Ep. 69 with Rachel Frosch | Founder & Owner, Mom Badge - Reclaiming Your Hue: A Podcast for Women Rediscovering Themselves in Motherhood & Entrepreneurship

Episode Transcript
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Kelly (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

(00:30):
you glorious guests as well assolo episodes.
So let's dive in.
Good morning, Rachel.
Good morning.
How are you?
I'm good.
I'm good.
Good.
Uh just one quick note.
Your pants are a vibe.

Rachel (00:45):
Thanks.
I love these pants.
It's like when you go intoanthropology and I'm like, I can
only go to the back and go tothe sale section.
I found them and I was like,I'm going for it.

Kelly (00:53):
They're in my a woman after my heart.
I love it.
Like, don't even look.
Don't I know?
Just I'm like, just walk pastit, get the stuff that's
probably coming out of season.
Yep.
It's okay.
There's a a time and a placefor that, right?
And and that's the reason we'rewe're smart uh you know,
shoppers.
We we kind of have a flow withit, right?

(01:14):
Yep.
We know where we're supposed togo.
So for our listeners, I justwant to quick share.
She's wearing these absolutelycool green, uh, it's a Kelly
Green pants, and I love it.
It feels like a fresh, summery,happy thing.
It it fits and it fits the moldperfectly.
All right, so let's go aheadand dive in.

(01:37):
Yeah.
The first question that I wantto ask you is we we've got to
share this with listeners.
How is it that you and I gotconnected?

Rachel (01:45):
Well, I I was thinking about this on the way, and I'm
like, I don't completelyremember.
I just remember that um you I'min the startup world.
I have a lot of friends inthere, and I think you know, we
have cross-section things, buthow did you meet Katie?
I don't even remember.

Kelly (01:58):
Yeah, great question.
Um, and so for the listeners,yeah, Katie is her last name is
Shaehan.
She Han.
Well, maybe Shanahan.
We're like, okay, I I thinkit's so Katie, if you're
listening, our our deepestapologies.
But Katie and I got connected.
Um, I used to do a differentpodcast, and it was through

(02:19):
Rotary.
Okay.
Are you familiar with Rotary?
And we would record at AM950'sradio station.
Oh, and she has a radio showthere.
And she has a radio show there.
And the owner, his name is ChadLarson.
Okay.
When I told him, I asked himjust a few questions about like
getting everything up andrunning with the podcast.

(02:40):
Um, and I was like, I'm sorry,I'm not gonna be able to do it
here at the radio station, butwhat would it need to look like?
And he was like, Well, what'syou know, he asked for some
background information aboutthe, you know, the niche of the
podcast, what I was looking toachieve with it.
And he goes, You should reallymeet Katie.
Yeah.
And I he had this forethought,forethought of um Minnesota

(03:04):
Startup Week was coming up, andthis was last year.
Okay, and he he was like, Shedoes, she puts on events during
that, and I think just ingeneral, she puts on events
really around this startup.
And so he made theintroduction, and then when I
met Katie, I met Katie at yourguys' empower, empower her,

(03:28):
empower her event that was rightin the midst of Minnesota
Startup Week.
So when I was there, I waslike, I mean, I just I started a
podcast, you know, maybe fivemonths ago, and I've got some
bigger, broader visions of whatthis could grow from and how to
build a community.
But I kind of went in therelike, this is what I'm doing.
I I don't have like a formalbusiness, but it was so fun to

(03:54):
hear other people's stories.
Yes.
Okay, so that's how Katie and Imet.
And then when Katie and I I waslike, we've got to meet.
Yes.
I went up to her after theevent and she was like, hi, hi,
hi, okay, fine, let's getsomething on the calendar.
Yes, yes.
And then I, you know, we metfor coffee and she was like, you
have to meet.

(04:14):
Katie is an amazing connector.
You have to meet Rachel.
Yeah.
So she gave me your contactinformation, and truth be told,
I sent I sent an email, but Ithink I had your like Gmail
account.
Okay, okay, not the mom badgeone, which oops, I just kind of
like spilled the beans here.

Rachel (04:29):
But um, yeah, I on probably days startup week, it's
such a it's like a whirlwind.
It's like the startup superbowl of the twin cities, and
yes, and I just feel like it'slike this everybody's meeting,
and then I the follow-up isreally hard sometimes because
you're like, oh my gosh, how doI?
Yeah, anyway, right.

Kelly (04:44):
It's great.
It's totally a delicatebalance.
And listen, I've been doing thepodcast now for a little over a
year.
Yeah, and I s I mean it'sgrowing and it's continuing to
grow.
And I'm I feel so blessed thatI've got individuals who have
been on the podcast who continueto introduce me to more and
more and more and more people,but keeping track of its own

(05:06):
time like stuff's coming throughon different emails, stuff's
coming via text message, stuff'scoming via LinkedIn, and I'm
like, oh my word.
Yes.
So I can't even imagine comingat it from your perspective,
where you know, you're manyyears into this.
Yeah, learning a lot and allthe different uh modes of

(05:30):
communication and who'scommunicating with you is quite
challenging, which actually I'mgonna table the question that
just popped up in my head forlater.
Okay.
Um, but so we we've shared withthe listeners how it is that we
got connected.
Yeah, long story kind of notreally short, but what came
first for you?

(05:51):
Was it motherhood or was itentrepreneurship?

Rachel (05:54):
Um, motherhood for sure.
I um I have four kids.
Um, my oldest just turned 14.
Um, I have three boys and agirl.
So 14, 11, 9, and 6.
I got that pretty quick.
Um and my so my youngest isgoing into first grade, and
that's my daughter.
So um yeah, so that came firstbecause I've probably been doing
this.
Started thinking about the ideaof what I was building in like

(06:17):
2020, not related to COVID oranything, it was before that,
but um yeah, so about five yearsof thinking about it, about
more like three years of reallydiving into um building and all
this, um, and and now trying tomake things grow and build and
everything.
But motherhood definitely wasfirst.

Kelly (06:34):
Okay, okay.
And when when you decided thatyou were gonna move forward with
the business that you have now,what were the ages of your
children?
Good question.
Because it was twenty you saidyou mentioned 2020.
Yeah.
So um, let me think.

Rachel (06:50):
I probably had no, it's like math.
I'm just thinking becauseduring COVID, my youngest was so
she was born in 2018, and Ijust remember that the first
shut, the first week of the shof like doing school from home,
she had just learned to crawl onthe top of a table.
And I was like, oh my gosh,we're all gonna sit at the table
and do school together, andshe's gone.
And I was like, no, everyone'sgonna spread around, go to the

(07:13):
ends of the house and be away.
Um, I thought I was gonna dolike a one-room schoolhouse.
No, um, but so yeah, I wouldsay I had two um that were in
school, like maybe like secondgrade in kindergarten, and then
one um, and then twopreschoolers or like, you know,
not even in preschool, butyounger than me.
So um, but actually, I thinkthat that's what probably what

(07:36):
led me to feeling like I had notpermission, but like the
ability to use my margin to dosomething creative like this.
I always did extra littlethings, but being like, oh, I
think because I'm like after myfourth is when I um officially
like stepped away from myteaching job or like my job
working in schools.
Yeah.
And um, I wasn't teaching, Iwas doing professional

(07:57):
development stuff for teachers.
But anyway, but after myfourth, so I was like, okay, I
have, you know, you don't have alot of time with four little
people at home, but any littleextra energy in my mind, I was
like working on this.
Yeah.
Um, so yeah, yeah, it was kindof wonderful.

Kelly (08:11):
Yeah.
Now I would love for you toshare.

Speaker 04 (08:13):
Yeah.

Kelly (08:15):
You mentioned that you were in professional development
in the school district, whichschool district?
Anokahinepin.
Anoka Hennepin?
Yeah.
Okay.
And do you feel like were theretakeaways from what you were
doing in that career for sure towhat your business is now?
Um, and then let's share withthe listeners what your business
is.
Should I start with that?

Rachel (08:36):
Or okay, so um, so yeah, so I am the founder of a it's a
it's an app, but it's our dreamis that it's a digital platform
to see, support, and celebratemoms and help people be good
friends for moms.
And so what that means is rightnow it's a digital gift card
marketplace.
So we have like I literallystitch these badges that
represent the moments ofmotherhood, like up all night,

(08:57):
or these rites of passage.
Some of them are moments, someof them are like, you're just a
great mom, but they're out offabric and thread.
And then I make them digital,and then you can send them
through text or email to makelike a more beautiful experience
for what you know about a mom'slife.

Kelly (09:10):
Wait a second.
So on the app, because Idownloaded it shortly, I want to
say it was before maybe a fewweeks before we actually met in
person.
Okay.
And I actually utilized it acouple of times.
I oopsied on a um calendar datewith one of I feel terrible.

(09:34):
And Emily, if you're listening,I love you dearly, but I messed
up on like the timing of usmeeting for coffee.
Yeah.
And we met at Rustica, or wewere supposed to meet at
Rustica, and I noticed on theapp that there were gift cards.
So I sent her a gift card fromthere, but I didn't realize that
you on the front end of itcreate the badge itself.

Rachel (09:58):
Yes, yeah.
So I I decided like a whileback that if I was gonna make a
whole company called Mom Badge,I like had to loan the badges.
Like I was like, I can't like Iwas drawing them on a digital
drawing program.
That's actually like a reallykind of a momental, a
monumental, there you go.
Um, part of the story is thatlike, you know, when you're
building a brand and figuringout who the, you know, the core

(10:18):
values and everything, but justlike what it feels and looks
like.
When I went to the fabric storewith my daughter after drawing
them on a drawing program, andthen we came home.
And you know, when you'resitting next to your kid on a
computer and they're like, andyou're like, I'm just getting
some work done.
It's it's so different than ifyou're actually like doing
something with actual realthings.
And so I started trying to makesome, and um, she was like,

(10:38):
Mama, we're makers.
And I was like, We're makers.
And I was like, Yes, this isgonna take longer to make these
badges in out of real things,but like being a mom is in the
real world, it's not digital.
And like what we're trying todo is bridge that gap, right?
Like the in I I'm not reallytrying to build something.
There's a lot of platforms forfinding another mom with three
boys and a girl that's out therein the world, or and and what

(11:00):
I'm trying to do is help peoplethat in the actual networks of
who they are, their friends andfamily, um, make those
experiences deeper and better.
And I was like, that is such aphysical embodied thing.
And so, um, so yeah, so I Imake them, and then I'm a
photographer too.
So then I just like photographthem and finish them digitally.
I try, I like don't do thewords out of fab out of thread

(11:20):
because it was like too hard toread them.
And I'm not that I'm like andalso that yeah, that's next.
That's intense.
Yeah, so anyway, so I do themand then I put them in there,
and yeah, it's it's really Ialso feel like we've you know
we've partnered with a fewbrands, and it's like an honor
to like like take their brandand be like and make them a
badge that's out of their brandto be like your brand, like

(11:40):
really does like help spark joyin moms' lives.

Kelly (11:44):
So yeah, it's it's really I have some really fun ideas
that are just rolling aroundright now for kind of bridging
this like when I have guests on,and I'm not gonna even say
anything beyond that, but we'lltalk after.

Rachel (11:56):
Yes, yeah, little teaser for our guests.
For sure, for sure.
Um, but yeah, that's just Ididn't get back to the education
thing.
Do you want me to okay?
So, anyway, so yeah, I meanthere's a lot more with the
company.
We also just added videomessaging, which is fun, so you
can be like, you had your baby,and here's a had a baby badge
and a DoorDash.
And it's really just liketrying to like reach into the
moment and like do the elevatedgroup, the text thing that you

(12:18):
can't anyway.
So that's mom badge.
But um, and then okay, so thenI but what I did is I was a
teacher for three years, andthen back in the 2008 recession,
like I wasn't tenured, got cut,yeah, and um was like the
youngest person, and so I waslike, I don't know what I'm
gonna do.
But I was coaching at theschool, I was a varsity lacrosse
coach, and I just loved theenvironment.
I had met my husband there.

