November 13, 2024 • 32 mins
Heart and Hustle: Holly Smith’s Michigan Made Story | Conversations with a Chiropractor
In this heartfelt episode of Conversations with a Chiropractor, Dr. Stephanie Wautier welcomes Holly Smith, owner of Michigan Made in the Upper Peninsula, to share her story of resilience, family values, and dedication to community. Holly opens up about the challenges she’s faced as a single mom, a hockey mom, and an advocate for her son with autism—all while building a business that proudly supports local artisans and showcases the best of Michigan.
With humor and wisdom, Holly reflects on her journey, the impact of family, and her passion for creating a space that uplifts the community. Through her candid stories, she inspires with her mantra of finding joy in the little things and embracing every day with a positive spirit.
🎧 In This Episode, Discover:
- The inspiring journey behind Michigan Made and Holly’s mission to support local artisans
- Holly’s experiences as a mother and advocate for her son with autism
- Life lessons from her adventures as a hockey mom, including founding an all-girls hockey team in the UP
- How resilience, family, and community have shaped her business and outlook on life
Stay Connected & Explore:
- Follow Us on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/@ConversationswithaChiro
- Follow Us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/wautierwellness
- Email Us for Show-Related Inquiries and Sponsorships: drstephaniewautier@yahoo.com
Credits:
Podcast production by Brand|Sound. Start your podcast journey by emailing brandsoundpodcasts@gmail.com.
Chapters:
00:00 Introduction to Conversations with a Chiropractor
00:41 Meet Holly: Owner of Michigan Made Businesses
01:16 Raising Four Children and Blending Families
02:05 Emily's Journey: From Dance to Hockey
02:50 Creating a Girls' Hockey Team
06:38 The Challenges and Triumphs of Autism
11:15 Starting Michigan Made: From Idea to Reality
14:08 Expanding and Managing Multiple Locations
17:33 Family and Grandchildren
18:09 Concert Memories
20:07 Love for Water and Nature
20:38 Work Ethic and Job Satisfaction
21:33 Partnership and Support
23:30 Business Recognition and Community
25:47 Finding Joy and Positivity
30:48 Grounding and Night Sky
31:53 Final Thoughts and Gratitude
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker (00:04):
Hi, this is Dr.
Stephanie Wautier, and I'm the hostof Conversations with a Chiropractor.
This is not a health how to, butrather a conversation with some
amazing people I've had the pleasureof being with on my journey of life.
Think of it more like Tuesdays with Maury.
A fireside chat orchicken soup for the soul.
(00:27):
Grab a cup of coffee, sit back and enjoythis conversation with a chiropractor.
Stephanie (00:43):
Today on Conversations with a Chiropractor, I am joined by Holly.
And Holly, you are the ownerof the Michigan Made Businesses
in the Upper Peninsula.
Holly (00:52):
Yes, that's me.
Stephanie (00:54):
And I think anyone who knows you would say that you radiate positivity,
but I think that has become your choiceevery day because you have really,
you've had some obstacles in your life.
Holly (01:07):
yes, I certainly have had some obstacles in my life and you
overcome them and then you know.
Your percentage of gettingthrough things is a hundred.
So you can't get too excited aboutstuff in the middle of the way.
Stephanie (01:17):
So you have four children.
Holly (01:19):
I do.
Stephanie (01:20):
Three boys and a girl.
And tell me what that was likewhen you were raising them.
Holly (01:25):
I got a divorce from my children's dad when my daughter was 12.
And my son was 10 and then I gotremarried and we had, I adopted his
two boys and they were 11 and 14.
Stephanie (01:38):
So at one time
Holly (01:39):
we had four teenagers in our house.
Stephanie (01:41):
Wow.
That must
Holly (01:43):
have been, that
Stephanie (01:45):
must have been an exciting time.
Holly (01:48):
That's a good way to put it.
They were hungry.
Stephanie (01:50):
remember that a lot.
Did they get along with each other?
Oh yeah.
Emily took
Holly (01:54):
care of everyone.
Stephanie (01:55):
Wow.
Holly (01:55):
She's the oldest and she was in charge and she wouldn't allow it.
She just ran the house.
Ran the house, told themboys, you can knock it off.
Stephanie (02:03):
I love it.
She's also your hockey player.
Holly (02:06):
She is a hockey player,
Stephanie (02:07):
Tell me what that was like being the hockey mom.
Holly (02:10):
that's a whole nother life.
she, Played hockey all the way throughcollege, and one day she came home,
she was 10, and she said, Mom, Idon't want to dance anymore, I think
I'd like to be on a hockey team.
And I said, Oh, Mom doesn't know a lotabout hockey, and I was already divorced
then, so it was just me as a single mom.
She said, It's alright, I calledGrandpa, he got me gear, and
I'm on my first games tomorrow.
(02:32):
So that goes, explains thischild that ran the roost.
Stephanie (02:35):
She's just going to do it.
Sort of like her mother.
No, there is no such thingas an obstacle, right?
She is going to overcome it.
Holly (02:43):
Yeah, so she started skating that day and she's still doing it.
It's our play and everybody's playing.
She loves it.
Stephanie (02:49):
Wow.
Now back then because that wouldhave been what 25 30 years ago
Holly (02:54):
Well 20 years ago for sure She was on the Iron Rangers
at AAA travel in Marquette
Stephanie (03:00):
And was that a co ed team or was that a girls team?
All girls team, but we created
Holly (03:04):
the team We created our own foundation and there was several of us
parents and they were all very dedicatedBut we drew girls from across the whole UP
Stephanie (03:14):
It's
Holly (03:15):
from Gladstone, Escanaba,
Stephanie (03:17):
Eagle river
Holly (03:21):
and all these girls.
And we would go to differentplaces and practice with them.
And then they traveled and theywere a runner up in the state
of Michigan, triple a level.
So that's a good experiencefor them and they didn't have
to get dressed in the boys.
in the bathroom and,they got, and they didn't
Stephanie (03:37):
have to face like a possible discrimination
Holly (03:41):
No, it was really a wonderful thing.
And they have lifelong friends for it.
All those girls just love each other.
Still.
it's really something I,it was a labor of love.
I'll tell you that, but there was noplace for her to play and she liked it.
She got to be so good and we got, offersto go places, but I, what did my 14 year
old kid living in someone else's house.
Stephanie (03:59):
Yeah,
Holly (03:59):
so we figured it out
Stephanie (04:01):
now.
I know you've told me the story of aspecial coat that you would Sometimes
wear to hockey games and then thenickname that those girls had for you
Holly (04:09):
Yeah, my nickname was a hall dog because Emily what I was she I
dropped her at school And she said,Mom, please don't embarrass me.
And I went to the opposite level.
I had this big fur leopardcoat that I used to wear.
And all the girls would cheer me onwhen I'd walk around up in the top.
And there comes Hull Dogin her big pimpin coat.
(04:30):
She'd be like, Oh my god.
She never told me not toembarrass her anymore.
Stephanie (04:34):
But you guys are close to this day.
Holly (04:36):
God, yeah.
she's my best friend.
We talk every day.
It's fun.
Stephanie (04:39):
Did she go to college to play hockey?
She went
Holly (04:41):
to Finlandia.
She did.
She's a nurse from there.
Stephanie (04:44):
Yeah.
Holly (04:44):
Wow.
She skated all over theplace and, just loved it.
Stephanie (04:47):
What awesome memories.
And how cool that you as a parent, sawthe need, saw the lack of opportunity
for her and then just Put together ateam, put together an organization.
Holly (04:58):
Yeah, there was a lot of us in that same boat.
we just wanted our kids to beable to play with other women.
Stephanie (05:04):
You
Holly (05:04):
it's really important, and they get to be a certain age.
the girls stand up to boysin hockey until about 13.
And then the boys just get somuch bigger and more powerful.
And then, it's the discrimination stuffand the boys, talking about the girl with
a ponytail and they just didn't need that.
So it was the right thing to do.
And, it did, it took a village andthere was a bunch of us that did it.
And they're all wonderful people.
(05:24):
The parents that all steppedup and were on that board.
Does that organization still exist?
No.
They made it for one year after Ileft and they wanted me to stay,
but, I, my daughter, I went toFinlandia board and worked there.
Stephanie (05:36):
the little bit that I've even been involved in different kids
sports, I cannot believe the one ortwo moms who are doing it all there.
They're there countingthe concessions money.
They're there grabbing thethis putting the Gatorade.
it was probably 24 hours a daythat you were thinking about it
preparing for it getting the rides.
Holly (05:57):
Yep.
That's what we did.
We always just did the best we couldand our kids, they just stood up, they
just stood up and they thrived for it.
And for a little team out of Marquetteto be triple A level, we were competing
against Chicago and Milwaukee andMinnesota and the thoroughbred competition
and some of the stuff, it was amazing.
Stephanie (06:18):
I don't know.
Emily calls it the
Holly (06:19):
glory days.
Stephanie (06:20):
Oh, the glory days with Hall Dog.
Holly (06:23):
Yeah.
And they had so much fun.
But they were playing againstthe top girls in the country.
She played with Olympians.
Wow.
So it was really a good experience.
And it was, we can do anything.
Yeah.
Parents.
If your kids need it, thenyou're going to do it.
Absolutely.
That's how it's always been for me.
Stephanie (06:38):
You also were the warrior mother of an autistic son,
Holly (06:42):
who's
Stephanie (06:43):
34 years old now.
