Megan Pando on Shark Tank, Building Brave & Redefining Success.

Sixty seconds of total silence doesn’t sound that long… until you’re standing on a Persian rug making eye contact with some of the most famous investors in America.

This week, Megan Pando joins me to talk about what Shark Tank actually feels like from the inside — the nerves, the pressure, the mindset shifts, and what happened after the cameras stopped rolling.

But this episode goes way deeper than TV.

We talk about:
✨ Building Makers Social through uncertainty, failed deals, and brutal “in-between” seasons
✨ Getting ghosted in business and the stories we create when people don’t close the loop
✨ Why scaling fast isn’t always the goal
✨ Franchising vs. corporate growth and protecting culture while growing
✨ Being a single mom entrepreneur
✨ Handling criticism without losing yourself
✨ Grief, emo music, bravery, freedom, and redefining success on your own terms

This conversation is honest, funny, emotional, and probably way too relatable if you’ve ever questioned yourself while building something big.

And maybe the biggest takeaway?
Trying new things while you’re bad at them might actually be the whole point.

👇 Drop a comment: What does success look like for you right now?

If this episode hit home:
✔️ Subscribe to The Keri Croft Show
✔️ Send this to a friend chasing something scary
✔️ Leave a review — it helps us grow and keeps these conversations going

And Keep Moving, Baby!

Transcript

Sponsor Messages And Offers

Keri Croft 0:00

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Pink Jeep Banter And Hello

Keri Croft 1:21

there, you beautiful badass. Welcome to the Carrie Croft Show. Meg Pando. Welcome to the Carrie Croft Show. Thanks so much. So nice to have you here. It's great to be here. You're cute. So are you. Thank you. We're both we're in our blonde cuteness, aren't we?

SPEAKER_00 1:43

We're in our blonde cute togetherness here. Oh my gosh. I drive a pink jeep. I'm already off topic. Um and there is no topic so far. Okay, great. I pulled up at a red light yesterday and another pink jeep pulled up next to me. I got it a year ago. I've been waiting a year for this moment for another pink Jeep to pull up next to my pink jeep. You have a pink Jeep? Yeah. And she rolls a wind window down and she goes, I love your Jeep. And I was like, I love your Jeep. And she was like, Woo! Is that funny? Yeah. Oh, I have to see it. Yeah. And then um we both turned our music back up and I was like, Oh, I wonder if she's listening to what I'm listening to. And um, she was listening to Taylor Swift, and I was listening to Rage Against Machine. So it was very I mean, but I have been waiting for that moment because you only see a couple around Columbus, you know. Well, I can't even I don't know that that I've seen a pink Jeep. You probably have. Now you're gonna notice them. So is it a fuchsia or is it light pink? It's like fuchsia. The the name is Tuscadara. It's named after some character from a TV show. Um, I can't remember.

Keri Croft 2:49

So I love it's how that says a lot about your personality. Well, does it? Uh-huh. It does. Because like most people, like I think, and I mean it in a good way. Like for you know, most people ride a line with cars, you know, like like a pink Jeep is not standard. What do you drive? A white Land Rover.

SPEAKER_00 3:10

Oh, I park next to you. Yeah.

Keri Croft 3:11

What about the ducks? Do people put ducks in it?

SPEAKER_00 3:14

Yeah, I have like 50 ducks in the center console.

Keri Croft 3:17

Do you know I just learned? I just learned that that was a thing that you guys do for each other. I was like, what is going on?

SPEAKER_00 3:23

And then I Yeah. I this is my second Wrangler, and um, I think the reason that I'm a Wrangler person now is one, you will always have at least 10 people wave to you on the streets every day. And two, we all give each other gifts. It's it's a nice little culture, right? Yeah, it brings joy every day. So cool.

Keri Croft 3:42

So

Shark Tank Silence And Power

Keri Croft 3:43

you, ma'am, have had a big year or years. You were just on Shark Tank, which I mean I know people are so curious about. And I want to know the first thing I want to know about Shark Tank is when you do that walkout and you're staring at all those people, and they're intimidating.

SPEAKER_02 4:00

Yeah.

Keri Croft 4:01

Were you like freaking out or did you just black out?

SPEAKER_00 4:04

No, I freaked out. Actually, the producers tell you ahead of time that there's gonna be 60 seconds of complete silence when you walk out into the tank. You step onto the carpet, there's like a Persian rug, and you step into the middle of it. And then for the next 60 seconds, you just have to smile and make eye contact with the sharks until the executive producer says, begin. And so those 60 seconds feel like 10 minutes. It was uh very nerve-wracking. But at the same time, that was the most powerful 60 seconds of the entire experience. I had like a spiritual moment. It was, it was amazing because these people, you know, America's most incredible investors in front of me, uh, they became human in that moment. I started to see the wrinkles in their clothes and the texture in their skin, and then they were off of their pedestals. There were just people here having a good time doing their job next to me, having a good time doing my job. And then it just became a conversation. And so there was like a lot of magic to that.

Keri Croft 5:01

Yeah,

Auditioning While Feeling Defeated

Keri Croft 5:02

I love that. What made you decide Shark Tank?