(12:39):
We I'm like he was teachingthere.
We got married um within theyear and a half from then.
And then I love it.
It was awesome because I haddated somebody for like almost
like I think like seven years,like college, high school.
And then I was like, I met him,and I was like clearly like,
you know, actually our secondthird time we hung out.
We were like, he like asked meto dance in my kitchen in my
apartment, and he was like,You're finally here.

(13:00):
And I was like, What?
And he was like, I've beenlooking for you for a really
long time.
And I was like, oh my gosh.
I was like, this is allhappening.
Like I was like, I thoughtpeople like this were so stupid,
and now here I am.
Like I was like, You weresharing the story, and I love
it.

Kelly (13:15):
It's so like I've I can feel myself just like getting so
like emotionally worked upbecause of how sweet it is.

Rachel (13:22):
Well, and just like so, like this clear anyway.
So he was at working in thesame place, and then um, and I
think this is a lot maybe of thewhole theme of all of
motherhood, entrepreneurship,and everything is like I didn't
know what I was gonna do next,but then a job, just one job
opened up in our school that wasabout like it was called like a
professional learning communitycoordinator.
So, like I quickly read thebook on whatever PLCs were, and

(13:45):
I was like, went to theinterview, and it pretty much
what it was is for like the nextnine years, I got to be the
person in the building that washelping bridge the gap between
what the school and theadministration and the district
wanted teachers to do andhelping them feel empowered to
do it and inspired to.
So, um, and I got to set myown.
I mean, there was meetings onthe calendar, but most days I
would be like, what does theschool need?

(14:06):
So I created like uminteresting resources like
podcasts and things like that,interviews of teachers,
interviews of students, impactpieces, and did a lot with data
that wasn't like my jam, but youknow, trying to help teachers.
You all teach chemistry.
This is what your kids are,this is what is the result of
what you did.
Talk to each other, you know,but really trusting the teachers

(14:26):
to um use each other asresources.
And it was it was a great job.
Like I loved my principal, Ilove my school.
It was so fun.
Um, and people were so I didn'thave to be the expert teacher
because I had only taught forthree years high school social
studies, but um, I got to belike, you're amazing.
Like, look at what you justdid.
And like so many teachers aredoing that work in hiding, or
like not in hiding on purposenecessarily, that's just the

(14:47):
nature of the job.
And so then I wasn't 2009, so Ihad my first son in 2011, and I
think that the teaching and umand parenthood is just so
similar, right?
It's like you're doing thiswork, it's every day, it's
diligent, you're like workingforward to to towards something
good, but it's it's very unseen.
And so I got to like so thatyeah, kind of go, and then so

(15:10):
that along with the work of likedeciding my schedule every day
and like doing what needed toget done creatively, I think
that really worked well forentrepreneurship.

Kelly (15:18):
So oh my word.
Yeah, I can totally connectthose dots.
Yeah, I'm like having all ofthese little light bulb moments
too, like, uh-huh.
That totally like taking howyou were empowering these
teachers to really kind of stepinto you know, it it was

(15:39):
probably a better version ofthemselves too.
Yeah.

Rachel (15:41):
Well, and I and I I like to say like one of the gifts or
like one of the things that Idefinitely feel like if somebody
was like, What's your call inlife is is to mirror back the
goodness in people and help themnotice it.
Both like what I believe Godhas put in them, but also like
what they might like it likespurs on the tinder of the fire.
Like it's like you areincredible at that thing.
Like I just saw it, like, whoa.

(16:03):
And then they're like it's likeum makes them crawl out and be
brave.
And so um, I think that thatthat bravery, that hope that
okay, maybe I can do tomorrow,maybe I am doing something
incredible here, um, is that'sthe mission along all the
things.
So okay.

Kelly (16:17):
Yeah, okay.
So my next question then is howdid you take what you were
doing just in this, just in thisvery moment that you were
talking to me about and apply itto making the leap into
entrepreneurship for yourself?

Rachel (16:34):
Um, I think that well, no, yeah, like I think it's it's
similar to like, you know, atthe end of any chapter, what's
next?
And whether it's a big chapterof your life or a small thing,
you definitely feel like you'rewaiting.
Um and I feel like for me,every new um leap or every new
step, I I always disappointedbecause I'm like, oh no, it's

(16:55):
another Indiana Jones bridge.
Like, you know, when he stepsout and he has to without
knowing what he's gonna step.
And for me, entrepreneurshipwasn't this big like decision,
like, I'm going to be anentrepreneur.
It was like, I am gonna takethe next step and trust that,
like, I listened to a podcastyesterday and it said the Holy
Spirit gives us enough light totake the next step.
And I'm like, that is, and weare and another, another thinker

(17:18):
person I really love is AndyCrouch, and he talks about how
we are supposed to live, we arecalled to live at the
intersection of like the mostvulnerable and the most risk we
can live.
But that's really scary.
And so I just kind of I wasn'tlike, we're just gonna do a huge
thing, but I just kept askingquestions and getting people to
help me.
So I'd be like, Can I make anapp?
And then somebody was like,sure, you can make an app.

(17:38):
And I was like, okay.
And I just didn't know what Ididn't know.
Um, but people come along andhelp you in the things that
you're not good at, similar toparenthood.
They send you home with a baby.
Do you not know?
You know, I'm not qualified forthis.
You know, maybe some like I seeyou, or not Nick you, sorry,
like maybe some like nurse isqualified for this moment or
some amazing pre like earlychildhood educator.

(17:58):
I am not qualified to take careof that sweet little precious
thing.
Right.
But that doesn't mean it's nota call that I can become
something different.
So I think that it's all very,very interrelated.

Kelly (18:10):
Oh my word, are you speaking to my heart and soul
right now?
This is just this isilluminating.
I love that you I love what yousaid from the podcast that you
were listening to is the HolySpirit finish it for me.

Rachel (18:24):
Um, gives us enough light to take the next step.
Like we don't have a whole, I'mlike, I told my mom, I'm like,
I want a flashlight for thewhole path.
Like, yeah, don't we all?
Yeah, and I think the otherthing I was processing is that I
think the urge in our wholeselves is to someday get to the
point where we never have totrust.
And I think like it's like, oh,once I arrive, I can just take
a deep breath.
Whether it's arrivedfinancially, it's arrive at

(18:46):
whatever season we think we'restriving for.
And I think it's both likecompletely unsettling and
overwhelming to realize that'swhat living is.
Like, and it's and really likethere are moments of pausing and
celebrating the new moment, butreally like I've just been it's
so clear that in parenthood, inentrepreneurship, in life, that
each new thing just calls us toagain stop and be like, okay, I

(19:09):
don't know what's gonna happen,but I trust, like, and I don't
trust because I know theoutcome, I trust because I I
know that I can trust that Godis good, you know, and loves me.
Yeah, you know, yeah.

Kelly (19:20):
So what was the initial um like tinder for you that
sparked mom badge?

Rachel (19:30):
Yeah, so I think just the journey of parenthood, like
right, like there's just I thinkI honestly I do think there was
one specific moment.
Like, I think our oldest wasone and a half, and and like it
sounds so awful, but if there'smoms listening, you know, it's
like I got thrown up all overand I was in the bed, you know,
he was sleeping on me, he likepulls his head back, one and a
half year old, whatever littleguy.
And I was like, whoa.
And I was like, I bet I'm notthe only person that's

(19:50):
experienced this.
But for me, it was like, oh,this is a rite of passage.
Like everybody does this, butit feels so crazy.
And it's not like people alwayssay, you know, to parents,
like, whoa, how do you do it?
And it's like, you don't, youjust do it because you're not
gonna not clean the kid up,you're not gonna not do the
thing, or not go to theemergency room, or not make them
a birthday cake or whatever.

(20:10):
You know, we're all doing thebest we can.
But I was like, I love the ideaof spurring people on in hard
things and how like you'retaking the risk and being
vulnerable.
Literally, when you'repregnant, your your whole body
is showing the world that you'rehoping for life.
Yeah, like you can see thatthat person is super pregnant,
and you're like, and that's veryvulnerable.

(20:32):
Yeah, but I I was like, I wantpeople to be met in that
vulnerability, in that scarything with support, love, and
the confidence that they will betransformed, but they can do
it.
And so, yeah, so my kids, um,as they just kind of would go
through these different phases,I was like, I'm not the only
one, and I bet everyone's justtrying to do their best.
And we just we don't needcompetition.

(20:54):
I was like, it doesn't actuallyfill me up to get a like on
Instagram, it fills me up whenmy friends see me and the like
in a in a deeper way and when Ishare authentically.
So anyway, I was like, I thinkwe can just make like a
beautiful way to respond to whatwe know about each other's
lives on the marathon ofmotherhood, you know.

Kelly (21:12):
So what I think is so cool, and I'm just gonna sort of
connect this to that verymoment of vulnerability that I
was having when I was pregnantwith Maddie.
The first one was I I was like,I'm not even sure that I want
to continue down this careerpath that is mortgage because

(21:32):
that's what it was previous.
And that was a that was a niceeight-year, um almost nine-year
stretch of being in that career,and I thought this is my NLBL,
you know what I mean?
And until I got pregnant, yeah,and it started to really waver.
And I think in moments likethat, even where it I wasn't

(21:57):
vocalizing that.
Yeah, a matter of fact, thatvocalization didn't happen until
you're gonna think that myhusband and I are such a dweebs,
like such dorks, but we weredoing like visioning and goal,
um, like setting, working on agoal board for what you know,

(22:17):
five, ten years looked like, andI just couldn't see it.
And it was in that moment thatI just broke down.
And I think to tie that in kindof full circle moment, it is
truly in moments, and that'sjust one example of an
opportunity to go, hey, I seeyou.

(22:37):
Yeah, you know, this is areally exciting endeavor.
Yes, being pregnant, yeah, andyou know, hope is right, it's
it's literally right there atyour fingertips, and it's a
completely different adventure.
Yeah, but I see you, yeah, butit's so scary.

Rachel (22:54):
And you're you know, and from moment, I think the other
thing is parenthood, like momentto moment, you can feel like,
oh, I think this is gonna be agood day.
We got this.
And then as my kids have, Imean, both toddler years and
even now, I'm like, no, this isnot gonna work.
Like this day is not okay.
We are not all right.
And like, and I but I think theother way, like survival and
thriving, that line is just sothin.
And I think like somebodyreaching in with like a coffee,

(23:16):
I'm like, okay, you know what?
Yeah, we're gonna go throughthe drive-thru.
I'm gonna get myself a coffee,we're gonna have a restart.
Whew! And I just think likethat power to do that in another
person's life is just like, Idon't know, it's just a it's
it's transformational.
And I think like I, yeah, Ialways, yeah, I just think it's
it's a really amazing thing tobe able to do for someone else.

Kelly (23:35):
So yeah.
All right.
So you had mentioned that youare pretty heavily involved in
that startup world.
There's somebody else who'sbeen on the um podcast to Ashley
Mooneyham.
Okay, yeah.
And she, I mean, she's she wasthe first person on the podcast
that is really in that, likereally involved in that world.

(23:57):
You, however, were the firstperson that I met that was
really heavy in that world.
Yes.
And so, how did that come intothe picture for you as you were
starting with Mob Badge?

Rachel (24:10):
Yeah.
So I went to um mybrother-in-law suggested that
he's like, there's this thingcalled Twin City Startup Week.
So 2021, I went and um likebeta is a program that I
eventually ended up doing, butum, I went to an event, I was
just like, hey, I want to startan app.
And they were like, okay, I'mlike, who should I talk to?
And I just started askingpeople questions.
And then I realized like theseare like my people.

(24:32):
Like, I didn't know quite yet.
I wasn't the better.
That is literally what I said.
Yes, yeah.

Kelly (24:37):
I got back, I was like, these are my people.
Yes, I like it.

