.png)
In Her Prime
Big-city living can feel like a grind, but In Her Prime is where women hit pause, tune in, and turn up. From boardrooms to brunch tables, we’re bringing bold conversations about careers, confidence, and crushing it—all while keeping it real.
We’re Elise and Domenika, the voices behind the mic and the movement. What started as a sister brand to House of Movement has evolved into the podcast women actually want to listen to. It’s where stories get honest, growth feels effortless, and inspiration flows.
Follow us on Instagram @houseofmvment to get involved and keep the conversations going!
In Her Prime
Breaking Into a Boys’ Club: How Natasha Conquered Tech & F1
In this episode, we sit down with Natasha, a true powerhouse in a male-dominated space. From working at one of the top 5 tech companies in the world to launching Milkshake, a media brand redefining the F1 fan experience for women—Natasha shares how she navigated the corporate world, built a career in tech, and turned her passion for motorsport into a thriving business. If you're looking for career inspo, insider F1 stories, and the ultimate guide to making bold moves, this one's for you!
This podcast is sponsored by Mintier 🤎
Okay, we need to pause and talk about something that has actually changed the way that we both sleep.
SPEAKER_02:Seriously, you know that feeling when you wake up with a dry mouth, you're feeling groggy, or you feel like you didn't sleep as good as you should have? Well, we've all been there.
SPEAKER_00:So we started using Mintier's mouth tape, and we are absolutely obsessed. It's beginner friendly, super comfortable, and actually helps you breathe better, sleep deeper, and wake up refreshed.
SPEAKER_02:And let's be real, mouth breathing, I obviously don't want that, and it's not cute. Mentir's mouth tape helps promote nasal breathing, which isn't just for a better sleep, but also for jawline definition, reducing puffiness in the face and even preventing snoring.
SPEAKER_00:The best part, it's hypoallergenic, latex-free, and has a small slit so you can still sip water through a straw.
SPEAKER_02:You guys know how we're all about those little habits that make a big impact. So if you're in your rich school era, this is a kind of wellness upgrade you need to add to your routine.
SPEAKER_00:We're actually working on something super exciting with Mentir, so stay tuned for that.
SPEAKER_02:If you want to sleep better, feel better, and wake up actually feeling refreshed, check out Mentir's mouth tape. They're available online.
SPEAKER_00:You can find it on shopmentier.com, well.ca, Uber Eats, Instacart, Nature's Source, and even in store at Nutbar. Trust me, once you start, you'll never go back. Hi guys, welcome back to our podcast. I'm Elise. And I'm Dom. This week we have an incredible guest. She has spent over a decade climbing the ranks at one of the world's top five software companies, earning seven promotions and a raise pretty much every year, a female powerhouse in a male-dominated industry. She's breaking barriers and redefining success. On top of that, she's the founder of Milkshake, an all-female F1 media brand, bringing a fresh and fun take on motorsport, covering the news, drama, fashion, and everything in between. Welcome, Natasha.
SPEAKER_01:Thanks for having me.
SPEAKER_02:Did you like your little intro?
SPEAKER_01:I did. That was so cute.
SPEAKER_02:I know Elise always puts like so much hard work when we did it for Catherine and Vic. They were like, they're like, okay, can you like record that and like send it to me so I can play that? Um well we just wanted to say thank you so much um for being here. It means a lot. We love having people on the podcast that kind of resonate with AR community and just like being a female founder and being in that space. We start off every podcast episode with a peek and pit. So basically, something that went really well last week, and then something that you're struggling with can be super serious from like a health issue, something or like as silly as like I lost my favorite lip liner, and that is my pet. So do you want to start off? Sure.
SPEAKER_01:Okay. So I love tennis. So my peak is I have been struggling with my sur recently, and I went to the best tennis lesson where I got three tips, and now I think I'm gonna win every match that I have. So that was like the highlight of my week. Um, and then is that a new hobby that you picked up? No, I played tennis all my whole life. Okay. I did take a 15-year hiatus, so I did start getting back into philosophy. Okay, but mushroom, muscle memory. Exactly. Um, and then my pit is, you know, we've been trying to start a family, and unfortunately, this month didn't happen again, so we gotta keep going. So when the timing's right, yeah, it'll happen.
