Ep. 65 with Sarah Bechard | Owner of Styled by Sarah

From Speech Therapist to Style Maven: A Journey of Self-Discovery

Sarah Bechard never imagined her path would lead from speech therapy to style consulting, but life had other plans. After years of helping children with speech development, she found herself at a crossroads when her mother passed away. This profound loss sparked a journey of self-discovery that would ultimately transform her professional identity.

"I probably didn't even know what the word entrepreneurship meant," Sarah confesses as she recounts how motherhood came first in her life plan. While staying home with her two sons, she experienced what many mothers do—a sense of losing herself amid the demands of parenting. But through this challenge, she began to explore her interests and spiritual gifts, eventually discovering a passion for helping women build confidence through personal style.

The road wasn't without obstacles. To pursue training as an image consultant, Sarah had to overcome a debilitating fear of flying that had grounded her for a decade. Armed with scripture and determination, she boarded that plane—a small act of courage that opened the door to her future business. Now celebrating ten years as a style consultant, she reflects on how entrepreneurship provided the flexibility to design her schedule around her children's needs while fulfilling her desire to make a meaningful impact.

Sarah's approach goes beyond fashion advice; she views styling as "an inlet" that often leads to deeper conversations about identity and worth. Her work has become a ministry of sorts, sometimes including prayer with clients when she feels led to address the pain she senses beneath their surface struggles with appearance.

For women feeling lost in motherhood or considering entrepreneurship, Sarah offers this wisdom: "Discover yourself. It's not selfish—it's important. All those things you learn will help you discover what God created you to do." Her story reminds us that reinvention is possible at any stage and that our greatest challenges often lead us to our most authentic purpose.

Resources Mentioned:

Spirtual Assessment

Clifton Strengths Assessment

Connect with Sarah:

Website: Styled By Sarah

Schedule a 15-minute consult HERE

Contact the Host, Kelly Kirk:

• Email: [e-mail]

Get Connected/Follow:

• The Hue Drop Newsletter: Subscribe Here
• IG: @ryh_pod & @thekelly.tanke.kirk
• Facebook: Reclaiming Your Hue Facebook Page

Credits:

• Editor: Joseph Kirk
• Music: Kristofer Tanke

Thanks for listening & cheers to Reclaiming Your Hue!

Episode Transcript

Speaker 2 (00:10):
Welcome everybody to Reclaiming your Hue, where we
are dedicated to empoweringwomen to embrace and amplify
their inherent brilliance.
Our mission is to inspiremothers and entrepreneurs to
unlock their full potential andradiate their true selves.
I'm your host, kelly Kirk, andeach week, my goal is to bring
to you glorious guests as wellas solo episodes.

(00:33):
So let's dive in.
Good morning Sarah, goodmorning Kelly.
It's so wonderful to finallyhave you here, because how long
ago was it that we At leastthree months, if not more.
I think it was longer.

Speaker 1 (00:48):
Yeah, probably I thought this is a long ways out,
but it's okay.

Speaker 2 (00:53):
And now here we are, and I won't share when we're
recording this because I'mtrying to get away from that,
but I'm literally booked outuntil the end of this year.
Yes, and that is wild to me,but it also speaks to this area
that feels like it's been semiuntouched, like people have kind

(01:16):
of dabbled in this area ofmotherhood and entrepreneurship
and serving, but nothing is likecoming on a podcast and really
getting raw, intentional andvulnerable with your story to
allow other women to learn fromit as well.
Yes, so not easy, not easy butit just like I said, like it,

(01:43):
there's a need to keep going,and so we're going to keep going
, keep persevering.

Speaker 1 (01:45):
Yeah, it takes courage, but we're.
There's a need, keep going, andso we're going to keep going.
Keep persevering.
Yeah, it takes courage.

Speaker 2 (01:49):
But we're here, you and I, we're here, and God bless
your heart.
Thank you for the sweetest giftthat you brought too, and I
gifted you water.

Speaker 1 (01:59):
Water, which I love.
I'm trying to drink more of it.

Speaker 2 (02:02):
I've got coffee and I've got my water, and then I've
got my lip glasses.

Speaker 1 (02:06):
Oh yeah.

Speaker 2 (02:07):
There you go, because I won't, I will not tease, but
I will just share that.
You showed up just looking everso stylish and I was like, well
, I got to throw on some lipgloss with my jeans and cardigan
, and now I feel, very feel,very polished good, it makes a
huge difference when you slap onyour lipstick.

Speaker 1 (02:26):
I know, I know of course you do thank you and your
skin.
Oh, is it like glowingbeautiful.
Glow well, we can talk aboutthe skincare okay, I'm
interested.

Speaker 2 (02:36):
I'll share a little bit more about that.
Um, so this is your story andlet's dive in.
What?
What?
Actually?
I was about to ask the secondquestion, but let's start with
the first.
How is it that you and I gotconnected?

Speaker 1 (02:52):
Well, a mutual friend of ours provided a warm
introduction over email.
It's Val Katie.
She's a professional organizerfor Winnow and Spruce Amazing
woman.
Yeah, and I didn't even knowyou, I didn't even know why she
made the connection, but it waslovely to connect and then just
chat with you, you know, overthe phone and things like that,

(03:14):
yeah, so that's how we first gotconnected.
I met her doing a, basically anonline class.
We had developed it forin-person.
And then there was COVID, andso we did an online class called
organize your closet with style, so it was really cool
collaborating with another womanin an area that we both tap
into and then working togetherto, yeah, do our job.

Speaker 2 (03:34):
She, she's such a gem yeah she really is, and matter
of fact, um, ironically enough,I just was chatting with her
earlier this morning Okay no way.
So yeah, well, she's one oflike.
I like to consider her one ofthe OG of the couple of the
first gals who I interviewed forthe podcast.

Speaker 1 (03:54):
Okay, cool.

Speaker 2 (03:55):
And her and I.
Our story goes way back, Likewhen I was still in mortgage.
And so when, like I, wasactually helping her and her son
for a mortgage on a propertyand things did not go well with
that.
They just weren't able to getsomething nailed down.
But now Val is in downtown St.

Speaker 1 (04:17):
Paul and thriving.

Speaker 2 (04:20):
And it's been incredible to just hear her
story.
So she's my OG gal.

Speaker 1 (04:26):
Love it.

Speaker 2 (04:26):
And just the stories that we have shared over the
years.

Speaker 1 (04:30):
Call it six years or so that we've known one another.

Speaker 2 (04:35):
It's been really fun.

Speaker 1 (04:36):
She's neat because she just like like for me.
She just tapped me on theshoulder, just wanted to talk to
me, wanted to get to know me,and I just really appreciate
that, because that can takecourage too.

Speaker 2 (04:44):
Yeah.

Speaker 1 (04:45):
You know just initially.

Speaker 2 (04:46):
So actually I want to expand off of this too, because
your name got brought up.
Um, she's also I.
I started a mastermind grouplast year, quarter three, and
she's a part of that.
So she's, you know, og, butshe's also a part of this
mastermind that I lead and yourname she threw your name out

(05:12):
because one of the other gals inthe group was exploring styling
options for her teenager, andso I think she I don't know
whatever ended up happening withthat, but she was like you've
got to connect with Sarah and Iwas like, well, should I connect
with Sarah?

Speaker 1 (05:24):
for the podcast, and she was like you've got to
connect with Sarah and I waslike, well, should I?

Speaker 2 (05:26):
connect with Sarah for the podcast and she was like
absolutely, and so that was thesort of genesis, so to speak of
where we're at now.
And here you are just glowing.

Speaker 1 (05:34):
I love it, I appreciate it.

Speaker 2 (05:36):
Okay, so that is how we got connected.
That is how you are here onthis podcast.
What came first for you, though?
Was it motherhood, or was itentrepreneurship?

Speaker 1 (05:46):
I can tell you I probably didn't even know what
the word entrepreneurship meant.

Speaker 2 (05:51):
Okay so.

Speaker 1 (05:53):
I will say absolutely definitely.
Motherhood came first and thatwas my plan, right.

Speaker 2 (05:59):
Yep.

Speaker 1 (05:59):
So I can elaborate on that.

Speaker 2 (06:01):
I was just going to say can you, can you expand on
that?
I was just gonna say can you,can you expand?

Speaker 1 (06:04):
Yeah, so you know, growing up by.
Let's start from the beginning,I guess I grew up in a
household where my dad was themain breadwinner.
He was actually an undertaker,which is very interesting to
live in.
That I know this is where we'regoing today.
I got so many questions.

Speaker 2 (06:21):
Okay, but anyways, you keep going.

Speaker 1 (06:23):
So he worked around the clock, he actually had gone
to Notre Dame and wanted to belike a FIAD teacher, a historian
, but his dad wanted him to takeover the family business, which
was third generation firstbornmale.
And, um, my mom was aregistered nurse and, um, that's
how they met actually, and shehad done some, you know,

(06:45):
traveling and working inScotland and teaching at Madison
.
So they were both, I would say,like kind of career focused and
interesting enough because mydad worked.
They were older when they gotmarried and my dad worked a lot,
he was gone a lot and my momhad to raise us.
She ended up having four kidswithin five years.
So I would be the oldest Mostpeople don't think I am.

