One-on-One with...
Meredith Allan
Tell us about your family? My mother and father have literally been my best friends on earth. They have been the first I call for good news and bad. They had insane work ethic, and while I grew up a day care baby I never thought anything of it. In fact, later in life, when I learned my friends’ moms stayed at home I was totally confused about what they did all day. My younger sister, Brandie, and her husband, John, own an international executive protection company. Their recent wedding was the most special occasion in our family’s history. The best part was having family fly in from all over the world and seeing my father Allan’s joy as he walked my sister down the aisle. I am also thrilled now to have a brother because it was an unfulfilled wish of mine, for many years. The most difficult thing our small family has endured is my father’s passing. Just a few months after the wedding, my dad fell ill with pancreatic cancer. It was fast and heart-wrenching to see my strong dad die so quickly. Losing him has shifted my entire perspective of life. I do whatever it takes to manage the grief. Sometimes I take his shoes with me to the beach and smile and know he is still alive in my heart and I take his love with me everywhere I go. I dedicate all my work to my both my parents. I also use my dad’s name Allan as my last name to keep him with me always (and keep the crazies from finding me when on TV). In Judaism we say “May his memory be a blessing” and I like to add that my father’s legacy will always be my light.
How do you prioritize your health, family, and career? Without your health there is no wealth. It is a constant struggle and I rely on my support system to help hold me accountable for healthy eating and habits. My parents really taught my sisters and I “next level love” so this year I am on a mission to be as loving as possible. I am searching for “the one” to grow old with and am accepting all referrals and recommendations. I am excited to slow down and build a family, and cherish my time with
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Lead Up for Women
Meredith at The World’s Greatest Motivators TV Show
family and friends. My best friend Rocio reminds me that career success is not the top priority, having a family to share everything with is what matters and I am recovering from years of being a workaholic. I also believe perfection and balance isn’t the goal but working toward inner peace and living a meaningful impactful life can create happiness. I am the designer of my life, and I get to switch gears when things get off track but I never ever lose sight of my mission “Being Light”
What motivates you every day? I have such a highly motivated personality and I think it was the unbelievable love my parents have consistently shown me that keeps me going. Like many families, we had a lot of difficult times and watching my mom and dad recover over and over again was amazing. My mom and dad literally told me I could be president of the world if I wanted to. And I wound up being president of my class and a large organization in my 30s, and now the CEO of my company Drive Marketing LLC. My little sister was an undercover narcotics detective in the NYPD before launching her international company and my oldest sister, Marlo, lives in Africa with her husband, Aron, and my nephew, Max, working as the head social worker at an international school. I also have a “little sister” who I adopted for life through The Big Brother and Big Sisters of America Program during college. Her name is Julia, and I consider her my forever sister 25 years later. I am so proud of her because is an immigration attorney and proud mother living in New York City.
January-February 2020