SPEAKER_02:Okay, Elise, your peak and pit.
SPEAKER_00:I feel like we have a similar peak. We are looking to onboard a new like social media coordinator, social media assistant. I feel like social media, because I've run so many pages for so many brands, running the page for your own brand, which I'm sure you're familiar with, can either be like really good for a period of time, and I've been doing it for like a year, and then you kind of come to a point where you just need like a fresh brain and fresh ideas. So we are always getting DMs of girls being like, Are you hiring interns or are you hiring? And we always laugh at them, but because we're like, What? But you want to work with us, but then we actually like sat and thought about it and we were like, Okay, maybe this is a good idea. So I feel like that's like a universal peak. Yeah. And then a pit. What's your pit?
SPEAKER_02:I would say pit. I think we've both like I'm gonna speak for the both of us. I think we've come to the realization of how much work goes into having like a startup small business, taking something from the ground up. Like we were lucky enough, the house of movement kind of the past year kind of just we coasted by like it's I don't wanna sound arrogant, but like success kind of just like it it was just doing really well, but now we're at the point where we're like, okay, we need to really like be strategic with what we're doing and where we're inserting ourselves in the market. And it's a lot of work to like be intentional with like your posting and like our social media has been a little bit stagnant, and like we're like, okay, we need to get the ball rolling. So I wouldn't necessarily say it's a pit, but it's like it's like okay. It's a wake up call. Yeah, it's a wake-up call of like, okay, we need to start taking this. Not that we haven't been taking it seriously, but to I don't know, just kind of go in a different direction. Cause I feel like we're kind of just like plateauing right now. Like, okay, everything's going, events are selling. We have a really fun event this weekend for Women's Day, but like our social media is like it's non-existent, and we need someone. So yeah, I love I love doing a peek and pit.
SPEAKER_01:Because it's but it's also nice that you guys have like figured out what's working that then you can like you know, like have the instincts to be like, okay, we can do this next. Yeah.
SPEAKER_00:I mean, I feel like that's something that's important just for any brand that you start is being able to look at it and say, Okay, this isn't working right now. What can we do that is working? And maybe that does mean bringing somebody new on with new ideas. So I'm excited for that. So am I. Anyway, getting into you. How did you start in the corporate world? Because you are with a very well-known company, and especially as like a female, I feel like growing the corporate ladder is not overly easy. So, how did you get started?
SPEAKER_01:I honestly didn't like didn't overthink it. Um, my uh now husband actually, we went through a breakup and he moved back to Toronto. We were living in Calgary, and long story short, Tinder had just come out. I went on a Tinder Day and I was like, what am I doing here? I'm originally from Singapore, and this person asked me if Singapore was a small town in Ontario, and I was like, No, it's not. And then I literally went home, I Googled top tech companies Toronto and I applied to all five of them. And one of them called me on the Monday, and that was it. So I didn't like overthinking, I just applied, and then someone called and I went on the interview, and that was that. Do you have a tech background? Like, was that okay? No, definitely not.
SPEAKER_02:So I guess then my question is like we have so many people that are like wanting to bounce between industries, or like for myself, or like we'll we'll use at least as an example. Her undergrad is in science. Now does like social media strategy, all of that stuff. Like, how did you how were you so quickly able to like insert yourself into tech with aid maybe not having the experience or the network or the connections? Like, what made it so easy?
SPEAKER_01:Well, so I like I lead a sales team. Okay. Um, and I was in another sales role at another company and an entry-level role, and I applied to a similar role, and that's kind of like how it happened. But yeah, it was like pretty organic, but I would say just like I guess sales is a career that you can have any background, like there's no girls degree when you go to school.
