Reclaiming Your Hue: A Podcast for Women Rediscovering Themselves in Motherhood & Entrepreneurship
Motherhood and entrepreneurship are powerful journeys—but they can also leave women feeling drained, unseen, or lost. Like flamingos who fade while nurturing their young, women often put everyone else first and lose their own hue. Reclaiming Your Hue is about the moment when women remember their brilliance, reclaim their vibrancy, and step into who they were always meant to be. Hosted by Kelly Kirk, this podcast shares faith-led encouragement, inspiring guest stories, and practical strategies for harmonizing life, family, and business.
Why Listen / What You’ll Gain
- Inspiring stories of women who found themselves again after seasons of loss or overwhelm
- Practical tips for building businesses without sacrificing your sense of self
- Honest conversations about the challenges and beauty of motherhood + entrepreneurship
- Encouragement rooted in faith while welcoming diverse women’s voices
Listen In For: mompreneur journeys · reclaiming identity · harmonizing life & work · authentic entrepreneurship stories
Reclaiming Your Hue: A Podcast for Women Rediscovering Themselves in Motherhood & Entrepreneurship
Ep. 62 with Julie Thiel | Founder of Thiel Talent Strategy
Lightsabers and Laptops: One Woman's Journey to Self-Acceptance
What happens when a 30-year corporate veteran decides to reinvent herself as an entrepreneur? Julie Thiel's journey from HR executive to founder of Thiel Talent Strategy reveals the profound transformation that occurs when we dare to align our work with our deepest values.
Julie's wake-up call came during her daughter's junior year of high school. While negotiating compensation deals on her phone at softball tournaments, she realized she was missing precious moments that would never return. This epiphany sparked a complete reassessment of her relationship with work and motherhood—one that would eventually lead her to entrepreneurship.
The conversation dives deep into the unexpected challenges of the corporate-to-entrepreneur transition. While Julie assumed her extensive HR expertise would be her greatest asset, she discovered that mindset became the true game-changer. "I had to unlearn hierarchical thinking," she explains, describing how she initially evaluated networking contacts through a corporate lens of authority and position. Learning to approach every conversation as an equal opened doors to authentic connections that transformed her business.
Particularly moving is Julie's candid discussion of her IVF journey and how that experience taught her the power of surrender. The pain of wanting something desperately—a child—while facing circumstances beyond her control parallels the vulnerability of entrepreneurship. Through meditation and deep reflection, Julie reached a place of acceptance that whatever happened would be right. This hard-won wisdom continues to guide her business decisions today.
For working mothers wrestling with guilt and perfectionism, Julie's message is liberating: "I had to accept being an average dog owner and sometimes an average housekeeper to be fully present for what truly matters." Her daughter's recent graduation and departure for college validates this approach—the moments missed on field trips pale in comparison to the strong relationship they've built.
Julie's enthusiasm for her "geeky" interests like Star Wars and lightsaber battle leagues reflects her growing comfort with authenticity. "There was a time I would have worried what people would think," she laughs, "but now I'm like, this is fun, so I'm going to do it." This same fearless authenticity fuels her business approach, attracting clients who value her unique perspective.
Want to recreate your relationship with work, motherhood, and self-expectation? Julie's journey offers a roadmap for anyone seeking to build a life where work enhances rather than diminishes our most precious connections. Reach out to Julie to learn how she helps organizations build cultures where both businesses and people thrive.
Connect with Julie:
LinkedIn: Julie Thiel
Website: Thiel Talent Strategy
Email: julie@thieltalentstrategy.com
Contact the Host, Kelly Kirk:
- Email: info.ryh7@gmail.com
Get Connected/Follow:
- IG: @ryh_pod & @thekelly.tanke.kirk
- Facebook: Reclaiming Your Hue Facebook Page
- YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/@RYHReclaimingYourHue
Credits:
- Editor: Joseph Kirk
- Music: Kristofer Tanke
Thanks for listening & cheers to Reclaiming Your Hue!
Good morning Dooley, good morning Kelly.
Speaker 2:It's so nice to see a neighbor. I know, I know Part of this connection process we realized we are literally, I think, three blocks apart.
Speaker 1:Yeah, so yeah, it's so it's so cool and you know, thinking back to when we initially had our our phone conversation, you were like, yeah, I'm here anytime, Edina, and I'm like, oh, wait a second. And then you know like I'm still kind of getting my bearings. Even though I've been here in my house for a couple of years, I still find myself getting my bearings like where is that in Edina? And I have to like look on the map.
Speaker 1:But let's go ahead and start off by the map. But let's go ahead and start off by asking the question who connected us, like, how is it that we are connected?
Speaker 2:And then we can lead into that conversation that we were having back in January, absolutely, absolutely. So our connection, our mutual connection, is Judy Praska who I think is one of the super connectors in the Twin Cities. I mean she is so generous with making introductions. I had reached out to her as I started to launch my business and again we'll be talking about that but she connected me to you. She connected me to so many great people in the Twin Cities that have been helping me get launched, so it's been a wonderful experience.
Speaker 1:She really is Like I love the word that you use she's a super connector.
Speaker 2:Yes, yes, she is.
Speaker 1:She is totally a super connector and I know we were talking about this off air initially like she's been pretty instrumental in a lot of the other women who have been guests on the podcast, in terms of that connection point right and then getting those individuals on onto the podcast as well and kind of understood the assignment.
Speaker 2:Yes, and she is heavily invested in advocating for women. And you know, a fun story about how I met Judy was I one of my corporate jobs. I was leading a leadership development program that worked with female athletes at the University of Minnesota and was supporting them in building their leadership skills, and Judy was very active in that. We run panels together there, and so that is how we crossed paths initially and then, just you know, periodically stayed in touch after that. So fun story she's. She's very, very committed to helping women succeed in business or whatever it is they aspire to do.
Speaker 1:Yeah, yeah. I couldn't agree more. Well, let's go ahead and dive into you, julie. So what came first for you, was it motherhood or was it entrepreneurship? It was motherhood.
Speaker 2:And I, you know I I've spent. I spent 30 years in a corporate job and I know we're shaking our heads Like that's a long time in corporate. And uh, and so I think my story is maybe a little bit different, because I made the jump to intern in entrepreneurship just this last year, so I'm still a relatively kind of new business, new entrepreneur.
Speaker 1:You know it's interesting, though I mean no matter what the background is leading into entrepreneurship, I think 30 years is a relevant amount of time, especially in the corporate setting and the setting that you were in as well, and we'll get to that here in just a moment too, Because I think that there's like there's a, there's a buildup that happens Absolutely and all of a sudden there ends up being this breaking point.
Speaker 2:Yes.
Speaker 1:Breaking point, tipping point, whatever you want to call it. But regardless, I like to say and I've referenced this so many times on the podcast, it's like you connect the dots looking backwards and it's a Steve Jobs quote, right Like you can connect the dots looking backwards and go, ah yeah, that skill set that I learned at that particular point in time is totally playing its role here and I never thought that I might use that skill set, but now it's totally coming up here at this point in my entrepreneurship journey and and vice versa, right. So it's like it's, it's really, really cool.
Speaker 1:And I also like want to honor to the fact that, no matter what season you're in in, terms of entrepreneurship there's 110% relevance, no matter what point you're at in that journey, whether it's like you know your babies, you're taking your baby steps for the first time, or you're in your toddler phase of entrepreneurship or like if we're going to kind of think of it in terms of birthing a baby. That's what I like to reference it at Like. There's still so much relevance in terms of what you have learned from your past that you're pulling through into what you're doing now for your business.
Speaker 2:That's right. That's right. I mean it's, it's. It's been a really fascinating journey because, again, I was kind of an older mom too, like I. Um, I was so focused on building my career that I just you know I was a little late later, got married a little bit later, had a baby a little bit later I was 36, going on 37 when I had my baby.
Speaker 1:That's me too.
Speaker 2:Okay, okay Cause you know it's like it's like you know, I took my, you know, I really was focused on building a career and um and and again. I look at it and I'm I'm sure I don't know if you feel this way too, but I wasn't ready for it until I was ready for it too with being a parent.
Speaker 2:And so you know I made, I made that, um, you know I made that, you know I had my daughter Grace, and I was in the middle of it. I was pretty advanced in my career at the time. At the time I was the head of HR for a growing company and you know, traveling a lot and you know, just kind of in the middle of a lot of corporate leadership pressures, as I was also learning how to be a mom and put all of that together, which was which was quite challenging at the time.
Speaker 1:Well, let's talk about that. Yes, let's actually dive into that, because I think that there's a lot of really key things that happen at that particular moment in time when, regardless if you're in a corporate setting or whatever it is, prior to becoming, an entrepreneur and starting your own business, that there's that pivotal moment of like when you become a mom and how you're harmonizing what that looks like for that particular business standpoint, that particular business standpoint.
Speaker 2:That's right. That's right, I mean my experience. It was interesting because, as I was you know I was I was definitely nervous on how.
Speaker 2:I was going to put it all together Like it really. You know, like when you're going into having a baby and you're used to being able to work the extra hours and you know not, you know, not tied to a daycare schedule of drop off and pick up and things like that, it is really hard to get your head around. Well, how is this going to work? And I think, first of all, I have pretty good organizational skills and I think a lot of my parenting success has been you know, I can put a calendar together, I can plan ahead, I mean, those sorts of things have really helped.
Speaker 1:I think I can put a calendar together, I can plan ahead.
Speaker 2:I mean, those sorts of things have really helped, I think, with it and um, but really I what? What having a baby did for me is it really? It really made my priorities clear and I think that's you know as.