Tell me about that.
Holly (06:46):
Well, you know, then it's 34.
So of course, special ed and,things were different then,
it was a lot of no inclusion.
And, Ben was in classrooms where,he wasn't necessarily a perfect fit.
we just had to adapt and, help Peopleto understand that his autism he was
going to learn different and we senta trained aid with him to school and
(07:09):
it helped all the other kids too.
he's awesome.
Just a wonderful kid, happy as could be.
And, we did that low bosstraining and in its own aid for
all the way through Marquette.
Stephanie (07:20):
Wow.
And now this was before the timewhen kids had IEPs and they were sort
of given an aid through the school.
Holly (07:28):
Well, we did IEPs, but the aids, they never were
trained for children with autism.
It's just in the past, I think, 15years, the diagnosis is up like 450%.
don't quote me on thosenumbers, but I do read.
And so there's resources now thatare going to be able to help.
And, we just walked it along.
(07:49):
And We just didn't know, but Iknew I wasn't giving him pills.
And that was really the onlysolution that people had back then.
And, he never took any pills.
He couldn't, he was nonverbal.
Oh, I've taken some pills in my lifethat make my, feel my skin itchy or.
Yes.
And when somebody can't tell youwhat's going on, there was no way.
I thought he's got enough going on whenI'm going to add something else into it.
Absolutely.
So we tried it all withjust simple behavior.
(08:11):
Northern's been wonderful,
Stephanie (08:12):
Now, does Northern have some sort of center
Holly (08:15):
They have a behavior modification program.
And, back then, Dr.
Andronis was in charge, and hehelped me get an aid to go to school
with Ben when he was in Head Start,and, they all helped me, but they
were all trailblazers, because,behavior modification was new then.
Stephanie (08:30):
You, as a mother, were a trailblazer to just keep
pushing to get your child whathe needed, and for his success,
Holly (08:37):
Just want him to be happy.
That's really, and he's afraidand, and then the people
didn't know how to handle him.
They just didn't know how to, he, hewould just keep walking and they'd
talk to him and he'd just keep walking.
Yeah, so he was a challenge, buthe, he made everybody's better.
Everybody in our whole worldis better because of Ben.
and my mom and dad and my nephews,everybody has a better understanding
(08:59):
and they know that autism isn't,Disability is just a different
kind of ability and you've got tofigure out how to make it work.
Stephanie (09:05):
Yeah, I mean, most, well, I don't want to say most, but many,
I think from what the little I know,many autistic children are actually
genius level in different things.
Like their brain is actually probablyin some areas much more advanced than
the quote unquote average person.
Holly (09:25):
Oh, absolutely.
My son Ben can do a crossword puzzlefaster than any person on the planet.
And he goes on these competitionsonline, he wins all the time.
Stephanie (09:34):
but he
Holly (09:34):
understands the English language and all the letters and how they fit
together and it's a little puzzle.
He likes Sudoku's too, but heprefers the ones with the letters.
Stephanie (09:43):
Okay.
Holly (09:43):
five letter games where you mix them up together, fix the word.
Stephanie (09:48):
That's his forte.
Holly (09:48):
very interesting.
Stephanie (09:49):
you told me once that there is like a piece of paper that you had on the
inside of your cupboard in your kitchen.
Holly (09:55):
Yes.
Stephanie (09:55):
Tell me about that.
Holly (09:56):
when I did Lobos with Benjamin, they said that you never use the word no
or don't or any of those derogatory words.
So I found this, Poster thatwas 101 or 150 or whatever.
It doesn't matter the number.
Ways to say good job.
It was marvelous.
Fantastic.
You're the greatest, and we justcarried it on through our whole life.
Everybody, we always did it.
(10:18):
I do it.
My husband still, you're the greatest.
Thank you so much.
Stephanie (10:22):
I think this is the epitome of who you are is speaking
positivity into people's lives.
truly, I think that every day youwake up and your intention is to.
Bring positivity, to shine your light.
Well, it's just about
Holly (10:38):
making a choice about being happy.
I just want to be happy every day.
I feel every day you can make a decision.
Stephanie (10:45):
How's
Holly (10:46):
today going to be?
Oh, it's going to be great.
We're so lucky.
That we're here another day and we getto do this and I'm so lucky that I get
to go and hang out at my store and seeall my great customers or, just little
things that you can just give yourselfthis affirmation about what, you know,
because, you know, it could be way harder.
Stephanie (11:05):
Yeah,
Holly (11:06):
could be way harder.
So I'm just, but I know that thedark days are behind and now,
you know, today's a good one.
Amen.
Stephanie (11:13):
Yes.
Tell me how you started MichiganMade and what you did for a
living prior to having the storm.
Holly (11:21):
I was, before I've always done, bookkeeping and records and
finances and things like that.
Before I started.
Michigan made, the last job Ihad, it was a financial controller
for payday loan stores in the U.
P.
and some in Canada.
So I was traveling a lot and doing that,but that was a very difficult job for me,
Stephanie (11:39):
To be gone from your family.
Holly (11:40):
it was just the whole premise of, they were given high interest loans out to
people that really couldn't afford them.
And it just didn't go with my grain.
But again, I was a single mom andI needed to do what I needed to do.
And that was the best job I could find.
So that's where I worked until theday Emily graduated high school
the day that I turned my resume inand I met Brian and we got married.
(12:04):
four months after we met, but I wassingle for seven years and I never dated
anybody until when my kids were home.
I just thought that's not fair to them.
I have to take care of them.
And then I went to work forWaltham's for a while I was
raising Alan's, Brian's boys.
Oh, because I could work until noon.
Stephanie (12:18):
I was a waitress and I loved it.
I loved interacting with peopleand I think it's a beautiful
part of human connection.
Holly (12:26):
Oh, and I absolutely missed that place up there on the corner all the time.
There were so many nice peopleand such a good family and.
Really was fun, and I'm glad, and Iget to do their books, and I'd help out
sometimes with the morning breakfast, justpouring coffee in it, but I enjoyed it.
I'm sorry, I thought you were waitressing.
No, I did that all throughcollege, you know what it is,
you do what you have to do.
So at Wahlstrom's youwere doing their books.
(12:47):
I was doing their books, and Iwas helping and doing whatever I
needed to, because it's a smallfamily restaurant, it was fun.
Stephanie (12:52):
we don't have a ton of those left in Marquette,
those small family owned places.
I'll go
Holly (12:57):
and have a cup of coffee and have breakfast.
Yeah.
There's not very many.
I'm glad to see that Jeffrey's reopened.
Me too.
That was really nice.
Stephanie (13:05):
So you have the idea to do, a store with Michigan
made products from local artists.
Was that your Here's what happened.
Holly (13:12):
My husband and I were taking a, we had Empty Nest.
Then Alan went to the Navy.
And then I asked Ben, do youwant to have your own house?
And he said, yeah.
So we found him a nice place to live.
So we went down to Traverse Cityand we went to some of the wineries.
And I said, this mightbe a business for me.
I could sell this wine.
He's okay, that was in 2011.
(13:32):
I started looking at it and I said,he says, maybe we could do, just
stuff that's made in Michigan.
I said, that's a good idea.
And Michigan Made was available.
My name is trademarked.
And I thought, this is a kind of a clue.
And then my grandparent's lastname was just, And when I went
to do my email, Just Michigan wasable, my website was Just Michigan.
Stephanie (13:53):
So
Holly (13:53):
I thought, this is a, you know, this is, this is the, what I need to do.
Stephanie (13:55):
Like divine, like this and this and the idea.
Holly (13:59):
And then putting the art in there with it.
And, you know, it justkind of grew from there.
I mean, I came from 600 square feet.
That's how much we have at Tobo's.
Stephanie (14:07):
Oh my gosh.
so in Marquette, this is thesecond building you've been in.
Holly (14:12):
Yes, I started in the Tobo's property, where Rita is
at, with Interiors by Design.
I was there for four years,and then we opened Houghton.
then I bought the building here inMarquette We only took up 800 square
feet, every year I just keep taking overa little more of the building because
It needed love and it's all fixed now.
So now we have all this space.
Stephanie (14:32):
wine is just one little part of what you have.
Holly (14:35):
where it all started.
It's all about the wine.
That's where it started.
I love them guys that made the wine.
they were amazing.
True artists and what they didand the farmers and I loved it.
I thought this wine industryis really something and we just
built a business around that.
And now we have.
now we are the michigan store.
Yes.
Stephanie (14:51):
clothing and beautiful art, photography, jewelry.
Tell us a little bit aboutthe baskets that you do.
Holly (14:59):
the baskets are That was one of the first things I did because
I love to get it in one of those.
I got one of those baskets every yearfrom somebody I worked in college
and it was from the ones with thepears, and it always made me so happy.
I thought, I think we can do somebaskets with Michigan stuff in it.
And yeah, we're, we have 250 preorders this year, which is great.
Stephanie (15:19):
Wow.
Holly (15:20):
That's yeah.
Mark, we had the most of the big,the big, Shipping out of Marquette.
Okay.
yep.
They know Houghton does all kinds.
They run them all over in Manistique.
we're getting there with the basket,but that's the brand new store.
Stephanie (15:30):
How long have you
Holly (15:31):
had
Stephanie (15:32):
Manistique
Holly (15:32):
I opened Manistique in COVID in 2020.
It was March of 2020.
And so we really didn'tget going until about 22.
