I hate when people ask me for an elevator pitch.

I know as a communications expert I should be ready with a polished elevator pitch and be able to deliver it with perfection. But I hate the elevator pitch. It feels forced and contrived, where I would rather have a conversation.

Maybe that’s just an excuse. The truth is, I never liked the idea of an elevator pitch because I couldn’t figure out how to explain what I do in a few sentences. Speaker, trainer, coach, author, mother, adventurer, animal lover – how do I encompass all of that into something so condensed?

I can give you a list of talks that I speak on and a list of trainings that I’ve taught over the last dozen years that must have about 50 different titles on them. I do lots of different things. But I’ve realized that while there appears to be a lot of variety, they all have one thing in common: “connection.”

Connection is my mission and my platform. The purpose of everything that I do is to enable connection and to be a connector, catalyst, and motivator. The great thing about this realization is that all of the titles, positions, and talks that I have played a role in are all related to this. This is my overarching mission.

For me, connection is essential to success. It makes us more productive and helps us get the job done. But it also makes us happier. That is what personal and professional success is about.