Ep. 59 with Alyssa Johantgen | Founder and Owner, Milk & Honey Tallow Co - Reclaiming Your Hue: A Podcast for Women Rediscovering Themselves in Motherhood & Entrepreneurship

Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:01):
Good morning, alyssa.
Good morning.
How are you?
I'm good.
How are you?
I'm good, I'm so excited.
I'm so excited to have you here.
I'm very excited to be here,and maybe a little nervous too,
but here's what I always tellguests, no matter what it's your
story.
You know what I mean and nobodyknows your story better than

(00:23):
you.
So let's go ahead and dive in.
Okay, first thing.
First, let's share with thelisteners how it is that we got
connected.
I would love for you to sharethat.

Speaker 2 (00:32):
Sure.
So a mutual friend of ours,ryan Evanston.
His wife is one of my reallyclose friends and he connected.
He reached out and said youknow, would you be interested in
being on this podcast thattalks about being a mom and an
entrepreneur?

Speaker 1 (01:01):
And I think I hesit oh, fascinating, cause he gave
me just a little briefing onyour history which we'll go,
we'll share with the listenershere too.
It's fascinating, um, but hewas like, yeah, let me just, I'm
waiting to hear back from herand I'll let you know.
And some time did go past and Ifinally nudged him again.

(01:21):
I was like, hey, how, how'sAlyssa doing?
And he was like you know, Ithink I might just facilitate
the introduction.
I think he facilitated theintroduction.

Speaker 2 (01:31):
Didn't he?
Yeah, yeah, I'm glad for thenudge because I um this is
totally outside of my comfortzone, so fair enough.
Yeah, this is something verynew, but I'm excited.
And I am too, yeah, I'm excitedto add podcast to my list of
things.
New, but I'm excited.
I am too, yeah, I'm excited toadd podcast to my list of things
.
I never thought I would do.

Speaker 1 (01:50):
Check, check, yeah, just pushing you outside your
comfort zone.
Well, what came first for you?
Was it motherhood or was itentrepreneurship?

Speaker 2 (01:59):
It was motherhood.
I was still in the corporateworld when my first two kids
were born.
Actually, all three of themwere born while I was working
corporately.

Speaker 1 (02:09):
Okay, and would you mind sharing where it was that
you were working previously?

Speaker 2 (02:22):
Sure.
So I was at Estee Lauder as aformulation chemist and I did
that for about 14 years.
I think, Um, so right out ofschool, um, right out of my
undergrad it was 2009.
So it was the big recession,yeah, and I, I remember, I think
.
I kind of wish I had counted,but I think I had applied to
over a hundred different jobslike easily, maybe probably more

(02:45):
.
My undergrad degree is inbiology and I was looking for
like a medical lab type of job,like I loved being in the lab,
that's what I wanted to do, andit just nobody was hiring.
And so then I get thisinterview, I guess set up um at

(03:12):
Estee Lauder, and so locallyhere in Minnesota it's the Aveda
campus in Blaine, um, and theyare owned by Estee Lauder
interviewed there, got the job,was offered the same day, and
then I think the same day I gota medical lab job offer as well.
And it was like when it rains,it pours, and it was like I am
so glad I made the decision thatI made, Um, you know, not
knowing what it would look like14 years later, but it

(03:36):
completely paved the path towhat where I'm at right now.
And so I did take the Aveda joband, yeah, that was, that was
the where I ended up spending myentire career.

Speaker 1 (03:49):
Much like what we did to just get a little bit more
of like that rich history Right.
And so one I just want to pointout that I was not aware that

(04:10):
Estee Lauder was overheadumbrella company for Aveda, so
that was one of my like learningpoints in our conversation.
Yeah, but I think too it's likethere's so much behind the
scenes that happens for you toget the product that you put on
your skin, that you put on yourface, that you put on your hair.

(04:32):
Yeah, and that was the fun stuffthat you were doing was all of
the formulation and the testingof that.
So could you give a littlebriefing on what that looks like
, because I think that like youmentioned that this really paved
the way for what it is thatyou're doing right now, and so
we'll.
We'll get to that here in justa moment, but I think it's
important to share, like what isit that you?

(04:54):
What is it that really makesAlyssa tick and and revs her
engine, so to speak?

Speaker 2 (05:00):
Um, yeah, it's.
It's one of those things, youknow, when I was fresh out of
college, I was young I also hadnever thought about what went
behind the scenes for theseproducts that you use day to day
.
And, um, for me personally, Ihave a very creative side and I
also have a very analytical side, and so this job just was like

(05:21):
the perfect marriage of both ofthose, um, I guess, strengths or
interests of mine, where I hadthis, you know, chemistry job,
but also super creative, becauseyou do have a lot of creativity
when you're formulating ashampoo or, uh, you know, any
sort of like personal careproduct.
Um, it doesn't have to be, it'snot black and white ever, and

(05:46):
so, yeah, it's.
You know I was at the lab bench, you know, 40 hours a week and
mixing different things and likeseeing what I could come up
with.
And then you know, working for acorporation, obviously, you're
given, you know, an outline ofwhat sort of um you know,
aesthetic properties you need tohit.
But otherwise, I mean I hadlike full creativity for the

(06:09):
most part, I think, throughoutmost of my career, and that was
I.
That is one of the things thatI loved.
So cool.

Speaker 1 (06:17):
So I I like really start to dive into one that the
creativity and the creative side, but also having parameters
around it, Like it really has mybrain wheels going.
I'm like, how does that work?
Like you're offered the, thecapacity and the capability to
be able to be creative, but youalso have parameters.

(06:39):
So did you bump into anythingwhen it came to that?

Speaker 2 (06:45):
Yeah, I think you know it's good to have them,
otherwise you could kind of gocrazy A little rogue.

Speaker 1 (06:53):
Yeah.

Speaker 2 (06:54):
But yeah, it was good in a sense, like you knew kind
of what targets you had to hitand what you were looking for.
And it also made it difficultbecause sometimes you don't
always know what you're going toget.
When you have a formula and ithas, you know, 30 different
ingredients in it, like that's alot of variables that all
interplay and you don't alwayson paper like maybe the

(07:19):
chemistry looks like it shoulddo something, and then you put
it in a beaker and you mix itand it doesn't.
And so it's like and that's partof the fun part, I think, for
me is I really like thatchallenge and the puzzle, like
the solving of the puzzles, alsostressful, like when you're
under the gun for a corporationand you're like this product has
to launch in a year, but theformulation has to be done in

(07:44):
six months.
Sure, you know a year, but ithas to formulation has to be
done, like in six months.

Speaker 1 (07:49):
And sure, sure, there was always like a little bit of
like healthy stress to get thejob done, but I liked that as
well, like yeah oh, I betthere's just so much in terms of
like what that system was like,how you operated within that
system in that corporation, andhow that kind of transcends
across the board for what it isthat you're doing now.

Speaker 2 (08:11):
Right.

Speaker 1 (08:12):
So let's dive into that, and I like I am sure that
the listeners are listeningright now going, oh I've got
questions about this, this, this, and I'm sure we'll kind of
we'll come full circle andanswer some of those this, this,
this and I'm sure we'll kind ofwe'll come full circle and
answer some of those.
I'm so fascinated with what itis that you had formerly been

(08:32):
doing and then how that plays innow.
So let's kind of catch them upto speed on the company that you
have now, and then we're goingto, and then we're really going
to dive into that motherhoodcomponent as well.

Speaker 2 (08:43):
Yeah, sure.
So, um, the company that Istarted about a year ago is
called milk and honey tallowcompany and it is beef tallow
for skincare and it sounds weirdand crazy and maybe gross to
some people.
It did to me.
I was like I'm sort ofsurprised.

(09:05):
I tried it initially and then Itried it and I never went back.
It's amazing, like it, just thething about it is right now it
feels very trendy because it is,but also it's ancestral
skincare, like it is what peoplehave used for, you know,
thousands of years.
And it was only really untilrecently, in like the early

(09:28):
1900s, that skincare first ofall became like kind of a
corporate thing that companieskind of started doing and making
um, but they were using um,like highly processed oils that
were, um, you know, notnecessarily good for the skin,

(09:48):
but they were cheap and theywere becoming readily available
and used for differentindustries, like um, motor, like
an engine, lubricants is what alot of them are used for and
they found that they could usethem for skincare, and so animal
fat skincare definitely likewent to the wayside, and you

(10:12):
know.
Then you had companies poppingup that started making these
products so that you could findit on a shelf in a store, versus
probably making it yourself orgetting it from a neighbor or,
you know, just locally sourcingjust tallow or lard or like lamb
fat for skincare.
So now it seems so foreign tous because we're a hundred years

(10:37):
past, you know, when it waspreviously used.
But the reason it's trendy, Ithink, is not because it's cool
but because it works because itworks.

Speaker 1 (10:49):
So I remember our phone conversation and you
shared.
You shared your storyline oflike getting out of the
corporate position in cominginto what you're doing now, um,
would would you mind sharing whythat transition happened?

