Michelle Rago on Protecting Her Peace, Going Home and Being Single by Choice

Most people expect the glamorous career to be the whole story. Michelle Rago will tell you hers happened by accident. In this episode of Love, Take Two, hosted by José Rolón and Jaimie Kelton, the luxury wedding producer takes us back to the girl who got her working papers at 14, skipped college, moved to New York with no plan, and ended up producing events around the world. She gets honest about what it took to get there, including a floral design business that never made money and the moment she realized she was a producer at heart. At 62, Michelle is in what she calls her next chapter, and she built it with intention. She talks about leaving Manhattan to move back to the small New Jersey town she swore she would never return to, rebuilding her health after a brutal early menopause, and learning to protect her peace. She opens up about growing up as the daughter of a mother who went to Princeton and rewrote the rules, a father who stayed her mother’s best friend until the end, and what it meant to be a child of an alcoholic. She says the hard thing happened early, and it turned chaos into her superpower. Michelle also talks about being single by choice since the early 90s and not wanting children, and why she refuses to let anyone treat that as something missing. She explains why she believes loneliness is loneliness no matter what a life looks like on paper. She shares how Dolly Parton’s philosophy of changing the world within your own zip code pulled her into philanthropy, from fundraising for her local library to a diaper and formula drive at her home, and how she’s now diversifying with a scripted series, a podcast idea, and another book. José and Jaimie join in with their own stories about friendships, boundaries, and what second chances look like at 50. This is a conversation about intention, independence, and what happens when you stop apologizing for a life that does not fit anyone else’s picture. Key Takeaways How a woman with no plan and no college degree became one of the top destination event producers in the industry What early menopause, a move home, and a stylist taught Michelle about rebuilding her health and confidence in her 60s Why she says “the hard thing happened early” and how growing up with chaos became a professional superpower What being single and childfree by choice has actually felt like, and why she doesn’t believe she’s missing anything How she circles the wagons, spots her ride or dies, and puts her energy into giving back within her own zip code If this episode resonated, send it to someone who needs a reminder that a life outside the box can still be full. Come hang out with us on social.