Daily Inspiration: Meet Journey Werner

Today we’d like to introduce you to Journey Werner.

Hi Journey, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
My story begins with the person who first ignited my passion for benefit auctions: my father, Rick Werner. From a very young age, he taught me a simple yet powerful philosophy: you can either be part of the problem or part of the solution, so choose to be part of the solution. For him, that meant giving back to nonprofits, schools, hospitals, and community organizations across Orange County, Los Angeles, and San Diego through his work as a Professional Benefit Auctioneer.

Some of my earliest memories involve being backstage at galas or even on stage myself – including dancing with a band at an after-party for a Make-A-Wish gala when I was about seven years old. By the time I was 14, I was officially working as one of his Ringmen – spotting bids and supporting him alongside my brother and mother. Together, as the “Werner Family Auction Team”, we spent over a decade raising millions of dollars for organizations like Make-A-Wish, CASA OC, the American Heart Association, the Dodgers Foundation, and many many more groups across Southern California.

As I grew older, I had the opportunity to work with several other talented benefit auctioneers throughout Southern California. Seeing how differently each of them approached the stage expanded my understanding of what this profession could truly be. But a turning point came a few years ago when I saw a female benefit auctioneer perform for the first time. It genuinely stopped me in my tracks. I had grown up seeing this role filled almost exclusively by men… That’s when I realized: if she can do this, why can’t I?

That moment changed everything. I was determined to become a benefit auctioneer myself. I stayed rooted in Orange County while earning my degree in Business Administration through Arizona State University, coached women’s water polo at Orange Coast College, all while beginning to build my own path in the benefit auction world. I later attended the World Wide College of Auctioneering in Des Moines, Iowa, became a proud member of the National Auctioneers Association, and have continued to invest in my education through the Benefit Auction Summit. I’m currently pursuing my Benefit Auction Specialist designation, which I’m hoping to complete in 2026!

Today, I’m proud to be a professional female benefit auctioneer with a deep passion for fundraising and helping organizations go above and beyond their financial and mission-driven goals. Standing on stage, helping donors connect emotionally to a cause, and watching contagious generosity ripple through a room has changed my life just as much as it’s helped change theirs, and that’s what continues to drive me forward.

I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
It hasn’t been a completely smooth road, but I’ve learned that most meaningful careers come with their fair share of challenges. The benefit auction space is filled with generous, mission-driven people, and I’ve been fortunate to work alongside many who genuinely care about the causes they support. At the same time, it can also be an environment where perception can sometimes outweigh preparation.

Throughout my career, I encountered assumptions around my age, experience, and what an auctioneer “should look like”. I’ve lost a few opportunities not because of a lack of preparation or results, but because someone felt more comfortable with a familiar style, look, or presence.

In California, where benefit auctioneering isn’t licensed, the playing field can be especially uneven. Without standardized credentials, it can be easy for confidence or charisma to be mistaken for competence. That reality pushed me to take the approach my dad showed me: invest deeply in education, structure, and preparation, and let outcomes speak louder than optics.

I’ve also learned that visibility doesn’t always equal impact. There are many effective ways to engage a room, and over time I’ve become very intentional about staying focused on elevating the mission rather than myself, even when flashier styles receive more immediate praise. The upside is this: nonprofits are incredibly discerning. Over time, they’ll recognize who shows up prepared, who listens, and who treats their mission with care – before, during, and after an event.

While the road hasn’t been easy, these ups and downs have helped me build a career rooted in trust, results, and long-term relationships rather than shortcuts.

Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I’m a Professional Benefit Auctioneer & Gala Fundraising Consultant, and I partner with nonprofits, schools, hospitals, and other mission-driven organizations to help them maximize their fundraising impact during their live events. While I’m best known for my work during a Live Auction and the Fund-A-Need/Paddle Raise moment, my role goes far beyond the stage. I specialize in helping organizations create structure, momentum, and emotional connection throughout their event so generosity feels natural, engaging, and meaningful.

What sets my work apart is the balance between energy and strategy. I bring a fun, high-engagement, donor-focused presence to the room, but it’s always grounded in preparation, planning, and a deep understanding of the organization’s mission. I work closely with committees and staff in advance to refine messaging, gifting levels, timelines, transitions and revenue opportunities, so when the moment comes, the room is ready to respond.

I’m also known for being a true partner. From consignment item connections and revenue-enhancement ideas to professional bid spotters and pre/post-event insight – I stay invested before, during, and after the event. My approach is designed to help organizations keep more of what they raise, which is why I offer a nonprofit-friendly fee structure, but also focus on long-term relationships rather than one-night results.

What I’m most proud of is the impact. In 2025 alone, the organizations I partnered with collectively raised over $905,000, but beyond the numbers, I’m proud of helping nonprofits tell their story in a way that brings their community together & create everlasting change. When donors feel confident and inspired, it sparks what I love most about this work: Contagious Generosity.

What matters most to you? Why?
What matters most to me is helping people feel hope, joy, and a sense of peace, especially in moments when life feels heavy. I’ve been blessed in my own life not to experience many of the hardships that the organizations I work with are trying to prevent or heal, but through this work I’ve come to understand how deeply people, families, animals, and entire communities can be affected: physically, emotionally, and spiritually.

Knowing that I get to play even a small role in creating moments of hope means everything to me. Fundraising events are often one night, one room, one shared experience, but the impact can last far beyond that.

One of my favorite auction moments was at a fundraising event in Los Angeles for a music education program. We auctioned a once-in-a-lifetime experience: Dave Grohl of the Foo Fighters coming to the winning bidder’s home to cook a backyard barbecue for about fifty guests – complete with Dave himself in a “Kiss the Cook” apron, grilling steaks on a portable grill. The bidding was electric. People were standing, cheering, feeding off the energy in the room. That single item ultimately sold for $150,000!

After the auction, a woman I had never met approached me and shared that she was currently undergoing chemotherapy. She told me that her journey had been especially difficult leading up to that night, but witnessing the joy & generosity in the room gave her a renewed sense of hope and positivity during her treatment.

I’ll never forget that moment. It reinforced something I’ve always believed: fundraising isn’t just about dollars raised, it’s about connection, community, and creating small sparks of light for people who need them most. That’s the impact that matters to me, and it’s why I do what I do.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://journeyauctions.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/journeywerner/?hl=en
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100095554990566
• Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/journeywerner