Speaker 2 (11:10):
Sure, um so COVID hit and it affected all of us and
my job really shifted umconsiderably.
It was no longer um, it nolonger brought me joy, it was
very stressful.
My position kind of shifted asneeded and a lot of like what

(11:40):
made the company I worked forfun like went away and at the
same time I was pregnant withour third, our third child, and
I had started feeling theprompting to like maybe, maybe I
kind of want to be home and Ihad never felt that with my
first two kids, like they wentto daycare and I, I loved my job

(12:02):
and I was like that was.
It never crossed my mind,honestly, to you know, to stay
home with them and not that Idon't wish that I could have,
because you know you can't everget that time back but I was
very we had like it was just thelife we had was great.
And then something just totallyshifted with that third
pregnancy and I just was like Idon't think I can do this, I

(12:26):
don't think I can work full time, be a mom, be present, and you
know, you know, once you haveyour first, you realize how
quickly that time passes and Ijust I just couldn't give that
time up.
Um, and then, additionally,there was a mandate put in place
throughout the corporation Iwas at and it, yeah, it shifted,

(12:52):
kind of I ended up having somevery serious health
complications within 24 hours ofreceiving the, the jab that was
mandated to keep my job, um,and on top of that, um, I was
pregnant and so I just I wasvery scared, um, and I just the

(13:13):
reason I went, I knew I didn'twant to take it and I wouldn't
have taken it, but I waspregnant and so I had insurance
through my company and my joband my husband we didn't have it
through his job, and so it wasjust very, very stressful to
think about leaving a job.
You know, I think I was sixmonths pregnant, like with no

(13:35):
insurance, and so that really, Ithink that was just one of
those things where it made itvery, very obvious that I needed
to probably like leave, sure,sure, yeah, um.
And so I did end up stayingthrough.
I did give birth while I wasemployed and then, um, shortly

(13:57):
after returning from maternityleave, I just I, I had a very
clear sign that it was just timeto leave.
Um, yeah, I actually had.
I, my faith has been veryinstrumental in that decision
and I probably wouldn't haveleft otherwise.
But I was praying about what todo, because my logical brain

(14:19):
was, like you need to stayemployed, like you need a job
and like you need insurance andthen I'm like, okay, God, I'm
really bad at like listening,like in the quiet, like really
bad at that, like I need a veryclear sign.
And the next day, literally, Iwoke up, I looked out my
bathroom window and there was arainbow that like ended in my

(14:41):
backyard and I could not makethis up.

Speaker 1 (14:44):
I'm like, okay, like, there it is and I think I put
my notice in shortly after sosame day, probably within a week
okay, yeah, yeah, I was like,yeah, she built up the courage,
everyone, she built up thecourage.
But I I love that you're notthe first person to be on this
podcast where, whether it be asign from God or whatever their

(15:09):
guiding principle is, in life,there's this misalignment that
ends up happening, and it'softentimes triggered by
pregnancy right right um, or orperhaps there's another pivotal

(15:30):
moment in life, and maybe it's a.
It's a, a dramatic, a traumaticspeed bump of some sorts, but
oftentimes it is triggered bypregnancy, yeah, and the
hormones and all that stuff.
And it's like I get theseflashbacks of one, like being
being in the midst of COVID.
I was, I was dating somebodyelse at the time, but not not

(15:54):
married, didn't have kids, andso I I feel this sympathy, I
guess, is where I'm trying to gowith this Now, having a family,
having two bonus boys, havingmy daughter, and literally
hearing the stories of women whohave, who went through COVID,

(16:15):
either your circumstance whereyou already had kids, but then
you're you're on your thirdpregnancy and all of a sudden
you've got this mandate that'sput into place, and there's so
many other individuals that fallin that category.
But then you have the familiesthat you know were cooped up at
home and had to work, operate abusiness or or work their nine

(16:41):
to five while also having theirkids at home and doing this
balancing act with their kidsand their homework and Zoom and
all that stuff.
And I'm like I cannot evenimagine.
I can't empathize to it, but Ican sympathize to it.
Now doing this reflectionbackwards and going what the

(17:04):
heck Layer on top of that havingthis mandate?
You're already like high levelof stress from being pregnant,
but then somebody telling you bythe way, in order for you to
keep your position with us, thisis required.

Speaker 2 (17:25):
It's mandatory and you're like.

Speaker 1 (17:29):
Since when did they all of a sudden mandate us to
get vaccinations?
To do this to do that Wild.

Speaker 2 (17:38):
It's just wild.

Speaker 1 (17:39):
Looking backwards now , I think all of us are like
we're kind of coming up out ofthe fog, so to speak, and going
why?

Speaker 2 (17:48):
did we tolerate this?
I don't know.
And a lot of people I mean somany people had an awakening
during those four years.
I think of COVID.
My principles are different.
My values are stronger.
I'm not afraid to stand on themnow where I was before.
I'm not ever going to let thethreat of a job loss ever force

(18:11):
me into a decision that I don'tagree with ever again.
And as a scientist, I pushedback and said there's no science
backing this thing up, becauseyou've never administered it to
pregnant women and gone throughtheir whole pregnancy.

Speaker 1 (18:28):
And yeah, it was just absolutely wild, like so I, um,
and not that we need to to gointo a deep dive about COVID and
vaccinations.
I just want to level set withyou, alyssa, because I, um, I
knew that I, I think, and I, Ithink I shared set with you,
alyssa, because I, um, I knewthat I, I think, and I, I think
I shared this with you too onour phone call.

(18:49):
I knew that I wanted to havekids and I literally had that
thought reoccurringly goingthrough my brain, like it was on
, like this vicious cycle oflike, well, if I take this
vaccination, if I, if I get this, how can that impact my ability

(19:10):
down the road to get pregnant?
Will it?
Yeah, because nobody knows,nobody knows, yeah, nobody.
I was terrified, like I remembergoing to get that first jab and
crying afterwards because I waslike, and I almost didn't go,

(19:30):
yeah, and I wish I wouldn't have, because I mean, who knows,
like, really, what the long-termimpacts of that is going to
actually look like for us?
Yeah, who knows?
But you, you firsthandexperienced.
So what were some of the thingsthat you experienced after your
first vaccination?

Speaker 2 (19:50):
Um, I had serious heart issues and, yeah, I it was
hard to like give an officialdiagnosis because I was pregnant
.
There was some um screeningsthat they didn't recommend
because I was pregnant but yeah,it was presumed myocarditis,

(20:18):
and I suffered the rest of mypregnancy with chest pain.
And then when you had your child, did it go away?
Um, it has slowly dissipated.
Um.
I still get occasionalflare-ups, um, and I don't know
if that was my officialdiagnosis.
I have not.
I don't know.

(20:38):
Um, I don't think anyone knowsenough to know what yeah.
I, I it's kind of a mystery andI'm just to the point where I'm
like I'm doing the best I can,with you know, doing being
healthy and letting my body heal.
I pray, and yeah, prayer.

Speaker 1 (21:00):
I tell you, yeah, so I do.
Um, I want to take a step backto being in that corporate
setting, because this is, I mean, being in a corporate
environment, and harmonizingthat with motherhood presents
its own set of challenges.
I don't want to completely like, overlook or, um dismiss how

(21:26):
that may have looked for you.
So can we, can we go back tothat moment in time when you
were doing, doing this teeteringof um, that harmonization with
work life balance, so to speak?

Speaker 2 (21:42):
Yeah, um, you know, definitely, before our third was
born, um, it was becomingharder to balance, like as our
kids, scott, it's hard whenthey're little, cause they need
you and then they get a littleolder and it just becomes hard
in a different way, like theywere you know, starting little

(22:03):
sports like little you know like, when they were three and four
and five.
And so you have that and thenyou know you find yourself
coming out of the fog of likethe baby stage and like you can
start doing fun things again.
It's like, well, we don'treally have time to do the fun
things because you know, myhusband and I both work full
time and then the weekends, ifwe're not home, doing laundry

(22:24):
and grocery shopping and cookingfor the week, like that, if we
go do something fun, none ofthat gets done, it takes away.
When you say yes to something,you're saying no to something
else Exactly, and so I just feltlike I was just constantly
behind.
I just it was just a struggleLike it's I don't know and it,

(22:45):
um, I think it was getting hard.
And then we were pregnant withour third and then, despite all
the medical stuff and everythingthat stress like, I started
thinking I'm like how the heckare we supposed to like?
It's already hard.
And now we're adding another,you know, baby to the family and
like, like something has togive and it just, it was
honestly this, you know, baby tothe family and like, like

(23:05):
something has to give and itjust, it was honestly this.
You know, I'll tell you, Ithought I would retire from that
job that I had.
I loved it up until COVID.
Like I was very content, likein my field of work and the
company I worked for, and thensuddenly I wasn't, and it was a
weird shift to say, like all ofthese signs, like all the things

(23:29):
that brought me joy, like nowbring me stress, and all the
things you know with my kids,like I'm not enjoying my time
with them when I do have it, andthen I miss out on all the
great stuff, like you hear about, you know, all the cute things
they did at daycare, and it'slike, well, I really wish I was
the one who was with them, andso all of it's like everything

(23:53):
suddenly shifted within like asix month period to point away
from what we were, how we wereliving and the you know the jobs
we had.
And it was just strange becauseI didn't ever, I never thought
that I'd, I never had considered, you know, not continuing down

(24:13):
the path we were, we were living, and then all of a sudden it
was yeah, it was so obvious.

Speaker 1 (24:20):
Yeah Well, and you had a clear sign from God.

Speaker 2 (24:24):
Yeah.
And then that was just likeokay, had a clear sign from God,
yeah.
And then to talk, that was justlike hey, alyssa, I'm speaking
to you, this is your sign,literally, but I do.

