When You’re Juggling All the Things
A Chamber Life Reflection
If you're reading this, chances are you're a Chamber President, Executive Director, or team member who knows exactly what it means to juggle a hundred things at once — and somehow still smile through it.
Lately, you may have noticed that Starfish Partnerships has been a little quiet — fewer posts, fewer updates, fewer projects launched. And honestly? That’s because Chamber life got busy. Really busy.
Here’s what I mean…
At any given time, Chamber leaders are juggling board meetings, welcoming new staff, mid-year planning, reviewing goals, reworking budgets, large events, monthly luncheons and networking events, new women in business events, setting up new systems (hello, payroll transition), first chamber travel trip with 60 attendees, answering member questions, reviewing policies, and making sure that the ship keeps moving forward. Sometimes it feels like we live in a constant state of triage — always tending to the most urgent fire while still holding the strategic vision in one hand and a half-eaten protein bar or shake in the other.
You know the analogy — juggling balls in the air. What I heard recently and love is this deeper truth in that story: some of the balls we juggle are plastic, and some are glass.
Plastic balls bounce. Drop them, and they’ll wait for you to pick them back up. But glass balls? If they fall, they shatter.
In Chamber work, the glass balls are different for each of us. For me, they're things like:
Supporting my team and making sure they feel equipped and valued
Staying connected to my board and aligned on vision and mission
Serving our members with consistency and care
Delivering what was promised
Protecting the reputation and trust we've built
Those are the things that can't be dropped — not even during the busiest seasons.
And then there’s the other part of my world — Starfish Partnerships — which comes with its own set of glass balls. Those include honoring the commitments I’ve made to teams, chambers, and nonprofits across the region. Each retreat I facilitate, every planning session or leadership workshop I lead, requires preparation, intention, and presence. These aren’t “plug and play” sessions. They’re tailored, thoughtful, and often transformational — and that work takes time, energy, and heart. Those are glass balls too, and I treat them as such.
So, when the calendar fills up and the unexpected pops in (and it always does), we do what any seasoned Chamber leader does: we prioritize. We let the plastic balls bounce. And sometimes, that means pausing something you love. Longer hours at the chamber office and a very busy season in my personal life, called for a pause on content creation for social media and emails for Starfish Partnerships — just long enough to catch my breath.
I wanted to share this not just as an update, but as a permission slip — for myself, and for you. If you're feeling the weight of “all the things,” take a moment to look at what you're juggling. What’s glass? What’s plastic? What can wait, and what must be held carefully?
Starfish Partnerships is still here. It’s just been patiently bouncing in the background while I tended to the glass balls that mattered most. And I know you've likely had a season like that too.
Thank you for understanding. Keep juggling, my friends — with heart, with grace, and with the wisdom to know what matters most.