I had gone from building a new business and living independently to having to relearn basic things and rebuild my strength from the ground up.

At some point during that process, I remember coming back to Sedona Picnics, not at full capacity, not as the person I was before, but just in whatever way I could.

It wasn’t some big, triumphant return. It was small. Showing up a little at a time. Being there for a setup, helping where I could, slowly reconnecting with something that used to feel so natural but now felt completely different.

I remember being very aware in those moments of how much had changed. Physically, mentally, emotionally: I wasn’t the same person. And there was a choice in that space: to focus on everything that felt lost, or to start building from where I was.

That’s what resilience looked like for me.

Not pushing through in a dramatic way, but choosing, over and over again, to keep showing up anyway. To be patient with the process. To accept the slower pace, the uncertainty, and still move forward.

Over time, those small moments added up. What once felt impossible started to feel normal again. And eventually, I wasn’t just participating in my life, I was building it again.

That experience changed how I define resilience. It’s not about bouncing back to who you were before. It’s about adapting, rebuilding, and finding strength in a version of yourself you didn’t plan for.

And in a lot of ways, that version of me is stronger, more grounded, and more intentional than I ever was before.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.sedonapicnics.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sedonapicnics/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SedonaPicnics