November 25, 2025 • 32 mins
What does it take to build a national pastry brand without losing your soul—or your partner? Nancy Ridlen sits down with KRMA Foods co-founders Rachel Oostman and Marine Crile to share the real story behind their QVC debut, late-night spreadsheets, and the values that kept them grounded when things got tough.
They unpack how their partnership evolved, the principles that shaped their culture, and the moments that nearly broke the business before they finally hit break-even. Rachel and Marine also challenge old playbooks for women in food, showing how vulnerability, intuition, and aligned decision-making led them to the right deals and the right people.
If you’re building a business, considering a partner, or love a behind-the-scenes look at food entrepreneurship, this episode blends grit, heart, and practical wisdom.
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
SPEAKER_01 (00:00):
Welcome to Confessions Beyond the Food.
I'm your host, Nancy Redlin.
Let's dig in and get inspired.
Hi, we're so excited to haveRachel Oostman and Maureen Kryle
in the studio today.
They are the co-owners of KMRAFoods.
(00:22):
Welcome, ladies.
SPEAKER_00 (00:23):
Thank you.
Thanks for having us.
Thank you so much.
We're excited.
SPEAKER_01 (00:28):
So I randomly found Rachel because she like reposted
one of our podcasts, and I wasreading about your LinkedIn
page, and I just felt like akindred spirit.
And I was like, I have to talkto this girl.
And so I'm so, so excited tohave you both here and to learn
(00:49):
about your story.
So can you tell us a little bitabout what KMRA Foods is?
Yes.
SPEAKER_02 (00:55):
And what I'll start by saying it's actually
pronounced karma.
So we spelled it without the A.
Um, and we like when peopleannounce it as KRMA because
there's meaning behind it, butwe do pronounce it karma.
Um so that's and it's reallyabout karma um in all of life.
And I'll let Maureen talk alittle bit about it.
SPEAKER_00 (01:14):
Sure.
We just really believe thatwhatever we put into the world
comes back to us.
We are very strong uh beliefs ofthe universe having our back,
but we have to do our part aswell.
So what karma is, is um weactually specialize in French
pastry and uh we service QVConline, we service a few
(01:38):
gift-giving uh customers andsome national coffee shades.
So our focus is on uh laminateddose or anything in the
croissant world is kind of upour alley.
SPEAKER_02 (01:52):
And it's really about bringing connection to the
table.
So when you have a pastry, asidefrom just, oh, we're gonna go
pick up a pastry, goes, how canwe spread our pastries and good
vibes and good energy across theUS?
And that is why we have karma.
SPEAKER_00 (02:07):
Yeah, what fuels us is like the thought of having
one of our pastries being eatenat a table somewhere in in a
different state, and havingpeople go like, oh my gosh, wow,
or like ordering it for theholidays and like having some
really strong moments ofconnection that fuels us.
And we just imagine all of thepeople having them little by
(02:29):
little.
SPEAKER_01 (02:30):
I mean, yummy.
I will I need to try one.
So I do some.
That sounds awesome.
I'll take you up on that.
So tell me a little bit, how didyour partnership begin?
And what make made you realizeyou'd work well together?
SPEAKER_02 (02:46):
Well, our partnership actually started
because we worked together inour previous role.
Maureen was brought in from afriend that she had for 20
years, and they were she alwaysspoke highly of her and said,
You'll love her, bring her in,we'll work together.
I met Maureen and I said, Hmm,not sure I love her yet.
And it was more because I wasn'topen to giving her a shot.
(03:10):
Uh, we both have very big umpersonalities, and so you have
to put the ego at the door.
And once we did uh that at ourprevious role, we became best
friends and unstoppable.
And so I think that that was theway we met.
That was through another personand coming into the same company
together, and then later onstart our own company, Karma.
SPEAKER_00 (03:32):
I think it's it's interesting because we both went
in the previous role, weconsistently would test
identical on personality test,very high level of
aggressiveness and highdominance and high influence.
And and I think that's why ittook us a minute to get to a
point where we could be like,huh, it's not competition.
(03:53):
Like, if we want to go fartogether, like we have to just
like team up.
And so instead of wanting to gofast alone, we went far together
and continue to.
SPEAKER_01 (04:07):
That's really awesome.
I mean, women do that, likeespecially, you know, I feel
like especially women, we kindof size each other up and you
know, our feathers kind of goup.
Like, who are you?
And um, and so it's soespecially with a female that is
so much like us, I can reallyidentify that.
And then, but yeah, once you getpast that and you can find
(04:30):
common ground and um wow, youcan conquer the world.
So that's a really amazing.
So um you but guys both leadwith grit, grace, and gratitude.
How do those values show up inyour business every day?
SPEAKER_00 (04:46):
So I think we started, we didn't identify
those values immediately.
I think um when things gotdifficult is when we realized I
don't think I grit was part ofmy vocabulary personally, I
don't know about E-Rage, um,until like maybe a year into the
business, a year and a half,when we realized it was we were
(05:09):
losing a lot of money each year.
We really didn't know how tofind our North Star.
And so I think maybe we readsomething.
I don't even know how it cameabout, but grit came because we
found how much resilience reallywe had in ourselves, which had
never showed up in that way inour lives before.
(05:30):
Um, and it continued to show upbecause we both have um
full-time roles that we took ona couple years ago because we um
we wanted to continue to spreadlove and connection, and so we
both were we were both in thesame uh space of dessert and
pastries for for big companies.
(05:53):
And the so the grit comes inwhen it's like 7 p.m.
or 8 p.m.
or 9 p.m.
and we finished our 9 to 5,which is really a big 9 to 5,
and then we have to work onkarma, and we uh the grit says
we get to work on karma insteadof that.
Um gratitude, grace, giggles.
(06:16):
It's another big G.
SPEAKER_02 (06:18):
Um we always say, we always say great grace,
gratitude, and giggles becausereally, if you don't laugh at
yourself or along the way,you're just not it.
It could be the toughest days,and you just have to have those
giggles.
But you have to have gratitude,gratitude of the opportunity to
get you to where you're at,gratitude for the people who
(06:38):
support you along the way, foryourself that comes with the
grace.
And it's really like Maureensaid, the last two years is
where we said, I've always beengritty.
I've been I was kind of trainedlike that, like a workaholic.
You gotta put the grid in, yougotta have the backbone, it
doesn't matter.
You do it, you do it, you do it.
Um, but in this sense, it was avery different grit because it
(07:01):
goes, do we keep our business ordo we leave it?
And once you then own up to thatand you stay, then you gotta get
gritty and you have to make surethings get done.
And that was that's how itshapes every day because it just
shows you that we all have it inus.
Sometimes you just have to pokea little bit deeper and you have
to go in a different way.
Um, and then going back to justgratitude for all that is the
(07:26):
way to ground yourself throughit all.
