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Evolve or Repeat
Join Liv and Shelby, two midwest twenty-somethings, as they take you along their own personal growth journeys and what it means to truly pour into yourself as a young adult.
Evolve or Repeat
Building Two Businesses While Raising a Family with Mariah Taubenheim
When photography becomes more than a passion, and entrepreneurship intertwines with motherhood, something beautiful emerges. Mariah Taubenheim's journey in Wisconsin has currently evolved to running two successful businesses while living intentionally with her family.
Mariah takes us back to her upbringing where she learned core values like respect and work ethic that later became foundational to her business philosophy. Her early fascination with cameras evolved into Simple Focus Studios, a photography business she started before becoming a mother. When her first daughter arrived, Mariah launched Raise Agency to maintain her entrepreneurial freedom while staying home with her baby.
What sets Mariah apart isn't just her business skills, but her approach to balance. "You're replaceable everywhere but at home," she shares, explaining how this perspective guides her daily choices. Rather than working traditional hours, she structures intense work sessions during her children's nap times, keeping her priorities crystal clear. This philosophy extends to her team-building strategy, where she's learned to hire for existing skills and shared aesthetics rather than training from scratch.
The conversation touches on everything from meeting her husband at Buffalo Wild Wings (where her friend left her number on a napkin) to setting healthy boundaries with social media. Her mantra that "work should never be the first, last, or hardest thing you do in your day" offers refreshing wisdom in a culture that often glorifies hustle above all else.
As Mariah prepares for exciting rebrands and a new venture in Madison, her story reminds us that success doesn't require sacrifice when you align your work with your natural talents and stay grounded in what matters most. Ready to rethink how you approach work, creativity, and life's priorities? This episode might just change your perspective!!
Follow Mariah: @mariahtaubeheim
Follow Dayna: @dayna.fae
Follow the Podcast: @evolveorrepeat.thepodcast
Follow Liv: @livwerth @livedin.studio
Follow Shelby: @the.shelbylenae
Hey, we're Liv and Shelby and we're two Midwest 20-somethings fascinated with all things personal growth, healing and evolving into the best version of yourself possible.
Speaker 2:Over the last four years, we've gone from lost, sad and broke to secure, confident, abundant and full of purpose.
Speaker 1:Now we're inviting you along our journey too. We teach you everything we've learned thus far and the secrets to building a life you truly love. Think it's all rainbows and butterflies.
Speaker 2:Think again. Friendships, social media relationships and navigating a self-growth journey are all topics we dive into.
Speaker 1:Think of this as a 2am conversation with your best friend, mixed with the hard truths and obstacles needed to level up, so grab your favorite emotional support drink.
Speaker 2:Make sure you're comfy and get ready to challenge your limiting beliefs that you didn't even know you had. This is Evolve and Repeat. Welcome back to another episode of Evolve and Repeat, where we dive into all things growth, transformation and becoming your best self in your 20s and 30s.
Speaker 1:Today, we are so excited to introduce you to someone who embodies creativity, intention and unapologetic authenticity.
Speaker 2:Mariah Taubenheim is a Wisconsin-based entrepreneur brand strategist, photographer, mom and wife and, overall, truly just a storytelling powerhouse. Yes, mariah is the visionary behind Simple Focus Studios and Raise Agency, where she blends her background in photography, marketing and communications. She helps entrepreneurs feel seen, confident and unforgettable by turning social media into a tool for true, real connection and growth.
Speaker 1:Mariah captures life's real moments, raw, emotional and unfiltered. Her work is about presence and beauty in the everyday, and that same intention runs through everything she does.
Speaker 2:She's also a very busy mom of two sweet girls, tenley and Cozy, and it's been super inspiring to watch her navigate business and motherhood with just so much grace.
Speaker 1:Yeah, today we are talking to Mariah about building not one, but two successful businesses, while also creating boundaries in a fast paced digital world. And staying grounded in your values while still making bold, expansive moves.
Speaker 2:So, mariah, thank you so much for being here today. We're so excited to dive in with you. Okay, let's get started with your background. Where did you grow up and what did you study in school? Give us all the details.
Speaker 3:Yes, of course. So I'm a Wisconsin girly, just like you guys, which is so fun. Born and raised small town USA, very classic. I was raised very Catholic. I went to Catholic school my entire life, other than college. Obviously, I went to UW for my last two years, which is what brought me to Madison, but I did my first two years at the community college where I grew up, which I always recommend to people because I saved so much money living at home doing my gen eds.
Speaker 3:And then I also met my husband there, so it's just like I didn't meet him at that college, but I met him while he was there during that time of my life and then I brought him to Madison with me and we've been here ever since and we're probably never going to leave. But yeah, I feel like having a Catholic upbringing definitely shifted a lot of things for me, and especially now as an adult and having kids and realizing how I want to raise them. I'm not going that route which is so crazy to think because of, like, how I was raised, but I still have so much appreciation for it and I see the values behind it. Um, but there's just a couple of things that, like I plan on doing a little differently, if that makes sense so insane and actually so relatable Cause I grew up the exact same way.
Speaker 1:Like I didn't go to a Catholic school, but like I was around it, okay, and going through that journey, like I guess, what did you learn about yourself? Like being raised, and like what values did you learn to? Like keep with you that were taught with you yeah, like we're taught to you, like when you were young and like what values have you chosen?
Speaker 3:honestly, just like respect, respect for your elders, respect for everyone around you, I think is the biggest thing. Like whenever I talk to other people, they I feel like just kind of know how I was raised because of just like how respectful I am and like I will never, you know, not address someone. Oh, I will just never not address someone as Mr Blank, mrs Blank, you know, just that kind of respect.