Speaker 2:I've listened to, other people have come on your podcast like that pivotal moment of like. You know this, this is the number one priority. So so it wasn't as hard to step away from work to go pick up my daughter as it. You know. It felt impossible going in. But when it came down to like I'm leaving right now, the work is stopping, I'm going to pick up my is stopping, I'm going to pick up my daughter.
Speaker 1:I'm going to have my evening with my daughter and if I have to pick up the work later I'll you know, I'll log in later if I need to.
Speaker 2:Yeah, yeah, so kind of having those hard stops in my life was new but worth it and much easier to make the transition.
Speaker 1:As I look back, well, you have no choice. Yeah, I mean, you just do it. You don't have to do, you do, but like either know one of two things is going to happen Like the daycare is going to call you and be like you need to come and pick up your child.
Speaker 2:Right, exactly, exactly.
Speaker 1:Or you know something fatally worse is going to happen, like you have. Of course you have the choice, but like when you become a mom, knowing that you like for lack of better words like when you, when you have so much love that's happening at that given moment, you're like yeah, of course I'm going to go pick up my child. And like, this is not a make or break, it's not do or die, we're not operating and saving lives. Yes, like legitimately, we're not.
Speaker 2:I think my whole journey not only with you know becoming a parent, becoming a mom and even growing as a leader in a company, whether it's corporate or as an entrepreneur, has been a letting go of perfectionism.
Speaker 1:I mean.
Speaker 2:I think that's also what you know. One of the things that changed in me with having my daughter Grace was that, you know, I mean I would get ready in the morning and I used to have every hair in place and, like you know, cute outfit and all the things.
Speaker 2:And it was like you know I would, she would. I found she would spit up on me and there was a time where I would clean it up and before I changed my clothes where I went to work. And then there were other times it was like this is my badge of honor. My daughter spit up on me this morning and I'm just going to go do my day and you know it's kind of an exercise and you know I I don't need to be a perfect mom, I need to be.
Speaker 1:I just need to be present. Yes, being present is enough.
Speaker 2:And there was a lot of things, a lot of trade-offs, especially in the job I was in and um the type of work I was doing. Um, you know, I couldn't, I couldn't be the mom that was at all the field trips and all of the like, all the extra stuff that I, you know. I'm grateful that there are moms that have that flexibility in doing that.
Speaker 2:Like I would look at what was going on when she was in elementary school and it's like gosh. You know, I wish I could do those things. It just wasn't realistic with my commitment, my work commitments, but I'm so glad there are moms that have that flexibility that do that. So you know I, you know I always looked at it like team approach, right, or you know there are. You know we all give what we can and that's and none of it's affected my relationship with my daughter. You know I look, I look at it and I just go. You know my daughter and I, you know she's 18 now, so she's we're in a completely different phase, but you know we're close.
Speaker 2:You know, it's like it's like, you know, I had so much heartache at the time over, you know, not having the perfect t shirt. They had to wear red t shirts on the one day and she had to wear my t shirt because I didn't have one. I didn't realize and I didn't get it in time and it was too big and it looked like a dress on her and I felt like, oh, you know, I'm scarring my daughter because I'm not, you know, on top of all the details that are happening, because I'm in the middle of my life, but none of that, none of that affected the result, right, I mean, it's like my daughter's healthy, happy, you know, off to do fun, cool things in college. And you know, a lot of those things that I tortured myself about or really had guilt about never came to pass, like the fear. Never came to pass. What?
Speaker 1:a great opportunity to just talk about mom guilt. Oh yeah, and coming from somebody who's lived it and literally is speaking wisdom like you're speaking wisdom to so many of us like and I'm in this boat, julie, I'm 110% in this boat. Like I've been so humbled by becoming a mom and having to set down the perfectionism, like look what I did when you got into this house. I was like I'm so sorry. Like I always want to like set the tone and create ambience, and I'm like, and we're in summer schedules like I'm just like this is what it is and the event's happening and there's stuff in the corner. Is it bothering me? 100, but it's like not as much as it would have pre-baby yes, so like there is this shift that happens, like there's a mental shift that happens. But then also this whole concept of mom guilt is a reality. It really is. And I think that for some of us, that pendulum swings one way and then it swings another way, like sometimes our mom guilt is super high, sure, and then sometimes it's like, oh, we're okay.
Speaker 1:But, I do think, and then that varies from one individual to another right.
Speaker 2:Certainly yes.
Speaker 1:But I do think that you are speaking such amazing words of wisdom that a lot of those things that we have mom guilt over, the teeny tiny things right Like that, we seem to make like mountains out of what are actually molehills, exactly.
Speaker 2:Well, and you know, and I look back, you know, I had when, when my daughter was tiny, I had a job where I was traveling every week. So and I did not want to like.
Speaker 2:I was like I think there are some people like their jobs are those heavy travel. They love it, they want to do it. I was in a company that was acquired all of a sudden. My job went from a local job to a national job, actually a global job, you know, overnight, and that was not what my aspirations were. I mean, I wanted to have a job where I was home more, and so I really had to. So I had to really find a way to feel good about what I could be present for and what I didn't. And like I'm trying to think about some stories on this, but like my biggest example, but I feel like like my daughter was getting ready to roll over- Okay, like she was at that stage, yeah, and right before I was going on a trip, I was like I knew she was going to do it.
Speaker 2:right before I was going on a trip, I was like I knew she was going to do it. I knew she was going to do it and I was like I don't want to miss it because of the guilt right like I'm a terrible mom if I miss her rolling over the first time. Like I had this idea right and I look at it now and I'm like, why was that?
Speaker 2:but yes, it's a big milestone, but yeah, that's all about me. That's actually not about my daughter. My daughter's not gonna remember whether I was there when she rolled over right, but it was about me, but my daughter, for whatever reason. She rolled over just as I had packed up my my bag and I was getting ready to leave. She did her first milestone on that right as I was leaving and I was like, oh, just the relief of that Like okay, I was there.
Speaker 1:Victory lap, you know, like I was there when she did that.
Speaker 2:But I, and also when my daughter was pretty young, I did get divorced, so I had that as a kind of a compounding factor too. So I was. You know, her dad is very active in her life, we have a good relationship, but I still had the guilt of, you know, not being with her all the time and having a job that had all those demands. So I really had to go into it and just say you know, quality is better than quantity sometimes, and as much as I would like a high quantity of time with my daughter, I'm in a situation where it's going to just have to be quality and and I had to stop apologizing for the fact that that was reality and to myself, and because I learned that if, if I act like it's a problem, my daughter thinks it's a problem- that's so good.
Speaker 2:You know, I mean it's like if I go into it feeling like I'm somehow not enough or not doing enough or not giving enough, what's she going to learn? She's going to believe the reality that I create and I don't think it's bad that I've been ambitious and had big jobs. I think that is a good example, right. So I had to kind of bottom line with myself how I was going to approach parenting, based on, you know, the reality of my, you know, being a single parent, having an executive job and that, and I really leaned into having friends and family help. I mean, it's like you know, I took the village approach, which I strongly recommend and has been great. I had a bunch of babysitters. I had car seats. My friends all had car seats because if I was traveling and something happened with a delay, they could still pick her up. They had car seats.
Speaker 1:So my friends had car seats.
Speaker 2:my parents, at different points, traveled up from Chicago to spend time with my daughter. If I got pulled to a work meeting that was out of town, so it's still. I'm not going to say that I still didn't. I mean I definitely felt guilt, I mean there's no question, but I also felt good that my daughter is growing up with a whole lot of people that care about her and love her, versus it all being about me or focused on me.
Speaker 1:Right. It's so incredible to hear you talk about this quality versus the quantity, and I think that there's just realities around what that looks like, no matter what stage of life you're in, as an adult who has children, and you're a parent right. You could be in that corporate setting where maybe you do have the typical nine to five and there is still a little bit of flexibility around that, because every corporate company views that differently right Like some are pretty rigorous about like you have got to be here and that's.
Speaker 1:There's no ifs, ands or buts about it. Right, yeah. And oftentimes you see people in those settings that are childless because they like, for whatever reason, that's just the path that they've taken. Maybe they don't want to have kids, or life just at that point isn't conducive. Yes, right, yeah. But in other ways too, you have to have the discernment too, of like okay, if I'm not at work and I am here with my child, am I bringing work back into the house? No, I'm not going to, because I understand that this is a chunk of time that I have with my child where I otherwise don't have the, the flexibility to be able to be with them. I'm going to take this opportunity to be fully present. That's right, and I love that you spoke to that and I mean it. The the quality over quantity is is perfect in that circumstance. Right, and I think that there's a lot of people who are listening right now that feel validated in hearing that.
Speaker 2:Yes, yes, totally, and at the end of the day, again, it's it's like most relationships, it's it's my daughter knows I love her, like that's. You know she knows I'm there for her and I have made the the I've, you know, the sacrifices, or made the schedule changes or the things to be there for the things that were important, like I've always been there, so she can rely on that. Yeah, and I've also been open. You know, one of the things that's been really interesting as she's gotten older is, you know, I've been, you know, open with her about a lot of things. Like you know, you know, we live in a very affluent community. Yes, and you know, some kids get things right E-bikes, yeah.
Speaker 1:The e-bikes that are scooching around. I'm like, oh my gosh.
