July 7, 2022 • 42 mins
Kristen talks with Natalie Stewart, the co-owner of Charlotte Lately, a digital publication highlighting stories in the community. The duo discuss impactful stories about motherhood, the essence of redefining your identity and insights into being the wife of a Panthers legend.
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Speaker 1 (00:03):
I have so much respect for significant others and families
because it's just a whole world that I don't think
people really see. They see the fun and they see
game day for that, and I think that was something
to me that was always really really hard, but also
made us stronger and more adaptable and prepared us for
(00:24):
a lot of other situations in life, because you have
to compartmentalize and find the support around you so you
can get through theseon together. Welcome to Season two of
the Inspired Podcasts, presented by Atrium Health. This is a
podcast series for Panthers fans where we highlight admirable women
(00:45):
from across the Carolinas as they share stories and lessons
from their lives and careers. And my guest today is,
for my money, probably the coolest person in Charlotte. She
is the co owner of Charlotte Lately. She is a
mom of two adorable old daughters and the wife of
a pretty cool dude, and she's a huge part of
the Panther's family who made me feel so welcomed when
(01:07):
I first took the job here a couple of years
ago and has continued to do so ever since. Natalie Stewart,
I am so excited to be talking to you in
front of a mic for this. Well, thank you for
having me. I'm excited to be here. And usually you
and I've gotten to do a few things. As I said,
we we talk and then we have gotten to do
a few things together. But usually I work with your husband,
(01:28):
Jonathan Moore, and I will say we've done three drafts together. Um,
Jonathan Stewart, of course all the Panthers fans know him,
and the last one you were here because things have
opened up a little bit more. And we got done
with our show and we came down to this little
event and I saw him and I saw you, and
I like physically moved him out of the way and
I was like, I'm here for your wife. Excuse me,
(01:50):
I gotta go, And he was like, oh, yeah, I
get it totally. Well, I was excited to see you.
And that was that your first day or week back
at work? It was close. It was yes, from maternity leave.
I want to say it was the week before. Remember,
I was so excited seeing you back, and I know
that gave me great advice transition. That was just awesome
(02:12):
getting to see you and back at work and um,
so yeah, and That's something that I think if you
follow Natalie on social media, which you should um if
you don't already, but that comes across in everything that
you do, and it is so true just in your
day to day interactions as well, and I've benefited from it.
We were just talking about it before we started um
(02:33):
rolling on the podcast. Is just I think, within with
everything you have going on, you'r as I said, the
mom of the cutest two little girls in the world,
you're a business owner, um and you were immediately like,
how are you doing? What's going on? You gave me
some great advice that I just thought about yesterday, and
I it was just it was within thirty seconds, and
that's just who you are. And I think the cool
(02:55):
thing is is that even the people listening who may
not get to meet you personally or not today, you
are like that on social media too, And so I
take not just the advice that you've given me, but
I've really followed your example in some things. And one
thing I love, Okay I'm babbling because I'm so excited,
is that you are very realistic about everything. You have
the most fun you and Jonathan seems like you have
(03:17):
the most fun but then you also will just say,
like today is hard, the kids are running around, I'm
going through this, and I just I really appreciate that authenticity,
thank you. And I think for me, I don't really
know any other way. I'm always kind of just been
that way and I come from a big family, but
I think my parents are very much that way, and
I think for me and I don't I before COVID,
(03:40):
I felt this way, but especially being in quarantine and
just social media and this whole crazy world, there's so
many great things about it, but then I also think,
especially as a woman and a mom, there's truly just
so much pressure and there's so much noise and there's
so much not real that I've kind of all not
(04:01):
a responsibility, but I or a little bit like I
I kind of call it like social responsibility, Like you
have a platform. I have people that, um that to
follow me, and you know, I think even being a
mom and having two daughters, like you realize, like you know,
you're setting an example and setting the tone for what
their values are. And I think for me it's just
(04:22):
being a mom that um, you know, I I put
value on being relatable and being authentic and encouraging that
in my friends. And you know, I'm blessed with a
really really awesome group of women around me in this
community that have been there for me as I've become
a mom and as a wife and a friend, and
(04:43):
I just think that that is, um something that's important
and to be yourself and it's really easy to get
caught up in, you know, and with the filters and
the things, and I but I realized, I'm like Kaya
sitting there and she sees it, like I don't want her,
you know, I want her to know that that almost
just made me tear up right hit me and such
a but she she's asked, though she's sad, she said,
(05:04):
can you put that makeup filter on? And I've showed
it to her just for fun. We go through all
the funny filters. But then I realized, like, I don't
want her to think that this is normal. The norm, Yes,
isn't what we value. And you're beautiful on the inside.
And Stu says that every night, um that or you know,
I can't say every night because we have zero consistent schedule,
(05:25):
but we tried to, but he, you know, does the
affirmations in the mirror like you're strong, you're smart, and
you're beautiful as part of that, because you want you know,
she's a girl, and she's always you know, I want
this hair or that or this outfit and whatever it is.
But just reminding her like who she is and being
pretty is the least of importance and all of that.
And so but I do think it's a much different
(05:47):
responsibility when you have kids, because you're teaching them what's
important and they were going to learn that through you
before they're going to learn it anywhere else. So, oh
my gosh, I've got goose bumps. That's so beautiful. Did
you guys come to that as parents? Um? Did you
know that those were the thing? Okay, we're going to
do the affirmations now that Kaya is a little bit older,
(06:08):
or did it organically evolved because I am I'm a
new mom of a six month old, and you know,
I think you have all these ideas about Okay, I'm
going to do this and this and this is what
I want my kids to take away from this, And
then you're also just in the day to day, as
you and I have talked about, and it's like I
gotta get to bedtime, you know, So how did you
guys approach that as Kaya and Nora will soon to
(06:29):
start to become older and you realize that they are
taking what you're putting out there. I've definitely learned that
all the ideas we have, and I really learned this
when we had a birth plan and for us at least,
nothing's ever really and someone did give me that advice.
They said, whatever plan you have, don't you know you
don't know what that's gonna look like. So go into
(06:51):
uh knowing that things can change. I think Jonathan told
me that we were just talking about he was my
last video shoot before I had my son, and and
I was just telling Natalie before we started that he
in addition to Natalie giving me great advice, he gave
me some good advice. And I think that was one
of the things he said. He was like, it's nice
that you have this, but you gotta just you gotta
roll with the punches here. Yeah. No, that's definitely one
(07:13):
of he is. I am a planner and he has
helped me grow in that sense of just being a
little bit more um patient and putting less pressure on
myself for things to go as they're supposed to. In quotations.
But I think we kind of surrendered to that pretty
early on. And our life was so hectic. We were
always on the road, always moving somewhere and in transition,
(07:35):
so you kind of have to surrender a little bit.
But I think that even as a parent, realizing you know,
as you learn a lot as you go, and you
can have ideas of we're going to have dinner every
night at five o'clock and you know, whatever it is.
And I think just having a lot, a lot, a
lot of grace with yourself and knowing, um, you can
(07:56):
have basic things, you know, like we've we've talked about,
you know, what value wise, what's important to us, and
that's something we've always kind of been pretty consistent with.
But I think you know, things change, and you do
change how you view certain things, and it's going to
change how you talk to your kids. But I think
having general ideas of it and just you know, some days,
I'm gonna we're gonna put kaya to bed and it's
(08:17):
gonna be you know, calm and peaceful, and we're gonna's
gonna listen and we're gonna do happy affirmations and other nights,
it's kaya if you don't get in bed. I will
take you to the malt tomorrow and buy you whatever.
Like you do things that are completely not consistent with
you know, what your overall values are. But I think
that it is just constantly coming back to, like your
(08:38):
core values, what you believe, and also knowing that you're
gonna mom Guilt's real. I am nights where I'm in
a rush, and but I still want to get her
in bed, and you know I rushed through bedtime and
then I, you know, feel bad, and I'm like, I wish,
you know, I had had more time and was more
patient or kinder whatever it is. And um, but you
wake up and you start the next day and are
(09:00):
very resilient and you just remember that, UM that tomorrow
is a new day and you have UM you can
do it all over again. So and you do it
all over again every day. I'm just gonna ask Matt
our producer to cut that off and put it on
a loop and I'll just play it in my car
when I go to every day. You mentioned moving all
over the place, and one thing I wanted to talk
(09:21):
to you about is that I feel like you and
Stu as you call, which I love that you call
him Stew. I always call him j Stu in my mind. Um,
you guys are such a pillar in this community and
you have just made this beautiful life here in Charlotte.
And you are from the West Coast. So what is
it about Charlotte? When did you get here? And like,
when did you start to think of it as home?
(09:44):
So I went, I grew up in d C. Before
we moved to California, so I had lived on the
East Coast and before I went to Watford College, so
be there very soon. Yeah, you're very familiar with Watford. Uh.
