At the 2025 TAA ONE Conference, keynote speaker Erin Stafford delivered a raw, deeply personal, and profoundly motivating message about burnout—how it can quietly take over even the highest-performing lives, and how we can reclaim our energy, clarity, and purpose to thrive again.
Erin isn’t just talking theory. In 2024, she hit rock bottom. She lost her unborn baby, her beloved dog died, she separated from her husband and lost her home—all within a matter of months. It was a level of grief and upheaval most people never face in a lifetime, much less in a single year. And yet, she stood on the stage not as a victim, but as a living, breathing example of what it looks like to burn bright, not out.
From Munchkin to Marketing Powerhouse
Erin’s story began with her first “job” in fourth grade: one of four tap-dancing soldier munchkins in a local theatre production of The Wizard of Oz. That role ignited something in her—the thrill of working hard, performing well, and being recognized for it. That same drive carried her through competitive swimming (she made it to junior nationals), dance, AP and honors classes, graduating early, and later climbing the corporate ladder to become the head of marketing at an $11 billion medical company. Under her leadership, the company grew 27x in six years.
By all external markers, she was winning. But inside, she was empty.
“I didn’t believe burnout was real,” Erin said. “But I felt completely dead inside. And I couldn’t just take a nap and have it pass.”
That led her on a journey of deep research. She interviewed peak performers in sports, business, politics, and beyond, seeking answers to one big question: How do they burn bright, not out?
Her findings became the foundation for what she now calls her Burn Bright Blueprint, and she shared the core steps during her keynote.
Step 1: Recognize the Burnout
Erin admitted she missed the warning signs. Her performance was slipping, her co-workers took notice, and even her boss asked if she was thinking of resigning. It was a wake-up call. “When everything is shifting around you, it’s time to shift within you,” she said.
She outlined the key signs of burnout: exhaustion, dread, irritability, isolation, poor choices, physical pain, joylessness, and more. The first steps to course correct? Get honest, acknowledge what’s happening inside, and take action.
Step 2: Slow Down
“If you don’t slow down, your body will do it for you,” Erin warned. Research backs her up: Gartner reports a 26% increase in performance after proactive rest. But overachievers often fill their days off and downtime with productivity “bingo” by stacking on too many activities then too, from workouts and massages, to getting green smoothies and doing goat yoga, all in a single day.
Erin offered a different approach: Commit to less so you can show up more. Inspired by Coco Chanel’s advice to take off one accessory before leaving the house, Erin suggests: “Before you leave for work, take one thing off.” Whether it’s a meeting, a guilt trip, or a pickup plan—lighten the load so you can move forward with purpose.
Step 3: Start Smaller
“Overwhelm is the enemy of action,” Erin said. Big changes can feel impossible. So she recommends starting small. Look at RX Bar—they didn’t go after everyone, just the CrossFit community who wanted clean ingredients. Canva started with one goal: make high school yearbook design easier. Both are now massive successes.
“In moments of chaos, momentum beats mastery.” Take one small step. Today.
Step 4: Practice Gratitude
We’re conditioned to constantly chase the next thing, but 85% of what we worry about never happens (according to Cornell University). Erin encouraged the audience to savor wins, remember their vision, and build gratitude into their daily lives.
She asked: “What’s your theme song?” Hers is Wide Open Spaces by The Chicks—a reminder that freedom, renewal, and joy are always available if we pause to notice them.
Step 5: Repeat
Burnout recovery isn’t a one-and-done effort. “The constant push for more isn’t ambition—it’s addiction,” Erin said. Her Burn Bright Blueprint—Process, Habit, Activate—requires repetition, reflection, and recommitment.
Even during her most painful year, Erin also had an epic one. She made the most money of her career, spoke on more stages than ever, and even opened for Tony Robbins.
Final Thought
“We are all carrying heavy loads,” Erin reminded the crowd. “We’d be crazy to think that doesn’t affect our life, work, or friendships.”
But burnout doesn’t have to be the end. It can be the beginning of something better—if we learn to pause, pull back, and reignite from within. Burn bright, not out.