Speaker 1 (24:30):
I do love that.
You had that very clearindicator and I think that so
many women who have been on herehave have talked to those
moments in time, whether it wasa very clear sign or they're
doing the um, connecting thedots backwards and going.
That was it, and I just was solike in the weeds that I

(24:57):
couldn't even see it.
But now I, now I understand,looking back, like God would he
kept planting all of theselittle breadcrumbs for you to
get there and for some peoplelike you, it's like just like
that, and you asked, youliterally asked for it, and I
think that oftentimes that isjust.
It's just sometimes so simpleLike you, ask God for something

(25:18):
and he will deliver it.

Speaker 2 (25:20):
He may not deliver it in the way that you thought he
was going to, but he alwaysdelivers for sure.

Speaker 1 (25:29):
So, and I think, too, there is really something to be
said for us as women, whetherit's something that's
consciously there orsubconsciously, like you do not
want to miss out on thosemoments, no matter what.
And if we have the opportunityto make a pivot, like why not

(26:01):
the cord with my corporatemortgage position, even though
in the mortgage world, youreally are operating 100%
commission and you develop yourbusiness however you want to.
So there's a lot of parallelswith entrepreneurship and them

(26:25):
being in that mortgage space orin real estate, so to speak.
But it took me a very, verylong time to finally go okay,
it's time, it's time and,honestly, it's because of all of
you women and hearing thestories, the inspiration, the,

(26:47):
the like, leaps of faith andlike just stepping into
braveness and boldness and going, all right, it's time, okay.
So, speaking of braveness andboldness, you put in your notice
.
And then what happened?

Speaker 2 (27:01):
And then what happened?
Um, I don't know, it wasterrifying.

Speaker 1 (27:07):
I don't know Like it was.

Speaker 2 (27:15):
It was not like, oh, how fun I'm like home now, you
know, and on one hand, yeah,like I'm home with my little
baby and that's amazing, butthen I'm like what did I do?
Like I gave up this incrediblecareer like just something I
loved and great benefits, andthen I said no to it and I
walked away and, to be honest,like I don't really feel like I

(27:38):
came into myself as like a stayat home mom, fully, fully, like
I kind of had an identity crisis, like it was talk about very
real.
Um, it was honestly like inhindsight, I can see how I was
like in the darkness of thevalley and how I was being led

(27:58):
out into the light, like that's.
It's obvious.
Now and at the time, though,I'm like this is who I've been
like, this is what I'veidentified with.
Like if you would ask me likewhat something about myself,
like my job would be, what Iwould tell you about, like yeah,
not about anything about me,because I'm like I don't even
know if I even like had apersonality anymore.

(28:19):
Like because I was.
You know, you're like go towork and then you're a mom and
you're just busy and tired andthen that's like your life.
And so I came out of working andbasically overnight, like my
community was gone, like Ididn't see my friends at work
anymore and I no longer was thisyou know chemist, who I'd been

(28:46):
for 14 years and we had moved.
At the time we also had built anew house, we were in a brand
new neighborhood that we had.
So I'm like I don't know myneighbors and it's COVID, so
nobody, we're not going to meetthem.
That was 2020.
And I don't know.
It was just like a really, andI don't know if I ever

(29:06):
questioned I don't think Iquestioned that I made the right
choice, but it led me into anew life.
That was also not easy.
And now I'm home right, likeand it's great and anyone who
stays home with their kids knowslike it's so hard Like to the
point where I told my husband'mlike can we trade?
Can I go to work for 40 hours aweek?

(29:27):
And like you stay home with thebaby, because I'm like you can
have peace and quiet, you canlike get some stuff done and
like um.
So it was honestly hard for meto enjoy it and I don't know I
was grateful and I did enjoy it.
I don't know.
I was grateful and I did enjoyit.
I don't know, it's like a weird.
I was just a weird place.

Speaker 1 (29:47):
I get it Super weird, like I get it again all levels
set with you.
There was a period of time wherewe home with Maddie maybe one
or two days a week, while alsotrying to answer phone calls and

(30:17):
do mortgage applications andcater to her needs as well, and
I was like what the heck?
I was so grateful for thoselittle moments in between.
But when when because I canidentify with like this identity
crisis that was happening right, like when I cut the cord, it

(30:39):
was deeply personal for me.
I was so tied to who I wasbefore because I thought that I
would continue to do mortgage Inever truly loved it, which was
really interesting, but Ithought, oh, I could do this, I
could keep doing this it's good,you know, like we make good
money and like combined we makereally good money.

(31:03):
But I always identified likethat way working, working,
working all the time.
And then in the mortgageindustry it was working all the
time, sun up to sun down.
And so when that shift happenedand I shifted away, I was like

(31:27):
I shifted away, I was like holycats and dogs.

Speaker 2 (31:28):
Who am I?

Speaker 1 (31:28):
But it really first started when I had Maddie and I
was like, do I want to stay athome?
And when I got a taste of thatstay at home, I was like I had
such a fond, fond, deepappreciation for anybody that is
full time som stay at home mom.
Fond appreciation Because I'mlike this is not for the faint
of heart and anybody that likespeaks to stay at home moms, as

(31:53):
if it's some easy walk in thepark.
You are so off base.
It is so, so challenging in avery different way.
Yeah, mentally, yeah, mentallychallenging.
You're on 24 seven.

Speaker 2 (32:09):
Yes, there's no taking a break.

Speaker 1 (32:11):
100%, yeah, but yeah, like that, that time period.
I mean I was so grateful tohave support from um.
Both of our parents are mothers, so my mother-in-law and then
my mom were amazing support umnetworks, like support people

(32:33):
for us during that time period.
But even even so, it was doingthis like balancing act with
their schedules too and likesometimes they wouldn't be able
to make it and that would throwa little curve ball in the whole
mix for the schedule, right,yeah, so it's like you have to
be malleable and flexible and beable to ebb and bend and flow

(32:57):
in all different ways, shapesand forms.
Yeah, for the listeners, likewe're, we're literally listening
.
I are literally like doingthese eyebrow raises at each
other.
Like you get it.

Speaker 2 (33:08):
I got it, I got it.

Speaker 1 (33:09):
Yep, we got it, we understand, and I'm sure that
there are many individuals whoare listening right now.
They're like yes, you get it,you understand.
So that was back in 2020.
It's 2025, 2025, so we've got abit of a gap here.
Let's talk about what all ofthat looked like yeah, so let's

(33:34):
see 20.

Speaker 2 (33:34):
So 2020 was let's see 2021, I think is when I had the
medical incident and then mydaughter was born early 2022.
And then I put my notice inNovember of 2022.
So then I took a year, um, ofjust like redefining myself, um,

(33:59):
and I just I feel like I grewin so many areas because I
finally had the bandwidth to andthe time and like I don't know
the I don't know, it was justsuch a weird season that I
actually did self-reflect and Ithink it was out of necessity
because I was just like who am I?
Like my whole identity was likegone and, um, I actually grew

(34:28):
exponentially in my faith.
Like that's really when myfaith kicked in and I don't
think that that's a coincidenceand I don't think it's anything
that I like did other than juststarting to dig um, but I think
God was there, obviously thewhole time, but he's like okay,
like now you're like, you'relistening, like you're ready,

(34:50):
and so I started realizing howcritical my faith was and how I
needed to rely on that to makemy decisions and not on my own
understanding, and so that washuge.
And then it was like I and thissounds corny, but like I
picture that time as like a tinyflower bud like that started to

(35:15):
open up and I became like who Ihave always been, but like who
I didn't know who I was like.
And I started like coming intomyself and like we made great
friends, like in all thesecommunities, like neighborhood
and their kids' school and ourchurch, and like all of a sudden
we had these like reallyprofoundly impactful, healthy

(35:39):
friendships in our lives, likereally good people that I'm just
like where have you been likeall my life?
Like really incredible friends.
Um, and then like I kind of cameinto myself as a mom and like
who you know, who would I wantto be?
Like I don't want to be thismom that just like drops you off
at school and like then I putyou to bed like an hour after we
get home because we're busy,and like I want to be there,

(36:02):
like I want to be present, andso what does that look like?
Like what do I have to changeand even to become less selfish
about my own time and what Iwant to do and pour into them?
Um, and so I feel like I hadwork to do there and then I was
getting bored, like a little bitmentally, like I was like I

(36:24):
don't have these like puzzles tosolve anymore, like I don't
know, like I don't know if I canjust be a stay-at-home mom,
like what I don't know.
Like what does my future looklike like, besides being present
for my children?
Like I need a little bitsomething else to do, and I
didn't know what that was for awhile.

(36:45):
And then this little businessthat now exists like was born
overnight.
Like I, um had been usingtallow myself for like five
years, and I'll tell you this isreally funny looking back, but,
um, working for Estee Lauder, Iwas mainly on the Aveda brand,

(37:08):
which is vegan, and so, withinworking there, like you couldn't
wear feathers, you couldn'twear leather, you couldn't wear
like any animal products, likecause it went against the
integrity of the brand beingvegan and I was using tallow,
and so I'm like I can't tellanybody at work that I'm like
using beef tallow like as myskincare.

(37:30):
I'm not using Aveda, I'm notusing Estee Lauder products
anymore, which, to be honest,had never really worked for me,
and like I just thought I was,there was something wrong with
my skin or whatever, and so Iremember joking with my husband.
I'm like if I ever quit andthis was like five years, this
is like pre COVID Like if I everwere to quit my job, which I

(37:51):
didn't think I would.
I'm like I think I need to likemake beef tallow skincare and
like it was just so funny to meat the time, cause I'm like here
I am on this vegan brand andI'm, like you know, completely
using plant-based materials, andI just remember I was like, oh,
it'd be so funny because Iloved it, like it was amazing.