And then when Jonathan and I I lived here after college,
and that's actually when I met him. It was his
second second year here, and so we had been friends
(10:05):
for years. I moved back to California, and when we
finally did started dating, when we um were pregnant with Kaya,
that's when we really started talking about where do we
ultimately see ourselves raising a family. And even when I
was coming back to visit, when I was living in
l A and working, I always a part of me
every time I came here, just like landing in Charlotte,
(10:29):
and I would usually come back spring and summer, and
just how green, it was and peaceful, and you get
off the plane and it just, I don't know, you
I would slow down and it just felt like a
like a big city but with a slower pace of life,
which I always appreciated and always kind of imagine myself
having a family here. And so it was kind of
(10:50):
a no brainer for us. We had to be here
because he was still playing, but even off season we'd
spend time. He would train in California, but we would
just be so excited to come back to Charlotte, and
it was definitely I always say when I describe it
to other people that it it's a big city, so
you have all the advantages of a big city, but
it also really feels like a small town. You go,
(11:12):
wherever you go, you usually run into someone that you know.
And for me, it was always our relationships. All of
our best friends were in Charlotte, and so for us
that was important to raise kids around our people, and
they just happened to be here, So that was a
huge part of it. But I think we're constantly just
(11:33):
meeting new families and um from other places, and so
it's neat that this is a place that a lot
of people come to visit or come for work or
whatever it is, and end up coming back here, which
is you know, what we did, and I think that
you have, you know, and I go back to values
like Charlotte's someplace that we just always um with having kids,
(11:55):
it felt like the right fit for us and how
we like the schools and other parents and other kids
that we see our kids growing up with. And so
I just were very grateful to call it home. And
it's been fun watching it grow because we've both been
here since for Jonathan two thousand eight, and I think
that you know, for me, I lived here right after college,
(12:17):
so around that time, and we've gotten to see it
grow from what it was to what it is now
and what it's continuing to grow into. And it's awesome
just seeing so many businesses come and make this their
headquarters and um just you know, it's a very eclectic
city in terms of sports and arts, and there's just
it's a southern feel in some ways, but then you
(12:40):
also could be in Chicago or New York. Um. Kayak
calls it n York, and so I keep whenever I
go to say in New York. Um, but that's what
you called it when we lived there so anyways, but
I just we love it here and this is home
forever for us both. And you talk about all of
the people that you met, and that is the thing
(13:02):
that you mean. You actively, as I said at the beginning,
you actively reach out to people. I don't know how
you have the time. It's it's so lovely. And then
you also own Charlotte Lately, which is the most beautiful publication.
I mean, it's gorgeous. And then it has this digital
platform as well, and the whole mission is to let
people know about the things that are going on in Charlotte,
(13:24):
about the people in Charlotte, about the businesses, about amazing events.
When did that come about and what drew you to that,
because you don't just live here, like I said, like
it is also your business now is to to highlight
this community. So when we first came across Charlotte Lately,
I literally just followed it. When I moved here, and
(13:45):
you know, you moved to a city, you kind of
go on social media and try and get your bearing up.
You're like, I'm gonna follow all of these places. I'll
know kind of what the vibe is of the city.
I've moved around a bunch too, and you're like, Okay,
this is going to tell me what's going on here
and you and it's just fun. The visual one like
I like to go and if I'm gonna go eat somewhere,
I like to see pictures, and you know, I think
we all do that. So that's how I initially came
(14:05):
across it. Um So Courtney, who started Charlotte Lately, had
asked me if I wanted to do a takeover for
a game, and I had suggested, I'm like, do you
want me to introduce you to you know, any of
the cooler wives or you know, what kind of takeover
do you want? If you want it to be like
a glamorous games celebrity, Yeah, this is a big yeah,
the whole Wags thing. I was like, that is not
(14:28):
um not going to be me, And so she was like, no,
I I followed you, I really want like your real
game day, what you do, like a behind the scenes
of what it's really like. And so like I still
remember we were living in a rental. Jonathan came home
from the hotel where they stayed the night before, gave
kaya bath so I could get up and get you know, coffee,
(14:48):
and you know, wash my hair or whatever I needed
to do to do to get ready. And so we
went through a whole day of like what a game
day really is, which was me and you know, workout clothes,
spit up on me, change diapers, and I think that
was for me important for and just like my other
friends and wives, like you know, that's what game day
really was like for us. It was holding each other's
(15:09):
babies and we would go into closet sometimes or bathrooms
to try and get babies to sleep, like holding them
and trying to figure out how to do nap time
during games because a lot of times the dads, you know,
you want to see your kids after a game. So anyways,
long story short, that's how I first was even introduced
to Charlotte Lately. And I loved that Courtney's whole even
(15:31):
just approaching me, like I've been asked to do things
and it's usually we want you to be yourself, but
can you wear this, this and this, and we need
you to talk about this and these are kind of
the parameters for it. And I love that she was like,
all I want is for you guys to be yourselves,
no filters, Like I want a real day in your shoes,
and so a part of it was just kind of
a breath of fresh air that there were people on
(15:53):
social media that cared about that and wanted to create
content that was authentic and real. And so when she
ended up a coaching us when she was wanting to
pass her lit Lately on to us, we were living
in New York about to move down, and she called us,
and Jonathan and I talked about it. And a lot
of people know this about him, but Jonathan is very creative,
(16:15):
whether it's music, are He's very much a renaissance man
and has a lot of talents which I have so
good at a lot of things I'm not good at.
I'm like, like he and of course Christian. With Christian
playing the piano, I'm like, can so can they save
some for the rest of me? You are incredibly telling,
like I'm just like to be good at two things
(16:35):
or many things. I'm like, I just wish I could
just pick up a violin or draw or something like that.
They both and it's interesting, like a lot of um,
you know, just for both of them to be able
to play the pianos amazing. But he and Jonathan bought
a camera during off season one one year and got
really into photography and so it just seemed like a natural. Uh,
(16:57):
just for us, I was like this, you know, it's
kind of a big risk, but let's do it. And
we and with the way you connect with community and
like I said, always you're doing outreachs, you always have
your finger on the pulse of what's going on and
that and for us that was it was never about
you know, the Jonathan and Natalie show, and we wanted
it to be you know, if we can take our
platforms and you know, combine it with Charlotte Lately and
(17:21):
this can be a place that is for our community
and to not just you know, it's not going to
be all Jonathan's photography. It's there are some incredibly talented
photographers and artists and people doing amazing work in the community,
and how can we leverage this platform to share that
in a way that is real and um And so
that's what we've always kind of called it, like a
(17:41):
community platform and a place that isn't paying for And
there's a place for that, but just for us, it
wasn't a place to um pay to play. We wanted
it to be something where we could authentically share what
people are doing and and share you know, obviously we
love food. That's a big part of who we are.
And we did this like hashtag too with Nat and
(18:03):
Stew for a while, which was really just for fun
because people would be like, where was that place you ate,
and so it was just to kind of kind of
keep track of all of it. But we love eating places.
But part of what we love I've always loved about
it as getting to meet the chef for the people
behind it, and so for us that was always um
a way of you know, being able to use Charlotte
Lately as a way of sharing people's stories, whether it's food, art,
(18:26):
community work, and that was just something that was always
we were both drawn to. And so we ended up
doing one issue, which we did during COVID. We're gearing
up to do the second one. And the fun part
of it for me and Courtney always said this when
she handed it off to me, she was like, you
are your own boss, you have no pressure. This should
(18:49):
be fun. And she knew I had, you know, Kayo
was a baby, so she's like, I have no expectation
of you. I know you're going to do great, and
and she was one of those women that gave me advice.
It was you know, I told her as a how
do you do it all? And how do you think
you you figure it out? She was like, but I
believe in you. And I just remember seeing her do
it and still be a mom, and she was like,
this is you know, a job at your first job
(19:12):
as being a mom, and just kind of giving myself
permission to being on my own schedule with it as
I figure it out and making it work with our
life and making it something fun that I do because
I'm passionate about it, not something that I do because
people expect something of me from it, and I think
(19:33):
that that's been the fun part is and bringing in
hiring other moms and women and us kind of when
we the first photo shoot that we did for UM,
the first issue that we did was during COVID, which
we almost didn't do it because it was scary, kind
of just going into how are we can even how
are we going to even do this? And we got
(19:54):
everything lined up, started shooting. I put my team together
and then UM found out I was pregnant. I was
very sick, and I remember going to the first shoot
and telling the rest of our team and just how
they supported me through all of that and just it
was truly like a team effort and everything. The cool
thing was it all just worked out like we always said,
(20:15):
We're like, it's going to rain today and it would
all of a sudden be perfectly sunny and beautiful and
um but yeah, just having other being able to have
other women and moms in the same shoes as me,
being able to work together and support each other and um,
not make anyone feel bad when you know we need
to take a break or whatever it is. But yeah,
(20:35):
that's amazing. And I loved what you said about that
being fun because you can do whatever you want to do,
whatever you're passionate about, and your team is passionate about.