SPEAKER_00 (07:28):
And and Grace is like all those little doors
opening for us, the people thatloaned us money, the customers
that decided to uh trust us, ourfull-time job employers who
decided to trust that we weregonna do right by them in our
nine to five role and still havekarma.
It's like all of those littlethings that add up to being a
(07:51):
lot of grace that we feel wereceive from the universe.
SPEAKER_01 (07:56):
Wow, those are great values to have for a company.
And I think that I love how itall kind of started with the
grit because I mean the hardtimes are what they can make or
break you.
And but when you come out onthat other side and you practice
all the giggles and the thegrace and the gratitude, I mean
(08:17):
it just makes your team so muchstronger.
And and if you I think if theride is too easy, then I don't
know if it's as fun, to behonest, but oh, it definitely
wasn't too easy.
SPEAKER_02 (08:31):
And and it's true because we always had Marina and
I have always been really goodworkers.
We never really wanted to beentrepreneurs, and so this took
us to a different level ofchallenge that we were
comfortable being theoverperformers in companies with
people.
We are comfortable making a lotof money, and then you have your
(08:52):
own business, and it completelychanges everything you're
comfortable with.
And I think that you're right,it the challenge and that grit
that you have to have, noteveryone has that in them.
Um, and when you do, there is afire lit in lit to keep going.
Yeah, and it can be superexhausting beyond.
SPEAKER_00 (09:15):
Beyond.
So yeah, sometimes sometimes wewe look at ourselves and we're
like, remember like 2021, 2022?
A lot of it is a blur, to behonest, because I think we just
it was like about putting onefoot in front of the other, and
like each week, like we had alot of money owed to suppliers,
(09:36):
to actual loans that we tookout.
And every week we're like, okay,how much do we have coming in?
How much can we afford to pay?
And then like looking that atthat debt reduced week by week,
it's a blur.
And now we're like, oh, we didthat.
SPEAKER_02 (09:52):
Like, where was I in 2021?
Because I I think it was like anout-of-body living, like just
getting through life.
I don't know.
SPEAKER_01 (09:59):
Yeah, I think we all were.
I mean, I don't know how we gotthrough it, and so um, so what
has been the biggest challengeor learning curve of being a
women-owned company in thisindustry?
SPEAKER_00 (10:13):
Um as being a woman, I think it's what's interesting
is that I think neither Rachelor myself look at being a woman
as like a challenge necessarily.
Uh in definitely in business.
I think we both have a lot, likewhat we said earlier, we both
have a lot of masculine energywhen it comes to business.
(10:34):
And so those were definitelyhelpful for us to push through.
Um, I don't know that there wasnecessarily a challenge.
SPEAKER_02 (10:42):
I don't know what you would I would say actually,
because we started the businessin 2020 when things were just
turning upside down.
We literally started it right inthe middle of COVID.
And for us, it was more becausewe were women, we were more
vulnerable in the way that wetook our approach to customers.
And I think that that helped us.
(11:03):
So at first it being a challengeof, oh, what are the what are we
doing?
It was like people were admiringwhy you're starting a business,
you're out on your own.
And then every time they told uswe couldn't do something,
because it is a man's world inthe food industry a lot.
But if you show up authentic andvulnerable and just real,
everyone wants the part of that.
(11:25):
That's that energy where it'scontagious.
And so I think that that energyversus it being a challenge for
us, we took it and go, like,what?
There's no walls in front of us.
Let's go.
SPEAKER_00 (11:35):
I think QVC also leaned into it.
Um, they they were like, Oh,you're women's own.
Like they were really seeingthat as a as a huge opportunity.
They uh marketed Karma Foods ontheir website as a woman's own
business.
We actually got thecertification, you know.
So I I mean, no challenge forme.
SPEAKER_01 (11:58):
That's awesome because you were authentic and
you were yourself and not tryingto be something you're not.
And I think that's I thinkthat's how I try to approach it
is like I'm just gonna bemyself, and everybody has
different strengths, and youknow, but we all have to work
together.
So um, so what strengths do youthink?
(12:19):
And you might have alreadyanswered this, but what
strengths do you think womennaturally bring to
entrepreneurship and leadership?
SPEAKER_00 (12:27):
Um, so I think the the one of the biggest strengths
that we found actually throughour partnership was even though
we used to show up with a lot ofmasculine qualities, we realized
that vulnerability is actuallygoing to get us number one fully
(12:47):
aligned in who we are and how wefeel.
And so there's a lot lessresistance.
Like it's like I'm not showingup to work in a challenging way,
or like, oh, I have to go towork, I have to fight.
I have, I think we just kind oflearned, like you said, I'm just
gonna show up, we're just gonnashow up as who we are, and the
right customers will will alignand they will connect and it
(13:10):
will resonate with them.
And it's actually beenmind-blowing that being
vulnerable, being true toourselves, listening to our gut
and our intuition and some ofthe relationships we had that
didn't align.
And the aggressive part of uswas like, we're gonna make it
work, we're gonna make it fit.
Whereas the woman was like, itdoesn't feel right.
(13:32):
Oh, okay, well, now what?
And then we kind of realign someof the partnerships we had, and
we're very happy.
SPEAKER_02 (13:40):
We should we go, oh, we should have listened to that
that intuition that we have allalong.
Where where were you that day?
SPEAKER_01 (13:49):
Yeah, um the yeah, listening to yourself is I think
super important.
Your gut, like I just feel likemy gut will be screaming
something and I'll be trying tofight it or control it.
And I'm like, no, you know,you're being told, you know,
you're there's something wrongwith this or right with this,
and um, and to lean into thatbecause it's usually right.
(14:11):
So um, so what does each of youbring to the partnership that
helps it work so well?
SPEAKER_02 (14:20):
We uh we bring a lot, but I think the most part,
which we already kind of talkedabout, but it was the
vulnerability, honesty, um,transparency, and there's no
judgment.
We are we we always say, nomatter what, we're gonna speak
our truth.
And if the truth hurts you, thenyou gotta go inward.
SPEAKER_00 (14:42):
Um, so I think another thing that is also
important is back in 2021 whenwe were really wondering are we
filing for bankruptcy?
Are we gonna push through?
It was really like a lot of darkdays back then.
Um, we hired a business coachwho helped us put together some
(15:06):
principles, and so beyond ourcore values, we also agreed on
some principles, which we hadlike reprinted and it was like
in our office.
And so um, we're all on the sameteam, is like the number one
principle, and it really keepsus like grounded, like it
doesn't matter what Rachel says.
(15:28):
I remember we're all on the sameteam.
We all want karma to succeed, isis another principle, and we're
all doing the best we can withour current capabilities and
capacity, and so thoseprinciples kind of helped us
shape some conversations and andjust keep pushing one foot in
(15:48):
front of the other.
SPEAKER_02 (15:49):
Yeah, without those principles, I don't think it
would have gone as smoothly asit did.