SPEAKER_00 5:06

That's a long I have a long answer. Um, I guess, you know, I was always a fan of Shark Tank. The first season was when I was in college. Um, I was a freshman. And so I was 19 years old or 18, and I started watching it and thinking, like, these are my people. They're full of ideas and creativity, and they just want to run after their ideas. So I found that they I I could relate to them and I kind of felt like a black sheep in high school. I'm I barely passed high school. I wasn't, you know, a classroom kid. And in um while I'm watching Shark Tank, I also, you know, struggled in in college to find my way. I was in art school at the time. And I remember a professor who had said to me that I would never make real art. I was not an art, I was not meant to be here, that I should find a trade, go to a trade school and learn how to do something else. And he said it in such a condescending, awful way. And back then, I think it was you you got away with a lot more as a professor talking like that. I don't know that you'd probably get canceled in this day and age. But um, I went back to my apartment and I cried. Um, but I remember Shark Tank bringing me back to life and thinking, um, you know, I I am gonna prove him wrong. I am gonna make real art. And I I was always very motivated by people who talked to me like that. And so then fast forward to uh 2025, I I had makers social my business for about five years, and I was ready to scale it. I really wanted to open a second location, and things kept falling through for about two years. I was uh potentially working with this investor and then that investor, and then this commercial space didn't work out, construction was too expensive over here, and everything just kept falling through. And then um there was one group who I wanted to work with really, really badly, and they would be uh amazing mentors and they would take me on this journey of scaling my business. I could um get uh guidance from them and get money from them, and it would be awesome. So I put, you know, all my eggs in that basket. I had my hopes and dreams here. This was gonna work out. Here's um here's the the the moment that that everything transforms and I can now scale my business properly. And then uh that didn't work out. And then I spiraled because I I had my heart so set on that. When I spiraled, it was just a really, really low point. And it lasted over a month. I was so hard on myself and down on myself. Like I said something wrong. This business isn't worth investing in. I uh I should just give up, you know, just beating myself up. And then I start seeing these auditions for Shark Tank. And I'm thinking, like, I need to just get up, get out of victimhood, and uh put myself in a scenario that's going to build my confidence. So I'm gonna go to this audition in Philadelphia, pitch to these strangers, and then they're gonna say good job, and I'll go home and I'll feel refreshed again. And I also get to meet 10,000 entrepreneurs who are also auditioning for Shark Tank. Like that's really exciting and cool. So I asked my dad to come watch my son uh for two days while I went to Philadelphia. And uh when I auditioned, it was really uh amazing to meet all of those entrepreneurs. I mean, we're all waiting in line for six hours. I I don't think it was my turn to pitch until 4 p.m. And I got there at like 5 a.m. at this casino, you know, where we were all auditioning. And so I met so many amazing people and heard all of their business ideas and businesses that had already um hit the ground running and they were thriving and they were from all over the US. So that was definitely the coolest part. And then it was my turn to go. I got 60 seconds to pitch. I heard good job, and I went home. Well, I got a Philly cheesesteak and went to the um Patty's pub. But then I went home and uh I didn't expect anything to come of it, but then I got a call back and I moved forward and went through um a couple of interviews. I had to send in an audition tape, so creating a video of my pitch and what it would be like. And I mean, then after two weeks or so, they were like, okay, we're flying you out here. Um and this was June of last year. So it did actually turn into something. It came from me being at a low point, you know, and deciding to get myself up and just do something for fun and for me, and then it turned into something way bigger. And I think uh 40 or 50,000 people audition each year, only a hundred make it and get to film. So it was such a cool honor. And um I'm just really lucky I had the whole, the whole experience. And then, of course, when I'm on my way there on the plane, I'm thinking about 18 or 19-year-old me who heard from that professor that I would never be a real artist. It well, I became something different. Uh, I I built something different. I built a space where everybody's an artist. How ironic is that. So uh that's just like I think the coolest part of my journey. You know, we always talk about our ourselves when we were teenagers looking up to us right now and how proud they are of us right now. So that was a moment where I could think of of how far I had come since I was 19.

Keri Croft 10:54

Yeah.

Ghosting, Setbacks, And Self Talk

Keri Croft 10:55

Yeah. Big time. Going back to this group that you had your heart set on and it didn't work out. Did they tell you like, hey, this isn't gonna work out and here's why, or do they kind of ghost you or leave you hanging?

SPEAKER_00 11:08

I was sort of left hanging. Uh yeah, I was sort of left hanging. So I I didn't know what happened. You know, and that's that's the thing that I that intrigues me.

Keri Croft 11:21

You know, I mean, it's one thing in your personal life. I mean, I think ghosting to me is the most cowardly thing. It's I mean, I could talk for an entire podcast on it.

SPEAKER_02 11:31

Yeah.

Keri Croft 11:31

Um, but in business, I just feel like, you know, it that is like a that's it that's 101. Like, hey, this isn't gonna work out, and this is why, you know, we wish you well, close the loop.

SPEAKER_00 11:45

I know, but people are gonna ghost us because there isn't a world where people aren't ghosting us. So it's up to us to not write that story of like, oh, I did XYZ wrong, because who are we hurting? Just ourselves. Correct. They don't care what story we're making.

