
Country music's best and brightest took over Nashville's Bridgestone Arena on Wednesday, November 14, for the 2018 CMA Awards. This year's show was hosted (for the 11th time!) by Carrie Underwood and Brad Paisley, with performances by nominees including Luke Bryan, Maren Morris, and Kelsea Ballerini — all of whom made it a date night with their significant others. Click through to see the cutest red carpet couples from country music's biggest night! (Photos via Jason Kempin/Getty Images)
Carrie Underwood and Mike Fisher: Underwood — who's co-hosting the awards show for the 11th time with Brad Paisley, and is also nominated in two categories — stunned in a blush-colored gown as she walked the carpet with her hockey player husband. The couple are expecting their second child together. (Photo via Jason Kempin/Getty Images)
Caroline Boyer and Luke Bryan: College sweethearts Boyer and Bryan were all smiles ahead of the big awards show. Bryan is among the night's performers and is also nominated for Entertainer of the Year. (Photo via Jason Kempin/Getty Images)
Maren Morris and Ryan Hurd: Morris, who's nominated for Female Vocalist of the Year and Musical Event of the Year (for the song "Dear Hate," featuring Vince Gill), glittered in gold on the red carpet. Her husband, whom she married in March, wore a matching gold tux jacket. (Photo via Jason Kempin/Getty Images)
Kelsea Ballerini and Morgan Evans: The "I Hate Love Songs" singer, who's nominated for Female Vocalist of the Year at the 2018 CMAs, turned heads in hot pink as she walked the carpet with her husband of almost a year. (Photo via Jason Kempin/Getty Images)
Lauren Akins and Thomas Rhett: Akins wowed in an ombre hot pink gown as she walked the carpet with Rhett, who's nominated in three categories, including Male Vocalist of the Year. (Photo via Jason Kempin/Getty Images)
Garth Brooks and Trisha Yearwood: The country music power couple, who have 17 CMA Awards between the two of them, bundled up in black on the red carpet. Brooks is set to perform a special song dedicated to Yearwood during the show. (Photo via Jason Kempin/Getty Images)
Jason Aldean and Brittany Kerr: The "Drowns the Whiskey" singer, who earned nominations in four categories, including Entertainer of the Year and Single of the Year, walked the red carpet with his pregnant wife, who stood out in buttercup yellow. The couple are expecting their second child together. (Photo via Jason Kempin/Getty Images)
Tyler and Hayley Hubbard: The Florida Georgia Line musician and his wife, Hayley, made it a family night with daughter Olivia Rose, who turns one year old in December. (Photo via Jason Kempin/Getty Images)
Brittney-Marie and Brian Kelley: The Florida Georgia Line musician walked the red carpet with his wife of almost five years. (Photo via Jason Kempin/Getty Images)
Alex Hopkins and Lauren Alaina: The "Road Less Traveled" performer, who's nominated for New Artist of the Year, brought her fiancé as her date to Wednesday's awards show. (Photo via Jason Kempin/Getty Images)
Brantley Gilbert and Amber Cochran: Two-time CMA nominee Gilbert walked the red carpet with his wife of three years, who inspired some of his many songs, including "You Don't Know Her Like I Do" and "More Than Miles." (Photo via Jason Kempin/Getty Images)
Christina Murphy and Frankie Ballard: The "Sunshine & Whiskey" crooner and his wife made a stunning couple outside Nashville's Bridgestone Arena. (Photo via Jason Kempin/Getty Images)
Kailey and Russell Dickerson: The "Blue Tacoma" singer-songwriter couldn't keep his hands (or lips) off of wife Kailey on the red carpet. (Photo via Jason Kempin/Getty Images)
Gabi Dugal and Scotty McCreery: The American Idol alum and his longtime love, who tied the knot this past June, coordinated in black at the awards show. (Photo via Jason Kempin/Getty Images)
Brett Young and Taylor Mills: The New Artist of the Year nominee and his longtime love were the picture of newlywed bliss — they said "I do" on November 3! — outside Nashville's Bridgestone Arena. (Photo via Jason Kempin/Getty Images)
Jordan Davis and Kristen O'Connor: The "Singles You Up" singer and his wife coordinated their red carpet looks in shades of blue. (Photo via Jason Kempin/Getty Images)
Katelyn Jae and Kane Brown: Newlyweds Brown and Jae, who married in Nashville just last month, were a perfect match in head-to-toe black ensembles. (Photo via Jason Kempin/Getty Images)
Summer Duncan and Jon Pardi: The "Heartache on the Dance Floor" crooner coordinated with Duncan in black and red. (Photo via Jason Kempin/Getty Images)