(07:07):
I know it's a lot right andyeah.
And so then there was mybrother that came the year after
and then there's a gap inbetween and then I have two
younger sisters as well.
So she was at home with us forforever until, yeah, um, until
she wasn't anymore, um, butbasically that's kind of the

(07:32):
inception of, uh, how I was kindof inspired, I would say, to be
a mom, but I also was veryinterested in being like a
professional.
So, uh, we were taught.
You know, you go to school, yougo to college and you, you know,
get your degree and then youwork.
And then for me, I definitelywanted to do that part and I
didn't want to.
I didn't want to be married atthe point.
But then I wanted to getmarried, then I wanted to have

(07:53):
kids, then I was going to stayhome with my kids, then I was
going to go back to work andthen I was going.
But I became a speech therapist.
I'm following, Okay, I'mfollowing.
So that was kind of my plan and,let's just say, trying to think

(08:13):
about how I got to end up beingan entrepreneur.
So I worked.
It was awesome.
I worked for five years, movedaway after I graduated from
college, and it was really coolbecause I kind of did all the
things I wanted to a little bitof this, a little bit of that in
that short window of time.
So my goal was to work in themedical field and then end up in
the education field, becausethen I could stay home with my

(08:35):
kids.
So I worked as a medical speechlanguage pathologist in Austin
at the medical center there andit's now part of the Mayo Health
System and I work primarilywith long-term care.
We did a lot of dysphagia,which is a swallow studies, so I
got to be doing that like allthe time and I actually thought
it was really cool and amazing.
However, there wasn't a wholelot going on down there in

(08:58):
Austin for a young person, so Imoved back up to the city.
It's no offense I just you know,they didn't even have the spam
museum then move back up to thecities.

Speaker 2 (09:04):
No offense, I just you know they didn't even have
the spam museum.
Then the second that youmentioned that they're a part of
Mayo, I was like, oh, she's,she's definitely referencing
Austin, minnesota, not.

Speaker 1 (09:11):
Austin, texas.
I'm sorry.
Yes, let me clear.
No, it's all good.

Speaker 2 (09:17):
And and the spam museum.
I know so for any of youlisteners who are outside of the
Minnesota like region.
There is a place that hoststhis museum and it's for spam,
and if you haven't tried spam, Iwould highly encourage it

(09:39):
actually, because it's not asbad as people think it is.
It's actually.
I think it's one of thosethings where somebody opens up a
can of Spam, maybe does alittle grilling of it and
they're pleasantly surprised atactually how good it is.
It's been years since I've hadSpam.
No comment, I just live thereso a lot of odor.

Speaker 1 (09:58):
Nonetheless, I had a great job there and I loved it
and I loved the people, butthere wasn't a lot going on.
So, I moved back up to the TwinCities, ended up working with
three to six year olds at StDavid's School for Child
Development and Family Services,which is over in Minnetonka,

(10:19):
actually near here.
And I did.
I worked primarily with threeto six year olds and what was
really cool, because it was aschool setting, it was also a
healthcare setting.
So I worked with a lot ofchildren on the spectrum and, um
, I was young and vigorous and Ihad energy and it took a lot of
that and I just I love kids.
So then I transitioned, I gotmarried and transitioned, excuse
me, to working with birth tothree up in a school district.

(10:42):
So then I was working withlittle ones, you know, mostly
two and three-year-olds,primarily boys, that weren't
talking.
And then I, you know I was, Igot pregnant but I thought, well
, I, I, I, you know, I.
Basically it was veryplay-based and I wanted to
instead of I love those children, but I'd rather be home playing
with my kids, because that'show kids learn is through play.

(11:03):
And I, just after I becamepregnant, I was able to stay
home and that's began thejourney of, I would say, a lot
of actually learning andhumbling, because I was very
career driven.
The first book I read when Ibecame a mom was
Professionalizing Motherhood.
I really took it seriously.

Speaker 2 (11:24):
Yeah.

Speaker 1 (11:25):
And it was actually quite a lonely time, as much as
entrepreneurship can be as well,I would say.
Totally Nice little tie in.
Yes, yeah, it's true, and Iremember folding my kids laundry
and thinking nobody sees me.
You know, my husband traveled alot and I was like I felt so
much responsibility.
I have two boys that are now 23and 21.

(11:49):
But at the time, yeah, it wasfelt like I was drowning a
little bit but still, you know,wanted to do it.
So I'm still going along myplan right.
So the original question and Iwas invited to go and do some
long-term subbing at the schooldistrict that I had done birth
to three at and I thought, well,this is perfect, I can just

(12:11):
transition back into working andit'll be wonderful.
So I did it and I loved it.
It was back where I used towork.
I love my coworkers, so on andso forth, and I was working with
then that would be more threeto six year olds in a preschool
setting, which I lovepreschoolers, you should meet my
daughter.

Speaker 2 (12:28):
She's full-fledged.
Well, she's two and a half.

Speaker 1 (12:32):
She's two and a half, so she's in daycare preschool
setting, yeah playing awayhaving the time of her life
hopefully I had to close thedoor.

Speaker 2 (12:40):
Her, her room is right next to this and it
literally looks like a tornadohad gone through there.
Like just I had to shut itbefore you got here.
Normally I keep the door opencause she's got a cute little
room, but not today.

Speaker 1 (12:54):
She's being, maybe she's creative, being creative
today, well, and you know, we'vegot the older brothers that are
still in play mode.

Speaker 2 (13:01):
You know they're 10 and they're eight, they're still
.
They still tap into that andespecially with her, you know,
being as young as she is, it'ssort of a kind of a a given that
that's going to happen.
But anyways, I digress.
Oh, no, no, no, I love hearingabout it.

Speaker 1 (13:16):
It brings me joy.
I digress, sorry, listeners, noworries, no, this is fun.
Um, let's see where was Iplaying with the kids?
And, yeah, you know, going hometo mine and an opportunity to
sub.
So I did, it was great.
But the part that I didn'tshare is during the time that I
was at home with my children.

(13:37):
God really brought me to myknees and I felt like you know
what's the point here.
I know sadly it's just the truth, but I had grown up a little
bit about my faith history.
I had grown up in a familywhere my father was Catholic and
we had to become baptized andtake confirmation in the
Catholic faith and then excuseme we also my brother and I had

(13:58):
to go to Catholic school fromkindergarten through eighth
grade.
My sisters ended up at publicschool and then, by the time we
were older, we could decide whatwe wanted to do.
My mom was Lutheran and shegrew up in that, and so we often
found ourselves going to churchwith her on Sundays and
becoming involved in those otheractivities and then

(14:20):
occasionally doing some thingsat my dad's church.
So for me, growing up, I wasgiven things that I had to do
and then things that I had achoice, and my siblings and I
have all ended up in differentplaces.
But that plays into me lookingat faith as a religion like not
a relationship, which then Idiscovered when I was at home

(14:41):
with my children.
I had a Bible study I'd done.
That actually was based onCloud and Townsend's book
Boundaries.
Is it on your shelf?

Speaker 2 (14:50):
I literally have it on my shelf.

Speaker 1 (14:51):
That's awesome it was one of the most amazing books
I've ever read.
This started with kids and thenI advanced on to the other one.
But that's kind of where I waslike oh I have, you know.
I don't know what to say,except for I have some control
over my life and it didn't haveto be fear based, which is
pretty much how I operated formost of my life.

(15:12):
Fascinating I don't know, butanyways.
So I then just discovered allabout a relationship, and so I
had finished up those maternityleaves.
And as much as I loved it.
Love kids, love doing what I do, love doing what I did.
I'm like I don't think I'msupposed to do this anymore.

(15:33):
I don't have that passion forit and I had learned that you
know God had made me new and hehad a calling for me, and it may
not be checking the boxes anddoing what you plan on doing,
and so, therefore, Funny, howthat happens, huh.
I had no idea.
So I thought, okay, now, whatGod?

(15:55):
Of course I was cultivating,being a mom and doing what I
could to raise them.
But also I thought, well, whatabout like me?
Because I feel like you kind oflose yourself in motherhood.
Yeah, I thought, well, whatabout like me, Cause you?
I feel like you kind of loseyourself in motherhood.

Speaker 2 (16:07):
Yeah.

Speaker 1 (16:07):
I mean kind of to point your podcast a little bit.

Speaker 2 (16:10):
Totally, totally.
The the whole reclaiming yourhue is is truly based off of
that.

Speaker 1 (16:18):
Yeah.