Keri Croft 12:01

So interesting. It's like, um, but it does leave you to draw your own conclusions. You know, it's like if somebody could just help you tie the bow on it, you know, and then you could accept it and move on. Um, I just I just think it's interesting to that they couldn't just tell you the reason.

Franchising Versus Smarter Scaling

Keri Croft 12:18

So with Shark Tank, did I read this correctly that they were going down the rabbit hole like franchising and then they were like poo-pooing that because it would be too difficult to scale it for in that way? Right. Yeah, yeah, totally. Just because of all the different crafts and things, like that because of the complexity of of creating those things.

SPEAKER_00 12:39

I think franchising can get tough just because you're adding in a bunch of other business owners with a bunch of other personalities and a bunch of other ideas. And the franchiseur is almost like a parent raising more kids. So if I franchised, I have to be it's like it's like being ready to have more kids. Oh, yeah. Are you ready to have more kids? Yeah. Like, because that's that's what franchising is, and you you it's not just mentorship you're giving them, you also have to stop them from like taking control and making their own decisions too. And so uh I've looked into franchising for years, and uh it it is it is very complex, and I just don't want to put myself in that scenario yet, or without a team who knows how to do that.

Keri Croft 13:26

Yeah, no, I franchise I we we try that. Oh, really? Yeah, at my old at my old fitness um company, and we did one franchise, and I was always against it. It was like a four-letter word to me. And then I talked myself into the fact that it was probably the best idea. And we did it and we went through all the steps. We got one franchise and I learned very quickly. You know, it's very, very ch I mean, both both ways of scaling are extremely challenging, but if you can get the capital for like the the next couple to do it corporate, I mean, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 14:03

And so you stopped after one franchise.

Keri Croft 14:06

Well, I ended up um we we didn't per then COVID happened, all these things. I mean, they opened, I think talk about timing. I want to say they opened up was it two two months before COVID? Like it was a hard yeah, it was a hard road, like road, they're still open in Cincinnati. But um then I ended up selling my interest to my partner. Oh, okay. And moving on from the business in general. But um, I understand very well like both sides of the the coin with corporate and franchising, and yeah, I mean, right. There's some complexities for sure.

SPEAKER_01 14:43

Yeah.

Single Mom Boundaries At Work

Keri Croft 14:44

And you're doing all this as a single mom.

SPEAKER_00 14:46

Mm-hmm.

Keri Croft 14:47

How's that?

SPEAKER_00 14:48

Yeah. Um, it's fun.

Keri Croft 14:51

Like it just juggle, like you're just used to it and juggling it, and you have a good co-parent.

SPEAKER_00 14:55

Yeah, yeah. Nico comes along to work with me all the time. Uh, someone actually just complained, uh, like a customer complained about my son being at work with me. And you know, it it is a bar, but it's also an art studio. So he when he's there, he's painting or he's coloring or he's like, mommy, can I vacuum? And that's just life for me. Like he's always going to be involved. And so hearing someone complain about it and knowing also I don't even have family in this city. Like, if he throws up at school, I'm picking him up from school. No one else is picking him up, you know. I and it's just uh it's frustrating when people don't understand and just allow kids to be a part of society. Like, can they, can they not see me work? Can they not sit next to me when I'm working? Did they so like real time come up and say something?

Keri Croft 15:46

Or how did that how did it happen?

SPEAKER_00 15:47

It was an email, you know, it was it was very unprofessional. There was a kid there, and we couldn't um we couldn't believe that you know, we're in an in this, we're out on this in this public uh bar and there there's a kid. And so I called them to talk about it. You know, and I said, Yeah, I'm I'm so sorry, I'm the owner. There's no one else to watch my kids sometimes. And um, yeah, it I call everyone. I call everyone that that emails us or leaves a bad review. It's a boss move. That's what I used to do.

Keri Croft 16:20

Oh, really? Oh, without a doubt. Yeah. When I when I would be at SOS, because I not only it's not like you're trying to puff your chest out so much as I really would like to try to understand first of all, but then win them over again. Yeah. You know, try to figure out a way to get to the other side of it. So I I'm someone who kind of sees that as an opportunity as opposed to, you know, what how what was their reaction to you calling? I'm sure they were a little taken aback.

SPEAKER_00 16:44

Yeah, they were, but they still wanted a refund. Were they not nice about it when you called? Uh no, they were. They they were they were nice. They wanted a refund? Yeah, yeah. A lot of people do. Yeah.

Keri Croft 16:56

Did you give it to them?

SPEAKER_00 16:58

No.

unknown 16:58

No.

SPEAKER_00 16:59

Are you kidding me? Yeah, yeah. That's insane. Did you ever like when you got had bad reviews or feedback, did you feel like your body got hot? Like, oh, I am so, you know, it it's not like I I don't it's such a reactive thing. Like it's like you're you're bullying my child. Oh, without, I mean, for sure.

Keri Croft 17:23

But I think um probably more in the beginning than when we started to grow. Because truly it's it's it's data.

SPEAKER_01 17:34

Yeah.