Rachel (24:39):
And so it's just so fun to be like, you know, these
people are taking risks, they'relike thinking about new things,
they're hopeful, they're like,I mean, it takes a lot of hope
to, you know, set out orwhatever.
And then um, so yeah, I juststarted going to more things and
then getting connected.
And then um, I think theprograms I did, I did a program
called ILT Academy, which waspretty foundational, um, kind of

(25:01):
help you like problem solution,what are you doing?
And then I did beta later, butjust you know, making friends
that were like, and I think it'sa lot similar to being a mom
because it's like you find momfriends that understand you, you
find um startup friends thatunderstand you, and it's really
like I need to see those peopleagain.
So I just kept going to stuff.
And then um my friends startedmeeting, and then we were like,

(25:23):
Oh, we should see if anyone elsewants to join us.
And so we started, um, we justlike threw out like maybe we'd
do a happy hour or something,and then we started our group
Empower Her.
Um, and that just kind of wegot support from VCs and
different people who wanted tobe sponsors, and now Ashley is
one of the people who's um onour um leadership team.
So like it was she uh she was Ididn't know her back then, but

(25:44):
um, but she yeah, she's sowonderful, and like we've had a
lot of conversations that werelike it's just such a gift to be
able to be completely honestwith each other about the
journey.

Kelly (25:52):
So yeah, totally now, and Ashley was so the event that I
went to, your guys' event, um,she was on the piano.
And I was sitting next to her.
Actually, when you guys had hadus um kind of rounds, yeah,
yeah, round round table, smallgroups.

(26:13):
Um, her co-founder was in thatwith me.
Yeah, and I was talking to herabout the podcast, I was sharing
about the podcast.
She's like, You have to meetAshley.
And of course, like you were onthe list to meet because Katie
had mentioned that, and thenJen, it's Jenny, right?
Jenny, yes.
Jenny.
Jenny was like, you have tomeet Ashley.
And I literally got kind ofstuck talking to this person.

(26:34):
Yeah, I shouldn't say stuck.
No, I felt very, very fortunateand blessed to like just talk
to all the people that werethere.
And then before I knew it,Ashley was gone.
And I think that you werebuzzing around.
And I'm like, I'm gonna justcircle back to this, right?
But but I do think that thereis something to be said for for
the listeners to understand thatshould they be in this position

(26:59):
of beginning the journey ofentrepreneurship with a
business, right?
Let's just start there.
There's this whole wide world,yes, that is the startup world,
yeah, and all of these eventsthat are happening, and I think
it's in October, right?

Rachel (27:15):
Yeah, this year is on October, but then also well, we
realized, I mean, there is therewas more things throughout the
year, but not very much.

Speaker 03 (27:21):
Yeah.

Rachel (27:22):
And so, and there's a lot more now, and even in the
last like year and a half,there's a group called
Communiful that's come and theyrun amazing events.
Beta has a decent amount ofstuff, and then, but we felt
like having a space for femalefounders that is like um that
you're not having to like pitchyourself all the time, it's just
founders.
So it's not like you have to goand be nervous, you can come
and say, like, I don't even knowif my company's gonna survive,

(27:43):
you know?
Like and just the risk of thescariness, but also like
celebrating each other's winsand like a really
non-competitive way, like yeah,you know, and also just I think
that it's it's just a uniquelifestyle to be like, I'm doing
something that you know isn'tmaybe paying me right now, but
I'm feeling like it's worthdoing, and then to meet with
other people who are maybetaking that same crazy journey

(28:04):
as well.
Um, and so yeah, yeah, that'sdefinitely the people that have
helped me a lot through it.
And and we we invite people,even if they just are thinking
about doing it.
So to our groups, it's superlike we want to be the entry
point for women that are likegonna jump.

Kelly (28:19):
You guys just recently or is it coming up that you have
an event happening is at a at avineyard?

Rachel (28:26):
Oh, we did.
We did that on the yeah, yeah.

Kelly (28:28):
I was like, I really, really, really, really badly
want to go to this, but timing,I I wasn't gonna be able to work
in the schedule.
Yeah, but gosh, I thought thathow cool is that?
That's that's cool.
Um, just in in regards to Ithink the format of it reminded
me of the like what I'm gonnado.

Rachel (28:47):
Well, no, so yeah, we just well again, I think a lot
of this is just so amazingbecause you set out and then
some people come alongside youand they're like, we want to not
only support you, but like makea really special thing.
So, like Idea fund fromlacrosse.
Um, they were like, How aboutwe hope help not just fund your
event, but like host it at avineyard?
And the woman who owned thevineyard was like all about

(29:08):
helping female founders.
And so we just went down thereand um, you know, got to know
each other, but then also had amoment, like an informal, but
like prepped pitch, like sopeople could like because
there's a lot of moments thatyou need to do like a like a I
can't remember if it was 60, 90second pitch, but like anyway,
we got to all do that, give eachother feedback, practice that,
and um yeah, and just spend timeto the thing I'm the most

(29:28):
excited about though is umpeople are voting right now, is
um for Twin Citi Startup Weeksessions, and we're bringing in
um there's an organizationcalled Stella, and it's mainly
out of Southern California, butthey also have a chapter in New
York.
But they um this woman namedSylvia Ma, she is just she's a
woman of faith, she's been doneTED talks, she's like an

(29:48):
investor, she's just incredibleand just like such a champion
for FEMA founders.
And we're bringing her, she'scoming to in in October to
startup week, and she'll speak.
And I'm like anyone that canget a minute of her.
Time you will, it's just trans,it's really awesome.
So people have to vote for hersession, but it's yeah, it's
really, really great.
And then there's a group of usgoing out to Stella in um

(30:09):
September.
So um to fall.
Yeah, so there's there's just alot again when you're stepping
out, and then this supportaround you is just it's really
cool when people step up.

Kelly (30:17):
So I'll have to um, I'm just making a mental note to
drop some of this informationinto the show notes um so that
our listeners can get tappedinto first Minnesota Startup
Week and then that event aswell.
You said that there's somethingthat they have to vote for.

Rachel (30:33):
Well, I don't know if by the time it comes out, maybe
not.
But like, um, but for sure, ifthis is out before October, come
to Startup Week.
Um, because it's just a reallygreat place to connect with
people.
And I think that I my bigbiggest thing is like you don't
have to be like, I have it allfigured out and I'm super fancy.
You could literally come andit's like the first week of
college where you're like, hey,who are you?
And like just a friendlyenvironment.

(30:54):
Some people are like totallyfancy, have done all the things,
raised millions of dollars,exited, blah, blah, blah.
And some people are like, Ijust am curious about this
community of people, andeveryone's welcome.

Kelly (31:03):
So okay.
Yeah.
I don't, I think it's probablyseven weeks from what when I hit
record with my guest to whenthe episode actually drops.
So we might be on the thebarrier there.
But I'll go vote.
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.
That's great.
Um, okay, so we've talked a lotabout the journey.

(31:25):
Um, and I want to hear a littlebit more because you've kind of
you've you've dropped theselittle seeds.
Yeah.
I want to hear and share withthe listeners what has faith
looked like through all of thisfor you.

Rachel (31:39):
Um, for sure.
Yeah, I feel like the you know,we yeah, like you said, we kind
of like hinted at everything,being that the foundation is
that you can't know the outcomeof anything.
Um, and I think that for meit's it's again this this
juxtaposition of being supervulnerable, saying I care about

(31:59):
this, which is a very vulnerablething, and then risking and
then saying to God, like, Ibelieve this is what you've
called me to do, but why wouldit be this hard if you call me
to do it?
And um, and then saying, youknow, also it's not about me.
So, like, if this isn't gonnawork, like, then take it.
Like it's yours.
And I just, I feel like it'sjust an open-handed invitation

(32:21):
to use my life.
And I'm like, okay, God, I amyour instrument of of like of
good in the world for what Ibelieve you've called me to do,
but I have to watch for you ineach next step.
And um, you know, and he'sprovided such amazing things
that it's it's been, it's justbeen a really complex journey
because these things havehappened.
Like, I went to a program inCalifornia and um met these

(32:43):
developers or through somebodythere, met these developers that
are like the best in the worldfrom Notre Dame.
They're a married couple,Catholic couple.
And they literally, like, Itold them about my idea.
I had built like we'd startedtrying to build a website, and
then they like they were like, Imet them on a Monday, and then
Wednesday they text me.
They're like, Hey, can you meettomorrow?
And I was like, I'm not gonnabe able to pay you guys, but if
you can help me a little bitwith some ideas, and they're

(33:03):
like, We just built your app.
And I'm like, what?
They're like, we haven't slept,we just and at that point I had
friends that have spenthundreds of thousands of dollars
to build their app, and theseguys, and I was like, all I have
is five thousand dollars in thebank, like for this, like I
can't do anything else.
And they're like, This had tohappen.
Well, I get chills because likethere's so many moments that I
could not have done that bymyself.
I couldn't have become like anamazing coder.

(33:26):
I like I couldn't have donethat, but like that, there's so
many moments that I'm like,okay, God, I will keep going.
But then the like anotherfounder, actually, the owner of
Rustica is one of my favoritepeople.
He's now retired from that job.
His name is Greg Hoyt, and wetalked one time, and I was like,
but Greg, so many seasons ofthis feel like the desert.
And like, like, how do you andhe's like, and you can't fast

(33:47):
forward the desert.
And so my journey has felt likeGod is providing enough mana
for me.
But meanwhile, I like watch myfriends who are like having
brunch and I'm drink eatingmanna, and I'm like, but the
mana's enough.
And I'm like, okay, God, like,how do I know how to trust that
you want me to keep steppingforward?

(34:08):
But you are providing enough.
There is enough light to takethe next step.
Um, but I'm also open to like,if none of this is gonna work,
if it's not gonna blow up andI'm not gonna sell it and I'm
not gonna like, you know, notthat I wouldn't necessarily even
need to exit, I just want somemore support financially and all
that stuff.
Like, I will give up, like Iwill stop.
But you have to show me.
And then, like, right as soonas I'm like, maybe I should

(34:29):
stop, then I'm like, oh, that'sa big moment.
I will keep going.
And so it's just trying tobalance that.
But I think that he has, Ithink all of life is just the
like choosing to in the momenttrust.
It's not about the outcome,it's that he is kind and he is
good and he is with me.
And so, um, and then trying toget on the sync with my family

(34:49):
and my husband to be like,should I keep doing this?
Is this killing us?
You know, yeah.
So, um, but I I'm just blownaway by all that he has provided
when I look back at the journeyof it and how it's transformed
me, like parenthood.
You know, like you wouldn'tchoose the hard, but so and I
always say motherhood and beingentrepreneur and everything is
like running a marathon.
You don't start it becauseyou're like, Yay, I'm gonna have

(35:10):
so much fun.
But you're like, Whoa, I'mreally a lot stronger, or like I
can speak into other people'slives and give them hope and to
continue.
So I don't know, that's kind ofall spinning around, but yeah,
the gift of it is to trust thatlike that he is with you, not
that the outcome is all wrappedup in awesome.

Kelly (35:29):
That was beautiful.
I want to speak to Greg withRustica.
He's so wonderful.
So he was he visited ourrotary, and for the life of me,
I can't remember when this was,but I'll tell you something that
stuck out about him is that heone is a forever learner.

Rachel (35:52):
Yes.

Kelly (35:53):
And two, he got curious, which is a theme that is like
very evident with who you are asan individual.
I think it's just the theinnate uh capabilities of us as
like deep downward educators atheart, right?
But he he emphasized in hispresentation the power of

(36:18):
surrounding yourself with peoplewho are um one to share very
similar core values to you, butthat can give you this like a
tug, right?
I've been there, I've donethat.
I want I want to see you thriveand be able to avoid um my

(36:44):
husband's business coach justsays this, avoid the real estate
heart attack like I did, right?
So I loved and I I mean clearlyhe's he's been doing the right
things, right?
Because Rustica is chef's kiss.
Yes, for sure.
Chef's kiss.
But the reason I bring that up,Rachel, is I want I want to

(37:06):
hear from you what has what hasyour village looked like?
Um how have you seen theevolution of that as you
transitioned intoentrepreneurship and and as mom
badge has continued to grow.