Kelly Lynn and Chris Janson: The "Drunk Girl" singer, who's nominated for three awards including New Artist of the Year, was all smiles with his songwriter wife on the red carpet. (Photo via Jason Kempin/Getty Images)
Chris Lane and Lauren Bushnell: The country singer and the Bachelor alum walked the red carpet together just hours after news of their romance broke. (Photo via Terry Wyatt/Getty Images)
It can be intimidating to step out on your own and build a business from the ground up. As part of our collaboration with Office Depot, we're talking with Selfmade alum and solopreneur Colette Lawrence, the faith-based motivator and relationship builder behind The M.E.E. Movement, about ways in which women in business can find success.
B + C: How did you know M.E.E. Movement was your business to start?
The M.E.E Movement represents motivation, empowerment, and encouragement for women. It is what represents me. I did not know at first that it was my business to start, but then the thought of monetizing what I loved came to me. It scared me, however. I registered the business in July 2020 and have been slowly building my wings since.
B + C: What's one strategy that's helped you start your business?
Thinking through and researching what the requirements are to start my business, and then asking questions of people who are in the business. Not all advice worked; however, it helped me to figure out what I needed to do and not to do.
B + C: Did you always know life coaching would be your entrepreneurial path?
(Smiles) No, I did not. I 'stumbled" on it. I knew that people were always coming to me for advice and I found that I loved having conversations with them, especially with women, young and old.
B + C: What was your most valuable takeaway from Selfmade?
My most valuable takeaway was the first day of training: Get out of your own way. There were a lot of great moments and important takeaways from every presenter. However, getting out of my own way, pushing past doubts, was for me my most valuable takeaway. Doing something that I had never done before took courage. If I do not focus on what is happening with me mentally then I cannot deliver to my clients successfully.
B + C: What's one piece of advice you would give to female entrepreneurs on the brink of starting?
Get out of your head. You have something to offer. You have what you need to succeed so go ahead and do it.
B + C: How do you stay motivated?
I stay motivated by listening to music and listening to motivational speakers, and sometimes someone will just reach out and talk about the impact that I made in their life. That adds the extra juice or sauce I need to pummel through the day.
B + C: What's your best organizational tip?
Keep a diary and journal. It's the best way for me to keep organized and it also provides a source motivation as I record not only my "losses" but my wins as well.
B + C: Who inspires you in the entrepreneurial space?
Shirley Toliver – She motivates and empowers and makes me always want to show up.
B + C: What has receiving the Office Depot scholarship to Selfmade done to help you start or grow your business?
The scholarship was a blessing in that all the areas that were covered offered valuable information that I needed, from social media to HR. As a new business owner, I needed to know this to increase my own personal awareness in what it takes to run a successful business. The candidness of the presenters made it easy to see myself in their shoes and helped me to realize that I can also get there.
Thanks Colette! You can follow The M.E.E. Movement on Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, and LinkedIn.
Want to feel motivated to take the next step for your business? Let Office Depot OfficeMax give you the confidence you need with a suite of business services & solutions to help you put your best foot forward. Make a good first impression with business cards & build the business pitch of your dreams with custom presentations. With Office Depot OfficeMax you'll find the tools to reach new customers with confidence.
Head to Office Depot's Selfmade page to check out even more amazing business resources (and discounts!) to help you accomplish more on your entrepreneurial journey. These offers are available for a limited time only, so be sure to take advantage of all this goodness while supplies last. Want to join the next Selfmade cohort this summer? Check out all of the scholarship details right here.