32. The Soft Business Movement w/ Molly Balint

Do you strive to build a successful business online and a beautiful life offline? If so, you will absolutely love today’s conversation with Molly Balint.

Molly Balint, the founder of the SOFT business movement, is a dedicated mentor, speaker, and Instagram strategist. She teaches women how to build a soft business of their own, blending thriving online ventures with a beautiful offline presence. Moving away from toxic hustle culture and the "boss babe" ideal, Molly helps women uncover meaningful work and become soft leaders who make a significant impact.

In our conversation, Molly and I explore the SOFT business movement and the importance of a softer, more sustainable approach to business and social media. We tackle the pressures of hustle culture, the need for clarity and authenticity in messaging, overcoming limiting self-beliefs, and the transformative power of vulnerability. Remember, your business doesn’t need to change the world or look like anyone else’s online presence. The real value comes from sharing your unique story with your audience.

No more playing small or hiding in the shadows—the world needs more of what you have to offer. Soft doesn’t mean weak; it truly represents a new form of strength in business. Molly offers practical advice on balancing work you love with effective social media strategies. I know that you will appreciate Molly’s refreshing transparency and vulnerability in this episode. Be sure to check out her SOFT business school if you're ready to embrace this approach in your business!

____ 

Connect with Molly on Instagram @molly.balint

Learn more about Molly by visiting her website

Connect with me on Instagram

Learn more about booking a Biz Therapy session and working together by visiting my website

Ways to Connect Outside the Podcast

• Follow CEO & Founder on Instagram: @mariahstockman
• Follow Made for Mothers on Instagram:@madeformothers.co
• Join the Virtual Village: A community and monthly membership for business owning mamas! Special promo for our podcast listeners, get 20% off your first quarterly enrollment with code TWENTYOFF at https://www.madeformothersco.com/membership
• SHOP CEO MAMA MERCH designed just for business-owning mamas https://shopmadeformothers.com/

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:01):
Hi, I'm Molly Ballint and I'm the founder of the Soft
Business Movement.
I'm a business mentor and aspeaker and Instagram strategist
and I teach women how to builda soft business of their own,
one that really values having athriving business online and a
beautiful life offline.
I really think we're overhustle culture and boss babe the
whole boss babe movement and Ireally believe there's a better

(00:24):
way, and that way is soft, and Ibelieve that soft is the new
strong.

Speaker 2 (00:35):
Hello and welcome to the Made for Mothers podcast,
your one-stop shop for candidand relatable conversations
about motherhood andentrepreneurship.
Think of the show as your newmom friend, where we dive into
all things marketing, branding,mindset, money, childcare and
growing your business, while weall navigate our roles as both

(00:56):
CEO and mom.
I'm your host, mariah Stockman,and I wear a bunch of hats I'm
a boy mama, I'm serving as amarketing mentor for mothers,
I'm running a six-figuremarketing agency and, on top of
that, I'm the proud founder ofthe Made for Mothers community.
This show is about sharing thereal stories and the practical
strategies from fellowmother-run businesses.

(01:18):
So dive in, grab yourheadphones, reheat that coffee
and let's go.
Grab your headphones, reheatthat coffee and let's go.
Hello, hello, hello and welcometo another episode of the Made
for Mothers podcast.
I'm your host, mariah Stockman,boy mama and founder of the
Made for Mothers movement andreally big fangirl of the mama

(01:41):
of four that is right in frontof me, molly Ballant.

Speaker 1 (01:45):
Did I say that right?
Yeah, you did, you got it.
Okay, okay yeah.

Speaker 2 (01:49):
Yeah, long time listeners of our whatever 20th
episode will know that lastnames are not my strong suit and
I am okay with that.
I am so excited that you'rehere, molly.
Thank you so much for showingup and being here with me.

Speaker 1 (02:05):
I'm so excited.
We have been trying to makethis happen, so it's wonderful
to be here.

Speaker 2 (02:10):
So I just want to tell people a little story about
my first sort of real likeinteraction with Molly, which
was over some like frantic voicememos which it sounded like
this hey, I have a barn catsituation I need to reschedule.
And your response back to me waslike so classic, like I think

(02:32):
you literally said you had me atlike barn cat situation because
you have you live on a farm,right, that's like I do, that's
your situation, right.
So I had this like barn cat sagagoing on, which I will like
spare, like the gruesome detailsof like a cat getting into our
house overnight.
But I had to reschedule and Ijust I love this space with not

(02:54):
only just like with mom to momgrace, but also I feel like it's
also very deeply rooted in whoyou are as a person, which is
like you're walking the walk ofhey, let's have a soft business,
let's have like a soft movement, and it's not just this like
marketing slogan or you knowthis program, you're like
pitching to sell.
It's actually who you are andhow you're showing up.

(03:15):
So I had no, I had noreservations or guilt to be like
hey, listen, I know we'resupposed to meet in like an hour
.
Oh yeah, and our power was offand our water was off.
Oh my gosh, it was like thiswhole situation, it was like a
whole thing, anyways.

Speaker 1 (03:26):
And your husband was out of town and my husband was
out of town, always, always.

Speaker 2 (03:29):
But like we both live in the country and you were
like I get it, like I havecountry internet, I know, but
I'm so excited that you're herebecause I feel like everything
you stand for and everythingthat you are, sort of the
movement that you're pushingforward into the world, I feel,
on a personal level, for my ownpersonal experience of really

(03:50):
toxic hustle culture burnout,which we can, you know, kind of
jive on in a little bit, butit's so deeply needed, it's just
so.
It's so.
I mean, I feel like it's almostdire in some ways and I'm sure

(04:31):
you have pretty strong feelingsabout this as well, or else you
wouldn't load, however you wantto call it.
You know where there's so muchlike pressure to post right,
pressure to show up, and I'mjust, I just see it all around
me, I see it with every, everymom I work with.
Just like I can't keep up andmy question is like were we

(04:54):
designed to right?
Like were we actually designedto keep up this way?
Like maybe it's not everyone'sstruggle, maybe it's the system
in which we're working in thatis broken.
So, with all that said, it'skind of deep and dark right off
the start, but we went rightinto it.
We wasted no time, no time, notime.

(05:14):
Moms are busy.
Molly, you know you have fourkids, so anyway.
So, with all that said, I justwanted to say I feel really
strongly about what you're doing, so I'm just so, so, so excited
that you're here, and I can'twait for you to share more about
just.
You know who you are in theworld, so so take it away All
right.