Rachel (37:23):
Yeah, I think for me it's and I'm sure people I I
think it's similar to who youmaybe reach out to in hard parts
of parenthood, right?
Like it's like who like Ithere's probably seasons of life
that you're like talking tolike 20 people, and then there's
like for me, I've found thatlike the core core people, like
my husband, my mom, and mysister, like they both want

(37:44):
what's good for mom badge, butthey want mostly what's good for
me.
Yeah, and like that's a hardbalance.
Like my husband's like, I lovewhat you're doing.
I believe this is what we youhave been called to do, but I'm
gonna talk to Rachel, Rachel,right now, right now, Rachel the
founder.
And I'm like, oh, and he'slike, she's gonna be pissed at
us.
And I'm like, Yeah, you know,and I think so it's like people
that will advocate for you.

(38:04):
And so that, so it's kind of mycore type people.
I have my startup people, andthen the different people, like,
you know, throughout the years,someone like Greg or different
people that I've reached out tothat like have that core value,
like you've said.
Um, they're like thisorganization I have gotten more
involved with, and then they'recoming to the Twin Cities
praxis.
I don't know if you've heard ofit, but they're this like the
Center for RedemptiveEntrepreneurs.

(38:25):
Um, and I've yeah, they're justincredible.
And um anyway, but I feel likeI've found friends through those
things, and then my startupgirlfriends that really get what
the journey is like, and youknow, you just kind of like
being really real with them, andwhen it's hard and similar to
parenthood, you're not likeyou're not saying like this, I
don't even know if this is gonnabe okay with this one kid, the
situation, but you you bold likekind of vulnerably reach out,

(38:48):
they meet you with honest likethoughts back, and then you kind
of you know keep going.
But um, yeah, I feel like whatwas I gonna try to say?
Yeah, I think that just kind ofbeing being willing to be
vulnerable and really honestwhen it gets really hard, and
then and then balancing, likeit's not always good to just
keep fighting and keep pushing.

(39:08):
Like, I I think that's probablythe thing I've been trying to
learn is like I do have apersonal boundary.
Like, I can't give everythingto this because at the end of
the day, I'm like, God, only youcan make it grow.
Like, I can't, you know.
I don't know if you've everread with your kids the frog and
toad books, where like he'sokay, so it's these little
characters, but anyway, the froglike talks to these seeds and
like yells at the seeds in theground, like, grow, you can

(39:31):
grow.
And then like he sings to theseeds and he does all this
stuff, but really at the end ofthe day, they're just gonna grow
in their time.
Yeah.
And I think that that's what'slike, yeah, it just has made me
like, how do I keep going?
But yeah, anyway.
But not demand it when it's notits time.
Yeah.

Kelly (39:48):
Okay, so something that just came to mind is this um I
love the word that you use, thisjuxtaposition that we we find
ourselves in, and there's manymoments that that happens,
right?
So I'm gonna go a little offscript.
Okay.
Yes, I'm looking at it.
So the I I want to hear fromyou, and this is I have never

(40:11):
asked this question.
Um, so it's it's a relativelynew thing that I would love to
hear from somebody likeyourself, where you understand
the importance of surroundingyourself with call it relatively
like-minded people, but thatare are doing the thing that you

(40:32):
want to do, right?
Um they've been there, they'vedone that.
But then also there are theseother individuals who are
looking at you and going, she'sdoing what I want to do.
Yeah.
How do you how do youpersonally balance those two

(40:53):
things?
Because there, there are, likeI think of you didn't have to
take time out of your morning tomeet with me at Lynn Hall.

Speaker 04 (41:03):
Yeah, yeah.

Kelly (41:03):
Right.
But I'm the type of personright now that's really kind of
in this, I'm I'm an entrepreneurwith my husband.
We're in business together.
But when it comes to thepodcast in the community that I
want to build, I'm in a I'm in astartup phase.
Yep, yep.
Right?
And so I'm I'm that personthat's going, hey, this is uh me

(41:27):
being a little vulnerable rightnow, too.
So it's for the listeners, butit's also for me.
Yeah, I'm in this spot rightnow.
Yes, I'm curious.
Yep.
I have the drive and thestamina and wanting to be able
to like get to where this can besomething, right?
And I also under understand theimportance of surrounding

(41:50):
myself with people likeyourself.

Rachel (41:51):
Yeah.
So, but for you, and I'm Ithink you're saying like instead
of just making it about my owngrowth, it's like like kind of
reaching back to the city.

Kelly (42:00):
Sort of like a mentorship, but then on
understanding too, like you haveto protect your time also.
So, what have you been in thisposition and what has it looked
like?
And if not, do you have anyadvice?

Rachel (42:13):
Well, I think for me, um, one, I'm just a person that
likes to say yes to almosteverything because I'm like, I
don't know, maybe this is whatGod wants for me today.
So I'm very curious, like yousaid.
And I'm also, I think becauseit's it's just really clear to
me that I don't have it allfigured out.
Like, you know, if somebody II'm not really aspiring to be um

(42:35):
an expert at anything, I'm justdoing what I'm called to do.
So I feel like I, it'sinteresting because I think the
juxta example of, you know,going out and meeting other
people, growing my own likenetwork, moving things forward
for myself, like going andbuilding community for other
people, helping them be inspiredto continue.
I think all of that, it kind ofgoes back and then says, you

(42:58):
need to have a strong voice withinside yourself.
That like, you know, there's mymom always says she's she's
like um, she meets with people,she prays with them and stuff,
and she's been a pastor for along time.
But she always says you have aknower inside of you, and that I
think that is God like tellingyou.
And so I think like, I think meeven processing this with you
today or the empower her stuff Ido, or even just you know,

(43:18):
going out and networking andgathering with other people that
are doing this work, it's it,it's like mirroring out or like
pushing out what I'm processingand then coming back to myself
and being like, I can askeveryone in the world for
advice.
I can try to give advice, butat the end of the day, what do I
know?
And it's I think the same, samething for parenthood, right?
It's like, I think it was veryclear early on with like my son,

(43:39):
like my first kid, you'retrying to figure out sleep or
something, and you're like, Idon't know, I don't know.
Like, am I gonna be somebodythat picks them up?
Am I gonna be like a sleeptrainer?
Am I gonna like go in and likeyou know, and like you can read
every expert book.
You can like do all thesedifferent things, you can call
all your friends.
And at the end of the day, Iwas like, I'm his mom.
Like, I know what to do.
And like he is built out of thesame things my husband and I

(44:01):
are built for him.
So I, if what it just is gonnawork for me, I'm gonna go in.
I'm not gonna pick him up, I'mgonna touch him, I'm gonna hold
hold my hand on him.
And I think theentrepreneurship journey is so
similar.
It's like I am building thetype of company I've been called
to build because it's my brand,everything is me outside of
myself.
Like it's like what I'mbuilding.
So only I and God really knowwhat I need to do next.

(44:22):
And so I think that both thosepaths of going out and
networking and then also maybelike reaching back and like
talking to people that are justbravely starting, I think it's
all super inspirational to me tobe like, oh yeah, I I have
learned some things, but I cantrust that voice.
And I want other people totrust that voice in themselves.
Yeah.
Especially in parenting forsure, and in my entrepreneurship

(44:43):
too.

Kelly (44:44):
Okay.
That was wonderful.
Yeah.
That was really wonderful.
Something else that I caughtwas um your husband had
mentioned at one point, like, Iwant to talk to Rachel Rachel,
not founder Rachel.
So what have been some of thespeed bumps that you've

(45:06):
encountered?
And whether that's, you know,you know, directly with your
spouse or it's just been withthe family as a whole or
circumst and not specific,right?
But like just circumstantialencounters where you're like,
okay, that was really, reallytough.
And it was again, you talk alot about the juxtaposition or

(45:29):
the the cross of being a motherand an entrepreneur.
And I for me, I don't loveusing the word balance.
I like to use more of likeharmonizing because balance
indicates that everything isperfect and evil, right?
And that's just simply nottrue.
Yeah.

Rachel (45:48):
So yeah, I think that for me, um, it's I always I've
been saying lately that like Ifeel like when I started this, I
didn't start it with like Iknew like what the plan was, the
financial plan.
I was just like, I'm just gonnado this because it's the right
thing to do.
And um, and then for a while,that that margin I was putting

(46:11):
in was in nap time and differentlike moments like that.
But as it's gone on, um, and itwould mainly affect me.
And what I didn't realize isuntil like the last year and a
half, two years, is now it'slike it can negatively affect
everyone around me because I'msuper stressed.
I can be super stressed, I canbe super stressed out about
money.
My husband and I are like, whatis the plan?

(46:32):
You know, like you know, andall this, and I'm like, some of
it we have to wait, some of itwe need to be more like pull
back and be like, I can alsojust kind of like get some side
hustles, you know, along the wayand things like that.
But I think that that generalpressure, I was totally fine
risking so much and like notdoing fun things in life for
myself, but I'm not willing todo that for my kids.
Like, I'm like, oh shoot, likeI don't want them to have to

(46:55):
miss out on things because I'mdoing this fun experiment.
Like, yeah, that's that's likeall of a sudden I'm like, no,
like I need to pull back andlike protect them, protect me.
Like, and even though there'sso much like potential and hope
and all this stuff, like I haveto like really pay attention to
that.
So I would say, like, justthat, and that's hard for me
because I'm not I'm really intolike the Enneagram, which is

(47:16):
like the personalities, and likewhat's your Enneagram?
Um, don't like anyway.
I'm an eight, but I I lovebeing an eight.
Um, but I also know some peoplehave like eights that have
really like bulldozed them.
So I'm like, sorry if thathappened, but I'm I am I'm I'm a
little Leslie nope, but anyway,but I also like can see where
we need to go.
But actually the thing I wastalking about, my sister's
really into this is that you'reeither like a self-preservation

(47:37):
type of person, a bonded type ofperson, like you're mainly
about your people, or you'reabout um what's the last one?
Um, social.
Yeah.
And so they're ranked.
And for me, self-preservationis my bottom.
Like I don't even see it, likeI don't take care of, I don't
think to take care of myself.
I have to like force myself tothink.
And like that sounds like, oh,I'm so selfless.
But it's actually a bad thingbecause you can't, if you're not

(47:59):
taking care of yourself, youcan't take care of other people.
And so, but I'm all abouttaking care of my people, like
my kids, my if you're in mylife, I'm gonna like I would
come get you on a mountain orwhatever.
And then like I'm all about theworld and social, but like
myself.
And so I have to kind of checkthat and be like, okay, I have
to take care of myself, like Ihave to like be in a good spot.

(48:21):
And so um, I don't even know ifthis answering the question,
but yeah, I just feel like thespeed bumps, yes.
So the speed bumps have been totry to pay attention to enough
of how this is affecting me.
Sure.
So that I'm a decent human tomy people, yeah, my husband and
everything.
And um, and then honestly, justkind of give like a story with
it.
This summer we were on a walkum on a trip, and I I like did

(48:42):
this very therapy thing, which Ilike I didn't mean to, but like
I was like, I'm gonna pretendmom badge is in front of us, and
I'm just gonna talk to it.
And Andrew, my husband waslike, ooh.
And I was like, Okay, you'reawesome.
You've taught me so manythings, but like you don't get
to do this, this, and this toour life.
Yeah, you like, but I'm sograteful, you know.

Speaker 01 (48:58):
It was like, but I really think it was helpful.
Like, I was like just kind ofputting it in place.
That's fascinating.

Kelly (49:05):
Oh my gosh.
Okay, so you that was reallythat was really wonderful.
I think some of the listenersare gonna go, yeah, I should
probably do that too.
Put it out in front of you, goon a walk.

Rachel (49:16):
You might have to yell at it a little bit.
Yeah, but it's not you, you'renot you're and that's what my
husband always says.
He's like, You are you are notjust this brand.
Like you, you are a separateperson, and like you are first,
you know.
And I'm like, I know, but likeyou are first a per a daughter,
like a child of God.
Like you are my wife, you arethe mom.
And I'm like, and he's like, Ohyeah, and you also built this

(49:37):
company.
And I'm like, okay, fine.