But then to me, and I imagine Jonathan is like
this a little bit. I come from Okay, at this time,
I've got to be here, and I know with players
it is even more like it's a breakfast at seven
and then this and then meeting. And so to me,
(20:58):
when you say I could do whatever I would, my
brain would immediately go to like, Okay, there are limitless
possibilities and I'd just be running through it all the time. Okay,
no one's gonna tell me that I have to have
this many pages for this, I have to do this
photo shoot. I get to decide, So that is not
overwhelming too, because I love You're like, yeah, that's fun.
I mean, you are the decision maker about everything. You
(21:19):
can go anywhere, So that's is that the the appealing
part of it, um, because that would be so scary
to me. It is. I worked my backgrounds in finance,
and so it was very scheduled, the same thing for
the most part every day, and intense and and fun still,
but it was stressful and it was a job. And
I think for me, one thing that was really hard
(21:42):
for me when Jonathan and I first started dating was
I went from my career being kind of my identity
and or he would say a lot my identity. But
I was obviously proud, like I was working in downtown
l a UM, very successful, and you know there's a
part to you that you know, you're obviously proud of
yourself and being in my twenties and working really hard
(22:05):
and competing with people much older than me at bigger
banks and being able to kind of navigate the world
of finance. And I didn't know this. I'm so so
I didn't know this. That's incredible and it's weird because
I remember, like that was so much of my twenties
and networking groups and flying back to New York and
um working really hard, and that was kind of just
(22:28):
the grind that I was in. And so when Jonathan
and I first started dating, I was very and I
think even being like a woman in my twenties, like
the time that I was kind of coming out of college,
I was very weird about if he wanted to buy dinner,
I'm like, no, I'm buying my own dinner or the way,
you know, and just and it's weird, and even for him,
like people, you know, I was very kind of self
(22:49):
conscious about everyone must think that I'm dating him because
he's a rich football player, like whatever, the stereotypes are
that I, you know, kind of just felt in the judgment.
And so I think for me it was really hard.
Once I was pregnant and stopped working. I remember going
to a women's brunch with all the other wives and
(23:10):
there was like a paper that we filled out and
it was you know, what's your occupation? And I remember
looking at and being like, do we have to read
this out loud because I'm going to just have to
write mom, or do I tell them what I used
to do? And like this insecurity about like wanting people
to know that I had a career and a job
and that, you know, I think in some ways it
(23:31):
felt like you know, but you kind of it's it's
really tough. And I think that was a hard thing
with Jonathan knowing, like it's really hard to find a
job that you can be a mom go to every game,
like your job kind of becomes supporting their career. And
by the way, can I just say, I'm so excited
to talk to you about that, But can I say
I'm not saying this to anyone, but this is not
(23:53):
new news since the beginning of time, but it's something
that I have experienced as a new mom, and everyone
who has kids knows this. Uh, raising a child is
the hardest thing in the world. Again, that is no
news to anyone who has a child or multiple children.
It is. I remember my son was firstborn. I was like, oh,
(24:15):
you guys need me at work. They're like, you're on
maternity leave. I was like back, just you know, for
a couple of hours, like you know, get away for
a little bit. It is the hardest thing. It is
the hardest job physically, emotionally, all the things that I
have learned so much second baby about just being you know,
God bless yes podcast in itself, But I think at
(24:38):
that time, I just remember thinking and being a new mom,
like this is the hardest job ever. But I felt
like writing down mom didn't to the world, wasn't like
good enough. I think a lot of I think a
lot of moms probably have gone through that as well. Right.
I talked to friends about it all the time and
then figuring out when you do kind of get to
(24:59):
the point that you can go back to work. And
for me it was longer because we was, you know,
Jonathan his job was kind of my job, and we
went where he went and training an off season and
all of that. But once I finally got you know,
settled here and we were in a house and I
kind of finally had the time and he was retired
(25:20):
and we got into a rhythm and I was like,
this is time for you know, and I just knew it.
To my god, I'm like I'm ready to do something,
um and and figuring out the balance. But I always
knew and that to me is funny when people say,
how do you balance at all? If anyone knows the
answer to that, please tell me. But I don't think
you ever really really find that perfect balance ever um
(25:44):
or at least for me, I haven't. But I think
that it's overwhelming sometimes because I have all these things
I want to do with Charlotte lately, and I still
feel that poll of this isn't the end of the day.
Charlotte lately is my livelihood. It is something I'm passionate about,
but it's not UM. It would be different. It was
(26:05):
different when I went to work, you know, in the
morning and came home. That was my job and that
was my um, my livelihood. And so sometimes it is
overwhelming because it's hard to to figure out where how
much time to put into it? How much time do
I have to put into your own thing? And so
there are the struggles. So it's not a traditional UM,
(26:25):
a traditional go to work and come home and shut
it off. It's like we go to dinner and my
wheels are saying, I'd be thinking about this. And so
we do have some exciting things I can't share yet,
but cool things coming up that we're doing. We do
have another issue and we're really doing Jonathan and I
both had talked about this, and I'm like, let's we're
going to do it as an album drop, and it's
always going to be when we're inspired when. And it's
(26:48):
been fun planning this next issue because we've had ideas,
but if it feels forced or we're trying to like,
it's never the right thing. And so we finally come
to what we want the next one to be and
we're excited it about it. So a little teaser I
cannot read, and some other things we're working on which
I'm excited for. And I will say the patience of
(27:09):
not if I had done another issue before this, it
would have been I believe it would have been great,
but I don't think it would have been as true
to what I wanted to be, and just it would
have been because I felt the pressure of what I had,
I need to do another one and we need to
get it out of the way and be on, you know,
whatever the schedule in my mind that I had. But
(27:30):
I think just the patience and waiting until it was
the right time for me after having Nora, because I
needed this year to just get back on my feet
and postpartum was a lot different this time than it
was with Kaya, and so it was just a harder pregnancy,
you know, just recovery afterwards, and so just thank god
(27:51):
I had that that time to just get my bearings
again and being able to do it when I'm ready
and it and it up. Publication is like a work
of art. So it's so neat that I get what
you're saying now about the freedom to really be inspired, um,
and to do it when the time is right, because
I know what's going to come out of it. It's
(28:11):
going to be just stunning. I cannot wait to see it.
You mentioned, um, really changing your identity. Um. You said
in the in your twenties it was about your job
and finance. I certainly relate to that aspect. And then
the NFL is such an all consuming job, and I
(28:32):
think people know that about players. But one thing that
you and I were talking beforehand, and I just said,
I would love to do an entire series on this.
It never gets talked about, is just it is. I
was gonna ask you what it's like working with Jonathan,
But really, you guys have been working together since you
started on this uh journey together because the support system
(28:52):
that is required of from a partner, a family to
support a player, or to support an employee. I'm going
through it right now with my husband and when we're
trying to plan out training camp dates is so massive
and it is such a selfless sacrifice from from saying
in your family, you your children, Jonathan can't be there
for for everything when he's playing. And I just don't
(29:13):
think it gets talked about a lot. And I would
love to ask you more about that. And I do
just want to say full disclosure. I think we both
know we're I'm incredibly fortunate to work for the Panthers, Jonathan,
and you're incredibly fortunate to have been here. But it
is a it is a grind. It is non stop,
seven days a week for months and months and months,
(29:35):
very little off season, and it requires a true family effort,
and I just I would love to talk more about
that because I don't think it gets highlighted enough. Absolutely,
And I think when I came into it, I had
really amazing other wives and women and the Panthers. And
I will say this, and a lot of people say this,
when you look at how many people that were Panthers
(29:58):
that played here that ended up retiring in Charlotte. It's
a lot because it's a different culture, and I think
we were very fortunate to have the support that we
did have here. Um, Charlotte was just an easier city,
I think to navigate than for example, when we were
living in New Jersey and New York that was really tough.