Speaker 1 (05:31):
Well, I think, too, like this, I really have sort of
fallen into soft business interms of, like the name.
However, I think I have alwaysfelt that there's something
different about me, whether Ifeel like I want different
things, or I do thingsdifferently, or just didn't like

(05:54):
it didn't match.
I guess I should rewind.
I started out.
My oldest daughter is 22.
She just graduated from collegeWow, congrats.
Yeah, I had her when I was two.
No, I'm just kidding, she's theonly one getting older, not me.
That's hilarious.
But I started out blogging likeyears and years ago when blogs

(06:14):
were just becoming a thing andcoming on the scene, and that
really was the thing that openedthe doors to me getting a
writing job, moving into likecorporate social media strategy
and that sort of a thing, and Istarted building my own business
on the side.
I really always had a heart forlocal business, small business,

(06:35):
and I knew that I wanted to dosomething of my own.
And, in the midst of all that, Iwould say that I always would
say, like I really felt like avery like the most old fashioned
social media strategist, like Iloved everything about being
offline, like I recognized howpowerful social media was and I

(06:56):
recognized how amazing it wasthat we could be building our
businesses online.
But at the same time, I washomeschooling my kids and I was
like sewing things and I had afarm and a garden and my family
and my family history andstories and sitting around the
table, like all of those thingswere so important to me and it

(07:19):
was sort of this like frictionwith this industry.
I was in and me feeling likethere was also this other, like
very important deep side of meas well and, honestly, like I
was in working for.
If I said the name, I thinkmost of your listeners would
know who it is, because thereare moms but a very, you know,

(07:42):
popular parenting site.
I was working for them and Istarted as a writer, I moved
into social media and I think atthe time I thought I had it all
because I was able to work athome.
I was able to build my businesson the side, I was able to be
with my children.

(08:02):
I was homeschooling my girls.
I had four kids and I rememberthis one time where I was in the
car, I was driving my kids tothe library for story hour.
I had my headphone in my earbecause I needed to be on a
conference call and I had tomake sure I looked like I was
present.
I was reaching back with theother hand giving the baby a

(08:23):
bottle in the car seat while wedrove to the library and like I
was thinking like this is it,like this is the life, like look
at me doing all the things, butthat's not that.

Speaker 2 (08:33):
Look at me juggle myself.
Look at me juggle.
I'm such a good multitask.
I'm such a good juggler.
My brain is fried.
I'm such a good juggler.

Speaker 1 (08:41):
Yes, exactly, and I think we look at that like she's
killing it, man, like she lookat her like that is like the
thing we glorify and she's doingit all.

Speaker 2 (08:53):
She's doing it all.
Yeah, look at her do it all andI'm sort of like why?
Okay, yeah, keep going.

Speaker 1 (08:59):
Yeah, exactly, it's just, you know, and I think I
told myself this is just aseason.
This is just a season because Iwas building my own business on
the side For seven years.
I was writing down the goalLike my New Year's resolution
was to quit that corporate job.
Like seven years.
I have the it's like right hereabove my desk I have my little

(09:21):
like goal setting planner andthat was the first year I wrote
it down and it was seven yearsago, wow, or it took me seven
years and even my kids were likemom, is this the year you're
gonna quit?
You know, come on, you hatethis.
You know, you're so burned out,blah, blah, blah.
And it was really like thewhole mesh of the whole thing is
that there was a lot of lack ofbelief in myself and a lot of

(09:44):
work there in order to go out onmy own, but really, like I
realized that that wasn'tsustainable and I made a change
and I made a change in my heartand in my head and in my
strategy and it was possiblelike we were talking about
before we started recording,like it is possible to do less
and to be more successful.

(10:07):
And that is sort of the thingthat I discovered and I think I
really have figured out some ofthe like how do we do that?
Like, okay, that's nice to hear, but like, how do we actually
do that, molly?
Like I think I know, yes, yes,like I think I have, I think I
know, yes, yes, yeah, I think Ihave, I think I know what it
takes and that's what I teach.
That's why soft business is soimportant to me.

(10:29):
I live it.
I do less and I don't say thatin like a oh, I do less, but I
have a team of 10 people.
Like I am the team, like Idon't have a virtual assistant,
I am the person you know.
So it's sustainable and it'sreal and it's authentic.
And when you know, I think whenwe take some of these

(10:50):
principles of what a softbusiness is and we apply it to
our own business and to our life, we are healthier humans and
better mothers and sisters anddaughters and wives and all the
things, and our business alsobecomes more successful.
Because when I really made thatshift and really it was like

(11:10):
two years ago, if I'm totallyhonest, like it was two years
ago when I kind of had this likecome to Jesus with myself, and
the last two years of mybusiness have been ridiculous in
growth compared to the slogbefore that.

Speaker 2 (11:27):
I relate to this so so much on so many levels.
Molly, growing up really toobig, too fast, hustling, very
successful marketing agency, andit just it just became like a
mountain, like it came like amountain to climb every day and
the burnout, the path to burnoutfor me, was so fast and then I
got.
I mean, I, I have some likegrief and sadness because I

(11:49):
entered my first pregnancy.
I've only been, I only have onebaby.
I don't know why I said birth.
It's because I want to haveanother baby.
So I think about like well,that was my first pregnancy, my
first birth, my first baby.
I entered that pregnancy likepeak right and think about, like
, what happens to your bodythroughout pregnancy.
It's like I entered so burnedout and then I just became more

(12:11):
and more and more so because Iwas trying to sustain this, this
large agency model that Ithought.
I thought that was the goal.
Like it's interesting becausethat was the goal, because
everyone told me that was thegoal, like, oh, like you're
really good at this, so youshould grow and grow and grow
and do and big and get the teamand do the internship program
and get the office space and allthe things right, and then it
just slowly became like, oh, Ihave to dismantle this.

(12:34):
The more pregnant I got andthen, when my son was born, it
became blindingly clear througha client wanting to sue me when
I was through exposed partum,anyways it was just yeah, it
became like blindingly clearthat alignment was the only path
forward for me and thatmotherhood was so transformative
that I could only work withmoms because I don't want to
pretend that I'm not a mom, Idon't want to pretend, I don't

(12:59):
think that I'm any lessprofessional and that I can't
show up in a professionalcapacity because I have a kid.
I actually think that I'm evenmore so because I'm more
efficient, more effective, moredriven, more focused, more
centered.
You know I have the same amountsort of to do with less time,
so that has sharpened me in somany ways.
However, I love this part ofyour story where you set the

(13:23):
goal and then the goal just sortof wasn't.
You know.
You're like, okay, this is theyear, okay, this is the year,
but I want to kind of I kind ofwant to like dig into that.
We'll get into like this, likesoft being the new, strong soon,
and sort of what that lookslike on a technical level.
But I kind of want if you couldkind of take us through like
what actually was happening twoyears ago, because I that that's

(13:43):
that's the most interestingpiece here for so many moms who
are listening, because I wouldbet money that there's a lot of
moms and women listening whomaybe are right where you were
two years ago, who maybe are onlike the brink of oh, like,
maybe this is an internalself-confidence, selfesteem.
I just need to go for it.

(14:04):
You know we hear a lot of theselike kind of you know fun
little Pinterest.
You know quotes like leap andthe net will appear.
You know like yeah, exactly.

Speaker 1 (14:14):
Build a plane as you land, yeah.

Speaker 2 (14:16):
Like sail the ship while you're sailing, and it's
sort of like okay, all right,I'll just do that.
I guess Sure.