Speaker 2 (16:18):
It's.
That is exactly why I startedthe podcast, cause that's how I
felt like a a whole differentversion of me was unearthed, and
I didn't know what to do withthat new identity, right, and so
that was what spurred thequestion to go how the heck are

(16:40):
other women doing it?
That?
are also, you know, workingtowards, um, you know,
professional fulfillment as well, and particularly in the
entrepreneur space, because Ithink there's different sets of
challenges that come along withthat than, say, a corporate

(17:03):
setting with that, than say acorporate setting not to say one
or the other is better, it'sjust one comes with a set of,
you know, things that you needto overcome as a mother going
back into a corporate settingand vice versa.
Most entrepreneurs don't evenget a maternity leave.

Speaker 1 (17:20):
Yeah, you know, figure it out, or you?

Speaker 2 (17:22):
you decide, decide like what, what does?
This modification of amaternity leave even look like
so yeah yeah but yes, you're,you're bringing up something
that's pretty valid, which is Ifelt like I lost myself and what
was that gonna look like?
Moving forward, right?
So that's sort of the theprecipice you know, that you're

(17:45):
reaching, so talk, talk usthrough that so yeah.

Speaker 1 (17:50):
so I kind of came to one element of like this
crossroads, like I got to dosomething.
I figure out who, what I like,who I am, which will be my
encouragement to everyone laterto answer.
One of the latter questionswill be discover yourself.
It's okay to do, it's notselfish, it's important, because
all those things that you learnwill help you discover also

(18:12):
what God's created you to do,and so I I started learning not
only about myself but like, well, what do I like to do?

Speaker 2 (18:20):
And can I ask what that process looks like for you,
Sarah?

Speaker 1 (18:25):
Well, you, you can ask I will do my best to you,
Sarah.
Well, you can ask, I will do mybest to say I think it's
different for everybody and I'lljust tell you what I did.

Speaker 2 (18:30):
Yeah.

Speaker 1 (18:31):
Like I love to read.
You may not love to read, but Ilove to read, so I would read
books.
I took all a lot of inventories, disc Clifton, strengths, but
and just like writing downliterally what I like, what I
don't like you know, making apretty visual for myself and

(18:51):
things like that.
But, um, the the component thatI hadn't really delved in,
didn't understand.
It's just like my spiritualgifting what has God gifted me
to do that can impact hiskingdom for eternity?

Speaker 2 (19:03):
Did you take an assessment?

Speaker 1 (19:05):
Yes, I've done that, and I have to.
Yeah, good, it gives you alittle bit different insight.

Speaker 2 (19:09):
It really does?
Yeah, it's.
It's incredibly insightfulactually.

Speaker 1 (19:14):
Incredibly Some level of a missing piece for me,
because I was like oh yeah,talent, skills, ability,
experiences, Yep.
You know jobs you've had.
Yeah, it's kind of acommunication style.
It's kind of a unique andimportant part.
If you haven't done one not you, but anyone out there do it
yeah.

Speaker 2 (19:33):
Yeah, would highly recommend, and I I'll be sure to
um, if I can remember, dropthose like the, the Clifton
strength finders and all ofthose other assessments in
addition to the spiritualassessment as well, at least the
one that I if you have accessto a different one, I'll we'll.
We'll talk off air about whatthat looks like, but yeah, yeah

(19:53):
so.
So those were some of the, theum sort of like a pecking order
almost for you in terms of what.
Maybe that wasn't the rightterm it was.

Speaker 1 (20:04):
I know the order was kind of a mishmash, but yeah, I
was just like, well, I'll trythis, I'll try that.
I mean, I was kind of desperatebecause I I wanted to be doing
something.
I felt like my kids were, andthat's not for everybody.
Some people, like my sister,thrived on going back to her
work after staying home with herkids.
She functioned better in thatkids.

(20:25):
She functioned better in that Ijust knew myself a little bit to
know it would be too much forme, um to do what some of my you
know, other people I know, cando.
We're all made differently andI think accepting that is a huge
, it's a huge, important thing.

Speaker 2 (20:35):
but I've got another follow-up question.
I'm I'm having a little bit ofa flashback in terms of what
that had looked like for meduring maternity leave and then
coming back at that point,that's when I was still in
mortgage and I just knew thedemands of what that looked like

(20:55):
and I wasn't quite sure if Iwanted to continue to do it.
So is that?
What you're speaking to is likethe, the demands of what your
position looks like, formallyright and just understanding,
like okay, well, and.
I'm not, I'm not totally privyto what that looks like in terms

(21:16):
of um, you know the path, thespeech pathologist, and I have
some understanding, just comingfrom an education background and
working with um.
You know IEPs and stuff withchildren, right?
Does that a lot of that?
Does that correlate to what, um, the the timeframe of school

(21:43):
looks like, right?
So, like these are theparticular hours, or if, if not
was, was there stuff that washappening before school, after
school, into the you know laterhours that might then bump into
you know a, a boundary that youhadn't realized you needed to
set in terms of what it lookedlike in the family household.

Speaker 1 (22:05):
Well, I just think in general, me as a person, some
people are high capacity I'm notsaying I'm a low to know and it
doesn't matter if I am or notbut I just knew I didn't feel
like I could handle a full-timejob and raising my children the
way that I guess I wanted to,whether you know they turn out
or not.
But I have to share that partof my decision of doing this mom

(22:28):
thing is that I will tell youthat.
You know it was my senior yearof college.
You know, going along my plan,it was spring, I was getting
ready to move back home, readyto graduate-ish, and I get the
phone call my mom has cancer.
Okay, now, what?
Do I go to grad school, becauseI had to, or do I?
Do I go home?

(22:48):
What do I do?
You're kind of in a panicbecause you're.
No, they're making decisionsand she got, uh, we made the
decision, you know, for me to gohome.
I, you know, I think I justhave some element of caretaking
in me anyway, and so, and I, itwas a great, obviously time to
go in terms of like um inbetween undergrad and grad.

(23:13):
So, fast forward, I'm finishingup graduate school, I got the
opportunity to be home with herand help with the um.
My dad was working trying toretire Um.
They were a little bit olderwhen they got married and um was
still working, still keepingbusy, not really dealing with
what I was supposed to bedealing with, doing what I was
supposed to do.
You know, give her rides, but Ireally wasn't there for like I
should have been.
Anyways, could go on about that.
But, by the time I was wrappingup my starting to do my

(23:36):
internships for speech andlanguage, my mom did pass away.
My mom did pass away andactually the week before my
grandma died, her mom and Ididn't get to go to her funeral.
And then my mom's dad diedthree months later and you know
I had grown up in this lifestyleof I mean, death was just a

(23:59):
part of our life.
I helped my dad with hisbusiness a little bit as much as
he let me.
He was pretty.
He should be private about it,but like I was driving people to
the crematory, I was helping atgraveside services, I was
sitting at the desk answeringthe phone, you know, etc.
But when something like thathappens to you, I mean, I
suppose, what I don't know.
I was relatively close to mymom.

(24:20):
I was just coming to the pointof like being a friend to her.
I was 24.
And I to answer your respond toyour original point I think it
was like I never want to regretthis desire that I've had and
that may not be for somebodyelse, but I wanted to be a mom
and.
I wanted to do the best that Icould in the way that only that

(24:41):
I could do, and I had to let goof like for me, just like the
striving and achieving and maybesome of my dreams, to allow
these guys to go thrive,hopefully, you know.
But I saw her essentially giveup her career.
I don't know really if she gaveit up or she wanted it.
So there's a lot of questions Ihave.

(25:02):
But then what's interesting is,as I was preparing for this
podcast, I realized, wow, I kindof just followed in her tracks,
because then I became anentrepreneur and we'll get to
that, but God actually invitedme to drop a timeline of my life
and another thing I wouldencourage all your guests to do.
I've never done it before, buthe was in that time showing me a

(25:24):
lot of things and I feel likepreparing for this.
I just want to say thank youbecause I feel like I've had a
little healing in it, whichsounds really crazy but I don't
know if other guests feel thisway.

Speaker 2 (25:35):
It makes total sense.

Speaker 1 (25:37):
Well, so thank you for what you're doing.

Speaker 2 (25:39):
I'm getting like teary eyed thinking about like
it.
Literally as you were talkingthrough it, I felt like I was
there experiencing it and, um, Ican imagine, as you were
sharing like, hey, listen, Imean, death was nothing new to
me, right like I've.
I helped in the business I wasthere, you know at, at grave

(26:00):
sites and whatnot, but nothing,nothing is quite like when it's
personally right, it completelyshifts that you know thought
process and that narrative thatyou've otherwise built in your
head, Like, oh, death is justdeath.
And to your point, yes, there isa little bit of like, it just
is what it is.

(26:21):
But for us faith girlies, wealso understand this is a part
of God's plan, it's his will,it's destiny for all of us, and
it doesn't make, it doesn'tnegate not having the feelings
and the emotions that come fromwhoever it is.
that's passed Right and easiersaid than done sometimes, like I

(26:45):
might end up speaking up bothsides of my mouth here at some
point, you know.
But like, truly I think thatthere's.
When you have faith, youunderstand that there's a level
of trust that you just have tohave for what happens around you
.