Speaker 2:And you know, I've said, you know, I've said you know I, my daughter knows, you know I'm investing in retirement, I'm investing in building a business, I'm investing in. You know, again, I'm, I'm, I'm, you know, choosing. You know we have money is a lot of. There's a lot of choices when it comes to money and how you spend it and what your values are. And I've tried to be open to say you know, I'm choosing to spend this in this way for my future or her future, versus and again, other people have different financial situations. They're choosing it different ways, but and she's I've heard her reflect that back in a recent year where she's, she was talking about a friend and you know something that they were doing or had, and she goes. But you know, mom, I know we could do that, but you're choosing, you know we're choosing to spend our money differently.
Speaker 2:And I went, yes, it was kind of one of those moments of you know it was really cool because it's like I, you know, I know I, I have just I've tried to be conscious throughout that she's watching me and I don't want her to think that working is bad. I don't want her to think hard work is bad, right I? I don't want her to think that striving for a big job is bad or any of those things, and so it's like it's not bad to choose to maybe live a little more modestly so that you can have other things. So I just keep being conscious of you know, I'm kind of on stage with her watching me and I'm setting the tone for what? For the future, like what, what she's going to think is normal or what she's going to think is possible. And so I've just tried to be and again, I'm far from perfect on this at all, but I'm trying, like I'm trying, I'm trying to be intentional and conscious about it.
Speaker 1:What I think is really important to note in this moment in time too, as we're talking through this, is that's your family approach. It's your family, it's nobody else's. We have our own family approach, like we have a model, and it's achieving excellence together as a family. So that could mean the kids are, you know, rounding out and they're helping out in the business and we were talking about that before.
Speaker 2:That was great.
Speaker 1:It's like my husband reminding me Kelly, you don't need to do stuff on your own, you have the support. What's our family motto? Achieving excellence together. I think sometimes that we as women feel like we've got to take on the world and our shoulders can sometimes feel heavy, feeling like we're carrying the world Right. But when you understand that you've got this village of support around you right. But then the the like to go back to my initial thought. I know I'm going off on a little bit of a tangent here, but, like my initial thought and what I was speaking to is, every family dynamic is going to look different and there's no right or wrong way of that what that approach is, and forget about how other people are viewing it.
Speaker 2:Yes, right.
Speaker 1:Like. I love that you made a very um conscious point of saying I'm I'm on stage with my child, right, and she's watching me, and this is the approach that I'm taking is setting us up for our future, right, and it's my future as the mother, but I'm also modeling that for my child too.
Speaker 2:Yes, she's watching, yeah.
Speaker 1:I am her role model, right, I'm her example, yeah, so yeah. The other thing, too, that you had mentioned it. It was, it was perfect. I didn't even have to ask the question, but you talked about your, your village of support and and how important that was. Did you ever find yourself like feeling challenged in asking for the support, or was that something that just came naturally for you?
Speaker 2:I think I had to get over that pretty quickly Because I really did need the help. I really did need the support. So I don't know that that was hard and again I just saw my daughter thriving. I mean I had some regular babysitters for different so I could be freed up to do different commitments and and she loved them. I mean it's like you know we talked today about the different and in some cases these were younger women that were again just fun people that she loved to see and had so much fun. You know it was. It was so positive that I wasn't apologizing that she had a babysitter. I guess you know it was like. It was like, aren't you excited?
Speaker 1:I just think about how there is. There is an importance of having this um socialization too, and the socialization can be in a daycare setting. It can be around other family members and other um you know, cousins, siblings, what have you? But then, even in a, in a circumstance like this where you've got a babysitter and you're carefully selecting who that babysitter- is right Like there is there's discernment about who you're going to have watching your child, but that that's a it's.
Speaker 1:They're getting these different age points of socialization right, like, obviously, with us as parents they're getting that socialization.
Speaker 2:Yes, yes.
Speaker 1:Daycare, setting it's it's children around the same age as them. But then nothing is cooler than having a cool babysitter yes, exactly, exactly so cool, like she's so cool or he's so cool, like whoever it is right, like this is cool that's right.
Speaker 2:That's right. It was so funny there were. They were like I think't remember I mean I'm just blocked right now on the name but she's like. I think she looks like Cinderella, like my babysitter looks like Cinderella.
Speaker 1:We were talking a little bit about.
Speaker 2:Disney, but but that was that was.
Speaker 1:you know, grace was like just in awe of these, these babysitters, and how cool they were so something, julia, that I keep thinking about and want to talk through is you spent this 30 year time period in the corporate setting and now you have just recently made the transition into entrepreneurship within the past year let's talk about. I think the first question I want to ask is let's share with the listeners what it is that you're doing now in your business, your entrepreneurial journey, and then a follow-up question to that will be what are some of those skills that you pulled from that corporate setting of 30 years into what you're doing now?
Speaker 2:Sure, Okay, so my new company is Teal Talent Strategy and what I do is I work with small and medium sized professional services firms to reduce turnover so that they can grow. So my focus is on retention, building culture, building leadership.
Speaker 1:So those are all the core pieces of how I work with companies to get to help out names but I think, just to give some context and maybe selfishly, I'm asking too for a little bit more context um, or like, who would be the right person for us to consider, um, having you work with bump into that type of person?
Speaker 2:I think it's fun because I've worked in a variety of industries over the years and I picked professional services because and it's companies when I say professional services I mean accounting, finance civil engineering was more recently where I worked IT services, it software development, cybersecurity, so those types of organizations that are typically probably 50, 30 to 50 people, maybe up to 100 people. Typically, those companies either have an administrative HR person or more of a junior HR person.
Speaker 2:And when these founders are getting ready to take those big steps, to grow and have some momentum, they need good HR advice. And so, and in many cases I'm finding I went into this business thinking I was going to work with companies that were struggling with turnover. What I'm finding is companies that are reaching out to me are those that have good cultures now and don't want to lose it as they grow. So that's that's really. You know, they look ahead and go gosh. When we add more people in the mix, it's going to change the company. And how do we set up um the right processes, programs, um environment so that when people come in they know what they're joining. Environment so that when people come in, they know what they're joining. We have alignment and the companies are successful in thriving from that how cool it is.
Speaker 1:I love it. I mean it's I'm sure that there's an aspect of like oh, it'd be so amazing to be able to go in and just tidy it up, right.
Speaker 2:Like I want to tidy this up and this is going to be so cool to tidy this up my organizational skills on overload Right.
Speaker 1:Yeah, but I think also, it's like the forward thinking like good on those founders, by the way, to recognize that as they are scaling, there is a strong possibility of the culture dynamic shifting and they do not want that Because, like that would mean then that they would have to hire you in a completely different way and that would also mean lack of trust. That's right, like trust has been broken and having to rebuild that trust is more challenging than you know. Being proactive and going, I want to. I want to ensure that we continue to maintain this incredible culture that we've worked so hard to. That's right. That's right, and these founders.
Speaker 2:I mean they put you know again now that I am my own founder. I mean I know the blood, sweat and tears you put into building something and building something that's special and different, that stands out. I mean, I mean I have, I have enjoyed so much as my circle of founders and CEOs and managing directors has gotten bigger, because I I just love the conversations the passion for the business, the passion for the people, the passion for the people, Professional services and the reason that's my specialty is because it's direct service to clients.
Speaker 2:And in many cases there's a, you know, a direct connection between you keep your talent, you keep your clients, because it's it's a one for one relationship. So I just, and again, I, and generally almost all the clients I, I I have, and that I, you know, my, my ideal profile is analytical introverts, like I. I just, I love, I love analytical introverts and that those are my people and and as I've looked back when I was, you know, because you get to decide who you want to work with when you're building a business, and I totally and that's really, I mean, that's the profile that I've had the most success with and I just think it's it's the most fun going in and working with them on these culture, culture and growth issues.
Speaker 1:So cool. And you, you did actually answer the second part of that question too, which was like what are the skills, like the organization? Sure, is there anything else that you wanted to add?
Speaker 2:I would say you know, I have deep HR skills. I mean certainly, I mean after 30 years, and I've worked in multiple industries and multiple roles doing a lot of different things. So as I was deciding to build a business, it's like, okay, well, I know, I know HR you know, for sure, like I know I have, that my question and my concerns were more about the business building part of it, I mean I mean it's like it's like that was.
Speaker 2:That was my concern. But when I was deciding because I was when I made the decision to leave corporate and I did take a little bit of time off. Originally when I left, I was not planning to start a business, I was just going to be a contractor or consultant working for other firms.
Speaker 1:Contractor like in a fractional way, yeah, or getting placed by someone else.
Speaker 2:If someone else sell the work I go in and do the work.
Speaker 2:Gotcha placed by someone else. If someone else sell the work, I go in and do the work. And I really had a moment of reflection to say why am I so afraid to do this myself, like what you know? Other people do this, why not me? And so I really had to reflect on what skills do I have, you know, to give myself the I guess, the courage or the confidence to say, rather than going through someone else to find work, what if I do it myself, what if I build it for myself? And as I thought about it, relationship building has always been a strength, so I'm a strong relationship builder.
Speaker 2:I thought I was a good networker. Now I, I, I've had to improve those skills. Like, like, corporate networking is very different than entrepreneurial networking. And I, I, I. I guess I didn't know what I didn't know at the time, but again, I, I am, I am constantly reflecting, learning and I'm willing to be uncomfortable. That was kind of the like like, okay, I'm willing to be in situations I've never been in and do things I've never done and take the leap.
Speaker 1:I'm literally looking at the timestamp right now going. This is the quote Like it's I'm not even joking you like what the heck it was like. There is absolutely a level of uncomfort that you have to be willing to go to if you want to be an entrepreneur.