Speaker 1:Yeah, and I guess, like going back to to like your, your childhood I feel like we always talk about this on the podcast but like your childhood and a lot of who you were as a kid just shapes who you are as an adult. You just grow and kind of evolve with like those different things that you know you've carried with you since you were little. So I guess what were some of your early passions and interests that you had like an early age that led you to want to be like an entrepreneur, a photographer, all that?
Speaker 3:well, it's so crazy because I just got done watching the call her daddy documentary. I think I saw you watched it too, did you?
Speaker 2:watch it too.
Speaker 3:It was so good and like I was so similar to her in that I wasn't making movies in like that kind of level like she was like that's insane.
Speaker 3:But like I was in my bedroom with my little camera, like making videos of myself and like in the mirror I still have. I think I made a reel one time and I posted it on simple focus way back in the day of my 17 year old self would be so like proud of what I'm doing with my life right now and just like what? Because all my little cameras that I would have and I'm just like taking selfies in the mirror and just playing with them. And I think, also, like I grew up around cameras, my mom was always taking pictures. Like we have so many family pictures, family videos, like so much so that like she's still changing them over from like they were VHSs and now they're DVDs and now no one has a DVD player, so now she's got to put them from DVDs to like something you know, because we just have so many, which I am so thankful for. But just always being around a camera, I feel like was definitely part of my childhood.
Speaker 2:I love that. Yeah, even when there was like very not good quality, like literally, I remember, and we would play with it.
Speaker 3:Once it wasn't a thing the sling it on your shoulder. My dad would walk around with that camcorder and then so much so too that like the cameras were like, my parents would take more than one picture if someone blinked or something. But knowing that, like they knew how much that film cost, but they're like we will take a good picture.
Speaker 3:And because like they they were not like, I grew up actually very poor and I did not realize it at the time, and the fact that my parents like spent money on like that kind of stuff when, like we weren't even you know our vacations were going camping and you know, maybe like a road trip was like the biggest thing we ever did growing up, but like we never would have thought anything of it you know, because they just like, did it so well and it was. We just had so much fun.
Speaker 1:That's so beautiful yeah there really is something to be said, too, about like the way that you, your parents, raise you and like, like you said, like they didn't make it like super well known, that you were like going through those struggles and they did everything they could to like give you the best life. And I feel like I mean we'll talk about it in a little bit but like motherhood and like how you kind of like grown into motherhood and how you know, like that whole journey and everything is going with you and how you want to like turn around and do that, but I feel like that's such an amazing value and comes from a lot of those like small town homes, like where respect is a big thing.
Speaker 3:Yeah, for sure.
Speaker 3:And I feel like a one big thing too that I take away from my childhood One time, a family that I used to nanny for the parents actually texted me like years later, like five years after I stopped nannying for them, and was like, hey, how did your parents teach you the value of a dollar?
Speaker 3:Because I feel like, cause I paid off my student loans two years after I was out of school, cause I was just like I got my shit done, like I worked all through school, I did it the smart way where I like did my gen eds, you know, and then I went and I went to my dream school still, but I worked and I did all the scholarships and I did all the applications and I paid for my college myself and I paid it off before I was even, you know, a couple of years post-grad and that was a really big accomplishment for me. And they saw that and they were, yeah, they were like how do we teach our kids that? And I was like trying to think back of like what my parents would do and we would like we didn't get an allowance, no allowance, but we had to pay for everything ourselves If I wanted a cell phone.
Speaker 3:I was the last person in my grade to get an iPhone or any kind of cell phone because I had to buy it myself. So as soon as I was old enough to get a job I'm pretty sure my first job actually was before I was even like the legal age of getting a job, Cause it was like I was a dishwasher at, like our family friend's local restaurant, you know. So it was just kind of like an easy thing like that. But I was just like so excited to start working because I wanted a new pair of shoes and I wanted a cell phone and that kind of stuff. So I feel like the work ethic part was something that my parents taught me too.
Speaker 1:I feel like it's such like a like a perfect storm when you learn those values at such a young age, to then bring those with you like into your entrepreneurial journey. It's so much easier to transition when you already have those fundamentals that you know you've been carrying with you for sure, and that's why you're so successful, because you have that work ethic.
Speaker 2:Yeah, yeah.
Speaker 3:I mean, I do believe that if my parents, like, would have just gave us a credit card, like every other person in my school and I had a cell phone and didn't had unlimited minutes and unlimited you know, back when, that was a thing whatever. I feel like I would not be where I am today. It's just like it was such a lesson.
Speaker 2:And it's so much more rewarding when you like actually work for it, right, but going into how you met your husband, we're very curious, and how you guys kind of started this business together, the dynamic. So do you want to share a little bit about that?
Speaker 3:I love this story. So we met when I was in my sophomore year, I believe I was going to the community college and he was a bartender at Buffalo Wild Wings. I love that we would go. I think we went me and a couple friends went after one of my volleyball games and I specifically remember because I wanted to shower after my game. My friends came to my game I would say I played in college volleyball in college but it was the community college so I did it for credits. But I remember I wanted to shower and they were like no, let's just go, like we're hungry, whatever. And then, of course, I meet my future husband that night and I'm like in my sweaty volleyball clothes, whatever.
Speaker 3:But no, it was so funny. So he was our, he was like the bartender, but he was like our server and me and my friend were just like oh, he's so cute. He had like uncle Jesse hair at the time. He has, like we called it, like tree chunk arms. We were just like we were just gawking right like we were just like oh, he's so cute, he's so handsome.
Speaker 3:like we were nothing, thinking nothing seriously about it, right, and we're like we're never gonna see him again, even though we live in this very small town, and we're like in manitowoc, wisconsin, like of course I don't know what we were thinking, like of course we're gonna see this man again. Whatever, she left my number on a napkin my friend did. She had a boyfriend at the time, but we joke still that like if she didn't have a boyfriend she probably would have put her number. And then like, who knows, I don't know, but she put my number and it was. It's still a joke to this day because she wrote call me with my number. But then I'm like he's not actually going to call me. No one calls people.
