Fair Systems that Work Newsletter
“The greatest use of life is to spend it for something that outlasts it.” – William James
The Fair Was My World
For as long as I can remember, the fair was my world. It was my family’s tradition, my community’s heartbeat, and my identity. Being part of it was not something I did. It was who I was.
As life happens, that caused my world to flip upside down. I moved 17 hours away from everything I had ever known. For the first time in my life, I was not the fair person. I was just me.
So I went searching. I wanted to be part of ag societies again. I was fortunate to speak on behalf of CAFE and travel across Canada. I listened and learned from provincial ag societies in every direction. The common thread was clear. These organizations carry more than events. They carry community memory.
An invitation came next. Join a fair as a director. My old identity should have shouted yes. My heart said no. That was the moment I understood that I was not meant to step back into the same role. I needed more. I had a bigger vision.
Finding a Bigger Vision
Starting over gave me distance. Distance gave me clarity. I could finally see what the fair had given me and what it still needed from me. Leadership. Belonging. Pride. And also a new kind of work.
I was able to meld my passion for fairs and my passion for systems. Not just doing the jobs I had always done, but building what protects the work for the next people in line.
By stepping back, I saw the gap. The gap between passion and protection. The gap between tradition and transition. And that gap is exactly where so many fairs lose their footing.
The Wake-Up Call
I had spent years pouring myself into roles, projects, and traditions. What I really wanted was to build something that could outlast me. When my dad passed this past June, his fair passion and traditions lived on. That woke me up. I realized the best way to honour what he passed down, and what so many before us built, was to make sure it could be carried forward long after we are gone.
That was the shift. From doing everything myself to seeing the bigger picture. From carrying tradition alone to protecting it for the future.
What Fairs Can Learn Too
Once I saw that in myself, I could not help but notice it in fairs everywhere. The same directors carrying the same roles year after year. Knowledge and history tucked inside one binder or one person’s head. Traditions held so tightly that new voices cannot shine through.
The cost is burnout, frustration, and a legacy that wobbles the second someone steps away.
My bigger vision was never about leaving fairs. It was about protecting them. Take the heart of what makes your fair unique. Wrap it in simple systems. Invite the next generation to the table and let them learn, try, and contribute. Document what matters. Share the weight. That is how tradition breathes. That is how legacy grows.
Only after I stepped away could I see the difference between holding on and handing over. That quiet realization is what changed everything. It was not about passion or pride fading. It was about recognizing that a little ego had been sitting in the way of a much bigger future.
The Question for YOU
Where are you holding on so tightly that you might be putting your fair’s future at risk? Title, role, routine, or a process that has not been challenged in years. Pick one place and loosen your grip.
Legacy is not about me. It is not about you. It is about us. If we want our fairs to outlive us, we need to start living that truth.
That is why I created the Fair Audit. It cuts through the noise, shows you where you are strong, where you are vulnerable, and what to fix first so your legacy is secure.
👉 Ready to see where your fair stands?
📞 Book your Fair Audit consult.
Let's Get to Work
Kryssie ❦
P.S. If this hit home, pass it along. Share this with someone who needs it. Seed the ideas.
My passion is keeping fairs alive, but it’s your passion that makes the mission possible.
3 Ways to Work with Fair Systems That Work ↓
👉 Fair Audits
It’s not just about your board. Audits look at your whole fair, from directors to conveners, volunteers to systems. You’ll get a clear snapshot of what’s working, what’s not, and where the biggest gaps are so you know exactly what needs to change.
|
👉 Membership
Join the Fair Systems That Work Membership (launching October 20) and access tools, templates, and monthly fix-it calls that take your fair from chaos to confidence.
|
👉 Contact Kryssie
Don’t know where to start? Let’s have a call and figure out what needs to happen. Sometimes it’s a full system overhaul, and sometimes it’s just a simple tweak.
If email is your thing, reply to this email, and you will get me, Kryssie, directly. ❤️
|
