In 1888, Alfred Nobel read his own obituary. A clerical error, yes—but also a mirror, a reckoning, a chance to see what his legacy might become. The Merchant of Death is Dead, the headline read. It haunted him. It changed him.

Most of us—thankfully—don’t get that kind of theatrical heads-up. But the question still lingers: How will we be remembered? And maybe more urgently, how do we live a life that’s worth remembering?

In this debut episode of Headstone, I'm sitting down with Carrie Fox—founder, CEO, strategic communicator, values-driven entrepreneur, mother, author, and accidental interior design intern at fourteen—to explore what it means to live a life that leaves an imprint. Not one carved in marble but etched into the people we love, the work we do, and the conversations we choose to have (even the awkward ones).

There’s a paradox at the heart of Carrie’s life: She’s a professional communicator who argues that what matters most… isn’t what you say. It’s what you do. More Than Words. It's a mantra. A methodology. A quiet rebellion against empty mission statements and the tyranny of the polished brand.

We trace a winding path—from sixth-grade dances and dollar-bribed rejections, to the legacy of difficult fathers, to the tender, often invisible labor of parenting with intention. There’s a surf lesson in Puerto Rico. A Mount Rushmore of unexpected mentors. A surprising origin story involving Cal Ripken Jr., a spontaneous freelance gig, and origination of the birthquake.

But beneath all of that—the stories, the jobs, the titles—there’s a deeper question humming: What does it mean to live in a way that your children will recognize later? That your colleagues will remember? Carrie’s life isn’t a monument. It’s a mosaic. And maybe that’s the point. Because legacy isn’t so much about what we leave behind. It’s how we show up while we’re still here.

Links Mentioned:

• Learn more about Carrie Fox and Mission Partners
• Carrie’s weekly series: Finding The Words
• Subscribe to Mission Forward with Carrie Fox