Right.
Because those reminders, thoseprinciples, those cultural
reminders of each other are go,okay.
And I had a hard time with theirthe third partner who's no
longer part of the company, whenthey said, Yeah, she's doing the
best she can, and I was like,that's her best?
(16:12):
Like, I can't.
And they're like, Rachel, youneed to just understand what it
means.
And I had to really sit back andsit with it for months because I
couldn't understand that thatcould be someone's best.
But then once I realized throughcapacity and certain situations,
I said, okay, now I get it.
And now it clicks.
Now I completely get it, and Ihave more empathy for other
(16:34):
people.
And I think, oh, that's theirbest.
That's great.
It it helped.
It helped personally,professionally, and all of the
realm.
SPEAKER_01 (16:43):
Yeah, it's so hard.
I think for me as a salesperson,was going from being a
salesperson and I controlled mydestiny, like it was just me.
And then when you add otherpeople into the mix, it's like
you really have to learn totrust your team and and and vice
versa.
And so it's it was reallychallenging going from,
(17:08):
especially when you have thathunter mentality that sales
drive.
And um, so I can definitelyidentify with that.
So, how do you guys keep yourcommunication strong when things
get stressful or opinionsdiffer?
I think that the communicationis just open.
SPEAKER_02 (17:27):
We whatever comes up, if it's the hardest
conversation and we're worriedabout what the other person
says, then you need to say it.
And I think that because of thatis how we just don't, it's like,
like you said, we're practicallyin a marriage with our company.
We have to put it all in, andit's the same in a marriage.
(17:48):
If you don't speak up, you laterhave resentment, you later
regret something.
And so we just put it all on thetable and we show up with
whatever we are that day, andhowever it's gonna that I allow
Maureen to respond, however, sheneeds to respond, and that's
okay.
That's and then we we don't umwe we say, you know, if you're
(18:09):
suffering, we're gonna let we'regonna tell each other, like
you're having the day, goinward, see what's causing that,
and then let's chat again.
SPEAKER_00 (18:17):
Yeah, we go back on those principles.
We have agreed that if somethingdoesn't feel right, the other
one has the right and should saywhat doesn't feel right.
Like when we are about to sign acontract, if something doesn't
align, if some something doesn'tfeel good, we're not just gonna
shove that down, we're justgonna be honest and and we've
(18:41):
had a few times where I've Iknow for a fact that I've I've
taken a 360 on it, and I said,Well, actually, M, uh, I call
her Frenchie, by the way.
SPEAKER_02 (18:50):
I say, Oh, you know what?
We that this isn't gonna workfor me.
And she's like, What do youmean?
I'm like, no, I just don't feelgood about it, and I'm not gonna
agree to it, and this is notgonna happen.
And it could have been the pathwas already set, and I was like,
nope, we're changing paths, andthat has led us to where we're
at today, which is being verytrue to ourselves, to our
(19:13):
values, to our principles, butliving with that peace of
knowing I said everything Icould, I did everything I could,
and I'm showing up the best Icould.
SPEAKER_01 (19:23):
That's awesome.
I mean, not only just forbusiness partners, for I mean,
your coworkers and your bosses,and even that you're like you
said, marriage, you know, foryour marriage, if if you're
married, to, you know, not pushit down and and to yeah, to get
it all out there.
So, and sometimes they're theythey're very uncomfortable
(19:45):
conversations.
And it doesn't for me, I don'tknow about you guys, but it just
never feels right likedisagreeing with somebody.
And so I like to be right, andso um, and it's when it's
somebody you care about, it'sit's it's hard to have this
challenges.
SPEAKER_00 (20:03):
So I I I think it's also allowing us to go really,
really deeper and get to areally vulnerable place.
Um, we by being truthful and bynot having surface level
conversation, we're able to havea much bigger friendship, a much
(20:24):
stronger partnership inbusiness.
Um I think it's made us grow alot, uh, grow up in some ways.
SPEAKER_02 (20:35):
Um, and yeah, I mean it's it's it's definitely
special and it's rare becauseit's not not everyone wants to
put the energy or the work intowhat it takes, and it is scary
and it it it's change and it'sprocessing different things.
And it's just like any marriage.
Like you said, you have peoplewho are married for 25 years
that should have been divorced20 years ago.
(20:56):
They just don't want to make thethe, they don't want to commit
to what it takes to make thechange or speak their mind.
And um, we chose in our in ourbusiness, in our friendship,
that this is gonna be very openand we're gonna make sure that
nobody has regrets or angertowards each other down the line
and and no one goes like, oh,but you never shared that with
(21:18):
me.
SPEAKER_01 (21:20):
Yeah, that's awesome that you guys recognize that and
you kind and you have a processto to kind to go through that
with each other.
I think that's really goodadvice for business owners.
So what's been your proudest wedid it moment so far?
SPEAKER_00 (21:37):
There's I mean, there's a there's a few.
There's some like big customersthat we onboarded that when we
got the first purchase order, wewere like, oh my gosh, like
that's huge.
Or the first time we got on TVwith QBC was huge.
The way we did it with probablylike the year that instead of
losing money, we actually brokeeven.
(22:00):
That was like uh like almostlike we did it, like not like a
maybe externally hugeachievement, but going from
losing several hundred thousanddollars for a couple years to
like okay, we stopped thebleeding.
It's it's whatever we put inplace this year is working, and
(22:23):
this means that maybe next yearwe'll make money.
Like, I think for me that it'slike was like the biggest for
probably for you two.
I don't know.
Absolutely, yeah.
SPEAKER_02 (22:32):
It was like, whoo, we realigned, we saw our North
Star, who we're doing it, it'shappening.
Now we feel like we're in a goodplace.
And the funny part is we bothtook other full-time roles in
which we're highly invested in,um, and we spent a lot of our
energy on that.
And while we stepped away alittle bit from our business to
realign, we found the mostalignment.
(22:55):
And I think that's the funnypart because they say what it
this there's that saying, youcan't see the force through the
trios.
And I think that's what happens,you get so caught up in it.
And so the proud that momentwhere we go, we're breaking
even, and then we can makemoney.
Like that's a concept.
Wow.
Uh, and and and I think signingthose customers, every time
(23:16):
we've we've had a customer, wecan't share their names.
But any of the customers wehave, and we go, oh my gosh,
it's just tripling our businessor doubling our business, or
we're able to do this.
It's like, oh, that feels reallygood.
And we stick to our values.
So we're not compromising to getthose customers.
The customers are aligned toeverything that we are in, you
know, it's our karma.
(23:37):
At the end of the day, it is ourkarma.
SPEAKER_01 (23:40):
That's awesome.
Um, so what advice would yougive to other women considering
a business partnership orlaunching something of their
own?
SPEAKER_02 (23:50):
I'll start with this one because I always say you
think you're going to businesswith a best friend.
