Trudy sits down with her team to discuss 2023: the highs, the lows, and everything in between.

Since Covid made its debut in 2020, every year has been unusual. And 2023 was no different – if not the most unusual.

However, for Trudy, it’s been filled with professional accomplishments, revelations, and personal achievements. She has featured incredible women in her Great American Women series. She has opened up about her struggles, eventually leading to a renewed sense of purpose and a better life attitude.

But it wasn’t all rainbows and rays of sunshine.

She put her trust in people who then took advantage of her. As a public figure, she’s had other people attempt to tarnish her name and reputation.

But that didn’t stop her from pursuing her personal and professional goals. Now, she sits down with her team to talk about everything that happened in 2023 and what’s on the horizon for 2024.

Interview

JTP: You picked up a new PR firm in 2023. How’s that going?

Trudy: They’ve taken me to new heights as far as my goals in producing the series Great American Women. And that’s where we interview women who have demonstrated determination, courage, a spirit of entrepreneurship, and the drive to be successful. That’s what they all have in common. We’ve included diverse individuals from all facets of life, formally trained and educated to women who have street smarts. These Great American Women are everyday women from single motherhood to career and family balancers. They’re remarkable, and they should be honored and applauded.

JTP: In addition to the Great American Women series, you introduced the Great American Women of History series and the new Great American Warrior series in 2023. How’s that going?

Trudy: It succeeded. I look back at 2023, and I couldn’t be prouder. It’s been one of the best years I’ve ever spent fulfilling my goals and hoping to add something to women’s lives. I’ve always wanted to do that, and I feel that’s happening.

JTP: You’ve featured some incredible Great American Women in 2023. Who jumps out at you?

Trudy: Well, one that comes to mind is one of the very first interviews that we did with Jenilee Wirtz of Carefree Boating. She and her husband owned a business, and her husband passed away, and she decided that she was going to continue it. And she jumped right in and made it work and became very successful at it.

JTP: Anyone else?

Trudy: There’s another one – Lisa Long Sutton, aka Miss Nevada. She’s such a success at everything she does! That takes a specific type of personality. And I’m sure she’s gone through failures but turned them into successes. She knows how to rise up and do it again.

And I loved the interview with Tami McVay and Amber Hargrove. Now, those two women, former military ladies, and their careers after that have soared in different ways, and they are badass. There’s no other word to describe it; they’re phenomenal.

I have one more that’s more down to earth, Dana DeFranco of Battle Grounds Coffee Company. She turned that business into something very successful.

Each story is unique, and they’re all Great American Women.

JTP: These are some great highlights of 2023. What about the other end? What were some of the low points?

Trudy: You know, putting yourself out there in public, in social media, is dangerous, and it takes a lot of confidence. And it depends on with whom you’re working.

You just really need to know with whom you’re trusting your social media presence. I made that mistake, and I’m recovering from it.

The other thing is when you do get down, and a lot of people did coming out of the pandemic, then you need to find your source. You need to go back and really connect with yourself in a positive way.

And then there are people who don’t have any choice but to go on. It’s finding that courage, self-respect, and the will to rise above. When you think you’ve been down and abused, taken for granted, taken advantage of, you must climb right back.

JTP: Do you have any general advice for women?

Yes. The other thing is that you need to have fun. You need to have fun and somehow enjoy whatever you’re doing, and you can do that. There’s usually a way through the stress, through the hard work – there’s a way of enjoying it.

Whether it’s customers coming in and you’re making friends with them, whether you’re sharing, whether you’re helping, whether you’re working so hard that you’re exhausted.

There are ways to find peace and happiness through meditation and taking care of yourself; just try to have some fun doing it.

JTP: What have you enjoyed for yourself in 2023? How have you changed, if at all?

Trudy: What I did 20 years ago was great, but finding a place in a different time zone and letting yourself be more natural is what I’ve been enjoying. That means that I don’t care anymore what other people think. I am enjoying my gray hair; I’m wearing my natural curls. I wear less makeup, just like a lot of celebrities are doing these days.

Just being myself and enjoying it and feeling confident and reminding myself every day that I’m so grateful for the life I have. All the unnatural, artificial things that I thought I wanted aren’t important anymore. I have it right here. I have love, I have joy, I have peace, and I have success.

JTP: Is there anything else about 2023 you want to mention?

Trudy: I want to thank all of the women who were part of this journey, who were part of this series. I want to thank them for all that they’ve done for me individually and for this growing project.

JTP: What about 2024? What do you hope to see next year?

Trudy: A continuation of Great American Women interviews. The idea behind this series is to feature the stories of women who have endured and triumphed so that others can learn from them. We have some great ideas for the future… other platforms of information.

I also want to share with you my experiences just like all of these women have. I’m so excited to be able to share my story with you all in an episode coming in early 2024. I hope that women will be able to learn from my experience as well!

End of Interview

2023 has been a year for the ages for Trudy. Although it wasn’t perfect in every way (when is it ever), she learned a lot about herself and has come out on the other side a much better person.

She will continue to tell the stories of Great American Women in 2024. But not for her benefit. It will benefit other women who are still forging their paths in life and trying to find their way.

Trudy wants more than to tell the tales of great women. She wants to create a generation of great women who will, in turn, inspire the next generation.

And it all started here – in 2023.

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