CHAPTER ONE

My mother was diagnosed with lung cancer in 1994, and was given a year to live. As an only child, I was beyond devastated with this news. At the time, I was a Senior VP at News Corporation – Rupert Murdoch’s company. I was successful in the corporate world which meant lots of travel, money, power and pressure. At age 40, I was tough, hard charging, single and exhausted. My mother’s impending death made me take stock of my life. My inventory included a tiring list – tired of living in downtown Chicago, tired of travel, tired of corporate life, tired of running, tired of being alone. So in September 1994, I quit my job and went to Kansas City to take care of my dying mother. In January 1995, my business partner, Nancy, and I talked about starting a bed and breakfast in Colorado where we both had gone to college. We thought that possibly a point of difference for our B&B would be to have a day spa included. At the time day spas were few and far between.

So, I went to a 3-day seminar in California: “So you think you want to become an innkeeper?” was the title. After the second day, I called Nancy and said “No way are we doing THIS! 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.” But, what about a spa?

The saddest day of my life was April 12, 1995, when my mother passed away. She was my best friend, my inspiration and I believe her death was her last gift to me. The gift was a call to examine my life, my priorities. And so, with her guidance from above, I decided to take the leap. Nancy and I looked at communities in Colorado and decided upon Evergreen. We fell in love with the beauty and serenity at first look. In May, we found the building that was to become TallGrass. It was 2/3 built, a spec house which the realtor brought to our attention because the property had commercial zoning. The Bendemeer Lodge had been built there in the late 1800s. Even though we had absolutely NO knowledge of the spa business (yep, we had no experience at all), we could see how a few changes could make the building into a beautiful spa.

CHAPTER TWO is next.

If you are a corporate dropout, please share your story. I want to know about others who have made a blind leap of faith due to an epiphany or illness. Please tell me about your inspiration.