And Nancy, you said that you hadno more partners anymore because
you see that best friend in adifferent way and typically
don't go as deep with them untilyou're in business.
And then once you're inbusiness, you need to trust but
(24:10):
verify.
And if you don't, then you havea best friend that is a distant
connection in which you don'tnormally want to see their face
anymore.
Um, and so I would say when youdecide to go into business with
someone, ask all the questions.
Like even where look at theworst case scenario.
When people say, oh, legally wedon't want to read an agreement,
(24:31):
we'll never need it.
That's when you need to read theagreement.
That's when you need to doublecheck in, put in all the clauses
and say, if this were to happen,then what?
And once you do that, because noone wants to do that, that's not
fun.
It's not the part where like,well, they would never do that
to me.
Well, never say never becauseyou don't know until you know.
(24:52):
And once you know, it could betoo late.
And so I would say trust butverify is one of the biggest
advice I would say going intobusiness with anyone.
And if you could go to if we'rea rare case, Maureen and I, but
if you don't have someone thatyou can have that relationship
with, try it on your own.
SPEAKER_00 (25:12):
Yeah, I think asking all the questions, like go to
like the worst case scenario.
Like, let's say the funding runsout, let's say we have to not
take a salary for two years.
Let's say X, Y, and Z ishappening.
Like, what's plan B for yourbusiness partner?
What's how does that affecttheir families?
(25:32):
And and like really go darkalmost to make sure that you are
in alignment with the plan.
Is the person gonna call itquits after 18 months?
And you're like, well, hold on asecond, I'm not ready to call it
quits.
Like, have the difficultconversations up front.
If you can have that in anoperating agreement, even better
(25:54):
because then then whatever youagree on is you you've you've
signed.
Sealed.
Um, so yeah, and then afterthat, you can kind of focus on
the business once you are inreal alignment with your
business partners.
SPEAKER_01 (26:09):
It's kind of like um, I went through premarital
counseling even before I gotengaged.
My husband was like, We're goingthrough some tough stuff before
we figure out if this is thepath that we should go down on.
And and so I love that advicefor potential business partners
because you know, there's it ischallenging.
(26:31):
It's a marriage.
We talked about it severaltimes, but you're sharing a bank
account, you're sharing, you'resharing your livelihood, um,
your time.
And in y'all's case, you alreadyhave other jobs.
You know, you're, you know, timebecomes a thief and it can make
people better.
There's all of the differentscenarios that can come up, but
(26:52):
these are really good, um,really good advice.
I remember my stepdad saying,you know, just make sure you
know who they are.
Do you really know them?
And, you know, 10 years ago, I'mlike, yes, I do.
And I mean, I love, you know,these were incredible women.
And so, but I I'm so encouragingto see y'all's relationship and
(27:15):
how what you've done with yourbusiness.
I mean, really big kudos to QVCand all these customers.
So, um, okay, and this might bea confession, I'm not sure, but
so if for fun, if yourpartnership were had a theme
song, what would it be?
SPEAKER_00 (27:34):
The one we always sing and dance to.
Yeah, yeah.
Oh, I always forget the name ofit.
It's Play Hard by Neo.
By Neo.
Work hard and play hard.
That's that's our theme song.
SPEAKER_02 (27:46):
We've been dancing to that for many, many years.
SPEAKER_01 (27:51):
That's awesome.
Man, I just want to hang outwith you guys.
I mean, I feel like, and I don'tknow if it's um my generation or
whatever, but I mean, you justhad to work hard.
I mean, that was just who Imean, it was I mean, you stay,
you got there early, you stayedlate, you know.
I don't know if that was agenerational thing, you know,
(28:13):
but um I feel very kindredspirits with you guys.
So like why?
And just that culture.
So um, do you guys have aconfession?
Any additional confessions?
SPEAKER_00 (28:23):
I think I'll I'll piggyback off of what you just
said.
Uh my my confession would be Ithink I had or I thought I had
everything figured out in myearly career and big roles very
early on, um, degrees, and and II I think I had a strong ego.
(28:45):
And I would say this hasdefinitely and continues to show
me I have nothing figured out.
Um, I'm I'm realizing somethings we were discussing this
morning, like some attentionthings that I'm like, you know,
I I I'm realizing there's alwaysgonna be more growth.
The journey is just beginning.
(29:07):
Um, and I'm able to say that andfeeling strong and feeling
strength coming from it, asopposed to maybe 10 years ago, I
would have never admitted anyweakness or anything like that.
Um, so that's my confession.
That's a great confession.
SPEAKER_02 (29:23):
Well, I'm more quirky, so uh I like to share
the quirky part of me.
Um, so my quirk, I have terriblehandwriting, and it's gotten
worse as even at though I writeall the time.
And people like my mom's like, Ican't read what you wrote me.
I can't read your cars.
And so now I've been doing thisthing, I can write upside down,
which is just weird, but I canwrite upside down quite quickly.
(29:46):
And so now my upside downwriting is better than my my my
normal handwriting.
So in the future, when you get ahandwritten note from me and it
looks like a five year old wroteit, it's because I wrote it
upside down.
SPEAKER_00 (29:58):
I picked her up yesterday from The airport, and
she throws this card at me aboutgratitude.
And I'm like, what is this?
She goes, read it.
And I'm like, I can actuallyread it.
And she goes, I wrote it with myleft hand.
SPEAKER_02 (30:10):
Well, yeah, I did write them with my left hand.
Yeah.
SPEAKER_01 (30:13):
Who would have thought?
Well, that's a that's a reallyfun confession.
I mean, both of you guys, Imean, y'all are just um, I mean,
what lights you are to thisindustry and just in the little
time that we've had together.
And um, I would love to talk toyou guys again because there I
feel like there's so much more Iwant to ask you guys.
(30:34):
Um, but I really appreciate youguys coming on the show today.
And um, any final thoughts orthat you guys want to share?
We'd love to come back.
SPEAKER_02 (30:44):
Yes, thanks for having.
And thank you so much.
One thing that I had in my mindthat I wanted to share to end it
is when one thing when you saidabout business partners, and
I'll just quickly say is thatwhen someone someone once told
me they said, when someone showsyou who they are, believe them.
And I think that even when youfirst might meet people, so
Nancy, we connected right away.
I loved your energy.
(31:05):
I was listening to your otherpot, your other episodes on the
podcast, and I was like, Yep, myenergies align.
I protect my energy, but I bringpeople in who have that same
spirit.
And and I think that's onereally good test is is when you
see someone for what they are,believe them.
SPEAKER_01 (31:23):
That's great advice.
And and I just want to say thankyou guys for just what you're
bringing to the.
I'm serious.
Like thank you for what you'rebringing to the industry and
showing how a healthypartnership works.
And as women who I think you'rebeating the odds about both
being having the same um scores,um, whatever scores you sell
(31:48):
scores, whatever you rank.