Speaker 1:Yes, julie, I'm experiencing it every single day and I'm not even joking you when I say humble pie in some regards, when it comes to what that looks like, like in, and what I mean let me give you an example is like for the event, like reaching out for sponsorship or reaching out to have somebody like ask them hey, are you willing to donate? You know X amount of dollars, x amount of dollars. I had to go. What's my purpose and vision in all of this? I want to get all of these women in one room and if I'm going to do that, I need to have other people there.
Speaker 2:I need to have sponsorship I need like. I do this is the obstacle to get to that vision or purpose or goal.
Speaker 1:And am I willing to get uncomfortable to meet that end goal? Yes, if I'm not, then that means the event's not happening. That's right, right.
Speaker 2:Well, I thought that, you know, I think this was as I. I mean, I appreciate this opportunity to talk to you about it because it really gave me a point to pause, to reflect and be like, okay, what has changed in me over the last six months as I've gotten this started, and I thought that my skills and experience were going to be the game changer in my success. Right, I mean the resume. I thought my resume was going to be the game changer in my success. Doing this, I was shocked to find out that mindset has been. It's my mindset that has been the game changer in my success, like it is. I mean my HR skills certainly I've got those. I'm confident I can do that. But learning to have a business development conversation that has as much mindset as it is conversational technique and I thought again, I looked at everything I think a little bit more concretely like learn the formula, get the results, and it's it's as much about I've got to, I've got to go into it, and I mean I have to, I have to grow, I have to change, and the more I continue to invest in myself and grow personally, the better connections I make with people, the more referrals I get. The more comfortable clients are working with me, more quickly, I mean, the more quickly we get to solutions. So I just know I had it all wrong and I am learning day by day.
Speaker 2:Like here's a funny thing and and I brought a lot of garbage from corporate into it as well like in corporate, things are very hierarchical and you know where, what's your title, where do you stand, who do you report to, what's your authority level, all those things.
Speaker 2:And so I really you know, and I'm a you know you show me the rules, I'll play the right. So I was all in on that. Like I am all you know. I have this mental hierarchy in my mind and what I found is I was carrying that into an entrepreneurship and I was. I would network with somebody in my mind, I would evaluate are they above me, are they peer, are they below? Like I would do the hierarchical assessment and it would, and I didn't realize it, but it was changing how I talk to people and I've been fortunate enough to work with a coach who was like, just was, like you know, julie, you know what would happen if you went into these conversations, just being equal to everyone to take a moment to say no matter who you're talking to, no matter what their title, background, experience, try that experiment like try talking to people like they're your peers, rather than this garbage that you've got from corporate and it's.
Speaker 2:It was game changer. I bet it was crazy and it was like I I had to switch how I thought about it and the results were different.
Speaker 1:Wow, wow, wow, wow, wow. So our conversation is taking a little bit more of an interesting turn in such a really amazing and profound way, because we're talking about really some of those like intricate details and grooves of becoming an entrepreneur Overhead of all of that mindset, right, peeling back the onion layers. I think that the core of all of that, too, is like, as you continue to peel back those onion layers, to peel back those onion layers, you get to the root of who you are as a person authentically. Authentically, and in a world that can feel like it is sometimes very inauthentic, people are craving authenticity, craving it, I agree, and so when you can show up in that way, it's like to your point, it's a game changer and people want to work with you for like being truly authentic and talking to them like you know, peer to peer, that's right Like holy cats and dogs. Are you hitting like? I'm sure that this is resonating with a lot of individuals who are listening right now, it's, I mean it's been, but it's scary all the same.
Speaker 2:Right, I mean, it's terrifying, like it's it's. And you know, I, I do, you know, and again, as I've been doing this, I, I am putting myself out there on social media. I'm putting out my opinions out in newsletters. I'm, you know, reaching out to people and many of them don't respond. Right, I mean, you do cold outreach. People don't respond, oh for sure. I mean, so it's, it's like it's, it's, it's this. I've had to to just be okay and and act as if success is inevitable, like I've had to just decide. This is my business, this is what I have to offer, and my people will find me Totally Like. The people that I can help will find me, and I'm just going to continue to be open and helpful to everyone I meet. I love that me and I'm just going to continue to be open and helpful to everyone I meet. So that is that has been, has worked for me in this process so far.
Speaker 1:I have so many different avenues that I would like to go down, but I'm just going to go with what my gut is telling me right now. So I think a lot of what you are speaking to right now is um, one authenticity right, and intentionality too, um, but I am curious what? It's probably not what you're where you think I'm going to go, but I'm curious. What have been like guiding principles for you, be it faith or spirituality, or like the universe calling and sort of like everything's pulling towards you at that point? What has that looked like for you?
Speaker 2:Sure, Sure, I'll have to think a moment. I think the first principle, the whole reason I did this originally, or the thing that called the question for me to make the jump to entrepreneurship, was the job I had been in was a great job. The company got bought by private equity, started to scale really quickly and my job got so busy I was working nights and nights and weekends and I missed out on a lot of my daughter's junior year of high school, Like it. Just I just wasn't present in the way that I wanted to be because of the demands of work, and that called the question for me one more time on what was important. And I and I did look around for other jobs.
Speaker 2:But even as I did that, I, I would interview for other jobs and I would feel sick to my stomach after the interviews because I was just like this is not it, Like something in me fundamentally shifted about work and contribution and what, what was next. And so I, you know I, I, you know I, I do, I believe in my belief system. That's how my higher power, God, speaks to me is like I get those internal nudges, I get those internal pushes and I had the push to say I don't want to miss out on my daughter's senior year of high school.
Speaker 2:Like I don't want to miss out anymore, cause I would be at her softball. She's a competitive softball player. I'd be at softball tournaments negotiating compensation deals while she's at bat and I'd be, you know, pacing in the back on the phone and I was like I, I just this is not what I want, this is not it, this is not. I can't do this anymore. I just, I was done. I've I've been there.
Speaker 1:Yes, and I, literally I can feel myself getting pulled to what you're speaking to right now, julie. Again, I, without a shadow of a doubt, I know that there is at least one woman listening right now. That is like yep, yep, been there and the feelings that are evoked in that given moment you're like damn, oh God, like all the curse words are coming out of, like you're thinking those in your mind and you're like this is important, but that's more important, but this is important, like how I can't tell them right now, in this given moment, like, sorry, I got to get off the phone. My daughter's up to bat.
Speaker 2:That's right, that's right, right, yes, so it's so it's.
Speaker 1:It's really a conundrum place to be.
Speaker 2:It really was a painful part, but that's where the change came from. And I just feel, like you know, I just have this belief that I think lessons are put in front of us until we learn them, like I just feel, like you know, and I just get this lesson of what's important, what's important, what's your values? And then the fact that I did feel like when I was interviewing for similar corporate jobs, I felt like that door was closed. You know, I just there's something in me that just said that's not it either, which was a scary spot, because I had to take that leap of faith to say, well, I don't really know what's next, but that forced me to start exploring it and it gave me because I am not a risk taker by nature at least historically I've not been and that's why corporate was good for me. It was structured and predictable and annual goals and regular processes and again.
Speaker 2:But something in me has fundamentally shifted and I wanted something else and I felt like I was on the path to be something else. So so I've just had this sense and again, just as I hear myself ready to say this, I'm like, oh my goodness, but I just have this sense that this is what I'm supposed to do. I just feel like this is so. I haven't questioned it. I've certainly had a hundred insecurities. I mean, build a business is like insecurity on steroids is like uh, insecurity on steroids. I mean I have felt every insecure insecurity about myself, but what I have to offer like is anyone going to hire me? You know like I've had every talk track negative talk track in my head throughout the whole process and when that happens I always go back to but this is what I'm supposed to do so.
Speaker 1:I was reading something earlier today about when we have a vision and we're so clear on it. It does not matter the negative self-talk that's happening periodically or an opinion comes from some sort of outside influence, it doesn't matter, Cause if your vision is so crystal clear, you go. I'm gonna have to sneeze, Holy cow.
Speaker 2:Part of me wants to just keep this in. It is so hard not to drink. Drink my water into the microphone Like yeah, it's.
Speaker 1:And if you do, it's okay, like, um, but that's, there is something about that too. Like when you have, when you're so crystal clear about what that vision is for your business, for motherhood, like it doesn't matter all of the stuff that's happening on the outside, because you're going to, you're going to, you're not going to falter, you're not going to falter off of that path to lead you to what that next point of that vision is. And I think about this in context to what you're saying, right, like, do we all have our insecurities? Yes, check. Do we all have our doubts? Yes, check. But there is something too about alignment. Like, when you feel out of alignment, you feel unclear, you feel like that vision is so on, it's like there's mist in front, right. But when you start to realign with what really is actually going to be important and get this, julie, like, all I keep thinking about is sometimes it takes our children to give us that friendly reminder.
Speaker 2:Isn't that interesting? Because I did this ultimately to be with Grace. I mean, really, grace called the question on that for me and you know, even though it's just because I just didn't want to miss out this year. And I'll tell you what's interesting, like even I didn't even realize again, I, you know, I've been this corporate executive but I am a bad people pleaser and I did not realize it. I mean, you know, join the club.
Speaker 2:I mean seriously like it's like, oh yeah card carrying member of the People Pleaser Club and you know. Here's an example of how I'm having to change. So a couple weeks ago was high school graduation and my daughter since she's really active in softball, the local high school team went to state and that was happening at the same time as high school team went to went to state. So, and that was happening at the same time as high school graduation. So the week was basically graduation, tournament games back and forth from here to Mankato, which, if you're not from the area is about an hour and a half away.