Speaker 1 (14:22):
And it's like yeah, but how, like I'm just I'll just
do that, I guess, sure, andit's like, yeah, but how, I'm
just curious if you have anyinsights of what actually was
going on two years ago and whatwas that work and what did that

(14:43):
look for you and all of thoseyears.
It was a couple things Like I100% agree with you.
Like there's all these like youknow, I just you know, I didn't
know how it was going to workbut I just went for it and that
was not practical for me.
Like, practically, on thepractical side, we needed my
income.
Like I couldn't just say I'msailing the ship, yeah, like

(15:09):
with what, I can't even go toHome Depot and like buy the
supplies, like I, we needed thatmoney and I I needed to make
sure that I had replaced it andthen some, and that's a scary
thing and that was a huge partof it.
That was just practical and Iwill say I probably was in a

(15:29):
place financially where I couldhave quit for several years
before I did.
There was a lot of fear in itand the big thing that happened
two years ago that was the shiftfor me is I realized that I was
living in this place for thefive or six years previously
where I was doing my side hustle, trying to build my business.

(15:51):
I was living in this placewhere I felt called to something
bigger.
I felt like I had somethingspecial.
However, I did not believefully in myself and I was
carrying around this story thatand I talk about this like I
have something called softbusiness school we do this work.

(16:12):
I had done this work myself.
I had been carrying this storyfrom my childhood and some
things that I have gone throughand things people have said to
me and it's a couple things, buthonestly, the big one, full
transparency, was my weight andthat I had this belief that,
because I was not a certain size, or I was not what I hoped to

(16:34):
be, or skinny as I wished I wasor what I thought my family
thought I should be, that I didnot deserve to be out front,
like I really was.
Deep down, I had this likelittle, like flame, you know,
but I was scared and I wasstaying in the shadows.
I was staying very small.

(16:55):
I was making everyone else lookgood.
I was doing everything I couldto make other people shine,
because I didn't believe that Ideserve to be the person out
front, because if I couldn't getthis part of me Like under
control or I didn't look acertain way, Then I definitely
didn't Serve to like step outand be like this is me.

(17:18):
I have this business.
You know I couldn't own thatpart of it.

Speaker 2 (17:22):
It's like so heartbreaking to hear too,
because you have like fourdaughters Like I just imagine.
Yeah Right, it may not be like,it may not be like weight, it
might be like skin or it mightbe degrees like a degree or
whatever.
I mean I don't know, it couldjust be something else,
something invisible, it could besomething, it could be

(17:47):
something visible or invisible.
And what if she came to you andshe shared to you just like
that like, just like that likeshe has this huge skill, this
huge talent, this huge blinding,it's like so obvious to
everyone around her, and thenshe like said something like
that to you know, I mean I justfeel like just as women, women
and then women in business, andthen moms, I mean there's so
many deep societal layers ofuntangling and everything you

(18:08):
just shared, of like why, yeah,I mean like, of course, you felt
that way.
Like I almost feel like it'severy woman listening has
something like that saying oh, Ican't do that because I don't
have this sort of standard ofperfection.
Or that person over there looksso perfect on the outside and
almost it's like they'resuccessful because because they

(18:31):
look that way, which is alsosort of like saying they have no
other skills or they have noother talents like they, so it's
, it's like so you know what Imean like there's so many sides
to that, that of of like womenversus women too, like and I'm
not saying it's totally not whatyou were sharing or what that
wasn't your purpose, but I canrelate to that on on different

(18:53):
levels of like.
I came from the West coast andthen I started working on the
East coast and I had all ofthese insecurities, like I'm I'm
like too much, I'm too honest,I'm too, I'm too like down to
earth.
I'm wearing like flip flops andthey're wearing like Gucci
slides.
I don't even know what that is.
I don't even know where I wouldbuy those.
Like.

(19:13):
I don't even know.
I don't know how to dress here.
I have like a beach bum shirton right now in front of you.
I had a lot of insecurity and Ifelt like I didn't fit in here
because I didn't have like ablazer.
You know, like that's sobizarre to think like my
clothing matters to my purposeand so, anyways, I just
appreciate you sharing thatbecause I feel like there's a
lot of women who can be like hi,like that's me, you know too.

Speaker 1 (19:36):
Yeah yeah, and it's like it's like this it factor
that we feel like we need that.
I think we think everyone elsehas, and I just thought I don't
have that, even though I thoughtI know what I'm doing, I'm good
at this, I know how I can helppeople.
It was like this thing and Ifeel like anyone listening to

(19:57):
this probably knows what thething is that they're telling
themselves if they're honest.
We all know what that littlething is that we have on repeat.
I carried that thought aroundin my pocket and I would like
pull it out when I needed toprove.
See, you're not enough, see youcan't do this, like it was just
my little convenient like way Iwould, you know, smash my own

(20:20):
confidence and stay small andstay in the shadows.
And so it really became a likewhat else is true?
Like here was this thing that Idiscovered and honestly, it was
like a discovery, like it wasme taking all these stories and
like finding sort of the beliefI was carrying about myself

(20:40):
through all of those stories,and it was like, oh my gosh, no
wonder, like I just spend timewriting, like this is where it
all sort of happened in thislike night of writing, and I
mean, it was more than that, butthis is where it started.
It was literally like a lightbulb where I was like, oh my
gosh, I have been taking thisbelief about myself and this is

(21:04):
why I am not moving forward.
This is why I am staying backhere where, even how I dressed
right, like I wear black, like Iwould wear black all the time,
like if my, you know, ifsomebody was like, hey, here's
this great pink blazer, whydon't you wear this?

Speaker 2 (21:22):
I would be like Whoa whoa, too much People will see
me.

Speaker 1 (21:25):
Yeah, people will notice me.
I'll stand out Like I'll stayin my black shirt and I'll stand
back here, yeah, which is socrazy to think.

Speaker 2 (21:34):
I mean it's so fun enough.
I mean I don't know what it is,but watching you even you've
been on this like littlespeaking tour lately and you're
wearing like pastels and purplesand checkers and like flowers.
I mean I think, I think I sawyou in like a like a flowered
crochet sweater.
Oh, yeah, that's like somethingso fun and I'm just like, wow,

(21:54):
what a like proof, change likeproof, like look like live it
yeah years later, like here youare, like flower power, here
here we are like no, not awallflower, literally.

Speaker 1 (22:13):
Exactly, exactly so, really like.
That realization made merealize one what, what was
holding me back, and it didn'tfix it by any means, like I
don't want to ever make thatseem.
However, I became aware of itand I was able to.
You know, when those thoughtscreep in now I am that what else
could be true question?
I use that one all the time.
All the time I use it with myhusband, he's with my kids, you
know, like cause we carry somany stories around.

(22:36):
We carry, we put paint storieson so many things and I have to
say what else could be true?

Speaker 2 (22:42):
I have a friend, Amanda.
She's been on this podcast andshe lives in Alexandria.
She's a depression, anxiety anddepression coach and she gave
me this mantra, she gave ourgroup.
This mantra says who, and it'sso easy.
Yeah, that's good, says whoSays who I love it.
It's so simple, I just like.

Speaker 1 (22:58):
says who yeah, I'm writing this out of my notebook.

Speaker 2 (23:03):
So you started to do the work.

Speaker 1 (23:05):
Yeah, definitely, and I you know I tell this story
when I speak, but I reallybelieve that in our lives, like
people are always planting seedsin our lives, and some of those
seeds are weeds and some ofthem are flowers.
And my daughter, my oldestdaughter, Emma, has always been

(23:27):
the gardener in our family andwhen she weeds the garden, she
will take the weeds and tossthem in the compost bin so that
she can use them the next yearin soil or whatever.
But when it's weeds that she'spulling out of the garden, she
tosses them out into the yard bythe garden beds and leaves them
there.
And that's because if she wereto take them and throw them

(23:49):
directly into the compost bin,they will plant more seeds in
that bin.