Speaker 1 (27:02):
You said trust and it just made me shiver.

Speaker 2 (27:05):
Yeah.

Speaker 1 (27:06):
Yeah, so I just want to mention also in the
preparation, if you don't mind,or did you have something?
No, no, no, no.

Speaker 2 (27:12):
I was going to go All right, let's let's kind of pick
up where we had left off, umwith what you were sharing.

Speaker 1 (27:19):
I think you had mentioned there was something
that you were going to encouragemention there was something
that you were going to encouragethe timeline, yes, Writing out
literally from the dawn of yourbirth to the.
You know, we don't know what'sahead.
We don't know what's going tohappen tomorrow.
I've got a blink on the futurepart of my graph.

Speaker 2 (27:36):
If you want to call it a graph.

Speaker 1 (27:37):
I did on graph paper, but scribble it whatever, do it
on the computer.
But what I felt I was drawn toin preparing this timeline also
is the book of Ecclesiastes andI thought, really, okay, I don't
even know what to say, exceptthat you know our.
If we, we look at you, know theauthor and he studied it, you

(28:00):
know just, everything'smeaningless, however we, god
wants us to enjoy our work.
Okay, eat and drink andappreciate and enjoy the gifts
he's given us.
And so I think also for me itwas important that I enjoyed, if
I could what I was doing.

(28:21):
So that then plays into thedecision once I had done those
maternity leaves and realized,oh no, discovering more about
myself, I decided, well, I usedto really like, you know, like
fashion and clothing and thingslike that, and but I think I
ignored it because I, oh, that'skind of you know, vain or
whatever.
I thought about it, I don'tknow, or I just never cultivated

(28:42):
, so I was like interesting.

Speaker 2 (28:46):
Interestingly enough, I think we kind of all go
through that like weird little,it's a weird thing, right, and I
don't know if it's pressurefrom society or from people
around us or family members, butlike the there is true
realities, cause I I face thistoo, like, oh, I really love
style and fashion and you knowhow colors work and stuff, like

(29:10):
I'm really into it.
But then I kind of hit thisphase too, even after having
having Maddie, where I was likeis it important, is it not
important?
I don't know like what strangeit's true, though strange, you
hit so strange.
You hit the you know nail on thehead, but I think this is a
part of like really reclaimingthat hue right?

(29:31):
Is you start to realize, likewhat?
What is actually important forme?
Right and honoring that andhonoring it because God
instilled something like that inyou.

Speaker 1 (29:43):
Yes, he designed you.
You're made in his image.
You know, created on purpose,for a purpose and discovering
you.
You need those parts to walk itall out.

Speaker 2 (29:53):
Yeah.

Speaker 1 (29:54):
Every single part of you, inside and out, right.

Speaker 2 (29:57):
Yeah, so the timeline ?

Speaker 1 (29:59):
So then, um, yeah, so the timeline.
But I can get to the point ofthe timeline when I'm uh, you
know, trying to figure out meand I come across this, what was
like an online class, which, atthe time, I've been around a
while.
Um, they didn't have a lot ofthat on uh online, so it was
kind of new.
I took a class and I'm like, ohman, this is really cool.
I mean it paired like characterqualities with fashion.

(30:23):
So therefore it was like moresubstance to me, right, Sure.
And I thought, okay, I can keepgoing with this, can I?
You know I had doubts, ofcourse, but the issue I had was,
shortly after my mom died, mydad took us on our like first
family vacation.
We went to Mexico, but beforethe plane landed it did what I

(30:44):
would call somewhat of a backand forth rotation in the air.
It was super scary.
We had a pilot on there thatsaid I've never had a landing
like that, I think because Istill have a sister that doesn't
fly.
I did not fly for like 10 years.
So in order for me to continueon this path that I thought God
was calling me to which I haddidn't even know there was such
a thing as a calling I had toget on a plane.

(31:04):
And I thought, because I had myhusband had gone with my kids
to see their grandma in Arizona,I was I'd gladly stay behind
because I would not want to geton a plane, which sounds
ridiculous.
But I'm going to tell you thatevery person has a fear, it
doesn't matter what it is.

(31:27):
There's reasons we do.
But for me, I saw the wordcourageous if I may share in
this room, let's say and Ithought, yeah, you know, we all
need to exercise our couragemuscle.
So what I did, because I'm alearner, like how can I learn?
That's one of my gifts,actually like responsibility,
empathy, learner maximizer.
And there's another one Iforgot what it is One of my
gifts actually likeresponsibility, empathy, learner
maximizer.
And there's another one.
I forgot what it is, but anyway, I'm going to figure out how to

(31:50):
do this.
So I talked to a pilot who wasin my body pump class.
It was a woman, I thought theguy was the pilot.
She said read about draft andlift.
She took me to the airport.
She invited me to go on theplane.
I said no, thank you, I foundmy scriptures.
God did not give us a spirit offear, but of power, love and a
sound mind, et cetera.
I wrote them on my little cardsand I thought I'm going for it,

(32:12):
I'm going by myself, I'm goingto get on that plane and I am
going to do the next step, thatlittle change, and I think
anytime we make a shift, nomatter what it is, you guys, it
makes a difference in our youknow, families in our home, the
family out there, our friendsare every it, it, it makes a

(32:33):
difference so okay, okay, I'mdying to hear how this all
panned out.

Speaker 2 (32:39):
So I get done.

Speaker 1 (32:39):
Thank you, so cute you make me excited all over
again.
So, yeah, I mean I was, I waslike love in my my life was the
best thing that ever happenedand whatnot.
And I thought I got to do thenext thing and I took another
training, I got on the planeagain, and so the part where it
gets tricky with theentrepreneurship is like, well,
I mean, I had my, I had beeneducated on how to be an image
consultant.
You know, I loved learningabout color and style and really

(33:03):
just giving people confidencein who God made them to be,
which is, again, more substancethan just, you know, looking
cute and having the right things, etc.
But, yeah, where I just lost mytrain of thought, but basically
it's okay, it's a habit of mine.

Speaker 2 (33:21):
after having like there's realities, after having
babies like you just lose yourtrain of thought.
You're like I don't even knowwhat my thought process was,
what the heck.

Speaker 1 (33:32):
Maybe it was the trauma that I was just thinking
about, because I was thinking,yes, I blanked out.
Because I'm like, yes, Iblanked out, because I'm like,
oh, this means I'm gonna start abusiness.
I, I'm doing this.
I'm not even gonna plan this.
I was a planner, no, I'm, Ihave to do it and so.

(33:54):
I love helping women.
You know just be who God madethem to be, build their
confidence, and I get to do thatthrough the avenue of fashion
style.

Speaker 2 (34:04):
So so cool.
So when did that like?
When did you officially launchthat?

Speaker 1 (34:09):
about 2015, so I think it's been like what?
10 years now you're, you're.

Speaker 2 (34:15):
I'm kind of under the radar radar what?
You're literally at your10-year mark.

Speaker 1 (34:19):
I am incredible.

Speaker 2 (34:20):
I met a little girl.
Yes, thank you, I appreciatethe celebration have you crossed
the threshold like are youofficially 10 years?
Yes yes, when?
When was it that you?
June June was it June?
I believe you got to look backand tell me, because that's
really update really cool.

Speaker 1 (34:36):
Thank you, I appreciate it.
I didn't even think about thatyeah it, it's amazing.

Speaker 2 (34:40):
Thank you Seriously.

Speaker 1 (34:42):
I like that.
You're celebrating, uh, justcelebrating, and then just we
got to celebrate other women too, you know.

Speaker 2 (34:48):
Oh for sure, Absolutely I.
I think that there's there's somuch power in the celebration,
there's so much power in theunification, the support in good
and bad and indifferent rightLike.
That's something, too, that I'mrecognizing in the mastermind
group is, you know, you've gotindividuals who hit these speed

(35:16):
bumps, so to speak, and it's not.
Instead of shying away from it,I encourage them to go.
Okay, how can we embrace this?
And this is the reason for themastermind group we support each
other.
Yeah, right, it's theunification, it's the, it's the
collective collaboration ofreally incredible brains and
minds and going this is what I'mstruggling with, or this is

(35:37):
what I'm struggling with, orthis is what I want to celebrate
, you know, and having thismompreneur community just
surround you and envelop youwith, you know, the love and
support that's absolutelynecessary, critical and vitally
important.

Speaker 1 (35:52):
Yeah.

Speaker 2 (35:53):
Love it.

Speaker 1 (35:54):
I know.

Speaker 2 (35:54):
So, yes, let's just take a moment to celebrate 10
years in business, becausethat's massive and that's a huge
benchmark.
Really is so congratulations,thank you, so cute.
So 10 years you have been doingthis, and what has that looked
like?
Actually, I want to take a stepback, so in 2015,.

(36:17):
Would you mind sharing how oldthe boys were?
At that point.

Speaker 1 (36:23):
Fortunately I did my timeline so I can tell you.
I know right.
I think it was about 11 and 14.