Speaker 2:So she crossed it out and underneath wrote text and then he ended up Facebook messaging me which was like just so random, because of course he had to stalk me first to decide if he was even going to message me in the first place when I was like in a table of people.
Speaker 3:He was like which one? Even was it? Cause we just like left it and then left. So he was like, okay, first of all, like which one even was it? Because we just like left and then left. So he was like, okay, first of all, which one was it? But yes, so then at our wedding we had napkins and I actually screen printed the exact because then the napkins became a thing. Then he asked me to be his girlfriend.
Speaker 3:On the other side of it, shut up and then he even like, opened it one more and was like, will you be my wife? Like he had that when he proposed so like it's like a whole thing actually, just it's in a frame, but then, like my daughter broke the frame, it was on my desk, a whole thing. So I need to like buy a new frame. That actually reminds me I need to put that on my list. But one of the many things buy a new frame for the. But the napkins I love obsessed with that story I.
Speaker 1:I am such a sucker for like good, spontaneous, like authentic stories.
Speaker 3:It doesn't happen a lot anymore, like cause I'm a wedding photographer, so obviously I hear all the stories and I love hearing them. But I also, like I don't want people to think like if, oh, if, you met online or you met on an app, that there's anything wrong with that, because that's literally we talk all the time with my single friends. I'm like god bless you, because I could not enter the dating world right now, like I don't know how you do it. It was like even so different, like, and I wasn't even that's, I haven't even been out of it for that long you know it's been less than a decade.
Speaker 3:Oh my gosh, maybe it has been a decade. I'm trying to think 2018.
Speaker 1:It's so crazy how, like like online and like the online space we talk about this all the time has, like really shifted just all areas of like our life. Like it it bleeds into everything and some of it's good, like some of it's bad, like it's really all just like about your perception but, like to your point, like it's so hard to date authentically now because it seems like it is just the pendulum swung so far to like be that online dating yeah, well, and it and it was funny cause, like, obviously we met kind of in person, but then, like, our first communications was literally through Facebook, facebook messenger, can you?
Speaker 2:imagine looking for a boyfriend. Literally, they have Facebook dating now, did you know this? No, yes, there's Facebook dating. It's literally like an app, but it's Facebook.
Speaker 1:I mean honestly, that's wonderful for the 40s and 50s. They need that.
Speaker 2:Well, yeah, that's the main population that's on there.
Speaker 3:So, yeah, good for them, yeah, no. So that was amazing. When you know we like like to have that's like a cool story, that actually how we met, but then it's just the classic, you know, texted for a while, whatever, whatever, and then we got engaged, had Tenley, got married, had cozy, like there was so many things that happened in the span of like two years that my sister was like you guys need to chill, especially with like the businesses, and we moved into a house and just like all the things within such a short span of time and I'm like, and now we even have like more going on and I'm like I don't think we're ever going to chill. It's just like who we are. We just love that yeah.
Speaker 2:Yeah, let's just do it.
Speaker 3:I love it.
Speaker 1:I mean going back to like your point about how there's so many moving pieces and that you were having kids and like you were navigating, like your relationship and then also like growing your businesses. I guess, just like overall, as somebody that has all these moving pieces, just how do you manage your time and like make time to pour into each area of your life?
Speaker 3:yeah, that's a really good one. I feel like I always go back to like the overarching you. You're replaceable everywhere. But at home, right, like being a wife, being a mother, like will always be my most important thing that I do in my days the work aspect. I'm so lucky and grateful that, like I get to do what I love and be creative and that that is just like my creative outlet also is my job. And like our income so like, just so lucky that that's part of our life. But just like prioritizing the family aspect of it because they're never going to be as obsessed with me as they are now. Right, like my three-year-old is obsessed with me and I love it.
Speaker 3:I will like get emotional thinking about like her getting older and I'm like I hope she's as obsessed with me as she is now, like when she's a teenager, because I see these girls who have like relationships like that with their mom and I'm like I just want my kids to like want to hang out with me and like I want to be a fun, cool like let's go get our nails done. When I was, I think I was pregnant with cozy. Actually, I was at the nail salon and a mom was there with her daughter and I literally started crying, thinking about, like, bringing the girls to the nail salon and I'm like that's so fun and like I, yeah, just I just love thinking about that In a in a day to day, like walk us through, like what your your day to day looks like, as like a mother and entrepreneur and also just somebody that also, like, wants to prioritize and take time for yourself too, because it's also a thousand percent a thousand percent.
Speaker 3:Like postpartum. I always tell my husband like I need to at least take a shower a day because like that's like time for me to just like not be touching someone, not have someone else touching me, that kind of thing. But now that I'm like more out of it and like I can take a deep breath and like I just feel better, I feel like we always take time in the morning as a family and like do things for ourselves. So like I'll go to the gym, he'll go to the gym, we'll kind of flip-flop that. And then it's nap time, and nap time is like go, it's go, we're cranking out for like an hour. It just depends like how nap time goes to like how much time we have for work. But it's like all right, go get as much shit done as you can. And honestly, I did my like what's it called? It's not like the Enneagram or the, it's like my the personality test.
Speaker 1:There's 16 of them.
Speaker 3:Something like that was. It's not that, even though someone did it. Let me look at this girl, because I want to name drop her. She does this and I do think it was helpful for me. Dana. Oh, here we go. Human design. Have you guys heard of that? Stop, I don't know why I couldn't think of it. When I was doing my human design. I had it done by Dana. Check her out. She's amazing. Her Instagram is danafaye D-A-Y-N-A, dot F-A-Y-E. She does human design readings and it was so helpful.
Speaker 3:We did mine and my husband's so just to know, like, how we each operate.
