The Heart Behind Maximize Your Hyphen

 Anne and I met in January 2014, and we’ve been inseparable ever since. Maximize Your Hyphen began with an idea from her—an idea rooted in life, loss, and the power of purpose. Anne served in the U.S. Army for 13 years, including two tours overseas. She has stood at more than 200 soldiers' funerals. At one of those services, a poem was read that stuck with her. Its message—about the dash, or hyphen, between the day you're born and the day you die—changed the way she looked at life. That small mark, the hyphen, is all we really have. It represents everything we do, everyone we love, and every impact we leave behind. Anne lives every day to the fullest. She makes sure the people in her life know they matter. We’ve both been through trauma and loss, but we’ve learned that what matters most is how we choose to live each day. Maximize Your Hyphen is a reminder to enjoy your life, give back, and always leave a smile on someone’s face. The time between your first and last breath is your one shot—make it count. 

Anne and I in 2014