Um, but that's an incredibleaccomplishment.
So thank you so much for joiningus and um look forward to having
you guys on again.
Thank you.
Appreciate it.
SPEAKER_00 (32:00):
Thank you so much.
SPEAKER_01 (32:01):
For more inspiration, follow our social
media at W3Cells.
Please like, comment, andsubscribe.
You know, all the things.
We would love to connect withyou.
Welcome to Confessions Beyond the Food.
I'm your host, Nancy Redlin.
Let's dig in and get inspired.
Hi, we're so excited to haveRachel Oostman and Maureen Kryle
in the studio today.
They are the co-owners of KMRAFoods.
(00:22):
Welcome, ladies.
SPEAKER_00 (00:23):
Thank you.
Thanks for having us.
Thank you so much.
We're excited.
SPEAKER_01 (00:28):
So I randomly found Rachel because she like reposted
one of our podcasts, and I wasreading about your LinkedIn
page, and I just felt like akindred spirit.
And I was like, I have to talkto this girl.
And so I'm so, so excited tohave you both here and to learn
(00:49):
about your story.
So can you tell us a little bitabout what KMRA Foods is?
Yes.
SPEAKER_02 (00:55):
And what I'll start by saying it's actually
pronounced karma.
So we spelled it without the A.
Um, and we like when peopleannounce it as KRMA because
there's meaning behind it, butwe do pronounce it karma.
Um so that's and it's reallyabout karma um in all of life.
And I'll let Maureen talk alittle bit about it.
SPEAKER_00 (01:14):
Sure.
We just really believe thatwhatever we put into the world
comes back to us.
We are very strong uh beliefs ofthe universe having our back,
but we have to do our part aswell.
So what karma is, is um weactually specialize in French
pastry and uh we service QVConline, we service a few
(01:38):
gift-giving uh customers andsome national coffee shades.
So our focus is on uh laminateddose or anything in the
croissant world is kind of upour alley.
SPEAKER_02 (01:52):
And it's really about bringing connection to the
table.
So when you have a pastry, asidefrom just, oh, we're gonna go
pick up a pastry, goes, how canwe spread our pastries and good
vibes and good energy across theUS?
And that is why we have karma.
SPEAKER_00 (02:07):
Yeah, what fuels us is like the thought of having
one of our pastries being eatenat a table somewhere in in a
different state, and havingpeople go like, oh my gosh, wow,
or like ordering it for theholidays and like having some
really strong moments ofconnection that fuels us.
And we just imagine all of thepeople having them little by
(02:29):
little.
SPEAKER_01 (02:30):
I mean, yummy.
I will I need to try one.
So I do some.
That sounds awesome.
I'll take you up on that.
So tell me a little bit, how didyour partnership begin?
And what make made you realizeyou'd work well together?
SPEAKER_02 (02:46):
Well, our partnership actually started
because we worked together inour previous role.
Maureen was brought in from afriend that she had for 20
years, and they were she alwaysspoke highly of her and said,
You'll love her, bring her in,we'll work together.
I met Maureen and I said, Hmm,not sure I love her yet.
And it was more because I wasn'topen to giving her a shot.
(03:10):
Uh, we both have very big umpersonalities, and so you have
to put the ego at the door.
And once we did uh that at ourprevious role, we became best
friends and unstoppable.
And so I think that that was theway we met.
That was through another personand coming into the same company
together, and then later onstart our own company, Karma.
SPEAKER_00 (03:32):
I think it's it's interesting because we both went
in the previous role, weconsistently would test
identical on personality test,very high level of
aggressiveness and highdominance and high influence.
And and I think that's why ittook us a minute to get to a
point where we could be like,huh, it's not competition.
(03:53):
Like, if we want to go fartogether, like we have to just
like team up.
And so instead of wanting to gofast alone, we went far together
and continue to.
SPEAKER_01 (04:07):
That's really awesome.
I mean, women do that, likeespecially, you know, I feel
like especially women, we kindof size each other up and you
know, our feathers kind of goup.
Like, who are you?
And um, and so it's soespecially with a female that is
so much like us, I can reallyidentify that.
And then, but yeah, once you getpast that and you can find
(04:30):
common ground and um wow, youcan conquer the world.
So that's a really amazing.
So um you but guys both leadwith grit, grace, and gratitude.
How do those values show up inyour business every day?
SPEAKER_00 (04:46):
So I think we started, we didn't identify
those values immediately.
I think um when things gotdifficult is when we realized I
don't think I grit was part ofmy vocabulary personally, I
don't know about E-Rage, um,until like maybe a year into the
business, a year and a half,when we realized it was we were
(05:09):
losing a lot of money each year.
We really didn't know how tofind our North Star.
And so I think maybe we readsomething.
I don't even know how it cameabout, but grit came because we
found how much resilience reallywe had in ourselves, which had
never showed up in that way inour lives before.
(05:30):
Um, and it continued to show upbecause we both have um
full-time roles that we took ona couple years ago because we um
we wanted to continue to spreadlove and connection, and so we
both were we were both in thesame uh space of dessert and
pastries for for big companies.
(05:53):
And the so the grit comes inwhen it's like 7 p.m.
or 8 p.m.
or 9 p.m.
and we finished our 9 to 5,which is really a big 9 to 5,
and then we have to work onkarma, and we uh the grit says
we get to work on karma insteadof that.
Um gratitude, grace, giggles.
(06:16):
It's another big G.
SPEAKER_02 (06:18):
Um we always say, we always say great grace,
gratitude, and giggles becausereally, if you don't laugh at
yourself or along the way,you're just not it.
It could be the toughest days,and you just have to have those
giggles.
But you have to have gratitude,gratitude of the opportunity to
get you to where you're at,gratitude for the people who
(06:38):
support you along the way, foryourself that comes with the
grace.
And it's really like Maureensaid, the last two years is
where we said, I've always beengritty.
I've been I was kind of trainedlike that, like a workaholic.
You gotta put the grid in, yougotta have the backbone, it
doesn't matter.
You do it, you do it, you do it.
Um, but in this sense, it was avery different grit because it
(07:01):
goes, do we keep our business ordo we leave it?
And once you then own up to thatand you stay, then you gotta get
gritty and you have to make surethings get done.
And that was that's how itshapes every day because it just
shows you that we all have it inus.
Sometimes you just have to pokea little bit deeper and you have
to go in a different way.
Um, and then going back to justgratitude for all that is the
(07:26):
way to ground yourself throughit all.
SPEAKER_00 (07:28):
And and Grace is like all those little doors
opening for us, the people thatloaned us money, the customers
that decided to uh trust us, ourfull-time job employers who
decided to trust that we weregonna do right by them in our
nine to five role and still havekarma.
It's like all of those littlethings that add up to being a
(07:51):
lot of grace that we feel wereceive from the universe.
SPEAKER_01 (07:56):
Wow, those are great values to have for a company.