Speaker 2 (36:29):
Okay, okay, so a little bit older, but that also
brings on different seasons ofactivities and whatnot, and so
let's talk through what thatharmonization looked like when
you were first kind of um, I'mgoing to use the plane analogy
getting the plane off the ground.

Speaker 1 (36:49):
Okay, what did it look like?
Um well, I'll tell you why Iliked it is because, gosh, I
kind of got to be my own boss.
Nobody's going to tell me whatto do.
I kind of can be hardheaded Um,but also it was flexible and I
think I've heard that on yourpodcast to other people have
mentioned the flexibility.

(37:09):
Yeah, so I could make my hourswhen they um, I could kind of
design my day and then be there,uh, in the morning before they
launched to school, and afterschool I could go to the
activities and squeeze dinner inthere somewhere in between.
So yeah, it was.
I love that about it.

Speaker 2 (37:25):
That's amazing.
How do you feel your familyreacted in that, in that
transition and that decision aswell?

Speaker 1 (37:35):
Okay, well, I I remember the photo we took of me
getting my certification andeverybody, I think, was happy
about it.
I don't know if boys.
I don't remember the photo wetook of me getting my
certification and everybody, Ithink, was happy about it.
I don't know if boys.
I don't know if they evennoticed.

Speaker 2 (37:44):
I'll be honest, you know it's um, boys are
interesting.
They really are, and I, I loveour boys seriously so much.
But yeah, it's like thesometimes the reactions there,
and you're you least expect thereaction to be there.
And then when you want to see areaction, and you're you least
expect the reaction to be there,and then when you want to see a
reaction, you're like nothing.

(38:06):
Cool Sounds good, they're likecool and they're like onto the
next thing.
So interesting.
That's why you have your othermompreneurs.
Yeah, that's why we rally thewomen around, because you know
that you're going to have alittle bit more emotion evoked,
so but that's so, that's so werally the women around because
you know that you're going tohave a little bit more emotion
evoked.

Speaker 1 (38:21):
Yes, perfect.

Speaker 2 (38:22):
But that's so cool that they were kind of right
there with you as you werestepping into entrepreneurship.
And then to your point aboutthe flexibility that it creates.
I'm sure the Boundaries bookkind of came into play at some
point or another.

Speaker 1 (38:41):
Oh boy.
So yeah, we can talk about hownow I'm the the, the
repercussions of like, yeah, Iexercise, but I've got health
repercussions from the stressyou know it's a lot to manage,
so I'm now dealing with that andsuch, but I'm just kind of I
don't know if I call it burnout,but I'm trying to do it all.
Yeah, yeah, and you know, thingsdon't always turn out how you

(39:01):
want.
You don't make the money youwant, necessarily, maybe, or you
things didn't go with a certainclient the way you want it,
whatever, and there's also justthose are the kind of the lows
and then just like the highs, ofyou know wow.
I just made somebody's day.
They just said this about me,you know, or whatever.
I changed their life.
I got to pray with them.
Yeah, it's a roller coaster, Iguess, is what I would say.
I wasn't expecting that Again inmy brain, everything's just

(39:23):
going to go forward and up.

Speaker 2 (39:25):
Yeah, no, I love it, but I love, I love your thought
process around it.
Thank you, I do.
Okay, so 10 years in businessand let's talk through some of
the the ups and downs, the peaksand valleys, as I like to say,

(39:47):
and, um, you know whether it wasin challenges that you
experienced with harmonizing itwith motherhood or, um, uh, kind
of outside of that realm, tolike any of those particular
hiccups that she might'veexperienced.
What was what was actuallyprobably the the biggest hiccup

(40:12):
that you felt like you hadexperienced and how did you work
through it?

Speaker 1 (40:17):
Huh, well, I'll, I mean.
It may not seem that dramatic,but it was for me.
I do not like taxes.
They completely stressed me out.
I had inventory.
I didn't know how to doinventory.
I wasn't.
We got some business training,but I'm not a business person.
Yeah, I was pulling my hair outone year and like the first in,

(40:39):
first out, all those sorts ofthings.
I remember I actually got ascripture about do not despise
this.
Whatever time of humblebeginnings I thought, oh, I'm
totally despising this, I'mlosing sleep over this.
But I discovered this was sointeresting.
I discovered, well, my husbandactually has more business sense
than I realized.
So I had to rely a little biton him, which of course I'm kind

(41:01):
of.
I want to be independent, I wantto do it myself, and so he had
to help me through that and weit was not a pretty sight all
the time, but I will say then,the other thing with that is, it
also pushed me because of allthe tears.
I thought I'm going to figureout a way to do this myself or
in a structure in such a waythat I don't need to have
inventory.

(41:21):
It can be part of what I offer.
And so then I designedsomething on my own and you know
, then you hire somebody to makethat and you know um.
But I know it doesn't soundlike like super traumatic, but
to me it was very, verydifficult and yeah.

Speaker 2 (41:37):
I can unpack, I, I'd like to unpack this because I
think, like I empathize with youI talk a lot about empathy knew
like the end game is that we'regoing to get married Right, I

(42:06):
came into that fiercely,independent, fiercely, except
for, like you know, like the,the tool thing, like tools and
make like no, that is just notmy area of expertise.
I will very much dependently beon somebody else for that stuff

(42:29):
.

Speaker 1 (42:29):
Though I'm, like.

Speaker 2 (42:31):
I need to make this shift, like shift the narrative
in my own head, right.
But I mean I empathize with you, sarah, because there is
nothing that is more stressfulthan having to really set down
your ego and go I don't know howto do this and trying to play
it cool, like, oh, I think I cando this, and then just

(42:54):
absolutely like being leveledout and going no, I can't, and I
do need to start somewhere andlearn.
And there's this.
I'm sure many of the listenersand other guests who have been
on can go yeah, I've been thereand you kind of go through these
like peeling back of the onionlayer steps of going.

(43:15):
Why am I like let's get to thebottom of this.
Why do I feel like I can't askfor help or rely on somebody
else to help support me, atleast for the time being, so I
can get my feet wet with it andthen go?
Okay, I think I've got it.

Speaker 1 (43:31):
Right.

Speaker 2 (43:33):
So I that.
That's from my perspective.
I don't know if there'sanything that kind of parallels
for you in that.

Speaker 1 (43:39):
Well, I think just the.
Why am I so stinkingindependent?
No offense, because I was thesame way and I never.
I think the world would say,yeah, you got to figure this,
it's all figure outable and youcan do it and you can do all the
things.
But I think God hasn't made usto be able each to do all the
things.
He actually made us to rely onother people because they're

(44:01):
gifted differently.
We actually do have weaknessesand we need to figure out how to
manage them and um then, youknow, obviously build on our
strengths, but that requiressaying uh, help, you know yeah,
I think it was helpful for me tolearn that that's actually
truth, that we need other peoplelike and then how do you lean

(44:22):
into?

Speaker 2 (44:22):
that too is kind of like the bigger question from
all of it.

Speaker 1 (44:25):
So with people you trust.
I think discovering you knowmore of um.
I'm sorry that's okaydiscovering more.
Uh, who you can trust andlearning what they know and how
can you serve them.

Speaker 2 (44:40):
You know it's something that's coming to mind
for me is, um, I had I had awoman on I don't know if you had
a chance to listen to herepisode Catherine Giole.
No, she has.
Um, she founded finding lovesafely, so she's got at least

(45:01):
three kiddos.
I'm sorry, catherine, if you endup listening to this episode.
I can't remember how manykiddos it is that have
disabilities and it was her sonwho who ended up saying hey, I
think I want to do likesomething on Tinder to try to,
you know, get go out on a date.
And she was like absolutely not.

(45:22):
So she created an alternativeway to find love for these, you
know, adults with disabilities,and it's just so sweet, it
really is.
But the reason I bring upCatherine is because that's sort
of her second but just reallylike second entrepreneurial
business.
Her initial entrepreneurialbusiness is consultation and um

(45:46):
coaching and she highlyencourages anybody that she
coaches with to go through theClifton Strength Finder Right
and not just like the.
I think it's like 15 that youcan get this like figure out
your first like 15 strength.
There's like a 34 from likethis is my absolute strength to
like this is the bottom of thebarrel.

(46:08):
Weakness Right.
So she was so gracious after ourinterview to go.
Hey, I would love to just gothrough this with you, if you're
okay with it Cause we.
It came up in the interview and,um, this is all coming to mind
because I'm like how, howincredible is it just in this

(46:29):
vein of like God created us theway that we are, with our
particular set of strengths,right, and we're not made to do
it all, and how can we beencouraged to lean into other
individuals that can helpsupport the bottom of the barrel
?
You know characteristics of whowe are right.

Speaker 1 (46:49):
Yes, yes, yes, yes, Accepting those.

