Reclaiming Your Hue: A Podcast for Women Rediscovering Themselves in Motherhood & Entrepreneurship

Ep. 65 with Sarah Bechard | Owner of Styled by Sarah

• Kelly Kirk • Season 1 • Episode 65

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From Speech Therapist to Style Maven: A Journey of Self-Discovery

Sarah Bechard never imagined her path would lead from speech therapy to style consulting, but life had other plans. After years of helping children with speech development, she found herself at a crossroads when her mother passed away. This profound loss sparked a journey of self-discovery that would ultimately transform her professional identity.

"I probably didn't even know what the word entrepreneurship meant," Sarah confesses as she recounts how motherhood came first in her life plan. While staying home with her two sons, she experienced what many mothers do—a sense of losing herself amid the demands of parenting. But through this challenge, she began to explore her interests and spiritual gifts, eventually discovering a passion for helping women build confidence through personal style.

The road wasn't without obstacles. To pursue training as an image consultant, Sarah had to overcome a debilitating fear of flying that had grounded her for a decade. Armed with scripture and determination, she boarded that plane—a small act of courage that opened the door to her future business. Now celebrating ten years as a style consultant, she reflects on how entrepreneurship provided the flexibility to design her schedule around her children's needs while fulfilling her desire to make a meaningful impact.

Sarah's approach goes beyond fashion advice; she views styling as "an inlet" that often leads to deeper conversations about identity and worth. Her work has become a ministry of sorts, sometimes including prayer with clients when she feels led to address the pain she senses beneath their surface struggles with appearance.

For women feeling lost in motherhood or considering entrepreneurship, Sarah offers this wisdom: "Discover yourself. It's not selfish—it's important. All those things you learn will help you discover what God created you to do." Her story reminds us that reinvention is possible at any stage and that our greatest challenges often lead us to our most authentic purpose.

Resources Mentioned:

Spirtual Assessment

Clifton Strengths Assessment

Connect with Sarah:

Website: Styled By Sarah

Schedule a 15-minute consult HERE

Contact the Host, Kelly Kirk:

  • Email: info.ryh7@gmail.com

Get Connected/Follow:

Credits:

  • Editor: Joseph Kirk
  • Music: Kristofer Tanke


Thanks for listening & cheers to Reclaiming Your Hue!

Speaker 2:

Welcome everybody to Reclaiming your Hue, where we are dedicated to empowering women to embrace and amplify their inherent brilliance. Our mission is to inspire mothers and entrepreneurs to unlock their full potential and radiate their true selves. I'm your host, kelly Kirk, and each week, my goal is to bring to you glorious guests as well as solo episodes. So let's dive in. Good morning Sarah, good morning Kelly. It's so wonderful to finally have you here, because how long ago was it that we At least three months, if not more. I think it was longer.

Speaker 1:

Yeah, probably I thought this is a long ways out, but it's okay.

Speaker 2:

And now here we are, and I won't share when we're recording this because I'm trying to get away from that, but I'm literally booked out until the end of this year. Yes, and that is wild to me, but it also speaks to this area that feels like it's been semi untouched, like people have kind of dabbled in this area of motherhood and entrepreneurship and serving, but nothing is like coming on a podcast and really getting raw, intentional and vulnerable with your story to allow other women to learn from it as well.

Speaker 2:

Yes, so not easy, not easy but it just like I said, like it, there's a need to keep going, and so we're going to keep going, keep persevering.

Speaker 1:

Yeah, it takes courage, but we're. There's a need, keep going, and so we're going to keep going. Keep persevering. Yeah, it takes courage.

Speaker 2:

But we're here, you and I, we're here, and God bless your heart. Thank you for the sweetest gift that you brought too, and I gifted you water.

Speaker 1:

Water, which I love. I'm trying to drink more of it.

Speaker 2:

I've got coffee and I've got my water, and then I've got my lip glasses.

Speaker 1:

Oh yeah.

Speaker 2:

There you go, because I won't, I will not tease, but I will just share that. You showed up just looking ever so stylish and I was like, well, I got to throw on some lip gloss with my jeans and cardigan, and now I feel, very feel, very polished good, it makes a huge difference when you slap on your lipstick.

Speaker 1:

I know, I know of course you do thank you and your skin. Oh, is it like glowing beautiful. Glow well, we can talk about the skincare okay, I'm interested.

Speaker 2:

I'll share a little bit more about that. Um, so this is your story and let's dive in. What? What? Actually? I was about to ask the second question, but let's start with the first. How is it that you and I got connected?

Speaker 1:

Well, a mutual friend of ours provided a warm introduction over email. It's Val Katie. She's a professional organizer for Winnow and Spruce Amazing woman. Yeah, and I didn't even know you, I didn't even know why she made the connection, but it was lovely to connect and then just chat with you, you know, over the phone and things like that, yeah, so that's how we first got connected.

Speaker 1:

I met her doing a, basically an online class. We had developed it for in-person. And then there was COVID, and so we did an online class called organize your closet with style, so it was really cool collaborating with another woman in an area that we both tap into and then working together to, yeah, do our job.

Speaker 2:

She, she's such a gem yeah she really is, and matter of fact, um, ironically enough, I just was chatting with her earlier this morning Okay no way. So yeah, well, she's one of like. I like to consider her one of the OG of the couple of the first gals who I interviewed for the podcast.

Speaker 1:

Okay, cool.

Speaker 2:

And her and I. Our story goes way back, Like when I was still in mortgage. And so when, like I, was actually helping her and her son for a mortgage on a property and things did not go well with that. They just weren't able to get something nailed down. But now Val is in downtown St.

Speaker 1:

Paul and thriving.

Speaker 2:

And it's been incredible to just hear her story. So she's my OG gal.

Speaker 1:

Love it.

Speaker 2:

And just the stories that we have shared over the years.

Speaker 1:

Call it six years or so that we've known one another.

Speaker 2:

It's been really fun.

Speaker 1:

She's neat because she just like like for me. She just tapped me on the shoulder, just wanted to talk to me, wanted to get to know me, and I just really appreciate that, because that can take courage too.

Speaker 2:

Yeah.

Speaker 1:

You know just initially.

Speaker 2:

So actually I want to expand off of this too, because your name got brought up. Um, she's also I. I started a mastermind group last year, quarter three, and she's a part of that.

Speaker 2:

So she's, you know, og, but she's also a part of this mastermind that I lead and your name she threw your name out because one of the other gals in the group was exploring styling options for her teenager, and so I think she I don't know whatever ended up happening with that, but she was like you've got to connect with Sarah and I was like, well, should I connect with Sarah?

Speaker 1:

for the podcast, and she was like you've got to connect with Sarah and I was like, well, should I?

Speaker 2:

connect with Sarah for the podcast and she was like absolutely, and so that was the sort of genesis, so to speak of where we're at now. And here you are just glowing.

Speaker 1:

I love it, I appreciate it.

Speaker 2:

Okay, so that is how we got connected. That is how you are here on this podcast. What came first for you, though? Was it motherhood, or was it entrepreneurship?

Speaker 1:

I can tell you I probably didn't even know what the word entrepreneurship meant.

Speaker 2:

Okay so.

Speaker 1:

I will say absolutely definitely. Motherhood came first and that was my plan, right.

Speaker 2:

Yep.

Speaker 1:

So I can elaborate on that.

Speaker 2:

I was just going to say can you, can you expand on that? I was just gonna say can you, can you expand?

Speaker 1:

Yeah, so you know, growing up by. Let's start from the beginning, I guess I grew up in a household where my dad was the main breadwinner. He was actually an undertaker, which is very interesting to live in. That I know this is where we're going today. I got so many questions.

Speaker 2:

Okay, but anyways, you keep going.