Kelly (49:39):
Yes.
Well, and that is, it soundslike he's a big cheerleader for
in all of this.
Would you say he's your numberone cheerleader?

Rachel (49:47):
Oh, for sure, because he's in it with me.
And I I think it's actuallymore amazing that he's been
willing to take all this risk,and he's still a cheerleader
because I'm like, it's takenfrom him too, because it is a
risk and financially and andtime and okay.

Kelly (50:01):
So let's let's kind of dive into this a little bit.

Rachel (50:04):
I'll be like, Andrew, listen to this part of the
podcast.

Kelly (50:07):
Also, you're not off the hook for the self-care piece.
So we'll circle to that aswell.
It obviously took a leap offaith to go from being in a
school district, right?
Like I came from that too.
Yeah, right.
So for the listeners, my degreeis in elementary education.

(50:29):
That is what I I thought andkind of sought to do after I
graduated from college.
Yeah.
I was in the Minnetonka schooldistrict, which we kind of like
you're out in that area too.
But it's it's cushy.

Speaker 03 (50:44):
Yeah.

Kelly (50:44):
And you've got really wonderful benefits for the most
part, depending on schooldistrict.

Rachel (50:49):
I'm not gonna say, you know, you don't get paid in the
summer, but you get to be homewith your kids, and yes, it's a
it's a life that can work, yeah.

Kelly (50:57):
It totally is, it totally is.
But taking the leap of faithand having to have that
conversation with your spouse,which is important, yes,
incredibly important.
What did that moment look likefor you?
Well, but and I think whatreally gave you the like, all
right, we're gonna do this.

(51:18):
And then what did that mean andsort of the financial scope for
you too?

Rachel (51:22):
I mean, we're definitely still in it.
Like, and it wasn't because Idifferent than some people, I'm
not like, let's set out thefive-year, ten-year plan, like
you said.
Like, I'm kind of like, I'lljust watch for the next step
that God's giving me.
And so I need to almost, alongwith the self-care, be like,
what's where is this going?
What are we doing?

Kelly (51:40):
Do you write stuff down?

Rachel (51:41):
Um, I write like, I mean, day to day, I write stuff
down.
But as far as like the largerplans, I have some of that for
sure.
But like for me, it's more likeum, I believe these next things
are what I'm supposed to do.
But we because I had littlekids, like I it this was all
part of like the leave I wasdoing.
Like this wasn't like when Istarted.

(52:01):
I think that's what's sodifferent when I was talking to
somebody lately.
I'm like, I might not have quitmy full-time job to do this,
but because I started it when Ihad little kids and it's slowly
taken more of my time, yeah, ithappened in a very organic way.

Speaker 03 (52:16):
Okay.

Rachel (52:16):
Um, as opposed to being like, there's this moment that
I'm like stepping away from myfull-time job.
Like we haven't did, we haddidn't do that.
So now I'm at this moment wherelike because we're still
growing, we're still super inthe world of tech, very small,
still in learning.
Um, I mean, I have I have oneoutside like family and friends
investor of not very much moneyat all, you know.
So I really um I haven't had tomake that moment.

(52:39):
So I'm either gonna like getoutside investment and really
like figure out, iterate, makethis better, grow in all the
ways I dream for moms and theworld, or um figure out
financially, like, okay, how canwe make this stopgap work?
And I think that my husband'salways very generous about being
like, it's not like a binarydecision.
We don't have to be like, arewe gonna shut everything down or
keep going?

(52:59):
And I I really appreciate that.
Um, in practice, that's reallychallenging because
entrepreneurship can take everyminute of every day, of every
hour, and you still feel likeit's not enough because you're
not growing at the pace you wantto grow.
And I remember Greg, um, ourfirst Mother's Day, he was a
partner.
Um, we were in the Star Tribuneon the cover of the business
section.
I was like, oh, everything'sgonna work out and be perfect,

(53:22):
and it was great.
But after that Mother's Day, Iwas so nervous because we, you
know, we have Starbucks andDoorDash and Target, like built
in.
But then he was like one of ourfirst partners that and um we
and I was so scared because I wesold 15 of his gift cards, and
I was like, oh my gosh, that'slike nothing.
I'm so scared to call and tellhim after Mother's Day.
And I wrote to him and I waslike, Thank you so much for
partnering.

(53:42):
And I was like, We and I he Iwas like, just want to give you
like the rundown after Mother'sDay.
We sold 15 gift, and he waslike, That's awesome.
I was like, Okay, really?
And I was like, I feel like I'mrunning you with a failure, you
know.
Like, and he was like, Rachel,that's so cool.
And I was like, he knowsbecause he's been there and he
knows that growth is small.
And I always like maybe kind ofsummary summarizing this moment

(54:03):
up.
I always I like to say, and Ithink I maybe said that at the
session that you were at, youdon't look at a newborn child
and think, why aren't yourunning?
That's very disappointing.
I remember this.
Yes, and you're you're you'renot disappointed with the stage
of growth your child is at.
And even if they'redevelopmentally disliked, you're
like, you are you, and I'mgonna like love and care for
you.
And so I feel like I at momentsam trying to figure out am I a

(54:26):
newborn?
Am I going to college?
And like with tech, you couldyou could be a newborn one day
and then quickly go to college,you know.
So it's a challenging thingmentally.

Kelly (54:38):
All right.
So um, again, you're not offthe hook for the self-care part
because I'm I'm just remindingthis.
Is a simple reminder for me.
Like, don't forget to come backto like self-care.
I'll put it back on my head.
Um, so the the tech world thatyou're speaking to, yeah.
Let's talk through like the umthe ins and outs of what that

(54:59):
looks like, and maybe perhapsthe challenges that you've
experienced, and then the like,oh wow, this is really cool as
well.
So that's kind of like a couplequestions in one.

Rachel (55:11):
Yeah, so tech.
I I didn't have a background inanything except that I realized
with my job and education thatI liked I could learn things
really quickly.
Like you watch a couple YouTubevideos and you become pretty
good at Adobe Premiere products,and like I still don't really
like um what is it?
Not uh, it's not the photo one,it's illustrated.
I don't like that one.
I like like um other designprograms, and there are people

(55:33):
that are probably awesome atthat.
I am not, but I I really lovelike learning things.
So I'd be like, I need to learnhow to video edit it.
So I used iMovie for a lot ofyears, and then I was like,
okay, I gotta level this up.
And so I taught myself Premiereand I was like, you know, it
was a little bit of a learningcurve, but anyway, just kind of
leaned into things.
And so when I was trying tofigure out if I could build an
app, it was very quickly like,what do I need to learn?

(55:55):
And I had no idea thecomplicated ridiculousness of
this.
And now, I mean, with AI, it isgetting a little bit more
straightforward for people.
Yeah, you definitely I wouldn'tset out completely without any
tech support because there'sjust a lot of things that, you
know, with hackers and differentthings and like integrations
with finances that I just wouldthink you need some technical
help, but we'll let the peopleexperiment and figure out what's

(56:17):
right for them.
But for me, so again, when Igot different people to come
along and help me to try tobuild a website at first, to try
to learn.
Um, I just kind of kept doingthe next thing and then realized
like there's so much I don'tknow.
But then the people would comeand support me.
I had these developers fromGoogle and Square that went to
Notre Dame that were so lovely,and they they're they were just

(56:37):
like wizards.
Like, I mean, if people areinto the Lord of the Rings, I
was like, they're like Gandalfand here he is.
Like he's just making ithappen, like a light.
And then they would come andthen they would have to like
like they do like some work forme over like a leave for
paternity, maternity leave, andthen they'd have to go back and
do their jobs, and I was like,oh no.
And I didn't know that eventech, the the infrastructure um
how you have to keep it up.

(56:57):
Like something breaks, there'sa bug, or you know, there's like
we're just going like I didn'trealize that once you have an
app in the app store and inGoogle Play, oh my gosh, there's
so many things to keep up tokeep it live, or Google Play has
a Google Play has a new policything that you have to make sure
that you're and I'm like, oh mygosh, and all that costs money.
And it's just, you know, so itwas I quickly I was very excited

(57:19):
when they first built it, butthen quickly got overwhelmed.
And then I also realized like Idid a lot of the design work
and like taught myself all theprograms, and they were like,
You're really good at that.
I was like, okay, great.
I didn't know that I was gonnabe good at that.
But then there's just a lot oftechnical and like iterations
that cost money, and that's it'sjust a lot more that I didn't
know.
But um, but I've had peoplecome alongside me and now I have

(57:39):
a really stellar, like they'rethe top in the world at the tech
that my app is built in of it'scalled Flutterflow, but they
are like the best in the worldat doing that, and they're
helping me right now.
So, and I have enough to paythem for this current season,
and then we'll just moveforward.
So I don't know.
I mean, yeah, that doesn'treally answer all the questions,
except I've just learned a lotand then having the people that
know more than me, and I'm like,oh my gosh, you're incredible.

Kelly (58:02):
Well, there's just iterations of what um whatever,
whatever it is that yourbusiness is, right?
Whether you're selling aproduct, selling a service, um,
selling a lifestyle, whateverthat might look like, there's
just iterations of what of whatlearning looks like.

Rachel (58:22):
And well, having to go at a different pace than you
want to to, I think that likebeing bootstrapped for so long,
it's probably been, it's beenvery painful, but it's been good
for me because I have, as afounder, I mean, I'm sure
different people have differentlike reasons why they're the
founder.
I love to build and be like,ooh, that's cool.
And I do think I have a goodgut.
Like, I want to add it when yousign up for mom badge.

(58:43):
If you're a mom, you have aregistry of like your favorite
things.
And then your friends are like,oh, okay, when she's really
just needs a quick pick-me-up,this is what she would like.
And just things that I'm like,that's what I want to build.
But because and then there'sother things, but I because I
haven't been able to build everyidea I have, and I really want
to listen to the users andreally only build what's like
truly of value to them and toour partners, I've had to like

(59:05):
slow it down.
Sure.
And now I'm at the point whereI do really feel like I'm at a
good moment for like taking outa little bit more outside
investment and like growing thisbecause the business model is
clear and all these differentthings, but like it's just been
so refining.

Kelly (59:19):
Yeah.
What do you think is probablythe so say there's somebody
who's um this is usually thequestion I ask towards the end
of the interview, but I'm gonnaask it right now.
So somebody who's nibbling onthe edge of entrepreneurship,
yeah, what's a piece of advicethat you would give them?
Um like what do you think isprobably the first or or so

(59:41):
twofold advice?
But then what should actuallybe their first logical step
forward?

Rachel (59:49):
Well, for sure, figure out like people always say,
like, make sure you're buildinga um a painkiller, not a
vitamin.
And I I think that'sinteresting.
So solve a problem thatactually is like people really
want that problem solved.
And and then talk to them.
Like I and there's a bookcalled The Mom Test.
And it's not related to it'sjust that moms are like, oh, I

(01:00:11):
love that idea.
If you tell them what it is.
But the mom test suggests, andit's I think it's really good to
go to people and talk to themabout the problem you're
solving, but don't tell themwhat you're doing.
And try to get information fromthem in a really authentic way.
Sure.
So I did that early on, andpeople would say things like,
Oh, I just I love being a mom.
It's but it's the mostimportant work I do, but it's
the most invisible work I do.
And I was like, mm-hmm.

(01:00:31):
And like, and then I was like,and they're like, also it
doesn't take very much for mylife to go from like not okay to
okay.
Like it's just like a smallbreath of air.
And I'm like, okay.
And so I would like take thatinformation.
So for sure, figure out theproblem solution.
That's the first class I didwhen I was talking about that
program.
And then the other thing is umremember that don't talk to too

(01:00:53):
many people when you're early,honestly.
Like, because it gets cloudy.
You have a vision, you have apassion for why you're doing
this.
And a lot of people are gonnagive you advice that's not
necessarily helpful, similar toparenting.
Like if you talk to everyoneabout your kid and you're like,
what is even going on?
I don't even like there is amoment to get outside advice,
but at the early stage, just bequiet and listen to your knower.