Speaker 3:My biggest takeaway from it was it said something like you should only work like two to three hours a day and then the rest should be like creative, whatever, and I'm like wait, but that's like literally what I do and I just like crank it out and I get my shit done and then like otherwise, like you know, I'm still on my phone and I'm like working throughout the day and like editing and doing whatever, but like head down, office door close, like that kind of work, like yeah, I feel like I don't need to be in there for eight hours a day, like I just need to crank and get my shit done and we've been successful. That's incredible. And then it's like kids are up, we go to the park, we live our lives, like we. Just we're very much the type of people that like we want to live our lives and just have work, be there so that we can financially support ourselves and live the lifestyle we want to live you know, when I first discovered human design, I I think I went down a rabbit hole, do?
Speaker 2:you remember?
Speaker 1:yes, it was like years ago yeah it was like three years ago, but I remember I was up until like 3 am researching it because it's so interesting, it's so I need to do like a whole reading again to see, because it's been so long I don't even remember. I was trying to figure it out myself and then I was like I can't do this, so I'm gonna check her out.
Speaker 3:It's nice to just have someone do it and then, like I even met her in person and at a coffee shop and she like actually walked me through it because like, oh, you can do it and like you know, they'll send you a thing, but then you gotta like read it and try to understand it, because there's so many moving pieces of it. But it's kind of yeah, it's like based off of like the day you were born, the time you were born, like all that kind of stuff. So it's like literally like this is who you are, to your core. Let me call you out. Yeah, it's like it's pretty deep and like it's pretty. Like I find that it's pretty, it's accurate and then, uh, my husband's was very accurate as well.
Speaker 1:Yeah, yeah I think that like falls, like so in line, like beautifully, like, with what you do and I think can be part of like the reason, like why you're successful. I mean, there's so many things that go into somebody's success but it sounds like the avenue and like the business that you've chosen. Like, of course, there's always going to be back end work, there's always going to be strategic work, but, like you're, you're creating the content, you know, you're out there with the camera, you're taking photos for other couples, you're crafting the creative vision, you're doing the creativity for, like, all of these other businesses, and then you gather all of that time that you spend doing that and where it is now with, like, having a team behind me when I was doing it by myself.
Speaker 3:I remember like being in my office and like crying, being like I'm not doing as good of a job as I want to be doing. I you know, I want to do more but I can't. And like what's like, what should I do? And I cause I had never even thought that I would like have a team. But then I was like, okay, no, this needs to happen, and it needs to happen now, cause, like I don't want to, I don't want to scale back.
Speaker 2:I only want to grow, so like how can I make that happen.
Speaker 3:So that was definitely the best decision I ever made for the business. And then same with Simple Focus, like I started it by myself and then brought Andrew on full time and that was the best decision because he hated his nine to five. We ended up going just like we went for it because they wanted to bring everyone back to the office post COVID, and he was like, well, screw that, no way, dude, I'll be an entrepreneur, you know. Yeah. So luckily I had gotten in simple focus to the point where it made sense for him to just come on full time and like we just really went for it. But yeah, we definitely could not be living the way we are, lifestyle wise without those steps.
Speaker 2:Like for sure, yeah, like all aligned. We want to talk a little bit about raise, though, and kind of how you built your team and like the process of that because, you have built such a team of like creatives and people that I feel like share the same values as you and like the same creative energy and spirit. So how did you like find your gems that you have on your team and kind of like the process of all that?
Speaker 3:I feel like it's been almost like fate with every single person that I've brought onto my team Cause I don't think I ever, like, looked super hard for anybody or, like you know, like Madeline DM'd me.
Speaker 2:I DM'd Courtney. You know just like that kind of like and it was just like easy. You just like attracted the right people, just easy. Jenna found me on TikTok Like just easy, you know.
Speaker 3:And then it was like the second I had a conversation with her was like, well, that, yep, you're, that's it, you know, like it wasn't even a question and I had, you know, 12 interviews before her and and I was like, well, she's the one, like you know, it's just like just kind of a gut feeling about someone. Like I feel like I've had that with both of you too, where it's like you just like you don't even have to think too hard about it, and and it's just like.
Speaker 3:This makes so much sense. We're so similar. It's just the vibes you know, and my husband made a joke the other day cause we did our brand shoot and he's like you only hire the pretty girls.
Speaker 2:And.
Speaker 3:I was like I can't help it if we're all well-rounded, I can't help being pretty and smart.
Speaker 3:Yeah, so, and, and it's just again, it's like in the industry that I'm in you have to understand the vibes, you have to understand the aesthetics, cause that's just like how I brand the business. Um, so, just hiring people, and I feel like I've gotten very strategic with hiring photographers, because they get the aesthetic and then I can trust them fully, and then our clients know that they're only getting the best of the best in terms of content because we're all professionals For sure.
Speaker 2:Yeah, no, I just love that you attracted your tribe Like how you said it was so easy and like the people just came to you and it just flowed and aligned Like it was just meant to happen.
Speaker 3:It was like it was easy once I found them but, I, will say, like it's always been a learning process of finding them, and then you know, find tweaking, like there's gonna be tweaks, no matter what. Like my husband and I even we've been working together for five years now. I want to say maybe, maybe it's been six or like one was COVID, right, yeah, but it's like, but we're still working out kinks and we've even been doing it for as long as we have.
Speaker 1:Yeah, no, absolutely. And I think there's also to like something to be said. When you're building a business, like you're definitely like very protective of the individuals that you allow into your business and like the people that you work with, like you said, like you had 12 interviews before you came across like this girl and then, all of a sudden, you're like like she's the one. Yeah, there's something to like be said about like women empowerment and like women building businesses, because I feel like your intuition can just be so strong when you're making decisions, like even when it comes to like creativity and intuition and like aesthetics and all that stuff, like that's not something that can always necessarily be taught, right?