SPEAKER_02:It's more of I think your soft skills, like my one of my one of my close girlfriends. Um, she does sales for one of the, you know, Cisco, like the big food um an infractions, and she just got moved into outbound sales, but her the the complete reason why she got hired is her and I serve and we bartend, and yeah, it's she just got poached. They're like, You have great people skills, and like we you're so amicable and you're so charismatic, and like it was so easily transitioned into a sales role. Like, went to school for like psychology and law, and um yeah, like that whole realm.
SPEAKER_01:Yeah, I also served, and I have like a marketing degree. Yeah, um, but yeah, I do think it's like yeah, communication and how you present yourself. Because sales selling is just like communicating an idea and like listening and talking and then connecting the two.
SPEAKER_00:So when you started in this company, was it already one of the major companies or did it sort of grow to become that?
SPEAKER_01:It was already like we when I first started, it was about 15,000 employees and now it's 80,000, so it's massive, so it has grown a ton, but it wasn't a small company. I thought it was huge when I first started.
SPEAKER_00:I mean, yeah, 15,000 is a lot, but I guess like compared to 80,000, it seems pretty small. So if you were running a sales team, uh, men versus women on that team, what would you say the ratio would be?
SPEAKER_01:Uh it's hard. So I would say in the in the when I first started, it was probably like one in five. One of one being female and then five. And then like now, like we work really hard to like help make it more equitable and equal, but it's still tough. Like, I would still say it's at least a th like maybe two-thirds.
SPEAKER_00:Have you seen like a transition over time of companies trying to be more inclusive with like females after all of the female rights movements and I don't know, um, what was the one that movement that went around on social media with I I think it was Harvey Weinstein.
SPEAKER_01:Yes. Oh yeah, me too.
SPEAKER_00:Yeah, the Me Too movement.
SPEAKER_01:Um, I will I think in it depends on the industry, but in tech it's like definitely more progressive. So there's been a huge like push for there to be more equality in the workplace. But it's like the problem is we just don't get enough women who apply. That's really the issue. Like for every, let's say for every 10 people that apply, it's like eight guys, two girls. And so there's just not enough, and you still need to pick the best person for the job. So I think like there needs to be more work done in in like what you guys are doing, right? Like talking about different roles, getting people to understand what's out there, yeah. Um, so that people become interested in in in roles that are typically not like women mean not, you know, kind of go towards.
SPEAKER_02:So to the women, to the girl who's listening to this podcast, wanting to get into tech and like maybe transitioning from something else and maybe trying to be, I don't know, fill the role. What would you say are like the biggest things that you wish someone was guiding you with when you transitioned into the role that you are now? Or like if you could be a mentor to someone now, like what are some of the biggest things? Because being in corporate as a female can be extremely intimidating, and especially for a company with 15,000 people, which you were at the time. Like I work in corporate now, but it's for a startup. My team is 15 people, so like that's the difference is insane. And like what would you say is your is your biggest takeaway?
SPEAKER_01:Or if you have multiple. Yeah, I think it's important to do your research on like on the company, like what kind of company it is, how do they treat their employees? Do you see a lot of like upward mobility? Or and also I always look at the leadership team, like how like is the leadership team balanced in terms of like men and women? Like that's a big part of it. And then, you know, if you're changing careers or industries, you just kind of have to try. There's like no like substitute for just putting yourself out there trying if I don't if you don't like it, you know, they can go do something else.
SPEAKER_00:How obviously I do like advocating for yourself as like a young woman is always hard no matter what industry you're in, especially a position where you maybe are just a number in a company of 80,000 people. So, A, how would you um like give advice to a girl on how to better advocate for yourself? And then B to stand out so you actually make a bit of an impression and are not just like one out of 80,000 people.