(01:01:17):
Like you know the vision oflike you are the one that's
supposed to do it.
So you can't listen to outsidestuff, and then bring in a
couple people that you reallytrust and then iterate from that
first version and really let goof the advice.
Like, don't take the advice thefeedback personally.

Speaker 03 (01:01:32):
Yeah.

Rachel (01:01:32):
Um, yeah, not that you shouldn't continue with what
your core per like POV is orlike point of view, like you
know why you're building this,especially if you're the user.
Yeah, but um, yeah, just reallyanyway.
It's both it's such a balancebetween taking outside impact,
like feedback and like really.
Oh, I'm with you.

Kelly (01:01:49):
Yeah, I'm wholeheartedly with you.
And I think that there issomething to be said about you
sort of get to this place, andthere's there's different
seasons of what that place lookslike.
And this it's you're so closeto the puzzle, yes, that you
can't figure out what's thatlast puzzle piece for me to kind

(01:02:10):
of get this grand vision.
Yes.
Well, that's just that's thecircumstance.
Like you're too close.
You gotta like sometimes yougotta go, who's the outsider
that can look at this from adifferent perspective, yes, a
clearer vision.
Yep.
But I love too the advice oflike don't don't seek too much.

(01:02:32):
Yeah.
And there was somebody else whowas on the podcast, um, Margie
Duncan.

Rachel (01:02:39):
She's more of the manifest world.

Kelly (01:02:42):
Okay, yeah, manifestation.
And she she calls it the memethod.
That's what her business is.
But she had said do not talk topeople as you're building.

Rachel (01:02:54):
Yeah.

Kelly (01:02:56):
I I agree with you.
Like, there should be someideas bounced, right?
It's just like, how else areyou gonna move forward if you
don't get a little well, becauseyou have to build, especially
in tech, you have to build thesmallest version.

Rachel (01:03:09):
And that was so hard to take, like, I'm like, I want to
transform motherhood.
You start with these badgesthat you can send to one person,
you know, like but yeah, so youkind of need to think what is
the distilled smallest start.

Kelly (01:03:19):
And where Margie was coming from, because I want to
do her a service while I'msharing this, is that there's
just gonna be people who kind ofpoo-poo.
Yeah, and they don't understandand they don't see it.
And if you if you're perhapsseeking advice from people who
are just like they're not inthat world or they just don't
get it, right?
Because there also has to besome discernment around that

(01:03:41):
too.

Rachel (01:03:42):
Um well, and you I always say, like, I have
wonderful friends with verydifferent family makeups.
And if I go to them for if theydon't have any sons and I go to
them for advice aboutparenting, they're again, and
there are some families withlike four boys that have very
chill boys.
So I'm not saying all boys arewild, but mine can be a lot of
days.
And if I go to my friend withone daughter, she I don't know

(01:04:04):
her life and she doesn't knowmine.
And like I don't need topretend I'm an expert at hers,
but like it might be helpful totalk to somebody with a similar
family.
And businesses are sodifferent.
Like, I'm running aconsumer-facing tech company
with that's probably B2B, reallyB2B, B2C, whatever.
Like we're having thesepartners.
But if I talk to somebody thatis a CPG product that, you know,
it's like, yeah, no, like youare gonna give me different

(01:04:26):
advice.
Can you um name that acronym?
Oh, CPG, uh, consumer packagegoods.
So, like, sorry, like the ideaof like if somebody is making
like a food item on the cat onthe shelf that is very different
than like I'm buildingsomething that needs to surprise
and delight.
Like, I've gotten differentadvice, like um about like what
I'm building.
I'm like, I just want tosurprise and delight moms.

(01:04:48):
I just want them to have go onthere and be like, oh, fun, it
has confetti, and I can send avideo.
Like, I don't want that to beanyway, and just when I've gone
to like different things,startup stuff.
We Katie and I went to New Yorkstartup week, and then we went
to California.
And those people are like, Iget completely what you're
doing.
You're awesome, keep going,you're killing it.
And I'm like, okay.
Minnesotans are a little bitmore cautious sometimes, and

(01:05:08):
they're like, What's this?
And I'm like, guys, it's gonnabe okay.
You know, so but I felt like Iwas like talking to a bunch of
boy moms when I went to NewYork, and I was like, Yes, New
York.

Kelly (01:05:19):
That's incredible.
Well, also, there is somethingabout getting outside of your
environment too.
And and we do this all the timewith our E Dinah bubble, and
I'm sure you get that with theMinatonka bubble too.
It's like, get outside thebubble and just realize that
there's such a bigger world outthere.
And to that point, like NewYork of all places.
Yeah, yeah, you're gonna,you're just yeah.

Rachel (01:05:40):
Well, I loved how non-competitive it felt.
Like it was like everyone'sdoing a big thing, and your big
is not too big for me.
And I was like, this is sorefreshing.
I'm not trying to compete withanybody, I'm just trying to do
what I believe I'm called to do.
That doesn't mean that yourcall on your life to like do
something else and be a teacheror whatever.
Like you do you, yeah, forsure.

Kelly (01:06:01):
Well, there is something also with, and and I'll give you
the purest example.
Um, people having a reallyclear understanding of what it
is that you're doing with mombadge, right?
And that's you do such afantastic job of you're very
clear with that, right?
And this is what it is, andthis is why I'm doing it, and

(01:06:21):
this is who it serves.
Yeah.
So the purest example I cangive you is I know about mom
badge.
I'm a user of mom badge tryingto explain it to my husband.
He was like, uh, but when helistens to this, yes, he'll get
it.
Yes, you know, yeah, and itthat's a little bit of my fault

(01:06:43):
for not kind of going, there'sthere's something bigger
happening here.
And when I'm as the guest orsorry, the the host, yeah,
listening to what you're talkingabout and having an epiphany of
like, oh my God, yeah, I'vebeen failing miserably at using
mom badge.

Rachel (01:07:03):
Oh well, gosh, and it's really what it is, is I feel
proud.
Like it's version 1.0 that is abootstrap version of a tech
product that I'm like, yay, thevision for it, and like it's not
a sticky product yet.
Like you don't, unless youthink of it, it's not, I want to
make it so that like you know,you're prompted, your best
friend's daughter's turning two,and you're like, oh my gosh,
amazing.
Like those kind of things thatlike help you because it's

(01:07:26):
intuitive, yeah.
Yeah, and like I mean, I think,but but the core of it, and
like I think this is why I keptgoing, is I really think it's
very simple.
It's like when we see otherpeople in moments that we feel
forgotten, like when I am seenin a moment I feel forgotten in
life, that reminds me that I'mnot like God sees me.
Like, I feel like the momentsthat are so desperate in life

(01:07:46):
are when you feel like you'redoing all this stuff, you're so
overwhelmed, and it doesn'tmatter, or you're forgotten.
And it's like, but we can seeeach other, and then that's
that's like okay, I can keepgoing.
Like, and I so I I do thinkthat the core of it is
transformational for the giverbecause they're like, I am doing
this activity, and thatgenerosity changes me.
And then the receiver beinglike, Okay, like my kid just got

(01:08:08):
diagnosed with some crazy thingtoday.
But rather than just like a sosorry text, it's like something
more beautiful in that moment.
One of my favorite quotes, um,it's from the uh it's what's it
called?
Gratefulness, the heart ofprayer.
And it says, We are onlygrateful for what we're awake
to.
And adults, it's really hard towake them up, but like a
rainbow.
He uses that example.
He's like, a rainbow is like weall look up and we're like,

(01:08:29):
whoa.
And so what I'm trying to do ismake these mini rainbow moments
for people, like because beautypushed into normal life wakes
you up, and you're like, oh mygosh, like, and that thing is
really beautiful, and wow, myfriend, like that's really nice.
Like the surprise of it.
So you're not doing anythingwrong.
We're all, I mean, I I need touse it more, and I made it, but
it's it's getting better, andwe're learning things though.

Kelly (01:08:50):
Let me let me back up and do a bit of correction.
I I've used it in the rightway, but I had this epiphany of
um kind of tying it into whatI'm doing here with the podcast.
And that's where I go, how didI not see that?
Yes, yeah.
So sometimes you just have toget outside your normal like

(01:09:12):
environment a little bit outsideof what you're looking at and
go, oh my gosh.

Rachel (01:09:18):
Okay.
When I trust the timing ofthose things, you know, for
sure.
Like it's like you can do thesame thing Tuesday, Wednesday,
Thursday, and then all of asudden Friday heaven opens up
and it's like, okay, I have beenshown.
Yeah, anyway.

Kelly (01:09:32):
Yes, yeah, yeah.
Again, it's the we're so closeto like what yeah, yeah.
It's it's such a pain, too.
It's such a pain in that youknow what?
All right, self-care.
Yeah, yeah.
We're circling back to it.
So tell me, you you mentionedthat that's probably uh bottom

(01:09:52):
of the barrel for you for lackof better words.
But you acknowledge it, yourecognize it.
And so, what are some ways thatyou in acknowledging this have
started to go, okay.
I sometimes I do need to pourinto the cup so that I can pour
into other people.

Rachel (01:10:11):
I think so.
This is probably very typicalfor the Enneagram Eights, and if
anyone's listening, but I restfor me is movement.
Like, I if I go running, that'swhere I'm resting.
So like I love, I love to run.
Like I listen to a podcast andI'm like in my zone, and it's
something that is like I almostfeel like I'm like, oh, it's so
selfish.
I'm like, no, this is this is Iam allowed to do things that

(01:10:31):
are for me that feel reallygood.
Yeah.
That I come back and I'm likeall day, I'm a different person.
So um probably 2022 throughlast year, like I literally,
unless it was like negative 20,I ran every day in the morning.
I run the same three miles andI'm like, I'm a different human.
Um, I haven't been quite like Iprobably run like five times a
week, which is still still fine.

(01:10:53):
But I I I love it.
And it's not actually, I nevertie myself.
It's not for the outcome.
It's like just about getting innature and being outside.
So that um, and also just likeI really, I don't know if it's
self-care, but like the thingthat makes me feel like inspired
to live a new day is gettingexcited about something in the
future.
So I like try to plan um likethings with my family, like

(01:11:16):
being like this summer, like wegot to go up north and do like
different or like this summer orthe winter, we'll go up and we
do a cross-country ski weekendwith like the whole extended
family.
And like those kind of things,they might not be traditional
self-care, but they're what giveme like joy, you know, and like
hope.
And then um just trying to belike more present one-on-one
with my kids when I can, becausethere's so many of them and

(01:11:37):
they're all doing running fromplace to place.
But four, four, four, on theactivities as they get bigger,
right?
Like it's so much.
We're in that, yeah.

Kelly (01:11:45):
Like we're just we're like just stepping into all of
the activities with the boys,and I tell you what, there's
some rude awakenings with thecost around that too sometimes.
I know.

Rachel (01:11:57):
What?
I know, I know.
Well, and I feel like I'm like,is there like a middle ground
somewhere if we just kind oflike it?
But yeah, I know, yeah, I know.

Kelly (01:12:06):
Well, and especially if they're just starting to dip
their toe into something, to tryit out.
It's like, okay, but with thesetwo boys, frankly, we know that
they're pretty darn good inthose specific areas and
activities that it's like.
Let them thrive, feel joyful,and give them yeah, yeah.

Rachel (01:12:25):
It's good for them, like it's great.

Kelly (01:12:27):
Well, and you mentioned something early on in the
interview about your approachwith the kids.
It's like I I don't wanna see,I don't want because I'm
building something over here,doesn't mean that my kids have
to sacrifice with stuff that'shappening for them on a
day-to-day basis.
And we think about that too.
It's like, okay, well, it ifwe've got to do a little bit of

(01:12:48):
budgeting, yeah, I thought toensure that that works, then
that's what we gotta do.

