How to Remake Yourself
“You never know where God is going to take you. But embrace the moments. Even in times of change, when it may seem hard, just be open-minded and pivot, rebuild, move forward.”
When the cruise industry collapsed in 2020, Denella Ri’chard’s career came to a sudden halt. I didn’t know her then, but by the time we met two years later, she had rebuilt something extraordinary. She wasn’t just back on her feet. She was soaring.
In 2020, Denella was in a senior leadership role with Holland America. One day she was leading a team, the next she was laying off dozens of people. Shortly after she was getting laid off herself. For someone who built a career in an industry she loved, it was devastating.
Instead of sitting still, Denella started painting. Literally. She picked up a paintbrush, a glass of wine, and tried to make sense of it all. And from that quiet creativity came an idea to return to her roots in television and create a travel show. She built Traveling with Denella, now seen in over 40 cities, on streaming platforms, on international flights, and even on military networks. It wasn’t an overnight bounce-back. It happened because of her commitment to reinvention.
In addition to her show, Denella has published a coloring book for kids and a travel journal called Traveling Grace. Don’t let yourself be fooled into thinking her successes have happened by luck or chance. It is clear that she consistently leaned in on her experience, her network, her faith, and a strong belief in what she could build next.
If you want to hear Denella share the full story herself, listen to our conversation on episode 356 of the Jody Maberry Show podcast.
Connect with Denella
Order Denella’s Books
Connect with Jody
About Jody – https://jodymaberry.com/about-jody-maberry/
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Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/sugarjmaberry/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/jodymaberry
Notable Moments
[00:02:38] – Denella’s career collapse during the 2020 cruise industry shutdown[00:05:34] – Launching her travel show from scratch
[00:09:18] – Advice on reinventing yourself
[00:11:54] – Personal branding and career resilience
[00:17:09] – The importance of sales skills for entrepreneurs
[00:19:28] – How “Traveling with Denella” episodes come together
[00:25:06] – Launching her children’s coloring book and travel journal
[00:33:00] – Stories of pushing personal limits through travel
[00:35:31] – How travel connects us all