Speaker 2:My parents were in town for graduation, my sister was in town for graduation, so it was an incredibly busy week. Yeah, and I had a call, I had an opportunity to meet with a prospect, a really great client prospect, who said, hey, I'm available this Thursday to meet for coffee. And during that week and I know myself, the old me would have done gymnastics on the schedule, like would have would have probably, you know, had my parents drive down separately, I would have met with the prospect.
Speaker 1:I would have like driven down there with my hair on fire.
Speaker 2:I would have been, you know, listening to the game on the way. I would have done all that and I know this doesn't sound that radical, but I just said I can't meet this week. Can you know? This is what's going on. Can we meet next week? And that that, for me, was huge Cause I I know, the old me, the corporate me, would have done whatever to make that meeting work.
Speaker 2:The new me that I'm becoming in this entrepreneurial role, my priorities matter, my being at a game and being available and again spending time with my even my parents, as they were here. I just carved out that week and enjoyed the week with my parents and picked up the entrepreneurial work the next week and it made no difference on my, you know, had a great call with the prospect the other day or the other day and it's all good. But, yes, I don't know why I didn't feel like I could make that decision before. That's me, that's me, that's my people pleasing, that's my stuff. And I have had to step into leading myself as an entrepreneur in a way that again, I just it's. I'm amazed at the person I'm becoming through this process.
Speaker 1:Well, you know, to go back to what kind of initially sparked this, is that moment in time like watching and maybe it took a few other moments in time as well but like you're at a sports activity, walking back and forth, as you know, our, your child is up to bat, or you know, in a, in a kind of cool critical moment of that game and we're missing it, right, you know what I mean. Like, I think. I think we can all say at one point or another, we've been there, whether it was because of a business thing or it was like we were going to the bathroom there, whether it was because of a business thing, or it was like we were going to the bathroom.
Speaker 1:you know, like we've all been there, we have all been there, but it is our child. Like our child was placed in our life for a reason.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 1:Be it God, be it the universe, whatever, but our children are our children, forever and ever and ever, and they give us these humble reminders of what actually is important. Right. And for you, julie, like what I'm hearing, is you were like I missed so much in a period of time that something was shaken inside of me to go I can't continue to do this Right, and that started this trajectory, and for some people that trajectory takes longer than others. But no matter what, it starts this like series of events that lead us to going into entrepreneurship.
Speaker 2:That's right, and I couldn't be happier with my decision. It's still scary. I mean, I'm still very early on. It's still a building process. Again, I'm really enjoying it a lot.
Speaker 1:And.
Speaker 2:I, I even started off thinking, oh, I'll just, you know, I'll be a solo practitioner and I, even my dreams have started to change a bit to say, you know, I, my, I'm starting to dream a little bit like, okay, I think I could build something, I think I could have a small team, I think I could have a bigger impact.
Speaker 2:And and so you know, even as my, my, my confidence is building, even my goals for the business and what I think is possible continues to build. And and just you know, my personal objective is to find a way to work less than full time hours in this as well. So you know that is also one of the objectives I have is to again. Initially it's not that.
Speaker 1:It is not that, it's not that. Quite the contrary.
Speaker 2:But my goal is. I've been looking ahead and, with the systems I'm putting in place and the type of work I want to do and the kind of trying to create repeatable results, I've been building with that in mind.
Speaker 1:Like. How do I?
Speaker 2:build this so I can go for a walk in the afternoon if I want. So it's, I can go for a walk in the afternoon if I want, or I can you know, my daughter is going to be playing Division II softball at Bemidji State. I can't.
Speaker 1:I'm so excited for her, you know I want to be at those games.
Speaker 2:I want to be. She's going to be playing against local teams and regional teams. I want to jump in the car and go see that and be able to do my business from anywhere as I do that. So I have these ideas and goals and dreams about what it's going to be.
Speaker 1:Which is very important when building a business is like okay, there you do reach a point where you you go. I, I need. I need support, like it can't just be me solo wearing all of these hats anymore. I need to have, and this is why, like, this is my timeline. I want to be able to retire at this point or I want to, in the next year, be able to pour into my child's like activities in college.
Speaker 1:And that's going to require me to be, you know, X, Y, Z, Right? Yes, exactly, Exactly. So I I want to go back to, because you brought up something really interesting and it's around people pleasing. But then, above and beyond that, it's this concept of setting boundaries for yourself. Yes, Right. And I think that so many of us that are our mompreneurs, so to speak have to like we've got to learn what boundary setting looks like, and sometimes we learn it the hard way yes, exactly. And sometimes we bump into that and go, oh, I didn't like that, and it wasn't necessarily like a tough lesson, but it was just like we're not, I'm not going to go there.
Speaker 1:I just don't, and I can foresee that that might be where this is going Hard boundary like line is being drawn in the sand right now, and that's my hard boundary Right, and so I love that you brought that up, because almost every single episode, almost every single guest, the concept of boundaries is talked about. Yes, and it's hard, it's important.
Speaker 2:Yes, it's important, but difficult and I and I think this process has helped me. Again, being an entrepreneur has helped me kind of put a spotlight on how important they are and how little experience I have setting them so, so, um. So one of the things I I'm doing it is around scheduling boundaries, so that's where I'm starting.
Speaker 2:That's where I'm starting, is my time, because, um, you know I started, you know I'm an all in person, right? So I started when I launched my business, I started reaching out, my network and networking and I think I met 250 people in four months. Like like I, yeah, I did a lot of networking. It's like you tell me to network, I'm gonna network, I will network, and but what I found is that some point that needed to change. I couldn't be this kind of scattershot you want to meet, sure, we'll meet, let's do this and have like meeting, meeting, meeting and break and another meeting. And so I really, as of this month, I sat down and I did an ideal schedule exercise.
Speaker 1:I don't know if you've ever done that yeah.
Speaker 2:I did ideal schedule exercise. Yeah, I don't know if you've ever done that, but I, yeah, I did. And I really because I wanted to set up. You know, when do I work on my client work, when do I network, when do I do my marketing, when do I do my administration? Because all of it has to come together in order to make the business work. And so I really sat down and blocked out start time, end times and made sure that mix worked and implemented it about a week ago, kind of officially, and I have really had to say so. I have plenty of time for networking with people.
Speaker 2:It's just not every day and it's within the frame, the framework that works for me and I certainly can make exceptions to that, I certainly do but that has been a really great place to start. And here's what's funny too I was doing the corporate grind schedule that I used to do, and I was just doing that as an entrepreneur and I was like, wait a second, that was not what I wanted. So like I made the decision. This is not that radical, but for me it was that two days a week I'm going to walk on my treadmill in the morning and then start my day at nine. It was like I know you're laughing, I'm laughing too, but like why did I think, what was the barrier to me doing that the last five months? I don't know, I get it, I mean.
Speaker 1:I totally get it. I mean, I was like I couldn't.
Speaker 2:I just had this moment, like I wish I would find myself thinking to myself I wish I had time to work out. I can't believe I just had this moment. I wish I would find myself thinking to myself I wish I had time to work out, I can't believe I'm so busy networking, blah, blah, blah. Then I was like I am my own boss, I set the schedule. What is?
Speaker 1:We don't know what we don't know until we know in the moment, and then we do better.
Speaker 2:Oh gosh.
Speaker 1:So I'm not laughing at you, I promise.
Speaker 2:No, no with me.
Speaker 1:I'm laughing with you because again, I myself very much was, and I was just talking about this and I can't remember who I was talking about it with, but I recall like being making a transition into the mortgage world, right, and this was back in 2017. Prior to that, I was in more of a corporate setting, working for a property management company on the sales and marketing side, and it was very like there was a set schedule. Okay, so like I had to be at a property by call it nine o'clock or sorry, business hours started at nine o'clock, I best be at the property to walk the property at least a half an hour early to make sure that everything was like tour, route was good, there wasn't garbage, there wasn't poop on the ground from a dog or something like.
Speaker 1:Whatever it might be Cause.
Speaker 2:I had to do that. Yes, but I had to do that.
Speaker 1:Right. So when I made the transition into mortgage, it literally, literally took me probably a year to undo that sort of routine and schedule and to realize I could get up earlier if I wanted to and start my day earlier if I wanted to that's up to me which meant that I could probably end a little bit earlier if I wanted to.
Speaker 2:If you chose, I learned very quickly.
Speaker 1:That's not how the mortgage world works. Like you're literally just working like pretty much all the time.
Speaker 2:You're on call, you have to set the boundaries and you are on call.
Speaker 1:Typically it's evenings and weekends.
Speaker 2:Sure.
Speaker 1:Right, okay, so you don't know what you don't know until you get to that point of understanding like, oh, and then something just clicks and you're like, okay, now we're going to pivot with what the schedule looks like. That's right, and there's seasonalities of what the schedule and that routine looks like too. But, like I just did that reflection point within the last like day or two, of what that transition looked like. And even so, and I think probably what prompted it, julie, was, as we've made this flip from the chapter of school year ending to summer schedule.
Speaker 2:Summer is crazy.
Speaker 1:Like. I think that that was what prompted me to think and do this reflection backwards of like when else has this been like a challenge? And then all of a sudden you just get into the rhythm. You're like, ah, this is it, that's right, that's right.
Speaker 2:That's right. And again, right now I'm in the middle of, you know, again enjoying the final summer of club softball and traveling and all of those things, so it's kind of that bittersweet still be available. You know that my, you know my schedule is still, um, you know, prioritized around my daughter's plans, um. But but you know, I, I, I just think it was so funny to realize how programmed I had been and I almost felt like I needed permission to change my schedule for myself.
Speaker 1:And then you're going crickets. There's nobody around me, telling me exactly what I need to do with my schedule. It's up to me.
Speaker 2:That's right.