Speaker 2 (23:54):
And so you're essentially putting more roots
on your garden.
That's so funny because Itotally know why.

Speaker 1 (23:57):
I totally understand I'm living a similar life, I
feel like I get this one.

Speaker 2 (24:02):
No, but for our listeners who don't live on
don't live this life.

Speaker 1 (24:12):
Yes, yes, yes.
I asked her and she was likewell, I throw them out there and
they need to die before I putthem into the compost bin.
And I just had this like, oh mygoodness, this is like our
stories Like when we bring themout into the light and we don't
let them stay in, you know, keepgrowing in the soil.
We bring them out into thelight, we pull out the weeds, we
expose them to the light andthat is the thing that, like

(24:33):
kills them off, and then theycan be redeemed and used for
good.
And that is exactly what I feelis like true for all of us is
that we have these stories, thatwhen we bring them into the
light, we take away their powerand we take away the you know
the way they are holding us back, tangling us up, choking us out

(24:54):
, and then we redeem them and wegive them new purpose.
And, honestly, that is what Ifeel about my stories is that
when I'm willing to share themin all different kinds of
capacities I don't get into allthe nitty gritty with everyone
it depends where I am, who I'mtalking to but for me, to bring
those stories into the light,they have new purpose now and I

(25:17):
have this passion and I want totake the women that I work with
and like, hold their face in myhands and say you are enough
just as you are.
Do not play small, do not thinkyou aren't worthy, do not think
you aren't enough to do thisthing that you feel called to do
.
And so my stories have fueled mybusiness and that is the thing

(25:41):
that is like.
That is what happened two yearsago.
Is this like awakening for me tothe stories, to my passion,
that I felt this way and I donot want anyone else to feel
this way.
I don't want my own children tofeel this way, my own daughters
or the women that I work with.
So for me to help them uncoverthe stories and to find the

(26:04):
truth and what's true about themand then to to find their
passion for the work that theywant to do and who they want to
help in the world.
That is like the beginning ofwhat a soft business becomes,
because we become more groundedin ourselves and in our lives
and in our work, and it allowsus, from like a nerdy strategic
point of view, to be morestrategic and to know how to

(26:26):
show up and to know what to sayto our people and to know what
thing to what product to createor what to launch or what course
they need or what we want toteach them.
And so that initial work islike the key and we want to
start our businesses with like aniche and a logo and a product

(26:46):
and a pricing guide.
But if we don't do that, yeah,exactly, but if we don't do this
work, eventually those thingsare gonna fail us and they're
gonna leave us feeling burnedout and they're gonna leave us
feeling like we're strivingafter something that is not the
thing for us.

Speaker 2 (27:05):
Yes, we're chasing her business over there, which
is something I feel superstrongly about, which is like
there's so much noise out thereto follow what everyone else is
doing, and I think that's wherethat imposter syndrome.

Speaker 1 (27:21):
I wish there was other terms for that, I know I
was feeling tired, I know tired,I know.

Speaker 2 (27:31):
Yeah, I mean I just bring it back to like.
Being like so aligned with whoyou are will, without a doubt,
in the work that I do, attractpeople who are supposed to be
with you.
I know that you can becomemagnetic in your marketing and
magnetic in your messaging whenyou become radically aware of
your purpose, of what you arebringing to the table.

(27:51):
And I love your approach is adifferent side of that, which is
how do we uncover these storiesfor you to actually own them
and use them as opportunitiesfor growth for everyone around
you?
Use them as opportunities forgrowth for everyone around you?
When you were sharing yourstory and we were just talking
about using your story is a partof your like.

(28:14):
It became a part of yourjourney, right?
However, whatever that thing isthat we're all struggling with,
you know, for you it was.
It was this whole conceptaround weight.
I think we all kind ofcollectively know that any sort
of healing we do, we don't everreally just like arrive Like.
I have my own family trauma,generation, generational trauma.
I talk about it a lot on here.

(28:34):
I fight my own, my own battleswith later onset postpartum
anxiety, which just gotdiagnosed around two years in
which I didn't even realize Iwas struggling with, didn't even
realize I was struggling with.
I have been like radicallyhomesick for five years, not
being in California.
That's caused a lot of issues,like with me feeling rooted here
, like really wanting to be backin California, but knowing

(28:59):
deeply that this is the place Ineed to be raising my son for a
lot of different reasons, and sothat's confusing, like I'm
sacrificing what I need for him,right?
And so this idea of like beingof service is so important and
using your stories is like thegreatest journey of service
because it allows so many peoplearound you to give themselves
permission to do the same, and Ithink we're all just sort of

(29:21):
seeking some form of permissionsomewhere in some capacity.
However, circling it back tothis concept of like healing is
not like a there's no likefinish line, right?
So if I believe that if youdon't share your stories, like
if you don't come on stages orpodcasts or groups or in
one-on-one, like private,intimate situations, and you

(29:44):
share this, you share thisexperience that you lived of
like not feeling enough andfeeling small.
I feel like every time youshare it out loud, you're
healing it again.
You're healing it again and ifyou don't do that, the chances
of it just creeping back up andtaking hold of you again, I
think are really.
I think the chances of that arereally great and I've seen that

(30:07):
in my own experiences.
Like I have to stayhypervigilant about these things
that I'm working on andrecovering from and healing,
because all of a sudden I'llthink like, oh, they're out of
my backpack, right.
And I'll be like, walking downthe road, I'll be like, oh man,
how'd you get back in there?
Again, like where's thatself-doubt coming from?

Speaker 1 (30:24):
Yeah.

Speaker 2 (30:25):
Like why is my little girl feeling unhealed today?
Like I thought I already didthat work, like I thought I
already like passed that, thatlike therapy test, you know.
So I just think this wholeconcept of like her mission and
like radical vulnerability is sorefreshing and so important and
I think it's something tying itback into digital marketing and

(30:49):
social media which feels sothat space is so manufactured.
It's so manufactured thatanyone who comes into that place
and starts to be more honestand more transparent and more
vulnerable, I just thinkeveryone around them is like a
collective, like sigh of reliefof thank you like, just thank

(31:12):
you.
So that's sort of just what cameup for me when you were sharing
, which is you are like aconstant better version of
yourself every time you tellthat story for your own healing,
and then it's giving permissionto all those around you to to
do the same, and then they, thenthey will find their own

(31:33):
stories and that permissionpiece is just so.
I don't know why it is, but itis.

