The Irreplaceable Carla: A Legacy of Heart, Spirit, and Spark
With heavy hearts and profound sadness, we say goodbye to an extraordinary woman – a leader, mentor, and dear friend – Carla Petzold-Beck.
The world feels a little quieter, a little less vibrant, since we lost Carla early this year. Her sudden unexpected passing left a deep ache in the hearts of everyone who knew her – colleagues, clients, partners, family and friends. Our much-loved managing director and co-owner was a big part of the heart of Epic.
While her heart was in Africa (even being a native Swiss-American) she was truly a citizen of the world. A fearless traveller, she believed that life was meant to be lived fully, courageously, and with open arms. She followed her heart wherever it led her – from Asia to Morocco to Portugal – and along the way, she inspired us all to follow ours.
Carla came to Epic from a career leading some of the world’s top hotels, acting as somewhat of a trailblazer for women in the industry. Some called her a ‘force of nature’ and, indeed, she was.
“Carla was a master problem-solver. She was a powerhouse of capability and resourcefulness with a knack for finding solutions” says Epic’s founder Charlie Shepherd.
When Carla joined Charlie’s side in 2018 Epic was a tight-knit team of eight. But with her vast operational and management experience, the company grew to 32 and expanded to include Portugal Mainland, the islands and Spain.
“We had complementary skills, her and I, with us, it wasn’t just one plus one. It was one plus one equals three,” says Charlie. It was no different with the rest of the team.
She didn’t just build a business. With her nurturing presence she built a family, one filled with compassion, strength, curiosity, and an unwavering drive to become better – not just at work, but as human beings. Carla was the soul, the connector, the glue.
“She wore her heart on her sleeve. She would do anything for anyone. She was always checking in, always thinking about others,” Charlie recalls.
We miss her deeply and we will carry her spirit forward in everything we do. Like the African elephant – her majestic, wise and fiercely loyal ‘spirit animal’ that she so deeply resonated with – her presence will always be felt on the path we walk and the work we carry on.
Though her journey was cut far too short, her impact is infinite and just as the elephant never forgets, neither will we. Her story will live on in the adventures we’ll take ourselves and the journeys we will create, in the lives we touch, in the kindness we show, in the culture she helped shape, in the people she empowered, and in the courage we’ll find within ourselves to go a little further, and to be a little bit braver with a boundless sense of wonder.
We will remember Carla on her bike in the souks of Marrakech, her fearless adventurous spirit galloping along the coastline of Portugal, and her extensive life of travels to Iceland, Socotra, Nicaragua, Indonesia, the US and beyond.
We’ll continue on the journey Carla started. Looking forward, Epic has plans to expand further into Africa – something we’ll do with the spirit and compassion of Carla on our minds.
Her story in her words – Being More – Carla Petzold-Beck
In memory of Carla
Epic works with Fiers et Forts, a children’s charity in Morocco, and we’ve created a memorial fund for Carla to create a lasting legacy. If you would like to contribute, you can donate here – simply select ‘ donate once or monthly’ and write FOR CARLA on your donation submission.