Keri Croft 17:35

You know, you have to think of it as data. And if you're not trying to iterate and get better and really listen to, and I was always a big believer in, you know, finding a common denominator. So if five people said the same thing about what we're doing, then let's get out of our ego and like let's look at what the customer's saying. Right. And then you're gonna have these one-offs here and there where people are just um complaining to complain. But I think just trying to be um the best, most sound leader possible and trying to figure out what the customer really wants. You know, you kind of have to temper your, but yeah, I remember reflexively. Yeah, you know, as I was coming up and building the business, it's you're so emotional. Yeah, totally. You know, you're so emotional.

SPEAKER_01 18:22

Yeah.

Keri Croft 18:23

I think once you can step away from that emotion and kind of hold on to it a little looser. Totally. Yeah. Yeah. And that was one gift that that I was given um probably like three years into SOS, because me and I was like wrapped around the axle over that company. And

Bad Reviews As Useful Data

Keri Croft 18:38

um, I went away for like 35 days to Bali and just kind of got weird. And I was like, Yeah, you gotta hold on loosely. But like, what if it went away tomorrow? Yeah. Like just hold on, but like loosen it up a little bit. Right. You know, and so I think it's hard. Wow. Did you go there by yourself just to for yoga training? Wow. Yeah, it's really fun and challenging, yeah, and horrible.

unknown 19:01

Oh no.

Keri Croft 19:01

It was all it was all of it. Like I I about had a panic attack leaving, like getting on that plane. I was like, I felt like the bottom was fall, I was so scared. I'm like, I'm going to Bali by myself.

unknown 19:12

Wow.

Keri Croft 19:12

And then when I got there, I was like, oh my God, I would love to go back someday.

SPEAKER_00 19:15

Yeah. So when you came home, how different did you feel? Um pushing yourself into something.

Keri Croft 19:22

Just I probably more just a little bit, a little notch up of confidence. Just like, yeah, I did that. That was, you know, and then a little more expansive, you know. Um

Bali Perspective And Creative Risk

Keri Croft 19:31

I think being around people who I think I was like two of like two, there were two, maybe two or three Americans out of like the 30 of us, and just seeing like how we're perceived or we're perceived in the world, um, how capitalism is perceived, how other people live and they just want to be and not do. And I'm like, wait, what?

SPEAKER_01 19:52

Right.

Keri Croft 19:53

No one's impressed by the fact that I own a business. You know, they're almost like, ew. Yeah. And so just just seeing that and living in in that whole thing was interesting. Yeah. You know? Yeah. Like I wouldn't want to probably live there, but it's a really great place to visit.

SPEAKER_00 20:08

Yeah. I always think of how different their definition of success is. You know, like is that even in their vocabulary? It, you know, success is just being.

Keri Croft 20:21

Yeah. And they would walk around with a little like whatever they had on their head that they were carrying, and they were just sm kind of smiling, just like this, very content. Like, and they'd have their that like I'd go run down in the village and the kids were playing, and everyone was just kind of they were all staring at me like I was half nuts. Yeah. Like, what is she doing? Kind of just laughing like I wasn't in on their joke.

SPEAKER_01 20:41

Yeah.

Keri Croft 20:41

Um, but yeah, like what the definition of success is definitely different, you know?

SPEAKER_01 20:46

Yeah.

Keri Croft 20:46

But then here we are, these crazy entrepreneurs who are like, I know. I know. Now you're creative, like, like what else do you do? Like, so you do the candles, what are you doing consistently to to stay creative, like in your life?

SPEAKER_00 21:02

In my life.

Keri Croft 21:03

Well.

SPEAKER_00 21:08

That's a great question. I think creativity for me, you know, when I was in art school, it was obviously making art, and now it's like doing things that bring me adrenaline, I guess, like new things. That's why I asked about Bali. I I think taking risks is my form of creativity. And so I I like to pick up new things. The ukulele's next. I bought one, I got that far playing the ukulele. And then uh I started golfing six years ago, and that was life-changing uh because I was pushing myself in beginnerhood and something that I was really, really bad at and like learning how to fail all over again. And I mean I guess that's it. I mean, I don't make art anymore, you know, I don't have that as. A as a daily practice or anything. Do you miss it? Yeah, yeah, I do for sure. There's just not a world where I would have time to do that right now. It's like I struggle even to keep uh you know, to keep friends. We all struggle to even keep friendships alive. It's like I have 42 minutes every other Monday to hang out, you know. Like that's how I feel right now in that kind of stuff.

Keri Croft 22:20

No, it's you're spinning lots of plates. Yeah. Lots of plates. I I can like I'm just trying to, I'm, I'm like um catching your energy, you know, and you come off very um sweet and like almost like unsure, but you know you're like I I figure you're probably in your life have been underestimated.

SPEAKER_00 22:45

Oh, yeah, that's like my middle name.

Keri Croft 22:47

Right?

SPEAKER_00 22:48

And it's fun because sometimes it works to my advantage. Um I could play stupid when I need to. Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 22:55

Yeah.

Keri Croft 22:56

But uh yeah, for sure. Yeah. You know, and then the being blonde and pretty and all that stuff probably doesn't help because it's like people are like, oh, and then you can just come in swinging when you're stealthy. You know what I mean? I think like I can totally see that. But we you talked a little bit earlier about victimhood.

Getting Out Of Victimhood

Keri Croft 23:11

What um where did you get so stuck in that, like in your life, and like where do you think that came from and how are you able to get yourself out of it?