SPEAKER_01:Yeah, there's a a term that we call this at my company called like building your brand, like your internal brand, and like, you know, what would people say about you when they're you're not in the room? Um and so like I think it's like letting your work speak for itself. And like I think you you stand out when people come to you for help. And like people will only come to you for help if you're doing something different, right? If you are bringing new ideas, you're like innovating in your role, you're taking like initiative and side projects and like taking the lead. Um so I think that's the best way to stand out is like make your work speak for itself. And and I think equally as important though is having like really amazing mentors like in your network at work that can advocate for you, in addition to like, you know, the the day-to-day stuff that you're delivering on.
SPEAKER_00:Actually, we were talking about that last night about mentors, and it was Nick who was like, um, do you guys have mentors and and who are they? And it it was funny because both of us said like we had never thought about it before to think of like, oh, I guess we should probably have like somebody that we look up to or are able to talk to like in our career field and stuff like that. But yeah, I think it's hard to find a mentor that not only is in the space that you're trying to grow in, but also fits like other categories that you want to look up to in your life. So I think you can have mentors for different things.
SPEAKER_02:Where like when did your mentor fit into your place? Because I'm like, I when I think of mentor, like yes, like mom and dad, but I think of like my dad is very business driven, he's very educated, like he's very educated, like helps me a lot with just work and everything. So I would look at him as like a mentor when it comes to things and things that I need to get done for work. But was your mentor someone like right in your team? Was it someone that you met through like a networking event and it kind of just worked out? Because I think that's something that a lot of girls want, especially like being in corporate and being entry level, like to have someone advocate for you and like to have your best intentions. Because I think as a female, you can kind of get overlooked and taken advantage of and your boundaries don't get respected. So to have someone that is like, no, like she she's good. Like I I I vouch for her and like how did you find that?
SPEAKER_01:Yeah, I do think that this is like an easier thing to do in a corporate environment because there's a lot oftentimes like programs and people want to be mentors. Yeah, like I think, yeah. So most a lot of companies have like mentor programs. The way I found mine was there's like a women's network, you know, at a lot of companies, and I met this lady spoke on a panel. Um, and she was like in the role I wanted to especially at the time, like you know, she was like five roles ahead of me. And so I honestly I just emailed her. I said, Hey, I loved, you know, your perspective. And I'm a huge fan. Yeah, no, I'm like, I love your perspective, like what you accomplished, like how you presented yourself. And I I essentially said, I want to be in your role. And so I want to, I would love to learn like what's made you successful that I can take your approach and do it in my current job. And that, like what I did there actually helped me get those promotions because she taught me, you know, different things I could apply. And then when I went interviewed, I was already doing the things they wanted me to do in the next role. So then it just like was super practical.
SPEAKER_02:Yeah, it was like an easy segue.
SPEAKER_01:And then also when I would go to meetings and have like a presentation I needed to do in a certain way wanted to position something, I would oh, could run it by her first. And because she had more experience, she could be like, You're you can anticipate this objection and that objection, and you can come prepared so that you know you can like execute each meeting the way you wanted to.
SPEAKER_02:Yeah, that's something that my dad has actually taught me. Like when I have my one-on-ones with my boss, like he's told me he's like, This is exactly how you're gonna run your one-on-one and like take complete control. That way, like you're not sitting there on your one-on-one, and your boss is like, you just like say everything and like you run the show. And I have started to do that. And so, like, I have my one-on-ones every Thursday, and my boss is like, Okay, like take the stage, like it's yours. And then we run by and he's like, I have nothing, like I have nothing to say, like you've covered everything. And to have someone that can guide you, because like if you go into an entry-level role and you don't know how to do that, like who is gonna, who's gonna teach you? I know, like you're kind of just like fighting for like your life, and just like I know, yeah.