(30:19):
And I think for me going there was also a
huge learning lesson and I think for me coming back here,
I always felt, you know, we went that chapter was
for me to learn what it was like to go
through that, because it's different now coming back and meeting
other women like we were all. Jonathan was always here
and so we were very fortunate and that we didn't
(30:42):
bounce around, but that is not the case for most
people in this world, in the NFL world, and so
I have a lot of respect for and you know,
watching it with everyone even now, like I'm thinking already,
I'm like all the women I know who are spending
these last few weeks just enjoying time with husbands and
their families before they know, like that day, it's like
(31:03):
I almost get emotional about it because I remember that
feeling of like you're leaving and you're really not going
to be back until January February, So it is that
you're going to be here, but it's also they're physically
here when they're not at work, but mentally, emotionally, what
you have to compartmentalize to get through a football season
(31:24):
is what a lot of people don't see. And I
think I remember back when you know, friends coming into town,
Like at first you have everyone, and then you slowly
get to a place of Sunday is not like while
everyone's tailgating and having fun, I'm saying by to him
and you you're stressed. You're thinking about please God, don't
get injured, you know, all the things that you know
(31:44):
you I feel like as soon as he left for
a game, you kind of hold your breath. Then kick off,
you kind of relax a little bit. But then you're
really just every play you're watching and for a wife,
you're thinking their health and your card is out on
the field. I can't imagine in it, and so I think,
and then you're here and it's exciting and fun, So
you kind of live in this dual reality of this
(32:07):
is fun and granted, you know, we had fun game days,
Like it was so much fun getting to bring our
friends and go on the field and see him pregame,
and and that's what everyone sees. Everyone Yeah, great, yes,
But what they don't see is whatever we had going
on in our marriage and we had a new baby
and we're newly married and navigating family and dynamics and
(32:27):
you know a lot of hard all the hard things
that everyone has to deal with, um, but for us
it was we I remember saying, whatever we had going on,
we had to table and tell Monday. I would be
not Patience is not my strong so you know, as
my husband would tell you, it's not easy. And I'm
(32:48):
you know, I want to talk about things right away,
same get it all out there and fix it. But
I'm like, you know, I know that he needs is full.
You know, everything needs to be compartmentalized for him to
go and play football, and one of his worst ever games,
like statistically worst games of his career. I and I
would maybe the NFL will hire me as a consultant
(33:09):
to talk about this. But what happens at home and
your family life being like the stability and the peace
and them getting to leave, you know how that correlates
to how you can play. And it's like that in
any job, but when your body is, you know, kind
of on the line, that's it's a whole different you know,
(33:29):
it's it's a different mindset. But I think that for
us it was you know, you have to put a
lot of that to the side, and just for the
women too. And I personally, I am a woman, am
not good at compartmentalizing things, and so that was a
struggle and to kind of always feel like, you know,
you know that you're not really the priority, but it's
(33:51):
just kind of how it's how it works, and you
just adapt to it. And I think for me, I
had a lot of other wives, and I think that's
where those friendships were just so important and strong, because
I knew that I had them. And I think not
even just for football wives, but women in general. I
think that's been one of the biggest things for me
(34:11):
as a mom, realizing that I cannot expect Jonathan to
have the same level of empathy, understanding compassion for me
as my other friends can have or other women, because
they're no matter like as empathetic as a man can be.
That you just it's different. And I think the support
that you'll find from other moms or even just like
(34:34):
feeling seen by another mom when you're at carpool and
you're or a lot like going to coming to a
game and seeing another wife that would just help me
with my stroller or tell me what to do, like
you just it's a connection that's so different than um
the support you're going to be able to get from
anyone else. And so I think that that, I mean,
(34:55):
I have so much respect for the significant other and
families because it's just a whole the whole world that
I don't think people really see. They see the fun,
and they see they see game. Yeah, they see game
day for that, And I think that was something to
me that was always um, really really hard, but also
(35:20):
made us stronger and more adaptable and prepared us for
a lot of other situations in life because you have to.
You just have to compartmentalize and find the support around you,
UM so you can get through season together and even
logistically another thing that I think people don't see an
(35:42):
I'll be honest, I worked in sports. I worked at
Networks for almost ten years before coming to the Panthers
my first time with a team and walking the halls
late at night, even I didn't realize it's it's not
just Sunday, so it's not a few days a week.
They have practice. I mean, there's something almost every single day.
Monday's the day after the game, Tuesday's technical play player's
day off, but they're in here getting treatment. And you'll
(36:02):
see every single player in here on Tuesday's making sure
they're take care of their body, doing extra work training.
And then Wednesday's, Thursdays, Fridays, there's practice. There's meetings, and
these meetings will go and they'll start they're starting at like,
you know, like shacks down here at like five am,
you know, and then they're here until eight or nine
o'clock at night. And that's seven days a week. And
(36:25):
then you have training camp before that, and then if
your team makes a playoff run, and then there's offseason workouts,
and so for the families and the support system, just
logistically two be able to be really the main person.
That is, if if your home that you're you're with
your children, you're getting them to school, you're I mean,
it's just it's a herculean undertaking and I just I
(36:49):
have so much respect and admiration for it. Um As
I'm starting to go through just a little bit of it.
My schedule is certainly not like the player's schedule, um,
but it is demanding, and so I just I think
it's amazing, um what the families do and in service
of the stream, and it just doesn't get talked about,
you know. And I think in both ways for the
(37:10):
entire for you too, Like I know, like I always
when I saw you come back, I like, I know
what that feels like. And I know for you, like
your life is you know, you're gearing up for training
camp also, and I think that it's really um important
for I think women to have other women and being
able to have that support. And sometimes you know, if
(37:32):
you come here that might be your only you know,
the other mom that you talked to is might be
the only interaction you have with another you know person
during the day before. You know, I think when when
you can relate to another mom and what that feels
like to go back to work and to be away
from your baby. Um, it's just I mean it's hard.
(37:54):
But I think also watching other women come here, you know,
whenever they signed someone, I always kind of go and
I'm always just curious, like do they have kids, they
have a wife, Like what does that look like, and
you know, making sure that women know at least one
other mom or wife, and there are a lot of
like behind the scenes networks of NFL women. And that's
(38:17):
what's really cool is when you do go to another city,
you have you know, usually someone will reach out to
you and you but if you don't have that, it's
very easy to go move somewhere be completely isolated, exactly
no one. And I didn't even and we have a
lot of friends that we know from different teams, but
even when we went to New York, I didn't know
(38:38):
anyone when we first got up there. So I had
another friend who I knew who had introduced me to
one person, and she's now one of my very best friends.
Like we're still um, still really close. We just went
on vacation with them last or a few weeks ago.
But she was my one person and if I had
not had her, I would have sat in an apartment
by myself during training camp in New Jersey with nowhere
(39:02):
to go and literally no one. I would go check
my mail sometimes the first few weeks, just to go
down to the lobby with Kaya and see other people
because I didn't know anyone yet, and it kind of
is a weird. It's like it's like going back to
your first day of school as an adult. And so
it definitely is hugely important. And I will say the
(39:22):
teams that when and you see this, like you hear
guys talk about the locker room and that culture and
what it's like Super Bowl year for the Panthers, it
was just that camaraderie and families knowing each other and
people like and having that sense of community. Like I
truly believe that does translate into just the culture of
(39:43):
the team. And I feel like we've been building that back,
which has been nice to see and just families and
people and the support and um, I think that's something
that people don't always realize how much behind the scenes
makes a big impact and effect on what a season
looks like. And I've had, you know, not being someone
(40:03):
that's with a player or on that side of the
football side, but I just our first show. The first
thing I did for the Panthers was the Draft from Home.
Jonathan was on it at Jake and Jordan's and you
I think it was the night before the night after
you reached out to this was in the middle of
COVID reached out to me and you're like, oh my gosh, great, John.
I was like, that is so nice, and you have
(40:24):
done that for me and so many other women, UM,
and there have been amazing other women as well that
have done it, and it's just it's just an amazing atmosphere.
And I am so grateful to be on the receiving
end of it. And I am so grateful that we
were able to have this chat. So now, um, everyone
is on the receiving end of just the incredible advice
and example that you set, UM. And I can't thank
(40:46):
you enough for doing this. This is just so awesome.
Thank you for And I remember messaging you because I
watched you when you're just so good and natural. And
I think even for Jonathan, I've watched him give certain
interviews and I'm like, you not to be mean, because
he can take it, but I was like, you did
not do a very good job. But I've heard him
over the years just talk about how and you know,
(41:08):
you get to know like different reporters and people, and
I always have respected how you and Amy was this
way too, and we got really close just watching how
you care about people and players, and I think that
that's something important when people treat players like more than
just players and what being interested in and who they
are as people. And I think that that is you
(41:30):
can see that. And you've always been so good about
just you know, respecting people's time and how you talk
to them and knowing being just informed. And I think
women in sports, which is a whole another conversation, but
how it's hard and it's a different um for you,
like there, I know our challenges of as you've built
your career, and um, you're just you're really good at
(41:51):
it and very natural and you make people comfortable. And
I just watched it and it was fun watching it
from home, which was different and new and a child
lenge for you, I'm sure, but you just did such
a good job and and he had fun doing it
so school getting to see well, thank you so much.