And I think that I love how itall kind of started with the
grit because I mean the hardtimes are what they can make or
break you.
And but when you come out onthat other side and you practice
all the giggles and the thegrace and the gratitude, I mean
(08:17):
it just makes your team so muchstronger.
And and if you I think if theride is too easy, then I don't
know if it's as fun, to behonest, but oh, it definitely
wasn't too easy.
SPEAKER_02 (08:31):
And and it's true because we always had Marina and
I have always been really goodworkers.
We never really wanted to beentrepreneurs, and so this took
us to a different level ofchallenge that we were
comfortable being theoverperformers in companies with
people.
We are comfortable making a lotof money, and then you have your
(08:52):
own business, and it completelychanges everything you're
comfortable with.
And I think that you're right,it the challenge and that grit
that you have to have, noteveryone has that in them.
Um, and when you do, there is afire lit in lit to keep going.
Yeah, and it can be superexhausting beyond.
SPEAKER_00 (09:15):
Beyond.
So yeah, sometimes sometimes wewe look at ourselves and we're
like, remember like 2021, 2022?
A lot of it is a blur, to behonest, because I think we just
it was like about putting onefoot in front of the other, and
like each week, like we had alot of money owed to suppliers,
(09:36):
to actual loans that we tookout.
And every week we're like, okay,how much do we have coming in?
How much can we afford to pay?
And then like looking that atthat debt reduced week by week,
it's a blur.
And now we're like, oh, we didthat.
SPEAKER_02 (09:52):
Like, where was I in 2021?
Because I I think it was like anout-of-body living, like just
getting through life.
I don't know.
SPEAKER_01 (09:59):
Yeah, I think we all were.
I mean, I don't know how we gotthrough it, and so um, so what
has been the biggest challengeor learning curve of being a
women-owned company in thisindustry?
SPEAKER_00 (10:13):
Um as being a woman, I think it's what's interesting
is that I think neither Rachelor myself look at being a woman
as like a challenge necessarily.
Uh in definitely in business.
I think we both have a lot, likewhat we said earlier, we both
have a lot of masculine energywhen it comes to business.
(10:34):
And so those were definitelyhelpful for us to push through.
Um, I don't know that there wasnecessarily a challenge.
SPEAKER_02 (10:42):
I don't know what you would I would say actually,
because we started the businessin 2020 when things were just
turning upside down.
We literally started it right inthe middle of COVID.
And for us, it was more becausewe were women, we were more
vulnerable in the way that wetook our approach to customers.
And I think that that helped us.
(11:03):
So at first it being a challengeof, oh, what are the what are we
doing?
It was like people were admiringwhy you're starting a business,
you're out on your own.
And then every time they told uswe couldn't do something,
because it is a man's world inthe food industry a lot.
But if you show up authentic andvulnerable and just real,
everyone wants the part of that.
(11:25):
That's that energy where it'scontagious.
And so I think that that energyversus it being a challenge for
us, we took it and go, like,what?
There's no walls in front of us.
Let's go.
SPEAKER_00 (11:35):
I think QVC also leaned into it.
Um, they they were like, Oh,you're women's own.
Like they were really seeingthat as a as a huge opportunity.
They uh marketed Karma Foods ontheir website as a woman's own
business.
We actually got thecertification, you know.
So I I mean, no challenge forme.
SPEAKER_01 (11:58):
That's awesome because you were authentic and
you were yourself and not tryingto be something you're not.
And I think that's I thinkthat's how I try to approach it
is like I'm just gonna bemyself, and everybody has
different strengths, and youknow, but we all have to work
together.
So um, so what strengths do youthink?
(12:19):
And you might have alreadyanswered this, but what
strengths do you think womennaturally bring to
entrepreneurship and leadership?
SPEAKER_00 (12:27):
Um, so I think the the one of the biggest strengths
that we found actually throughour partnership was even though
we used to show up with a lot ofmasculine qualities, we realized
that vulnerability is actuallygoing to get us number one fully
(12:47):
aligned in who we are and how wefeel.
And so there's a lot lessresistance.
Like it's like I'm not showingup to work in a challenging way,
or like, oh, I have to go towork, I have to fight.
I have, I think we just kind oflearned, like you said, I'm just
gonna show up, we're just gonnashow up as who we are, and the
right customers will will alignand they will connect and it
(13:10):
will resonate with them.
And it's actually beenmind-blowing that being
vulnerable, being true toourselves, listening to our gut
and our intuition and some ofthe relationships we had that
didn't align.
And the aggressive part of uswas like, we're gonna make it
work, we're gonna make it fit.
Whereas the woman was like, itdoesn't feel right.
(13:32):
Oh, okay, well, now what?
And then we kind of realign someof the partnerships we had, and
we're very happy.
SPEAKER_02 (13:40):
We should we go, oh, we should have listened to that
that intuition that we have allalong.
Where where were you that day?
SPEAKER_01 (13:49):
Yeah, um the yeah, listening to yourself is I think
super important.
Your gut, like I just feel likemy gut will be screaming
something and I'll be trying tofight it or control it.
And I'm like, no, you know,you're being told, you know,
you're there's something wrongwith this or right with this,
and um, and to lean into thatbecause it's usually right.
(14:11):
So um, so what does each of youbring to the partnership that
helps it work so well?
SPEAKER_02 (14:20):
We uh we bring a lot, but I think the most part,
which we already kind of talkedabout, but it was the
vulnerability, honesty, um,transparency, and there's no
judgment.
We are we we always say, nomatter what, we're gonna speak
our truth.
And if the truth hurts you, thenyou gotta go inward.
SPEAKER_00 (14:42):
Um, so I think another thing that is also
important is back in 2021 whenwe were really wondering are we
filing for bankruptcy?
Are we gonna push through?
It was really like a lot of darkdays back then.
Um, we hired a business coachwho helped us put together some
(15:06):
principles, and so beyond ourcore values, we also agreed on
some principles, which we hadlike reprinted and it was like
in our office.
And so um, we're all on the sameteam, is like the number one
principle, and it really keepsus like grounded, like it
doesn't matter what Rachel says.
(15:28):
I remember we're all on the sameteam.
We all want karma to succeed, isis another principle, and we're
all doing the best we can withour current capabilities and
capacity, and so thoseprinciples kind of helped us
shape some conversations and andjust keep pushing one foot in
(15:48):
front of the other.
SPEAKER_02 (15:49):
Yeah, without those principles, I don't think it
would have gone as smoothly asit did.
Right.
Because those reminders, thoseprinciples, those cultural
reminders of each other are go,okay.
And I had a hard time with theirthe third partner who's no
longer part of the company, whenthey said, Yeah, she's doing the
best she can, and I was like,that's her best?
(16:12):
Like, I can't.
And they're like, Rachel, youneed to just understand what it
means.