Speaker 1:It's liberating, right it is. Scary but also liberating.
Speaker 2:There was a freedom to it. I had a good laugh and it was like who's your bad boss that's making you work all these hours?
Speaker 1:It's like me I am the bad boss that's doing all that these hours.
Speaker 2:It's like me. You know I am the bad boss that's doing all that. So so it's, it's been, it's been. Uh, like I said, I think I think the personal development journey of the whole thing has been different than I expected and I am.
Speaker 1:I'm enjoying it, but it is.
Speaker 2:it is not what I thought I mean.
Speaker 1:it is different than I thought, so interesting, like, in terms of expectations, to write the expectations of what you thought it was going to look like versus the realities of what it actually does. That's right. Look like and even so like, how that can continue to ebb and flow and change, as, as your, your, your business will certainly make this transition from being in its baby phase.
Speaker 2:That's right, yes.
Speaker 1:Now it's a toddler and it's um walking around and talking and all of the great grand things to really get the the. As I like to say with Maddie, the synapses are really like firing right now. That's right, the neurons are firing and and then there's going to be another transition, another transition and you sort of level set what your expectations were versus what they need to be.
Speaker 2:That's right, that's right so okay.
Speaker 1:So the podcast, as you know the name of it, is reclaiming your hue.
Speaker 2:And.
Speaker 1:I feel like you have, um, in many ways talked about this, this sort of like identity shift that has happened for you and a liberation and a a kind of reclaiming of a different coloring of yourself too.
Speaker 1:But I want to, I want to ask you back in those earlier corporate years Um, I shouldn't say earlier corporate years, so like when you first had your daughter, and were there shifts that happened to you internally as a woman, where you were like I don't feel like myself anymore and like how do I get back to some semblance of who I am, this different version of myself?
Speaker 1:Right, because there is a massive shift that happens to us internally from that independent person over here that could do and go and be wherever at the drop of a hat, right, and you spoke to this where, like the schedule, like the conduciveness of the schedule, was this pre-baby and now it was all right. Well, daycare starts at this time and ends at this time, and you know baby's feeding schedule and all of this stuff, and then the shift into toddler and then the shift into, you know, being a little bit more independent as a child. But all through, all of that is the essence of us as women. Yes, right and who we are now, as Julie and Kelly, but also mom, yes, as well. So I want to talk through, like some of what you personally were feeling and how you worked through maybe some of those tougher, challenging moments, and how you were reclaiming some of that coloring back.
Speaker 2:I think it's been a good exercise in just saying what's good enough. What's good enough, I mean I, I mean I think about. You know we talk about. I have have had to just accept the fact my house is an is average clean. It is not really clean, you know um.
Speaker 2:I have had to, yeah, I mean it's like I have had to, like I just just remember and this was my, this was a way I was operating that leaders would talk to me about. I felt like I was. I had to do 110% to feel like I was average, if that makes sense. I had to feel like I was doing extra, to feel like there's always been this gap. It's really interesting because I come across as confident. I'm generally confident in what I do, but there is something in me that feels like I got to prove something, feels like I got to do more. And even before I had Grace, it was you know I would do. I would put all this extra bells and whistles on a project and like present it, and then I get all this great feedback and recognition for doing the extra work. And I finally had a boss that sat me down and said you know, Julie, as your career grows, you can't keep doing this. She's like I would rather have you do 80% work on five things than 120% on two.
Speaker 2:And she's like, as your scope and as your life gets bigger, you're going to have to learn how to be okay doing less and not have someone else bring that out in you. You're going to have to moderate.
Speaker 2:So it's like that idea of moderating and at the time I was upset because I was like what do you mean? Do you think I should not do my best work? But it was really like she cared about me enough to say you're me managing big teams, you're gonna have these big projects, and if you're trying to hit perfect or beyond perfect on everything you do, it's unsustainable. And I say that as you were talking. That's the story that came to mind, because that's true with parenting too. It's like I had to adopt that, not only as my job got better, bigger, but as my life got bigger through parenting.
Speaker 2:And so that's why it's like I you know, I have dogs. I aspire to be an average dog owner, like I mean, like I am a. I would say I am. The dogs are fine, they're in good shape, they're average, they've got a home. Yes, exactly, exactly. I am not an over.
Speaker 1:Fine, they're in good shape. They're average. They've got a home. Yes, exactly, care of their exactly.
Speaker 2:I am not an overachiever as a dog owner, like, like, and I've had to pick. You know where in Grace's life am I really going to show up and be like? You know where am I going to really be all in and it's like but, like I told you, like I, I would.
Speaker 2:I would forget to bring the cookies, or I would you know you think of all the things in school. Like I, I would. I would forget to bring the cookies, or I would you know you think of all the things in school like I would. I would often be the parent that you know was filling out the form at the last minute, or was you know? She almost missed the field trip because I do. I mean like, and I just had to be okay with that, like, that's like I am not going to be the overachiever mom, like I'm going to be a good mom that is there for her, that loves her, but I am not. Like I don't really cook and I've had to accept I don't really like to cook, and so we have a good time picking out restaurants or getting takeout Right and so, and that's okay.
Speaker 2:Like I'm not, I've had to just kind of on everything in my life. I, I don't.
Speaker 2:I didn't realize how much I judged myself and so and so being a parent magnified that because, again, I love my daughter so much. I want her to have everything in the world and I want her to have the best life and the best experience At the same time. If she doesn't experience some hardship, you know, she's not going to develop in the way she needs to develop too. I can't protect her from everything either, so I've had to. It's been a lesson of good enough and being gentle on myself and finding ways just to and and to, and and again. The happy ending of the story is like being average or good enough works out well.
Speaker 1:Right, I mean it is like there's a good ending to the story, you know something that I think of too and, um, it's kind kind of it's paralleling what you're saying, right, it's, you're consistent. You are a consistent person, right, yeah, like you consistently do, the things to get you to where you need to go, and you understand that they're different seasons require you to kind of level up with what that consistency is now going to look like, right, yeah, and there is also folded into all of that is grace for yourself. Yes.
Speaker 2:As a mother.
Speaker 1:Yes, exactly and as, like, who you are, like I think about that in context to me too. Like I've had to go just give yourself some grace, kelly, yeah, like, yes, julie is going to be okay because she's also a mother too. Like I've had to go just give yourself some grace, kelly, yeah, like, yes, julie is going to be okay because she's also a mother too and she gets, you know, managing a household plus yourself. Like, sometimes you just got to let this happen over here, the way that it's going to, and be okay with it.
Speaker 2:That's right. That's right and it's like and again I want to be. I think the things that matter are this connection and being present and all those things. Again, do I want my house to look nice? Yes, but you know, I've got paint that needs to be touched up. I've got siding that has woodpecker holes.
Speaker 1:I've got do you know what I mean Like it's like.
Speaker 2:It's like speaking my language right now.
Speaker 1:It'll get done, it's okay, you know, I mean it's like it's okay, it doesn't.
Speaker 2:I mean the, the, the things that that matter. I'm there for it.
Speaker 1:The thing you know, I've had to just kind of say kind of let go of that outside surface, what's extra and what's core, and make those decisions. And I want to just take a moment because we both live in Edina. I think that there's sort of this, uh, keeping up with the Joneses, that you can be pulled into that. You can totally be pulled into it and I found myself initially, when we moved into this house, like we're in a pretty modest neighborhood and part of Edina and.
Speaker 1:I also think that the neighbors that we have around us. They do a really good job of maintaining their yards and you know they've got their sprinkler systems and all of this stuff and they're out there pretty regularly. And that was just not the season of life that we were in. We were moving in I was in my second trimester of being pregnant and I moved and we got married within like a month and a half of us purchasing this house.
Speaker 1:And then, shortly after that, mad Maddie came, and so I think back to the pressure that I was putting on both myself and my husband like, oh my God, we gotta do something with our yard, we've got to have the planters potted and all this stuff. And then I'm like, hold on a second. You literally were in your second trimester, you literally were going to be having a baby and you were planning a wedding and all of this stuff. But, like to go back to my original point, is that it's easy especially if you are in a community where there is affluent, right, it's easy to get caught up in all of that. That's right. But then, going okay, hindsight, 2020, like, did it matter that that didn't get done right away, in that very instant, because I decided that what was a better use of my time was being with my child? That's right.
Speaker 2:And you just have to, I mean, I think, being owning those decisions being okay it's kind of like it's. It's what are your values? Yeah, when are you putting your time and being okay with that? That? That may or may not line up with other people Totally and I'm still working on that, right, Because, again, I am still working on that.
Speaker 1:Do you ever follow any of Gary Vee Vanner Tech?
Speaker 2:I haven't.
Speaker 1:I know who he is, but I have not followed his stuff he's I mean first and foremost, he'll cuss up a storm, and so it's kind of funny like you got to have a little bit of censorship if you're a little kids like watching some of his stuff, especially on social media.
Speaker 1:But he, he said something so profound that I caught um just recently and it was like the moment that you stop giving a bleep about what other people think about you is the moment you are set free. And he and he elaborated on that and he said we're not in high school anymore. Exactly Get out of your head and get out of your way and stop acting like you're still in high school. You're not. You're not in high school anymore.
Speaker 2:Nobody cares Well, and you'll find as you get older you will find that freedom gets even more Like I feel like I have stepped into my inner geekiness as I've gotten older. I really do. I mean it's like I will tell you, like I. Part of this journey for me is just even finding my voice and like what's important to me and like kind of reexamining what are my, what are my interests and I, as I told you, I, you know I really I'm kind of a nerd at heart and I like working with nerds and I am a huge Star Wars fan. I've just decided to lean into that, yeah, um, and I, I went to Comic-Con. I've never done that before and interesting.