And so we have two years in, and it'ssolid, and I have beautiful staff
there, and it's such a nice place.
That's my, garage.
It's an industrial garage.
Stephanie (15:49):
Really?
Yeah, with four giant,
Holly (15:51):
uh, semi doors that open up.
Stephanie (15:53):
I haven't visited that store, I'm sorry.
Holly (15:55):
full shop room down there.
Stephanie (15:55):
my
Holly (15:56):
gosh!
So you can go there and play.
Cornhole, that's what they do.
They play cornhole andhave a beer and watch TV.
Stephanie (16:03):
It's a different atmosphere.
Holly (16:05):
It's a different world than I'm used to over here.
Yeah, they do a great job down there,and it's really a beautiful place.
Stephanie (16:09):
Holl, I know that you give every person a chance
that you come into contact with.
How do you manage Your staffat three different locations.
Like
Holly (16:18):
I just have beautiful people by me, And that's when we Every single thing
that we have is delivered by people.
Stephanie (16:25):
It's
Holly (16:25):
wonderful.
it really is sometimes people onlymake one thing There's one place
that just makes nuts and that theycome once every couple weeks And but
you know all those people is whatmade Michigan made me so strong The
Stephanie (16:38):
human connection in the actual human Being like so
personally connected to you, right?
And your store, right?
Holly (16:45):
It's really wonderful.
And that's where we have this communitywith my people, the people that work
there, everyone that works for us, theyknow someone else that makes something.
So then it just gets to be a littlebit bigger and a little bit tighter.
And, yeah, they're amazing.
Everybody just does the best thingthat they can when they go to work.
And I'm going to sell my wholestar to the manager up there.
Stephanie (17:06):
You are.
Yep.
How does that feel, as a business owner?
bittersweet?
Yeah, it feels like a
Holly (17:12):
mom that is super proud to send her little girl off to handle it by herself.
Aww.
She's my friend.
She's my family.
Stephanie (17:19):
And so I'll
Holly (17:20):
be there to help her.
I'm not gonna just throwher to the wolves, you know?
Of course, of course.
But, she's just, she's a young girl,and it's the future for her, and
she's been with me since day one.
Stephanie (17:28):
Wow.
Holly (17:29):
And it'd be better for me not to have to work so hard I can get
some more kids hockey games, right?
Yeah.
You have grandchildren to chase around.
I do and I want to go watch themplay hockey and do the stuff.
So yeah, so it'll be good.
And Kylie will be with me no matter what.
She's going to be my family.
She's one of my kids.
Stephanie (17:45):
She got
Holly (17:45):
adopted a little bit.
I told her she cannot get rid of me.
That's it.
Stephanie (17:50):
That's what's so beautiful about you.
You just, your heart is so big.
You open it up and one moreperson, there's always another
seat to pull up to the table.
Holly (17:57):
have enough love to go around.
Stephanie (17:59):
Yeah, it's a good
Holly (18:00):
thing.
Yeah, and Bonnie down in, in Manistate,she's hilarious too, just great.
And my daughter works in Manistate too.
Yes.
but yeah, next time you goCampanile, just stop down there.
Stephanie (18:09):
I know about you personally that you love music and you love concerts.
Tell me about some of theconcerts you've been to.
Holly (18:19):
Oh boy.
I've been to lots of concerts.
I've been scanning pictures.
Thank you So let me just go back to that.
That'll tell you wherethe concert started.
Um, I found out my photo of my mom passeda few years ago, and I had, 10 to 12 boxes
of pictures and So I've been scanningthem so I can share them with the rest
of my family this year for Christmas.
(18:40):
I'm all done with hers, so I started doingmine, and I found all my concert tickets,
and I had the Who, and the RollingStones, and all from back in college,
and Van Halen, and the police, and,
Stephanie (18:52):
Oh my gosh.
Holly (18:53):
Starship.
You can't even imagine.
But I, they used to giveyou the coolest tickets.
Yes.
I'm going to make something with those.
Oh my gosh.
But the new ones youdon't get any tickets for.
Stephanie (19:01):
No, now they're all digital or electronic
Holly (19:04):
I really want that ticket.
My Rolling Stone ticket is thecoolest ticket I ever seen.
I cannot fathom.
It was 15.
Oh my So I'm showing how old I am now.
Stephanie (19:14):
Do you remember where that concert was?
Holly (19:16):
at the Orange Bowl in, Orlando.
Was Red Rocks your most recent concert?
Red Rocks is the only place I'm evergoing to go to a concert anymore.
Unless I go to the Performing Arts downin, Charlevoix, I love that theatre too.
Stephanie (19:28):
Is that the open air one?
Holly (19:30):
it's beautiful, and they've really done well, and it's not so
crowded, and the acoustics are beautiful.
but Red Rocks, once you've been there,and you hear the music and the acoustics,
and I like all kinds of music, I'd gosee a symphony there, but it's magic.
That place is magic.
Yeah, we went, saw John Fogarty with hissons, and then we saw Dierks Bentley,
(19:51):
and they were both just Amazing.
Wow.
So fun.
I love going to see live music.
There's nothing like it.
Stephanie (19:56):
Oh, yeah.
There's something I don't know, energizing
Holly (19:58):
Oh, yeah.
Stephanie (19:59):
Yeah, like indescribable about physically being there.
right,
Holly (20:03):
and they're so passionate about what they're doing.
Stephanie (20:06):
It's wonderful.
Holly (20:06):
Yeah.
Stephanie (20:07):
No, I know you love the mountains, but you
also love the water, right?
Like Florida is, Holl's your soul.
Holly (20:14):
I like to go sit on the beach.
Stephanie (20:16):
My
Holly (20:16):
favorite color is ocean.
That's what my girlfriend tells me.
I love that.
The Holly's my favorite color is ocean.
But I'm just happy just to sit onthe balcony and listen to it and see
the sounds and listen to the birds.
And yeah, it's real peaceful.
Yeah.
I like the lake too.
I really do the lake.
I don't think I couldnot live by any water.
Yeah.
But I sure like the, becauseI'm going to have to work.
Stephanie (20:38):
You have the kind of like work ethic that is almost ethereal.
Like You're always working, andyet it doesn't seem like it's
draining you or pulling on you.
Holly (20:49):
that's, I love my job.
I have the nicest customersand the nicest vendors.
I just couldn't, I could never, if Iwould have thought, I'm going to be,
it's going to be 12 years this year.
If I would have thought that it wasgoing to be as wonderful and marvelous
as it is, I would have did it 30 years
Stephanie (21:06):
ago.
Holly (21:07):
Because it's just, it's so easy to go to work and have people and I
do keep moving, I just keep moving.
I said, come on, we'll talkand I can keep working.
But, yeah.
So good that you know how it is.
If you love what you do.
Stephanie (21:21):
And I think it's your attitude.
it's definitely your attitude.
not that you're not affected by problemsor not that you're not stressed, but
it's like water over a duck's back.
you overcome it.
You move on from it.
You persevere.
Holly (21:32):
I do.
I have a wonderful partner too.
And when something gets me down or if it'sa little bit too intense, I, have Brian.
I just call him up and he handles it.
I love it because when thingsupset me, I get really sad
and I don't want to do that.
So I have him help me.
Stephanie (21:47):
What he doesn't do it.
That is like the best I think likedefinition of like partnership.
One of my friends got married recentlyand you know The happily ever after
and the this and I said, you knowWhat I wish for your marriage is that
you guys are compassionate to eachother that you're supportive to each
other you know that that's what makeslike longevity like when you're down,
(22:09):
that's the one who brings you up
Holly (22:11):
What can I do to make this better for you?
Stephanie (22:12):
Yeah,
Holly (22:13):
that's, yeah, so he, we had a little shoplifting incident the other day
and it just breaks my heart that it does.
we have the cameras, we have the wholenine yards and I just called Brian and
I said, I can't, I don't want to look.
You have to just handle the whole thingbecause I don't want to know any details.
I just want you to handle that.
(22:33):
He's okay.
He handled it.
Him and the Jockey Police and they justdid a beautiful job and, took care of us.
Nice.
But that kind of stuff breaks my heart.
if they asked me, I wouldgive them something.
that's what I would go through in my head.
Stephanie (22:47):
Do you know I had a rummage sale this summer?
I'll never have another one again.
Someone stole something fromme during the rummage sale.
It was listed for 1.
And I thought, why would you do that?
I literally would havegiven you 20 of the things.
I was just trying to clean out my house.
my husband, who's a psychologist, wouldprobably say what all the background
(23:09):
is between, why people shoplift.
But when you're the onebeing stolen from, it hurts.
It's
like
an insult.
It's like an assault.
Holly (23:17):
I felt really, Violent?
Yeah, no, yeah, I guess so.
I guess so.
I really did.
so that was just oneinstance where I call him.
You got to handle this for me becauseyou're better at it than me, and I'll
make you pizza for dinner or whatever
Stephanie (23:30):
Holly, you were awarded and nominated and acknowledged by
Business Development of the stateof Michigan as being one of the
premier women leaders in business.
Holly (23:42):
It's a wonderful thing.
And, it's nice to see peopleacknowledge what I'm doing.
And, the best part is that I'mone of the elders now and I get
to help, other business owners.
So they'll call me and ask meadvice about certain things or,
Stephanie (23:58):
you know, that's nice.
That, that is so amazing.
And I think that the thing that's sofunny and beautiful about this is that it
shows how How magnificent your humilityis when you don't even remember the award
or you don't even remember when it was.