SPEAKER_01:I think of being prepared is like such an easy way to stand out because like what you just talked about, like you know, your boss doesn't have to think about oh, Dom prepared, right? You know, she's got ABCD things she wants to cover and she knows what she wants, and then and then their biggest reward is seeing you like learn or hear what they're telling you, apply it, and then come back and say, hey, this worked and that didn't work, and it's like super productive. I think she helped me with foresight. So when I would, you know, in a sales role, you like there's you're obviously delivering content and going to meetings and meeting new clients. And she helped me and prepare for those meetings. So if I was going to a meeting with an executive, like small things, for example, she would say, make sure you never come empty-handed, make sure you bring like small gifts with you and think about how to make the meeting like interactive and have like polls and quizzes and you know, like the soft things that people remember you because you're one of many different organizations trying to sell to that company. So yeah, I think for her, she just taught me how to plan ahead and think about not just like the like the job that I had, but how to make it like more personable. Yeah.
SPEAKER_02:Have you so something that I've Elise and I talk about all the time is like faking it till you make it. Yeah. And when I started, like I'll use myself as an example. I am in like a startup, B2B marketing, corporate tech, like a little bit intimidating. And like I didn't I don't have like a full marketing degree. So when I got the role, a lot of it was like I really just had to be like self-sufficient and like teach myself and watch videos and take like extra courses on the side because I said I was like, Yeah, I know how to do this. Like I do not like like I I spent literally the past like three months, I taught myself Webflow Figma and like I did a full copyright course, but leading up to my interview, I was like, no, I have these skills like downpacked. What was there a moment in your career where you felt like really bad imposter syndrome or you felt like you didn't deserve to be in that position? And like, how do you what would you say is the best way to overcome it?
SPEAKER_01:So I feel like that every day still, even throughout my whole career. So and I don't think like I think that the mistake is thinking it's gonna go away because if it goes away, that means like you're plateauing. Like I think that being uncomfortable is part of the journey. But yeah, an example I can give is, you know, when I first started out going to meetings, presenting for the first time, like why would someone take me seriously, right? I don't know anything about tech. Like, why would they trust me? And I went to this meeting and I was sitting in the parking lot after with one of my colleagues, and he was older than me and the guy. His name was Brent. And the only reason I remember the situation is when he quit, he messaged me and said, Natasha, I just wanted to let you know you made such an impact on me eight years ago when we first started working together. Do you remember the situation? And I and he was like, Do you remember the parking lot that we were in? I tried to give you feedback after a meeting we had, and I was like, No, Brett, I've been to 2,000 meetings, I don't remember. And he was like, I tried to tell you, like, you know, hey, you did a great job. You delivered everything that we wanted to say, but you know, you should try and like be more yourself and like loosen up a little bit. And it could because the way that you did it just made it feel a little robotic, like it was still great, but too corporate. Yeah, like yeah. And I was like 24 at the time, and I said to him, Brent, I can't do that because I'm Asian and I'm female, and they're gonna think I'm 14 years old.
SPEAKER_02:And he But that's like a valid, yeah, that's like such a a valid way to think, like where you feel like you need to present yourself of some of something else. Absolutely. So people don't take you for face value. But I think when people take you for face value and they see this like organic, authentic side of you, how you deliver, like it it stands out.
SPEAKER_01:I know, yeah. And he he just said, you know, I never thought about it that way as a guy, and it just like changed my perspective and like, you know, she's not the only one that feels like this. I if I and he became a leader and he said, I that always stuck with me about how to lead my teams better. But then fast forward, I went to a meeting, I don't know, two months ago, and it was with um probably like 20 leaders in the financial services industry, and there were like 20 people and there was three women, so 17 guys and three ladies. And I was sitting beside the CMO at this wealth company, um, one of the largest wealth firms in Ontario, and she like hits me and she goes, Don't you feel lonely at this thing? And she was like in her like she was probably going to retire soon, age.
SPEAKER_02:Yeah, she's the CMO, you're a chief marketing officer.
SPEAKER_01:So she was probably like close to 60, and I just laughed, and now I'm at the point where like I don't care anymore, right? And and that authentic me now, I don't think could have just happened 10 years ago. Like you just kind of have to go through the journey. And then she pointed out, she's like, Hey, I like your nails. And I told her, um, you know, there was a point in time when I would be too scared to get nails like this because I didn't think people would take me seriously. And then she's like, Well, back in my day, did you know that women weren't allowed to wear pantsuits? And we just started having this hilarious side conversation in a room just with like older men about like our own experiences, but in different times. So yeah, it happens.