Speaker 1 (31:39):
It's so important, yeah and I think, too, like two
things, as you were saying.
That one is I think we'redesperate for people who are
being honest and real and whoare saying things in a fresh way
.
When I get online and I scrollInstagram, I am just looking for
the person who's sayingsomething that I haven't heard

(32:00):
before.
And so, to me, when we do thatwork and it's coming from such a
real, honest place, even if ourstories are similar, our story
will still be fresh because it'sour own story, and I think that
is something that we're allcraving, and I think that's one
of the parts of this work thatis so valuable to your business

(32:21):
is it allows you to speak from areally real, fresh place
because it's your story.
And I think the other key andthe other piece of that is that
our vulnerability is such a gift, like you were saying, with
permission, like ourvulnerability is such a gift to
other people because it allowsthem to be feel seen and it

(32:42):
allows them to also bevulnerable, and I don't think
vulnerability has to look likesobbing in our stories or you
know crying and setting up thecamera to record ourselves or
telling all our family secrets,or something like that.
Yeah, yeah, exactly Like it'sjust the realness and like I
have a friend.
He used to come in and teach asession at my retreat and he

(33:06):
tells this story about when wehave a story and you know we
have he has three differentversions that he tells.
He said there's the 32ndversion, the three minute
version and the 30 minuteversion, so he calls it 33, 30.
And he's like some people theyget the 32nd version and you

(33:26):
know he doesn't go deep.
Some people might get a littlebit more.
They get the three-minuteversion and some people they get
the whole story, like they getthat 30-minute version.
It's like if you had a friendwho was like, hey, how are you
doing?
You know you have the friendwho you're going to be, like I'm
good, things are great and thenthe friend that you're like
actually going to tell them, andthen the friend we're going to
go get coffee and talk for fourhours, like you get to decide

(33:47):
what and how you tell that storyand what parts you tell.
There are parts of my storythat belong to me and the person
, who, or people that areinvolved in them, and I'll never
tell them, you know.
But I know them and they'veshaped me and they've shaped I'm
like a giver and like I'm a.
You know I'll, I'll go there,I'll go deep kind of person Like

(34:13):
I would rather go deep thanlike small talk.

Speaker 2 (34:17):
I was like going to say something about that in just
a second, which is just like,yeah, I have a lot, a lot of
feelings about what you weretalking about.
Which is like I can't reallyhave 30 second friends anymore,
like I just can't.
I mean, it's just really like.
It's actually likeuncomfortable for me in this
current stage I'm in, which islike please, don't talk to me
about the weather.

(34:37):
Like, please, please, please, Ibeg you, I beg you.
You seem really cool, like I, Ireally want to connect with you
.
Like, please don't talk to meabout something.

Speaker 1 (34:44):
Like please don't have small talk.
My little dysregulated adhd ppdbrain just doesn't work with it
right now.
Anyways, exactly so I think toolike if you are like that, I am
not one to be vulnerable oremotional or all those kinds of
things like it.
It looks different for everyoneand it really is just like
authenticity and honesty to mebut do you think that?

Speaker 2 (35:06):
do you think when everyone says, when everyone
says like, oh, just be authentic, like that's like another kind
of like over you, intentionalauthentic, like it's a little
bit of like a buzzword, like Istill think that there could be
like manufactured authenticityand I use the word manufactured
kind of a lot because it's it'ssort of up for me, it's like a
term that's up for me.
I'm just curious, like what arelike what's the first step,

(35:26):
like what's the?
Not to get like linear with itafter being in like such a fun
little heart space?
But how do you even prepare,like prepare to prepare for
something like that when someoneis so uncomfortable with the
idea of that level ofvulnerability in their marketing
or online or in their messaging?

Speaker 1 (35:45):
yeah, it's funny, this last round of soft business
school, I don't know that thisperson understands what an
impact their question had on me,but we were doing all of this
work on our story and our whyand how it's shaping who we want
to help and work we want to doin the world.
I get all passionate about it.
And she raises her hand on theZoom call and she's like what if

(36:08):
I don't want to change theworld?
Like what if I just want to dothe work that I'm doing right
here and I don't you know?
And I was like, oh, I was likethat is such.
I know what a great questionBecause I think there's a lot of
people who feel like thatYou've arrived.

Speaker 2 (36:25):
You've arrived.

Speaker 1 (36:30):
Yeah, late lady, you've arrived.
Yeah, late lady, I know youhave changed everything for me.
Yeah, it's such a greatquestion because I don't think
that if you have these storiesand you're you know, let's say
your story is not like similarto my story, but you know, like
I had someone like that in softbusiness school.
She's like I help people withthe tech in their businesses.
Like I don't I'm not going totalk about my weight you know
that kind of question kind of athing, and to me that's totally

(36:55):
fine.
But she is so much more groundedand so much stronger and she
knows what is fueling herpassion to help these women,
like she is helping them withtech because it is her, it is
her talent, it is her gift.
She's really good at techthings.
However, she also when I, whenyou talk to her one-on-one,

(37:17):
she's like I hate seeing womenget really frustrated and think
that they can't do it becausethis is the thing that's in
their way.
She may not get on instagramstories or get on a stage and
tell that she's going to get onstage and talk about her
favorite tools, but she isfueled by this bigger story and
those are the things that keepus going.
She was on a call with meyesterday and she said it's so

(37:39):
much easier when I'm clear on mymessage.
And I was like I'm going toscreenshot that because she said
it in the chat and I was likethat's what it is.
It is so much easier when youare clear on that, so it doesn't
have to be like this.
Now I have to be thisheart-centered entrepreneur.
Like it doesn't look like thatfor everybody.
For some people it is justclarity, it is groundedness, it

(38:01):
is recognizing the lies and thestories they're carrying around
that are slowing them down.

Speaker 2 (38:09):
That enables them to be more successful in whatever
their sort of public facing partof their business is, and not
everyone's goal is like to be onstage and not everyone's goal
is to be, yeah, the expert inthe field.
Everyone needs to change theworld, not, yeah, like, not
everyone's business needs tolook like like her business over
there, like we just talkedabout.
It's interesting.
This is like.
I love this.
I love this concept becauseit's something that I'm living

(38:30):
currently in my own business,which is like here I am living
in the greater DC area, which isthe brand of the DC area.
Is what?
Very suited, very political,very hustly, very like high
earning, high achieving.
Who'd you vote for?
Where'd you go to college?
All of that Everything is likecome to blah.
Everything is like come to achamber event, come to a bni

(38:51):
right, okay, I have my baby.
I start made for mothers.
I know that I want to createsome sort of in-person meetup
experience for mom-ownedbusinesses.
I went through this sort ofshedding moment of women here.
They need, need this.
I know they need this, but willthey connect to it if I just

(39:14):
flat out say this is really nota networking group?
Like?
It is like there is networkingbecause there's relationships
and there's connection, but Iliterally get in front of these
rooms of like 50 women and say Idon't even have a business card
.
Like I am not passing outbusiness cards.
Like if you are here fornetworking, if your primary

(39:35):
purpose and some of my friendsin like the audience, they like
laugh at me because it can feelvery much like you should just
leave now, like because of mymessage it's so I'm so committed
to it.
Like I'm like if you were herefor networking, so I'm so
committed to it.
Like I'm like if you were herefor networking, I'm so glad you
came to this.
This may not be the group foryou.
This is.
This is a group for, likehonesty, raw conversations.

(39:58):
This is like we are.
We are talking about being amother first and then a business
owner.
We are here for friendship.
We're here for community.
We're here for, like I want tosee myself in all of you because
we're being super, super honestin this space and my you know,
my little thing around it waspeople aren't going to want to
come to this if I say that it'snot a networking event.