Speaker 2:Yes, yes, and I've heard it's, it's an experience, it was it was so cool and while I was there I was talking to all the people that were in the Star Wars kind of groups. Yeah, and I was there with my, my boyfriend, and again they they thought he was the fan. Cause it's not. It's a little little more man usually men are more fans than women, but he is not really.
Speaker 2:And I was the fan and I was like, wait, and I ended up um, picking up like this is gonna be my new hobby is um, there are, you're just gonna laugh. But lightsaber battle leagues, like with actual lightsabers, like with interesting it's like a combination between it's like fencing and longsword, it's kind of between that. And I have decided I was like you know, there was a time I would have been like, oh, I can't do that. What would people think? Right, yeah, and now I'm like I think that's fun. So I'm going to learn and I'm and I am one of the you know there's not a lot of women there, I'm one of the older people there, but everyone's nice and welcoming and you know I lost my first match, but that's okay, you know.
Speaker 1:Like, it's just funny. It's like locally in the Twin Cities. Yes, this is things this is like so.
Speaker 2:So I just have kind of had to say to myself, kind of had to say to myself I am who I am, yeah, and that's good enough for me, and if I get judged for that, I kind of don't care. Now again, I think my daughter's a little embarrassed and horrified that I'm in a Star Wars like Super. League but and then I'm actually telling people about it.
Speaker 1:You are broadcasting this on a podcast. I know I know the level of I don't care is totally shining through and I love it.
Speaker 2:You know what? That's what I like, that's what I enjoy. Why not? Why not? Why not? Life is short, I'm going to enjoy myself. My daughter's going to college. She won't have to watch me do that anyway, yeah.
Speaker 1:Okay, it's so funny and part of me is like, do I actually say this on the podcast, Right? No, I think I'm going to. Okay, so I dated a gentleman in this God, Julie, this was so long ago and he was. He was most definitely the the individual that I dated. That was so incredible, but outside the typical, uh, mold of an individual that I would typically do.
Speaker 1:Okay, yeah, yes, okay so he was different than the typical mold of who I date. Yes, and he was like a, a super geek and I thought it was so cute and so adorable. A super geek and I thought it was so cute and so adorable and he would talk about this Comic-Con because he he's in the record world and he like there's a lot of that stuff that happens at Comic-Con too.
Speaker 2:It's very artistic.
Speaker 1:Yeah, there's a lot of art, so he like, was coming up on Comic-Con and he's like, oh my God, it'd be so incredible for you to come to Comic-Con with me. And we were kind of early in our relationship. So I was like, do I want to travel with this person? Cause it's kind of a big deal and, second of all, I don't know what this Comic-Con thing is and it's not really the world that I've been like, it's different.
Speaker 1:But when he came back, it like he's been he had been to Comic-Con like so many years, like leading up to that point, so he's like it's the coolest experience and he came back, we got together and he was telling me about how fun it was and I was like, wow, that does sound really cool.
Speaker 2:Yeah, it was. I mean again, it's just, it's just an you know, you just it's just fun.
Speaker 1:It's just fun, like I haven't.
Speaker 2:You know I haven't done and I don't know that I'll ever do like that. A lot of people do the costuming and all that stuff.
Speaker 1:This was just. I just wanted to.
Speaker 2:you know they had people who had written Star Wars books there that were speaking. I got to hear that, so I just got to kind of have.
Speaker 1:it was just fun that we are both on this podcast right now, probably sharing something that's a relatively new concept for the individuals who are going to be listening to our podcast episode, like I'm certain, because I've got my regular listeners, and even my husband will probably listen to this and go what? I didn't know that you dated somebody who was into, like comic con and all that.
Speaker 2:No great people comic stuff um, yeah, so it's. It's probably a new um, a new learning you know, and here's what, here's what I think. We all have layers, you know, you talk about reclaiming your hue and it was like I, I, I get to decide what my hue is. Right, I mean it's like that's kind of like you. You know, as I and I think you know, being a mom and you know I I've successfully raised a human like she's. She's going to college like she's.
Speaker 2:You know, I've kind of. I mean, I don't stop being a mom, but like she's, she's an adult now.
Speaker 2:Yeah, she's an adult and I I've had to look around and say, well, what is this new version of me going to be? And this new version is an entrepreneur. This version has a voice. This version has boundaries. This version has a actually works out twice a day, you know, twice a week, in the morning, on her own terms. I mean, it's like I've just kind of had to say and you know, I love sci-fi fantasy, and it's like why? So that's, that's who I am, that's the you. You know it is.
Speaker 1:And it's wonderful that you are totally embracing that Right, and I'm sure that it's. There's a liberation that comes with going I'm I'm done like hiding behind the proverbial veil, so to speak, right.
Speaker 1:Like this is. This is the new me that I'm stepping into. I've started to peel back the onion layers. I've I've been doing that work Right. And there is this shift that happens, like we talked about the shift early on, about when you become a mom, that identity shift that happens. There is something that happens too when you step into an entrepreneurial space and all of a sudden, there's like just a for lack of better words a massive shift that starts to happen. And it's because you're going what do I need to unlearn? Okay, unlearn, we're unlearning. Great, I'm through that period of time. Okay, now, what do I need to relearn?
Speaker 2:or reimplement or implement.
Speaker 1:Okay, great, that's been done. Okay, now you just feel this expansion that starts to happen and continues to happen, and it only gets better from there the more you dive into it it feels like. And, believe me, I'm now experienced entrepreneurial by any stretch of the imagination. However, I know and have felt all of the stuff that you're talking about right now and the listeners are shaking their head going yes yes, yes, isn't that amazing.
Speaker 2:It's like the experience is universal. It really is. I mean, the threads are universal, the doubts, I mean all of that I mean it is. I mean that's. The threads are universal, the doubts, the. I mean all of that. I mean it is. I mean that's. Again, as I've listened to your podcast, I mean I found myself nodding along. I mean it's like, no matter what your, you know where you are on the journey you know, because I'm at that launch, you know, my daughter's, I'm about to be an empty nester.
Speaker 2:I'm, you know, I'm, essentially, hopefully, 10 years away from retirement, so I mean it's a different point. But yeah, the experience of it and the growth and the challenges are all the same.
Speaker 1:It'll be so fun to like, look back and and re listen to this episode in a year's timeframe, Julie, knowing that this is like, potentially, what your timeline looks like for wanting to retire right? So then it's like one less year of building out this business for yourself, but then it's also one more year that you are working to build the business as well. It's kind of a cool concept and it's kind of a cool time period that you're living in. That's so fascinating.
Speaker 2:Yes.
Speaker 1:Yes, I would have never thought of it that way, but I just like kind of came to me. So I want to start to land the plane so to speak, but I want to. I want to really carve out some time to talk through maybe a a a true valley that you have experienced thus far, and it could have been like when you were in the corporate setting after having your daughter right, or it could be as of recent um as well. So are you willing to share?
Speaker 2:and be vulnerable. I was. I was thinking like I, um and I think you know I'll I'll go back and share a little bit about just even the process of trying to get pregnant. I had a really hard time getting pregnant and I um, you know it was one of those where you find yourself.
Speaker 2:You know you try, try most of your life not to get pregnant as you're growing up and then all of a sudden you want to get pregnant and find out there's challenges doing so and so, um, you know, so I, I did go through the ivf process to to have get pregnant with grace and um, you know what, when I think about a valley, the valley was, you know, wanting. It was probably one of the first times in my life that I wanted something so badly and I couldn't make it happen. I guess you know there's, you know, up to that point in my life, if I wanted something I could work for it and it would happen, but getting pregnant was that was out of my hands.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:And, and I was.
Speaker 2:So you know I was angry because it's like I, you know, here, I, you know I was in a situation, you know, wanting a baby and couldn't have one, and I just I mean just all the emotions of wanting that and I would go to the IVF appointments and you know I'd look around, I'd be mad that I was there, I'd be mad while I was driving, I would be, you know, I was just so frustrated with the whole process and the what.
Speaker 2:What finally occurred to me was me walking into these appointments feeling mad and frustrated was probably not the right environment for me to actually get pregnant, like, like, like I probably needed to look at it a little bit differently If I was going to to walk through that with any grace and so and so that started a journey for me where I actually got introduced to meditation, so, um. So I really was like, okay, I got to do something different. Um, you know I, you know I, I, at the end of the day, whether I was going to get pregnant or not, I believe, was in God's hands, like, yes, I'm going to put myself in the hands of the doctors but ultimately, outcome is not my decision and I got to be okay either way.
Speaker 2:Like I had been so upset about it. It was like I just kind of had that moment of well, what if it doesn't happen? I mean it's like you know, again I've been so goals and achievement and go after what I want. It's you know, I want to go after what I want on this. I really wanted to have a baby, but if it didn't happen, what was that going to mean?
Speaker 2:And so, you know, I got a little education on meditation and how to do it and started to do that regularly and through that process, at some point I went from being mad I was in those appointments to being grateful. I was in those appointments and but that was a. That took. That took a. I mean that was really doing some serious reflection and prayer and meditation and things to get to the point of and I actually actually as I because, again, as you know, I don't know if you know, but the it's so hard on your body when you're going through IVF, it's so hard on your emotions or going through IVF, your hormones are all over the place, like I just had that summer.
