After skipping 2021 due to the COVID pandemic, Mingle with a Purpose returned. This was the 7th Mingle with a Purpose event hosted by the New Ulm Chamber.

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fter a year away, New Ulm area women were eager to return. The Chamber was able to sell 150 tickets to the night’s event.

This year’s theme was “Never Give Up — The Survivor Way.” This theme was inspired by the evening’s speaker, Holly Hoffman who was a contested on the Survivor TV series. Hoffman completed the Nicaragua season of Survivor. The season twist was this year’s contestants were divided between younger and older tribes. Hoffman was initially in the older tribe. She would finish 4th that season and was the last of the older tribe and the last woman voted off the show.

In honor of the show, women who attended the event were each given a tribe name and were challenged to find other members of the same tribe to meet with and mingle.

Dani Polzin and Angel Schaffer hold speaker Holly H

Hoffman’s speech was the keynote event of the evening. She gave a presentation, explaining her time on Survivor and what she learned about surviving in the real world.

Since the networking event was called “Heels and All”, Hoffman used the metaphor shoes throughout her talk.

She said just like there are many unique types of heels there are many unique types of women.

Throughout the event, Hoffman spoke about the importance of opportunities. She advised the women in the room not to wait for opportunity, but to jump at them. There was always the temptation to have self-doubt and worry but adversity was a chance to find out what you had inside.

Hoffman said when she first auditioned for Survivor it was more out of curiosity. She did not expect to be chosen by over 100,000 people. Even once she was brought in for auditions and selected as one of the top 20 she almost quit before starting.

“Often we let fear stop us,” Hoffman said, but reminded the audience that opportunities are never lost, they just are taken by other people. If she had given up then, the opportunity would be taken by others.

To win Survivor, Hoffman would need to spend 39 days in the jungle of Nicaragua. Before the competition even started she was at disadvantage. A native bug bit her arm leaving a blister and open sore. This is why on the show she is wearing a blouse with one cut-off sleeve and one long sleeve. The producers wanted to hide her injury.

Early on, Hoffman struggled on the show. She said it was a greater challenge than she thought when she watched it at home.

She said it was an example of judging people before you walked in their shoes.

Hoffman would detail the small struggles and triumphs she faced on show, many of which were documented for national television.

Hoffman explained she learned a lot from her experience on the show. Often it is how people interpret adversity that allows them to survive. She almost quit on the fifth day after becoming overwhelmed. Fortunately, a motivational speech from former football coach and fellow tribe member Jimmy Johnson helped her to stay in the game.

“When you slip and fall you are not a failure,” Hoffman said. “You only fail if you don’t get back up.”

Hoffman said another inspiration to continue was her mother. She remembered after her parents divorced how hard her mom worked to provide for her children. She never complained and if her kids ever complained, she said, “This too shall pass.”

Hoffman ultimately made it to the final four before being voted off the show. She made it through 38 of the 39 days in the jungle. She likes to interpret it as going 38 days long rather than coming up one day short.

Though she did not win the prize money, Hoffman said one of the best moments was when she came home and her 24-year-old son said he was proud of her.

“That meant more to me than $1 million,” she said.

Since her time on Survivor, Hoffman has been a professional speaker. She was invited to give speeches after the show and found she loved it and her story was inspiring to many.

She closed by reminding all the women that no matter the size of their heels, they are all unique.

“You can never go back,” Hoffman said, “But you can always make a new ending.”