(38:12):
And I've been using Talo.
I did not know it was trendy.

Speaker 1 (38:19):
I didn't realize it was trendy.

Speaker 2 (38:21):
But I didn't realize it was trendy.
I just knew I had been using itand the brand I was using was
okay, like I don't think it waswell formulated, like it had
some issues, but I didn't care.
Like it was, I'm like I don'tknow, I don't like I don't have
access to like tallow, like youknow it's fine and my skin looks

(38:42):
amazing.
Um, so I'm going to keep usingit.
And then I was like well, whatif I start like making stuff at,
like my own tallow products,like how I like them, like a
little, maybe nice, more nicelyformulated, and like just for
like my own use at home, likethat might give me that outlet
to be creative and like havesomething to do like besides

(39:04):
laundry and making meals andstuff?
And then my husband was likewell then, why don't you just
sell it, like make it and makingmeals and stuff?
And then my my husband was likewell then, why don't you just
sell it?
Like make it and sell it?
Like, if you're going to makeit and formulate it like, maybe
there are other people thatmight like to hallow?
And I was like oh yes.
And it got the wheels spinningand literally this was a
conversation.
It was like it was like January1st, like the timing like was

(39:27):
so bizarre Really, and I waslike it wasn't a new year's
resolution by any stretch, itwas just us having conversation.
And then the next day, like Itook off running, like I
registered the business, yes, Iwas like I'm going to do this,
like it felt so right, and I'mlike I've never run a small
business, like I have no ideawhat I'm doing, like how?

Speaker 1 (39:49):
do you open a bank account Like?

Speaker 2 (39:51):
or like I don't know, like nothing, like I, like,
knew nothing.
All I knew was like I haddecided to do this and I never
looked back, and so that wasJanuary of 2024.
And we launched, I think,officially in May or June of
2024.
So we're coming up on our oneyear anniversary.

Speaker 1 (40:13):
Awesome.
And what's so incredible,alyssa, is in that period of
time.
Look at the exposure thatyou've had and how the brand
itself has built Like I'm, I'm,I'm all in.
Like I've got my lip butter, mypeppermint lip butter.

(40:36):
It's so funny I always have.
Like, since I got it, I'llalways be sitting here and I'm
so addicted to it, Like this hasalways been my thing is like
I'm always putting something onmy lips and I'm like opening
this up, putting it on while I'mtalking to the guest.
Nobody else can hear.
You probably can't even tellthat I'm putting it on right now

(40:57):
, or maybe you can cause I'mthat close.
But then I always think, oh,can they hear me putting the cap
back on?
Maybe, maybe, as I drop it.
Now you can know.
But, or now you know.
But I am like so in love withthe face cream, and what I love
is, um, I had accessibility toyou right, like I had your cell

(41:21):
phone number so I could go.
Alyssa, okay, do you ever doconsultations with people in
terms of, like the products thatthey're using right now and
then how to mix this in with it?
And you were literally like no,no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no,
no, like this replaces all ofit, and I was like all of it and

(41:42):
you're like, yeah, I mean likeplay around with it.
I think is kind of what youalluded to, like, you know, play
around with what works, whatdoesn't work.
But I just remember, likeordering it and I mean it's not
cheap by any stretch of the Idid was it's literally replacing

(42:03):
seven other products.
Yeah, yeah, that are more thanwhat I just spent on this bottle
of face cream.
Yeah, this jar of face cream.
I should say it's so incredible, like I am such a believer.

(42:27):
And then take it a step further.
There's another gal who's beenon the podcast and I think I had
mentioned, um, her, it's her.
Now I'm totally drawing a blank.
It's.
She's married to this gal'sbrother and, um, they have a
farm it's a regenerative farmand so she gets all of like

(42:53):
their dairy, like their egg,their eggs, their milk, um,
their beef, from this farm.
And then what she decided to doshe's gonna make her own towel.
So she had me try.
The towel was like I think I'llstick with the tallow that I've
got because one, it smells goodand it's like formulated by a

(43:14):
chemist.
So I think we're just going tostick with this and not upset
the apple cart, so to speak.
But I just am so floored atwhat you have created.
Um, floored at what you havecreated and it's all in such

(43:36):
alignment to like who you are asa person while also serving on
the health side too, like thistruly is by and far an
incredibly healthy product thatyou're putting on your skin,
that, as your skin is soaking itin.
You're not having these weirdresponses to it.

Speaker 2 (43:55):
Right, yeah, yeah, I mean, what I love about it is
like, like you said, thesimplicity.
It's natural, and even a lot ofthese natural companies, many
of whom I've worked for, um,there are not always great
things put in the formulas.
Um, you know, and if you have aformulation that has water in

(44:15):
it, you have to preserve it,right?
So preservatives are not goodfor the skin.
There's no such thing as anatural preservative, um, with
the caveat maybe of like, thereare some, like rosemary or
oregano extracts, that, but theymake your product smell
terrible, so there's nothinggreat.
Um, it's probably like the Holygrail, like the natural

(44:37):
skincare formulation.
Um, industry is like a naturalpreservative but, with that
being said, so tallow, there'sno water in these formulas, so
there's no need for apreservative.
You can't, you're not going toget mold or fungus or whatever,
um, and so that even still, it'slike even that much healthier.
Even though these otherproducts are natural, they're
not necessarily good for you,and so I think it's easy to

(45:00):
conflate natural with.
You know, great for your skin,but there are a lot of um
natural ingredients that I wouldnever recommend to put on the
skin, and they're in almostevery lotion and serum, and I
would love for you to just, um,maybe dive into that a little
bit more so that the list causeI'm.

Speaker 1 (45:22):
I know that the listeners are going.
Well, what are they?
I want to know.

Speaker 2 (45:26):
Yeah, I mean so maybe rattle off just a few.
So like preservatives, like Isaid, not great perfume
fragrance, these are syntheticfragrances that really.
I think there is amplescientific evidence to back up
that these are endocrinedisruptors.
They probably do other things.
They're not.

(45:46):
And your skin is your largestorgan.
So what you put on your skin isabsorbed, and I kind of equate
it to kind of what you put inyour mouth, right, like what you
eat and what you put on yourskin are the two things.
I would you know if you're goingto start down the healthy path,
like that's where you start.

(46:06):
Yeah, I would you know ifyou're going to start down the
healthy path like that's whereyou start.
Yeah, totally, if you have aproduct that's like a wash off,
like a shampoo, conditioner,body wash, like those can fall
lower on your list as you startto tackle things because they're
not staying on your skin, sure.
And then there are thingscalled phthalates parabens are

(46:30):
things called phthalates,parabens?
There's kind of a laundry listof like dirty ingredients that a
lot of companies are trying toget out of, but that's not to
say that what they're using isalso healthy and good for you.
Yeah, like the alternative, youmean the?
alternatives aren't always great, and the one thing I actually
have a big issue with are seedoils.
Like seed oils are going to befrom, like sunflower, soybean

(46:56):
I'm drawing a blank with otherslike rapeseed, canola, grapeseed
Like these oils are highlyprocessed that's how they get
them from the plant and sothey're highly processed and
during the processing of them tomake them clear and odorless

(47:17):
and uniform they are, they startoxidizing.
So they're, by the time like bythe time we would receive them,
you know, at work like they'reprobably oxid.
So now we're putting them inthis formula and oxidized oils
are really bad for your skin.
So, they can cause prematureaging.

(47:40):
They probably I don't know.
I don't know how much actualscientific literature there is
to prove how bad they are, butthere's a lot of anecdotal
evidence so far.
Which is kind of where, likeyou know, the science starts, is
with the anecdotal evidencewhole lot for you.

(48:11):
They're greasy, they don'talways smell great and then
they're cheap and that's why youknow, and they're not, they're
quote unquote vegan and natural.
So you know you can sticksoybean oil in a formulation and
claim you have a vegan, natural, vegan product and it's like,
well, it doesn't mean it's goodfor you, um and so kind of.
On the other side of that is umtallow, which is a highly

(48:34):
stable um fat lipid.
Um, it's got a very long chainlength, which is good.
It means it's not readilyoxidized.

Speaker 1 (48:45):
Um and it's.

Speaker 2 (48:45):
The fatty acid chains that are in it are super
similar to our own skin, and sothat's why it's so um,
incredible on the skin isbecause it it's it's a
bio-mimicking raw material, andso when you put it on your skin
is like, oh, like.
This is just like the sebumthat the skin cell naturally

(49:09):
produces, and we know what to dowith this.
We can absorb it.
It contains fat solublevitamins that our skin needs
that definitely are not in theseseed oils, and so your skin is
able to take these up andutilize them and kind of just
nourish this, the skin cellslike deep down, and I mean I

(49:33):
look at it as like food for yourskin.
Yeah, like, cause it's whatyou're, you know you're putting
it on, it's absorbing like andit's nourishing these skin cells
.

Speaker 1 (49:43):
I will.
I'll just give you um atestament to the Talo.
Now I've only been using it fora few months, but I had my high
school reunion.
I graduated in oh four, so justa few weeks ago, Okay and I

(50:04):
literally had not one, not two,but many, like handfuls of
people, go.
I feel like you're agingbackwards Seriously and I'm like
, wow, it's working.