SPEAKER_01 23:22

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 23:23

Well, I think right now, a lot of us millennials, we talk about um how our parents ruined us and and how we are the way we are because of this relationship and the boyfriend that that did this to me 20 years ago, and that's why I can't now trust you. And you know, and all of it is it's just I was always doing stuff like that. I was always saying things like, oh, I am this way because I am this that way because, and that doesn't help the cause, just stop being that way. Like, how do I stop being that way? Let's stop talking about how I got this way and let's work on being different and changing. And nobody wants to hear that excuse, like, oh, okay, now I feel sorry for you because your parents made you this way, and that's why you treated me terribly. Like, I don't want to give people excuses as to why I messed up or did something wrong to them. Like, oh, well, it's because of my childhood. I want to say, I'm sorry I did X, Y, Z. I'm gonna work on improving because it doesn't matter why I did that. It's just what I'm gonna do moving forward to be different. And so then I realized I was in a state of victimhood. And a lot of us are. And I'm not saying that it's not valid how we feel about our childhood or our exes or why we are the way we are. That understanding is great, but what are we gonna do with it next? And I think after COVID was when I wanted to rip myself out of victimhood because uh there was, there were just so many conversations I was having with people about how hard it was to bring. I had two brick and mortar businesses that were event venues during COVID, and I had my son a month before COVID too. And the one, Makers, I opened a month before COVID. And then the other one I opened uh in 2014. So I'm like wearing my baby and trying to keep both these businesses afloat. Every employee's quitting, uh, marriage falling apart, I don't know what, I don't know what to do. It it was definitely rock bottom, don't get me wrong, but the more I talk about it, the the more nothing happened, you know. If if I'm just gonna claim that that's why I'm so great and strong because I made it through that experience, uh, I'm grateful for who who I came, who I became coming out of it. You know, the business builds us just as much as we build the business. But at the same time, it's it's it's my past. And yeah, I was just starting to get sick to my stomach thinking about how how sad I was.

Keri Croft 26:20

Ladies,

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Keri Croft 26:21

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Redefining Success As Service

Keri Croft 27:34

Um, so what I mean, what else? What else is like on the horizon? What else?

SPEAKER_00 27:41

Um I guess in in this year, I you know, I'm gonna continue looking for a second location, but at the same time, like I've kind of changed my definition of success. If I don't, that's that's okay, going back to what even is success. And you know, after Shark Tank, it it changed. There's a lot of people when you're an entrepreneur who ask you, what's your big hairy, audacious goal? And what's your big exit that you want? And I'm so sick of being asked that question. And thank God I didn't ask it.

unknown 28:18

I know.

SPEAKER_00 28:19

But just no, it's okay. But but but being you know, being asked that question over and over again and feeling like I have to justify that I don't have a big exit in mind, uh, it feels wrong, right? But the truth is, like success to me is is service work, it's serving the community, it's the footprint that you leave and your legacy. And if you can listen to one person who needs to to vent on any given day or get get their shit out and and talk about stuff, like then you've done your goal that day. That's been your success that day, you know? And and so right now I'm working on that. And that's insane to say after going on Shark Tank and getting a deal with Kevin O'Leary for me to just uh say something like that. But um yeah, the the big hairy audacious goal, it's just everything could be stripped from you in a day. And so then what? And that's what I've learned through all of these things not working out and me getting my heart set on them. It's like, why get my heart set on anything now except to enjoy the ride and figure it out as I go? And the next thing that feels right, I'm gonna jump and take that risk and have a good time doing it. But if it doesn't feel right, I'm not gonna force it because I'm gonna be let down in the end.

Keri Croft 29:35

I think it's a great perspective to have. I really do. Because I think if you talk to people, you know, that are just driving for the, you know, the exit, the ego, and all the are they really enjoying themselves? Are they really improving the atmosphere? Like what are you what are you doing?

SPEAKER_01 29:51

Yeah.

Keri Croft 29:51

Or are you just kind of marching to that drum because you feel like that's what you're supposed to do?

SPEAKER_00 29:55

Yeah, because you're comparing yourself to everyone else and what they're saying should be your big exit and your your big um hairy audacious goal. So what is success to you?

Keri Croft 30:06

Success to me, good question, is being able to show my kids what it looks like to be brave. Um, to be able to show them kind of, you know, when you say service, like just improving the atmosphere, doing things for the community through the show, like our lemonade stand, um, showing them what mental athleticism looks like, being able to define that for them, which is a big reason why I was so intent on drawing in like what does that actually mean and how do you live by it? Um and and like really for them to know like they can do anything they want to do. But but it's gonna be hard. Yeah, you know, that would be success to me. And and freedom. Yeah, you know, this to me, having the freedom to do what I want to do every day is and I and it's not lost on me that that a lot of people don't get that. Um that's pretty much success. You know?

SPEAKER_01 31:06

Totally. I love that.

Hosting With Energy Over Scripts

Keri Croft 31:08

I like that you ask questions. You know, it's funny. I ask people sometimes, I'll be like, hey, if you want to have like a circular conversation, I would love, you know, and then sometimes people get so like wrapped up and nervous, like they can't. And so it's nice that you can kind of just do the yeah, totally.