Rachel (01:12:54):
So I again, who knew?
Greg, if you're listening, thisis all about you.
But one time I met with Gregand I was in tears, and it was
like maybe a year and a halfago, two years, and I was like,
I can't even pay for them to goto camp.
I can't pay for the things Iwant them to do.
And he was like, Okay.
He's just like sitting in arustica.
I'm like crying, and he's like,What are your kids saying about
what you're doing?

(01:13:14):
And I was like, Oh, well,actually, in the last month, and
I always tell this story, butit's like my favorite.
Um, we were sitting around thedinner table and everyone, you
know, dinner with three boys anda little girl, it can be busy.
And I was like, everyone'sscreaming, being wild.
And I go, Everybody stoptalking.
And I was like, Stop, besilent.
I was like, pray for someonethat's not yourself right now.
Go.
And so my little third guygoes, God, I pray for great

(01:13:37):
grandma because she's alone.
And then my second, who blessyou, John.
But he's wonderful, but he canbe challenging.
And he goes, God, I just prayfor my mom because she's trying
to make the world a better placeand it's really hard.
And I was like, Oh my god, Igo, Oh my gosh.
And Greg goes, you can't buythat.
And he goes, You are teachingyour children that the their
life is not for themselves.

(01:13:57):
They're our and I get chillsbecause I believe that my
husband's, and I wrote this inthis application, I just wrote
to this program, but I was like,the only thing that we can take
with us is what we give away.
Like, that is all like wecannot go into heaven with the
fanciest things or you know, thenewest e-bike or whatever.
Like, we can and like, andreally, I want to give them the

(01:14:19):
world.
They're all fluent Chinese.
I want them to travel, and Ilove traveling and all this
stuff.
But I but like we just spentthis weekend up with my family
and my their cousins, andthey're all like older, and
they're just amazing youngpeople.
And there's just magic aboutsitting in a 1950s, not really
fancy cabin, but in the mostbeautiful place in the world.
Yeah, we don't even have a boatthat we can drive besides like

(01:14:41):
this little pontoon that's likebroken down, and they're all
swimming and like laughingtogether.
And I'm like, and I'm like,that is what this whole thing's
about.
It's hard to remember when Igrew up with a lot.
Like my dad was in finance, wejust lived a big life, and I
want that for them.
But it, I think for me, it'slike if they if the experience

(01:15:02):
of their mom and their dad, youknow, he's in this with us in
this entrepreneurship thing,think that it is worth
sacrificing for other people.
Yeah, like our lives are notfor ourselves, like it's not
about the six of us, it's aboutyou going out and figuring out
how to use your gifts in theworld to bless and and love each
other.
Like, okay, okay.

Kelly (01:15:24):
But uh I am speechless right now.
I don't even know.
Like, what was my originalquestion?
I don't know.
Okay, I can go up and say itwas so yeah, oh, that was like
heart-wrenching and justbeautiful, all in one fell
swoop.
Like, I'm like, okay, Kelly,compose yourself.
But you know, this is this istruly what it's about is like

(01:15:48):
finding those moments whereyou're like, okay, this is this
is worth it.
I I want to continue to do thisand um pursue this passion.
But I love also your emphasison uh faith and how important it
is to just have trust.
Yeah, have trust that whatyou're doing is I know it it

(01:16:12):
really is.

Rachel (01:16:13):
Well, because we don't know.
And but I was on the way here,I was calling my mom and I was
like, I just and I think I saidthis earlier, but like I just
keep thinking, and all of us Ithink do, that someday we will
arrive and it will we won't haveto trust anymore and it won't
be scary.
And uh and like like well howand I'm like, it's not gonna
happen.
It's just you know, and I thinkthere's just moments in

(01:16:33):
parenthood and different thingswhere you're like, all right,
it's just the new season.
And I haven't been trained forthis.
I I will say I did have onesweet friend who she didn't mean
to be offensive, but she goes,What makes you think you're
qualified to do this?
And she didn't say it as asassy thing, she was genuinely
like she's just somebody that alittle bit more type A.
Yeah.
And you go and get a job basedon what your degree is in and
stuff.
And I was like, and I feel thesame way about somebody who was

(01:16:55):
like, I don't know if I shouldhave kids because I don't know
if I'd be a good mom.
And I'm like, maybe you'dbecome one, and maybe you'd have
to ask God to help you orsomebody else.
Yeah, you know, um, and it'soverwhelming.
Like, there's moments ofparenthood, I'm like, gosh, I
don't know how to deal with thisone, you know.
But you rise up, and that'swhat's so incredible.
Like, you're like, I guesswe're going to the ER today, or

(01:17:15):
I guess I'm getting you a helpat a doctor.

Kelly (01:17:17):
I'm you know, yeah, but it's not fun all the time.
No, it it certainly isn't.
Speaking of um that particularinstance, right?
Those moments of just it feelsmucky, it feels icky.
I I would love for you toshare, and if you're willing to
be vulnerable, maybe the themoment where you were like, this

(01:17:41):
is what am I doing?
You know, entrepreneurship.
With entrepreneurship, or justI mean frankly, I'm asking you
to be vulnerable and sort of rawbecause I do feel for the
listeners in moments like that,we all have them.
Yeah, we all have them.

(01:18:02):
And sometimes those valleys areway deeper.
Yeah, and sometimes they'renot.
And it just it's all relativeto who you are as a person.
But I mean, I think it happensto grow through that.

Rachel (01:18:16):
Um, because it's at the end of the day, it's not if it
becomes about you, it it's it'slike, what am I doing?
Why am I you know?
And I'm like, okay, I it's notthis ego thing, like, I'm
supposed to do this andsacrifice our life and do all
this.
Like, I'm like, okay, God, likeseriously, if I'm building an
arc because then it's notraining yet, that's fine.

(01:18:37):
But if if you want me to stopbuilding it, I will stop.
Like, just tell me what to do.
I will uh one moment that comesto mind, um, and I think it was
just one of the first valleysbecause the everything at the
beginning was like boom, boom,boom, we're doing it, we're
doing it.
I love beginnings, right?
Everything's so fun.
Um, but so you know, thesedevelopers had come, they built
the app, they were, and I I justwas like, everything's just

(01:18:58):
gonna like everything's working,so it's gonna be so awesome.
And then I think it was like welaunched and we got in the app
store, which is an endeavor.
I mean, to get in the appstore, you get denied, and then
you have to fix things, andagain, I just knew nothing.
And then right after welaunched, it was, you know, I'm
putting stuff out, I'm buildingmy little social media thing,
and then it was like crickets.
Like I'm like, oh my gosh,maybe nobody wants to do this.

(01:19:20):
Like, and I hadn't, I mean, atthat point, I hadn't even put
that much time in.
I mean, I I had what from myperspective, I put so much into
it.
And I had, I mean, a year and ayear, year and a half, maybe,
but I was like just devastated.
I was like, oh my gosh.
And and maybe I didn't doenough work to figure out if
this is actually a need, youknow?
Yeah, and and really like,like, maybe this whole thing's

(01:19:40):
stupid.
Like, I, you know, I think it'sa beautiful, earnest offering,
but like, what am I doing?
Like, this is I like I'mstupid, this is stupid,
everything, you know, and like,and I think I didn't realize
there was gonna be so many moremoments like that, you know,
like so many more times whereI'm like, I don't even know.
Like, and and I think in thepeople always say the creative
process is you start and youthink, I'm awesome, this is

(01:20:03):
gonna be great.
And then you're like, maybethis is awful, maybe I'm awful,
maybe everything's terrible,maybe I'm gonna die.
And then you're like, maybe itmight work, and then you kind of
climb out.
Yeah.
And they say theentrepreneurship journey is like
you start in this high and thenyou enter the trough of sorrow
until you reach product marketfit.
And I would say I'm still inthe trough of sorrow.
I mean, we have reached someproduct market fit.
We're finding partners thatreally resonate, we're growing,

(01:20:24):
we're building, but and thenit's not just money, but you
can't really do a lot where I'mat.
I can't make a lot of changesthat I need to make.
And I'm like, oh, I gottafigure this out.
But we're starting to climbout.
But so I mean, I think thatthat moment for me was really
like, this isn't just gonna allgo up and be happy to the right.
This is going to be thisjourney of like, I don't even

(01:20:45):
know why I'm doing this, and amI an idiot?
Yeah, like, am I really stupid?
Is my hope foolish?
You know?
And I have a friend who's like,because I was like, you know,
at different times this year,I've even been like, I don't
even know.
And she's like, I, and she'sjust a grew a friend I grew up
at at Wooddale at Youth Groupwith, and she's like, Rachel, I
do not believe that God, and notthat he trusts that

(01:21:06):
everything's gonna go, and likeshe's like, I the only reason
you started this was becauseit's gonna be as big as you
dream.
Yeah, but she's like, I don'tthink he's like playing with
you.
You were supposed to do this.
And I'm like, I know, right?
Like, I believe that.
But like the desert's long andand people, you know, the manna
doesn't feel like enough at alot of times, right?

Kelly (01:21:26):
Well, and also I'm sure that there is for the
environment that you're in, beit the startup world, right?
Yeah, you see those momentswhere people do fail.

Rachel (01:21:41):
Yeah, right.

Kelly (01:21:42):
There like it's just it's a part of life, it's a part of
the process.
And so there there is a littlebit of like oh my gosh, that
could happen.
Yeah, that could happen.
I do because I'm a faith girlytoo.
Yeah, yeah.
I think a lot of faith has areally plays a really key
integral part in um how we pushforward.

Rachel (01:22:08):
Oh, for sure.
Yeah, I mean, I think likeagain, they're so interrelated,
but I so after our first baby,we had a miscarriage, and I just
think I mean that's so similarto this journey because you're
like, I don't, I still can'tmake sense of it.
It's not like oh that makessense because we wouldn't have
our second kid, sure.
Yeah I mean, but you're not I Ijust think some things in life

(01:22:31):
are just really hard, and likeand maybe and and and honestly,
having that miscarriage, my dadfat passed 15 years ago, none of
that is like, oh, that was agood thing.
But when I have a friend thatloses their parent, I'm like,
well, I know what that's like,or like I have a friend that has
a miscarriage, like somebodygave me a really meaningful,
like um like a like a ornamentkind of thing that was really

(01:22:55):
beautiful.
It was like a clear cross, andit's kind of like this was a
life, you know.
And I'm I'm like when now whenI know somebody that goes
through that, I'm like, yep,like yeah, it's not okay.
Like it's not, there's nothinglike it is broken.
The world is broken, you know?
So I feel like it's and and inmy head, you know, with that
pregnancy, I was already 40weeks ahead.

(01:23:16):
We were already having thebaby, we already that whatever
month, you know, you can't notdo that.
Yeah, and that's not wrong.
It's just vulnerable and risky,you know.
And so it's like, um, butrisking loving, and that's again
the whole premise of why themom badge thing started, because
I was like, I want people to bemet in that moment with joy and

(01:23:37):
kindness and support and likelove because they're doing
something that's really hard.
Um, but it doesn't mean it'slike not awesome and you're not
and it and fun, and too, youknow, like when you make that
birthday cake for your kid,you're and maybe that's not your
jam, but maybe you you did itfor the first time and you like
send a text to your friends andyou didn't post on social media
because you're not that person,but then your friends are like,

(01:23:58):
Oh my gosh, you're so amazing!You're like, Yeah, yeah.
My mother-in-law came over andit was awesome, you know, or
whatever.
I love my mother-in-law, butsome people, you know, it's like
you get that text and you'relike, You were nice, good job.

Kelly (01:24:09):
Yeah, yeah, for sure.
Oh my gosh.
Well, thank you for sharingthat and then expanding on it
too, and sharing, you know, on apersonal note what you went
through with the miscarriagetoo, because that's that's gotta
be so tough.
I I I oftentimes speak to bothhere on the podcast, but then

(01:24:30):
outside of the podcast too,which I think I took for like
one of the things that I sharedabout this very thing and was
and applied it in a personalsetting.
There's empathy and there'ssympathy.
And you can be both empatheticand sympathetic.

