Meet Wendy Deacon | Chief Inspiration Officer & Adventure Concierge

We had the good fortune of connecting with Wendy Deacon and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Wendy, how do you think about risk?
I think calculated risks are important and that playing it safe pretty much means you’re destined to always play small. That really considering the risk and comparing it to your priorities and your desires is already difficult. Many people don’t know what they want and that is a critical step before you can even take a risk. Then, if you decide to proceed, you still have to deal with internal questioning and potential nay sayers. I believe my parents instilled a desire to always strive to move forward and go for what I want and it’s served me well, professionally and personally. I had a wonderful corporate career and was successful in taking risks to then reap really great rewards, achievements and impact. I had to defend or support my vision before getting volunteers or staff taking the steps in that direction but I believe that with each success, I gained more confidence to risk again and again. It was then the biggest step and risk for me professionally when I left my corporate position in early 2019 to create my company, DestinationU. This was a complete pivot for me and was a direct result of several changes in my personal and professional world. 2018 was a time of deep personal reflection and a decision that I needed a change. A big change. Something MORE. It’s been challenging, but one of the best adventures in my life and I’d never go back!

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
I started DestinationU in 2019 and we are a community of bold, adventurous women, leading the movement to redefine what’s possible and reimagine optimal living over 40. I am blessed to lead programs and retreats to help women live more curiously, confidently and intentionally. I work with individuals, with our member community and with other women-focused businesses to set up active or creative adventures that help embolden & energize their clients to achieve their ultimate vision. We connect, support and share stories, experiences and recommendations to inspire, resource and empower women to try something new and to commit to living life to the fullest. I am most proud of the women who are creating new paths forward and living more of what they want. I thought I’d be inspiring others but honestly, they are inspiring me more! One of the challenges is having patience as the new company and our community grows organically. I personally wanted to set up my business to reflect my passion for living intentionally and with a focus to keep learning and growing and I have built it all without investors. This is something I’ve had to relax a bit on. To stay focused and patient while I keep sharing my faith, my message and my vision for this new and growing group of women living their happiest and best life now.
I learned from a close friend who was confronting a very scary cancer diagnosis and this was a critical factor for me wanting to inspire others in our 40s, 50s and 60s to create a Live It NOW List instead of waiting another 10-20 years for some bucket list. I love helping them take time out of their ultra busy schedule to prioritize a bit of their own fun and make it easy to tackle something they’ve always wanted to do! I hope more women will want to either join our amazing community or commit to help us lead this movement so we radically change how fun and fantastic our lives are in this chapter.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
If I’m staying close into Denver (city area) and only have 1-2 days, I’d have to take them to Red Rocks. The concert venue is lovely but I’d focus on the trails and scenery and getting them on the red dirt. If I had someone here for a week, I’d include time in Golden, hiking a trail that’s an offshoot on the way up to the top. We’d spend time in Golden and visit the 2nd largest brewery in town and walk around the School of Mines. In Denver, I’d take them around the downtown and I especially love Union Station – it’s especially lovely at Christmas. Dining wise, I’d have to take them to BeauJo’s as a completely a Colorado staple and I also love Torchy’s – previously lived in Texas but don’t hold that against me:) If I can venture further out, I’d head west to Evergreen and up Squaw Pass, and then further up Mount Evans. Then going over toward Winter Park area for either snowshoeing, snowboarding in winter or hiking and mountain biking in summer.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
No question that my first shoutout goes to my parents, Oren and Cheryl, and the love and support from my sister, Lori. They are responsible for all of the qualities that describe how I’ve succeeded and the values I live by. Their guidance is still a key part of who I am and I’ll be forever grateful. I also want to shout out to my dearest friend, Zuzana. I learned a whole other level of love and encouragement in spending time with her and I cannot imagine being on this life adventure without her by my side. Professionally, I want to thank several few women who were instrumental in helping me shape DestinationU: Kimberly DeShields Spencer and L’Erin Stortz all the other wonderful Founding Members in my Inspiring Your Next Community. These ladies inspire me every day!

Website: www.destinationu.net

Instagram: destinationuwendy

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/wendy-deacon-segrest-650007a/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/DestinationU

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCotglgZ3H_1fnsgYepJTTxA/videos

Other: https://www.pinterest.com/InspiringYourNext/