Speaker 1:

So he worked around the clock, he actually had gone to Notre Dame and wanted to be like a FIAD teacher, a historian, but his dad wanted him to take over the family business, which was third generation firstborn male. And, um, my mom was a registered nurse and, um, that's how they met actually, and she had done some, you know, traveling and working in Scotland and teaching at Madison. So they were both, I would say, like kind of career focused and interesting enough because my dad worked. They were older when they got married and my dad worked a lot, he was gone a lot and my mom had to raise us. She ended up having four kids within five years. So I would be the oldest Most people don't think I am. I know it's a lot right and yeah. And so then there was my brother that came the year after and then there's a gap in between and then I have two younger sisters as well. So she was at home with us for forever until, yeah, um, until she wasn't anymore, um, but basically that's kind of the inception of, uh, how I was kind of inspired, I would say, to be a mom, but I also was very interested in being like a professional. So, uh, we were taught.

Speaker 1:

You know, you go to school, you go to college and you, you know, get your degree and then you work. And then for me, I definitely wanted to do that part and I didn't want to. I didn't want to be married at the point. But then I wanted to get married, then I wanted to have kids, then I was going to stay home with my kids, then I was going to go back to work and then I was going. But I became a speech therapist. I'm following, Okay, I'm following.

Speaker 1:

So that was kind of my plan and, let's just say, trying to think about how I got to end up being an entrepreneur. So I worked. It was awesome. I worked for five years, moved away after I graduated from college, and it was really cool because I kind of did all the things I wanted to a little bit of this, a little bit of that in that short window of time. So my goal was to work in the medical field and then end up in the education field, because then I could stay home with my kids. So I worked as a medical speech language pathologist in Austin at the medical center there and it's now part of the Mayo Health System and I work primarily with long-term care. We did a lot of dysphagia, which is a swallow studies, so I got to be doing that like all the time and I actually thought it was really cool and amazing. However, there wasn't a whole lot going on down there in Austin for a young person, so I moved back up to the city.

Speaker 1:

It's no offense I just you know, they didn't even have the spam museum then move back up to the cities.

Speaker 2:

No offense, I just you know they didn't even have the spam museum. Then the second that you mentioned that they're a part of Mayo, I was like, oh, she's, she's definitely referencing Austin, minnesota, not.

Speaker 1:

Austin, texas. I'm sorry. Yes, let me clear. No, it's all good.

Speaker 2:

And and the spam museum. I know so for any of you listeners who are outside of the Minnesota like region. There is a place that hosts this museum and it's for spam, and if you haven't tried spam, I would highly encourage it actually, because it's not as bad as people think it is. It's actually. I think it's one of those things where somebody opens up a can of Spam, maybe does a little grilling of it and they're pleasantly surprised at actually how good it is.

Speaker 2:

It's been years since I've had Spam. No comment, I just live there so a lot of odor.

Speaker 1:

Nonetheless, I had a great job there and I loved it and I loved the people, but there wasn't a lot going on.

Speaker 1:

So, I moved back up to the Twin Cities, ended up working with three to six year olds at St David's School for Child Development and Family Services, which is over in Minnetonka, actually near here. And I did. I worked primarily with three to six year olds and what was really cool, because it was a school setting, it was also a healthcare setting. So I worked with a lot of children on the spectrum and, um, I was young and vigorous and I had energy and it took a lot of that and I just I love kids. So then I transitioned, I got married and transitioned, excuse me, to working with birth to three up in a school district.

Speaker 1:

So then I was working with little ones, you know, mostly two and three-year-olds, primarily boys, that weren't talking. And then I, you know I was, I got pregnant but I thought, well, I, I, I, you know, I. Basically it was very play-based and I wanted to instead of I love those children, but I'd rather be home playing with my kids, because that's how kids learn is through play. And I, just after I became pregnant, I was able to stay home and that's began the journey of, I would say, a lot of actually learning and humbling, because I was very career driven. The first book I read when I became a mom was Professionalizing Motherhood. I really took it seriously.

Speaker 2:

Yeah.

Speaker 1:

And it was actually quite a lonely time, as much as entrepreneurship can be as well, I would say. Totally Nice little tie in. Yes, yeah, it's true, and I remember folding my kids laundry and thinking nobody sees me. You know, my husband traveled a lot and I was like I felt so much responsibility. I have two boys that are now 23 and 21. But at the time, yeah, it was felt like I was drowning a little bit but still, you know, wanted to do it. So I'm still going along my plan right. So the original question and I was invited to go and do some long-term subbing at the school district that I had done birth to three at and I thought, well, this is perfect, I can just transition back into working and it'll be wonderful. So I did it and I loved it. It was back where I used to work. I love my coworkers, so on and so forth, and I was working with then that would be more three to six year olds in a preschool setting, which I love preschoolers, you should meet my daughter.

Speaker 2:

She's full-fledged. Well, she's two and a half.

Speaker 1:

She's two and a half, so she's in daycare preschool setting, yeah playing away having the time of her life hopefully I had to close the door.

Speaker 2:

Her, her room is right next to this and it literally looks like a tornado had gone through there. Like just I had to shut it before you got here. Normally I keep the door open cause she's got a cute little room, but not today.

Speaker 1:

She's being, maybe she's creative, being creative today, well, and you know, we've got the older brothers that are still in play mode.

Speaker 2:

You know they're 10 and they're eight, they're still. They still tap into that and especially with her, you know, being as young as she is, it's sort of a kind of a a given that that's going to happen. But anyways, I digress. Oh, no, no, no, I love hearing about it.

Speaker 1:

It brings me joy. I digress, sorry, listeners, no worries, no, this is fun. Um, let's see where was I playing with the kids? And, yeah, you know, going home to mine and an opportunity to sub. So I did, it was great. But the part that I didn't share is during the time that I was at home with my children. God really brought me to my knees and I felt like you know what's the point here.

Speaker 1:

I know sadly it's just the truth, but I had grown up a little bit about my faith history. I had grown up in a family where my father was Catholic and we had to become baptized and take confirmation in the Catholic faith and then excuse me we also my brother and I had to go to Catholic school from kindergarten through eighth grade. My sisters ended up at public school and then, by the time we were older, we could decide what we wanted to do. My mom was Lutheran and she grew up in that, and so we often found ourselves going to church with her on Sundays and becoming involved in those other activities and then occasionally doing some things at my dad's church. So for me, growing up, I was given things that I had to do and then things that I had a choice, and my siblings and I have all ended up in different places. But that plays into me looking at faith as a religion like not a relationship, which then I discovered when I was at home with my children.

Speaker 1:

I had a Bible study I'd done. That actually was based on Cloud and Townsend's book Boundaries. Is it on your shelf?

Speaker 2:

I literally have it on my shelf.

Speaker 1:

That's awesome it was one of the most amazing books I've ever read. This started with kids and then I advanced on to the other one. But that's kind of where I was like oh I have, you know. I don't know what to say, except for I have some control over my life and it didn't have to be fear based, which is pretty much how I operated for most of my life. Fascinating I don't know, but anyways. So I then just discovered all about a relationship, and so I had finished up those maternity leaves.

Speaker 1:

And as much as I loved it. Love kids, love doing what I do, love doing what I did. I'm like I don't think I'm supposed to do this anymore. I don't have that passion for it and I had learned that you know God had made me new and he had a calling for me, and it may not be checking the boxes and doing what you plan on doing, and so, therefore, Funny, how that happens, huh.

Speaker 1:

I had no idea. So I thought, okay, now, what God? Of course I was cultivating, being a mom and doing what I could to raise them. But also I thought, well, what about like me? Because I feel like you kind of lose yourself in motherhood. Yeah, I thought, well, what about like me, Cause you? I feel like you kind of lose yourself in motherhood.

Speaker 2:

Yeah.

Speaker 1:

I mean kind of to point your podcast a little bit.

Speaker 2:

Totally, totally. The the whole reclaiming your hue is is truly based off of that.