I My only regret about this entire time that we've
talked is that we can't do like a ten part
series you and I get to hear more stories. I
(42:15):
adore you, I adore your husband. I just I think
the world of you, and I'm so grateful for everything,
and I'm grateful that you came here to the stadium
to do this with me. Thank you, thank you for
having me
I have so much respect for significant others and families
because it's just a whole world that I don't think
people really see. They see the fun and they see
game day for that, and I think that was something
to me that was always really really hard, but also
made us stronger and more adaptable and prepared us for
(00:24):
a lot of other situations in life, because you have
to compartmentalize and find the support around you so you
can get through theseon together. Welcome to Season two of
the Inspired Podcasts, presented by Atrium Health. This is a
podcast series for Panthers fans where we highlight admirable women
(00:45):
from across the Carolinas as they share stories and lessons
from their lives and careers. And my guest today is,
for my money, probably the coolest person in Charlotte. She
is the co owner of Charlotte Lately. She is a
mom of two adorable old daughters and the wife of
a pretty cool dude, and she's a huge part of
the Panther's family who made me feel so welcomed when
(01:07):
I first took the job here a couple of years
ago and has continued to do so ever since. Natalie Stewart,
I am so excited to be talking to you in
front of a mic for this. Well, thank you for
having me. I'm excited to be here. And usually you
and I've gotten to do a few things. As I said,
we we talk and then we have gotten to do
a few things together. But usually I work with your husband,
(01:28):
Jonathan Moore, and I will say we've done three drafts together. Um,
Jonathan Stewart, of course all the Panthers fans know him,
and the last one you were here because things have
opened up a little bit more. And we got done
with our show and we came down to this little
event and I saw him and I saw you, and
I like physically moved him out of the way and
I was like, I'm here for your wife. Excuse me,
(01:50):
I gotta go, And he was like, oh, yeah, I
get it totally. Well, I was excited to see you.
And that was that your first day or week back
at work? It was close. It was yes, from maternity leave.
I want to say it was the week before. Remember,
I was so excited seeing you back, and I know
that gave me great advice transition. That was just awesome
(02:12):
getting to see you and back at work and um,
so yeah, and That's something that I think if you
follow Natalie on social media, which you should um if
you don't already, but that comes across in everything that
you do, and it is so true just in your
day to day interactions as well, and I've benefited from it.
We were just talking about it before we started um
(02:33):
rolling on the podcast. Is just I think, within with
everything you have going on, you'r as I said, the
mom of the cutest two little girls in the world,
you're a business owner, um and you were immediately like,
how are you doing? What's going on? You gave me
some great advice that I just thought about yesterday, and
I it was just it was within thirty seconds, and
that's just who you are. And I think the cool
(02:55):
thing is is that even the people listening who may
not get to meet you personally or not today, you
are like that on social media too, And so I
take not just the advice that you've given me, but
I've really followed your example in some things. And one
thing I love, Okay I'm babbling because I'm so excited,
is that you are very realistic about everything. You have
the most fun you and Jonathan seems like you have
(03:17):
the most fun but then you also will just say,
like today is hard, the kids are running around, I'm
going through this, and I just I really appreciate that authenticity,
thank you. And I think for me, I don't really
know any other way. I'm always kind of just been
that way and I come from a big family, but
I think my parents are very much that way, and
I think for me and I don't I before COVID,
(03:40):
I felt this way, but especially being in quarantine and
just social media and this whole crazy world, there's so
many great things about it, but then I also think,
especially as a woman and a mom, there's truly just
so much pressure and there's so much noise and there's
so much not real that I've kind of all not
(04:01):
a responsibility, but I or a little bit like I
I kind of call it like social responsibility, Like you
have a platform. I have people that, um that to
follow me, and you know, I think even being a
mom and having two daughters, like you realize, like you know,
you're setting an example and setting the tone for what
their values are. And I think for me it's just
(04:22):
being a mom that um, you know, I I put
value on being relatable and being authentic and encouraging that
in my friends. And you know, I'm blessed with a
really really awesome group of women around me in this
community that have been there for me as I've become
a mom and as a wife and a friend, and
(04:43):
I just think that that is, um something that's important
and to be yourself and it's really easy to get
caught up in, you know, and with the filters and
the things, and I but I realized, I'm like Kaya
sitting there and she sees it, like I don't want her,
you know, I want her to know that that almost
just made me tear up right hit me and such
a but she she's asked, though she's sad, she said,
(05:04):
can you put that makeup filter on? And I've showed
it to her just for fun. We go through all
the funny filters. But then I realized, like, I don't
want her to think that this is normal. The norm, Yes,
isn't what we value. And you're beautiful on the inside.
And Stu says that every night, um that or you know,
I can't say every night because we have zero consistent schedule,
(05:25):
but we tried to, but he, you know, does the
affirmations in the mirror like you're strong, you're smart, and
you're beautiful as part of that, because you want you know,
she's a girl, and she's always you know, I want
this hair or that or this outfit and whatever it is.
But just reminding her like who she is and being
pretty is the least of importance and all of that.
And so but I do think it's a much different
(05:47):
responsibility when you have kids, because you're teaching them what's
important and they were going to learn that through you
before they're going to learn it anywhere else. So, oh
my gosh, I've got goose bumps. That's so beautiful. Did
you guys come to that as parents? Um? Did you
know that those were the thing? Okay, we're going to
do the affirmations now that Kaya is a little bit older,
(06:08):
or did it organically evolved because I am I'm a
new mom of a six month old, and you know,
I think you have all these ideas about Okay, I'm
going to do this and this and this is what
I want my kids to take away from this, And
then you're also just in the day to day, as
you and I have talked about, and it's like I
gotta get to bedtime, you know, So how did you
guys approach that as Kaya and Nora will soon to
(06:29):
start to become older and you realize that they are
taking what you're putting out there. I've definitely learned that
all the ideas we have, and I really learned this
when we had a birth plan and for us at least,
nothing's ever really and someone did give me that advice.
They said, whatever plan you have, don't you know you
don't know what that's gonna look like. So go into
(06:51):
uh knowing that things can change. I think Jonathan told
me that we were just talking about he was my
last video shoot before I had my son, and and
I was just telling Natalie before we started that he
in addition to Natalie giving me great advice, he gave
me some good advice. And I think that was one
of the things he said. He was like, it's nice
that you have this, but you gotta just you gotta
roll with the punches here. Yeah. No, that's definitely one
(07:13):
of he is. I am a planner and he has
helped me grow in that sense of just being a
little bit more um patient and putting less pressure on
myself for things to go as they're supposed to. In quotations.
But I think we kind of surrendered to that pretty
early on. And our life was so hectic. We were
always on the road, always moving somewhere and in transition,
(07:35):
so you kind of have to surrender a little bit.
But I think that even as a parent, realizing you know,
as you learn a lot as you go, and you
can have ideas of we're going to have dinner every
night at five o'clock and you know, whatever it is.
And I think just having a lot, a lot, a
lot of grace with yourself and knowing, um, you can
(07:56):
have basic things, you know, like we've we've talked about,
you know, what value wise, what's important to us, and
that's something we've always kind of been pretty consistent with.
But I think you know, things change, and you do
change how you view certain things, and it's going to
change how you talk to your kids. But I think
having general ideas of it and just you know, some days,
I'm gonna we're gonna put kaya to bed and it's
(08:17):
gonna be you know, calm and peaceful, and we're gonna's
gonna listen and we're gonna do happy affirmations and other nights,
it's kaya if you don't get in bed. I will
take you to the malt tomorrow and buy you whatever.
Like you do things that are completely not consistent with
you know, what your overall values are. But I think
that it is just constantly coming back to, like your
(08:38):
core values, what you believe, and also knowing that you're
gonna mom Guilt's real. I am nights where I'm in
a rush, and but I still want to get her
in bed, and you know I rushed through bedtime and
then I, you know, feel bad, and I'm like, I wish,
you know, I had had more time and was more
patient or kinder whatever it is. And um, but you
wake up and you start the next day and are
(09:00):
very resilient and you just remember that, UM that tomorrow
is a new day and you have UM you can
do it all over again. So and you do it
all over again every day. I'm just gonna ask Matt
our producer to cut that off and put it on
a loop and I'll just play it in my car
when I go to every day. You mentioned moving all
over the place, and one thing I wanted to talk
(09:21):
to you about is that I feel like you and
Stu as you call, which I love that you call
him Stew. I always call him j Stu in my mind. Um,
you guys are such a pillar in this community and
you have just made this beautiful life here in Charlotte.
And you are from the West Coast. So what is
it about Charlotte? When did you get here? And like,
when did you start to think of it as home?
(09:44):
So I went, I grew up in d C. Before
we moved to California, so I had lived on the
East Coast and before I went to Watford College, so
be there very soon. Yeah, you're very familiar with Watford. Uh.