Oh yeah, someone awarded me something.
Holly (24:16):
That's okay,
love my job and I get to meet goodpeople and somebody noticed, it's great.
And we do get the MiningJournal Award too.
We get an award for that.
And that's goes to my staff,
Stephanie (24:28):
the store is nominated and awarded
Holly (24:30):
for the best gift shop.
Stephanie (24:31):
Oh, my gosh.
Holly (24:32):
It's a nice thing.
Stephanie (24:33):
Oh, we got it again.
I'm like, Oh, good for you guys.
and that's so cool too, that you give theaccolades to your team and your staff.
I certainly couldn't do it
Holly (24:42):
alone.
No, nothing could be done alone and
Stephanie (24:45):
so you're coming into your busy season as a gift shop headed into
Thanksgiving and the Christmas holidaysis there anything anyone should know?
Is there an open house coming up?
Holly (24:56):
Yeah, we have a lot of stuff coming up.
The 16th of November, we're doingopen house just here in Harvey.
we're going to do some wine tasting andgive some stuff away, every Saturday
coming right now through November,we'll have some fun stuff, and my
anniversary party is going to be14th of December and that's 12 years.
And that's always mybig event for the year.
small business Saturday.
That's my favorite.
(25:16):
That's when all myfriends come and see me.
Stephanie (25:18):
Oh, the day after black
Holly (25:19):
Friday, everybody comes and sees me that came and bought me one bottle
of wine or, they've bought gift boxes,they always come back and see me.
So I pour wine all day that day.
And I really have a fun time.
Stephanie (25:31):
That's wonderful, Holly.
Yeah.
And thank you so much for shiningbright light, not only in Marquette,
but to the entire world in all thepeople that you touch every single day.
So 18 years ago, you'redropping your daughter off at
college and she says to you.
Holly (25:47):
She said, Mom, can you tell me what I can do to have some success in my life?
I said, yeah, I can.
And I thought about it for a little while.
And I said, the first thing you cando is always finish what you start.
Finish, finish your stuff.
And the second thing you should do isalways do what you say you're going to do.
Show up and tell somebodyyou're going to be there.
Show up.
(26:08):
You're going to call them.
Column.
And the third thing is treat peoplethe way you want to be treated
and you'll always have it good.
And she reminded me of that this morning.
It's that's funny.
That was 18 years agoand it made an impact.
So I think those are two good words.
Stephanie (26:22):
Those are.
What is your quote about joy?
Tell me that, that one again.
Holly (26:28):
every day.
and you have to findthe joy in everything,
Stephanie (26:31):
you pick it up every
Holly (26:32):
day, you get to decide and have a good day or a bad day, find
some joy and, it's easy to do.
I got a crazy little dog that runsaround, she makes me laugh like crazy.
It's like, well, therethat how easy was that?
Exactly.
Right.
Yeah.
Exactly.
yeah, that's always worth finding the joybecause there's something in every day.
Stephanie (26:49):
Don't you think?
Absolutely.
And I think sometimes we haveto pull ourselves out of it.
Holly (26:54):
sure.
Stephanie (26:54):
I just read a quote that said something like, we have such a great
habit of talking about our problems.
Maybe you even posted it,but let's talk about our joy.
Let's make that our habit.
So instead of saying, oh my gosh, likeI have such a long day or, oh my gosh,
it's going to be so busy or so intense.
I'm so grateful that.
(27:14):
that coffee was sodelicious this morning or
Holly (27:17):
that and I have a nice job to go to.
Yes, and look at my shoes.
How wonderful they are.
It's so easy once you get inthe practice of doing that.
Yeah, because there's daysthat I have to work at it.
I think everybody does.
Stephanie (27:28):
I feel like it's the complete opposite.
And I don't want to say that I'venever, that I've never done this,
but for those who get stuck in thatlike martyr victim cycle, it's Oh,
What was me?
But if we all, every singleone of us said, gosh, what can.
What can I say?
or it's the gratitude thing.
. What can I be grateful for?
Or what brings me joy, or
Holly (27:51):
grateful and gracious?
Wake up grateful, and be graciousat the end of the day for all
the beautiful things that werehanded to you on that day.
Stephanie (27:57):
yeah.
Holly (27:58):
there's a 21 day thing that you can go through and I've had to do this
and I didn't find my true contentment.
I was about 44.
Really?
Yeah.
Where I found that.
I have more, way more good days than bad.
I'm going through adivorce and life was hard.
life was challenging.
And no money.
Everybody's been through the same thing.
And I have a child with special needs.
And you just never knowwhat's going to happen.
I found this program.
(28:19):
It was 21 days to reset yourbrain to be, find positivity.
Yep.
And that was 20 years agoand, best thing I ever did.
And I just made myself a listevery day and I started writing
down things that I was gratefulfor and it was, wow, this worked.
Stephanie (28:36):
That's amazing to me that it wasn't until you were 44
that some sort of a shift happened.
Holly (28:41):
I think that the world beats you down, when you're younger
and I've always been a little bitstrong willed and opinionated and
honest and say what I want to say.
And sometimes you just get beat up.
Everybody has.
You don't get to be this farwithout having some loss.
And then, when you think, I'm goingto be this victim of the loss, or
do I want to thrive and have thejoy and have the happy in my life?
(29:05):
And when I did that, Ifound that contentment.
Everything changed.
Stephanie (29:09):
It was
Holly (29:09):
I think it was 44.
Stephanie (29:10):
Wow.
But you committed to that.
You were like, okay, here I go.
Holly (29:15):
way.
Stephanie (29:16):
that, you
Holly (29:16):
don't have to be sad.
Stephanie (29:17):
You don't have to
Holly (29:18):
One of my friends said something to me one day about cancer.
She said, when you have cancer,you don't become cancer.
You know, so you're still that person.
So you have to find away to not be cancer.
Stephanie (29:30):
Yes.
That made a lot
Holly (29:32):
of sense to me.
And I thought, yeah, you're right.
Stephanie (29:34):
Yeah.
Holly (29:35):
You don't become that.
This is just something that isaffecting you for this little
bit of time in your life.
Stephanie (29:39):
Yeah.
Holly (29:40):
it was a profound statement to me.
And it might get somebodyelse different, but yeah.
Stephanie (29:46):
Absolutely.
I think that we have that tendency to, toeven unknowingly label ourselves, right?
or someone might say, everyonein my family has a bad low back.
So I guess it's just, and I'm like, thatdoesn't have to be even if you have a
genetic predisposition to something,there is such a thing as epigenetics.
And I really believe thathalf of this isn't physical.
(30:08):
it is our intention and our energyand our emotion and our choice of it.
choosing joy, like I don't watch the news,especially during this political time.
Like I can't watch horrific things.
Like I'm too affected by that.
I have to choose to watch something thatwill bring me up and not pull me down.
(30:31):
That's
Holly (30:31):
where music does that for me.
Stephanie (30:32):
Yeah.
Holly (30:33):
I have music in every room in my house.
I turn it on everywhere.
My neighbors are rocking out.
But music does that for me and you'reright with that TV and the political stuff
Stephanie (30:44):
and it's
Holly (30:45):
just a lot.
Stephanie (30:46):
Yeah.
Holly (30:47):
It's real heavy.
Stephanie (30:48):
You told me that you really liked the episode on like frequencies
and energies and you ground yourself.
Holly (30:54):
Oh, I do.
Stephanie (30:55):
grounder.
Holly (30:55):
I'm a grounder.
I don't even, no socks.
I'm almost always bare feet in the winter.
And in the summer, I've been caughtlaying in my yard, getting, drawing
the energy from the sky and the earth.
And yeah, it's really profound onceyou've, and I love the outdoor night sky.
I'll take a night, I'll takea nap so I can go outside.
Stephanie (31:14):
Really?
Holly (31:15):
The night sky to me is great.
Something else.
Like
Stephanie (31:18):
watching the stars.
Watching the stars,
Holly (31:20):
seeing the Milky Way, the Northern Lights have just been insane this year.
So beautiful.
Oh my
Stephanie (31:25):
gosh.
So, yeah,
Holly (31:26):
I get home from work taking a nap because I can't stay up till 11 anymore.
Stephanie (31:30):
Would you say you're instinctively a night owl?
Holly (31:32):
Yeah, absolutely.
Stephanie (31:34):
Yeah.
Holly (31:34):
Absolutely.
Stephanie (31:35):
But I've learned how to adapt.
Holly (31:39):
It's okay.
I never go to bed before midnight.
You don't?
No.
and I sleep seven hours at a time.
I used to sleep like three orfour when I had my kids at home.
You know how it is, you just do it.
Stephanie (31:49):
Yeah.
Holly (31:51):
So now I'm well rested
Stephanie (31:52):
I love
Holly (31:52):
it.
Stephanie (31:53):
Holl, anything else that you want to talk about or share?
I'm just so grateful to behere and, it's a good day.
It is a good day.
It is a good day.
And I'm so grateful thatyou've agreed to be interviewed
today and sharing your wisdom.
And I hope everybody peeks intoMichigan Made, whether they're in
Houghton, Manistique, or right herein Harvey, right on the highway
(32:16):
across from the Welcome Center.
Well,
Holly (32:17):
they'll all come and visit us for Christmas.
Perfect.
That's good.
Stephanie (32:21):
Thanks
Holly (32:21):
Holl.