Speaker 1:

Yeah.

Speaker 2:

It's. That is exactly why I started the podcast, cause that's how I felt like a a whole different version of me was unearthed, and I didn't know what to do with that new identity, right, and so that was what spurred the question to go how the heck are other women doing it? That?

Speaker 2:

are also, you know, working towards, um, you know, professional fulfillment as well, and particularly in the entrepreneur space, because I think there's different sets of challenges that come along with that than, say, a corporate setting with that, than say a corporate setting not to say one or the other is better, it's just one comes with a set of, you know, things that you need to overcome as a mother going back into a corporate setting and vice versa. Most entrepreneurs don't even get a maternity leave.

Speaker 1:

Yeah, you know, figure it out, or you?

Speaker 2:

you decide, decide like what, what does? This modification of a maternity leave even look like so yeah yeah but yes, you're, you're bringing up something that's pretty valid, which is I felt like I lost myself and what was that gonna look like? Moving forward, right? So that's sort of the the precipice you know, that you're reaching, so talk, talk us through that so yeah.

Speaker 1:

so I kind of came to one element of like this crossroads, like I got to do something. I figure out who, what I like, who I am, which will be my encouragement to everyone later to answer. One of the latter questions will be discover yourself. It's okay to do, it's not selfish, it's important, because all those things that you learn will help you discover also what God's created you to do, and so I I started learning not only about myself but like, well, what do I like to do?

Speaker 2:

And can I ask what that process looks like for you, Sarah?

Speaker 1:

Well, you, you can ask I will do my best to you, Sarah. Well, you can ask, I will do my best to say I think it's different for everybody and I'll just tell you what I did.

Speaker 2:

Yeah.

Speaker 1:

Like I love to read. You may not love to read, but I love to read, so I would read books. I took all a lot of inventories, disc Clifton, strengths, but and just like writing down literally what I like, what I don't like you know, making a pretty visual for myself and things like that. But, um, the the component that I hadn't really delved in, didn't understand. It's just like my spiritual gifting what has God gifted me to do that can impact his kingdom for eternity?

Speaker 2:

Did you take an assessment?

Speaker 1:

Yes, I've done that, and I have to. Yeah, good, it gives you a little bit different insight.

Speaker 2:

It really does? Yeah, it's. It's incredibly insightful actually.

Speaker 1:

Incredibly Some level of a missing piece for me, because I was like oh yeah, talent, skills, ability, experiences, Yep. You know jobs you've had. Yeah, it's kind of a communication style. It's kind of a unique and important part. If you haven't done one not you, but anyone out there do it yeah.

Speaker 2:

Yeah, would highly recommend, and I I'll be sure to um, if I can remember, drop those like the, the Clifton strength finders and all of those other assessments in addition to the spiritual assessment as well, at least the one that I if you have access to a different one, I'll we'll. We'll talk off air about what that looks like, but yeah, yeah so. So those were some of the, the um sort of like a pecking order almost for you in terms of what. Maybe that wasn't the right term it was.

Speaker 1:

I know the order was kind of a mishmash, but yeah, I was just like, well, I'll try this, I'll try that. I mean, I was kind of desperate because I I wanted to be doing something. I felt like my kids were, and that's not for everybody. Some people, like my sister, thrived on going back to her work after staying home with her kids. She functioned better in that kids.

Speaker 1:

She functioned better in that I just knew myself a little bit to know it would be too much for me, um to do what some of my you know, other people I know, can do. We're all made differently and I think accepting that is a huge, it's a huge, important thing.

Speaker 2:

but I've got another follow-up question. I'm I'm having a little bit of a flashback in terms of what that had looked like for me during maternity leave and then coming back at that point, that's when I was still in mortgage and I just knew the demands of what that looked like and I wasn't quite sure if I wanted to continue to do it. So is that? What you're speaking to is like the, the demands of what your position looks like, formally right and just understanding, like okay, well, and.

Speaker 2:

I'm not, I'm not totally privy to what that looks like in terms of um, you know the path, the speech pathologist, and I have some understanding, just coming from an education background and working with um. You know IEPs and stuff with children, right? Does that a lot of that? Does that correlate to what, um, the the timeframe of school looks like, right? So, like these are the particular hours, or if, if not was, was there stuff that was happening before school, after school, into the you know later hours that might then bump into you know a, a boundary that you hadn't realized you needed to set in terms of what it looked like in the family household.

Speaker 1:

Well, I just think in general, me as a person, some people are high capacity I'm not saying I'm a low to know and it doesn't matter if I am or not but I just knew I didn't feel like I could handle a full-time job and raising my children the way that I guess I wanted to, whether you know they turn out or not. But I have to share that part of my decision of doing this mom thing is that I will tell you that. You know it was my senior year of college. You know, going along my plan, it was spring, I was getting ready to move back home, ready to graduate-ish, and I get the phone call my mom has cancer.

Speaker 1:

Okay, now, what? Do I go to grad school, because I had to, or do I? Do I go home? What do I do? You're kind of in a panic because you're. No, they're making decisions and she got, uh, we made the decision, you know, for me to go home. I, you know, I think I just have some element of caretaking in me anyway, and so, and I, it was a great, obviously time to go in terms of like um in between undergrad and grad. So, fast forward, I'm finishing up graduate school, I got the opportunity to be home with her and help with the um. My dad was working trying to retire Um. They were a little bit older when they got married and um was still working, still keeping busy, not really dealing with what I was supposed to be dealing with, doing what I was supposed to do. You know, give her rides, but I really wasn't there for like I should have been. Anyways, could go on about that.

Speaker 1:

But, by the time I was wrapping up my starting to do my internships for speech and language, my mom did pass away. My mom did pass away and actually the week before my grandma died, her mom and I didn't get to go to her funeral. And then my mom's dad died three months later and you know I had grown up in this lifestyle of I mean, death was just a part of our life. I helped my dad with his business a little bit as much as he let me. He was pretty.

Speaker 1:

He should be private about it, but like I was driving people to the crematory, I was helping at graveside services, I was sitting at the desk answering the phone, you know, etc. But when something like that happens to you, I mean, I suppose, what I don't know. I was relatively close to my mom. I was just coming to the point of like being a friend to her. I was 24. And I to answer your respond to your original point I think it was like I never want to regret this desire that I've had and that may not be for somebody else, but I wanted to be a mom and.

Speaker 1:

I wanted to do the best that I could in the way that only that I could do, and I had to let go of like for me, just like the striving and achieving and maybe some of my dreams, to allow these guys to go thrive, hopefully, you know. But I saw her essentially give up her career. I don't know really if she gave it up or she wanted it. So there's a lot of questions I have. But then what's interesting is, as I was preparing for this podcast, I realized, wow, I kind of just followed in her tracks, because then I became an entrepreneur and we'll get to that, but God actually invited me to drop a timeline of my life and another thing I would encourage all your guests to do. I've never done it before, but he was in that time showing me a lot of things and I feel like preparing for this. I just want to say thank you because I feel like I've had a little healing in it, which sounds really crazy but I don't know if other guests feel this way.

Speaker 2:

It makes total sense.

Speaker 1:

Well, so thank you for what you're doing.

Speaker 2:

I'm getting like teary eyed thinking about like it. Literally as you were talking through it, I felt like I was there experiencing it and, um, I can imagine, as you were sharing like, hey, listen, I mean, death was nothing new to me, right like I've. I helped in the business I was there, you know at, at grave sites and whatnot, but nothing, nothing is quite like when it's personally right, it completely shifts that you know thought process and that narrative that you've otherwise built in your head, Like, oh, death is just death.

Speaker 2:

And to your point, yes, there is a little bit of like, it just is what it is. But for us faith girlies, we also understand this is a part of God's plan, it's his will, it's destiny for all of us, and it doesn't make, it doesn't negate not having the feelings and the emotions that come from whoever it is.