Speaker 2 (50:15):
Yeah, I know it's like and it's crazy.
It's hard for me selling it totell people like all the
benefits because, um, they'relike.
They look at you like you'recrazy, Right, they're like.
There's no way Like I've triedall the products, I use my 12
steps and I like my skin lookspretty good and there's no way
that one product will replaceeverything and I'm like, just

(50:38):
try it, Like give it a month,like and it and once.
So you're.
The cell turnover rate of yourskin cells is about 28 days for
adults.
And so I try to tell people,like, just give it 28 days and
let those, under layers of skincells, as they rise to the
surface, they're fully nourished, they're given these vitamins

(50:59):
and these fatty acids that theyknow what to do with and utilize
.
Let those come out and you willbe glowing.
And I, actually I had somebody,assume I was 30, I'm 38, and I
was like they're like, you'relike, how do you, how are your

(51:19):
kids so old?
Like you're, wait, how old areyou?
Like yeah, how do you have a?
This, whatever nine-year-old,and you're 30?
They're like, trying to do thetimeline of like facts, I've
given them and I'm like I'm not30, like, yeah, I am 38.
So that was kind of funny, um,and then my husband started
using it back when I wasstarting to formulate, and so
he's you know, he's like mybiggest cheerleader, he's like

(51:42):
he's like let me try that.
He's like I'm gonna.
So he's like putting the tallowon and his, I think, a co
coworker or somebody was likehave you, did you change
something Like?
It's like?
I know this is going to soundsuper weird, but like your skin
looks really good.

Speaker 1 (51:56):
For a guy to say something like that, right?
Yeah, actually I'm so glad thatshe brought that up.
My husband used the face creamon his.
He put it on his cheeks andhe's like gosh, this stuff's
really nice.
I love how it absorbs into myskin, is what he said, and I was
like I know, right, and she'sgoing to be on the podcast too.

(52:19):
I can't wait.
It's so exciting.

Speaker 2 (52:21):
I've had a lot.

Speaker 1 (52:23):
You wouldn't believe how many people who have
purchased from me, who have saidthey're like I had to buy
another jar because my husbandtook my jar and he started using
it.
I love it.
I think it's, I think it'sincredible Speaking of which you
mentioned your husband beinglike such a cheerleader for you.
Let's talk through what yourvillage of support has looked

(52:46):
like, starting with your husband.

Speaker 2 (52:48):
Yeah, oh my gosh.
I like I don't know if I wouldhave.
Actually, I know I wouldn'thave done it without him.
He was the one who planted theseed of the idea of like I think
you could turn this into abusiness, and so that he was
right there from the beginning.
And then, just like every stepof the way, he's like you know
cause I'm like who am I like todo something like this?

(53:11):
Like I like sure I canformulate it, but like I'm not,
like I don't know what I thinkabout business, I don't know
what I think about marketing,and he's like you'll figure it
out.
Like don't worry about it, justjust do it.
Like just go and start.
And then every step of the way.
I'm like we've done markets andhe's.
He'll be up till midnight withme like stamping soap, like

(53:33):
filling jars and like it's justyeah.
I don't know that I would havedone it without him or stuck
with it Like I don't know.

Speaker 1 (53:42):
So it's so incredible when you can lean into your
significant other and and honestto goodness, alyssa, like
wholeheartedly grateful that Ihave the husband that I do to
push me, kind of like whatyou're saying, like you have
somebody who's pushing youbecause otherwise, if that push

(54:05):
from behind, that tailwind frombehind, wasn't there, I'm with
you.
I don't know if I would havedone the podcast.
I don't know if it would haveopened up my mind to other
opportunities of which I canserve mothers who are
entrepreneurs in a very uniqueand fun way and, much to your

(54:27):
husband's point, this is whatJoe said to me too.
He's like you're going to figureit out, you're smarter than
what you say you are, and I'mlike but let's actually talk
through, um, the your backgroundRight, and I think so much of
us can speak to this like wedon't have these formal business

(54:48):
or marketing backgrounds toback into right when we decide
that we want to start somethingand start it from scratch.
So what did that look like foryou?
Like what were the highs, whatwere the lows?
And I don't think that we cango without talking about these

(55:13):
different sets of challengesthat you're probably bumping
into in terms of harmonizing itwith motherhood too.
Okay, yeah, so I kind of laid alot out there.
Start with what you want first.

Speaker 2 (55:27):
Okay, gosh, I like I don't know.
I look back and I'm like Ican't believe I did this, Like I
had no reason to believe thatthis would take off as much as
it did, and maybe I just didn'tcare if it did or not and that
so maybe my like bar was setjust so low.

(55:48):
I just was like it's somethingto do, it's like getting that
creative part of my brainfunctioning again and like even
and I think, yeah, even if ithadn't taken off like it did,
like I still would have had fundoing it and it still was just
something else for me to likethat was fulfilling.

(56:09):
However, it has been taking offand now I'm like joking, half
joking with my husband some days.
I'm like I feel like I needlike 40 hour work week.
I'm like who am I saying this?
I'm like this is why, like alot of the reason why I left my
job is I'm like I can't do the40 hour work week.

(56:31):
And he's like, well, like do weneed to look at, you know,
putting our youngest now in likepreschool?
And I'm like, oh, you're likebreaking my heart because I'm
like I don't necessarily want todo that, you know.

(56:51):
But the balance now that it'slike a different season of
balancing.
Like I am home, which is thekey.
Like I'm home, I'm doing thisout of my home, yeah, and so I'm
home with my daughter myyoungest, my older tour our
school age, and so it is thislike beautiful lifestyle that I
just I feel so grateful for,lifestyle that I just I feel so

(57:13):
grateful for, and I feel likejust kind of in awe still every
day when I wake up and I'm likeI don't have to go to the nine
to five like, and it's nine tofive in a different way.
It's actually like seven, five,5am, some days to midnight,
like it's different, but it'sstill like it's my business that
I get to run how I see fit.
It's my formulas.
I don't have anybody telling mewhat to put in it or how it

(57:33):
should feel or how it shouldlook, and all the while, like my
daughter is, like you know,playing next to me or sometimes
screaming and like clinging andI'm like.
OK, well, how do I do this?
But at the same, you know Iwouldn't trade that at the same
time for anything Like I know,these years are short and she's
already three and a half andit's like oh so Time flies when

(57:56):
you're having fun.

Speaker 1 (57:56):
I think, something else to be said in all of that,
too, is this alignment thatyou're in, like when when you
got here, when you arrived herefor your interview, and I'm like
we're meeting each other forthe first time and I can see
this glimmer in your, our faithand take that leap of faith into
something a complete, unknownright, all the while trusting

(58:38):
the steps that are in front ofus via God.
You know what I mean, but Ithink you mentioned something
that is worth noting, which isit's just a different season.
Right, it does present itsdifferent challenges and you ebb
and flow with it, but the bestpart about all of it is it's

(59:01):
yours, it's not somebody else's,and you're not having somebody
bark at you about this or tellyou that you have to stay within
these parameters.
Not having somebody bark at youabout this or tell you that you
have to stay within theseparameters, like you formulated
something that, by all means andstandards, is superior.
It's superior, really.

Speaker 2 (59:20):
You know what I mean.

Speaker 1 (59:21):
And it's healthy, and you're laying a foundation for
legacy, not only like foryourself, but for your children,
right, and so I think you alsosaid something earlier on that
so many people are awakening tothe lies that have been fed to

(59:42):
them.
Yeah, and that is very much thecase with the food that's being
presented to us.
Yes, and the products thebeauty products and the lies
that we, specifically as women,are told you have to have this,
you have to have this, you wantto age backwards.

(01:00:04):
Have this product in yourarsenal, have this one in your
tool belt.

Speaker 2 (01:00:08):
This will solve all your problems, and I mean it's
expensive and it's expensive,that you need a different
product for each skin challenge.
It's totally false.
That is completely.
And that's like one of thethings where I've didn't realize
this when I started.
But I like quickly, was likehang on, like there's a way,
like women do not need a sevenstep skincare process, like you

(01:00:34):
nobody does.
Like it's just, um, we've beensold a lie and so that kind of
became.
Like the foundation of my brandis like simplify your skincare.
If you're using something thatworks, works, like you don't
need to spend any like all thismoney and you don't need a

(01:00:55):
separate product for each skin.
Like your skin is one organ.
Like why would you need?
Like, do you like the fact thatpeople believe that this one
little serum is gonna fix justtheir acne or just their like
age thoughts or their fine lines?
Like it's in it.
Like when you can step back andlook at it, um, it's like, oh

(01:01:18):
yeah, like this does seem kindof silly, right.
Like that this thing isactually going to.
Like this product is going totarget this little thing.
Like like that I have to.
I don't know, it's just.

Speaker 1 (01:01:30):
Well, and you and I kind of had this moment in our
conversation over the phonewhere we talked about, like it,
a lot of this has to do with thefood that you're intaking to
your gut the amount of hydrationyou have, the hydration levels

(01:01:52):
of your skin as well, and soit's like to think that a
product is going to fix yourproblems rather than going.
Well, wait a second, let'sactually take a close look at
what the root cause, whichreally could be identified as

(01:02:14):
what you're putting in your body, like I think we talked about
whole 30 and um, just these kindof getting back to, like the,
the foundational pieces of whatnutrients we're putting into our
body and then building,building back into, like okay,
well, is dairy something thatmight be triggering it?

(01:02:37):
Maybe, maybe not, no, okay,beans, no, yes, maybe what else?
Pasta, breads, carbos, I don'tknow.
You know, like there is anevaluation that has to be done
too, because our gut plays sucha large role.

