Milestone Reflections: The Birth of InspirEd

It all began on October 1st, 2014, with a beer in hand at Fados in D.C., I penned the business plan that would birth InspirEd. It felt passionate and purposeful, truly aligned with who I was and what I wanted to contribute to this industry that I love. It was a journey full of twists and turns that brought me to this decision point.?

For those of you who don't know my story, my career started in an entry-level corporate job. A pivotal moment arrived when I noticed a flaw in a key process that education could fix. Encouraged by the vice president I reported to, I took on the challenge of creating the training. Not only was it a success, I fell head over heels in love with the power of learning to create change.

This experience prompted me to go to graduate school. I got my master's in communication studies, and I began teaching while I was earning my degree. What my students didn't know at the time was that my classroom was my learning laboratory. I was fascinated with the emerging research on the learning brain and how to structure instruction to align with how brains naturally learn and acquire mastery. The innovations that I implemented earned me Certificates of Excellence for teaching in multiple academic years.

But then a thing happened… I discovered the association industry. I got my first job at the American Academy of Neurology in Minneapolis, and I found a home in this industry sector. I had my corporate training experience, my academic faculty experience, but now my horizon widened to workforce development. I'm grateful to the Academy and to all the neurologists that I worked with and who mentored me in the neurobiology of learning.

In 2014 when I incorporated InspirEd, I began speaking and networking, and within a matter of months I was full-time in my business. I can still remember the butterflies in my gut as I struck out on my own. It was a big undertaking, but there is nothing like the feeling of creating your own impact.?

The entrepreneurial journey hasn’t been easy. Most new businesses don't make it past the first year. But here we are, hitting the 10-year mark, and I'm filled with gratitude. As we celebrate this milestone, I find myself marveling at the dreams realized and the incredible community that has shaped InspirEd. It's a journey marked by risks taken, lessons learned, and, above all, a steadfast love for the transformative work we do.

A heartfelt thank you to everyone who has been part of this remarkable journey – from partners and colleagues to designers and clients. You are the heartbeat of InspirEd, making every challenge worthwhile.

I'm excited to continue to share my stories and memories this year, along with what we're looking forward to. Here's to a decade of dreams, risks, lessons, and, most importantly, 10 years of making a meaningful difference in the world of education! ???

Tracy King, MA, CAE

As Chief Learning Strategist & CEO of InspirEd, Tracy King leverages more than 20 years in workforce development consulting with organizations on education strategy and learning design. Tracy is the author of the award-winning book?Competitive Advantage, and they advise on how to grow reliably profitable and sustainable continuing education programs that transform learners. Tracy specializes in the intersection of learning science and technology. They are a thought leader, master learning designer, trainer-facilitator, coach and DELP Scholar. Their work has been featured on NBC, ABC, FOX, USA Today, Forbes, The Star Tribute and hundreds of nationally syndicated television, newspaper, and magazine outlets. For more information, please visit them online at www.inspired-ed.com?

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