Speaker 2:

that's passed Right and easier said than done sometimes, like I might end up speaking up both sides of my mouth here at some point, you know. But like, truly I think that there's. When you have faith, you understand that there's a level of trust that you just have to have for what happens around you.

Speaker 1:

You said trust and it just made me shiver.

Speaker 2:

Yeah.

Speaker 1:

Yeah, so I just want to mention also in the preparation, if you don't mind, or did you have something? No, no, no, no.

Speaker 2:

I was going to go All right, let's let's kind of pick up where we had left off, um with what you were sharing.

Speaker 1:

I think you had mentioned there was something that you were going to encourage mention there was something that you were going to encourage the timeline, yes, Writing out literally from the dawn of your birth to the. You know, we don't know what's ahead. We don't know what's going to happen tomorrow. I've got a blink on the future part of my graph.

Speaker 2:

If you want to call it a graph.

Speaker 1:

I did on graph paper, but scribble it whatever, do it on the computer. But what I felt I was drawn to in preparing this timeline also is the book of Ecclesiastes and I thought, really, okay, I don't even know what to say, except that you know our. If we, we look at you, know the author and he studied it, you know just, everything's meaningless, however we, god wants us to enjoy our work. Okay, eat and drink and appreciate and enjoy the gifts he's given us. And so I think also for me it was important that I enjoyed, if I could what I was doing.

Speaker 1:

So that then plays into the decision once I had done those maternity leaves and realized, oh no, discovering more about myself, I decided, well, I used to really like, you know, like fashion and clothing and things like that, and but I think I ignored it because I, oh, that's kind of you know, vain or whatever. I thought about it, I don't know, or I just never cultivated, so I was like interesting.

Speaker 2:

Interestingly enough, I think we kind of all go through that like weird little, it's a weird thing, right, and I don't know if it's pressure from society or from people around us or family members, but like the there is true realities, cause I I face this too, like, oh, I really love style and fashion and you know how colors work and stuff, like I'm really into it. But then I kind of hit this phase too, even after having having Maddie, where I was like is it important, is it not important? I don't know like what strange it's true, though strange, you hit so strange.

Speaker 2:

You hit the you know nail on the head, but I think this is a part of like really reclaiming that hue right? Is you start to realize, like what? What is actually important for me? Right and honoring that and honoring it because God instilled something like that in you.

Speaker 1:

Yes, he designed you. You're made in his image. You know, created on purpose, for a purpose and discovering you. You need those parts to walk it all out.

Speaker 2:

Yeah.

Speaker 1:

Every single part of you, inside and out, right.

Speaker 2:

Yeah, so the timeline?

Speaker 1:

So then, um, yeah, so the timeline. But I can get to the point of the timeline when I'm uh, you know, trying to figure out me and I come across this, what was like an online class, which, at the time, I've been around a while. Um, they didn't have a lot of that on uh online, so it was kind of new. I took a class and I'm like, oh man, this is really cool. I mean it paired like character qualities with fashion. So therefore it was like more substance to me, right, Sure.

Speaker 1:

And I thought, okay, I can keep going with this, can I? You know I had doubts, of course, but the issue I had was, shortly after my mom died, my dad took us on our like first family vacation. We went to Mexico, but before the plane landed it did what I would call somewhat of a back and forth rotation in the air. It was super scary. We had a pilot on there that said I've never had a landing like that, I think because I still have a sister that doesn't fly. I did not fly for like 10 years. So in order for me to continue on this path that I thought God was calling me to which I had didn't even know there was such a thing as a calling I had to get on a plane. And I thought, because I had my husband had gone with my kids to see their grandma in Arizona, I was I'd gladly stay behind because I would not want to get on a plane, which sounds ridiculous. But I'm going to tell you that every person has a fear, it doesn't matter what it is.

Speaker 1:

There's reasons we do. But for me, I saw the word courageous if I may share in this room, let's say and I thought, yeah, you know, we all need to exercise our courage muscle. So what I did, because I'm a learner, like how can I learn? That's one of my gifts, actually like responsibility, empathy, learner maximizer. And there's another one I forgot what it is One of my gifts actually like responsibility, empathy, learner maximizer.

Speaker 1:

And there's another one. I forgot what it is, but anyway, I'm going to figure out how to do this. So I talked to a pilot who was in my body pump class. It was a woman, I thought the guy was the pilot. She said read about draft and lift. She took me to the airport. She invited me to go on the plane. I said no, thank you, I found my scriptures.

Speaker 1:

God did not give us a spirit of fear, but of power, love and a sound mind, et cetera. I wrote them on my little cards and I thought I'm going for it, I'm going by myself, I'm going to get on that plane and I am going to do the next step, that little change, and I think anytime we make a shift, no matter what it is, you guys, it makes a difference in our you know, families in our home, the family out there, our friends are every it, it, it makes a difference so okay, okay, I'm dying to hear how this all panned out.

Speaker 2:

So I get done.

Speaker 1:

Thank you, so cute you make me excited all over again. So, yeah, I mean I was, I was like love in my my life was the best thing that ever happened and whatnot. And I thought I got to do the next thing and I took another training, I got on the plane again, and so the part where it gets tricky with the entrepreneurship is like, well, I mean, I had my, I had been educated on how to be an image consultant. You know, I loved learning about color and style and really just giving people confidence in who God made them to be, which is, again, more substance than just, you know, looking cute and having the right things, etc. But, yeah, where I just lost my train of thought, but basically it's okay, it's a habit of mine.

Speaker 2:

after having like there's realities, after having babies like you just lose your train of thought. You're like I don't even know what my thought process was, what the heck.

Speaker 1:

Maybe it was the trauma that I was just thinking about, because I was thinking, yes, I blanked out. Because I'm like, yes, I blanked out, because I'm like, oh, this means I'm gonna start a business. I, I'm doing this. I'm not even gonna plan this. I was a planner, no, I'm, I have to do it and so. I love helping women. You know just be who God made them to be, build their confidence, and I get to do that through the avenue of fashion style.

Speaker 2:

So so cool. So when did that like? When did you officially launch that?

Speaker 1:

about 2015, so I think it's been like what? 10 years now you're, you're.

Speaker 2:

I'm kind of under the radar radar what? You're literally at your 10-year mark.

Speaker 1:

I am incredible.

Speaker 2:

I met a little girl. Yes, thank you, I appreciate the celebration have you crossed the threshold like are you officially 10 years? Yes yes, when? When was it that you? June June was it June? I believe you got to look back and tell me, because that's really update really cool.

Speaker 1:

Thank you, I appreciate it. I didn't even think about that yeah it, it's amazing.

Speaker 2:

Thank you Seriously.

Speaker 1:

I like that. You're celebrating, uh, just celebrating, and then just we got to celebrate other women too, you know.

Speaker 2:

Oh for sure, Absolutely I. I think that there's there's so much power in the celebration, there's so much power in the unification, the support in good and bad and indifferent right Like. That's something, too, that I'm recognizing in the mastermind group is, you know, you've got individuals who hit these speed bumps, so to speak, and it's not. Instead of shying away from it, I encourage them to go. Okay, how can we embrace this? And this is the reason for the mastermind group we support each other. Yeah, right, it's the unification, it's the, it's the collective collaboration of really incredible brains and minds and going this is what I'm struggling with, or this is what I'm struggling with, or this is what I want to celebrate, you know, and having this mompreneur community just surround you and envelop you with, you know, the love and support that's absolutely necessary, critical and vitally important.

Speaker 1:

Yeah.

Speaker 2:

Love it.

Speaker 1:

I know.

Speaker 2:

So, yes, let's just take a moment to celebrate 10 years in business, because that's massive and that's a huge benchmark. Really is so congratulations, thank you, so cute. So 10 years you have been doing this, and what has that looked like? Actually, I want to take a step back, so in 2015,. Would you mind sharing how old the boys were? At that point.