Speaker 2 (01:02:58):
Yeah, a hundred percent.
I think how our skin, our skin,absolutely starts with what you
put in your body and I thinkfor, yeah, and like, even tallow
, I mean I'll say like isn't thelike cure for bad skin
sometimes?
Because if you're notaddressing the root cause, like
it might and it probably willstill benefit your skin because

(01:03:21):
you're still nourishing it fromthe outside, but it starts
inside.
And these processed foods and Ithink the food and the beauty
go hand in hand.
It's like get away from theprocessed products, you know,
and that goes for skincare, thatgoes for natural skincare

(01:03:42):
products, you know, and thatgoes for skincare.
That goes for natural skincare.
And, um, I did want to touch ontwo like oils that are good
that you, you know, besidestallow, it's like oils that are
pressed, they're not refined andthat are, you know, squeezed
out of um the fruit.
So, like coconut oil is great,olive oil is great, um, avocado,

(01:04:04):
jojoba oil, like, and these,but I will say I wouldn't ever
use any of those except jojobaoil like on your skin either.
Cause they're very heavy um andthey can cause acne.
But, um, yeah, so looking forfood and skincare that is
minimally processed it's justtaken from the source and maybe

(01:04:26):
filtered, you know, or slightlyheated to kind of purify, um,
like that is what you want tolook for and if you can attack
both sides of that, like youwill have amazing skin.

Speaker 1 (01:04:39):
Yes, and you'll feel great I know I, and I feel that,
like I, we talked through likewhole 30 and how I had.
I think when we spoke I mighthave just been finishing up with
whole 30.
Um, but it's interesting, like,if I have, if I have, like,

(01:05:00):
refined sugars, my skin tellsthat story after the fact very
quickly too.
So I'm like shame on you, kelly, like shame on you.

Speaker 2 (01:05:12):
I know for me it's seed oils, like if I'll, we
don't eat that a lot and everyonce in a while we will, and
it's like I'll get littlepimples and I'm like I can't
walk around selling tallow, likehaving, like you know, skin.
That's not because I thinkgenerally my skin looks really
great not not trying to patmyself on the back, but just
like the tallow is so amazinglike it's.

(01:05:33):
I agree, like you know, I'm likeI can't like this is just a
reminder.
I'm like this it starts withwhat you feed your body and yeah
, and actually that's where Istarted.
Where I found tallow forskincare was we were, um, like
really eliminating products fromour home like food, cleaners,
beauty, that we were starting tokind of wake up to that like

(01:05:56):
the more process this is likedoesn't mean it's better.
In fact, it means it's worse.
And so we started kind ofcleaning up on all fronts.
And, yeah, we started with diet, for sure, like that was a big
deal, like we tried like paleoand whole 30 and like we've kind
of landed on like a low carb,like high protein diet, which

(01:06:16):
has really been amazing for usand yeah, it's.
That was where I found tallow.
I think was like going down arabbit hole and like healthy
eating and I'm like wait, whatis this Like?
And I thought it was gross.
So, for those listening, like,I get it a hundred percent.
Like it's like a weird, reallyweird like thing to think about

(01:06:38):
putting on your face, but onceyou try it like, once people try
it, I have so many customersthat are just like obsessed.
We just have to putting on yourface, but once you try it, like
once people try it, I have somany customers that are just
like obsessed.
We just have to go on yourreviews.
You know what I mean.

Speaker 1 (01:06:48):
Like people have left so many glowing reviews that
the product speaks for itself.
So let's um tell or share withthe listeners what exactly is
tallow, so that they like forthose that don't know they've
got a better understanding, yep,so tallow is the rendered fat
from beef.

Speaker 2 (01:07:09):
So, um, the fat is taken off the meat or from
around the kidneys, which iscalled suet, and then when you
so to process it, it's calledrendering.
You just heat it on a lowtemperature for a while and that
pulls out, kind of like anyother fibrous tissue and whatnot

(01:07:30):
.
So you're just left with thefat and then the tallow that I
use then goes on to be wetrendered after, and what that
means is you use water and saltand you render the fat in the
water and the salt on a low heatand the water and the salt pull
out any additional impuritiesand the smell.

(01:07:53):
So the tallow that's a bigquestion is, um, probably most
tallow brands don't wet renderand so that smells like beef and
that was like a non-starter forme.
Like the one I bought, I thinkwas a little beefy but it used
essential oils to like cover itup and I'm like I knew starting

(01:08:15):
this, I'm like I that's like Iwouldn't use this myself and if
I'm not going to use it, I'm notgoing to like tell other people
to use it, right.
And so the tallow I'm reallyproud of our tallow.
It's sourced from the US, fromUS cows.
They are organic, but theydon't have the USDA organic
claim because that's reallyexpensive and hard to get.

(01:08:36):
But the farm that it comes fromthese cows are not vaccinated,
they're not given antibiotics,they're free range.
They're healthy cattle livingtheir best days out in the field
.
Um, grass fed, grass finished.
So there's when you get cornfinished beef, you get um like a
higher polyunsaturated fattyacid level, which is not always

(01:08:59):
like the greatest for skin, um,and so these are grass-fed,
grass-finished cows.
And so what's important whenyou're sourcing tallow is so
impurities, viruses and othertoxins will get stored in the
fat, and so that's where youwant to be sure that your tallow
source is very clean, um, andthe rendering does pull some of

(01:09:23):
that out as well.
But so, yeah, our tallow islike very, very high quality Um
cause, again, you want to bereally cautious with what you're
putting on your skin but youknow it's as clean and natural
and you know low processed aspossible.

Speaker 1 (01:09:42):
That was a wonderful and amazing explanation.
So thank you so in depth.
I love it.
It's, it's amazing.
All right, I have so manydifferent avenues that I would
love to go down, but in in a aneffort of time as well.
Um, and to honor your time, Ithink that it's time to start

(01:10:03):
landing the plane so to speak.
One of the things that I keepthinking about, alyssa, is like
what are and I'm going a littleoff script, so you just let me
know how you are seeing withbeing a mom raising kids, and

(01:10:28):
then what you're doing with yourbusiness, if any?

Speaker 2 (01:10:33):
Parallels.
I think it's being intentional,like I think starting a small
business is kind of like havinga baby, you think Like they
don't cry, but they scream inother ways for your attention.
And so in that aspect it's funny, because I do find I need to be

(01:10:56):
intentional on both fronts,because if you're not, it's easy
like get nothing done or notspend any quality time with your
kids or making sure you'rebalancing one over.
You know, you, that thebusiness can easily take up all
your time and it's super easy tolike get sucked into it.
Um, so like separating myselfand I'm trying to have more of

(01:11:21):
like a work day that I end, andso one thing I didn't do
initially was like I would worklate at night or I'd work on the
weekends, because I had thetime and I had the help from my
husband to like you know, helpwith the parenting.
And I've gotten to the pointwhere I'm like, okay, like my
kids are not getting any youngerand these years are flying by,

(01:11:42):
and so I'm trying to like end myday when the kids get home and
not work weekends.
So it's been hard sometimes yeah.

Speaker 1 (01:11:55):
Yeah, oh, it's good.
You literally hit the nail onthe head with that.
Literally hit the nail on thehead with that, like it's very
much like having a child, exceptthe business screams at you in
a very different way and to yourpoint, setting the borders and
the boundaries for yourself, andunderstanding, like, what

(01:12:16):
really is important in all ofthis.
Like, yeah, I got to get theseorders out, which it sounds like
you had a lot of that in thelast few days, which is, you
know, good on you, like kudos,that's incredible, right, but
then going, but my kids aren'tgetting any younger and so I do
have to set some parametersaround what this truly is going

(01:12:39):
to look like.
I'm sure that you'll eventuallyget to a point where there'll be
some scaling too.
Have you thought about that?

Speaker 2 (01:12:48):
Every day and it's we're in like a weird place of
like super big growing painswhere I do, I'm, I'm operate out
of my home and so my kitchengets sanitized and cleared of
food and turned into a lab andthen sanitized and turned back
into a kitchen and it's workingso far, but I don't know how

(01:13:15):
much longer.
Like, which is great right,like growing, such a good issue
to have.
But it's like we we'restruggling.
We've had this conversationprobably like every day for a
couple weeks now.
Like what does our, what do ournext steps look?
Like like we're not, you know,we're not big enough to like go
rent a space, like we don't have.
Like we've only been doing thisfor 11 months, so it's like we

(01:13:36):
don't have enough.
Um, you know, on paper, like Iguess money coming in knowing
that we could like afford aspace, sure, sure, and so it is
out of our home and like I thinkmy biggest thing right now, I
have soap curing in our basementbedroom and I have materials

(01:13:58):
stored in another room in thebasement and then I have
materials in the garage and Ilike I ship out of the office
and I make product out of thekitchen and so I'm like my
husband some days is like this Ijust kind of tired of like
looking at soap and like lookingat like tallow, like it's great
, but like I'd love to like putmy stuff down on this counter

(01:14:20):
that has now become like a workcounter, so that is yeah, that's
where we're at.
We're like at a like growingpains stage, which is great.
It's a great problem.
Yeah, um yeah.
So I did want to share one likereally cool story with you
please like.
I've had like the marriage oflike motherhood and
entrepreneurship, like come tolike this really cool head, like

(01:14:43):
the last couple of weeks withmy daughter.
She's in third grade and theyjust did a unit on
entrepreneurship and they had tocreate a product and they had
to use materials like that theyhad at home.
Like they couldn't go buy stuffand then they had to like make
it to sell it in school and likerent their desk out to like you

(01:15:03):
know, like you were at a market, like they had to rent their
stall, and so she made soap,because one of the products that
we make is tallow goat milksoap and she's.
I've tried for a year now toget her interested in making
soap with me, cause I'm likeshe's a nine-year-old girl, you
know like yes, I would havetotally been all over that at

(01:15:23):
that age and she's just beenlike I don't know, like that's
okay, mom, I don't have to helpand I'm just like my heart, like
breaks a little bit, Cause I'mlike, come on, like it's so cool
.