(40:20):
You know, because this is thegreater DC area and that is what
people are looking for If I'm,if I'm too different'm, if I'm
too different.
If I'm too different then maybepeople just won't get it.
Or another thing that came upwas if we're too honest, that
might be too new for people andthey might get uncomfortable

(40:42):
being faced with like that levelof vulnerability, like
reflection in like a groupsetting, where then they're
being asked to like share in agroup setting like their deepest
, darkest mindset issues orfears.
Anyways, I'm so glad that Ididn't listen to, to any of that
noise and story that I kind ofthread in my own head because it

(41:05):
it's been wildly well receivedand very successful.
Now we have a Loudoun chapter,we're launching a Fairfax
chapter, we'll eventually havean Annapolis chapter.
All of these things arehappening because all of this
movement and growth is happeningbecause I did that work and
identified the core value andthe core message and the core

(41:27):
purpose of who I am in the worldversus thing I want to sell.
You know, and yeah, my businessis my business is doing really
well because now my coachingclients and you know the events,
blah, blah, blah, blah, blah.
There's like radical alignmentand I think that that's.
That's different.
The women who are not bookingsessions with me are the women

(41:48):
who are there for networkinggroups.
But guess what, like I don'treally want to work with them
because that's not the work I doin like biz therapy.
That's not like who I am.
That's if you want to do like,if you want like a marketing
plan, if you want like a PDFmarketing plan.
I have so many great likemarketing strategists and social
media strategists who just dothat.
Like that's not the work I'mdoing.
But I just feel like on, I cansee it in my own business.

(42:15):
I didn't like water down thevision I had based on what I'm
thinking everyone else will feelcomfortable with, if that makes
sense, like, yes, it's not myresponsibility if they feel
comfortable with this or not.
I can't control that.
I can't control the freakingbarn cats who sneak in my house.
I can't control it.

(42:37):
It's like if they feeluncomfortable with it, just go
to BNI, where you pay and youget leads.
There's nothing wrong with BNI.
I've gone to some really greatBNI meetings and met really
wonderful people.
It's just that that isn't aspace that's really like lifting
up and honoring moms in a waythat I feel like is needed.

(42:57):
So anyways, with all of thatsaid, I just Okay.

Speaker 1 (42:58):
So I think that brings up a really good point
too, which is worth talkingabout, and that is, I think that
we put you didn't niche down tocreate your group.
Your group is based on yourbeliefs and what you your vision
for it.
And I think a lot of times,whether you are pivoting your
business or just starting out ormaking a move or whatever it is

(43:21):
, I think a lot of people aretelling us that we need to be
really clear on our niche, andit's like this thing that like
we can't move forward until weknow what our niche is, and has
to be very specific and, yes,there are some businesses where
there's a place for that.
However, yes, if you're abreast pump bag maker, exactly
yeah.

Speaker 2 (43:40):
Then you do have a niche.

Speaker 1 (43:42):
Yes.
However, a lot of times I haveI have found in the women that
I've worked with I always sayyou are the niche.
You are the niche.
If you do this work, if you getclear on the vision that you
have for the thing or what'simportant to you, how you want
people to feel, what you value,your point of view, and you

(44:04):
start putting that out into theworld, your people will come
because they'll say wow, she isfor me.
I feel aligned with this.
What she's talking about isexactly what I'm looking for,
and then the people will findyou Like I like when people like
I just say women, like that'swho I talk to.
I just talk to women, you know,and if they're aligned with soft

(44:25):
and they're growing a business,you're my person.
You know, and I think we do.
Like I remember thinking that,like I remember working with a
coach team would be like well,that niche isn't specific enough
and I was like I can't, like Ihave to figure this out before I
can move forward on anythingelse, because everything hinges
on this.
Like that's how I felt.
But when I did this work andthen I just started talking

(44:47):
about it, the right people came,whether they are female farmers
, or whether they are artists,or whether they are starting a
marketing business.

Speaker 2 (44:54):
Well, what's interesting about your specific
language that you use in yourbrand?
From like a brand perspective,it's like are you interested in
soft business school, yes or no?
If you say yes, great.
If you say no, you're kind ofintrinsically saying I am
interested in hard businessschool, which is like it's kind

(45:17):
of like a.
From like a sales perspective.
It's kind of like a and I don'tknow how into this you got, but
from a sales perspective it'skind of like a and I don't know
how into this you got, but froma sales perspective it's so
genius because you are, you'reputting the question on to them
before they even reallyunderstand like any nitty gritty
of what you're doing.
Like well, soft sounds betterthan hard.
Like just in general, just fromanything, like do you want to do

(45:40):
something that's easier or doyou want to do something that's
harder?
Well, I don't know, likeprobably easier, you know.
So it's just it's.
It's interesting how how a namemy name made for mothers, like
there's no guessing.
There's no guessing here oflike who, this is what we do.
They may have to learn, I mayhave to teach them like how we
do, what we do or what we do.
But we're literally made formothers, like there's no.

(46:02):
There's no in between guessingof like who we're serving.
Anyways, it's just funny how,even in your name, you're making
the choice even softer forpeople.

Speaker 1 (46:14):
Even if I know it's, and I I've had people who are
just like I don't know.
Somebody signed up for softbusiness school once and she's
like I just read the word softand I was like I don't know what
this is, but that's what I want.

Speaker 2 (46:25):
A hundred percent.

Speaker 1 (46:26):
I was like, okay, that's exactly what you're
saying.

Speaker 2 (46:30):
So tell us a little bit more about soft business
school.
Tell us a little bit more solike, yes, the storytelling, the
messaging, how, like?
What else is in this, in thismovement of yours, either
technical or courses or groups?
I know you have a membership,we should definitely mention
that.
Tell us a little bit more inthe, in the details yeah, thank

(46:54):
you.

Speaker 1 (46:54):
Well, soft business school is really like when I put
it together and and when Iteach it, I'm like this is it
like.
This is the thing like I, Ihave this feeling that I want
every single person to take thisclass like it is.
So it is so good and soimportant.
And I will tell you, I am onewho does not like to sell, does

(47:16):
not like to be like you musttake this thing, like it's hard
for me but I believe in it somuch that it's so easy for me
and I just am so passionateabout it.
But really it is like, to me,the biggest parts of soft
business school are first, we dothe work that I've been talking
about this whole time, likewhat are the store?
We dig into those stories alittle bit and we look at like

(47:39):
what are those stories?
What are the things we'recarrying with us that aren't
true, and how have they shapedus as people?
And then, how have they shapedwho we want to work with and the
work that we feel like reallycalled to do?
And then we get into messaging,and that is like I want them to
literally have a tangiblewritten down on a piece of paper

(48:00):
here like five to sevenstatements that are like my
belief statements, my permissionslip for my audience, what I
believe, because to me, that isthe thing that has allowed me to
just show up on social media,do the thing I need to do, get
off of, get offline.
Do a web page with sales copy,get offline.