Speaker 1:

Fortunately I did my timeline so I can tell you. I know right. I think it was about 11 and 14.

Speaker 2:

Okay, okay, so a little bit older, but that also brings on different seasons of activities and whatnot, and so let's talk through what that harmonization looked like when you were first kind of um, I'm going to use the plane analogy getting the plane off the ground.

Speaker 1:

Okay, what did it look like? Um well, I'll tell you why I liked it is because, gosh, I kind of got to be my own boss. Nobody's going to tell me what to do. I kind of can be hardheaded Um, but also it was flexible and I think I've heard that on your podcast to other people have mentioned the flexibility.

Speaker 1:

Yeah, so I could make my hours when they um, I could kind of design my day and then be there, uh, in the morning before they launched to school, and after school I could go to the activities and squeeze dinner in there somewhere in between. So yeah, it was. I love that about it.

Speaker 2:

That's amazing. How do you feel your family reacted in that, in that transition and that decision as well?

Speaker 1:

Okay, well, I I remember the photo we took of me getting my certification and everybody, I think, was happy about it. I don't know if boys. I don't remember the photo we took of me getting my certification and everybody, I think, was happy about it. I don't know if boys. I don't know if they even noticed.

Speaker 2:

I'll be honest, you know it's um, boys are interesting. They really are, and I, I love our boys seriously so much. But yeah, it's like the sometimes the reactions there, and you're you least expect the reaction to be there. And then when you want to see a reaction, and you're you least expect the reaction to be there, and then when you want to see a reaction, you're like nothing. Cool Sounds good, they're like cool and they're like onto the next thing. So interesting. That's why you have your other mompreneurs.

Speaker 2:

Yeah, that's why we rally the women around, because you know that you're going to have a little bit more emotion evoked, so but that's so, that's so we rally the women around because you know that you're going to have a little bit more emotion evoked.

Speaker 1:

Yes, perfect.

Speaker 2:

But that's so cool that they were kind of right there with you as you were stepping into entrepreneurship. And then to your point about the flexibility that it creates. I'm sure the Boundaries book kind of came into play at some point or another.

Speaker 1:

Oh boy. So yeah, we can talk about how now I'm the the, the repercussions of like, yeah, I exercise, but I've got health repercussions from the stress you know it's a lot to manage, so I'm now dealing with that and such, but I'm just kind of I don't know if I call it burnout, but I'm trying to do it all.

Speaker 1:

Yeah, yeah, and you know, things don't always turn out how you want. You don't make the money you want, necessarily, maybe, or you things didn't go with a certain client the way you want it, whatever, and there's also just those are the kind of the lows and then just like the highs, of you know wow. I just made somebody's day. They just said this about me, you know, or whatever. I changed their life. I got to pray with them. Yeah, it's a roller coaster, I guess, is what I would say.

Speaker 1:

I wasn't expecting that Again in my brain, everything's just going to go forward and up.

Speaker 2:

Yeah, no, I love it, but I love, I love your thought process around it. Thank you, I do. Okay, so 10 years in business and let's talk through some of the the ups and downs, the peaks and valleys, as I like to say, and, um, you know whether it was in challenges that you experienced with harmonizing it with motherhood or, um, uh, kind of outside of that realm, to like any of those particular hiccups that she might've experienced. What was what was actually probably the the biggest hiccup that you felt like you had experienced and how did you work through it?

Speaker 1:

Huh, well, I'll, I mean. It may not seem that dramatic, but it was for me. I do not like taxes. They completely stressed me out. I had inventory. I didn't know how to do inventory. I wasn't. We got some business training, but I'm not a business person.

Speaker 1:

Yeah, I was pulling my hair out one year and like the first in, first out, all those sorts of things. I remember I actually got a scripture about do not despise this. Whatever time of humble beginnings I thought, oh, I'm totally despising this, I'm losing sleep over this. But I discovered this was so interesting. I discovered, well, my husband actually has more business sense than I realized. So I had to rely a little bit on him, which of course I'm kind of.

Speaker 1:

I want to be independent, I want to do it myself, and so he had to help me through that and we it was not a pretty sight all the time, but I will say then, the other thing with that is, it also pushed me because of all the tears. I thought I'm going to figure out a way to do this myself or in a structure in such a way that I don't need to have inventory. It can be part of what I offer. And so then I designed something on my own and you know, then you hire somebody to make that and you know um. But I know it doesn't sound like like super traumatic, but to me it was very, very difficult and yeah.

Speaker 2:

I can unpack, I, I'd like to unpack this because I think, like I empathize with you I talk a lot about empathy knew like the end game is that we're going to get married Right, I came into that fiercely, independent, fiercely, except for, like you know, like the, the tool thing, like tools and make like no, that is just not my area of expertise. I will very much dependently be on somebody else for that stuff.

Speaker 1:

Though I'm, like.

Speaker 2:

I need to make this shift, like shift the narrative in my own head, right. But I mean I empathize with you, sarah, because there is nothing that is more stressful than having to really set down your ego and go I don't know how to do this and trying to play it cool, like, oh, I think I can do this, and then just absolutely like being leveled out and going no, I can't, and I do need to start somewhere and learn. And there's this. I'm sure many of the listeners and other guests who have been on can go yeah, I've been there and you kind of go through these like peeling back of the onion layer steps of going. Why am I like let's get to the bottom of this. Why do I feel like I can't ask for help or rely on somebody else to help support me, at least for the time being, so I can get my feet wet with it and then go? Okay, I think I've got it.

Speaker 1:

Right.

Speaker 2:

So I that. That's from my perspective. I don't know if there's anything that kind of parallels for you in that.

Speaker 1:

Well, I think just the. Why am I so stinking independent? No offense, because I was the same way and I never. I think the world would say, yeah, you got to figure this, it's all figure outable and you can do it and you can do all the things. But I think God hasn't made us to be able each to do all the things. He actually made us to rely on other people because they're gifted differently.

Speaker 1:

We actually do have weaknesses and we need to figure out how to manage them and um then, you know, obviously build on our strengths, but that requires saying uh, help, you know yeah, I think it was helpful for me to learn that that's actually truth, that we need other people like and then how do you lean into?

Speaker 2:

that too is kind of like the bigger question from all of it.

Speaker 1:

So with people you trust. I think discovering you know more of um. I'm sorry that's okay discovering more. Uh, who you can trust and learning what they know and how can you serve them.

Speaker 2:

You know it's something that's coming to mind for me is, um, I had I had a woman on I don't know if you had a chance to listen to her episode Catherine Giole. No, she has. Um, she founded finding love safely, so she's got at least three kiddos.

Speaker 2:

I'm sorry, catherine, if you end up listening to this episode. I can't remember how many kiddos it is that have disabilities and it was her son who who ended up saying hey, I think I want to do like something on Tinder to try to, you know, get go out on a date. And she was like absolutely not. So she created an alternative way to find love for these, you know, adults with disabilities, and it's just so sweet, it really is.

Speaker 2:

But the reason I bring up Catherine is because that's sort of her second but just really like second entrepreneurial business. Her initial entrepreneurial business is consultation and um coaching and she highly encourages anybody that she coaches with to go through the Clifton Strength Finder Right and not just like the. I think it's like 15 that you can get this like figure out your first like 15 strength. There's like a 34 from like this is my absolute strength to like this is the bottom of the barrel. Weakness Right.

Speaker 2:

So she was so gracious after our interview to go. Hey, I would love to just go through this with you, if you're okay with it Cause we.

Speaker 2:

It came up in the interview and, um, this is all coming to mind because I'm like how, how incredible is it just in this vein of like God created us the way that we are, with our particular set of strengths, right, and we're not made to do it all, and how can we be encouraged to lean into other individuals that can help support the bottom of the barrel? You know characteristics of who we are right.