And I had to really sit back andsit with it for months because I
couldn't understand that thatcould be someone's best.
But then once I realized throughcapacity and certain situations,
I said, okay, now I get it.
And now it clicks.
Now I completely get it, and Ihave more empathy for other
(16:34):
people.
And I think, oh, that's theirbest.
That's great.
It it helped.
It helped personally,professionally, and all of the
realm.
SPEAKER_01 (16:43):
Yeah, it's so hard.
I think for me as a salesperson,was going from being a
salesperson and I controlled mydestiny, like it was just me.
And then when you add otherpeople into the mix, it's like
you really have to learn totrust your team and and and vice
versa.
And so it's it was reallychallenging going from,
(17:08):
especially when you have thathunter mentality that sales
drive.
And um, so I can definitelyidentify with that.
So, how do you guys keep yourcommunication strong when things
get stressful or opinionsdiffer?
I think that the communicationis just open.
SPEAKER_02 (17:27):
We whatever comes up, if it's the hardest
conversation and we're worriedabout what the other person
says, then you need to say it.
And I think that because of thatis how we just don't, it's like,
like you said, we're practicallyin a marriage with our company.
We have to put it all in, andit's the same in a marriage.
(17:48):
If you don't speak up, you laterhave resentment, you later
regret something.
And so we just put it all on thetable and we show up with
whatever we are that day, andhowever it's gonna that I allow
Maureen to respond, however, sheneeds to respond, and that's
okay.
That's and then we we don't umwe we say, you know, if you're
(18:09):
suffering, we're gonna let we'regonna tell each other, like
you're having the day, goinward, see what's causing that,
and then let's chat again.
SPEAKER_00 (18:17):
Yeah, we go back on those principles.
We have agreed that if somethingdoesn't feel right, the other
one has the right and should saywhat doesn't feel right.
Like when we are about to sign acontract, if something doesn't
align, if some something doesn'tfeel good, we're not just gonna
shove that down, we're justgonna be honest and and we've
(18:41):
had a few times where I've Iknow for a fact that I've I've
taken a 360 on it, and I said,Well, actually, M, uh, I call
her Frenchie, by the way.
SPEAKER_02 (18:50):
I say, Oh, you know what?
We that this isn't gonna workfor me.
And she's like, What do youmean?
I'm like, no, I just don't feelgood about it, and I'm not gonna
agree to it, and this is notgonna happen.
And it could have been the pathwas already set, and I was like,
nope, we're changing paths, andthat has led us to where we're
at today, which is being verytrue to ourselves, to our
(19:13):
values, to our principles, butliving with that peace of
knowing I said everything Icould, I did everything I could,
and I'm showing up the best Icould.
SPEAKER_01 (19:23):
That's awesome.
I mean, not only just forbusiness partners, for I mean,
your coworkers and your bosses,and even that you're like you
said, marriage, you know, foryour marriage, if if you're
married, to, you know, not pushit down and and to yeah, to get
it all out there.
So, and sometimes they're theythey're very uncomfortable
(19:45):
conversations.
And it doesn't for me, I don'tknow about you guys, but it just
never feels right likedisagreeing with somebody.
And so I like to be right, andso um, and it's when it's
somebody you care about, it'sit's it's hard to have this
challenges.
SPEAKER_00 (20:03):
So I I I think it's also allowing us to go really,
really deeper and get to areally vulnerable place.
Um, we by being truthful and bynot having surface level
conversation, we're able to havea much bigger friendship, a much
(20:24):
stronger partnership inbusiness.
Um I think it's made us grow alot, uh, grow up in some ways.
SPEAKER_02 (20:35):
Um, and yeah, I mean it's it's it's definitely
special and it's rare becauseit's not not everyone wants to
put the energy or the work intowhat it takes, and it is scary
and it it it's change and it'sprocessing different things.
And it's just like any marriage.
Like you said, you have peoplewho are married for 25 years
that should have been divorced20 years ago.
(20:56):
They just don't want to make thethe, they don't want to commit
to what it takes to make thechange or speak their mind.
And um, we chose in our in ourbusiness, in our friendship,
that this is gonna be very openand we're gonna make sure that
nobody has regrets or angertowards each other down the line
and and no one goes like, oh,but you never shared that with
(21:18):
me.
SPEAKER_01 (21:20):
Yeah, that's awesome that you guys recognize that and
you kind and you have a processto to kind to go through that
with each other.
I think that's really goodadvice for business owners.
So what's been your proudest wedid it moment so far?
SPEAKER_00 (21:37):
There's I mean, there's a there's a few.
There's some like big customersthat we onboarded that when we
got the first purchase order, wewere like, oh my gosh, like
that's huge.
Or the first time we got on TVwith QBC was huge.
The way we did it with probablylike the year that instead of
losing money, we actually brokeeven.
(22:00):
That was like uh like almostlike we did it, like not like a
maybe externally hugeachievement, but going from
losing several hundred thousanddollars for a couple years to
like okay, we stopped thebleeding.
It's it's whatever we put inplace this year is working, and
(22:23):
this means that maybe next yearwe'll make money.
Like, I think for me that it'slike was like the biggest for
probably for you two.
I don't know.
Absolutely, yeah.
SPEAKER_02 (22:32):
It was like, whoo, we realigned, we saw our North
Star, who we're doing it, it'shappening.
Now we feel like we're in a goodplace.
And the funny part is we bothtook other full-time roles in
which we're highly invested in,um, and we spent a lot of our
energy on that.
And while we stepped away alittle bit from our business to
realign, we found the mostalignment.
(22:55):
And I think that's the funnypart because they say what it
this there's that saying, youcan't see the force through the
trios.
And I think that's what happens,you get so caught up in it.
And so the proud that momentwhere we go, we're breaking
even, and then we can makemoney.
Like that's a concept.
Wow.
Uh, and and and I think signingthose customers, every time
(23:16):
we've we've had a customer, wecan't share their names.
But any of the customers wehave, and we go, oh my gosh,
it's just tripling our businessor doubling our business, or
we're able to do this.
It's like, oh, that feels reallygood.
And we stick to our values.
So we're not compromising to getthose customers.
The customers are aligned toeverything that we are in, you
know, it's our karma.
(23:37):
At the end of the day, it is ourkarma.
SPEAKER_01 (23:40):
That's awesome.
Um, so what advice would yougive to other women considering
a business partnership orlaunching something of their
own?
SPEAKER_02 (23:50):
I'll start with this one because I always say you
think you're going to businesswith a best friend.
And Nancy, you said that you hadno more partners anymore because
you see that best friend in adifferent way and typically
don't go as deep with them untilyou're in business.
And then once you're inbusiness, you need to trust but
(24:10):
verify.
And if you don't, then you havea best friend that is a distant
connection in which you don'tnormally want to see their face
anymore.
Um, and so I would say when youdecide to go into business with
someone, ask all the questions.
