Thirteen Threads: A Sacred Anniversary Reflection

Thirteen years ago, in the middle of January, I stood on top of 30 Rock in New York City and heard a whisper... more than the wind whipping about, but of my soul. A holy spirit moment. A conversation with my own essence. One that called me gently but firmly toward expansion.

“You’re thinking too small,” it said.

At the time, I was the Chief Experience Officer for the #1 Coldwell Banker affiliate in the world. I loved my work. I loved my team. And yet, my spirit stirred. That whisper would not quiet. It invited me to leap… into the unknown.

And on October 1, 2012, d11 and debratrappen.com were born.

Six months in, I realized I was still carrying the vibration of what I’d left behind. So I re-tuned. I aligned. I listened. And I spoke.

What began as consulting and storytelling rooted in corporate culture intentionally evolved into something entirely different. A reclamation. A bold refusal of the hustle-for-worth paradigm. A journey into purpose, power, and truth-telling.

Out of those shifts, clarity came with the Fire Up! Movement.

The book. The framework. The moxie memos. A weaving of core values, soul truths, and divine purpose into focused, joy-fueled businesses that serve rather than drain, impacting tens of thousands of real estate professionals and entrepreneurs... it was a dream come true.

That weaving brought me to women - visionaries, healers, entrepreneurs - who were seeking something more. Something sacred. Something sustainable.

It brought me to myself.

And it sowed the seeds that would eventually become the Red Threads Collective.

Along the way, there were contracts that fed and contracts that cost. Seasons of plenty and seasons of pause. Times when I questioned everything - when fear felt louder than faith, and I wasn’t sure I could keep going. But something deeper always called me back. Again and again, I chose to find my flow... to stay with the Work, and it stayed with me.

The past 22 months, back in full entrepreneurial alignment, have felt like a homecoming.

Today, as I mark 13 years, I honor:

• The holy whisper that started it all

• The brave yes that followed

• The women who walk beside me

• The spaces we’re co-creating where power is not taken, but shared

And I mark this threshold - a doorway - with reverence.

This next chapter is unfolding with deep intention. While I continue to nurture and intentionally grow Red Threads Collective, I am stepping fully into my calling as a doula and transition coach, intuitively walking with women through midlife shifts: from thriving through menopause to brave career shifts, from empty nest to wisdom sharing as sages.

I believe in the power of sacred exchange. Of saying no so others can say yes. Of holding space and building structures that serve both soul and safety.

If you're reading this and feeling that whisper stir… I see you.

The best is still ahead.

With fire and fierce love,

Debra