We had the good fortune of connecting with Chéri Ballinger and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Chéri, do you have a favorite quote or affirmation?
“There is always Hope. Be the Light”. It’s my quote that I’ve been using since I’ve restarted my life. After my terrible fall that resulted in a severe TBI (traumatic brain injury) in early 2014 and recovering for 4+ years, I really want to bring people hope. I’ve been in the most hopeless situation but seriously, no matter what anyone says, I really believe that there is always Hope. Always. And when you realize that, it’s important to then share that with others and “be the Light”.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
I was working as a model and actress before my accident changed my life. And then after being out of the world for so many years recovering and being told I would never have a life again, it was needless to say very frightening to restart. I never expected to go back into this industry but working as a movie producer now has been such a perfect fit. It’s such a beautiful time to be alive and I really want to bring back films reminiscent of the Golden Age of Hollywood. I’ve always loved the classics and they are classics for a reason! With that said, I also want to bring elegance back. We’ve been lacking that for a while now and I think people are craving the elegance that comes with living with purpose and passion. It’s the inner light that reflects in everything we do when our intentions are pure and beautiful. Being a professional speaker now has just been a natural, organic progression in my life that brings me so much joy because I can bring people hope by sharing my story. And then being an entrepreneur and involved in a number of startups has been rewarding because again, you want to make a difference and help people in a positive way. If you can find a way to do that with companies, it’s so fulfilling. I’ve been given a second chance at life so I am very passionate about life!

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
As a native Southern California woman, if anyone asks me what there is to do, you bet I get excited! There is no place like it! I would recommend having lunch in Beverly Hills at any one of the amazing spots but I do love the iconic Beverly Hills Hotel. So much history and it’s beautiful! Dinner and drinks would be at Dan Tana’s for sure. The food is incredible and it’s just a classic institution! You feel like home there and you’re transported to another time. There’s also no way I’d forget to mention to go to the beach whether it’s Santa Monica one day or Malibu the next. Watching the sunset at Point Dume in Malibu is also a must. I’m also an adventurous person so I would definitely recommend taking day trips to the Palm Springs desert, Big Bear Lake in the mountains, Little Italy in San Diego, and Crystal Cove in Newport Beach, Orange County. There’s very few places in the world where you can go to the beach, desert, mountains, and vineyards all in one day! Perhaps I need to add tour guide to my resume! Haha!

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
A heartfelt shoutout goes to my family and my Faith. Their support and care for me all through recovering from my TBI and then living my life now has been so incredible. I recognize how blessed I am to have such a loving, caring support system and it’s just another reason why I really want to help people who don’t have this in their own lives. My Faith has been my rock and without that foundation, I really don’t know what I would do! It’s really who I am.

Website: www.CheriBallinger.com

Instagram: instagram.com/CheriBallinger

Linkedin: Linkedin.com/CheriBallinger

Twitter: twitter.com/CheriBallinger

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