(48:22):
Like that clarity and thatpractical clarity is what has
really made my business, hasallowed my business to be soft
in terms of like.
It has allowed me to be verystrategic to know exactly how I
want to show up and then to knowthat my business is working for
me because it has that clarityand that strategy when I am not

(48:44):
working on my business.
So we get, we go really like Iam like committed, like I push
them hard because there's a lotof confusion with messaging.
You start to describe your work.
You don't really get to theheart of it.
And then we get into strategybecause I love both things, like
I love the heart, I love themessaging, but I also, like can
totally geek out about like,okay, let's, what's it going to

(49:06):
look like to relaunch yourInstagram account now?
Like, what does that need tolook like?
What does that content looklike?
What's it going to look like tobuild your email list and then
you know.
So that's the kind of work likeit starts with, the work we
skip or the work that's hard,that maybe we don't want to do,
and that messaging clarity which, no matter where you are in
your business, like some peoplecome in and they're just

(49:28):
starting.
Some people come in and theyhave a book out already and they
have a thriving podcast andthey're like man, I just am
struggling.
I don't know what my message is, despite all this other stuff.

Speaker 2 (49:39):
So I would think, almost like the people who have
the book and the, I would almostthink that they struggle more
because they've had moreopportunities for people around
them to tell them who theyshould be.

Speaker 1 (49:49):
You know if you want to sell this book if you want to
.

Speaker 2 (49:52):
you know, got to be like them over there.
Yeah, Interesting.

Speaker 1 (49:55):
Yeah, and I think too , like for this one person in
particular.
She was like I have this book,I have this podcast, but I don't
know like how to say it, like Idon't know how to.
She struggled with Instagram.
She struggled with her website,she struggled with the courses
she wanted to create.
She's like I just don't, youknow, I don't know how I want to
show up and how I want to like.
People aren't getting.

(50:15):
It is what she felt like, likeshe was doing all the things and
it was still missing the mark.

Speaker 2 (50:19):
And I feel like, even if you don't struggle to see
the mark, and I feel like, evenif you don't struggle, this
would be such a great.
It's a group program.
Right, you open your doorsclosed.
Right, you offer it throughoutthe year.

Speaker 1 (50:33):
It's 12 weeks.
We meet every other weekbecause it's soft.
So I want you to have time todo the work.
I don't want it to snowballLike.
I'm really big on like givingyou space to do the work.

Speaker 2 (50:38):
So it's a 12 week group program.
I feel like, even if you don'tlike, even if you don't identify
with, like oh yeah, mymessaging is a mess, and da, da,
da, da, I feel like this isjust such a great program to
look into and to see, like, justas like a professional
development and personaldevelopment piece.
Even if you don't, on paper,feel like, oh yeah, I struggle

(51:02):
with this, like this will helpyou work, no matter.
I feel like every businessowner, this will help because
it's just a real high levelmethodology and approach to
looking at your messaging andwho you are.
Differently and, yes, likewhether you want to change the
world or not, I do think we puta lot of emphasis on like, oh,
I'm going to take this Instagramclass or I'm going to take this
Reels class.

(51:23):
Like we put a lot of emphasison technical trainings instead
of, like learning a product orlearning a program, learning a
new app, you know, becauseInstagram tells us we have to do
something instead of looking atthe deep, doing the deeper work
, like there's not a lot ofplaces out there saying like, oh
yeah, you should go do thisdeeper work.

Speaker 1 (51:43):
that will help your business, you know, like it's
like oh, I should take like abookkeeping class or something
yeah, exactly I, and honestly,like I really that that is one
of the things that when I talkabout soft business school, that
I really try to remind people,because I think that when, let's
say, instagram, instagram isn'tworking or we're not getting
clients like we like, weautomatically go to like.

(52:10):
Ok, well, maybe my reels aretoo long or maybe I'm not using
the right trending audio, ormaybe I need to learn to write
better captions and I'm likewell, actually you have a
messaging problem and you don'tknow.
You know that you're notstanding out, because, really,
when we get this clarity, that'show we stand out Really, when
we get this clarity, that's howwe stand out.
That's how people are like whoa, there's something different
about this business coach thanthe 45 other business coaches
that I follow.
So I think you're exactly right.

(52:32):
We often look for the strategyfix without doing this deeper
work or worse.
And I think this work I do thiswork all the time.
I always do the stuff rightbefore I teach it again.
Like I revisit it twice a yearfor my own business Like it's so
important that we're constantlywe get more refined, we get
more clarity.
You know it just is constantlyimproving.

(52:54):
So it's not a one and done kindof thing either.
It's just so valuable and it'sit really does make everything
easier.

Speaker 2 (53:03):
I love this conversation so much, molly, I
want to ask you one other thingthat seems kind of just sort of
technical, but I feel like Itouched on it a little bit
earlier, but it's something elsethat happened in your business
that I've been watching is Ifeel like you've had a lot more
speaking engagements, a lot more.
You just spoke at Create andcultivate, which, hello,

(53:25):
congratulations.
That's like a pretty alt summitalt summit, alt summit.
Thank you, alt summit not createand cultivate.
I've been like living in thecreate and cultivate world
because I'm fascinated withtheir.
Do you follow?
Do you follow their story ofthem?
Yes, they like sold thebusiness, got the business back.
I mean, like the wholestructure of their business is
like from a business.
Story is so fascinating to mewith the founder Alt Summit,

(53:50):
which that's a hugeaccomplishment, I think, for any
like creative business ownerwho follows what that summit
does and who it brings togetherand who's been, who spoke there
together and who's been whospoke there, what do you think
has contributed to your abilityto book out those type of
speaking engagements and gettingin front of those types of
audiences?

(54:10):
Do you think it's your, do youthink it's having the very, very
specific messaging or do youthink what do you think it is?

Speaker 1 (54:18):
yeah, I mean not to like be the broken record, but
honestly, like it is, like it is, because I have this clarity on
what is important to me and how, what.
How I'm different.
You know, if I was coming inthere as a business coach who
wanted to teach women how tobuild a more successful business
, you know that's not going tostand out, but I have this

(54:39):
passion.

Speaker 2 (54:40):
There's like 2000 of them.
That's driven by my beliefs.

Speaker 1 (54:42):
Yeah, yeah, exactly Like if you're coming to teach
email marketing, you're going tohave to get in line behind 40
other people who also want toteach email marketing, you know.
So for me, it really.
I think I feel so confident inmy message that it's easy for me
to pitch, easier for me topitch myself.
Not that I'm like misconfidenceCause listen, I was writing

(55:02):
this morning about my ownimposter syndrome, so let's be
real.

Speaker 2 (55:06):
Oh yeah, good.

Speaker 1 (55:07):
Yeah, yeah, it's not, it's not fixed.
I don't want to give a falsenarrative, but I think it is
that clarity, like I know themessage I want to share and I
think, because it's coming fromthe real work that I've done,
it's very authentic and it'sdifferent, and it is sort of

(55:28):
like going against what we'vebeen told and what I think we're
over, like we're exhausted.
We don't want to hustle, wedon't want that.
We know there's got to be abetter way.

Speaker 2 (55:37):
So I think it is that personal message really
personal for people, which Ithink if I take a workshop on
email marketing, that may notfeel so personal, which I think
that's, that's like the deeperplace.
I think it's easy to forsomeone to be like oh molly can
talk on stages because she has20 000 followers or whatever.
You know what I mean.
Like, like.
I think it's easy to see thesevanity metrics like oh, natalie,

(56:00):
who you and I love so much,natalie, obviously she has
70,000 followers, she's gonna beable to go speak blah blah.
She's on jenna kutcher'spodcast.
I just saw that.