Thank you.
Speaker 2 (32:27):
Thank you so much for listening.
If you've enjoyed this podcast,would you please rate it,
review it, like or subscribe?
You can find me on social mediaat WautierWellness.com, Dr.
Stephanie Wautier WellnessChiropractic and Massage on Facebook.
(32:48):
And I'm so curious where yournext conversation will take you.
Hi, this is Dr.
Stephanie Wautier, and I'm the hostof Conversations with a Chiropractor.
This is not a health how to, butrather a conversation with some
amazing people I've had the pleasureof being with on my journey of life.
Think of it more like Tuesdays with Maury.
A fireside chat orchicken soup for the soul.
(00:27):
Grab a cup of coffee, sit back and enjoythis conversation with a chiropractor.
Stephanie (00:43):
Today on Conversations with a Chiropractor, I am joined by Holly.
And Holly, you are the ownerof the Michigan Made Businesses
in the Upper Peninsula.
Holly (00:52):
Yes, that's me.
Stephanie (00:54):
And I think anyone who knows you would say that you radiate positivity,
but I think that has become your choiceevery day because you have really,
you've had some obstacles in your life.
Holly (01:07):
yes, I certainly have had some obstacles in my life and you
overcome them and then you know.
Your percentage of gettingthrough things is a hundred.
So you can't get too excited aboutstuff in the middle of the way.
Stephanie (01:17):
So you have four children.
Holly (01:19):
I do.
Stephanie (01:20):
Three boys and a girl.
And tell me what that was likewhen you were raising them.
Holly (01:25):
I got a divorce from my children's dad when my daughter was 12.
And my son was 10 and then I gotremarried and we had, I adopted his
two boys and they were 11 and 14.
Stephanie (01:38):
So at one time
Holly (01:39):
we had four teenagers in our house.
Stephanie (01:41):
Wow.
That must
Holly (01:43):
have been, that
Stephanie (01:45):
must have been an exciting time.
Holly (01:48):
That's a good way to put it.
They were hungry.
Stephanie (01:50):
remember that a lot.
Did they get along with each other?
Oh yeah.
Emily took
Holly (01:54):
care of everyone.
Stephanie (01:55):
Wow.
Holly (01:55):
She's the oldest and she was in charge and she wouldn't allow it.
She just ran the house.
Ran the house, told themboys, you can knock it off.
Stephanie (02:03):
I love it.
She's also your hockey player.
Holly (02:06):
She is a hockey player,
Stephanie (02:07):
Tell me what that was like being the hockey mom.
Holly (02:10):
that's a whole nother life.
she, Played hockey all the way throughcollege, and one day she came home,
she was 10, and she said, Mom, Idon't want to dance anymore, I think
I'd like to be on a hockey team.
And I said, Oh, Mom doesn't know a lotabout hockey, and I was already divorced
then, so it was just me as a single mom.
She said, It's alright, I calledGrandpa, he got me gear, and
I'm on my first games tomorrow.
(02:32):
So that goes, explains thischild that ran the roost.
Stephanie (02:35):
She's just going to do it.
Sort of like her mother.
No, there is no such thingas an obstacle, right?
She is going to overcome it.
Holly (02:43):
Yeah, so she started skating that day and she's still doing it.
It's our play and everybody's playing.
She loves it.
Stephanie (02:49):
Wow.
Now back then because that wouldhave been what 25 30 years ago
Holly (02:54):
Well 20 years ago for sure She was on the Iron Rangers
at AAA travel in Marquette
Stephanie (03:00):
And was that a co ed team or was that a girls team?
All girls team, but we created
Holly (03:04):
the team We created our own foundation and there was several of us
parents and they were all very dedicatedBut we drew girls from across the whole UP
Stephanie (03:14):
It's
Holly (03:15):
from Gladstone, Escanaba,
Stephanie (03:17):
Eagle river
Holly (03:21):
and all these girls.
And we would go to differentplaces and practice with them.
And then they traveled and theywere a runner up in the state
of Michigan, triple a level.
So that's a good experiencefor them and they didn't have
to get dressed in the boys.
in the bathroom and,they got, and they didn't
Stephanie (03:37):
have to face like a possible discrimination
Holly (03:41):
No, it was really a wonderful thing.
And they have lifelong friends for it.
All those girls just love each other.
Still.
it's really something I,it was a labor of love.
I'll tell you that, but there was noplace for her to play and she liked it.
She got to be so good and we got, offersto go places, but I, what did my 14 year
old kid living in someone else's house.
Stephanie (03:59):
Yeah,
Holly (03:59):
so we figured it out
Stephanie (04:01):
now.
I know you've told me the story of aspecial coat that you would Sometimes
wear to hockey games and then thenickname that those girls had for you
Holly (04:09):
Yeah, my nickname was a hall dog because Emily what I was she I
dropped her at school And she said,Mom, please don't embarrass me.
And I went to the opposite level.
I had this big fur leopardcoat that I used to wear.
And all the girls would cheer me onwhen I'd walk around up in the top.
And there comes Hull Dogin her big pimpin coat.
(04:30):
She'd be like, Oh my god.
She never told me not toembarrass her anymore.
Stephanie (04:34):
But you guys are close to this day.
Holly (04:36):
God, yeah.
she's my best friend.
We talk every day.
It's fun.
Stephanie (04:39):
Did she go to college to play hockey?
She went
Holly (04:41):
to Finlandia.
She did.
She's a nurse from there.
Stephanie (04:44):
Yeah.
Holly (04:44):
Wow.
She skated all over theplace and, just loved it.
Stephanie (04:47):
What awesome memories.
And how cool that you as a parent, sawthe need, saw the lack of opportunity
for her and then just Put together ateam, put together an organization.
Holly (04:58):
Yeah, there was a lot of us in that same boat.
we just wanted our kids to beable to play with other women.
Stephanie (05:04):
You
Holly (05:04):
it's really important, and they get to be a certain age.
the girls stand up to boysin hockey until about 13.
And then the boys just get somuch bigger and more powerful.
And then, it's the discrimination stuffand the boys, talking about the girl with
a ponytail and they just didn't need that.
So it was the right thing to do.
And, it did, it took a village andthere was a bunch of us that did it.
And they're all wonderful people.
(05:24):
The parents that all steppedup and were on that board.
Does that organization still exist?
No.
They made it for one year after Ileft and they wanted me to stay,
but, I, my daughter, I went toFinlandia board and worked there.
Stephanie (05:36):
the little bit that I've even been involved in different kids
sports, I cannot believe the one ortwo moms who are doing it all there.
They're there countingthe concessions money.
They're there grabbing thethis putting the Gatorade.
it was probably 24 hours a daythat you were thinking about it
preparing for it getting the rides.
Holly (05:57):
Yep.
That's what we did.
We always just did the best we couldand our kids, they just stood up, they
just stood up and they thrived for it.
And for a little team out of Marquetteto be triple A level, we were competing
against Chicago and Milwaukee andMinnesota and the thoroughbred competition
and some of the stuff, it was amazing.
Stephanie (06:18):
I don't know.
Emily calls it the
Holly (06:19):
glory days.
Stephanie (06:20):
Oh, the glory days with Hall Dog.
Holly (06:23):
Yeah.
And they had so much fun.
But they were playing againstthe top girls in the country.
She played with Olympians.
Wow.
So it was really a good experience.
And it was, we can do anything.
Yeah.
Parents.
If your kids need it, thenyou're going to do it.
Absolutely.
That's how it's always been for me.
Stephanie (06:38):
You also were the warrior mother of an autistic son,
Holly (06:42):
who's
Stephanie (06:43):
34 years old now.
Tell me about that.
Holly (06:46):
Well, you know, then it's 34.
So of course, special ed and,things were different then,
it was a lot of no inclusion.
And, Ben was in classrooms where,he wasn't necessarily a perfect fit.
we just had to adapt and, help Peopleto understand that his autism he was
going to learn different and we senta trained aid with him to school and
(07:09):
it helped all the other kids too.
he's awesome.
Just a wonderful kid, happy as could be.
And, we did that low bosstraining and in its own aid for
all the way through Marquette.
Stephanie (07:20):
Wow.
And now this was before the timewhen kids had IEPs and they were sort
of given an aid through the school.
Holly (07:28):
Well, we did IEPs, but the aids, they never were
trained for children with autism.
It's just in the past, I think, 15years, the diagnosis is up like 450%.
don't quote me on thosenumbers, but I do read.
And so there's resources now thatare going to be able to help.
And, we just walked it along.
(07:49):
And We just didn't know, but Iknew I wasn't giving him pills.
And that was really the onlysolution that people had back then.
And, he never took any pills.
He couldn't, he was nonverbal.
Oh, I've taken some pills in my lifethat make my, feel my skin itchy or.
Yes.
And when somebody can't tell youwhat's going on, there was no way.
I thought he's got enough going on whenI'm going to add something else into it.
Absolutely.
So we tried it all withjust simple behavior.
(08:11):
Northern's been wonderful,
Stephanie (08:12):
Now, does Northern have some sort of center
Holly (08:15):
They have a behavior modification program.
And, back then, Dr.
Andronis was in charge, and hehelped me get an aid to go to school
with Ben when he was in Head Start,and, they all helped me, but they
were all trailblazers, because,behavior modification was new then.
Stephanie (08:30):
You, as a mother, were a trailblazer to just keep
pushing to get your child whathe needed, and for his success,
Holly (08:37):
Just want him to be happy.