SPEAKER_00:I mean, that I feel like that just shows how far we've come. Even for myself, I almost work in the opposite. I work in a very female-dominated space where my only interactions all day, every day, are with females and not just females, young females. And the odd time that we'll have a call with a man, which I did like two days ago, sometimes I don't know how to approach it because I'm like, do you understand what we do? And if you do understand what we do, do you like genuinely get why we're doing it? Because I feel like, yes, we run women's social events around Toronto and we do it to connect like-minded women and and all of these things.
SPEAKER_01:Yeah, and just have to remember that they're just people at the end of the day, you know, like that person probably has a niece or a daughter or a son or whatever, and I'm sure they're hearing from them how hard it is to meet people nowadays and like maybe speak about it like that way.
SPEAKER_02:I um so because I work for a small team, like my I I used to get so overwhelmed when it came to like talking in meetings, because like, oh, I'm the youngest person on the team, but I've learned to just like own it and the the response now that I get when people like my boss mentioned it to me a couple weeks ago in our one-on-one. He's like, I've really seen your confidence like skyrocket, and like you can handle now meetings, and he's like, you take a lot more direction. He's like, that really goes like he's like, don't think that that doesn't go unnoticed. And I think it especially corporate or or like whatever field you're in, you just need to like get to that point and then you can slowly start climbing it. But it's hard. Like when you first start and you've it's uncomfortable. You're uncomfortable. Like, what do what do you mean I'm leading this meeting? Like, you guys are all 45 plus and you have kids, and I'm I'm 24. Like it, I I understand where it can be super uncomfortable. And I think that there, like having a mentor and having someone to guide you can be like an easy way to I don't know, accelerate that.
SPEAKER_00:Okay, obviously, you are in a very similar position to us, actually. You have a full-time job similar to us, but you're starting the side hustle on the side, and it can be really scary and confusing when you have this basically passion project that you feel so passionately and highly about, and you really see something excelling there, but maybe the money isn't there, so you have to keep your full-time job, or the stability isn't there, so you have to keep your full-time job. How have you made the transition from your full-time job, being able to delegate time, split time into working with milkshake?
SPEAKER_01:Well, I don't think that the time spent on my full-time job has gone down. It just means that my free time has now just moved over to Milkshake. So where I would have, I don't know, hung out, like done more stuff with friends or whatnot, I'm or like just watching shows. I'm now focused on on this. So that's how the time has kind of divided. No free time to just milkshake and and my day job. But yeah.
SPEAKER_02:I guess for the people that obviously don't know, do you want to explain Milkshake? Yeah, what it is, and yeah, just give us like a little summary.
SPEAKER_01:So Milkshake is a female uh F1 media brand, and we are creating content that female F1 fans like want to know about around news, fashion, and gossip. And I started it because there just really isn't like one place to do that. Like, if you're an F1 fan today, you're getting news from like a hundred sources and kind of piecing it together, and there's nothing that's in like a fun editorial and like more polished female gaze sort of way. Yeah. So like the content is not technical at all. And like most female F1 fans, if you want technical con, there's tons of places for that. But we want to talk about like people and like you know, what's going on in like that world.
SPEAKER_02:So and where did the idea come from? Like, obviously, you're a fan and you've you you've mentioned before, like your family's really into it and you growing up around that scene. But where did milkshakes like spark? Like, what was the aha moment of like, okay, you know what? Like, I'm doing it, like, let's just go all in.
SPEAKER_01:My husband. He, like, I would just like say, Hey, did you hear about like, you know, who Lando's new girlfriend is or who like Charles broke up with his girlfriend and now he's dating this girl? And he's like, Where are you finding obvious? And I'm like, I don't know. I'm just like, I just am. And he's like, There's not like one place that you go. And I was like, no. And he was like, that should exist because there's millions of girls that like look for this stuff. But then it took me like it, I actually like sat on it for about two years and like really thought about it.
