Paula Wyatt is everywhere. You have likely attended an event put on by Anything is Posh Able, whether you know her personally or not. I like to say they reflect the diversity of Central Florida, as she has worked with such a wide range of organizations. What you may not know is that behind the put-together party planner is a powerhouse single mother who channels her boundless energy and independent spirit into living life, finding humor, and planning events, on her terms.
On Empowering Night of Laughter:
Empowering Night of Laughter came as this idea that I wanted fun. It’s my favorite night of the year. I was all stocked up with work events, so I created an event. My dad was a professional comedian, that’s the energy behind this. I grew up funny, in a world where sarcasm was encouraged. My dad woke up everyday thinking, how can I make people laugh? “What’s funny about this” was a thing I heard a lot growing up. He encouraged finding the humor in everyday moments. Empowering Night of Laughter combines that energy and my limited experience as a standup comedian. It’s about getting out of your comfort zone.
As a kid, I was backstage at comedy shows a lot because my parents were divorced. My dad took me with him, although I’m sure it was illegal. I would set up my dolls in the audience while they were practicing, be backstage during performances. It was such a wave of energy. I remember the energy in the room more so than anything said that may have been inappropriate for a 12-year-old to hear. I realized it’s not anybody’s comfort zone to do stand up comedy. Once you hit the spotlight, it’s an out of body experience. You can’t be worried or scared, and when it’s over, you’re floating. You have conquered the fear.
It is an addiction: feel fear, conquer it, dopamine hit. I take it one step further. For me, integration is the fourth step. How has that experience empowered me to be a better version of myself? I crave that cycle when I do something uncomfortable or itchy. Empowering Night of Laughter was about creating a platform for women to do something that most people would prefer not to.
I added Empresses of Empowerment as community pillars to speak about how having a sense of humor and getting out of their comfort zone has empowered their success. They expand our outreach. The audience is there to support whoever they love, which, in turn, supports the entire show. We’ve got this new alumni show on May 1st, and then we will be back in January with an all-new lineup.
I found that thing that made my stomach tickle. And I did it for free, until I got so good at it, people had to pay me.
Paula Wyatt
On starting her event-planning business, Anything is Posh Able:
That’s a very mom-centric story. I had my son, who’s now 16, in 2007. Right around that same time, Valentine’s Day 2008, I launched my business. I felt in this really special, magical place after having a baby. I had spent the last nine months making kidneys, livers, and eyeballs. Everything else seemed completely possible. Let’s write a book, start a business, create a nonprofit. I had this amazing creative energy and wanted to be a party planner for fun.
My background and career were in marketing. When I had a baby, I stayed home, but I wasn’t able to sit still. At the time, I was married and didn’t really need the money. Full disclosure: I wanted to have a business card so that when I went to events, I didn’t have to say I was “just a mom”. Which I obviously now know is the freaking hardest job. If I could go back in time, I would say two words to anyone judging that answer.
Nobody hired me, because why would they? So I volunteered for nonprofits. I walked into the Special Olympics, the United Way, and asked how I could help. I found that thing that made my stomach tickle. And I did it for free, until I got so good at it, people had to pay me.
Now, after 16 years owning my business, it’s evolved. My clients are both for-profit and not-for-profit companies, and my focus is on event and experience strategy. The goal is to create experiences that build relationships. Whether to raise money, launch a product, education, conferences, summits, festivals, conventions. They are goal-oriented events and storytelling platforms.
I thought, if I never do another event, if no one ever hires me, this would be enough. That’s what events mean to me.
Paula Wyatt
On her first event ever:
Mother’s Day has always been special to me. The first event I ever did was a free event on Mother’s Day for the Orlando Union Rescue Mission. I volunteered, and didn’t know enough to know that the media wouldn’t cover it, or we wouldn’t get many donations, but I asked and they did. Now I know better to gauge when people want to donate.
It was a luncheon called Lemons to Lemonade. There was a talent show for moms by their kids, we had an essay contest. The winner was an 11 or 12-year-old girl. We brought in a queen’s throne, and her mom sat in it while her daughter read the winning essay to her. They had been experiencing homelessness for about six months, it’s tearing me up right now thinking about it. What was most impactful was that the essay didn’t even mention homelessness. She wrote about how brave her mom was for leaving her dad, how impressed she was with this woman as a human being. Everyone was crying.
The children made cards for them and had activities so the moms had time to themselves. We had tiaras, games, took pictures, gave them gift bags and brought in Olive Garden. We didn’t have a lot of money to spend, but we tried our best to make them feel special.
That first event was one of the most special experiences. I thought, if I never do another event, if no one ever hires me, this would be enough. That’s what events mean to me. After that, Mother’s Day has always been special for me to create events around.
You have to learn how to parent at every age. All the information you have to parent a little kid, all of a sudden it’s no longer as helpful because there’s this new person with totally different needs.
Paula Wyatt
On being a single mom:
My story is different than most. I decided to get a divorce. When you’re the decision-maker, it feels different than having it cast upon you. Having that put upon me would feel very disempowering.
My son was about four. I woke up one day and I had this amazing life, I didn’t have to work. We were financially doing well. My husband was great. But I looked around and, all of a sudden, everything felt so heavy. It felt as though I woke up in the wrong life: spiritually, emotionally. I did not want to be in that world, that house, and I wasn’t really sure where or why, but I knew when. It had to be soon. Otherwise, my spirit would die.
There was no list for me to give my husband and say fix this, I’ll be happy, so I asked him for a divorce. I had the foresight to know it was me. Internally, something was going on, and I was able to break apart. We had shared custody until about 5th grade, when I got full custody.
My experience as a single mom with a good co-parenting relationship? It was a cleaner path for me. Easier is not a word I would ever use about motherhood. I chose it, wanted it, needed it. My joke is I had to get divorced to get a day off. Single mom life was easier for me than being stay-at-home mom, where you do everything, no questions asked.
It’s different now that he’s 16. Parenting changes at every age. All of a sudden the information you have to parent a little kid is no longer as helpful because there’s this new person with different needs. Growing up, we tried to ensure he knew his life was complete in both homes. That worked well for us. My son’s great.
Anything is Posh Able continues to help create memorable experiences and story-telling platforms for our community. And somewhere, I know Paula’s dad is looking down on her, proud of how much laughter his daughter continues to encourage all around her. Join Paula, Punam, and I, at the Empowering Night of Laughter Alumni Showcase Wednesday, May 1, 2024, at The Abbey. Purchase tickets here. We’ll be amongst a bevy of funny women. Want to integrate and take this experience one step further? Sign up to be a comedian! To take a page out of Paula’s book, there is nothing like getting out of your comfort zone.
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