That's really, and he's afraidand, and then the people
didn't know how to handle him.
They just didn't know how to, he, hewould just keep walking and they'd
talk to him and he'd just keep walking.
Yeah, so he was a challenge, buthe, he made everybody's better.
Everybody in our whole worldis better because of Ben.
and my mom and dad and my nephews,everybody has a better understanding
(08:59):
and they know that autism isn't,Disability is just a different
kind of ability and you've got tofigure out how to make it work.
Stephanie (09:05):
Yeah, I mean, most, well, I don't want to say most, but many,
I think from what the little I know,many autistic children are actually
genius level in different things.
Like their brain is actually probablyin some areas much more advanced than
the quote unquote average person.
Holly (09:25):
Oh, absolutely.
My son Ben can do a crossword puzzlefaster than any person on the planet.
And he goes on these competitionsonline, he wins all the time.
Stephanie (09:34):
but he
Holly (09:34):
understands the English language and all the letters and how they fit
together and it's a little puzzle.
He likes Sudoku's too, but heprefers the ones with the letters.
Stephanie (09:43):
Okay.
Holly (09:43):
five letter games where you mix them up together, fix the word.
Stephanie (09:48):
That's his forte.
Holly (09:48):
very interesting.
Stephanie (09:49):
you told me once that there is like a piece of paper that you had on the
inside of your cupboard in your kitchen.
Holly (09:55):
Yes.
Stephanie (09:55):
Tell me about that.
Holly (09:56):
when I did Lobos with Benjamin, they said that you never use the word no
or don't or any of those derogatory words.
So I found this, Poster thatwas 101 or 150 or whatever.
It doesn't matter the number.
Ways to say good job.
It was marvelous.
Fantastic.
You're the greatest, and we justcarried it on through our whole life.
Everybody, we always did it.
(10:18):
I do it.
My husband still, you're the greatest.
Thank you so much.
Stephanie (10:22):
I think this is the epitome of who you are is speaking
positivity into people's lives.
truly, I think that every day youwake up and your intention is to.
Bring positivity, to shine your light.
Well, it's just about
Holly (10:38):
making a choice about being happy.
I just want to be happy every day.
I feel every day you can make a decision.
Stephanie (10:45):
How's
Holly (10:46):
today going to be?
Oh, it's going to be great.
We're so lucky.
That we're here another day and we getto do this and I'm so lucky that I get
to go and hang out at my store and seeall my great customers or, just little
things that you can just give yourselfthis affirmation about what, you know,
because, you know, it could be way harder.
Stephanie (11:05):
Yeah,
Holly (11:06):
could be way harder.
So I'm just, but I know that thedark days are behind and now,
you know, today's a good one.
Amen.
Stephanie (11:13):
Yes.
Tell me how you started MichiganMade and what you did for a
living prior to having the storm.
Holly (11:21):
I was, before I've always done, bookkeeping and records and
finances and things like that.
Before I started.
Michigan made, the last job Ihad, it was a financial controller
for payday loan stores in the U.
P.
and some in Canada.
So I was traveling a lot and doing that,but that was a very difficult job for me,
Stephanie (11:39):
To be gone from your family.
Holly (11:40):
it was just the whole premise of, they were given high interest loans out to
people that really couldn't afford them.
And it just didn't go with my grain.
But again, I was a single mom andI needed to do what I needed to do.
And that was the best job I could find.
So that's where I worked until theday Emily graduated high school
the day that I turned my resume inand I met Brian and we got married.
(12:04):
four months after we met, but I wassingle for seven years and I never dated
anybody until when my kids were home.
I just thought that's not fair to them.
I have to take care of them.
And then I went to work forWaltham's for a while I was
raising Alan's, Brian's boys.
Oh, because I could work until noon.
Stephanie (12:18):
I was a waitress and I loved it.
I loved interacting with peopleand I think it's a beautiful
part of human connection.
Holly (12:26):
Oh, and I absolutely missed that place up there on the corner all the time.
There were so many nice peopleand such a good family and.
Really was fun, and I'm glad, and Iget to do their books, and I'd help out
sometimes with the morning breakfast, justpouring coffee in it, but I enjoyed it.
I'm sorry, I thought you were waitressing.
No, I did that all throughcollege, you know what it is,
you do what you have to do.
So at Wahlstrom's youwere doing their books.
(12:47):
I was doing their books, and Iwas helping and doing whatever I
needed to, because it's a smallfamily restaurant, it was fun.
Stephanie (12:52):
we don't have a ton of those left in Marquette,
those small family owned places.
I'll go
Holly (12:57):
and have a cup of coffee and have breakfast.
Yeah.
There's not very many.
I'm glad to see that Jeffrey's reopened.
Me too.
That was really nice.
Stephanie (13:05):
So you have the idea to do, a store with Michigan
made products from local artists.
Was that your Here's what happened.
Holly (13:12):
My husband and I were taking a, we had Empty Nest.
Then Alan went to the Navy.
And then I asked Ben, do youwant to have your own house?
And he said, yeah.
So we found him a nice place to live.
So we went down to Traverse Cityand we went to some of the wineries.
And I said, this mightbe a business for me.
I could sell this wine.
He's okay, that was in 2011.
(13:32):
I started looking at it and I said,he says, maybe we could do, just
stuff that's made in Michigan.
I said, that's a good idea.
And Michigan Made was available.
My name is trademarked.
And I thought, this is a kind of a clue.
And then my grandparent's lastname was just, And when I went
to do my email, Just Michigan wasable, my website was Just Michigan.
Stephanie (13:53):
So
Holly (13:53):
I thought, this is a, you know, this is, this is the, what I need to do.
Stephanie (13:55):
Like divine, like this and this and the idea.
Holly (13:59):
And then putting the art in there with it.
And, you know, it justkind of grew from there.
I mean, I came from 600 square feet.
That's how much we have at Tobo's.
Stephanie (14:07):
Oh my gosh.
so in Marquette, this is thesecond building you've been in.
Holly (14:12):
Yes, I started in the Tobo's property, where Rita is
at, with Interiors by Design.
I was there for four years,and then we opened Houghton.
then I bought the building here inMarquette We only took up 800 square
feet, every year I just keep taking overa little more of the building because
It needed love and it's all fixed now.
So now we have all this space.
Stephanie (14:32):
wine is just one little part of what you have.
Holly (14:35):
where it all started.
It's all about the wine.
That's where it started.
I love them guys that made the wine.
they were amazing.
True artists and what they didand the farmers and I loved it.
I thought this wine industryis really something and we just
built a business around that.
And now we have.
now we are the michigan store.
Yes.
Stephanie (14:51):
clothing and beautiful art, photography, jewelry.
Tell us a little bit aboutthe baskets that you do.
Holly (14:59):
the baskets are That was one of the first things I did because
I love to get it in one of those.
I got one of those baskets every yearfrom somebody I worked in college
and it was from the ones with thepears, and it always made me so happy.
I thought, I think we can do somebaskets with Michigan stuff in it.
And yeah, we're, we have 250 preorders this year, which is great.
Stephanie (15:19):
Wow.
Holly (15:20):
That's yeah.
Mark, we had the most of the big,the big, Shipping out of Marquette.
Okay.
yep.
They know Houghton does all kinds.
They run them all over in Manistique.
we're getting there with the basket,but that's the brand new store.
Stephanie (15:30):
How long have you
Holly (15:31):
had
Stephanie (15:32):
Manistique
Holly (15:32):
I opened Manistique in COVID in 2020.
It was March of 2020.
And so we really didn'tget going until about 22.
And so we have two years in, and it'ssolid, and I have beautiful staff
there, and it's such a nice place.
That's my, garage.
It's an industrial garage.
Stephanie (15:49):
Really?
Yeah, with four giant,
Holly (15:51):
uh, semi doors that open up.
Stephanie (15:53):
I haven't visited that store, I'm sorry.
Holly (15:55):
full shop room down there.
Stephanie (15:55):
my
Holly (15:56):
gosh!
So you can go there and play.
Cornhole, that's what they do.
They play cornhole andhave a beer and watch TV.
Stephanie (16:03):
It's a different atmosphere.
Holly (16:05):
It's a different world than I'm used to over here.
Yeah, they do a great job down there,and it's really a beautiful place.
Stephanie (16:09):
Holl, I know that you give every person a chance
that you come into contact with.
How do you manage Your staffat three different locations.
Like
Holly (16:18):
I just have beautiful people by me, And that's when we Every single thing
that we have is delivered by people.
Stephanie (16:25):
It's
Holly (16:25):
wonderful.
it really is sometimes people onlymake one thing There's one place
that just makes nuts and that theycome once every couple weeks And but
you know all those people is whatmade Michigan made me so strong The
Stephanie (16:38):
human connection in the actual human Being like so
personally connected to you, right?
And your store, right?
Holly (16:45):
It's really wonderful.
And that's where we have this communitywith my people, the people that work
there, everyone that works for us, theyknow someone else that makes something.
So then it just gets to be a littlebit bigger and a little bit tighter.
And, yeah, they're amazing.
Everybody just does the best thingthat they can when they go to work.
And I'm going to sell my wholestar to the manager up there.
Stephanie (17:06):
You are.
Yep.
How does that feel, as a business owner?
bittersweet?
Yeah, it feels like a
Holly (17:12):
mom that is super proud to send her little girl off to handle it by herself.
Aww.