And then when Jonathan and I I lived here after college,
and that's actually when I met him. It was his
second second year here, and so we had been friends
(10:05):
for years. I moved back to California, and when we
finally did started dating, when we um were pregnant with Kaya,
that's when we really started talking about where do we
ultimately see ourselves raising a family. And even when I
was coming back to visit, when I was living in
l A and working, I always a part of me
every time I came here, just like landing in Charlotte,
(10:29):
and I would usually come back spring and summer, and
just how green, it was and peaceful, and you get
off the plane and it just, I don't know, you
I would slow down and it just felt like a
like a big city but with a slower pace of life,
which I always appreciated and always kind of imagine myself
having a family here. And so it was kind of
(10:50):
a no brainer for us. We had to be here
because he was still playing, but even off season we'd
spend time. He would train in California, but we would
just be so excited to come back to Charlotte, and
it was definitely I always say when I describe it
to other people that it it's a big city, so
you have all the advantages of a big city, but
it also really feels like a small town. You go,
(11:12):
wherever you go, you usually run into someone that you know.
And for me, it was always our relationships. All of
our best friends were in Charlotte, and so for us
that was important to raise kids around our people, and
they just happened to be here, So that was a
huge part of it. But I think we're constantly just
(11:33):
meeting new families and um from other places, and so
it's neat that this is a place that a lot
of people come to visit or come for work or
whatever it is, and end up coming back here, which
is you know, what we did, and I think that
you have, you know, and I go back to values
like Charlotte's someplace that we just always um with having kids,
(11:55):
it felt like the right fit for us and how
we like the schools and other parents and other kids
that we see our kids growing up with. And so
I just were very grateful to call it home. And
it's been fun watching it grow because we've both been
here since for Jonathan two thousand eight, and I think
that you know, for me, I lived here right after college,
(12:17):
so around that time, and we've gotten to see it
grow from what it was to what it is now
and what it's continuing to grow into. And it's awesome
just seeing so many businesses come and make this their
headquarters and um just you know, it's a very eclectic
city in terms of sports and arts, and there's just
it's a southern feel in some ways, but then you
(12:40):
also could be in Chicago or New York. Um. Kayak
calls it n York, and so I keep whenever I
go to say in New York. Um, but that's what
you called it when we lived there so anyways, but
I just we love it here and this is home
forever for us both. And you talk about all of
the people that you met, and that is the thing
(13:02):
that you mean. You actively, as I said at the beginning,
you actively reach out to people. I don't know how
you have the time. It's it's so lovely. And then
you also own Charlotte Lately, which is the most beautiful publication.
I mean, it's gorgeous. And then it has this digital
platform as well, and the whole mission is to let
people know about the things that are going on in Charlotte,
(13:24):
about the people in Charlotte, about the businesses, about amazing events.
When did that come about and what drew you to that,
because you don't just live here, like I said, like
it is also your business now is to to highlight
this community. So when we first came across Charlotte Lately,
I literally just followed it. When I moved here, and
(13:45):
you know, you moved to a city, you kind of
go on social media and try and get your bearing up.
You're like, I'm gonna follow all of these places. I'll
know kind of what the vibe is of the city.
I've moved around a bunch too, and you're like, Okay,
this is going to tell me what's going on here
and you and it's just fun. The visual one like
I like to go and if I'm gonna go eat somewhere,
I like to see pictures, and you know, I think
we all do that. So that's how I initially came
(14:05):
across it. Um So Courtney, who started Charlotte Lately, had
asked me if I wanted to do a takeover for
a game, and I had suggested, I'm like, do you
want me to introduce you to you know, any of
the cooler wives or you know, what kind of takeover
do you want? If you want it to be like
a glamorous games celebrity, Yeah, this is a big yeah,
the whole Wags thing. I was like, that is not
(14:28):
um not going to be me, And so she was like, no,
I I followed you, I really want like your real
game day, what you do, like a behind the scenes
of what it's really like. And so like I still
remember we were living in a rental. Jonathan came home
from the hotel where they stayed the night before, gave
kaya bath so I could get up and get you know, coffee,
(14:48):
and you know, wash my hair or whatever I needed
to do to do to get ready. And so we
went through a whole day of like what a game
day really is, which was me and you know, workout clothes,
spit up on me, change diapers, and I think that
was for me important for and just like my other
friends and wives, like you know, that's what game day
really was like for us. It was holding each other's
(15:09):
babies and we would go into closet sometimes or bathrooms
to try and get babies to sleep, like holding them
and trying to figure out how to do nap time
during games because a lot of times the dads, you know,
you want to see your kids after a game. So anyways,
long story short, that's how I first was even introduced
to Charlotte Lately. And I loved that Courtney's whole even
(15:31):
just approaching me, like I've been asked to do things
and it's usually we want you to be yourself, but
can you wear this, this and this, and we need
you to talk about this and these are kind of
the parameters for it. And I love that she was like,
all I want is for you guys to be yourselves,
no filters, Like I want a real day in your shoes,
and so a part of it was just kind of
a breath of fresh air that there were people on
(15:53):
social media that cared about that and wanted to create
content that was authentic and real. And so when she
ended up a coaching us when she was wanting to
pass her lit Lately on to us, we were living
in New York about to move down, and she called us,
and Jonathan and I talked about it. And a lot
of people know this about him, but Jonathan is very creative,
(16:15):
whether it's music, are He's very much a renaissance man
and has a lot of talents which I have so
good at a lot of things I'm not good at.
I'm like, like he and of course Christian. With Christian
playing the piano, I'm like, can so can they save
some for the rest of me? You are incredibly telling,
like I'm just like to be good at two things
(16:35):
or many things. I'm like, I just wish I could
just pick up a violin or draw or something like that.
They both and it's interesting, like a lot of um,
you know, just for both of them to be able
to play the pianos amazing. But he and Jonathan bought
a camera during off season one one year and got
really into photography and so it just seemed like a natural. Uh,
(16:57):
just for us, I was like this, you know, it's
kind of a big risk, but let's do it. And
we and with the way you connect with community and
like I said, always you're doing outreachs, you always have
your finger on the pulse of what's going on and
that and for us that was it was never about
you know, the Jonathan and Natalie show, and we wanted
it to be you know, if we can take our
platforms and you know, combine it with Charlotte Lately and
(17:21):
this can be a place that is for our community
and to not just you know, it's not going to
be all Jonathan's photography. It's there are some incredibly talented
photographers and artists and people doing amazing work in the community,
and how can we leverage this platform to share that
in a way that is real and um And so
that's what we've always kind of called it, like a
(17:41):
community platform and a place that isn't paying for And
there's a place for that, but just for us, it
wasn't a place to um pay to play. We wanted
it to be something where we could authentically share what
people are doing and and share you know, obviously we
love food. That's a big part of who we are.
And we did this like hashtag too with Nat and
(18:03):
Stew for a while, which was really just for fun
because people would be like, where was that place you ate,
and so it was just to kind of kind of
keep track of all of it. But we love eating places.
But part of what we love I've always loved about
it as getting to meet the chef for the people
behind it, and so for us that was always um
a way of you know, being able to use Charlotte
Lately as a way of sharing people's stories, whether it's food, art,
(18:26):
community work, and that was just something that was always
we were both drawn to. And so we ended up
doing one issue, which we did during COVID. We're gearing
up to do the second one. And the fun part
of it for me and Courtney always said this when
she handed it off to me, she was like, you
are your own boss, you have no pressure. This should
(18:49):
be fun. And she knew I had, you know, Kayo
was a baby, so she's like, I have no expectation
of you. I know you're going to do great, and
and she was one of those women that gave me advice.
It was you know, I told her as a how
do you do it all? And how do you think
you you figure it out? She was like, but I
believe in you. And I just remember seeing her do
it and still be a mom, and she was like,
this is you know, a job at your first job
(19:12):
as being a mom, and just kind of giving myself
permission to being on my own schedule with it as
I figure it out and making it work with our
life and making it something fun that I do because
I'm passionate about it, not something that I do because
people expect something of me from it, and I think
(19:33):
that that's been the fun part is and bringing in
hiring other moms and women and us kind of when
we the first photo shoot that we did for UM,
the first issue that we did was during COVID, which
we almost didn't do it because it was scary, kind
of just going into how are we can even how
are we going to even do this? And we got
(19:54):
everything lined up, started shooting. I put my team together
and then UM found out I was pregnant. I was
very sick, and I remember going to the first shoot
and telling the rest of our team and just how
they supported me through all of that and just it
was truly like a team effort and everything. The cool
thing was it all just worked out like we always said,
(20:15):
We're like, it's going to rain today and it would
all of a sudden be perfectly sunny and beautiful and
um but yeah, just having other being able to have
other women and moms in the same shoes as me,
being able to work together and support each other and um,
not make anyone feel bad when you know we need
to take a break or whatever it is. But yeah,
(20:35):
that's amazing. And I loved what you said about that
being fun because you can do whatever you want to do,
whatever you're passionate about, and your team is passionate about.