Speaker 2 (46:53):
Interestingly enough, as I was going through all of
this with her, I was like, oh myword, as I was going through
all of this with her.
I was like oh, my word Likeideation for me is not a
strength at all, and for myhusband it is, for somebody else
who's on my mastermind it is,and we had done some stuff like

(47:14):
that before and you should haveseen the two of them at the
table.
Like like, what about this,Kelly, what about this, what
about this?
And I was like cool, thatsounds good.

Speaker 1 (47:22):
That sounds great and I'm like yeah, yeah, yeah.

Speaker 2 (47:24):
But then you like, you get it all out there and
then you go not this, not this.
Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes To this.

Speaker 1 (47:29):
Love it Right.

Speaker 2 (47:31):
But I just in context to what you're talking about
and speaking to right, it's like, okay, I may have just hit a
point where this is not astrength of mine, but I needed
to lean into my husband who,ironically, like through the
midst of all of this, I come tofind that he is really business

(48:00):
savvy.

Speaker 1 (48:01):
He's got some acumen, yeah, like so that's no, I'm
saying on your behalf likethat's really fantastic and what
a blessing.

Speaker 2 (48:06):
I think he liked it too.
Actually, Does he love to likehelp?
Oh, does he like.

Speaker 1 (48:11):
Oh, big time server.
And to the point where, yeah,you need to like, maybe do you
know less of it, Cause you're.

Speaker 2 (48:16):
how do you, how do?

Speaker 1 (48:18):
you do all that.
You're amazing.
But also also I did pay to havepeople start helping me with
things and it's like that waswonderful Figuring out those
real those things that reallybug you.
Yeah, what a weight lifted offright?

Speaker 2 (48:33):
Ooh, we could.
We could certainly dive downthat, but I think let's just
we'll set that one aside for now.
I think we've hit the nail onthe head in terms of, like, the
importance of understanding whatare your strengths,
understanding what are yourweaknesses, not to like
completely dismiss them.
It's like okay what are some ofthe things that I know that I
can like help to boost this, butthen also bring somebody else

(48:57):
in to support that, to kind ofbring the roundedness of my
business.

Speaker 1 (49:05):
Yeah, I like that.

Speaker 2 (49:07):
And perhaps motherhood too.

Speaker 1 (49:09):
Yeah.

Speaker 2 (49:09):
That's the reason we've got significant others is
because, like God, bless thesingle moms and the single dads
out there.
Single dads out there,hopefully there's a community
around you, whether it be youknow parents or grandparents,

(49:30):
but we're not meant to do thislife alone.

Speaker 1 (49:31):
No, we're not.

Speaker 2 (49:31):
No, it's way more fun with others.
Speaking of which, what hasvillage of support looked like
for you?

Speaker 1 (49:39):
I feel like I've been refining that in the last
handful of years as I've grownup.
I can't.
I'm a kind of person I'd liketo have a million friends, but I
can't possibly do that.
It's not physically possible,and I'm learning that I'm.
I've lost a lot of energytrying to be I guess you'd say
say, people pleasing and justtrying to understand more of how

(50:02):
to spend my time wisely.
You know, teach me to gain aheart of wisdom.
Each you know every day, lord,I am part of a small group that
Jamie Salstrom is actually myleader.
Shout out to her Forbes 25women of the year.
No, I shouldn't say woman of theyear, but top advisor she's
rocking it Powerhouse.

Speaker 2 (50:23):
Yeah, so cool.
You know Jamie's been on right.
Yes, I do.

Speaker 1 (50:26):
She doesn't know that .
I know that I don't think, butmaybe she'll listen to this.
I didn't tell her I was goingto be on, but anyway so cool,
she's great, she's rocking.

Speaker 2 (50:34):
Yeah, you have to tell her.

Speaker 1 (50:36):
So those guys, we do it.
It's manageable.
We only meet every other week,which is great, um, and so she
leads us and that's fabulous.
And then I'm actually I'm on aboard of a very small board that
, um, like I just forgot towrite that one down but they're
such great prayer partners andalso encouragers, cheerleaders,
um, you know, I think back to myoriginal thing with the support

(50:58):
, like inner circle of peopleversus a million, trying to
think there's one more.
I'm missing God.
He's my co-worker.
You know we work together.
I used to rely a lot on peopleNot that, you know, that's good

(51:20):
but I do try to go to him moreoften on how to, what I, what I
really should do, cause this iswhat I think I should do.
My brain thinks I should do.
What am I, what do you lead meto do instead?
And, um, I, that's kind of beena shift for me as far as, like,
um, my support.
I used to be like, oh, do theBible study and pray the prayers
?
Yes, all that, but, lord, leadme by your Holy Spirit.

Speaker 2 (51:42):
What do?

Speaker 1 (51:42):
you want me to do today.
You know who's going tointersect my path.
Who's that one person that Ican make a difference?
So, even though I have my work,I can go out like you did when
I walked in.
You're paying me a compliment,like, thank you so much.
I want to go out and do that.
Then, in return to other people, and just out there, just maybe

(52:03):
need a little uplift.
I mean here and there,everywhere you go, you're
working.

Speaker 2 (52:04):
You're working for God, so.

Speaker 1 (52:06):
I love it.
I would say that's my.
You know, I think sometimesfamily probably thinks I'm crazy
.
I think, being an entrepreneur,people might think you're nuts,
but Well it's not.

Speaker 2 (52:18):
It's it's not the path that a vast majority of
people take right.
I think if people understoodthe freedom that comes with it
and it's a different kind offreedom.
It actually is a heck of a lotmore challenging than, say, a
corporate setting.
I'm not going to speak to allof the corporate settings.

(52:38):
That's just too much of ablanket statement.
But, I think that you just you.
It allows you to be able togrow in ways that you just
otherwise might not be able to,in a different kind of work,
setting a nine to five, so tospeak.
So that's just my humbleopinion about it, you know and.

(53:02):
I'd rather be viewed asabsolutely crazy and and have
this like absolutely incrediblerelationship with God and my
faith and have that filter downinto how everything is with you
know the dynamic with my husbandas husband and wife and then as
business partners and so on,and so forth, like, truly,

(53:25):
because I think and I, this wassomething I wanted to ask you
that kind of came to my, came tomy brain, my heart is you've
had a nice little runway withyour business and you've alluded
to like, oh, I, you know, I've,I'm a, I'm a little bit more

(53:47):
seasoned, right, like you'veexperienced you like a fine wine
and, um, it's.
It's funny Val actually wasspeaking to.
I'm gonna totally blank on howshe, how she phrased it like she
is, she is the finest wine inour mastermind group right like

(54:11):
in terms of being in business,the years that she has and then,
just you know, having havingchildren that are like literally
almost my age.

Speaker 1 (54:22):
Right so.

Speaker 2 (54:23):
I think she was saying like sorry, val, if
you're listening to this and yourecollect our conversation, you
know, on a Thursday morning.
I think she was speaking tolike I view myself as like a, a
mentor of sorts to the group, um, or like the, the future
version of you women in thegroup, and I can speak to some

(54:46):
of these things that you'reencountering both in motherhood
and entrepreneurship.

Speaker 1 (54:50):
That was.
That was what it is.

Speaker 2 (54:51):
Okay, so this is what I want to ask you is as you, as
you continue year over year andyou look backwards right, we
can only connect the dots.
Looking backwards, right, whathas that looked like for you in
terms of people pleasing, right,and then setting that down?

(55:11):
How has faith played a role inall of that as well?
And then I want to kind ofbring it full circle, because
you mentioned, like you know, asa people pleaser, like I can't
have a million friends, I justcan't.
It's gotta be the inner circle.
So how do you feel like, overthe years, that muscle has been

(55:32):
completely like?
I feel like you're in a reallygreat place right now, that like
there's no atrophy to yourmuscle.
When it comes to that, what,what do you?

Speaker 1 (55:42):
think it is.
I mean, I'll be honest, I liketo read.
I read books about friendshipand, like I, hadn't you know
experience in high school whereI had to switch high schools and
go to a completely differentschool than my brother got to

(56:05):
and I had to start over andthat's a hard time and I sadly
did it to my sons.
but I learned that I mean, Iwent through the friends.
I don't know where I fit in.
I was popular in the end, likeI was, I'll say, but what kind
of substance, you know, did Ihave?
And why was I?
Why did they want to be friendswith me?
Why was I friends with themInstead of just like you have

(56:26):
only so much?
I think the energy part for melately in the last few years is
I don't have the capacity asmuch anymore to give like and
I'm in a place right now whereI'm sort of transitioning to.
I'm sort of like uh, my kidshave my son just got married.

(56:49):
Uh, my older son, he's prettyyoung you know, finished college
, my other one's wrapping upcollege.
I'm kind of in a place where I'mstarting to look.
I'm hovering over and justfiguring out, looking at some
different perspectives.
What's it going to look likemoving forward?
How have I done it?
What didn't I like about what Ido?
Because you know sometimes youhurt people in the process of
figuring out where you fit in.

