From Boardrooms to Brides: The Surprising ROI of Transferable Skills

There’s a common misconception that our professional toolkit is limited to one lane. But, what if the skills that helped you steer strategic partnerships and transform vision to reality could also help you…plan a wedding?!

Plot twist: they can. And, they did!

After years leading business management, partner strategy, and complex programs in financial services, I recently found myself applying the very same skills in a very different setting: wedding planning.

And here’s the truth—wedding planning is program management. Vendor selection? Procurement. Guest tracking? CRM. Budgeting? Forecasting and reconciliation. Contract negotiations? Redlines, reviews, and better terms.

Here’s what that looked like in practice:

• 📑 Vendor RFPs – I created structured RFPs to evaluate vendors on an equal footing and align services with what mattered most to us.
• 📊 Budget Tracker – A flexible budget model helps us stay on track, adjust quickly, and ensure our spending reflected our priorities.
• 📇 CRM-style Invite List – We track guest logistics like dietary needs and hotel preferences to better inform room blocks, catering counts, and timelines.
• 📝 Contractual Redlines – Clear terms, aligned expectations, and a little negotiation helped ensure we were protected and positioned for a smooth experience.

The point here isn’t that everyone should weaponize their Excel skills for event planning (though honestly, 10/10 recommend). It’s that your value doesn’t live in one box. It’s transferable. Strategic thinking, stakeholder management, and operational discipline don’t expire outside of your current setting—they evolve.

Cross-Industry Power Moves: Real Executive Examples

And this isn’t just a personal story—it’s a broader pattern. Many of the most respected and well-rounded executives have applied their experience in unexpected ways and excelled. A few standout examples:

Bob Iger (Media & Finance → Entertainment)

• A former financial strategist at ABC, Iger later led Disney’s transformation with strategic acquisitions like Pixar, Marvel, and Lucasfilm—bringing operational clarity to creative empires.

Ginni Rometty (Technology → Financial Services & Consulting)

• From technical roots at IBM to leading the company’s pivot toward AI and cloud, Rometty demonstrated how deep expertise can scale across industries and eras.

Walt Bettinger (Wealth Management → Private Equity Strategy)

• The former CEO of Charles Schwab now advises private equity firm CD&R, where he applies his wealth management insights to help firms grow and evolve.

Rhonda Vetere (Tech → Consumer Goods & Healthcare Tech)

• A veteran of Santander, AWS, and HP, Vetere brought her enterprise transformation expertise to Herbalife and healthcare tech—proving that strong executional leadership thrives across sectors.

These leaders show how transferring skills between roles, industries, and contexts doesn’t dilute your value—it expands it. Each pivot adds a new layer of insight and capability.

The Power of Cross-Industry Conversations

As I contemplate my next step, one thing has become increasingly clear: there’s real power in having friends and trusted voices across industries.

Over the past year, I’ve had the privilege of connecting with leaders from wealth management, tech, and healthcare. What’s surprised me most—pleasantly—is how warmly I’ve been embraced by industries beyond financial services.

In fact, I’m actively engaged with firms in the wealth management and healthcare spaces—companies that recognize the value of bringing in enterprise-level experience to help transform their organizations for greater scale and growth. These conversations have not only been thought-provoking, but they’ve opened doors to executive leadership opportunities where I can apply my expertise in a new context, with fresh challenges and meaningful impact.

The dialogue and engagement I’ve been fortunate to experience have been invaluable. They’ve helped me sharpen how I want to move forward and where I can contribute most meaningfully—both professionally and in my broader community.

Don’t Box Yourself In

If there’s one takeaway, it’s this: never box yourself into a corner. Your skills, experiences, and instincts likely have wider applications than you’ve ever imagined.

That said, we’re operating in a time of mass layoffs, tightened budgets, and companies being more judicious with hiring. Many organizations simply don’t have the luxury—or appetite—to take a flyer on talent from outside their industry.

That makes it even more critical for each of us to be practical in how we explore beyond our lane. Volunteering, taking on new projects, joining resource groups, or contributing to cross-functional initiatives—these are all accessible, meaningful ways to gain exposure, diversify your experience, and get a foot in the door of somewhere new.

If you’re contemplating your next move, spend time looking outside your industry. And if you’re content where you are, challenge yourself to take on something new. Demonstrate your versatility, grow through diversity, and contribute more holistically to your organization, your career, and your community.

Your Toolkit = Unlimited Potential

So whether you’re leading an enterprise transformation or organizing seating charts for 150 guests, your toolkit travels with you. You’ve earned it—through hard work, sharp thinking, and years of experience.

As for whether wedding planning has brought out the best or worst in me? Well…I’ll let my fiancée have the final word on that.