SPEAKER_00 31:26

So I can't tell if you're a creative. Are you a creative or are you more left-brained? I'm a I think I'm a unicorn.

Keri Croft 31:33

Oh, I really am because I can go in, like I've can run a business and and do all the like I I know enough to be dangerous on that side. Yeah. Uh, but I also love like creativity and I I'm I'm both.

SPEAKER_01 31:49

Yeah.

Keri Croft 31:49

It's really interesting.

SPEAKER_01 31:50

I love that.

Keri Croft 31:51

This this particular venture here has lent itself a lot to creativity, you know, especially in the beginning to kind of like get whatever's out of my head in terms of what I wanted the show to be, and then as it's growing and evolving and turning into this community, um, it's starting to take shape, you know, and like I'm starting to see and visualize all of the wild stuff that's been in my head.

SPEAKER_00 32:17

Yeah.

Keri Croft 32:18

It's exciting.

SPEAKER_00 32:19

Well, I love that you aim for this show to be so relatable to everybody in so many ways. What are your like top top goals when it comes to like the overarching every episode? What do you want it to give to everyone? Meg Pando's got a podcast, everybody.

Keri Croft 32:41

Introducing Meg Pando. Uh, what will we name your pod? We'll talk about that later. Um, I want them to feel seen, heard, understood, less alone, and entertained.

SPEAKER_00 32:50

Oh, I love that. I love that you had an answer right away.

Keri Croft 32:53

Yeah, of course. I mean, there's a there's an intent with every everything that I do. Uh, I'm not just making content to make it. Yeah. You know, and then but then I'm not I'm not pushing, I'm not forcing anything. So if I have you on, depending on our energy, and that's what's so exciting to me about this, is like you can talk to someone, you can look at them on like social media, you can try to gather information, do your research, do an outline. But until somebody sits in this chair and my energy hits your energy, I won't know. Right. And that's part of like the adrenaline free and the excitement. Yeah. And where I'm like feeling people out and I'm like, so I don't, I plan, but I don't overplan. And so that would be a um a tidbit, not that anyone asked, but if they did ask around interviewing or how to, you know, do it or how do I do it?

SPEAKER_01 33:47

Yeah.

Keri Croft 33:47

It's it's like an art and a science. So yeah, do I prepare? I prepare. For some, I prepare more than others. Do I have a methodology around it? I do. But the energetic unfolding is what I'm really in tune to. And I think that's what that that is the difference between a host who, you know, thinks you have it all planned out and we're gonna like get on these cue cards and we're gonna go. And then the host who's like, ooh, giddy up, baby.

SPEAKER_00 34:15

Yeah. Who's in the chair? Yeah, you know. Yeah, totally. Wow. But it must be hard to switch between all the energies because, like, if you have like three discussions in one day, that's like a lot of energy to take in.

Keri Croft 34:28

It is, it is, and and you know, you think about it. I three is a max for me, unless I absolutely had to do more, which there really shouldn't be a reason for it, but um it is a lot. And so, and and it depends on the conversation. You know what I mean? So, like there are some conversations if you are sitting with someone who's gone through something really hard or it hits deeply in some weird way, and then you take it home with you or whatever. But yeah, I mean, I I I don't, I don't know. I think for me, I'm pretty good at the energy shifting. Yeah, you know, I'm really I'm kind of like a bob and weave. So that part of it isn't isn't too bad.

SPEAKER_01 35:06

Yeah.

Keri Croft 35:07

Have you ever thought about having a pod?

SPEAKER_00 35:09

No. No. I do like to hear other people's stories more than um yeah, I I have a lot of questions for everybody.

SPEAKER_02 35:20

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 35:20

Yeah. Yeah. But that's good that you're inquisitive. Yeah, I think we can learn from each other's experiences. It's um yeah, definitely love talking. What's

Emo Music, Grief, And Healing

SPEAKER_00 35:31

your what will you listen to when you get back in the car? What will I listen to? Um on the way here, I was uh listening to Rage Against the Machine. What is it called? State Champs.

Keri Croft 35:43

Oh, that was when you were doing Rage Against the Machine when you saw that girl. State Champs?

SPEAKER_00 35:48

Yeah, I I think they're from Columbus. Um another emo band. You know, emo music was uh my favorite as a kid. Yeah. And I don't think it goes away for some of us. It's also very healing, emo music is. Uh I remember when I first got into emo rock was in high school sophomore year, my mom died from ovarian cancer, and I was um healing through music for sure. And then after going through divorce, I I came back to the emo music. I went to every concert I could go to summer 2022. And I was also sober for a whole year completely. And I would go to concerts and just sing the music of my childhood really loud and cry. So if anybody saw me at Kembo Live summer 22, I wasn't drunk in the lawn crying, very sober.

Keri Croft 36:46

So, see, this this tidbit very important about your mom that I didn't know. Oh, yeah. Because she didn't fill out the form. Yes. So I'm just learning this now. And so this that had to be your sophomore year.

SPEAKER_00 37:01

Uh freshman summer, freshman year summer, yeah. Going into school.

Keri Croft 37:05

So hard, so incredibly like challenging.