Speaker 3:so and I thought it was. I thought when I first started hiring people, oh I can just hire someone and I can teach them and I very quickly learned and only doing yourself a disservice because then you're taking more time to teach someone something when all you needed was help. You know like I needed help and I was like trying to also teach people, so I learned that the hard way. But now I know, and I will always only hire people that have that expertise no, that's awesome.
Speaker 1:And I guess, going back to like how you started your whole journey assuming that you started as a photographer and that was something that kind of came first what made you want to also start an agency and do that whole you know journey alongside, like building a photography business.
Speaker 3:I honestly just like wanted to be an entrepreneur. I got a taste of it with simple focus and I was like I freaking love this, I love the independence, I love working for myself. It was going to be winter soon in Wisconsin and we weren't quite there yet with Simple Focus that we could have been, you know, sustaining ourselves because we had a baby at the time. Tenley was a couple of months old and I was just so motivated to like continue working for myself and keeping my family and so I could stay home with my baby and not have to like go out and work somewhere that I didn't want to work. The company I was working for at the time the founder, had kind of motivated me to go off on my own and I ended up starting it as a virtual assistant company because she had some connections of people that needed assistance. So I did that and I hated it. I absolutely hated it.
Speaker 3:I liked certain parts of it, though. Right like I liked it when they needed help with their websites, or I liked when they needed help with their social media. So I pivoted very quickly and was like, well, I'm just gonna just offer these things. Like why would I offer things that I don't like doing, I'm not good at, and I learned that I was good at social media and I like doing it. So that's what I ended up just changing it to and only offering those things, and thank God because it just took off. After that, people could see yeah, like that it was a passion for me and like that's just like you guys too. I feel like is, if it's a passion and then you're just going to be better and better at it because you actually like doing it right. Passion and then you're just going to be better and better at it because you actually like doing it right.
Speaker 1:Don't do things that you don't actually like doing, and she's speaking of ourselves, yeah, yeah, like to your point too. Like I think, with the rise of like social media and like technology and all this stuff, everything has just gotten so much more fast paced where I feel like in entrepreneurship especially, people think like it's just something that happens overnight and that you have an idea and that it's going to work and that you're going to make all this money and everything's going to be as like great and grandiose that you see on social media. And then, when it doesn't turn out that way, people think that they're being lied to in a sense, and it's actually the exact opposite. Like you, you just decided to like put one foot in front of the other and try things and like when something didn't work, like you pivoted and you just kept going.
Speaker 3:The thing that pisses me off the most is when people say you guys got so lucky or like anything about like about like luck, and I'm like do you know how much time and energy and nights of me answering emails on my phone and my husband being like and he wasn't even my husband and my husband being like and he wasn't even my husband at the time being like, brian, stop working.
Speaker 2:Like it's 9.30 at night Like why are?
Speaker 3:you answering emails from clients and I'm like because like I, you know, like I wanted to, I wasn't upset about it at all, Like 0%, Like I loved where I love working for myself, but it's literally that for years and years, and years and years. And you know, it just bothers me when people think it was like luck. It's like no, it was hard, freaking work and I would so much rather do it for myself than someone else, because I was not motivated when I was an employee. I was like a very bad employee.
Speaker 1:I mean, I'm a good employee, but it's hard to be motivated. It is.
Speaker 3:And I'm just so much more motivated when it's like my own thing, because I just I want to do a good job. It's me, my husband and I, and now my team.
Speaker 2:Some of my clients tell all the time too, about when they ask me how I'm liking being on my own and I always say like I just feel so much more motivated showing up to work because I'm doing it for myself.
Speaker 3:Get out of bed in the morning, easier to go like what's a Sunday series? I haven't had them in seven years since I've been an entrepreneur, I swear to god. You guys like I remember having them when I was an employee, but like since I've, I'm excited. You know like, and I feel very lucky now that I've been doing what I've been doing long enough that like I don't even really get nervous. Like I did a speaking event this week and my husband asked me after he was like, were you nervous? And I was like yeah, but like, how lucky am I to be doing something that I can get nervous about?
Speaker 3:Because you know, once you're doing something for long enough, you just kind of get into the groove of it, which is nice and fun. But like, getting yourself out of your comfort zone is so important and I even kind of like public speaking and it's like kind of easy for me. But I'm like it's good to challenge yourself every once in a while. He's like, did it make you feel alive? I was like, yeah, absolutely yeah, I was like it did and yeah, it was like shaking for a little bit after and before, whatever. But like what else can make me feel that way?
Speaker 1:Exactly Okay. So keeping on, you know the the track of talking about being an entrepreneur. Of course, when you own a business and like being a business owner, you have goals as part of you know your business obviously like there's nothing really to be tracked if you know you're not working towards those things. So part of that is having an impact on people and you know putting stuff out there that is servicing to other people. So how do you stay true to your aesthetic and like your personal values when you're creating services and doing things for other people and growing your brand?
Speaker 3:A thousand percent. I feel like it's ever evolving too Cause, like, if I think back to when we first started, to where we are now so different, such a different aesthetic and that's the beauty of having a brand right your brand I always tell this to my clients your brand is going to evolve, like that's literally you know, you guys are all about that right. Like your brand is going to evolve as you do. So like being okay with having somewhere to start, like get something out there, just get started, produce something into the world, and just you can always change from there. It's going to grow as you grow. Um, we actually have a major rebrand coming and I'm just so excited because it's just so us. It's been years in the making, it's been so needed but needed, but it's just the right time, and it wasn't the right time before, but now it's just like being okay with not everything being perfect.
Speaker 3:I guess I'm like Shelby put it in my ear yeah, because I I just tell that to my clients all the time too. It's like just do something, a first draft, put it out there to the world, like stop thinking so freaking hard about it. It's not that deep, like I promise you. No one is thinking as hard about these things as you are yeah like.
