A DECADE+ OF STORYTELLING POWERED BY THE BEST WRITERS ON THE PLANET

BE PART OF THE LEGACY

TAMPA BAY • FEBRUARY 23-24 2026

This FINAL encore experience will be unlike any other. Because like everything we do, it's been "reimagined" from beginning to end. It's not a virtual or hybrid event. It's not a conference. It's not a seminar, a workshop, a meeting, or a symposium. And it's not your typical run-of-the-mill everyday event crammed with stages, keynote speeches, team-building exercises, PowerPoint presentations, and all the other conventional humdrum. Because it's up close & personal by design. Where conversation trumps presentation. And where authentic connection runs deep.

Reflection

I’m a creature of habit who loves to deny being a creature of habit. I love to start my day with nothing but coffee and my keyboard. There are days in which I approach my keyboard with some deliberate purpose. Sometimes it’s writing for a client. Sometimes it’s writing for myself. At all other times, it’s writing just for the sake of writing. Regardless of the type of day it happens to be, I typically make breakfast sometime during the mid to late morning.

That morning, I happened to fancy an omelette. I checked the refrigerator for prospective ingredients. Eggs. Definitely. Baby spinach. Sounds good. Lorraine Swiss cheese. Oh, yeah. Olive oil in the skillet. Low to medium heat. Spinach in the olive oil to sauté for a few minutes. Then it’s time. Lower the heat. Pour in the eggs. Lay the cheese on top. Wait for it to solidify a bit, still soft but firm enough to fold. Waiting for it to firm up leaves a few minutes to kill.

Anne was busy in her office. Eddie was asleep in the sun in his bed right next to her desk. Sammy was asleep in some other place known only to him. So, I sat down at the kitchen table alone and turned on my phone. I opened the LinkedIn app. I found this. Having found that, I heard this.

Diane Wyzga isn’t magic. Her writing is. Diane’s language isn’t enchanting. Her voice is. The combination of her writing and her voice is something other. It’s contemplation. It’s observation. It’s invitation. It’s reassurance. It’s serenity. It’s a moment of collected peace in a world that’s otherwise scattering away from and beyond us. It’s a gift.

I’m not Diane’s agent or her publicist. She has no idea I’m writing this. We’ve never met, at least not in person. But she is most definitely a friend. She’s also an amazingly accomplished person and a very gentle and generous spirit.

I knew from the moment that day started, it was going to be a good one. After listening to Diane, it was perfect.

Listen to Diane. Please listen to Diane. And have your own perfect day.

Mark O'Brien
Mark O'Brienhttps://obriencg.com/
I’m a business owner. My company — O’Brien Communications Group (OCG) — is a B2B brand-management and marketing-communication firm that helps companies position their brands effectively and persuasively in industries as diverse as: Insurance, Financial Services, Senior Living, Manufacturing, Construction, and Nonprofit. We do our work so well that seven of the companies (brands) we’ve represented have been acquired by other companies. OCG is different because our business model is different. We don’t bill by the hour or the project. We don’t bill by time or materials. We don’t mark anything up. We don’t take media commissions. We pass through every expense incurred on behalf of our clients at net. We scope the work, price the work, put beginning and end dates on our engagements, and charge flat, consistent fees every month for the terms of the engagements. I’m also a writer by calling and an Irish storyteller by nature. In addition to writing posts for my company’s blog, I’m a frequent publisher on LinkedIn and Medium. And I’ve published three books for children, numerous short stories, and other works, all of which are available on Amazon under my full name, Mark Nelson O’Brien.

DO YOU HAVE THE "WRITE" STUFF? If you’re ready to share your wisdom of experience, we’re ready to share it with our massive global audience – by giving you the opportunity to become a published Contributor on our award-winning Site with (your own byline). And who knows? – it may be your first step in discovering your “hidden Hemmingway”. LEARN MORE HERE


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