She's my friend.
She's my family.
Stephanie (17:19):
And so I'll
Holly (17:20):
be there to help her.
I'm not gonna just throwher to the wolves, you know?
Of course, of course.
But, she's just, she's a young girl,and it's the future for her, and
she's been with me since day one.
Stephanie (17:28):
Wow.
Holly (17:29):
And it'd be better for me not to have to work so hard I can get
some more kids hockey games, right?
Yeah.
You have grandchildren to chase around.
I do and I want to go watch themplay hockey and do the stuff.
So yeah, so it'll be good.
And Kylie will be with me no matter what.
She's going to be my family.
She's one of my kids.
Stephanie (17:45):
She got
Holly (17:45):
adopted a little bit.
I told her she cannot get rid of me.
That's it.
Stephanie (17:50):
That's what's so beautiful about you.
You just, your heart is so big.
You open it up and one moreperson, there's always another
seat to pull up to the table.
Holly (17:57):
have enough love to go around.
Stephanie (17:59):
Yeah, it's a good
Holly (18:00):
thing.
Yeah, and Bonnie down in, in Manistate,she's hilarious too, just great.
And my daughter works in Manistate too.
Yes.
but yeah, next time you goCampanile, just stop down there.
Stephanie (18:09):
I know about you personally that you love music and you love concerts.
Tell me about some of theconcerts you've been to.
Holly (18:19):
Oh boy.
I've been to lots of concerts.
I've been scanning pictures.
Thank you So let me just go back to that.
That'll tell you wherethe concert started.
Um, I found out my photo of my mom passeda few years ago, and I had, 10 to 12 boxes
of pictures and So I've been scanningthem so I can share them with the rest
of my family this year for Christmas.
(18:40):
I'm all done with hers, so I started doingmine, and I found all my concert tickets,
and I had the Who, and the RollingStones, and all from back in college,
and Van Halen, and the police, and,
Stephanie (18:52):
Oh my gosh.
Holly (18:53):
Starship.
You can't even imagine.
But I, they used to giveyou the coolest tickets.
Yes.
I'm going to make something with those.
Oh my gosh.
But the new ones youdon't get any tickets for.
Stephanie (19:01):
No, now they're all digital or electronic
Holly (19:04):
I really want that ticket.
My Rolling Stone ticket is thecoolest ticket I ever seen.
I cannot fathom.
It was 15.
Oh my So I'm showing how old I am now.
Stephanie (19:14):
Do you remember where that concert was?
Holly (19:16):
at the Orange Bowl in, Orlando.
Was Red Rocks your most recent concert?
Red Rocks is the only place I'm evergoing to go to a concert anymore.
Unless I go to the Performing Arts downin, Charlevoix, I love that theatre too.
Stephanie (19:28):
Is that the open air one?
Holly (19:30):
it's beautiful, and they've really done well, and it's not so
crowded, and the acoustics are beautiful.
but Red Rocks, once you've been there,and you hear the music and the acoustics,
and I like all kinds of music, I'd gosee a symphony there, but it's magic.
That place is magic.
Yeah, we went, saw John Fogarty with hissons, and then we saw Dierks Bentley,
(19:51):
and they were both just Amazing.
Wow.
So fun.
I love going to see live music.
There's nothing like it.
Stephanie (19:56):
Oh, yeah.
There's something I don't know, energizing
Holly (19:58):
Oh, yeah.
Stephanie (19:59):
Yeah, like indescribable about physically being there.
right,
Holly (20:03):
and they're so passionate about what they're doing.
Stephanie (20:06):
It's wonderful.
Holly (20:06):
Yeah.
Stephanie (20:07):
No, I know you love the mountains, but you
also love the water, right?
Like Florida is, Holl's your soul.
Holly (20:14):
I like to go sit on the beach.
Stephanie (20:16):
My
Holly (20:16):
favorite color is ocean.
That's what my girlfriend tells me.
I love that.
The Holly's my favorite color is ocean.
But I'm just happy just to sit onthe balcony and listen to it and see
the sounds and listen to the birds.
And yeah, it's real peaceful.
Yeah.
I like the lake too.
I really do the lake.
I don't think I couldnot live by any water.
Yeah.
But I sure like the, becauseI'm going to have to work.
Stephanie (20:38):
You have the kind of like work ethic that is almost ethereal.
Like You're always working, andyet it doesn't seem like it's
draining you or pulling on you.
Holly (20:49):
that's, I love my job.
I have the nicest customersand the nicest vendors.
I just couldn't, I could never, if Iwould have thought, I'm going to be,
it's going to be 12 years this year.
If I would have thought that it wasgoing to be as wonderful and marvelous
as it is, I would have did it 30 years
Stephanie (21:06):
ago.
Holly (21:07):
Because it's just, it's so easy to go to work and have people and I
do keep moving, I just keep moving.
I said, come on, we'll talkand I can keep working.
But, yeah.
So good that you know how it is.
If you love what you do.
Stephanie (21:21):
And I think it's your attitude.
it's definitely your attitude.
not that you're not affected by problemsor not that you're not stressed, but
it's like water over a duck's back.
you overcome it.
You move on from it.
You persevere.
Holly (21:32):
I do.
I have a wonderful partner too.
And when something gets me down or if it'sa little bit too intense, I, have Brian.
I just call him up and he handles it.
I love it because when thingsupset me, I get really sad
and I don't want to do that.
So I have him help me.
Stephanie (21:47):
What he doesn't do it.
That is like the best I think likedefinition of like partnership.
One of my friends got married recentlyand you know The happily ever after
and the this and I said, you knowWhat I wish for your marriage is that
you guys are compassionate to eachother that you're supportive to each
other you know that that's what makeslike longevity like when you're down,
(22:09):
that's the one who brings you up
Holly (22:11):
What can I do to make this better for you?
Stephanie (22:12):
Yeah,
Holly (22:13):
that's, yeah, so he, we had a little shoplifting incident the other day
and it just breaks my heart that it does.
we have the cameras, we have the wholenine yards and I just called Brian and
I said, I can't, I don't want to look.
You have to just handle the whole thingbecause I don't want to know any details.
I just want you to handle that.
(22:33):
He's okay.
He handled it.
Him and the Jockey Police and they justdid a beautiful job and, took care of us.
Nice.
But that kind of stuff breaks my heart.
if they asked me, I wouldgive them something.
that's what I would go through in my head.
Stephanie (22:47):
Do you know I had a rummage sale this summer?
I'll never have another one again.
Someone stole something fromme during the rummage sale.
It was listed for 1.
And I thought, why would you do that?
I literally would havegiven you 20 of the things.
I was just trying to clean out my house.
my husband, who's a psychologist, wouldprobably say what all the background
(23:09):
is between, why people shoplift.
But when you're the onebeing stolen from, it hurts.
It's
like
an insult.
It's like an assault.
Holly (23:17):
I felt really, Violent?
Yeah, no, yeah, I guess so.
I guess so.
I really did.
so that was just oneinstance where I call him.
You got to handle this for me becauseyou're better at it than me, and I'll
make you pizza for dinner or whatever
Stephanie (23:30):
Holly, you were awarded and nominated and acknowledged by
Business Development of the stateof Michigan as being one of the
premier women leaders in business.
Holly (23:42):
It's a wonderful thing.
And, it's nice to see peopleacknowledge what I'm doing.
And, the best part is that I'mone of the elders now and I get
to help, other business owners.
So they'll call me and ask meadvice about certain things or,
Stephanie (23:58):
you know, that's nice.
That, that is so amazing.
And I think that the thing that's sofunny and beautiful about this is that it
shows how How magnificent your humilityis when you don't even remember the award
or you don't even remember when it was.
Oh yeah, someone awarded me something.
Holly (24:16):
That's okay,
love my job and I get to meet goodpeople and somebody noticed, it's great.
And we do get the MiningJournal Award too.
We get an award for that.
And that's goes to my staff,
Stephanie (24:28):
the store is nominated and awarded
Holly (24:30):
for the best gift shop.
Stephanie (24:31):
Oh, my gosh.
Holly (24:32):
It's a nice thing.
Stephanie (24:33):
Oh, we got it again.
I'm like, Oh, good for you guys.
and that's so cool too, that you give theaccolades to your team and your staff.
I certainly couldn't do it
Holly (24:42):
alone.
No, nothing could be done alone and
Stephanie (24:45):
so you're coming into your busy season as a gift shop headed into
Thanksgiving and the Christmas holidaysis there anything anyone should know?
Is there an open house coming up?
Holly (24:56):
Yeah, we have a lot of stuff coming up.
The 16th of November, we're doingopen house just here in Harvey.
we're going to do some wine tasting andgive some stuff away, every Saturday
coming right now through November,we'll have some fun stuff, and my
anniversary party is going to be14th of December and that's 12 years.
And that's always mybig event for the year.
small business Saturday.
That's my favorite.
(25:16):
That's when all myfriends come and see me.
Stephanie (25:18):
Oh, the day after black
Holly (25:19):
Friday, everybody comes and sees me that came and bought me one bottle
of wine or, they've bought gift boxes,they always come back and see me.
So I pour wine all day that day.
And I really have a fun time.
Stephanie (25:31):
That's wonderful, Holly.
Yeah.
And thank you so much for shiningbright light, not only in Marquette,
but to the entire world in all thepeople that you touch every single day.
So 18 years ago, you'redropping your daughter off at
college and she says to you.