Speaker 1:

Yes, yes, yes, yes, Accepting those.

Speaker 2:

Interestingly enough, as I was going through all of this with her, I was like, oh my word, as I was going through all of this with her. I was like oh, my word Like ideation for me is not a strength at all, and for my husband it is, for somebody else who's on my mastermind it is, and we had done some stuff like that before and you should have seen the two of them at the table. Like like, what about this, Kelly, what about this, what about this? And I was like cool, that sounds good.

Speaker 1:

That sounds great and I'm like yeah, yeah, yeah.

Speaker 2:

But then you like, you get it all out there and then you go not this, not this. Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes To this.

Speaker 1:

Love it Right.

Speaker 2:

But I just in context to what you're talking about and speaking to right, it's like, okay, I may have just hit a point where this is not a strength of mine, but I needed to lean into my husband who, ironically, like through the midst of all of this, I come to find that he is really business savvy.

Speaker 1:

He's got some acumen, yeah, like so that's no, I'm saying on your behalf like that's really fantastic and what a blessing.

Speaker 2:

I think he liked it too. Actually, Does he love to like help? Oh, does he like.

Speaker 1:

Oh, big time server. And to the point where, yeah, you need to like, maybe do you know less of it, Cause you're.

Speaker 2:

how do you, how do?

Speaker 1:

you do all that. You're amazing. But also also I did pay to have people start helping me with things and it's like that was wonderful Figuring out those real those things that really bug you. Yeah, what a weight lifted off right?

Speaker 2:

Ooh, we could. We could certainly dive down that, but I think let's just we'll set that one aside for now. I think we've hit the nail on the head in terms of, like, the importance of understanding what are your strengths, understanding what are your weaknesses, not to like completely dismiss them. It's like okay what are some of the things that I know that I can like help to boost this, but then also bring somebody else in to support that, to kind of bring the roundedness of my business.

Speaker 1:

Yeah, I like that.

Speaker 2:

And perhaps motherhood too.

Speaker 1:

Yeah.

Speaker 2:

That's the reason we've got significant others is because, like God, bless the single moms and the single dads out there. Single dads out there, hopefully there's a community around you, whether it be you know parents or grandparents, but we're not meant to do this life alone.

Speaker 1:

No, we're not.

Speaker 2:

No, it's way more fun with others. Speaking of which, what has village of support looked like for you?

Speaker 1:

I feel like I've been refining that in the last handful of years as I've grown up. I can't. I'm a kind of person I'd like to have a million friends, but I can't possibly do that. It's not physically possible, and I'm learning that I'm. I've lost a lot of energy trying to be I guess you'd say say, people pleasing and just trying to understand more of how to spend my time wisely. You know, teach me to gain a heart of wisdom. Each you know every day, lord, I am part of a small group that Jamie Salstrom is actually my leader. Shout out to her Forbes 25 women of the year.

Speaker 1:

No, I shouldn't say woman of the year, but top advisor she's rocking it Powerhouse.

Speaker 2:

Yeah, so cool. You know Jamie's been on right. Yes, I do.

Speaker 1:

She doesn't know that. I know that I don't think, but maybe she'll listen to this. I didn't tell her I was going to be on, but anyway so cool, she's great, she's rocking.

Speaker 2:

Yeah, you have to tell her.

Speaker 1:

So those guys, we do it. It's manageable. We only meet every other week, which is great, um, and so she leads us and that's fabulous. And then I'm actually I'm on a board of a very small board that, um, like I just forgot to write that one down but they're such great prayer partners and also encouragers, cheerleaders, um, you know, I think back to my original thing with the support, like inner circle of people versus a million, trying to think there's one more.

Speaker 1:

I'm missing God. He's my co-worker. You know we work together. I used to rely a lot on people Not that, you know, that's good but I do try to go to him more often on how to, what I, what I really should do, cause this is what I think I should do. My brain thinks I should do. What am I, what do you lead me to do instead? And, um, I, that's kind of been a shift for me as far as, like, um, my support. I used to be like, oh, do the Bible study and pray the prayers? Yes, all that, but, lord, lead me by your Holy Spirit.

Speaker 2:

What do?

Speaker 1:

you want me to do today. You know who's going to intersect my path. Who's that one person that I can make a difference? So, even though I have my work, I can go out like you did when I walked in. You're paying me a compliment, like, thank you so much. I want to go out and do that. Then, in return to other people, and just out there, just maybe need a little uplift. I mean here and there, everywhere you go, you're working.

Speaker 2:

You're working for God, so.

Speaker 1:

I love it. I would say that's my. You know, I think sometimes family probably thinks I'm crazy. I think, being an entrepreneur, people might think you're nuts, but Well it's not.

Speaker 2:

It's it's not the path that a vast majority of people take right. I think if people understood the freedom that comes with it and it's a different kind of freedom. It actually is a heck of a lot more challenging than, say, a corporate setting. I'm not going to speak to all of the corporate settings. That's just too much of a blanket statement.

Speaker 2:

But, I think that you just you. It allows you to be able to grow in ways that you just otherwise might not be able to, in a different kind of work, setting a nine to five, so to speak. So that's just my humble opinion about it, you know and.

Speaker 2:

I'd rather be viewed as absolutely crazy and and have this like absolutely incredible relationship with God and my faith and have that filter down into how everything is with you know the dynamic with my husband as husband and wife and then as business partners and so on, and so forth, like, truly, because I think and I, this was something I wanted to ask you that kind of came to my, came to my brain, my heart is you've had a nice little runway with your business and you've alluded to like, oh, I, you know, I've, I'm a, I'm a little bit more seasoned, right, like you've experienced you like a fine wine and, um, it's. It's funny Val actually was speaking to.

Speaker 2:

I'm gonna totally blank on how she, how she phrased it like she is, she is the finest wine in our mastermind group right like in terms of being in business, the years that she has and then, just you know, having having children that are like literally almost my age.

Speaker 1:

Right so.

Speaker 2:

I think she was saying like sorry, val, if you're listening to this and you recollect our conversation, you know, on a Thursday morning. I think she was speaking to like I view myself as like a, a mentor of sorts to the group, um, or like the, the future version of you women in the group, and I can speak to some of these things that you're encountering both in motherhood and entrepreneurship.

Speaker 1:

That was. That was what it is.

Speaker 2:

Okay, so this is what I want to ask you is as you, as you continue year over year and you look backwards right, we can only connect the dots. Looking backwards, right, what has that looked like for you in terms of people pleasing, right, and then setting that down? How has faith played a role in all of that as well? And then I want to kind of bring it full circle, because you mentioned, like you know, as a people pleaser, like I can't have a million friends, I just can't. It's gotta be the inner circle. So how do you feel like, over the years, that muscle has been completely like? I feel like you're in a really great place right now, that like there's no atrophy to your muscle. When it comes to that, what, what do you?

Speaker 1:

think it is. I mean, I'll be honest, I like to read. I read books about friendship and, like I, hadn't you know experience in high school where I had to switch high schools and go to a completely different school than my brother got to and I had to start over and that's a hard time and I sadly did it to my sons.

Speaker 1:

but I learned that I mean, I went through the friends. I don't know where I fit in. I was popular in the end, like I was, I'll say, but what kind of substance, you know, did I have? And why was I? Why did they want to be friends with me? Why was I friends with them Instead of just like you have only so much? I think the energy part for me lately in the last few years is I don't have the capacity as much anymore to give like and I'm in a place right now where I'm sort of transitioning to. I'm sort of like uh, my kids have my son just got married. Uh, my older son, he's pretty young you know, finished college, my other one's wrapping up college.

Speaker 1:

I'm kind of in a place where I'm starting to look. I'm hovering over and just figuring out, looking at some different perspectives. What's it going to look like moving forward? How have I done it? What didn't I like about what I do? Because you know sometimes you hurt people in the process of figuring out where you fit in.

