by Michelle Bayes DTM Finance Manager & 2025-2026 CGD Elect
I sit here with great excitement as I write this article for Hot Topics. In T-22 days I transition from being this District’s Finance Manager to being this District’s Club Growth Director (no longer elect).
Some of you are probably wondering, how did you go from numbers to now? Well, you wouldn’t be alone because I have asked myself that a few times since mid-May. Finance has been and continues to be a focal point in my life in and outside of Toastmasters, coming second nature to me, but I am still peeling back the onion of what it means to be CGD.
I am a firm believer though that venturing beyond our familiar boundaries unlocks opportunities for personal development and fosters resilience – in other words, step out beyond your comfort zone!
It began when I agreed to Emily’s request to become Finance Manager while heading to my training room for TLI. Up to this point, outside of running the 2021 Summit, I had kept a “relatively” low profile helping the district in roles that, while important, were pretty much in the background. Taking on this role changed that because not only are you firmly in the foreground, but you are also the “financial conscience” for the Trio – helping them build a financial plan that will not only benefit current members but lay a foundation for the future. Something that a resume in numbers only partially prepares you for.
However, the two years that I have had the honor of being your DFM have provided me with stepping-stones to give me the courage to run for the Trio. Now that I am on the precipice of my CGD year beginning, I am excited to continue to build plans for the new District 25 and bring them to life with the incoming leadership.
Growth, adventure, and fulfillment lie in the courage to take those first steps into the unknown – you will never regret saying “Yes.”