But then to me, and I imagine Jonathan is like
this a little bit. I come from Okay, at this time,
I've got to be here, and I know with players
it is even more like it's a breakfast at seven
and then this and then meeting. And so to me,
(20:58):
when you say I could do whatever I would, my
brain would immediately go to like, Okay, there are limitless
possibilities and I'd just be running through it all the time. Okay,
no one's gonna tell me that I have to have
this many pages for this, I have to do this
photo shoot. I get to decide, So that is not
overwhelming too, because I love You're like, yeah, that's fun.
I mean, you are the decision maker about everything. You
(21:19):
can go anywhere, So that's is that the the appealing
part of it, um, because that would be so scary
to me. It is. I worked my backgrounds in finance,
and so it was very scheduled, the same thing for
the most part every day, and intense and and fun still,
but it was stressful and it was a job. And
I think for me, one thing that was really hard
(21:42):
for me when Jonathan and I first started dating was
I went from my career being kind of my identity
and or he would say a lot my identity. But
I was obviously proud, like I was working in downtown
l a UM, very successful, and you know there's a
part to you that you know, you're obviously proud of
yourself and being in my twenties and working really hard
(22:05):
and competing with people much older than me at bigger
banks and being able to kind of navigate the world
of finance. And I didn't know this. I'm so so
I didn't know this. That's incredible and it's weird because
I remember, like that was so much of my twenties
and networking groups and flying back to New York and
um working really hard, and that was kind of just
(22:28):
the grind that I was in. And so when Jonathan
and I first started dating, I was very and I
think even being like a woman in my twenties, like
the time that I was kind of coming out of college,
I was very weird about if he wanted to buy dinner,
I'm like, no, I'm buying my own dinner or the way,
you know, and just and it's weird, and even for him,
like people, you know, I was very kind of self
(22:49):
conscious about everyone must think that I'm dating him because
he's a rich football player, like whatever, the stereotypes are
that I, you know, kind of just felt in the judgment.
And so I think for me it was really hard.
Once I was pregnant and stopped working. I remember going
to a women's brunch with all the other wives and
(23:10):
there was like a paper that we filled out and
it was you know, what's your occupation? And I remember
looking at and being like, do we have to read
this out loud because I'm going to just have to
write mom, or do I tell them what I used
to do? And like this insecurity about like wanting people
to know that I had a career and a job
and that, you know, I think in some ways it
(23:31):
felt like you know, but you kind of it's it's
really tough. And I think that was a hard thing
with Jonathan knowing, like it's really hard to find a
job that you can be a mom go to every game,
like your job kind of becomes supporting their career. And
by the way, can I just say, I'm so excited
to talk to you about that, But can I say
I'm not saying this to anyone, but this is not
(23:53):
new news since the beginning of time, but it's something
that I have experienced as a new mom, and everyone
who has kids knows this. Uh, raising a child is
the hardest thing in the world. Again, that is no
news to anyone who has a child or multiple children.
It is. I remember my son was firstborn. I was like, oh,
(24:15):
you guys need me at work. They're like, you're on
maternity leave. I was like back, just you know, for
a couple of hours, like you know, get away for
a little bit. It is the hardest thing. It is
the hardest job physically, emotionally, all the things that I
have learned so much second baby about just being you know,
God bless yes podcast in itself, But I think at
(24:38):
that time, I just remember thinking and being a new mom,
like this is the hardest job ever. But I felt
like writing down mom didn't to the world, wasn't like
good enough. I think a lot of I think a
lot of moms probably have gone through that as well. Right.
I talked to friends about it all the time and
then figuring out when you do kind of get to
(24:59):
the point that you can go back to work. And
for me it was longer because we was, you know,
Jonathan his job was kind of my job, and we
went where he went and training an off season and
all of that. But once I finally got you know,
settled here and we were in a house and I
kind of finally had the time and he was retired
(25:20):
and we got into a rhythm and I was like,
this is time for you know, and I just knew it.
To my god, I'm like I'm ready to do something,
um and and figuring out the balance. But I always
knew and that to me is funny when people say,
how do you balance at all? If anyone knows the
answer to that, please tell me. But I don't think
you ever really really find that perfect balance ever um
(25:44):
or at least for me, I haven't. But I think
that it's overwhelming sometimes because I have all these things
I want to do with Charlotte lately, and I still
feel that poll of this isn't the end of the day.
Charlotte lately is my livelihood. It is something I'm passionate about,
but it's not UM. It would be different. It was
(26:05):
different when I went to work, you know, in the
morning and came home. That was my job and that
was my um, my livelihood. And so sometimes it is
overwhelming because it's hard to to figure out where how
much time to put into it? How much time do
I have to put into your own thing? And so
there are the struggles. So it's not a traditional UM,
(26:25):
a traditional go to work and come home and shut
it off. It's like we go to dinner and my
wheels are saying, I'd be thinking about this. And so
we do have some exciting things I can't share yet,
but cool things coming up that we're doing. We do
have another issue and we're really doing Jonathan and I
both had talked about this, and I'm like, let's we're
going to do it as an album drop, and it's
always going to be when we're inspired when. And it's
(26:48):
been fun planning this next issue because we've had ideas,
but if it feels forced or we're trying to like,
it's never the right thing. And so we finally come
to what we want the next one to be and
we're excited it about it. So a little teaser I
cannot read, and some other things we're working on which
I'm excited for. And I will say the patience of
(27:09):
not if I had done another issue before this, it
would have been I believe it would have been great,
but I don't think it would have been as true
to what I wanted to be, and just it would
have been because I felt the pressure of what I had,
I need to do another one and we need to
get it out of the way and be on, you know,
whatever the schedule in my mind that I had. But
(27:30):
I think just the patience and waiting until it was
the right time for me after having Nora, because I
needed this year to just get back on my feet
and postpartum was a lot different this time than it
was with Kaya, and so it was just a harder pregnancy,
you know, just recovery afterwards, and so just thank god
(27:51):
I had that that time to just get my bearings
again and being able to do it when I'm ready
and it and it up. Publication is like a work
of art. So it's so neat that I get what
you're saying now about the freedom to really be inspired, um,
and to do it when the time is right, because
I know what's going to come out of it. It's
(28:11):
going to be just stunning. I cannot wait to see it.
You mentioned, um, really changing your identity. Um. You said
in the in your twenties it was about your job
and finance. I certainly relate to that aspect. And then
the NFL is such an all consuming job, and I
(28:32):
think people know that about players. But one thing that
you and I were talking beforehand, and I just said,
I would love to do an entire series on this.
It never gets talked about, is just it is. I
was gonna ask you what it's like working with Jonathan,
But really, you guys have been working together since you
started on this uh journey together because the support system
(28:52):
that is required of from a partner, a family to
support a player, or to support an employee. I'm going
through it right now with my husband and when we're
trying to plan out training camp dates is so massive
and it is such a selfless sacrifice from from saying
in your family, you your children, Jonathan can't be there
for for everything when he's playing. And I just don't
(29:13):
think it gets talked about a lot. And I would
love to ask you more about that. And I do
just want to say full disclosure. I think we both
know we're I'm incredibly fortunate to work for the Panthers, Jonathan,
and you're incredibly fortunate to have been here. But it
is a it is a grind. It is non stop,
seven days a week for months and months and months,
(29:35):
very little off season, and it requires a true family effort,
and I just I would love to talk more about
that because I don't think it gets highlighted enough. Absolutely,
And I think when I came into it, I had
really amazing other wives and women and the Panthers. And
I will say this, and a lot of people say this,
when you look at how many people that were Panthers
(29:58):
that played here that ended up retiring in Charlotte. It's
a lot because it's a different culture, and I think
we were very fortunate to have the support that we
did have here. Um, Charlotte was just an easier city,
I think to navigate than for example, when we were
living in New Jersey and New York that was really tough.