Speaker 1 (01:15:32):
Like.

Speaker 2 (01:15:32):
Let me like geek out on the chemistry with you, like
this is so cool, so get her todo it couldn't get her
interested and now then shedecided to make soap as her like
product to sell, because shehas seen us go to these markets
and sell soap and she's helpedus at the markets, which she
does like, and so she, prettymuch 100, made the soap.

(01:15:53):
I helped her, as to you know,and I um kind of like taught her
how to do it and like, but shedid it.
She did 90 of the work and soshe had ownership of it, and so
she and she's telling me she'slike mom, like soap chemistry is
so cool and I'm like in my head, I'm like screaming, I'm like I
know I'm trying to tell you andyou wouldn't believe me but

(01:16:16):
it's a family business, I know,and so it's like so cool to see
her have ownership over aproduct and understand like the
real life implications of likehow do you sell this product?
Like what?
are all the, and I think whythat meant so much to me was
because I had we have had tosacrifice, you know, time with
them to do work for thisbusiness.

(01:16:38):
And there are times where thekids are like, oh, we have to go
to the post office again, likeI'm like, well, guys, like this
is what it looks like to like,you know, do like run this
business and um, so just I thinkfor her to like see with fresh
eyes, like why we're doing thisand like the sacrifices like

(01:16:58):
that may come for the family inorder to like focus on the
business in certain seasons.
Like it was just really cool, itwas awesome.

Speaker 1 (01:17:09):
I love this story so much.
It is all of what you just saidplus more.
The modeling, I think, is likeyou don't realize the modeling
that you're doing in the momentright you just feel like, oh,
I'm, I am taking away time,precious time, from my kiddos,

(01:17:33):
but it does set a tone for themas well to understand.
Like you said, like sometimeswe have to sacrifice.
When you say no to something,you're saying yes to something.
You're saying yes to something,and when you're saying yes to
something, you're also saying noto something else.
And you have the choice and youcan have the discernment around
that too.
And I say that to us as moms.

(01:17:56):
You know, like we're, we rubshoulders with each other, we
like that is what we do.
We have to have the discernmentto set the boundaries, but then
also have the discernment to go.
But I am literally modeling formy children right now what it
looks like to be a businessowner and they can make their
choices whenever they want to,whatever path they want to carve

(01:18:18):
for themselves.
But by golly, is it cool to beable to go?
Hey, you can do this too, butyou have the choice.
Whatever you set your heart to,you can do it.
It's just what.
Thank you for sharing thatstory.
It's like I get chills thinkingabout it.

(01:18:38):
How cool, so okay.
Remember when I said that wewere going to start to land the
plane.
But I have another questionthat just came up, because you
are, at the core, a chemist, andso what are some of the like it
in terms of that, sales and themarketing of it and all this

(01:18:59):
stuff?
What are some of the thingsthat you've had to like
strengthen through all of that?

Speaker 2 (01:19:06):
Everything else like literally.

Speaker 1 (01:19:09):
I wish that I had video going right now to see
your face, okay.

Speaker 2 (01:19:14):
So, to give you an idea, like Instagram, I had to
learn how to make a real and astory and learn the difference
between a post and a reel.
Like I had no idea.
I'm like, how do people makethese videos?
Like that was cause I I'm nothuge on social media personally,
and so that's been a struggle.
And then marketing, like ohgosh, that is not a strength of

(01:19:37):
mine, like at all.
And then I mean mean all of it,like the only other thing that
was kind of fun was I was likeinto photography as a hobby,
like way before kids, and so welike dusted off our like you
know, our DSLR camera and likedid our product photos.
And that was also learning too,because I'm like we're not like

(01:20:00):
by no means are we likephotographers um, building a
website, like all of it, and soI don't know, we've like
bootstrapped our way like thiswhole time, like I feel you like
.

Speaker 1 (01:20:15):
Look, I'm recording out of my home office and I'm
like whatever, who cares for?
For a while, getting thingsstarted, I was like absolutely
not.
Like I want to have the podcaststudio of podcast studios and
my husband's like you've got allthe gear, who cares Do it Go,

(01:20:36):
just start.
And now I'm like how cozy comfyis this?
Like I want people to come andfeel comfortable and like
doesn't have to be at a studioto make this run, Just like you
figure it out and then you pivotand change and evolve as you

(01:20:57):
see fit.
I do want to just say, because Ihave been on the website,
because I've ordered theproducts and I'm like this is
great, like because I did thinkabout that, I was like I wonder
how, like, really how all ofthis has evolved and shifted,
and so I love hearing some ofthe behind the scenes on that
right, because and I think partof like not that we're huge by

(01:21:22):
any stretch of the imagination,but part of our success is that
we grew organically, Like I wenever took out a loan, like we
didn't get investments orinvestors or whatever, and so
we've grown like so organicallyand I think that was kind of
critical.

Speaker 2 (01:21:42):
Like it took the pressure off, like hey, you know
what, if this thing likedoesn't take off, like we're not
out anything but like maybe alittle bit of money in our time,
um, but I think that wascritical too, because it allowed
us to grow naturally, like alsonot just by sales, but like
growth and like learningmarketing and like learning how

(01:22:04):
to do these things that you knowwe weren't investing thousands
of dollars into or whatever Likeand I just it's been good for
us to just take it slow.

Speaker 1 (01:22:17):
I love hearing what I'm kind of hearing through all
of that is simplicity is likethat is sometimes all it takes
and all you need and I thinkpart of what I'm learning from
you is I have a habit of overcomplicating things and when I

(01:22:43):
like your point, when you take astep back and you just go well,
wait, it's actually simplerthan this.
There's so much beauty in thesimplicity.

Speaker 2 (01:22:51):
Yes, and like peace, cause you know you're not
beholden to anybody else andyou're not.
There's not this huge pressureon you Like I don't know It's's.
Yeah, I'm glad we just took itslow and I think like my piece
of advice for anyone likethinking or have, who has an
idea, like just start, like anddon't put a lot of money into it

(01:23:15):
so that if it doesn't take offlike you're just out your time,
but you've grown and learned atleast something you know from
your failure, like success isjust built upon a whole pile of
failures, at least in my case.
You know and like that's what itis, I don't know.
It's like the mountain ofsuccess is just a big pile of

(01:23:37):
failure, probably for mostpeople Like.

Speaker 1 (01:23:39):
Oh, for sure, For sure.
You cannot get to where youwant to be without having
failures.
Yeah, cause that's the only waywe're going to learn and grow.
We are, we are faulty as humans.
We are faulty.
And so in order for you to likereally truly grow as to like

(01:24:06):
really truly grow as, as aperson, it requires you to have
those missteps, and sometimesthe missteps can be, you know,
like incredible missteps.
And then sometimes they're justlittle speed bumps.

Speaker 2 (01:24:14):
Yeah, yeah, and I feel like you can always look
back in hindsight and, for a lotof things, be grateful for them
too, like cause they lead youand they refine you and they
build character.

Speaker 1 (01:24:25):
Yes, there was another gal who was on the
podcast who really talkedspecifically about this
refinement that God was puttingher through Constant refinement,
constant refinement and itallowed her to evaluate what her
heart posture was in all ofwhat she was doing, whether it

(01:24:47):
be spending time at home becauseshe does some part-time stay at
home with her kiddos and thenworking in her business as well,
and she wouldn't have it anyother way because she decided
how does God really want me toshow up in all of this?
And that's what she was beingtold.
And she listened and it wasreally cool to hear her talk

(01:25:10):
about that and to hear you kindof coming alongside of that and
going, yeah, you can refinethings through those failures
and those missteps, or justdeciding something doesn't feel
right here.
How can I allow this to be anopportunity for refinement too?
Yeah, definitely.

(01:25:32):
What's a piece of advice thatyou would give a younger version
of yourself, knowing all thatyou know now and where you're at
currently?

Speaker 2 (01:25:43):
Um gosh, I think I wish I had the faith I have now.
Back when I was younger Um, Iwasn't atheist and then I was a
very nominal believer, christian, very new and fresh and, um, I

(01:26:04):
never grew in my faith Like Ireally needed all the things I
talked about that happened inbeginning in 2020.
Like I really needed thosethings to happen in my life
because they brought me intojust this incredible and I'm
still learning and growing um inmy faith but like I just really

(01:26:25):
leaned into it because I had Ididn't know what else to do and
what I wish my younger self.
I wish I had had that faithyounger because it would have
and I don't know where I wouldend up now, what decisions I
would have made, but theyprobably would have been better.
You know, like, instead ofleaning on my own understanding
and my own reasoning, likegiving it up to God would have

(01:26:48):
probably made my life easier andmaybe not I mean sometimes not
always right Like you don'talways get the easy way out but
yeah, probably like morerefinement and like more um.
I don't know, yeah, so I would.
Just I wish my younger self hadhad the faith that I have now
to rely on, instead of thinkingit was just all me like having

(01:27:11):
to make those choices anddecisions and like you know,
it's so good yeah, it's so goodA few other questions.