SPEAKER_00 37:08

Yeah, she homeschooled me too, so we were very close. Um, and then I had to go to public school, um, which was a really hard transition, uh, especially while grieving that. And she had a pretty long battle to it. It's a very ugly cancer. I mean, also just watching a parent slowly die from cancer is really tough.

SPEAKER_02 37:30

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 37:30

But then going to public high school and trying to like adjust and make new friends was um was another level. I have a funny story to lighten the mood. Um first week of school. Yeah. First week of school, I sit down in the lunchroom with um, I'm invited to the cool girls table to eat lunch. And I have my double popped collar, the Abercrombie and Fitch, pink and blue collars popped. Oh yeah. Light pink lip gloss, raccoon, eyeliner, ready to go. Okay. With the cool girls table. I'm feeling it. I'm feeling it. And uh I sit down and one of them pulls out her flip phone, her little Nokia flip phone, and she is showing everybody a big marijuana plant. She's like, You guys, look at look at my weed. Look at how good it's doing. And I was like, but wait, Heather, I love gardening too, but why would you grow a weed on purpose?

Keri Croft 38:23

Oh.

SPEAKER_00 38:25

And then with my tail between my legs, I had to walk back over to the nerd table. Did they kick you out? Or they're like, you're up. Yeah, they were just cracking up. Like, you can't sit with us. You can't sit with us.

Keri Croft 38:37

And when did you when did you get the memo? Like, did you when did you figure it out? You're like, wait, that was actually weed.

SPEAKER_00 38:43

Yeah, no, they I I mean, I can't remember word for word, but they just explained to me, like, no, this is something that you smoke. And I was like, like, crack? Like, I just I didn't know. I didn't know anything. I was 15. I should have known by then for sure. But uh, that's what homeschool will do to you. Yeah.

Keri Croft 39:00

Did you like homeschool? Did you like being homeschooled?

SPEAKER_00 39:03

Yeah, it was amazing. Um, my mom was so good at it and she was so social. So, like, she socialized us great. Um, we were in all different kinds of clubs, we got to go on ski trips. I remember there was one week she was like, We're doing science in the Sequoia Forest. We're going to California. And, you know, that having that freedom is incredible. Uh, and she pushed me. She was very tough on us. Um, very tough. And I'm grateful for how tough she was because I wouldn't um I wouldn't be who I am without that toughness. What when you say tough, what do you mean? Uh I mean in school, we just had to uh I mean, we had to get straight A's pass every, you know, every test. Our punishments, like we had very strange punishments, like polish all of the baseboards in the house. If you I and I remember one time I put mascara on. I was in trouble for wearing makeup, and she made me like pick up all the acorns in the backyard. Like just very strange. Like she was Greek, very emotional. When she was angry, she was very angry. When she was happy, she was very happy. Uh so I do think that's why I'm so tough on myself. I've just had to transform that toughness from like self-deprecating or um mean, mean things that I could say to myself. But we all struggle with that, right?

Keri Croft 40:30

Like your internal command is what we call it in mental athleticism. Yeah. The way you the way you operate your internal world.

SPEAKER_01 40:36

Yes. Yeah, yeah.

Keri Croft 40:37

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 40:38

Yeah.

Keri Croft 40:40

When you when you transitioned into public school then, did you have like a rebellious phase at all? Did you party? Did you like were you like, fuck the world, my mom died? Yeah. Now I'm in public school at these Yahoos. Like, were you just like, what is even happening?

SPEAKER_00 40:56

Yeah. My poor dad, I mean, to be a single dad, working full-time and taking me down to Florida for dance nationals and gymnastics meets and all of those things, you know, and just um, he did an amazing job though. And I feel so bad for what I put him through during my rebellious phase. It wasn't terribly rebellious, but uh enough to make his life harder.

SPEAKER_02 41:24

Right.

SPEAKER_00 41:24

And um, and I bopped around different friend groups uh in high school. I think that was the hardest part was like finding out like where do I belong? Because now I'm in this society where there's jocks and then there's emo kids, and then there's the young life kids, and then there's the the cheerleaders, you know. I I didn't I just didn't know which one am I. Like yeah, and then I think I I just became mostly engraved in like the artsy community, like the artsy emo kids, and we kind of shut down in the classroom. We sleep in class, um, but art class was fun. I loved art class. Thank you, Miss Cook, for seeing me. And uh yeah, but I I did I was doing so good in homeschool. I was testing in, you know, the 98th percentile in the nation when it came to the standardized tests. My mom knew how to teach me, but then put me in a classroom and I was almost failing. Um so I was I wasn't able to be on the volleyball team anymore or the dance team. You know, you can't participate in sports if you're if you're failing in school. So that was rough. And then I didn't um get into, I didn't get into any of the colleges my friends were getting into. I didn't even get into OU and everybody could get into OU. So senior year was when I had this crisis of like, I can't go to college. And my dad is like, well, we can we can find a um some sort of trade school or something. And I remember driving to UC and asking if I could meet with an advisor.

