DETAILS BEHIND THE DATA | INTRO | GET TO KNOW ME

Ten Unique Facts to Know About Me

Which one will surprise you most?

Hi! I’m Brenda Christopher, a Creative Solutionist & Strategy Consultant, and the Founder & CEO of Excel Your Business.

I help entrepreneurs identify blindspots in their data and processes, and then create customized solutions allowing them to embrace their numbers and grow their business in ways that make sense to them.

While the above intro may give you an idea of what I do, it doesn’t encompass all of who I am. Since we likely haven’t met yet, I thought I’d share 10 unique facts to help you get to know me a bit better!

# 1: I would rather jump out of an airplane than ride a roller coaster

I’ve never been a fan of amusement parks and the rides there. Partly because they make me feel claustrophobic, and partly because I don’t enjoy large crowds.

The thought of flying to 10,000 feet and seeing a wide-open expanse below me as I free-fall and then glide with a parachute to the ground sounds much more exhilarating and is definitely on my bucket list!

#2: I am an accomplished big game hunter

I started hunting when I met my husband in 2005, filled my first big game tag in October 2006, and have been going ever since. I’ve successfully hunted pronghorn (antelope), deer, and elk, and we started processing our own meat in 2008. There is an immense feeling of pride and satisfaction in not only contributing to the food for our family but also in knowing that from the time we harvest it to the time we eat it, no one else has access to the meat.

It is a lot of work, but we (along with our family & friends) thoroughly enjoy the results in the form of steaks and roasts, as well as the jerky, breakfast sausage, brat burgers, jalapeno summer sausage, salami and more that we make each year.

I’ve got a deer and elk tag for Fall 2020 so here’s to hoping for more lean protein to stock the freezer!

#3: I love the smell of coffee, but not the taste

I know, I know….you may think you should just stop reading right here, but I hope you’ll stick with me on this.

I actually used to be a coffee drinker but found out through having an unusual surgery (more on this in #6) that I am allergic to coffee beans. I think upon learning that, I subconsciously convinced myself over time that I don’t like the taste because I can no longer drink it. I do still love the smell of a freshly brewed pot of coffee though!

Funny Side Story: One day when taking out the trash I noticed a HUGE pile of ants near the back garage door. I have a mild aversion to insects in general, but when they are in or close to being in the house it becomes almost a phobia, so I got out the insect spray and proceeded to empty the whole can onto the ant pile…only to discover it was actually a pile of coffee grounds that had spilled. To this day that memory still cracks me up!

#4: I am an office supply junkie

I probably have enough pens, post-it notes & flags, binder clips, markers, gel pens, planner supplies, and notebooks to supply a small country.

I also have a huge stash of scrapbook paper, stickers, crayons, coloring books, and washi tape so if you need a craft buddy, let me know! I don’t currently have (or make) the time to use most of these things, but I have grand visions of the days where I can just organize and craft to my hearts’ content. A girl can dream, right?!

#5: I was “indirectly” struck by lightning

The summer before my senior year of high school we rented a houseboat at Lake Powell for a week-long vacation. The family time was great, and the scenery was amazing, but the trip was fraught with challenges and obstacles.

Our anchor came loose one night in a storm, the rope towing our ski boat snapped in the open bay so my brother & I had to swim out to retrieve it, we beached the boat on an unmarked sandbar, my brother’s friend stabbed me with a fork, and our houseboat got struck by lightning.

I was climbing the ladder to the upper deck when it happened and I felt this crazy humming sensation reverberating through my whole body. My hair stood straight out all over my head and even my teeth seemed to be vibrating! Thankfully there were no lasting effects since I had both hands on the rails and was “grounded” from the strike but that isn’t an experience I would like to repeat.

#6: I coughed a hole in my vocal cords

In the fall of 2004, I was battling a serious bout of bronchitis, which actually turned out to be bronchitis, whooping cough, and pneumonia all at the same time. I had several rounds of antibiotics and medications but after 3 months I still wasn’t getting better. The doctors kept telling me I had asthma but I knew that was not the case and confirmed it with a pulmonologist.

Finally, I was able to see an ENT (ear, nose & throat specialist) who discovered that throughout the duration of my illness I had managed to cough a hole in my vocal cords, which I didn’t even know was possible. It would semi-heal and then get re-opened through the coughing attacks, resulting in a large mass of scar tissue.

On the day of the initially scheduled surgery, the anesthesiologist detected an irregular heartbeat, stopped the procedure from moving forward, and sent me to a cardiologist where I learned about my allergy to coffee beans. The surgery got rescheduled and all has been well since…but I have yet to meet anyone else that has done the same thing.

#7: I read each of the Harry Potters books in a day

One of my very favorite hobbies is reading. Books open a portal where I can step into another time, another place, or an adventure that can only happen in the pages of an author’s imagination. My mom used to joke when I was younger that the house could fall down around me while I was reading and I wouldn’t even notice. That is still a true statement today.

I saw the first Harry Potter movie before I had read any of the books and was instantly hooked. I went to the bookstore the next day and bought the first 4 books in the series. Over the next month, I took one day each week and read the books in order, cover to cover.

As the 3 remaining books were released, I pre-ordered them, went to the midnight launch parties at Barnes & Noble (do they still have those anymore? LOL!) to pick up my copy and then stayed up all the next day to read that book. I’ve always been a fast reader!

#8: I dislocated my shoulder playing golf

I was pretty athletic when I was in school. I was a power server on the volleyball team. I played outfield in softball. I waterskied and was in gymnastics. Golf, however, was apparently not intended to be my sport.

My parents started frequently golfing after they retired, and asked me to join them a few times. I did okay the first 2 or 3 times, but nothing to write home about. I was used to swinging a bat and couldn’t quite get the finesse needed for a golf club.

One Friday afternoon I decided to try again. I met some friends for a movie later than night and was feeling a bit sore in my right shoulder but didn’t think anything of it. I spent the weekend doing chores, relaxing, and getting ready for the next week.

Monday morning rolled around and I couldn’t even lift my arm. I was able to get into the chiropractor first thing and he asked what I had done over the last several days. I couldn’t think of anything specific and then finally remember hitting the ground, and not the ball, on my last swing of the golf adventure. When I told him what happened, he looked at me and said “I don’t think you’re playing the game right!”. I haven’t been back on the course since.

#9: I didn’t start eating avocados until my late 30's

Textures are a big thing for me and foods that have a slick or slimy feeling to them often don’t end up on my plate. I felt that way about avocados for a really long time. It didn’t have anything at all to do with the way they tasted…just the way they felt.

Our family eats a lot of Mexican food, and my husband could probably live on tacos if I let him, so guacamole has naturally been a food we’ve always had around. One day I gave in and decided to finally try a bite and discovered I had spent the first 30'ish years of my life missing out on the deliciousness that is avocado. I have gotten over the squeamish feeling of peeling them and making guacamole now, but I still don’t like cleaning the bowl after it’s gone!

#10: When getting fuel, the price always has to end in either a 0 or a 5

As far back as I can remember, when getting fuel the price has always had to end in either a 0 or a 5. I don’t really have a rational reason for this…but it just has to be that way.

Neither of those is my favorite number (which happens to be 2!). Maybe it comes from spending the past 30 years working with and around numbers. When a number ends in something other then a 0 or a 5 it stands out more and makes it easy to recognize where there is a discrepancy or an error. I think I’ll go with that theory from now on.

If you are still reading, thank you so much for taking the time to learn a little more about me!

I have lots of article ideas brewing, and in the process of being developed, so I’ll be sharing more here in the very near future.

I look forward to connecting. Please feel free to comment below so I can learn more about who you are and what you do!