Speaker 3:My clients will even tell me things that they like, notice like little nuances, whatever, and I'm like I hear, hear you, you are right, you're not wrong, because no one's ever wrong, right, it's. Everything that we do in the creative industry is personal preference.
Speaker 3:Right, everyone has their own preference when it comes to photography, when it comes to aesthetics, when it comes to social media, and that is like the beautiful part and like something I really do like about the industry that I work in is people can love it or hate it and like everyone's so different, but it's just like you just have to be yourself and that's truly all you can be and do.
Speaker 2:Yeah, you have to block out all the noise. Yeah, yeah.
Speaker 1:Piggybacking off that that question what are a couple of like your core values that you consistently hold, just like across all areas of your life, whether it's business, you know your relationship like motherhood, all the things.
Speaker 3:Yeah, I think it's. You have to take care of yourself first and foremost before you can take care of anybody else.
Speaker 3:So my husband and I both feel like that way, so just getting ourselves to do the things that make us feel good, whether it's going to the gym taking a shower, like doing literally whatever it is, hanging out with friends you know he likes to golf, I like to get my nails done just doing things so that we can feel like our best, so that we can be there for the people in our lives that matter most. Obviously, our children are the first priority in that, but then also being there as a good friend, as a good sibling, as a good sibling, as a good daughter, son, whatever it is. Because if you're struggling, the people around you are going to struggle. So we do. We do keep that in mind in every aspect of our life and just making sure we're checking in with each other and that we're doing OK ourselves and just being a team in that, because as a parent like you, cannot be there for your kids unless you feel your best, and I, like, strongly feel that.
Speaker 2:For sure, I love that you said you started. Did you start your businesses before you did, before you were a mom right? Did you start Simple Focus? Yes, I think so.
Speaker 3:Let's think back here. Let's think back Wow, that's so long ago.
Speaker 3:Yes, yes, we did, because I remember being so excited, you guys, we were going to buy our camera and I felt like such an artistic girly. I wore like a bandana, remember like, like a like a motorcycle style bandana, and I was like I'm in my artistic era, I'm going to buy a camera. I'm like just like an artistic photographer now, like whatever. Yeah, um, but yes, we were just in our apartment and I just remember that so perfectly because I was so excited, so excited.
Speaker 3:We went to the sunset that night with our dog and, just like I took pictures of him with the dog, he took pictures of me in the I should go back to those pictures, you guys, because literally they're so funny of like him with the dog, me in the grass, us just like playing with our new camera and and now, which is so a fun fact, which is so sweet to think about, that's like our family camera now that we use. It's like literally above our kitchen sink. It was like our starter camera. So it's not like a great camera, but like it's perfect for, like, I just record the kids during the day playing, you know, in the water table, helping, doing the dishes, like whatever, and that's fun to think back about.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I love it. So you've been an entrepreneur before you were a mom and now you're a mom, so kind of, how has your perspective on life work like being an entrepreneur? How has that changed?
Speaker 3:Well, I feel like we started photography because it was a passion and we both, just like, enjoyed it. We found out that it was a passion because a lot of times it takes people so long in their life to find their passions right. You could be 40, 50 years old before you find out you have a passion for something. So we were very lucky in that we found photography early in both of our careers that neither of us were set yet right. We were still like what do we want to do with our life and what do we want to do for work and as a job, whatever? So we found it. We found out that we liked it. We were really freaking good at it and we made it into a business and it was something that we worked really hard for. So I was like what can I do so that I can keep this ball rolling? Like, literally what, what can I do so? Then I think getting a taste of it. And then we had Tenley, when we were still very early in our Simple Focus journey.
Speaker 3:We were so motivated to have our freedom and live our lives the way we wanted and not have to answer to anyone but ourselves. We joke now that, like God, our boss is so annoying. Or like I didn't get. People are like, asking me about like maternity leave and I'm like, no, my boss is just the worst, like I didn't get. People are like, asking me about like maternity leave and I'm like, no, my boss is just the worst. Like I didn't get a single day off. She sucks Whatever. Just joking that way because we just, yeah, we love doing what we do anyways, so in that way, we are grateful.
Speaker 1:Being a mom and showing your daughters like that you are an entrepreneur and like going after like what you want is something that's so inspiring, and I think that that there's definitely something to be said about. I guess, like children that come from a family of entrepreneurs, because they see their parents go after something that you know they want to pursue and they want to do, so I guess talk a little bit more about like that and being a business owner and how that's like going to show your daughters, yeah, like oh, I'm so excited.
Speaker 3:Yeah, well, I think. And like how I grew up, my parents were just hard freaking workers and they taught me the value of a dollar because we didn't have a lot of dollars, right. Like we had chores and we had to work for what we had. And I learned that at a very young age and that's where I think that side came from me. Like my dad's a social worker, my mom's was a stay-at-home mom. Actually, my mom was an entrepreneur. She had like an in-home daycare or whatever. That's true she was, but is now a foster care coordinator.
Speaker 3:So just hardworking people and then being able to see that like my mom was home with us when we were little and like I want that. But who can fricking afford that these days without, without something? And I've always known that like I will be working, like I'm just too much of a busy body to like not be doing something. So, yes, it's very exciting to know that my daughters will grow up and we hope to have more kids as well that we can raise the family in this type of mindset. And my husband is such a creative and he always is having like different ideas of things that he wants to do and launch and all the things. So just being able to like, allow them the creative space to create.
Speaker 1:No, that's so beautiful. I'm, I'm, I'm such a creative myself, so like I just have such respect for other creatives that are so good at letting that part of them, you know like come through, cause it's hard sometimes, like in in this world and everything, when you and your husband are like working together in your business and just like in life, like with your kids, like talk about a little bit about like your. I just like in life, like with your kids, like talk a little bit about like your.