Speaker 1 (01:27:17):
Good, a few other questions.
Nothing.
Nothing crazy though, alyssa.
So what's?

Speaker 2 (01:27:32):
what has self-care looked like for you in all of
this?
That is a great question, um,so I think the thing I focus
most on is like food, like I hada realization of how critical
like healthy food was and howmuch it drives everything else
in your life, and so that is mybiggest form of self-care that I
feel like I have control overfor the most part and time for

(01:27:52):
right, because everybody youhave to eat, and so you have to
daily make those choices.
Um other than that, I would say,as, like a mom of three young
kids, like self care is probablylacking um other areas, um,
we're just very busy with funstuff, like fun stuff with the

(01:28:13):
kids and sports and school stuffand everything Um.
So I think like finding the joyin those things and I have a
tendency to like look at thoseas like a check, like a box to
check right, like, oh, today Ihave these three things like
check, check, check.
Okay, now I can, like you know,go to bed.
Like finally, like relax, andwhat I'm trying, like that's my

(01:28:37):
natural tendency, my naturaltendency, and so what I'm trying
to do as a form of self-care islike living, being present in
those moments, like making eyecontact with my kids, like when
I'm talking to them, because I'mnot good at that, like I do
have, I get busy and I, you know, you know, like you have a
business and or you have a joband you have, or you have,
laundry, like it's really hardto like give them my attention.

(01:29:03):
For me, at least as a mom likeI'm not, that's not a strength,
and so I have been working onthat and like it is rewarding,
it is self-care, because it'slike, okay, my day was actually
really fulfilling today becauseI took a step away from what I
thought was the most importantthing in the moment and focused
it on my children, and they dobring you so much joy, like you

(01:29:23):
know like and my toddler, like,is less poorly behaved because
she's like she's seeking thatattention and so I can actually
like enjoy all the time, likethe the little time that I do
have with them in a day likemost.

Speaker 1 (01:29:39):
I love that you caught yourself, like at first
you were like as a mom of three,I don't know Like what we put
into our bodies is, to yourpoint, critical, absolutely
critical.
It is the one of the highestforms of self care that we

(01:30:00):
individuals, as human beings,can do for ourselves.
Seriously, especially with thisday and age that we are in and
you are starting to see thisawakening of wow, I've been fed
so much in terms of likeactually fed, but then like
actually fed, but then like,spoken to like this is so

(01:30:24):
healthy for you no, it's not.
No, it's not.
And coming like, coming up outof the fog and understanding
like you have to advocate foryourself and you are doing that.
That is self-care.
Advocating for yourself isself-care, but even saying I am

(01:30:45):
having these conversations withmy children and eyes on the
prize, like eye contact, andthat is self-care in itself
because it nourishes your souland it also nourishes because
they just want love.

Speaker 2 (01:31:00):
They just want your attention, I know.

Speaker 1 (01:31:01):
That's all they want.
That's all they want.
Yeah, oh, so good.
All right, I do want to justask this last question and it's
kind of a heavy one and I thinkthat you did allude to it but
are you willing to share a darkmoment that you went through?

(01:31:23):
And I, like I said, I think youdid already share this, but
let's, let's go there and then,how you worked through it, let's
go there.

Speaker 2 (01:31:32):
Yeah, I mean, I think , um, it would definitely be
obviously this like identitycrisis in what 2022?
Leaving my career, like losingthat community of people like
overnight.
Like going from having like asocial life basically at work
right, and friends and stuff, tonot like you don't now, you

(01:31:53):
don't see anybody, right, likethat's hard.
Um, and then, yeah, just thehealth scares and really like
and then going into motherhood24-7, which, in and of itself,
is you know, we don't like.

(01:32:14):
I feel like I have to say likeit's so rewarding, but it's so
hard and I had no idea how hardthat would be.
It seemed easier, like whenyou're at work and you've got
the stress of projects andyou've got deadlines and you've
got meetings and your day isbusy and like I kind of I would
daydream like gosh, it would beso great to just stay home, like
with my kids, like the laundrywould be done and like meals

(01:32:36):
would be cooked and groceryshopping would get done besides
the weekend.
And then you're like home witha toddler and you're like, well,
I didn't get grocery shoppingdone today.
Like laundry is backing up,like totally everybody's hungry,
and so that was like I had noidea, like what I was getting
into even though you know Iwouldn't change it and I it's

(01:32:57):
rewarding in its own way, butyeah, so that was yeah.
And then, like I like I said wemoved, so like we lost.
We had new school community ourdaughter was kindergarten um,
brand new school, we didn't knowanybody.
Brand new neighborhood, wedidn't know anybody.
I left my like tribe at workand my husband was also at a

(01:33:17):
small job that he, you know,didn't have like a huge social
community at work either andhe's a very like extrovert like
he needs that, whereas I'm anintrovert and I don't
necessarily like I need it.

Speaker 1 (01:33:29):
but on a smaller scale.

Speaker 2 (01:33:31):
But yeah, um and I it was like I don't think I was
depressed, but I was definitelylike I don't know.
it was kind of a like a reallydark season for a good year and
then like we also lost, likeboth of our dogs that we'd had

(01:33:54):
since yeah, you know they wereold and like they both passed in
that same year and like it wasthey had medical condition, like
it was just, it was heavy, likeit was just hard.
The day-to-day was really hard,yeah, really hard, and I
questioned like my decision andI didn't know who I was.
And then, like I said, like Ifelt like and this is the point

(01:34:19):
where I started really leaninginto my faith, like my I went,
went from a very lukewarmChristian to on fire and it was
this refinement.
I was ready, my heart was readyand God was there waiting and
he did some incredible things.
My life is so full right now ofjust beautiful things and I

(01:34:47):
just am so glad I made thatchoice and like made that hard
decision to leave.
And you know, financially it wasa horrible idea.
Like we had just built a houseand and like never in a million
years did I think I'd like quitmy job, and nor should we have
built this house if I was goingto leave my job, you know, and

(01:35:08):
it's like what are we doing?
But both of us were like thisis right, like this is the right
choice, like on paper, no, notat all, but like spiritually and
emotionally, and likeeverything there's no way we're
not doing this.
And then, yeah, the rainbowappeared in my yard and then it

(01:35:31):
was like, okay, all right, I'mlistening.
I'm going to be faithful and I'mgoing to step into this new
season and I don't know whatit's going to look like and it's
been incredible.

Speaker 1 (01:35:44):
That was so beautiful .
So, as you know, the name ofthe podcast is Reclaiming your
Hue, and you just spoke soeloquently and beautifully to
exactly what that is and thatcomes in so many different ways
shapes, forms, depending on whoyou are as a woman.

(01:36:06):
But I think really the point ofall of this is like for
individuals who are listeningright now, who are in perhaps a
challenging season of what thathue looks like for you, If you
think about the concept of aflamingo right, so like when
they have their babies, theylose the all of that coloring
and then that coloring starts tocome back and it's very

(01:36:29):
applicable to us as women inmotherhood, but then in business
too.
Yeah, I mean it's.
The parallels are just souncanny.
It's scary, yeah.
So thank you for sharing that.
I know that you.
I felt that that was probablywhat you were dealing with and

(01:36:49):
challenges you were dealing withwhen you spoke to that early on
in this interview, but I wantedto really bring it to light for
other people and other women tobe able to listen and hear that
and just know that when youstart to see something that
gives you that spark, that givesyou that joy you have to lean
into it, whether it's your faithor it's a business idea, or

(01:37:14):
it's spending quality time withyour children because you're
seeing those flickers of joycome back, or if it's getting
out of the house and going for agosh darn run, because you
enjoy that so much but youhaven't been able to.
There's so many different ways.
Yeah, so many different ways.
Yeah, this has been sobeautiful and so encouraging and

(01:37:36):
so incredible, and I have somany more questions.
But we are landing the planenow and it's.
It's been a soft landing, buthere we are.
So how can people find you andget connected to you?

Speaker 2 (01:37:50):
Um, so I have a website um milkandhoneytallowcom
, and I'm on Instagram andFacebook, which I think I said.
Social media is not my strength, so I'm working on being a
little more present on there,but, um, I do a bunch of
giveaways.
I love doing giveaways on there, so you can usually find one
like every like couple months orso.

(01:38:10):
Um, and, yeah, I do locally,like sometimes I'm at a market
here and there as well, so cool.

Speaker 1 (01:38:20):
I have really, really , really enjoyed our time.
And just another shout out toall the tallow products that you
have and probably arecontinuing to build.
That eyebrow race says it all.
Um, so incredible and such apleasure to meet you in the
flesh, and I'll be sure to dropall of that information into the

(01:38:42):
show notes, but I really hopethat you have an amazing day.

Speaker 2 (01:38:45):
You're so welcome, really fun.

Speaker 1 (01:38:47):
You're so welcome.

Speaker 2 (01:38:48):
Have a good day.
Thank you, you too, thanks.

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Ep. 59 with Alyssa Johantgen | Founder and Owner, Milk & Honey Tallow Co

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.css-14f5ked{margin:0;word-break:break-word;display:-webkit-box;-webkit-box-orient:vertical;box-orient:vertical;-webkit-line-clamp:2;overflow:hidden;}Ep. 59 with Alyssa Johantgen | Founder and Owner, Milk & Honey Tallow Co