(57:10):
Just like they can hurt you.
I don't even know if this ishelpful, but for me it was just
being okay for times in my life,not having what I wanted or
accepting the way things didn'tturn out with friendships that I
was hoping.
But I learned that I may not beable to trust, say, a person or

(57:34):
they me, but I can trust God towalk into the next relationship
and know how much to put intoit and to give to it and to take
from it.
I think, there's the balance ofthe give and take, and then the
other thought I had was aboutthe balancing of the give and
take.

Speaker 2 (57:52):
Anyways, I can't remember what the other thing
was no, it's okay Again.
Remember, when we talked abouthow this is just how life is
being a mom, I was trying tofind a book.
It's in here somewhere and it'sabout relationships and there's

(58:15):
like four different kinds ofpeople in life.
It's around here somewhere andI read it years ago.
It's some.
It's.
It's around here somewhere andI read it years ago.
It's a quick read but it wasabout, um, the kind of people,
kind of um energy that you'reable to pour into people, um, or
the type of characteristicsthat each person holds.

(58:39):
And gosh, I wish I could find it, because it's been so long
since I've read it that I don'twant to butcher it, but anyways,
like one of them is like kindof like an energy sucker right
Like they they take more thanthey give and it's, you know,
it's perhaps the season of lifethat they're in, and it doesn't
mean that that's necessarilyexactly who they are, that they

(59:04):
just may be in a season of lifewhere they're learning through a
lot of stuff.
Yeah, I like that and that youcould potentially come back
around to that friendship atsome point or another.
But it's understanding, likehow much you can actually give
to that relationship versus howmuch you kind of are willing to,

(59:26):
right?
So I'll end up sharing with itafter Sure, because, like I
don't know where it is, I knowit's around here somewhere.
I swear it.
Like some of those books fallback because you know Maddie
gets her little hands in heresometimes and she just pushes
things around.

Speaker 1 (59:39):
That's a reader's our leader, she's going to be a
reader she totally is Cute.

Speaker 2 (59:44):
I have a picture somewhere, sarah, where she
literally was sitting in thischair and she was reading a book
, and I had to catch the pictureof her because I ended up
sharing it with her teachers.

Speaker 1 (59:57):
Oh yeah, Look at this .

Speaker 2 (59:59):
They're like oh, spot on.
Anytime she's like she'sgetting dropped off, she's
grabbing a book and asking tosit in her lap and read so yeah,
yeah, she'll do in her future.
Yeah, anyways, full circle backto what you were speaking to of,
just like you know the time andenergy and pouring into like
what does that actually looklike with friendships and stuff?
And then how do thosefriendships end up supporting

(01:00:22):
what it is that you're doing,both in motherhood and
entrepreneurship?
I just think that there iscertainly something to be said
about the people we surroundourselves with and being
conscious of who it is that wewant to continue to do this life
with.

Speaker 1 (01:00:42):
It's short.
I'm on the latter end.
We're given seven or 80 yearsright.

Speaker 2 (01:00:47):
Yeah, it's.
You know, I, I kind of do adiagnostic of like do they, do
they make a conscious effort tolike, reach out?
Um, it doesn't mean scheduling,you know, time multiple times a
month to get together, butwe're at least trying our best
within a couple of months tofind time for one another.

(01:01:09):
They're engaged, theyunderstand what, what it is that
I or we, you know like to.
To bring it to your story islike what are you trying to
accomplish, you know, and whatis your mission and your vision,
and that that mission andvision that's been set upon you
by God to put forward, do theytruly support it?

(01:01:31):
Right, and if they, and ifthey're not in a season of life
again, this goes back to theenergy suckers Like, if they're
just not in a season of life tobe able to support that, then
it's gone.
All right, I got to.
Just, I have to pour more timeand energy into my family at
this point and I'm in thatparticular season of life and
this is just what it's going tolook like.

(01:01:52):
Oh, okay, and you know, both ofmy kids are, you know, done
with college now and so it'slike all right.
Well, I'm sure that's going tobring on a whole different set
of um shifts.
Good word in your, in your life, right.

Speaker 1 (01:02:09):
But thankfully, like you, the shifts, you can walk
through that with thatsupportive people.
And then I was thinking, too,you would do something with
discipleship, because I alsohave had like a mentor who took,
took time with me hours when Iwas that young, just discovering
Jesus, and it's like a couplehours every week and she'd teach
me about the Bible and okay,what part of that am I now going

(01:02:31):
to?
What's part of my successionplan that's going to be eternal,
of that value?
Who can I pour into for jumpinginto it?
But who can that be?
Cause I'm not doing that rightnow?

Speaker 2 (01:02:40):
that right now.
I do it with my work, with yeahnot for the younger, younger
people, so anyway yeah, she mydiscipler yeah it's like just
wait, you'll end up disciplingpeople, and I was like me, no
like, and I just don't.
I don't feel equipped or readyto do that, and I know that
that's not the season of lifethat I'm in, but I know that

(01:03:03):
there's an eventuality.

Speaker 1 (01:03:04):
Well and kind of you do it with the podcast, though,
too.
I'll just say it.

Speaker 2 (01:03:07):
You know, thank you, that's actually.
That's actually very eyeopeningfor me.
I wouldn't have even thought ofit that way, totally Okay.
Well, here we are.
Here we are, um, I I feel likewe've covered some really good
ground here, sarah, and I don'tknow if I'm missing anything.

(01:03:29):
I've just been very, veryenlightened by our conversation,
enlightened by your story and,um, I feel like we've really
kind of touched on all of thedifferent areas so far.
But where we haven't touched onis as we start to land the
plane this is what I referencedquite a bit.
I know I start, I start to landthe plane.

(01:03:51):
What is a piece of advice thatyou would give a younger version
of yourself knowing, knowingall that you know now and just
having experienced life that theway that you have experienced
it?

Speaker 1 (01:04:08):
Two thoughts come to mind, and I did have some time
to think about.
It is, and I already mentioned,just taking some time just to
discover who you are.
And then, interestingly enough,the scripture came to mind as I
was preparing.
I don't I can't reference it,but it talks about, you know,
gaining the whole world butlosing your soul.

(01:04:29):
And we just had a formerneighbor over at our house one
evening.
He's older and he was talkingabout not a field of mine, but
basically these people that tryto reach partner in five years
are working 70 hours a week andthey trade their life, quality
of life and he's.
He's a man that has a lot ofwisdom and has, in a sense, sort
of mentored my kiddo, who wasacross the table from him.

(01:04:50):
It was just going through a jobupheaval and I thought, wow,
that verse came to mind and thenhe just said it.
That was just like two nightsago and I really just encourage
the.
The discovery of yourself isgoing to help you not lose your
soul and just really figure outwhat you're made to do and how
to do it and not to overdo it, Iguess.

Speaker 2 (01:05:10):
I do think that there's a little bit too about
like, in doing that discoveryright, very much in line with
what you were speaking to.
It's like then you understandhow you can set parameters, yes,
and the boundaries really startto come into play the more that
you really discover who you are, what your mission is, what

(01:05:31):
your vision is.
Purpose, very much purpose, andthen just setting your eyes on
that and going and trusting likeGod has you and leaning into
like it.
This isn't the path foreverybody, right, and so I don't
want to completely broad strokeit, but for you, know, you and

(01:05:54):
I, and for the individuals whoare listening, where faith is
just so vitally important forthem and it's, um, it really
kind of helps be the guidingpost.
It's like continuing to lead,lean into that, like really lean
into it for the guidance andthe respect the comfort, the
safe place it really is well,and I think something else that

(01:06:15):
just came to mind too is wetalked early on about how
sometimes there's just differentseasons of life that happen
right, and this caught.
This is a calling for a change,right, and to not be afraid to
make a pivot.
Do not be afraid to reinventyourself, which is very much

(01:06:40):
your story.
There's a lot of reinventionthat happened and I'm sure, too,
we're not quite done, sorry.
There's a few other things I'mstarting to think about you know
, I'm sure that you actuallyhave experienced this in doing
what you do, which is stylingwomen, that they come to you

(01:07:04):
with lots of questions, right,and you are their guiding post,
right, and in having thoseconversations, it allows a
reinvention of themstylistically, right.

Speaker 1 (01:07:21):
Let's talk about this .
Sometimes it starts with style.
Actually, I look at it as aninlet.
It starts there, but then itgoes to something broader,
rather than they're coming to meafter they've sort of developed
themselves and now they want towork on style.
It's really cool.
It can be the impetus togreater things.
Just pick this avenue for me.
I never would have thought in amillion years I would do this.

(01:07:44):
I just enjoyed it and I likeencouraging and teaching.

Speaker 2 (01:07:48):
So I'm so curious.
What is um, what is?

Speaker 1 (01:07:55):
yes.

Speaker 2 (01:07:57):
Sorry, listeners Thank you.
Right now, my, my poor guestshave to like hold the microphone
and there's a true front to themicrophone, there's a true back
to the microphone and sometimesI have to.
We get so excited.
Like I find myself constantlychecking to see this is the
front, is this the back?
Nope, we're good.
We're good, so that's what youwere just experiencing, but

(01:08:18):
anyways, I want to know what's?
What is the first individualthat you can think of?
Where you were like that wasjust so impactful.
You don't have to say names.