Speaker 3:I guess like dynamic with each other and like if he's also like such a creative individual, like what that looks like between you two well, it's so fun because, like I trust his opinion and I want his opinion, and like I want him to like think what I'm doing is cool and good, and like I want to impress him, like, even to this day, I'm like did you see what I like?
Speaker 3:Do you like? Is it good? Like you know, so like, cause we're very similar in our aesthetics and vibes and you know, like our home is very much both of us and everything that we produce is very much both of us. I think I'm a little bit more of just like a doer. He's definitely a perfectionist. So kind of workflow logistic wise, we've had to work through that aspect of it because you know he could sit on a single photo and edit it for seven minutes and I'm like honey, we cannot get through weddings this way.
Speaker 2:Yeah, that's not going to work speed it up a little bit.
Speaker 3:So just those kind of kinks, and we've worked through those, but just feeling super motivated by each other because we just like want to, like have fun together and like do it Impress one another.
Speaker 3:Yeah, impress one another and just like what about this? Or do like you know? Like even today, actually, we were going through a little side project inspo and whatever, and just looking at it and I was like, well, what do you think of this? And he's like, well, what you know? Just like bouncing ideas off of each other, I feel like it was never something I thought I would want in a significant other, like I never early in my like dating, when I was like, oh, these are the things that I'm looking for in a husband and a partner.
Speaker 3:That was never even, would never have been a thought, but like I feel so lucky that, like he has all those qualities, because, like how could I be with someone who isn't, you know, in the same headspace?
Speaker 2:in that capacity. Yeah, yeah, I love that you can like bounce ideas off of each other. Just like I just love the dynamic that you two have.
Speaker 3:Well, it's crazy to me when I meet entrepreneurs whose significant others are not entrepreneurs, because it's just such a world Like the, the worlds are so different and I'm obsessed with the Madison entrepreneurial community because everyone is so community over competition and I'm just so obsessed with that and it's I feel like I mean obviously I've never been anywhere else, but like I feel like it's like no other, yeah, in terms of how everyone is just so there and so ready to see each other's success. For sure.
Speaker 2:It's very inspiring.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I feel like I mean it's my first time meeting you. And then, when we did the podcast with Whitney, was my first time meeting Whitney and like, obviously you are exposed to like so many people because you see them on a daily basis, like you're talking about, like that group and like that community. That Madison, like brings it, just feels like home, like you know, we all just like. I feel like we're so similar. It's so easy to have these kind of conversations with people that are so like-minded.
Speaker 3:When I feel like social media is so nice in that way because, like you said, we literally just met, but I feel like I've known you for years because I've been following you for years. And I'm like that with so many people and I'll say something to my husband. I'll talk about someone and be like, oh yeah, my friend, and he's like, have you actually ever seen this person?
Speaker 2:I'm like, well, no, but like we're friends Right.
Speaker 3:We chat on Instagram, we like each other's stuff and whatever it does make you feel so connected and it's something that I think is such a beautiful thing and it does so many good things for businesses and friendships and relationships if you use it in the right way. With having kids, there's definitely like toxicity to social media and there's like the topics of are we gonna let the kids you know do this and whatever. Whatever I feel, at least personally, for like my own usage, it's just been such an amazing creative outlet.
Speaker 1:Yeah well, and social media, at the end of the day, really is just a tool, like you said, if you use it in the correct way and in the similar way that you have to set boundaries with friends, with yourself, with your significant other, you have to set boundaries with social media, who you're following and what you choose to allow yourself to see. And if you're not careful with those boundaries, like you may be shown things about like what's going on in the world and just like this fear mongering stuff, where you can let that stuff like creep into your headspace. So I guess my question is like how do you protect, like, your own personal social media space and like what, what steps do you do to like make your social media like a happy and safe place for you to be?
Speaker 3:Yeah Well, I like it's weird. Like when I go on social media I'm very quick about it, like I'm like see the people I want to see do the things I want to do, cause half the time if I'm on there I'm working like I'm posting something, I'm doing something for a client, I'm looking for inspo for a client, like like I'm working. So when I'm going on just for like enjoyment, it's because I want to see a picture of my niece, I want to see what hair live did that day and maybe some nail inspo, right Like I'm not trying to just like doom scroll and if I do, it's because I need some like inspo in my life.
Speaker 3:Like Andrew and I have talked about that all the time that our TikToks are very much curated in a good way for both of us and we are our TikToks are both very inspirational, Like the algorithm is doing its job.
Speaker 3:Right Like we are, but we're inspired, like my TikTok is like moms doing the damn thing, getting up every morning, working out, like doing things that like when I like scroll and watch that before I go to bed, like I'm excited to do what I'm going to do the next day. So I think, just being careful and like I've probably just been doing it well enough, that the algorithm just knows right what I want to see and what like makes me feel good. And but I think part of that too is like I cannot watch shows that like my husband watches, like Black Mirror and stuff. I can't. That stuff will sit with me for like a week and I'm like I need the, I need friends.
Speaker 2:I need the office, like I need something that's just gonna yes, yeah.
Speaker 3:To just feel good because, like, there's enough shit that's gonna like affect us Friends is my go to and new girl.
Speaker 1:I love friends.
Speaker 2:It's so good let's get started with rapid fire questions. These are always fun. What's a small daily habit that's had a major impact on your growth?
Speaker 3:feel like motherhood. Take a shower every day, just have time where no one's touching you. But getting outside, my husband and I are very much like touch grass kind of people. You know the earth gives vibrations that like we need to have, so just, I guess that's just another daily one I love that part about the earth gives vibrations.
Speaker 1:Everybody needs to put it on more.
Speaker 3:Yes, my husband like hates it when our kids wear shoes because he's like they need to touch grass.
Speaker 2:I love that, though.
