WholeHearted Connection: How One Entrepreneur Is Redefining Team-Building Through Purpose and Impact

 In a time when human connection feels increasingly fractured by digital distractions, remote work, and fast-paced professional environments, one woman is working to rebuild those vital bonds—with intention, compassion, and lasting impact.

WholeHearted, a social impact-driven event agency founded by Catherine "Cat" McGuire, is doing more than just planning events. It's creating experiences that matter. With a mission rooted in purpose and powered by empathy, WholeHearted helps organizations come together in ways that not only strengthen internal relationships but also extend meaningful support to their broader communities.

Launched in 2021 and born from the turbulence of 2020, WholeHearted was founded at a time when the world was redefining work, connection, and the role of businesses in society. While many companies were scrambling to adapt, Cat McGuire saw a unique opportunity to bring people together in a way that was both innovative and deeply human.

“I wanted to take everything I’d learned in corporate events and flip the script,” Cat says. “We help organizations meet their objectives while also supporting community needs and important causes through unique and engaging activations built around social impact. Think team-building with purpose.”

WholeHearted’s offerings go far beyond traditional event planning. The agency designs experiences with a dual mission: to unite teams and to serve the community. This includes everything from tradeshow booth activations and product launches to employee giving campaigns, nonprofit collaborations, and immersive volunteer events. Each initiative is customized to reflect the values of the organization and the real needs of the community.

“We want to make that easy for leadership teams,” Cat explains. “By helping them offer experiences that engage employees based on their values, we’re not just recognizing effort—we're helping people give back in ways that truly make a difference.”

In a time when employee engagement and workplace satisfaction are more important than ever, this approach offers a powerful and practical solution. WholeHearted events are designed to foster not only stronger teams, but more fulfilled individuals.

Before founding WholeHearted, Cat spent her career in corporate events. But when the COVID-19 pandemic brought the event industry to a standstill, she found herself confronting a deep professional and personal crossroads.

“It was like someone hit pause on everything I knew,” Cat recalls. “For a while, I lost my sense of identity. If I wasn’t doing events, who was I?”

Then, a moment of inspiration changed everything. While watching a local news story about ICU nurses working grueling shifts with limited support, Cat felt an overwhelming urge to take action. She launched Fuel The Superheroes, a grassroots campaign that raised funds to purchase meals from struggling local restaurants and deliver them to frontline healthcare workers—along with handwritten notes of encouragement and gratitude. “Our original goal was 100 meals. We ended up delivering almost 4,000,” she says, still astonished by the scale and speed of the response.

What started as a spontaneous act of kindness quickly revealed a deeper truth: giving back can be a catalyst for healing and connection. That realization became the foundation for WholeHearted. “It wasn’t just about helping others—it was about how good it felt to be part of something bigger. That’s what I wanted to bring into the business world,” she explains.

Cat’s entrepreneurial spirit and background in customer experience gave her a solid foundation to build something new—and deeply personal. She is the sole owner of WholeHearted, and every decision reflects her commitment to values-based leadership.

“I’ve always been someone who jumps in and takes action,” she says. “Starting my own business allowed me to create something that aligned with what I care most about—relationships, impact, and community.”

Even the agency’s name was born out of intention. During a brainstorming session in front of a whiteboard, the word “WholeHearted” emerged as the perfect embodiment of Cat’s mission—and her approach to life.

“I believed so strongly in what we were doing,” she says. “The idea of leading with your whole heart was always top of mind.”

The timing of WholeHearted’s launch made the journey all the more meaningful—and challenging. Cat started the business while pregnant with her first child and often reflects on how she raised her company and her baby at the same time.

“There’s something really beautiful about that parallel,” she says. “I poured so much love into both. They’ve grown together.”

Like any small business, WholeHearted has faced its share of challenges. From navigating seasonal fluctuations to building a reliable support team, the road has been full of learning curves. But Cat is candid about the realities of entrepreneurship and how leaning into community has made all the difference.

“Follow your gut. Little by little, a little does a lot,” she advises. “You can’t do it all alone—build up a community and do it together.”

That spirit of collaboration is central to how WholeHearted operates. Every event is a partnership—not just with clients, but with local vendors, nonprofits, artists, and volunteers. The goal is always to create a ripple effect of positive impact that lasts well beyond the day of the event.

The company’s insights into team culture and leadership aren’t theoretical—they’re earned. “We’ve spent years bringing people together through events and business meetings,” Cat shares. “We’ve had a front-row seat to what organizations do well, and what they do poorly. We’ve watched well-intentioned leaders fail to do right by their teams and watched individuals struggle to find a sense of meaning within the corporate culture where they dedicate most of their time.”

These observations continue to shape WholeHearted’s work. The agency doesn’t just design events—they design opportunities for organizations to live their values and for employees to find fulfillment beyond productivity metrics. It’s about restoring humanity to the workplace, one meaningful moment at a time.

Whether it's assembling care kits for women’s shelters during a corporate offsite or transforming a product launch into a fundraiser for youth programs, WholeHearted finds ways to align business goals with real-world needs.

Cat believes the future of work—and of events—will be shaped by connection, empathy, and action. As more companies prioritize corporate social responsibility and seek ways to engage employees meaningfully, WholeHearted is uniquely positioned to help them bring those values to life.

“Sometimes we underestimate the power of human connection,” she reflects. “But when people step away from their devices, engage face-to-face, and come together around a shared cause, the results are incredible.”

The business world is taking notice. With growing demand from organizations looking to create more meaningful and memorable experiences, WholeHearted continues to expand its reach and its offerings. But for Cat, the mission remains the same.

“We’re not just checking a box. We’re leaving a mark,” she says.

And in a world that’s hungry for connection, compassion, and authenticity, that mark matters more than ever.