Speaker 1:

Just like they can hurt you. I don't even know if this is helpful, but for me it was just being okay for times in my life, not having what I wanted or accepting the way things didn't turn out with friendships that I was hoping. But I learned that I may not be able to trust, say, a person or they me, but I can trust God to walk into the next relationship and know how much to put into it and to give to it and to take from it.

Speaker 1:

I think, there's the balance of the give and take, and then the other thought I had was about the balancing of the give and take.

Speaker 2:

Anyways, I can't remember what the other thing was no, it's okay Again. Remember, when we talked about how this is just how life is being a mom, I was trying to find a book. It's in here somewhere and it's about relationships and there's like four different kinds of people in life. It's around here somewhere and I read it years ago. It's some. It's. It's around here somewhere and I read it years ago. It's a quick read but it was about, um, the kind of people, kind of um energy that you're able to pour into people, um, or the type of characteristics that each person holds.

Speaker 2:

And gosh, I wish I could find it, because it's been so long since I've read it that I don't want to butcher it, but anyways, like one of them is like kind of like an energy sucker right Like they they take more than they give and it's, you know, it's perhaps the season of life that they're in, and it doesn't mean that that's necessarily exactly who they are, that they just may be in a season of life where they're learning through a lot of stuff. Yeah, I like that and that you could potentially come back around to that friendship at some point or another. But it's understanding, like how much you can actually give to that relationship versus how much you kind of are willing to, right? So I'll end up sharing with it after Sure, because, like I don't know where it is, I know it's around here somewhere. I swear it. Like some of those books fall back because you know Maddie gets her little hands in here sometimes and she just pushes things around.

Speaker 1:

That's a reader's our leader, she's going to be a reader she totally is Cute.

Speaker 2:

I have a picture somewhere, sarah, where she literally was sitting in this chair and she was reading a book, and I had to catch the picture of her because I ended up sharing it with her teachers.

Speaker 1:

Oh yeah, Look at this.

Speaker 2:

They're like oh, spot on. Anytime she's like she's getting dropped off, she's grabbing a book and asking to sit in her lap and read so yeah, yeah, she'll do in her future.

Speaker 2:

Yeah, anyways, full circle back to what you were speaking to of, just like you know the time and energy and pouring into like what does that actually look like with friendships and stuff? And then how do those friendships end up supporting what it is that you're doing, both in motherhood and entrepreneurship? I just think that there is certainly something to be said about the people we surround ourselves with and being conscious of who it is that we want to continue to do this life with.

Speaker 1:

It's short. I'm on the latter end. We're given seven or 80 years right.

Speaker 2:

Yeah, it's. You know, I, I kind of do a diagnostic of like do they, do they make a conscious effort to like, reach out? Um, it doesn't mean scheduling, you know, time multiple times a month to get together, but we're at least trying our best within a couple of months to find time for one another. They're engaged, they understand what, what it is that I or we, you know like to. To bring it to your story is like what are you trying to accomplish, you know, and what is your mission and your vision, and that that mission and vision that's been set upon you by God to put forward, do they truly support it? Right, and if they, and if they're not in a season of life again, this goes back to the energy suckers Like, if they're just not in a season of life to be able to support that, then it's gone.

Speaker 2:

All right, I got to. Just, I have to pour more time and energy into my family at this point and I'm in that particular season of life and this is just what it's going to look like. Oh, okay, and you know, both of my kids are, you know, done with college now and so it's like all right. Well, I'm sure that's going to bring on a whole different set of um shifts. Good word in your, in your life, right.

Speaker 1:

But thankfully, like you, the shifts, you can walk through that with that supportive people. And then I was thinking, too, you would do something with discipleship, because I also have had like a mentor who took, took time with me hours when I was that young, just discovering Jesus, and it's like a couple hours every week and she'd teach me about the Bible and okay, what part of that am I now going to? What's part of my succession plan that's going to be eternal, of that value? Who can I pour into for jumping into it? But who can that be? Cause I'm not doing that right now?

Speaker 2:

that right now. I do it with my work, with yeah not for the younger, younger people, so anyway yeah, she my discipler yeah it's like just wait, you'll end up discipling people, and I was like me, no like, and I just don't. I don't feel equipped or ready to do that, and I know that that's not the season of life that I'm in, but I know that there's an eventuality.

Speaker 1:

Well and kind of you do it with the podcast, though, too. I'll just say it.

Speaker 2:

You know, thank you, that's actually. That's actually very eyeopening for me. I wouldn't have even thought of it that way, totally Okay. Well, here we are. Here we are, um, I I feel like we've covered some really good ground here, sarah, and I don't know if I'm missing anything. I've just been very, very enlightened by our conversation, enlightened by your story and, um, I feel like we've really kind of touched on all of the different areas so far. But where we haven't touched on is as we start to land the plane this is what I referenced quite a bit.

Speaker 2:

I know I start, I start to land the plane. What is a piece of advice that you would give a younger version of yourself knowing, knowing all that you know now and just having experienced life that the way that you have experienced it?

Speaker 1:

Two thoughts come to mind, and I did have some time to think about. It is, and I already mentioned, just taking some time just to discover who you are. And then, interestingly enough, the scripture came to mind as I was preparing. I don't I can't reference it, but it talks about, you know, gaining the whole world but losing your soul. And we just had a former neighbor over at our house one evening. He's older and he was talking about not a field of mine, but basically these people that try to reach partner in five years are working 70 hours a week and they trade their life, quality of life and he's.

Speaker 1:

He's a man that has a lot of wisdom and has, in a sense, sort of mentored my kiddo, who was across the table from him. It was just going through a job upheaval and I thought, wow, that verse came to mind and then he just said it. That was just like two nights ago and I really just encourage the. The discovery of yourself is going to help you not lose your soul and just really figure out what you're made to do and how to do it and not to overdo it, I guess.

Speaker 2:

I do think that there's a little bit too about like, in doing that discovery right, very much in line with what you were speaking to. It's like then you understand how you can set parameters, yes, and the boundaries really start to come into play the more that you really discover who you are, what your mission is, what your vision is. Purpose, very much purpose, and then just setting your eyes on that and going and trusting like God has you and leaning into like it. This isn't the path for everybody, right, and so I don't want to completely broad stroke it, but for you, know, you and I, and for the individuals who are listening, where faith is just so vitally important for them and it's, um, it really kind of helps be the guiding post.

Speaker 2:

It's like continuing to lead, lean into that, like really lean into it for the guidance and the respect the comfort, the safe place it really is well, and I think something else that just came to mind too is we talked early on about how sometimes there's just different seasons of life that happen right, and this caught. This is a calling for a change, right, and to not be afraid to make a pivot. Do not be afraid to reinvent yourself, which is very much your story. There's a lot of reinvention that happened and I'm sure, too, we're not quite done, sorry.

Speaker 2:

There's a few other things I'm starting to think about you know, I'm sure that you actually have experienced this in doing what you do, which is styling women, that they come to you with lots of questions, right, and you are their guiding post, right, and in having those conversations, it allows a reinvention of them stylistically, right.

Speaker 1:

Let's talk about this. Sometimes it starts with style. Actually, I look at it as an inlet. It starts there, but then it goes to something broader, rather than they're coming to me after they've sort of developed themselves and now they want to work on style. It's really cool. It can be the impetus to greater things. Just pick this avenue for me. I never would have thought in a million years I would do this. I just enjoyed it and I like encouraging and teaching.

Speaker 2:

So I'm so curious. What is um, what is?

Speaker 1:

yes.

Speaker 2:

Sorry, listeners Thank you. Right now, my, my poor guests have to like hold the microphone and there's a true front to the microphone, there's a true back to the microphone and sometimes I have to. We get so excited. Like I find myself constantly checking to see this is the front, is this the back? Nope, we're good. We're good, so that's what you were just experiencing, but anyways, I want to know what's? What is the first individual that you can think of? Where you were like that was just so impactful. You don't have to say names.