Speaker 1 (01:08:30):
Oh no, I won't say names, I don't, I want to know,
like I want to know what thatwas.
That was like.
You know it's interesting.
Honestly, I don't want to soundcheesy, but every one of them
impacts me.
I'm not trying to be like coverit all in different ways, cause
you know, each of us are walkinginto it, even though having a

(01:08:52):
conversation kind of like youand I today, we didn't, we don't
really know each other, sothey're having to, you know,
trust this process and trust me,and I think I would think about
more of a recent one.
Let's just say um, just becauseit's front of mind.
I I don't have it on my website, but I do do just color
analysis and that's what thisperson wanted.

(01:09:16):
So we met up and um as I waspraying about it, cause I do
pray about my clients and it'snot like me, like I sometimes
will pray with my clients but Idon't always pray with my
clients.
Some are believers, some aren't,it doesn't matter.
I like to help.
You know, everybody buildconfidence in this area.
But I was sensing just that,you know, there's just a lot of

(01:09:39):
hurt and pain for some reason Ihave no idea why or what and it
just was on my heart.
And so, you know, we, we prayedand I kind of took a risk.
So it's just the courageousthing again, like I feel like
I'm kind of interfering in theirlife, but I felt like I needed
to pray about just.
You know, this person's a light, this person's bright, they're

(01:10:00):
helpful, and when I see themcause I I would see them out
socially and just think of thequalities I saw about.
It was I work with primarilywomen and um, and I go.
But you know there's, there'ssomething deep inside, you know.
You know you know that'scausing pain and and so I prayed
about that and we got done.
She's like I can't believe youjust prayed about that because

(01:10:23):
that's there's something goingon there and maybe we can talk
about it later, cause, you know,I like to keep it fun and light
too.
This is a fun thing.
It's awesome, but I'm like Ihave to.
I felt like led to just shareand it was really cool because
afterward we had our fun and wedid our thing and I was going to
go and she's like you.
We had our fun and we did ourthing and I was going to go and

(01:10:44):
she's like you know, this isreally what's going on in my
world.
And she shared, bless her heart, and I'm like, hey, let's go
over to your chair and let'sjust kind of pray for you.
And she was willing to receivethat.
And then it's just that givesmy work meaning Another client
pretty hard on herself.
We go shopping and sometimes Idon't know like you can only say

(01:11:07):
to somebody you know you'rebeautiful, you're beautiful so
many times or compliment.
Finally and I don't normally dothis I just put my hand, uh, on
her chin and I said you'rebeautiful, and you know.
She didn't say anything and Ididn't know if that's
appropriate, but again I feltwe'd known each other.
We had gone a few times.
It was okay for me and I hopethat that impacted her.
So, people that I work with,they teach me a lot about me and

(01:11:28):
even some of my fears and thethings that bring me joy, and if
it weren't for my customers, Iwould not be working.
So thank you for each and everyone of them and the discoveries
that they make whether theywork with me one time, quick, or
over time.
I just god knows, that'sincredible it's really

(01:11:48):
incredible what?

Speaker 2 (01:11:49):
so you had mentioned and on the, and alluded to this.
So you primarily work withwomen, right?

Speaker 1 (01:11:56):
yes, I have worked with men but I with their wives.
There, just my sweet spot iswith women and encouraging them,
and primarily, you know, womenmy age.
But I have also worked a littlebit with teen girls, when I can
give a presentation about youknow who God made them to be in
their identity.
That whole.
That's not my comfort zone, butI've had to do it a couple
times and it's needed for sure.

(01:12:17):
But, yeah, I love helping womenlearn what their best colors are
based on their hair, skin andeyes, how to dress for their
body shape.
Which body shape has my bodyissues.
I've struggled with that sinceI was young and that's part of
my journey too.
And then we help with kind ofdiscovering your style a little
bit, but it's still more of alaunching pad for that just how

(01:12:38):
to accessorize.

Speaker 2 (01:12:39):
You know, those are well and I think something that
comes to mind is just thismassive shift that happens for
women's bodies after they havechildren.
My body is not the same bodythat it was pre-baby, by any
stretch of the imagination.

(01:12:59):
I used to have much more of anathletic physique and now it's a
little bit, a little bit morelike lean.
There's leanness, not so muchmuscle if that makes sense.
And and my goodness, I will saythis on air I do not have any
boobs anymore.
You're funny and it's just sosad, like sad.

(01:13:20):
Like you know, you go throughthe nursing phase and then all
of a sudden, it's like nothingis there, but even before I had
babes you know, had my baby.
I was like I felt I I was happyabout right you know my little,
my boobies?
They weren't, they were notsmall.
They are small now and I'm likeoh, what happened?

Speaker 1 (01:13:41):
We should talk about bras is what's next right.
No seriously getting fittedonce a year.
There's great.
I have some resources for youto on that boat.
That's off air, um.
But I'm just making sure thatyour bras look good on you.
They help you look greatunderneath your clothes, no
matter what size you are.
They are the foundation fordressing Well.

Speaker 2 (01:13:59):
I tell you what you are.
They are the foundation fordressing.
Well, I tell you what I feellike I have been shooting in the
dark on that particular avenue,so yeah, we can talk off air
about boobs.
Thanks, listeners, for justsharing in some giggles about
boobies.
So I know all of us women cantotally empathize with it.
Okay, now we're landing theplane.

(01:14:21):
I asked the question what's apiece of advice that you would
give a younger version ofyourself?
It was absolutely beautifuladvice that she shared.
What's a piece of advice thatyou would give another woman
listening right now, who is?
They're rediscoveringthemselves, and maybe business
is involved in that, maybe not.

(01:14:42):
Maybe it's just a rediscoveryof self.
What's a piece of advice you'dgive to them?

Speaker 1 (01:14:46):
Business or self.

Speaker 2 (01:14:48):
Either or or both.
Whatever you're feelingcompelled to Wow.

Speaker 1 (01:14:57):
Okay, I think.
I think it's interesting howthey can play together and they
did for me.
Um, even just like, let's justsay, part of my rediscovery was
actually figuring out, oh, thereare certain colors that look
better on me than not.

(01:15:17):
Let's say, for example, oh, Ican wear certain clothes Like I
didn't know this, nobody taughtme this.
I love shopping, but I didn'tknow certain things helped me
look a certain way, and it'sinteresting how learning about
those things and more, andhelping you know my issue is I
have lots of extra skin fromhaving my baby first.

(01:15:41):
One one gained, you know, 90, Iwant to say 90 pounds.
I was almost 200 pounds and I'ma short person and I'm not
going to be doing anything aboutthat, but I've had to live with
that now and it's it's held meback and I wasn't going to let
it do that anymore.
But all that to say, it'sinteresting how something that
was a part of an interest ofmine that I then explored

(01:16:04):
learned about that I am nowusing to help other people and I
would have had no idea and it'sit's a blessing to me that I
get to give my gift away.

Speaker 2 (01:16:13):
Do you feel like this is like a form of self-care for
yourself and for like thatothers can do for themselves too
?

Speaker 1 (01:16:18):
Yeah, In fact, that's how it started out for me.
This was self-care and so, yes,but it's more than self-care.
I feel like it's, it's reallyan investment.
I'm going to prepare you andget you set up.
Really yeah Too, you know.
So anyway.

Speaker 2 (01:16:33):
Incredible Thanks, Sarah.
This has been so fun and soenlightening and you've given
some very profound littlenuggets of information and
advice for the listeners, sothank you.
How can individuals getconnected to you?

Speaker 1 (01:16:52):
counterculture, but I love meeting up like, like we
are right now.
I'm in here in person withKelly.
She's inviting me into her homeum love coffee.
But you can also, if you'remore comfortable, I go to my
website and then you can set upa style chat on Calendly with me
.
It's 15 minutes free beautifulit can go somewhere or not, and

(01:17:12):
I am on like Facebook.
I have a page.
I'm on LinkedIn, but nothing.
I'm not really into socialmedia.
Okay, I love word of mouth andI love people, so one-on-one is
great.

Speaker 2 (01:17:21):
Beautiful.
This has been so fun, soenlightening.
I am so glad that you know.
After months and months, ofhaving this on the calendar,
that here we are, and what ablessing.
Thank you.

Speaker 1 (01:17:36):
I feel the same.
I appreciate you.

Speaker 2 (01:17:37):
Well, I hope you have a great rest of the day.

Speaker 1 (01:17:39):
Thank you, you too Thank you.

Speaker 2 (01:17:41):
Thanks for listening and if you enjoyed this episode
and know of any inspiring mamaswho are powerhouse entrepreneurs
, please help connect them withmyself and the show.
It would mean so much if youwould help spread this message,
mission and vision for othermompreneurs.
It takes 30 seconds to rate andreview.
Then share this episode withyour friends Until the next

(01:18:03):
episode.
Cheers to reclaiming your hue.