Rising Stars: Meet Felicia Forbes

Today we’d like to introduce you to Felicia Forbes.  

Hi Felicia, so excited to have you on the platform. So, before we get into questions about your work life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today.
I’ve always had a Voice. Not for singing lol, but for speaking, engaging, and captivating. I found a career that not only helped me use my voice but actually gave it more purpose being a Corporate Trainer. I’ve used my voice to acclimate new hires to an organization, prepare managers for the totality of their role, elevate leaders from good to great, and, lately, inspiring self-reflection and hope in the relationship space. 

I started my career in 2006 and have progressed upwards since then, now being the Director of Quality for a 5-star hotel on Miami Beach and owner of the Training House. The Training House is powered by my husband and I; he takes care of athletic training, and I take care of all business training. I wanted to be able to give every business that same Corporate Level of training without incurring huge corporate costs, and he wanted to be able to build character along with athletic skills. 

Our latest creation is The Ladies and Gentlemen dinner, which is a curated dinner experience in which the guest of honor is Love. We invite couples and singles to enjoy a 3-course dinner, live entertainment, drinks, games, raffles, and atmosphere with other like-minded people who are “fans of love.” It’s not a matchmake; it’s a vibe match. We just want to show love exists and people that look like you and me are thriving with each other every day. 

In addition to my professional career and our Love dinner, the hidden game show host in me is thinking of a way to bring my original creation, “Dassit!” to a bigger and better stage. 

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall, and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Smooth road? What are those? LOL. Depends on what you consider smooth right? The catapult in my career was a smooth road because I work hard and interview well. I know my field and the need for it as the working world keeps changing. I present well, and when the opportunity is given, I excel beyond expectations. No one ever regrets hiring me or paying me the salary/fees I ask for. 

Navigating the event and entrepreneur world has had its bumps in the road, but that is to be expected. From dealing with shady venues to having to build, maintain, and monitor a following. Also, the bigger you try to make an event, the more moving parts and the more people to deal with. Sharing your ideas and vision with others and hoping they help make it come true can be a bit nerve-racking. They don’t love it like you do, and they won’t feel the failure like you do. 

The response to what we do and the need for what we do is the inspiration that keeps us on this road. 

As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar, what can you tell them about what you do?
I specialize in the only product surely to always be in demand, Love. I am known for bringing excitement and energy to any event and the Love space is in need of an energy injection lol. I am exceptionally proud of my professional career, but I am most proud of my Creativity and Imagination with problem-solving. We had a boredom problem during Corona; I came up with a game show. We’ve got a problem with Love and Relationships; here comes the Ladies and Gentlemen Dinner. 

What sets me apart from others is my imagination. I ran the longest Live relationship talk show, HEavesdrop South Florida, has ever seen; first time men had been given a microphone to speak on all things women and all things relationships. I created the “Ultimate Relating Event,” the only dating game geared to singles. And now, we have the Ladies and Gentlemen dinner. The only dinner experience where the guest of honor is Love. What does Beyonce say, “I’m an operator. Innovator. You can’t recreate her,” 

I am very proud of the creations that come out of my brain. The ability to create an entire something from nothing but a thought is amazing. 

Can you talk to us about how you think about risk?
Greatness requires risk. Taking a calculated risk shows two things: thought and courageousness. I took a major risk stepping away from the guaranteed success of a Live talk show and chose to create a more intimate and evolved dinner instead. The big risk is trying to sell positivity; it can easily be shot down because so many are jaded. 

I also took a risk in my career. When I decided that I wanted to command a certain dollar amount, I went to my then-boss for guidance. Imagine walking into your boss’s office and asking him to position you to leave him? I asked for him to personally develop me and gear my projects toward learning enough to command six figures. He did. That was a risk to ask though, but again, greatness requires risk. 

Pricing:

• Professional Training Consult – Free
• base Athletic assessment – $50
• MC Hosting Events – $75 per hour
• The Ladies and Gentlemen Dinner – $100 and up

Contact Info:

• Website: traininghousefl.com
• Instagram: @theladiesandgentlemendinner