Speaker 1:That's great like prickers actually I walked a golf course, like with my once, like Justin Socks, and it was amazing, amazing, it was awesome, so grounding, so grounding. Seriously, I was wet, I was like, but OK, great. Second question A book that's changed your perspective in the last year.
Speaker 3:OK, so I'm not a reader year. Okay, so I'm not a reader. I don't have time for that in my life. But I listened to podcasts and I feel like I heard this quote on a podcast once and it was work should never be the first, last or hardest thing you do in your day. And I feel like that stuck with me ever since I heard that and I try to tell like as many people as I can to like work that into a conversation organically Right, like how do that? But yeah, I feel like it's so important, it's so much how we live our lives that, like we just want to live our days and have our life be our life and not have it be about work.
Speaker 1:I love that that's so beautiful I feel like a lot of people need to like sit with that a little bit more, and I mean it's not like too much of like, too like people's fault is, like it's just always like push on you like, work, work work yeah. That's the way like our society is built, but it's like such a beautiful thing to remind people that like you're actually not put on this earth to work, you know, just enjoy.
Speaker 3:Yeah, challenge yourself too. Like I love the like hardest part to like challenge yourself, but like not in a work aspect, like try, like when people are like oh, like like running marathons or like doing things that are like challenging but in a different aspect of life is just, I think, so good for your overall well-being, which kind of jumps into our next one Biggest comfort zone you've pushed yourself to break out of recently.
Speaker 3:I think just like letting go of the reins a little bit and letting my team manage things that they're good at, because I hired them, because they're amazing at that. So letting them take off and running in that aspect, letting my husband be the amazing partner that he is and allow each other time to do the things that we need to do to take care of ourselves. Um, so just knowing and letting myself be okay with the fact that I can't do it all and I need help sometimes I love like I struggle with it's, like I struggle with losing control of things, so I can totally relate to that I feel like we're all so similar, bro, like this is like
Speaker 3:would you guys say you're type a?
Speaker 2:I. I feel like you're more type A than me. Yeah, I feel like I'm type A when it comes to my work, sure, but like in life, I am very type B, you think? Yeah, I feel like I am. That's because you guys came over. I feel like I'm a mix, like I'm a good in between, like like I'm not to one extreme for sure. I feel like you're not really either.
Speaker 1:No, I don't know yeah, I mean when you were talking about like learning to like loosen the reins and like yeah, like give out of control, I just I like to have control me too about things, so like I don't, I'm just like oh, okay, I know photography too, and I it's like if that's part of it too.
Speaker 3:I just have to remind myself nothing bad it can't, it can't be, no do it. I have to keep stop thinking so hard about it right.
Speaker 1:Also most valuable lesson that you've learned about yourself since becoming a mother. I love question.
Speaker 3:That's a good one, I feel like it's definitely the overarching idea that time is a currency and how I spend it matters way more than how much I have of it, right, so it goes back to the idea of I'm replaceable everywhere but home.
Speaker 1:My kids are, you know, never going to be as obsessed with me as they are now, and just knowing that what I spend my time doing is just so much more important than how much I have of it that's so beautiful and I mean, obviously Liv and I like aren't moms and stuff, but like I just I love hearing about like the journey of motherhood and like all the things and like how you've evolved as a person, because you don't necessarily like lose yourself, you're just kind of like growing into a new version of yourself, I guess, to kind of just you know wrap everything up. Would love to know about any exciting things that you have coming up either for Simple Focus Studios or Raise Agency that you want all of our listeners to know about oh my gosh, so many exciting things are coming.
Speaker 3:I think I kind of hinted a little bit at it earlier. We have a little rebrand coming which was so needed and so necessary. Both Simple Focus and Raise were kind of just like my first drafts, which I talked about before too, which I was like let's just go for it. And it just kind of stuck and I'm we're you know they've. They served us at the time that we had them, but we're just so ready to kind of launch something that's so us and so needed. You're piquing my interest right now.
Speaker 3:And well, cause we're just we're everything's connected right Like we have the agency, we have the photography business and we want to have a space, right Like we're ready to get into that part of our journey. So we will hopefully have a space in the very near future to share with everyone, and it'll be something that everyone in Madison can enjoy as well as us. So we're very excited. So stay tuned, follow us on all of our accounts because we'll you know we'll share as things get kind of ready and ramping up. Um, but yeah, we're very excited and it was very, it was very much time and it's kind of like part of the whole evolving right like we're excited for a new chapter yeah, wow, goes perfectly, evolving, yeah, always I love it well.
Speaker 1:Thank you so much for joining us. I know, know, like with you know all the things a little Harvey, a little cozy, she's like give me the mic, but that's just the beauty of it, you know, like we're doing it and we're, we're all just like in the thick of it together and I love it so much and I'm just so excited to see, like, what's in store for you and I'm just so glad that we finally got to meet too and they just thank you for, for you know, chatting with us yeah, thank you guys for like uh, there's this quote where people say they'll hold time and space.
Speaker 3:So thank you for holding time and space for your guests and just for all the thoughts that you guys have and like share with people, because it is important, and I know that sometimes it might feel like way more work than it's worth, but it is worth it and people want to hear the thoughts and the cause. Not everyone has like the creative outlook that you guys have, so it's it's so important to share, that's so nice of you.
Speaker 1:Thank you so much Actually gives me all the more motivation to just like keep going Same.
Speaker 2:And knowing your background and how you got to where you are today, harvey's gonna send me a whole world but anyways, yes, I would love to close us out.
Speaker 1:Thank you guys. So much, um for joining us for another episode on evolve. A repeat go follow mariah over at mariah tobenheim. We'll have her instagram linked in the description here so you can find that, but all of her businesses are linked in her bio, so stay tuned for all of those. Definitely go give all of them a follow, because she is up to so much and we're just so excited to see where it goes. Go follow live over at live worth and at lived in dot studio. And then my instagram is at theshelbylanay.