Like even where look at theworst case scenario.
When people say, oh, legally wedon't want to read an agreement,
(24:31):
we'll never need it.
That's when you need to read theagreement.
That's when you need to doublecheck in, put in all the clauses
and say, if this were to happen,then what?
And once you do that, because noone wants to do that, that's not
fun.
It's not the part where like,well, they would never do that
to me.
Well, never say never becauseyou don't know until you know.
(24:52):
And once you know, it could betoo late.
And so I would say trust butverify is one of the biggest
advice I would say going intobusiness with anyone.
And if you could go to if we'rea rare case, Maureen and I, but
if you don't have someone thatyou can have that relationship
with, try it on your own.
SPEAKER_00 (25:12):
Yeah, I think asking all the questions, like go to
like the worst case scenario.
Like, let's say the funding runsout, let's say we have to not
take a salary for two years.
Let's say X, Y, and Z ishappening.
Like, what's plan B for yourbusiness partner?
What's how does that affecttheir families?
(25:32):
And and like really go darkalmost to make sure that you are
in alignment with the plan.
Is the person gonna call itquits after 18 months?
And you're like, well, hold on asecond, I'm not ready to call it
quits.
Like, have the difficultconversations up front.
If you can have that in anoperating agreement, even better
(25:54):
because then then whatever youagree on is you you've you've
signed.
Sealed.
Um, so yeah, and then afterthat, you can kind of focus on
the business once you are inreal alignment with your
business partners.
SPEAKER_01 (26:09):
It's kind of like um, I went through premarital
counseling even before I gotengaged.
My husband was like, We're goingthrough some tough stuff before
we figure out if this is thepath that we should go down on.
And and so I love that advicefor potential business partners
because you know, there's it ischallenging.
(26:31):
It's a marriage.
We talked about it severaltimes, but you're sharing a bank
account, you're sharing, you'resharing your livelihood, um,
your time.
And in y'all's case, you alreadyhave other jobs.
You know, you're, you know, timebecomes a thief and it can make
people better.
There's all of the differentscenarios that can come up, but
(26:52):
these are really good, um,really good advice.
I remember my stepdad saying,you know, just make sure you
know who they are.
Do you really know them?
And, you know, 10 years ago, I'mlike, yes, I do.
And I mean, I love, you know,these were incredible women.
And so, but I I'm so encouragingto see y'all's relationship and
(27:15):
how what you've done with yourbusiness.
I mean, really big kudos to QVCand all these customers.
So, um, okay, and this might bea confession, I'm not sure, but
so if for fun, if yourpartnership were had a theme
song, what would it be?
SPEAKER_00 (27:34):
The one we always sing and dance to.
Yeah, yeah.
Oh, I always forget the name ofit.
It's Play Hard by Neo.
By Neo.
Work hard and play hard.
That's that's our theme song.
SPEAKER_02 (27:46):
We've been dancing to that for many, many years.
SPEAKER_01 (27:51):
That's awesome.
Man, I just want to hang outwith you guys.
I mean, I feel like, and I don'tknow if it's um my generation or
whatever, but I mean, you justhad to work hard.
I mean, that was just who Imean, it was I mean, you stay,
you got there early, you stayedlate, you know.
I don't know if that was agenerational thing, you know,
(28:13):
but um I feel very kindredspirits with you guys.
So like why?
And just that culture.
So um, do you guys have aconfession?
Any additional confessions?
SPEAKER_00 (28:23):
I think I'll I'll piggyback off of what you just
said.
Uh my my confession would be Ithink I had or I thought I had
everything figured out in myearly career and big roles very
early on, um, degrees, and and II I think I had a strong ego.
(28:45):
And I would say this hasdefinitely and continues to show
me I have nothing figured out.
Um, I'm I'm realizing somethings we were discussing this
morning, like some attentionthings that I'm like, you know,
I I I'm realizing there's alwaysgonna be more growth.
The journey is just beginning.
(29:07):
Um, and I'm able to say that andfeeling strong and feeling
strength coming from it, asopposed to maybe 10 years ago, I
would have never admitted anyweakness or anything like that.
Um, so that's my confession.
That's a great confession.
SPEAKER_02 (29:23):
Well, I'm more quirky, so uh I like to share
the quirky part of me.
Um, so my quirk, I have terriblehandwriting, and it's gotten
worse as even at though I writeall the time.
And people like my mom's like, Ican't read what you wrote me.
I can't read your cars.
And so now I've been doing thisthing, I can write upside down,
which is just weird, but I canwrite upside down quite quickly.
(29:46):
And so now my upside downwriting is better than my my my
normal handwriting.
So in the future, when you get ahandwritten note from me and it
looks like a five year old wroteit, it's because I wrote it
upside down.
SPEAKER_00 (29:58):
I picked her up yesterday from The airport, and
she throws this card at me aboutgratitude.
And I'm like, what is this?
She goes, read it.
And I'm like, I can actuallyread it.
And she goes, I wrote it with myleft hand.
SPEAKER_02 (30:10):
Well, yeah, I did write them with my left hand.
Yeah.
SPEAKER_01 (30:13):
Who would have thought?
Well, that's a that's a reallyfun confession.
I mean, both of you guys, Imean, y'all are just um, I mean,
what lights you are to thisindustry and just in the little
time that we've had together.
And um, I would love to talk toyou guys again because there I
feel like there's so much more Iwant to ask you guys.
(30:34):
Um, but I really appreciate youguys coming on the show today.
And um, any final thoughts orthat you guys want to share?
We'd love to come back.
SPEAKER_02 (30:44):
Yes, thanks for having.
And thank you so much.
One thing that I had in my mindthat I wanted to share to end it
is when one thing when you saidabout business partners, and
I'll just quickly say is thatwhen someone someone once told
me they said, when someone showsyou who they are, believe them.
And I think that even when youfirst might meet people, so
Nancy, we connected right away.
I loved your energy.
(31:05):
I was listening to your otherpot, your other episodes on the
podcast, and I was like, Yep, myenergies align.
I protect my energy, but I bringpeople in who have that same
spirit.
And and I think that's onereally good test is is when you
see someone for what they are,believe them.
SPEAKER_01 (31:23):
That's great advice.
And and I just want to say thankyou guys for just what you're
bringing to the.
I'm serious.
Like thank you for what you'rebringing to the industry and
showing how a healthypartnership works.
And as women who I think you'rebeating the odds about both
being having the same um scores,um, whatever scores you sell
(31:48):
scores, whatever you rank.
Um, but that's an incredibleaccomplishment.
So thank you so much for joiningus and um look forward to having
you guys on again.
Thank you.
Appreciate it.
SPEAKER_00 (32:00):
Thank you so much.
SPEAKER_01 (32:01):
For more inspiration, follow our social
media at W3Cells.
Please like, comment, andsubscribe.
You know, all the things.
We would love to connect withyou.
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