SPEAKER_02:Yeah, like it was just an idea. But were you not worried that in two years like it was gonna get picked up from someone from someone else? Like, was that not that would have been like my worry to like have a really, really, really good idea and then okay, I understand like sitting on it for a couple months.
SPEAKER_01:Like fear issue when you work in the corporate role for a long time, like the time that it takes you to pick up and want to do something different.
SPEAKER_02:Of course, the turnover is is not like that.
SPEAKER_00:I've actually noticed that. The it's funny that you mentioned turnover and like the pace that people work, yeah, because I've noticed that between not necessarily me and you, but when we have dealt with other people or other friends that work in a corporate role, even when it comes to just like working hours, it's very different. And the mindset towards delegated work hours versus not work hours is very different. For myself, I know that yes, I can work Monday to Friday, 9 to 5, which I do, but I also will work on a Saturday and a Sunday, or I'll, you know, maybe take that 3 p.m. Pilates class and I'll work at 7 p.m. instead. And I have noticed that there is a very large divide with the people that work in everyday corporate because they will not do that. And there's really like a fine line that no, I work Monday to Friday, 9 to 5, do not bother me Saturday or Sunday. I'll see you Monday at 9 a.m. And I think it's really interesting that I know, and I have noticed that even for myself, like if I think of something, I'm just gonna do it. It doesn't matter what day it is or what time it is, I'm just gonna do it. And I think that also comes with liking my job and just liking what I'm doing. But then we'll talk about something and it'll be like a Saturday at 7 p.m. And I'm like, oh, do you want to send that email? And Dom's like, I'll send it Monday at 9 a.m. And I'm like, Dom, it doesn't work like that.
SPEAKER_02:Yeah. I think it's just I it's just culture though. Like I it's just like corporate culture, which like you understand. But even just like at work, like my boss will say, like, it's four, he's like, You're almost done though, right? And I'm like, Yeah, like I am done. Like, and I try and be like nine to five, or I'll do like an eight to four, but everyone on my team is very structured. Like there's a couple people that like have a hard stop because they have the kids and they have to like pick things up, but obviously, like you'll work after, and like I have I'm on Google's like um Google chat, so like I have it all the time, but I'm like hard stop at five. Like, and obviously if something is like an immediate deadline, like it needs to get done, like I'll do it. But like I work nine to five Monday to Friday, and like that's it. Okay, but one thing that I'm dying to know, where did milkshake the name come from? Like it makes sense when I hear the tagline and I hear the slogan, but like where I how did you go from motorsports to Formula One to racing, and then you got milkshake, like the a dessert?
SPEAKER_01:So I didn't want a name that was like too focused on on F1. Um, because I wanted, you know, the our vision is for milkshake to kind of span across all motorsports. And I was literally listening to the milkshake song by Khalise. Okay. And I was like, wait, this like this the song is about, and then I looked it up after actually on uh and it said that like the she wrote the song about a milkshake brings the boys to the yard, what makes a girl special, and like that's what milkshake is. Like we're creating content for women because we are special. So that's how I picked it. That's it.
SPEAKER_02:And then the tagline is what is it, the sweet take, the sweeter take, the sweeter take. Like I think that I I honestly think that's so smart. Because like I didn't know that F1 was so female, like not female dominated, but the audience is so pulled by women and like the sweeter.
SPEAKER_01:Like it just makes sense. Yeah, F1 says that forty percent of their fan base are women now, which is not what it used to be when my dad was watching.
SPEAKER_00:I mean, even when I started with you because I help you with milkshake and everything, um F1 was not in my wheelhouse at all. And I had never thought about it. I think as F1 culture sort of shifts with drive to survive, the female fan base it goes hard.