(30:19):
And I think for me going there was also a
huge learning lesson and I think for me coming back here,
I always felt, you know, we went that chapter was
for me to learn what it was like to go
through that, because it's different now coming back and meeting
other women like we were all. Jonathan was always here
and so we were very fortunate and that we didn't
(30:42):
bounce around, but that is not the case for most
people in this world, in the NFL world, and so
I have a lot of respect for and you know,
watching it with everyone even now, like I'm thinking already,
I'm like all the women I know who are spending
these last few weeks just enjoying time with husbands and
their families before they know, like that day, it's like
(31:03):
I almost get emotional about it because I remember that
feeling of like you're leaving and you're really not going
to be back until January February, So it is that
you're going to be here, but it's also they're physically
here when they're not at work, but mentally, emotionally, what
you have to compartmentalize to get through a football season
(31:24):
is what a lot of people don't see. And I
think I remember back when you know, friends coming into town,
Like at first you have everyone, and then you slowly
get to a place of Sunday is not like while
everyone's tailgating and having fun, I'm saying by to him
and you you're stressed. You're thinking about please God, don't
get injured, you know, all the things that you know
(31:44):
you I feel like as soon as he left for
a game, you kind of hold your breath. Then kick off,
you kind of relax a little bit. But then you're
really just every play you're watching and for a wife,
you're thinking their health and your card is out on
the field. I can't imagine in it, and so I think,
and then you're here and it's exciting and fun, So
you kind of live in this dual reality of this
(32:07):
is fun and granted, you know, we had fun game days,
Like it was so much fun getting to bring our
friends and go on the field and see him pregame,
and and that's what everyone sees. Everyone Yeah, great, yes,
But what they don't see is whatever we had going
on in our marriage and we had a new baby
and we're newly married and navigating family and dynamics and
(32:27):
you know a lot of hard all the hard things
that everyone has to deal with, um, but for us
it was we I remember saying, whatever we had going on,
we had to table and tell Monday. I would be
not Patience is not my strong so you know, as
my husband would tell you, it's not easy. And I'm
(32:48):
you know, I want to talk about things right away,
same get it all out there and fix it. But
I'm like, you know, I know that he needs is full.
You know, everything needs to be compartmentalized for him to
go and play football, and one of his worst ever games,
like statistically worst games of his career. I and I
would maybe the NFL will hire me as a consultant
(33:09):
to talk about this. But what happens at home and
your family life being like the stability and the peace
and them getting to leave, you know how that correlates
to how you can play. And it's like that in
any job, but when your body is, you know, kind
of on the line, that's it's a whole different you know,
(33:29):
it's it's a different mindset. But I think that for
us it was you know, you have to put a
lot of that to the side, and just for the
women too. And I personally, I am a woman, am
not good at compartmentalizing things, and so that was a
struggle and to kind of always feel like, you know,
you know that you're not really the priority, but it's
(33:51):
just kind of how it's how it works, and you
just adapt to it. And I think for me, I
had a lot of other wives, and I think that's
where those friendships were just so important and strong, because
I knew that I had them. And I think not
even just for football wives, but women in general. I
think that's been one of the biggest things for me
(34:11):
as a mom, realizing that I cannot expect Jonathan to
have the same level of empathy, understanding compassion for me
as my other friends can have or other women, because
they're no matter like as empathetic as a man can be.
That you just it's different. And I think the support
that you'll find from other moms or even just like
(34:34):
feeling seen by another mom when you're at carpool and
you're or a lot like going to coming to a
game and seeing another wife that would just help me
with my stroller or tell me what to do, like
you just it's a connection that's so different than um
the support you're going to be able to get from
anyone else. And so I think that that, I mean,
(34:55):
I have so much respect for the significant other and
families because it's just a whole the whole world that
I don't think people really see. They see the fun,
and they see they see game. Yeah, they see game
day for that, And I think that was something to
me that was always um, really really hard, but also
(35:20):
made us stronger and more adaptable and prepared us for
a lot of other situations in life because you have to.
You just have to compartmentalize and find the support around you,
UM so you can get through season together and even
logistically another thing that I think people don't see an
(35:42):
I'll be honest, I worked in sports. I worked at
Networks for almost ten years before coming to the Panthers
my first time with a team and walking the halls
late at night, even I didn't realize it's it's not
just Sunday, so it's not a few days a week.
They have practice. I mean, there's something almost every single day.
Monday's the day after the game, Tuesday's technical play player's
day off, but they're in here getting treatment. And you'll
(36:02):
see every single player in here on Tuesday's making sure
they're take care of their body, doing extra work training.
And then Wednesday's, Thursdays, Fridays, there's practice. There's meetings, and
these meetings will go and they'll start they're starting at like,
you know, like shacks down here at like five am,
you know, and then they're here until eight or nine
o'clock at night. And that's seven days a week. And
(36:25):
then you have training camp before that, and then if
your team makes a playoff run, and then there's offseason workouts,
and so for the families and the support system, just
logistically two be able to be really the main person.
That is, if if your home that you're you're with
your children, you're getting them to school, you're I mean,
it's just it's a herculean undertaking and I just I
(36:49):
have so much respect and admiration for it. Um As
I'm starting to go through just a little bit of it.
My schedule is certainly not like the player's schedule, um,
but it is demanding, and so I just I think
it's amazing, um what the families do and in service
of the stream, and it just doesn't get talked about,
you know. And I think in both ways for the
(37:10):
entire for you too, Like I know, like I always
when I saw you come back, I like, I know
what that feels like. And I know for you, like
your life is you know, you're gearing up for training
camp also, and I think that it's really um important
for I think women to have other women and being
able to have that support. And sometimes you know, if
(37:32):
you come here that might be your only you know,
the other mom that you talked to is might be
the only interaction you have with another you know person
during the day before. You know, I think when when
you can relate to another mom and what that feels
like to go back to work and to be away
from your baby. Um, it's just I mean it's hard.
(37:54):
But I think also watching other women come here, you know,
whenever they signed someone, I always kind of go and
I'm always just curious, like do they have kids, they
have a wife, Like what does that look like, and
you know, making sure that women know at least one
other mom or wife, and there are a lot of
like behind the scenes networks of NFL women. And that's
(38:17):
what's really cool is when you do go to another city,
you have you know, usually someone will reach out to
you and you but if you don't have that, it's
very easy to go move somewhere be completely isolated, exactly
no one. And I didn't even and we have a
lot of friends that we know from different teams, but
even when we went to New York, I didn't know
(38:38):
anyone when we first got up there. So I had
another friend who I knew who had introduced me to
one person, and she's now one of my very best friends.
Like we're still um, still really close. We just went
on vacation with them last or a few weeks ago.
But she was my one person and if I had
not had her, I would have sat in an apartment
by myself during training camp in New Jersey with nowhere
(39:02):
to go and literally no one. I would go check
my mail sometimes the first few weeks, just to go
down to the lobby with Kaya and see other people
because I didn't know anyone yet, and it kind of
is a weird. It's like it's like going back to
your first day of school as an adult. And so
it definitely is hugely important. And I will say the
(39:22):
teams that when and you see this, like you hear
guys talk about the locker room and that culture and
what it's like Super Bowl year for the Panthers, it
was just that camaraderie and families knowing each other and
people like and having that sense of community. Like I
truly believe that does translate into just the culture of
(39:43):
the team. And I feel like we've been building that back,
which has been nice to see and just families and
people and the support and um, I think that's something
that people don't always realize how much behind the scenes
makes a big impact and effect on what a season
looks like. And I've had, you know, not being someone
(40:03):
that's with a player or on that side of the
football side, but I just our first show. The first
thing I did for the Panthers was the Draft from Home.
Jonathan was on it at Jake and Jordan's and you
I think it was the night before the night after
you reached out to this was in the middle of
COVID reached out to me and you're like, oh my gosh, great, John.
I was like, that is so nice, and you have
(40:24):
done that for me and so many other women, UM,
and there have been amazing other women as well that
have done it, and it's just it's just an amazing atmosphere.
And I am so grateful to be on the receiving
end of it. And I am so grateful that we
were able to have this chat. So now, um, everyone
is on the receiving end of just the incredible advice
and example that you set, UM. And I can't thank
(40:46):
you enough for doing this. This is just so awesome.
Thank you for And I remember messaging you because I
watched you when you're just so good and natural. And
I think even for Jonathan, I've watched him give certain
interviews and I'm like, you not to be mean, because
he can take it, but I was like, you did
not do a very good job. But I've heard him
over the years just talk about how and you know,
(41:08):
you get to know like different reporters and people, and
I always have respected how you and Amy was this
way too, and we got really close just watching how
you care about people and players, and I think that
that's something important when people treat players like more than
just players and what being interested in and who they
are as people. And I think that that is you
(41:30):
can see that. And you've always been so good about
just you know, respecting people's time and how you talk
to them and knowing being just informed. And I think
women in sports, which is a whole another conversation, but
how it's hard and it's a different um for you,
like there, I know our challenges of as you've built
your career, and um, you're just you're really good at
(41:51):
it and very natural and you make people comfortable. And
I just watched it and it was fun watching it
from home, which was different and new and a child
lenge for you, I'm sure, but you just did such
a good job and and he had fun doing it
so school getting to see well, thank you so much.
I My only regret about this entire time that we've
talked is that we can't do like a ten part
series you and I get to hear more stories. I
(42:15):
adore you, I adore your husband. I just I think
the world of you, and I'm so grateful for everything,
and I'm grateful that you came here to the stadium
to do this with me. Thank you, thank you for
having me
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