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Juggling Act: A Move, a Mega-Event, and a Side of YouTube

May 2, 2025 by Gus Calabrese Leave a Comment

We get it. Life in the energy sector is dynamic. You’re juggling projects, deadlines, travel, and the ever-evolving landscape of the industry. We’re right there with you! For the past five months, we’ve been navigating a whirlwind of our own, and we’ve learned a few things about resilience, adaptability, and the importance of a good sense of humor (and maybe a strong cup of coffee).

Ashley and Gus arrive in Florida, their new home state.

Our “Energizing” Move

You know those projects that seem to have a life of their own? That was our recent move. What we thought would be a straightforward transition turned into a multi-act saga, complete with plot twists worthy of a reality show:

  • The Bureaucracy Bonanza: Who knew a marriage license could become a critical piece of real estate paperwork? Let’s just say we rediscovered our romantic side while navigating a 30-day waiting period.
  • The Hotel Hopping Hustle: Five business trips while living out of a resort, all while trying to finalize our new residence. We became experts at packing light (and finding the best local eats).
  • The Great Water & Sewer Mystery: Arriving at our new place, only to discover a temporary “pause” on the water supply. A hotel stay on Day One? Not exactly the housewarming we envisioned, but it certainly made for a memorable start!
  • The Great Belongings Wait: To this day, our belongings are still on their own extended vacation. We’ve become quite resourceful in our minimalist living experiment!

Event Planning in Overdrive

And as if that weren’t enough, we were also deep in the trenches of planning a newly created 500-person event for the energy industry. Because, you know, why not add a little extra “oomph” to the mix? It was all about staying focused, collaborating effectively, and maybe relying on a few extra espressos.

Ashley Baptiste with attendees at the Power Conference to ADVANCE Women in Energy – Houston February 2025

A Side of Culinary Creativity

But amidst the chaos, we also decided to embrace our inner chefs and launch a YouTube cooking channel! Because sometimes, the best way to de-stress from the energy sector hustle is to whip up a delicious meal and share it with the world. (Check out the channel here)

Ashley and Gus have a new cooking channel on YouTube.

What We Learned (and What We Know You Already Know)

Through it all, we’ve been reminded of a few key truths that resonate deeply with the professionals we serve in the energy sector:

  • Adaptability is your superpower: Just like the industry itself, life throws curveballs. The ability to pivot, adjust, and find creative solutions is essential.
  • Communication is key: Whether it’s keeping clients informed, coordinating with your team, or navigating a complicated move, clear and consistent communication is the lifeblood of success.
  • Prioritize what matters most: In the face of competing demands, focusing on your core values (like delivering exceptional events and service) keeps you grounded.
  • A sense of humor goes a long way: Sometimes, you just have to laugh at the absurdity of it all. It’s the best way to keep your energy up.
  • You’re not alone: We know you’re juggling demanding schedules, complex projects, and unexpected challenges. We’re all in this together, navigating the fast-paced world of energy.
Ashley and Gus on a podcast at Podfest Orlando January 2025

We’re sharing our story not for sympathy, but to connect. We believe that sharing our experiences – the good, the bad, and the slightly ridiculous – helps us all feel a little more connected in this dynamic industry.

So, the next time you’re facing a seemingly insurmountable challenge, remember that you’re not alone. And maybe, just maybe, take a moment to find the humor in it all. We certainly are. And we look forward to seeing you at our next event (hopefully, with all our belongings in tow!).

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Filed Under: Blog, Travel Tagged With: adaptability, challenges, communication, Cooking, energy sector, event planning, events, humor, industry insights, moving, professional life, relocation, resilience, stress management, work-life balance, YouTube

About Gus Calabrese

Starting his professional career as a Petroleum Engineer seems odd for a guy who now plans events, however. the similarities make perfect sense to Gus. Capacity, flow, logistics and attention to the details are major components of both Petroleum and event management. Gus’ event background includes some of Philadelphia’s most recognized events, The Reindeer Romp (3,000 participants), The World’s Largest Bar Crawl (15,000 participants), Xtoberfest (7,500 participants) on average over 50,000 tickets are sold to events produced by Gus. Since early 2011 Gus has been involved with logistics for Conferences Connect. In November of 2014 Gus left the Philadelphia event scene and took on a bigger roll of strategic planning and marketing for Conference Connects. Gus looks forward to the challenge of creating engaging conferences in multiple markets.

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