SPEAKER_01:Oh, they do. Yeah. Yeah, like people so the the the difference with F1 and other sports like hockey, football, soccer, like there's hundreds of athletes in those leagues. Like in in the NHL or in NFL, there's hundreds of football, like professional football players. In F1, there's only 20 people, there's only 20 drivers, so it's like crazy competitive. And so because the best of the very best in the world, there's only twenty there's only spots for 20 drivers. So then because it's so competitive, people are like scheming and backstabbing and networking to try and get in. So that's like brings in that element of like you know, competition.
SPEAKER_02:Suspense and just yeah, so you're obviously very passionate about milkshake and like the community that you want to build. Where do you see obviously where do you see it in the next five years? And then also tying into like your nine to five and the job security that you have a bit, like how are you balancing? Obviously, you do both right now, but is finances, is the plan to obviously do milkshake full-time and let go of your nine to five, or do you want to find a way to have both of them kind of parallel in your life?
SPEAKER_01:Yeah, I mean, I'll answer the second part first. So I like right now, milkshake is like a passion project, right? And I think like once it, if it turns the corner to be like a business business, then yes, like I, you know, I find a lot of fulfillment in doing this, and I like making people laugh and helping people learn about F1 and get into it and like you know, understand the personalities in it. And so I'm super passionate about that and I would love for it to to take off. But I think that I'm also like realistic, and if it doesn't, then you know, then there's like the security, like you said, of my of your nine to five, like your full time.
SPEAKER_02:Yeah. I think it's tough because like you're obviously very successful in the current role that you have now, but you're almost like, I wanna put my like dip my toes in the water, and like obviously you want to go full-fledged with milkshake, and like ideally it would be to you said it was to be bought by another media publication by uh Liberty Media Company's F1.
SPEAKER_01:But yeah, like the goal of Milkshake, like I'd love to be like a media company, right? Yeah. And we are like at in the future, have like milkshake journalists at the races, like interviewing drivers and like asking different types of questions that are far more personable and becoming like the hype beast of one, essentially.
SPEAKER_02:And I think it's from like what I've heard from Elise when when when she first like introduced me to milkshake and just hearing you talk about it, like it's definitely attainable, but but what is like what do you think will be like that turning point where like okay, this is something like fun and you're really big on Instagram to like that scaling moment where you're like, okay, like this is like the turning point where you think like you'll kind of expand to a larger audience?
SPEAKER_01:Well, I think right now we are launching apparel, which is very exciting. Like, we need to get revenue up and going. But I think the turning point for me on if I'm going to like do it full time is like, yes, the revenue, but then like raising money, getting investment, and that becoming like a real business, and we're scaling across multiple revenue streams, and I'm like running a company, then that's when I would do it. So you can get a ton of fulfillment in a corporate, you know, role, right? Like if you keep moving up, you start leading bigger teams, you get to inspire more people, you get to help more people grow their career. Like if that's your jam, that's amazing. I think everyone should focus on like what makes them happy and fulfilled, and there's no right or wrong answer. Um, for me, like I think that I think I was lacking this creative outlet, and so that's been really fun for me. And then like taking a step and like, you know, is this possible? Can I start a media company? And so that's kind of like this turning point. If it's gonna work, I'm gonna go all with.
SPEAKER_00:Thank you guys so much for listening to this week's episode. Thank you, Natasha, for coming on. Where can people find you?
SPEAKER_01:They can find us on Instagram, YouTube, um, and TikTok at Sith Milkshake. And then we just launched our podcast, uh, and that's on Spotify and Apple.
SPEAKER_02:Okay, amazing. Well, I just want to say big thank you from the both of us. We talked about obviously all things milkshake, difference between corporate, creative, why it's important to have a mentor and kind of being an entry level female in that space, everything that you should know. So huge thank you. A lot of the things that you talked about, like obviously really resonate with me being a female in kind of the startup space. So, yeah, thank you so much from the both of us, and uh, we'll talk soon.