Speaker 1:

Oh no, I won't say names, I don't, I want to know, like I want to know what that was. That was like. You know it's interesting. Honestly, I don't want to sound cheesy, but every one of them impacts me.

Speaker 1:

I'm not trying to be like cover it all in different ways, cause you know, each of us are walking into it, even though having a conversation kind of like you and I today, we didn't, we don't really know each other, so they're having to, you know, trust this process and trust me, and I think I would think about more of a recent one. Let's just say um, just because it's front of mind. I I don't have it on my website, but I do do just color analysis and that's what this person wanted. So we met up and um as I was praying about it, cause I do pray about my clients and it's not like me, like I sometimes will pray with my clients but I don't always pray with my clients.

Speaker 1:

Some are believers, some aren't, it doesn't matter. I like to help. You know, everybody build confidence in this area. But I was sensing just that, you know, there's just a lot of hurt and pain for some reason I have no idea why or what and it just was on my heart. And so, you know, we, we prayed and I kind of took a risk.

Speaker 1:

So it's just the courageous thing again, like I feel like I'm kind of interfering in their life, but I felt like I needed to pray about just. You know, this person's a light, this person's bright, they're helpful, and when I see them cause I I would see them out socially and just think of the qualities I saw about. It was I work with primarily women and um, and I go. But you know there's, there's something deep inside, you know. You know you know that's causing pain and and so I prayed about that and we got done. She's like I can't believe you just prayed about that because that's there's something going on there and maybe we can talk about it later, cause, you know, I like to keep it fun and light too.

Speaker 1:

This is a fun thing. It's awesome, but I'm like I have to. I felt like led to just share and it was really cool because afterward we had our fun and we did our thing and I was going to go and she's like you.

Speaker 1:

We had our fun and we did our thing and I was going to go and she's like you know, this is really what's going on in my world. And she shared, bless her heart, and I'm like, hey, let's go over to your chair and let's just kind of pray for you. And she was willing to receive that. And then it's just that gives my work meaning Another client pretty hard on herself. We go shopping and sometimes I don't know like you can only say to somebody you know you're beautiful, you're beautiful so many times or compliment.

Speaker 1:

Finally and I don't normally do this I just put my hand, uh, on her chin and I said you're beautiful, and you know. She didn't say anything and I didn't know if that's appropriate, but again I felt we'd known each other. We had gone a few times.

Speaker 1:

It was okay for me and I hope that that impacted her. So, people that I work with, they teach me a lot about me and even some of my fears and the things that bring me joy, and if it weren't for my customers, I would not be working. So thank you for each and every one of them and the discoveries that they make whether they work with me one time, quick, or over time. I just god knows, that's incredible it's really incredible what?

Speaker 2:

so you had mentioned and on the, and alluded to this. So you primarily work with women, right?

Speaker 1:

yes, I have worked with men but I with their wives. There, just my sweet spot is with women and encouraging them, and primarily, you know, women my age. But I have also worked a little bit with teen girls, when I can give a presentation about you know who God made them to be in their identity. That whole. That's not my comfort zone, but I've had to do it a couple times and it's needed for sure.

Speaker 1:

But, yeah, I love helping women learn what their best colors are based on their hair, skin and eyes, how to dress for their body shape. Which body shape has my body issues. I've struggled with that since I was young and that's part of my journey too. And then we help with kind of discovering your style a little bit, but it's still more of a launching pad for that just how to accessorize.

Speaker 2:

You know, those are well and I think something that comes to mind is just this massive shift that happens for women's bodies after they have children. My body is not the same body that it was pre-baby, by any stretch of the imagination. I used to have much more of an athletic physique and now it's a little bit, a little bit more like lean. There's leanness, not so much muscle if that makes sense.

Speaker 2:

And and my goodness, I will say this on air I do not have any boobs anymore. You're funny and it's just so sad, like sad. Like you know, you go through the nursing phase and then all of a sudden, it's like nothing is there, but even before I had babes you know, had my baby. I was like I felt I I was happy about right you know my little, my boobies? They weren't, they were not small. They are small now and I'm like oh, what happened?

Speaker 1:

We should talk about bras is what's next right. No seriously getting fitted once a year. There's great. I have some resources for you to on that boat. That's off air, um. But I'm just making sure that your bras look good on you. They help you look great underneath your clothes, no matter what size you are. They are the foundation for dressing Well.

Speaker 2:

I tell you what you are. They are the foundation for dressing. Well, I tell you what I feel like I have been shooting in the dark on that particular avenue, so yeah, we can talk off air about boobs. Thanks, listeners, for just sharing in some giggles about boobies. So I know all of us women can totally empathize with it.

Speaker 2:

Okay, now we're landing the plane. I asked the question what's a piece of advice that you would give a younger version of yourself? It was absolutely beautiful advice that she shared. What's a piece of advice that you would give another woman listening right now, who is? They're rediscovering themselves, and maybe business is involved in that, maybe not. Maybe it's just a rediscovery of self. What's a piece of advice you'd give to them?

Speaker 1:

Business or self.

Speaker 2:

Either or or both. Whatever you're feeling compelled to Wow.

Speaker 1:

Okay, I think. I think it's interesting how they can play together and they did for me. Um, even just like, let's just say, part of my rediscovery was actually figuring out, oh, there are certain colors that look better on me than not. Let's say, for example, oh, I can wear certain clothes Like I didn't know this, nobody taught me this.

Speaker 1:

I love shopping, but I didn't know certain things helped me look a certain way, and it's interesting how learning about those things and more, and helping you know my issue is I have lots of extra skin from having my baby first. One one gained, you know, 90, I want to say 90 pounds. I was almost 200 pounds and I'm a short person and I'm not going to be doing anything about that, but I've had to live with that now and it's it's held me back and I wasn't going to let it do that anymore. But all that to say, it's interesting how something that was a part of an interest of mine that I then explored learned about that I am now using to help other people and I would have had no idea and it's it's a blessing to me that I get to give my gift away.

Speaker 2:

Do you feel like this is like a form of self-care for yourself and for like that others can do for themselves too?

Speaker 1:

Yeah, In fact, that's how it started out for me. This was self-care and so, yes, but it's more than self-care. I feel like it's, it's really an investment. I'm going to prepare you and get you set up. Really yeah Too, you know. So anyway.

Speaker 2:

Incredible Thanks, Sarah. This has been so fun and so enlightening and you've given some very profound little nuggets of information and advice for the listeners, so thank you. How can individuals get connected to you?

Speaker 1:

counterculture, but I love meeting up like, like we are right now. I'm in here in person with Kelly. She's inviting me into her home um love coffee. But you can also, if you're more comfortable, I go to my website and then you can set up a style chat on Calendly with me. It's 15 minutes free beautiful it can go somewhere or not, and I am on like Facebook. I have a page. I'm on LinkedIn, but nothing. I'm not really into social media. Okay, I love word of mouth and I love people, so one-on-one is great.

Speaker 2:

Beautiful. This has been so fun, so enlightening. I am so glad that you know. After months and months, of having this on the calendar, that here we are, and what a blessing. Thank you.

Speaker 1:

I feel the same. I appreciate you.

Speaker 2:

Well, I hope you have a great rest of the day.

Speaker 1:

Thank you, you too Thank you.

Speaker 2:

Thanks for listening and if you enjoyed this episode and know of any inspiring mamas who are powerhouse entrepreneurs, please help connect them with myself and the show. It would mean so much if you would help spread this message, mission and vision for other mompreneurs. It takes 30 seconds to rate and review. Then share this episode with your friends Until the next episode. Cheers to reclaiming your hue.

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Kelly Kirk

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