Tenacity Stories That Changed Everything

SPEAKER_00 43:03

And then I just broke down in her office, started crying. I was like, look, I was homeschooled. I totally failed high school, just give me a chance. Like, I've I can do this. And I don't know why I did that, but I did it and it worked. So she um let me into UC. And I had to, under certain circumstances, I had to go to this one building for classes for one semester, and it was all the kids that were on house arrest and me. And we had to pass these certain classes in order to like officially get into like the next the university. So none of these credits counted towards college. It was like a here, we're gonna test drive, like we're gonna see if you can actually get this together, uh, get it together and go to school. So um I got uh straight A's, I worked my ass off, and then they gave me a little certificate uh of the dean's list 2008. And I it's framed in my office at home right now. And um yeah, that was like the first time that I realized that I'm the type of person that will make anything happen if I set my my my heart on it. And uh, and then you know, the next step was to get into DAP, which I don't know if you've heard of DAP, but it's it at the time it was like the third best art school in the nation. So it it at UC, at University of Cincinnati. So at the time it's like, oh, I could get into UC, but there's no way I could get into DAP. But I got into DAP the following year. And then I was able to spend four years in art school and then minored in entrepreneurship. And then I um yeah, I mean, like I said, I I realized that I could could do anything I set my mind to. And then junior year, I had my heart set on meeting Snoop Dogg, which is also a very cool story of um little homeschooled Megan becoming uh who I became in college. So I was an intern with Pax Sun, and I was in there, um, I was like a brand ambassador, and they had these brand ambassadors all across the nation at different colleges. So there were tons and tons of us, and I was just the University of Cincinnati one, but we were all on a video call one day, and they said, you know, the top brand ambassador is is gonna get to fly out to LA and be a marketing intern at our headquarters for two weeks. And then you also get to plan and attend Snoop Dogg's Christmas party. And I'm like, done. That's me. I will be doing that. And I loved Snoop Dogg, and I knew that it was also Rob Deardeck's Christmas party. I knew that his whole crew would be there, all the pro skateboarders that I had a crush on would be there. And I'm like, I'm gonna, I'm gonna make it to this Christmas party. And so I start to hand out these promo cards for Pac Sun that have like my name on them or whatever, so they can track the redemptions. And then I have to make a video proving my efforts. And the video was like, what does the golden state of mind mean to you in California? And I'm in Ohio, so people are just like, I don't know, can you get away from me? I'm trying to walk to class. But I was just like recording people, like this is before selfies were a thing, right? But like, what does the golden state of mind mean to you? What's what's freedom of your soul mean to you? And just all of this hippie stuff. And so I make this video and submit it, and uh I end up winning the contest, and I get to go um intern at Pac Sun, which was super cool. There's like skateboard ramps in their headquarters office, and uh I fell in love with the brand, and all of the people that worked there were amazing, and then um Snoop Dogg was super cool. So how was his party? It was awesome. I wish that Martha Stewart was out of jail in time for it. I know because that would have been even cooler. Um, but it was it was amazing. It was like this huge warehouse. Uh he performed. There was there was a ton of like acrobatics going on. There was, I mean, there were people skateboarding everywhere. It was just like no other party I had ever been to. And um, yeah, I I loved it. That's so great. Yeah.

Keri Croft 47:23

I like you. I like you too. So you have such a sweet disposition, but then like this tenacity, this like low-key tenacity of like I'm a fucking figure it out. It's a really cool combination.

SPEAKER_00 47:36

Oh, thanks. It really is. Yeah. I like it. Yeah. Well, like you said, I think it is important to remember people are watching us, our kids are watching us, the next generation's watching us. So I'll never hesitate to share a story where I made something happen. And I hope that it's never coming off as my ego, as oh, I'm so great, I made it happen. It's like, no, you can too. Uh and even from getting into college, like that's ridiculous. That's not coming from a place of of ego because I almost failed high school. There's nothing to be proud of there.

SPEAKER_02 48:09

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 48:10

This morning I door-dashed toothpaste. There's nothing to be proud of there. It was $23. Thank you for that social bit.

Keri Croft 48:18

Yeah. No, there's nothing about anything that you said that felt even remotely in an ego. And I I think um it's it's truly around overcoming hard things and then allowing someone else to go, oh, wait, me too. She did that, and so therefore, so can I.

SPEAKER_01 48:37

Yeah.

Keri Croft 48:37

You know, and if somebody did think that it was coming from that place, they may have some inner work they need to do.

unknown 48:43

Yeah.

Keri Croft 48:44

And they ain't our problem today. Yeah. They're not our problem today.

Closing Advice And Where To Listen

Keri Croft 48:47

Well, Meg, this has been an absolute pleasure.

SPEAKER_00 48:49

I know. Thank you so much.

Keri Croft 48:51

I feel like we're fast friends now.

SPEAKER_01 48:52

I know.

Keri Croft 48:53

I feel like you have to come to the next IRL. Anything else you'd like to leave the folks at home with, aside from get your ass to make her social.

SPEAKER_00 49:03

Uh no, I don't think so. Just well, try everything that you can, even if you're bad at it. Uh, failure makes you stronger. I'm a big fan of failing and um jumping into beginnerhood and doing things you never could imagine that you can do.

Keri Croft 49:22

I second that emotion. If you're still out there following your girl, follow me on YouTube, Spotify, Apple, or wherever you get your podcast. And until next time, seriously, go visit Megan's spot. Okay, and keep moving, baby.