Speaker 2:Um was like a lost summer, Like I felt like I was either asleep or stressed or something, that whole summer when we were trying to get pregnant and we kind of were at the end of our money to have like, okay, we've got one more treatment and I went into that last treatment really being okay, like I had peace, like finally I'd gotten to the point of peace, Like we're going to give this one more try and either I'm going to get pregnant and I can see a great life being a mom, or I'm not going to get pregnant and I actually felt, going into it, I can see a great life not being a mom as well Like I, because that was my goal. It was like I got to, okay, Either way, either way, I'm finding myself getting like emotional.
Speaker 1:I'm I'm like in that moment in time with you right now, and just one I I did not experience that, but I have had women on the podcast who have experienced that, who have gone through that process of um, iui or IVF or even so much to say, like I've had one guest on here who has not been able to and has accepted that. That is just like what God is saying right now, like that's right. Now's not your time, honey, and I am so sorry, but like we never know what the future could hold we never know what the future could hold.
Speaker 1:But she has gotten to that point of acceptance with it. But the striving for motherhood in all of that is, it's the common thread. Right, it's a common thread, it is. But I also I also understand, and I think part of the reason I'm getting emotional with it is like I I had that moment, not in having to go through IUI or IVF, but when I first met my husband now husband, you know he had had his two kids, yes, and he wasn't certain that he really wanted to have any more children. Sure, and I was kind of in this point in state two or season of life, where I was like, you know, I'm okay with it. And then, the more and more time that we spent with each other, I was like, no, I really want to have a baby with you.
Speaker 2:That's right, and I was. I was exactly the same thing. I had not. I was not someone who my whole life knew. I wanted to be a mom.
Speaker 1:Like.
Speaker 2:I was kind of like, well, sure, the right circumstance, or you know that sort of thing Like I. But I was open to it. But I wasn't until I was married and in the situation and saying, okay, I really do want to have a baby, and and then it got hard.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:And then I had to in some ways go through the process of letting it go. Also, I mean the at the end of the day, that last treatment, that last uh, that last IVF session, you know, ended up resulting in grace. So, yay, I mean that's amazing. Um, yes, her name is Grace and that's a lot to do. I mean, really, you can see where that name comes from is because, at the time, it was it was.
Speaker 2:It was amazing and, like you know, you go through this process like and it's funny, I've shown Grace this picture, but I have a picture of her as a you know eight cells. Yeah, Because they take pictures of the you know the, the before they implant and all this stuff. I remember all the name, the technical terms or everything, but like I have a picture of Grace at eight cells. Yeah, but that was her.
Speaker 2:And then here she is today. So so yes, the the the path open that was supposed to open. But I just, you know I've heard other, you know I. I just think it's important people know they're not alone and that that process is especially when I was going through it.
Speaker 1:People really didn't talk about it and so I it's like you were in my head, Cause that was the question I was going to ask they don't talk about it. What did that?
Speaker 2:look like they really don't talk about it, and so now I think it's become more people are more open to have the conversation, which I appreciate, and again, so I've been there, I've done it and that was going to be it, like either that was going to take or it wasn't, and I, you know, grace is here today, thank goodness. Um, yeah, she was meant to be in the world. That's how I look at it.
Speaker 1:She was all a part of the plan part of the plan she was.
Speaker 2:she was supposed to be here because, it was.
Speaker 1:it was quite hard to bring her into the world, so I think that I do want to talk through this, um, this idea that you just brought up about calming your body and your mind and mindset.
Speaker 1:When it comes to gosh, I mean really anything in life, but specifically in this circumstance, it's like I I had to shift my mindset to a more joyful approach and it was it. It took time, it took work, it took a lot of energy to to have that shift happen and you also, like in doing that, had this attitude of gratitude and this attitude of bless and release, like, yeah, if it happens, it happens. Yes, if it doesn't happen, if it doesn't happen, it doesn't happen.
Speaker 2:And being okay with blessing and releasing in either direction that that was going to go and it sounds really graceful, but it wasn't no right which is why I led into like how I can make it sound like, really like, oh, and then I just meditated and I was fine and it's it wasn't, wasn't that, I mean? And really it was the, it was the pain, it was the amount of pain I was in going to those appointments and realizing that I was creating my own pain. You know, it was like I was here, I had this amazing opportunity to go through these treatments and I'm mad. It's like, well, that's not the person I want to be, you know, like that's not, that's not and that's not serving me. That is not. I'm miserable. And you know how do I want to go through this? Do I want to go through this miserable or not?
Speaker 2:And so it was really just me kind of getting sick of myself and how I was feeling. I mean I, I mean again, it's can make it sound really deep, but it was like I just was in so much pain. I was like I, I have, you know, I have all this pathway of actions I have to take. I, I can't take them this way, I can't take them feeling this way anymore. And so it was more desperate and it was a lot of tears and you know, it's a lot of letting go to say, well, you know, maybe you know again this you know, not everybody gets what they want, right?
Speaker 1:Not everybody gets what they want, but it also means, that different opportunities and doors are going to be opening as well, and back to the initial like start of this part of the conversation is like mindset is so highly important and all of that, and I I'm such a firm believer in attitude of gratitude, and it's easier said than done. It is especially if you were in a tumultuous timeframe or a.
Speaker 1:Valley. As we like to say on this podcast um, it is. It's having faith that everything is going to work out, yes, and then sticking like glue to that and continuing to be appreciative of the blessings that are being set right in front of us that we might otherwise completely miss because we are so much more focused on the negativity or the not joyful parts of what's happening, to see that there was literally this little blessing that was dropped right in front of us.
Speaker 2:That's right. I mean, and I have found benefits from simple actions like taking gratitude lists or again, just I get to I, I think that we can create our attitude and our energy and it's like I, I, I. If I have a choice, I'm going to try not always, but try to land on the side of what's good about this. What good do I see? Because it's just, life is much more fun that way. I I just don't like being in that dark hole and I choose to get out.
Speaker 1:I choose to get out every time I can. So good, and I love that. You essentially said I was so sick and tired of my own shit.
Speaker 2:Seriously, that's what it was.
Speaker 1:I decided that I needed to. I needed to change. I needed to change in that moment and that was the mindset that had to be shifted.
Speaker 2:I mean, and again, it's not graceful, that's the thing I mean. It's, it is, it is. I surrender ugly a lot of times. I mean I wish. I surrendered pretty, but I, my surrender is oftentimes uh, you know, I can't, I'm upset, I can't take it anymore. I have to. Something's got to change, and you know, and then. But that's when really cool things happen.
Speaker 2:As much as I hate those low spots, that's where doors open or things change or I'm able to take action that I couldn't take before. All of that changes, so it's been good. It's been good. All of that changes, so it's been good, it's been good.
Speaker 1:Oh my gosh, julie, I have like so thoroughly enjoyed our conversation and we're going to continue to land the plane. I want to ask you what is a piece of advice that you would give a younger version of yourself knowing all that you know?
Speaker 2:Oh gosh, so many things, but really this idea of just don't be so hard on yourself. I mean, I look back and I have been my own worst critic for so long. Yeah, and on things that I look back on today, that don't matter that. It was just wasted time and energy. I wish I could have enjoyed the journey more. I think I got so caught up in the periodically. I got caught up in what's next and what's more, and what do I need to do different? Sometimes you just need to enjoy it, and so those would be things.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I mean it's, it's beautiful and it's profound and it's spot on, it's so good. What's a piece of advice that you would give a woman listening right now who is nibbling on the edges of entrepreneurship?
Speaker 2:I would say have more conversations Okay. I would say. I would say ask more questions, get curious, that's what I would say. There's a reason why it's in your mind and get more curious about it.
Speaker 1:That's so good too, because in getting curious is where you can start to get clarity and answers to you know, in clarification right. Like you know, you're feeling a little confused about what this means. Like ask questions.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I mean it is, and and I would just say you know, my experience has been you have to. If you're, if you're nibbling on it, I think you have to be honest with yourself about how uncomfortable you're willing to be because you will be out of your comfort zone completely making the making that I have enjoyed, enjoyed that I was ready for it, but there was a period, there was many years, that I was not yeah so, um, so I just think you have to be honest with yourself about that too so that was really good too.
Speaker 1:Yeah, because it's so true, yes, it's so so true. Who would be a good connection, or what would be a good connection for you right now, in this moment?
Speaker 2:Um, really right now, you know when I think about my business and who I help, um, so I think anyone that's got like lately the people I've been talking to are, you know these found a founder, growing company, has potentially has HR in place, but that HR needs additional support. I mean, I'm um, I've had a lot of success coaching HR coming in, assessing, helping companies get ready for that next stage of growth. So that's really that's really where I think at my sweet spot is.
Speaker 1:I might have a connection for you. Okay, great, excellent. How can people get connected?
Speaker 2:to you for you? Okay, great, excellent. How can people get connected to you? Yes, well, I am on LinkedIn, julie Thiel at it's T-H-I-E-L on LinkedIn. My website will be launched by the time this podcast launches and it's ThielTalentStrategycom. T-h-i-e-l. Talentstrategy is one wordcom, or you can reach me at Julie at ThielT. Teal talent strategycom. That's my email.
Speaker 1:Love it, I'll. I'll be sure to drop all of that into the show notes for our listeners to get connected to you. I have a connection for you as well. We'll talk about off air.
Speaker 2:I can't wait.
Speaker 1:I am so grateful that we had this opportunity to chat more about your story, combining some of my story with your story as well, those parallels that in the common threads that we experienced. So thank you for carving out time this morning to come out.
Speaker 2:Oh, thank you for the invitation. I've thoroughly enjoyed it.
Speaker 1:Thank you so much, kelly. Yeah, you're so welcome. I hope you have a great day. Thank you, you too. Thanks.