Holly (25:47):
She said, Mom, can you tell me what I can do to have some success in my life?
I said, yeah, I can.
And I thought about it for a little while.
And I said, the first thing you cando is always finish what you start.
Finish, finish your stuff.
And the second thing you should do isalways do what you say you're going to do.
Show up and tell somebodyyou're going to be there.
Show up.
(26:08):
You're going to call them.
Column.
And the third thing is treat peoplethe way you want to be treated
and you'll always have it good.
And she reminded me of that this morning.
It's that's funny.
That was 18 years agoand it made an impact.
So I think those are two good words.
Stephanie (26:22):
Those are.
What is your quote about joy?
Tell me that, that one again.
Holly (26:28):
every day.
and you have to findthe joy in everything,
Stephanie (26:31):
you pick it up every
Holly (26:32):
day, you get to decide and have a good day or a bad day, find
some joy and, it's easy to do.
I got a crazy little dog that runsaround, she makes me laugh like crazy.
It's like, well, therethat how easy was that?
Exactly.
Right.
Yeah.
Exactly.
yeah, that's always worth finding the joybecause there's something in every day.
Stephanie (26:49):
Don't you think?
Absolutely.
And I think sometimes we haveto pull ourselves out of it.
Holly (26:54):
sure.
Stephanie (26:54):
I just read a quote that said something like, we have such a great
habit of talking about our problems.
Maybe you even posted it,but let's talk about our joy.
Let's make that our habit.
So instead of saying, oh my gosh, likeI have such a long day or, oh my gosh,
it's going to be so busy or so intense.
I'm so grateful that.
(27:14):
that coffee was sodelicious this morning or
Holly (27:17):
that and I have a nice job to go to.
Yes, and look at my shoes.
How wonderful they are.
It's so easy once you get inthe practice of doing that.
Yeah, because there's daysthat I have to work at it.
I think everybody does.
Stephanie (27:28):
I feel like it's the complete opposite.
And I don't want to say that I'venever, that I've never done this,
but for those who get stuck in thatlike martyr victim cycle, it's Oh,
What was me?
But if we all, every singleone of us said, gosh, what can.
What can I say?
or it's the gratitude thing.
. What can I be grateful for?
Or what brings me joy, or
Holly (27:51):
grateful and gracious?
Wake up grateful, and be graciousat the end of the day for all
the beautiful things that werehanded to you on that day.
Stephanie (27:57):
yeah.
Holly (27:58):
there's a 21 day thing that you can go through and I've had to do this
and I didn't find my true contentment.
I was about 44.
Really?
Yeah.
Where I found that.
I have more, way more good days than bad.
I'm going through adivorce and life was hard.
life was challenging.
And no money.
Everybody's been through the same thing.
And I have a child with special needs.
And you just never knowwhat's going to happen.
I found this program.
(28:19):
It was 21 days to reset yourbrain to be, find positivity.
Yep.
And that was 20 years agoand, best thing I ever did.
And I just made myself a listevery day and I started writing
down things that I was gratefulfor and it was, wow, this worked.
Stephanie (28:36):
That's amazing to me that it wasn't until you were 44
that some sort of a shift happened.
Holly (28:41):
I think that the world beats you down, when you're younger
and I've always been a little bitstrong willed and opinionated and
honest and say what I want to say.
And sometimes you just get beat up.
Everybody has.
You don't get to be this farwithout having some loss.
And then, when you think, I'm goingto be this victim of the loss, or
do I want to thrive and have thejoy and have the happy in my life?
(29:05):
And when I did that, Ifound that contentment.
Everything changed.
Stephanie (29:09):
It was
Holly (29:09):
I think it was 44.
Stephanie (29:10):
Wow.
But you committed to that.
You were like, okay, here I go.
Holly (29:15):
way.
Stephanie (29:16):
that, you
Holly (29:16):
don't have to be sad.
Stephanie (29:17):
You don't have to
Holly (29:18):
One of my friends said something to me one day about cancer.
She said, when you have cancer,you don't become cancer.
You know, so you're still that person.
So you have to find away to not be cancer.
Stephanie (29:30):
Yes.
That made a lot
Holly (29:32):
of sense to me.
And I thought, yeah, you're right.
Stephanie (29:34):
Yeah.
Holly (29:35):
You don't become that.
This is just something that isaffecting you for this little
bit of time in your life.
Stephanie (29:39):
Yeah.
Holly (29:40):
it was a profound statement to me.
And it might get somebodyelse different, but yeah.
Stephanie (29:46):
Absolutely.
I think that we have that tendency to, toeven unknowingly label ourselves, right?
or someone might say, everyonein my family has a bad low back.
So I guess it's just, and I'm like, thatdoesn't have to be even if you have a
genetic predisposition to something,there is such a thing as epigenetics.
And I really believe thathalf of this isn't physical.
(30:08):
it is our intention and our energyand our emotion and our choice of it.
choosing joy, like I don't watch the news,especially during this political time.
Like I can't watch horrific things.
Like I'm too affected by that.
I have to choose to watch something thatwill bring me up and not pull me down.
(30:31):
That's
Holly (30:31):
where music does that for me.
Stephanie (30:32):
Yeah.
Holly (30:33):
I have music in every room in my house.
I turn it on everywhere.
My neighbors are rocking out.
But music does that for me and you'reright with that TV and the political stuff
Stephanie (30:44):
and it's
Holly (30:45):
just a lot.
Stephanie (30:46):
Yeah.
Holly (30:47):
It's real heavy.
Stephanie (30:48):
You told me that you really liked the episode on like frequencies
and energies and you ground yourself.
Holly (30:54):
Oh, I do.
Stephanie (30:55):
grounder.
Holly (30:55):
I'm a grounder.
I don't even, no socks.
I'm almost always bare feet in the winter.
And in the summer, I've been caughtlaying in my yard, getting, drawing
the energy from the sky and the earth.
And yeah, it's really profound onceyou've, and I love the outdoor night sky.
I'll take a night, I'll takea nap so I can go outside.
Stephanie (31:14):
Really?
Holly (31:15):
The night sky to me is great.
Something else.
Like
Stephanie (31:18):
watching the stars.
Watching the stars,
Holly (31:20):
seeing the Milky Way, the Northern Lights have just been insane this year.
So beautiful.
Oh my
Stephanie (31:25):
gosh.
So, yeah,
Holly (31:26):
I get home from work taking a nap because I can't stay up till 11 anymore.
Stephanie (31:30):
Would you say you're instinctively a night owl?
Holly (31:32):
Yeah, absolutely.
Stephanie (31:34):
Yeah.
Holly (31:34):
Absolutely.
Stephanie (31:35):
But I've learned how to adapt.
Holly (31:39):
It's okay.
I never go to bed before midnight.
You don't?
No.
and I sleep seven hours at a time.
I used to sleep like three orfour when I had my kids at home.
You know how it is, you just do it.
Stephanie (31:49):
Yeah.
Holly (31:51):
So now I'm well rested
Stephanie (31:52):
I love
Holly (31:52):
it.
Stephanie (31:53):
Holl, anything else that you want to talk about or share?
I'm just so grateful to behere and, it's a good day.
It is a good day.
It is a good day.
And I'm so grateful thatyou've agreed to be interviewed
today and sharing your wisdom.
And I hope everybody peeks intoMichigan Made, whether they're in
Houghton, Manistique, or right herein Harvey, right on the highway
(32:16):
across from the Welcome Center.
Well,
Holly (32:17):
they'll all come and visit us for Christmas.
Perfect.
That's good.
Stephanie (32:21):
Thanks
Holly (32:21):
Holl.
Thank you.
Speaker 2 (32:27):
Thank you so much for listening.
If you've enjoyed this podcast,would you please rate it,
review it, like or subscribe?
You can find me on social mediaat WautierWellness.com, Dr.
Stephanie Wautier WellnessChiropractic and Massage on Facebook.
(32:48):
And I'm so curious where yournext conversation will take you.
Popular Podcasts
On Purpose with Jay Shetty
I’m Jay Shetty host of On Purpose the worlds #1 Mental Health podcast and I’m so grateful you found us. I started this podcast 5 years ago to invite you into conversations and workshops that are designed to help make you happier, healthier and more healed. I believe that when you (yes you) feel seen, heard and understood you’re able to deal with relationship struggles, work challenges and life’s ups and downs with more ease and grace. I interview experts, celebrities, thought leaders and athletes so that we can grow our mindset, build better habits and uncover a side of them we’ve never seen before. New episodes every Monday and Friday. Your support means the world to me and I don’t take it for granted — click the follow button and leave a review to help us spread the love with On Purpose. I can’t wait for you to listen to your first or 500th episode!
24/7 News: The Latest
The latest news in 4 minutes updated every hour, every day.
Crime Junkie
Does hearing about a true crime case always leave you scouring the internet for the truth behind the story? Dive into your next mystery with Crime Junkie. Every Monday, join your host Ashley Flowers as she unravels all the details of infamous and underreported true crime cases with her best friend Brit Prawat. From cold cases to missing persons and heroes in our community who seek justice, Crime Junkie is your destination for theories and stories you won’t hear anywhere else. Whether you're a seasoned true crime enthusiast or new to the genre, you'll find yourself on the edge of your seat awaiting a new episode every Monday. If you can never get enough true crime... Congratulations, you’ve found your people. Follow to join a community of Crime Junkies! Crime Junkie is presented by audiochuck Media Company.