Speaker 1 (56:11):
Which yeah, which she's also, if you don't know.

Speaker 2 (56:14):
And people don't know .
Natalie frank was also like oneof jenna kutcher's first
podcast guests original.

Speaker 1 (56:19):
I know original.

Speaker 2 (56:20):
She's like an og, she's like an og podcast guest,
so like, so this is, and she'smight have been on there since
then.
But it's like, oh, yeah, ofcourse she's gonna do that
because she, she has like 80 000.
Like we're so attached becauseI think of our own insecurities
around our own stuff that it'seasy, kind of like we were
saying before with, like theweight thing.
Like, oh, that person she's theit factor, right, she's the

(56:41):
factor.
And then she also has all thesevanity metrics.
Of course they're going to getthese opportunities.
But it's like, well, wait aminute.
Like, yes, but maybe not.
Like, also, how is your?
Who are you in the world?
Like, who are you first andforemost?
Like, what's, what's your?
What's the message?
Like, what are you?
What systems are you working onchanging?
Like, how are you a thoughtleader in this space?

(57:03):
Like, I don't want to be knownas a business coach.
I will be so, so happy whensomeone.
The last time someone asks melike a question about Instagram,
I will, and then never, everagain, I will feel like I've
truly arrived in the world, youknow.

Speaker 1 (57:19):
For me it's Instagram tips.

Speaker 2 (57:21):
Whenever someone's like Molly has great instagram
tips, I'm like oh gosh no, no,well, I mean it's deeper than
that I mean, you do, you do,you're like well, actually no,
no, no, but I mean, I bring youout with the candy.
Yeah, I give you the vegetablesI know that's not the yeah,
that's not.
That's not how I see you in theworld, that's not how I relate

(57:43):
to your content, but, yeah, Iwant to be like, I want to be
deeply.
If there's ever a mom in theworld who is struggling in her
business and she feels alone andshe doesn't feel seen and she
feels like the corporate systemis rigged for working moms and
she feels like she's missing out, if she ever feels like

(58:03):
everyone else has a village andshe doesn't for some reason and
there's something wrong with herbecause she doesn't have a
village, I want someone to belike oh yeah, you know who.
You should know, you shouldknow me from others, like
they're here for you.
Not even like, oh, you shouldknow Mariah, like that's the
whole.
Next iteration of my brand islike not even it's not about me.
You know it's about us together.

(58:24):
You know can't have a meetup ifno one's there.
It's just me myself and I.
But I think, uh, I think it'sbeen really fun to watch you
know these places that you knowyou're getting to speak and and
how.
That, how that sort of willcontinue to unfold for you and
your business, becauseultimately, it's spreading the

(58:48):
mission of what you're doing,which is just so necessary.
So I think it's just so fun andI love that you're in Maryland.
I just love it Like gonna bebest friends.

Speaker 1 (58:59):
We need to, it's gonna happen.
We need to hook up.
I know we're not far at all Iknow, east coast, everything's
close I know people say that incalifornia too.

Speaker 2 (59:08):
They're like, oh, I'm just gonna drive to san diego
for the weekend and it's likenine hours, and so, like my
relativity of like what's close,because californians are like
the ultimate road trippers, so,anyways, like, oh, we're gonna
go to tahoe this weekend realquick for 24 hours.
It's like five hours withtraffic, anyways.
Well, where can people find you?
Any last sort of tip, like anyInstagram tips?

(59:28):
No, I'm just kidding.

Speaker 1 (59:30):
Any Instagram tips?
Great.
Let's leave it on that one.

Speaker 2 (59:33):
I'm just kidding.
Any like words of wisdom thatyou want to, any last thoughts
you want to just like leave withour listeners.
And then I want to make surepeople know where to find you.
I'll link it all in the shownotes.
But you know, you know the good, the good to your horn stuff.

Speaker 1 (59:45):
Yeah, I will say, just as you were saying like oh
well, she's getting all thosethings because she has a big
following or you know all ofthat stuff.
I always tell this story thatlike it's as if you're having a
party and your followers arehave already said yes, I'm
coming to your party.
They are standing in yourkitchen.
I've heard you say this I loveyou know, yeah they're standing

(01:00:07):
in your kitchen ready to hangout with you.
And when we are really focusedon our followers, it's like we
are standing on the porchlooking out trying to see who
else we can bring into our party, when there's all these people
who are like hey, we're here, wecame here for you.
Like you know, you're ignoringall those people that are
already there at your party.
So, like I always tell thatstory because I think it's so

(01:00:29):
important to remember like wehave these people who have
already said yes and who arethere standing in our kitchen
waiting for us.
I love.

Speaker 2 (01:00:37):
Instagram stories so much.
It's why I like live in stories, because I'm like those are my
followers, my stories arefollowers, like my Instagram
posts.
Yeah, my followers will hardlysee that content based on the
algorithm and really the postsare get new followers, but it's
like anyway, so I, I, I lovethat.
I love that analogy.

Speaker 1 (01:00:54):
Yeah, a hundred percent.
So yeah, and I think that and Ijust think, like you are the
niche like do that work, work,find what is fueling who you've
become as a person and a human,and the work that you want to do
.
And it will make such adifference whether you do that
work on your own, whether you dothe work in soft business
school, whatever it is like.

(01:01:15):
You will not regret it.
That like time set aside, sitdown and write, you know, and
you will be surprised what comesup and what you find and that
work is just so valuable.
It's not necessarily the most,you know, it's not the easy work
, it's not the sexy work,because it's not like your logo
and your colors, and but it isthe most important work, I think

(01:01:37):
, for sure to have a softbusiness.

Speaker 2 (01:01:40):
I love it so much.
Molly, I appreciate you in thiswhole conversation and just
your transparency andvulnerability and just sharing
in a way that feels so honest.
I think it's.
I hope anyone who's listeninghas had some like ahas and maybe
some little permission slips oftheir own.
And, if you have, give Molly afollow and send her a DM and let

(01:02:01):
her know that you found herthrough the made for mothers
world and, um, I can't wait toconnect more and I can't wait to
see what, what, where you'regoing next and what you're going
next, and I think I want to dosoft business school.
I think it would be really funfor my own, for my own, like the
whatever I'm building over hereand how to stay even more
rooted in it.

(01:02:23):
You know it's so easy to beyanked out with shiny object
syndrome constantly, so, anyways, well, thank you so much for
being here and I can't wait toconnect again and everyone for
listening.
Thank you so much and we willtalk to you soon.
Yay, you just finished anotherepisode of the made for mothers

(01:02:44):
podcast.
As always, you can find moredetails about today's show in
the show notes and be sure togive us a review.
Subscribe so you don't miss achance to grow your biz from
fellow moms.
Are you wanting more one-on-onesupport or are you looking to
learn how to market yourbusiness in a way so you can
spend more time with your familyand less time stressing about

(01:03:05):
what to do next?
Then follow along on Instagramat Mariah Stockman, or book a
one-on-one biz therapy sessionwith yours truly, and let's find
that work mamahood harmony weall deserve.
Until next time, this is yourhost, mariah Stockman, and thank
you so much for tuning in.