(01:24:52):
Empathy means I've been there,yeah, I've done that.
Yeah, and then you can besympathetic to it, right?
It's it's just all relative towhat the circumstance is.
But in moments like that whereyou share, I'm like, I'm so
sympathetic.
Yeah, I can't, I can't trulyhave empathy because I have not

(01:25:14):
been through that.
I can't even imagine.

Rachel (01:25:16):
My parents have gone through so many other things.
I mean, friends that have lostso many trying to have their
first baby, and just like youknow, you're like, oh my gosh,
like I can't well to experiencethat over and over.
Well, and honestly, and I feltlike it's it has been hard to
try, like some people I feellike they don't quite they they
don't understand what I'm doing,and I sometimes don't even
understand it.
But so it's hard been hard withsome friends to try to have

(01:25:38):
them be a part of this part ofmy life because I'm like, I
don't know how to help youunderstand why I'm doing this
when it isn't super fun or easy,and like and also when I'm in
the desert, I can't tell youthat I know that the promised
land, like I believe that I'msupposed to do this, but I don't
necessarily know that it's allgonna be rosy, or if you'll ever
if you're all over.
If you're ever gonna get to thepromised land correct, like but

(01:26:02):
that my hope can't be in thearrival, my hope has to be in
like the journey.
Well, and just like that, yeah.
And the faith part of it islike, you know, it's not a
feeling, it's obedience to thismoment of what I'm supposed to
do.
Um, listening in this day, youknow, like, and I think that's
why the curiosity and saying yesto things, I'm like, who am I
to say what I should do with myday?
So I have one line, and maybethis is advice for anyone, but

(01:26:25):
also entrepreneurs as I that arefaith-based, like I always say,
God, assign my minutes.
Like, assign my minutes today,just give you my life.
I don't know.
Like, and genuinely saying, Idon't know what I should do
because there is a thousandthings I could do today.
I'm probably gonna make somewrong decisions, but yeah, you
make them happen and like youknow, help me use the skills I
have.
But yeah.

Kelly (01:26:45):
Yeah.
Well, I think that this is kindof a beautiful moment to start
to land the plane too.
So you just gave reallywonderful advice.
And I know you mentioned that,you know, for somebody who's
listening that is of faith, butI would love for you to share
just advice in general.
Um, actually, this is this isthe question.
What's a piece of advice youwould give a younger version of

(01:27:09):
yourself, knowing all that youknow now?
You're smiling.
I'm looking at my things, I'mthinking about it.

Rachel (01:27:15):
Um yeah, I I mean I think it's all we've kind of
touched on it all because I feellike the theme is like you you
will be transformed in ways thatlike you don't you wouldn't
have chosen, but like I don'tknow, it's like at the end of it
all, you can trust that Godloves you, is good, like and he

(01:27:36):
loves you and he has the bestfor you.
That doesn't necessarily meanthat everything is going to work
out, the timing is gonna be waydifferent than you think, and
um, but you know, just I don'tknow, like we've said, like
every day to just reach intolike this isn't about me.
It's not it's about like ahigher like calling of what

(01:27:56):
God's doing in the world, and ifI get to be a part of that,
that's a gift.
I think I don't know.
I I'm I'm grateful and I so Iwould tell myself or other
people keep showing up for otherpeople.
You can be generous with yourtime, like like this kind of
thing.
You can there is enough,there's abundance, even though
as a startup person you'reliving with a lot of scarcity.
Like, I think the reason I cando this is because I I had my

(01:28:19):
parents, like my dad was likethis larger than life, like six
whatever foot tall finance manwho was so generous, and not
just because he had money, likesome money, but like, and then
my mom, and he was an eight too,so he had this vision, he would
like bring everybody together.
And then my mom was this quiet,like beautiful, mystic, like
person who like knew the insideof my soul.

(01:28:40):
But I feel like for me, I'vealways had this like confidence
and that there is enough in theworld, there's enough time in
the day, there's enough goodnessto give, there's enough, like,
yes, I'll do that.
Like, we can sign up and run asession, and like that it will
come together, even though wedon't really have enough money,
like you know, and things thatare stressful.
So I think you know, if you'recalled to do something that

(01:29:02):
doesn't feel like you have theresources to do it, that's not a
good enough excuse.
Like, you will be, if it iswhat you're supposed to do, you
will be met with what you needalong the way, and it is beyond
anything you could imaginebecause like your father is the
king of everything.
Like, and I feel like like mydad, like I just wish he was
here so much because he was, hejust put that in my head, and he

(01:29:26):
also had an awesome financedegree in like then this career
and would be so helpful rightnow.
But it's like I'm justconstantly reminded that I as
long like I had a father likethat on earth, but I have a
father like that in heaven, andhe's still there every day, you
know.
So I think that there is enoughto continue to do the work that
you're assigned to do, and thenfor me personally, but also pay

(01:29:47):
attention to how it's affectingyou and um and care for
yourself along the way a littlebit because yeah, that's been a
hard balance being like, I'msupposed to do this, like God
wants me to do it, and then belike, oh yeah, I don't know how
we're gonna eat.

Speaker 01 (01:30:00):
Yes.
Thank God for my husband.
But yeah, bless him.
Oh my goodness.
Rachel.

Speaker 04 (01:30:07):
Yeah.

Kelly (01:30:08):
I'm trying to compose myself.
This is it's this has beengreat.
It has it has been great, andwe're not quite off the hook
yet.
Um, what's a piece of advicethat you would just like in
general speak to women who arelistening right now?
And and maybe they are, I knowthat we already kind of touched
on this earlier in theinterview.

(01:30:29):
But they're in this, they'reeither nibbling on the edges.
And would your advice be thesame like from a faith
perspective, or do you have likedifferent kind of advice?

Rachel (01:30:43):
I mean, I think even friends that I know that like
that they don't that theywouldn't describe themselves as
somebody who's has a faith.
I think that I believe God isspeaking, that they can speak to
them.
So um, but I think that it'skind of trusting in the quiet
voices, your curiosity, liketrusting that when like the
thing that you have beenthinking about, that that's in

(01:31:06):
that in your mind on purpose,and that you um you don't have
doesn't mean you have to quityour job tomorrow.
Like definitely don't actually,if you but um, but follow your
curiosity because you are puthere, I believe, to do
something, and that might be tostart something new in the
world, that might be to helpsomebody else.
Like you might be the perfectco-pilot for somebody else's

(01:31:27):
vision, but you're like a crazyoperations person.
Bless those people.
Um but but but don't be afraidof that, of the nagging or the
quiet voice, because I thinkthat people a lot of times are
like, no, no, no, that's notpractical, or something like
that.
So I think um, yeah, and justand and trusting that you can
start today in like small ways.
I I mean, I just think of thethings I thought were so big I

(01:31:50):
was doing at the beginning.
I was like, I had oneconversation with somebody, and
they I think, and like it blessthat naive, like naiveness that
I was like, it's gonna be sofast and easy, and we're just
gonna take over America.
And now I'm like, well, youknow, I'm definitely like a
little bit more beaten down thanthat, but but sometimes spoken

(01:32:10):
like a true entrepreneur.
But sometimes there are thingsthat you can't plan or see, and
just show up with your fullself.
Maybe that's a good last piece,is like I talked to a lot of
like kind of high school collegestudents, and I was a high
school teacher, but there wasthis one college student.
No, she was going into college,and I invited her to an
entrepreneurship event, and Isaid, Do you and she came and
she was like, Oh, I think I arethose people from that company?

(01:32:32):
And she had heard of thembefore.
And I was like, Yep.
And she's like, Could I meetthem?
And I was like, Yeah, well,anyway, long story short, she
goes over, I get somebody thatthat knows them to introduce
them, and she was like, she cameback and she was like shaking
after 10 minutes.
I was like, What happened?
And she's like, They just gaveme an internship for the summer.
They're like my dream company.
And I was like, and she goes,but I mean they're just really
nice people.
And I go, No, that was becauseyou showed up with your full

(01:32:55):
self, were curious, wonderedwhat you could, and you were
willing to vulnerably share thatyou loved what they did.
Like you show up, you'revulnerable, you show full self,
yeah, and you don't know what'sgonna happen today.

Kelly (01:33:06):
Like, so show up.
So beautiful.
All right, two final questions,I think.
Yeah.
Uh, because I could keeprolling, but um, I want you to
like really be bold and brave,and I want you to share, like,
put this out there who would bethe like ultimate connection for

(01:33:30):
you in this moment.
Who gosh, um the ultimateconnection?

Rachel (01:33:38):
Um I I think for me, I don't know, there's kind of and
maybe they're they don't seembold enough, but like I would
love to find like a killeroperations person who is like
like so as far as like aco-founder kind of situation
who's like, Yep, you got it.
I guess what I like makingspreadsheets of financial
projections.
And I'd be like, really?

(01:33:59):
Good for you.
I'm so glad that like that isyour gift to the world.
Yeah.
Um, so somebody that's likekiller like that, that scaled
something before.
So that's more like internal,but external, like
partnership-wise, I just I lovewhat we're doing.
And so I don't know if it's aspecific brand or partner, but
like, I mean, if someone atDelta or like some Sun Country

(01:34:20):
is listening and they want togive every parent with a lap
child a flying with little'sbadge and a five dollar
Starbucks or caribou coffee,like that kind of connection
would be so fun.
Like, we will build some joytogether.
So, like, you know, some ofthose kind of big name brands to
be like, let's come togetherand like you know, do this on a
larger scale.
So you put it out there, yeah,yeah.

Kelly (01:34:41):
See how you see how it's received.
Yes, yes.
Okay, so cool.
Well, how how can people getconnected to you?
Yes, and to mom badge for sure.

Rachel (01:34:49):
So um, if you want like the more personal, like me, I
didn't do a lot this summerbecause kids home and
everything, but um, my Instagramis where like I'm like, hey,
this is what's going on, andlike so at Mom Badge app is
where you can find my Instagram.
I do put a lot, I tend to put alot out on LinkedIn.
So Rachel Frosh, it'sf-r-o-s-c-h um Rachel without an
A.
Um, but yeah, so connect withme.

(01:35:11):
I'll I'll accept any connectionstuff.
So Rachel Frosh on LinkedIn.
Um, yeah, everything else theyhandle and follow Mom Badge on
LinkedIn as well.
But yeah, mainly Instagram, Iwould say, is the best place.
And then download the app.
It's free.
Um, and you can send like Ithink it just the $5 gift card,
$10 gift card to Starbucks islike, it makes a difference in

(01:35:32):
someone's day.
And people are like, what wasthat?
You know, and the personreceiving it doesn't need the
app.
So if you check that out, tryit out, let me know if
something's not good, I'll fixit, I'll do my best.
You know, we're definitely alearning stage, but that would
be awesome.
Um, awesome, because yeah, it'sall rooted in a lot of
goodness, but we need people totry it out and spread the
goodness.

Kelly (01:35:52):
Oh, my my cup just feels like it's overflowing right now.
The nuggets of information thatyou dropped were just
incredible.
And the last thing that I wantto say is how like cool and
totally like I don't know whythis surprised me, but like how
you, Rachel, are infusing yourtalents into Mom Badge by

(01:36:14):
creating the badge itself.
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.
Right.
Like that, that was just likekind of like oh my word.
So cool.
And so I am um, I'm I'm just sohonored that you were here and
that you took the opportunity toto come and just share your
wisdom with everyone.
So thank you.
And I hope you have a greatday.

Rachel (01:36:33):
Yeah, thank you.
I was thinking this morning, Iwas just so thankful.
I was like, wow, people askingyou to tell the story.
What a gift.
So thanks.

Kelly (01:36:40):
Yep, you're welcome.
Bye.
Bye.
Thanks for listening.
And if you enjoyed this episodeand know of any inspiring mamas
who are powerhouseentrepreneurs, please help
connect them with myself and theshow.
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

(01:37:02):
with your friends.
Until the next episode.
Cheers to reclaiming your hue.

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Ep. 69 with Rachel Frosch | Founder & Owner, Mom Badge

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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. 69 with Rachel Frosch | Founder & Owner, Mom Badge