Today I would like to give a shout out to Chelsea Berler. I came to know Chelsea via Twitter around 10 years ago, back when it was geeks and early adopters and still a place of conversation. We share the bond of being small town North Dakota kids, specifically, southwest North Dakota. I’ve been able to watch from afar as Chelsea has built her business, the Solamar Agency, into a well regarded house of creativity. Chelsea was also diagnosed with breast cancer, and has been battling it for some time.
There are many kids in small town North Dakota following a seemingly set path. As Chelsea notes in her book, The Curious One, kids grow up to become doctors, lawyers, teachers, or stay at home and farm or get married. That’s right, she is also the author of multiple books. Anyway, some kids leave their small towns and live lives not necessarily all that different from those who stayed home, just with a larger population around them. Chelsea broke the mold and became a leader of people, an inspiration, a success beyond what anyone thought she could achieve.
I have thus far only read her first book, The Curious One, and recommend it to anyone. It’s an easy read, one you can finish in an evening, and walk away with an appreciation for all she has achieved despite gut wrenching loss, heartbreak, and being taken for granted. She has always aspired for more, and worked hard to learn anything she needed to get to the next level. She has made mistakes along the way, but also friends and new family.
Through her experiences and observations fighting cancer, Chelsea was inspired to found The Foye Belle Foundation. If you haven’t already realized, Chelsea Berler is a girl on a mission, and she gets stuff done. The mission of the foundation is to gift a blue bag to those fighting breast cancer. The hope is that when they are feeling blue, they can pull something out of the bag and feel a little joy. It’s a worthwhile effort, and I encourage you to check it out. There is also an event scheduled in Bismarck, June 2, to help raise awareness and support.
Chelsea’s Books
- The Curious One: From Food Stamps to CEO
- You’re Not Alone: 52 Ways To Inspire Change, One Week At A Time
- The Yellow House On The Left: What Dying Young Is Teaching Me About Living
Chelsea’s Cancer Story
- An Epic Summer: It Started with a Perfect European Trip… and Ended with Hurricane Irma and Cancer.
- The New Normal: Everything is different. Nothing is the Same. But, I Sure Do Miss “Me.”
- All I Want for Christmas is Chemo… and to be Cured.
The Foye Belle Foundation from Chelsea Berler + Solamar Agency on Vimeo.