Why Improving Your Attitude Will Help You Win At Business!

We have come to our final female founder feature this season! It has been such a pleasure to learn from these women. Luckily, this isn't the end of the road- most of them are now going to be hanging out with me on the LOTP podcast (which is now live BTW- link under Podcast on the homepage) YAY!

I loved reading through this week's feature. Plus any girl who quotes Meredith Grey in her interview- you know it's going to be a good read. #longlivegreysanatomy

Beyond her excellent quoting skills, Mariana Mesquita, co-founder of Giftspawt is doing it all. From staying active and playing soccer, growing a business, spending time with her family and STILL working at a 9-5 job.

Learning how to prioritize things is super important when balancing life's to do's! And it seems like Mariana has her head on straight about how to pretty much everything.

I believe she can rock so many things due to the way she looks at her life. Mariana says, "I'm a big fan of satisfying my own curiosity," how expansive is that?! That kind of mindset allows her the freedom to choose & prioritize her interests without ANY judgment.

Mariana looks at every experience as an opportunity to learn and to challenge herself.

The biggest take away on this one: growing a business while balancing everything life has to offer is ALL ABOUT ATTITUDE. She even states in her interview, that she doesn't have the best schedule, but she makes it work.

Too often, people don't think there is time for growing their dream with everything else on their plate. The truth is we don't have more time, so we have to MAKE MORE TIME.

How do you organize your week to make time for your business?

P.S. Mariana & her business partner Allison are EP 2 on the podcast in iTunes! If you are interested in learning more about Giftspawt feel free to contact her via IG @marianacrw or @giftspawt and through email at mariana@giftspawt.com.

Take it away Mariana!

What is YOUR story!? Tell us a bit about your background both personally and professionally.

I was born in Porto, Portugal and went to school at the Portuguese Catholic University where I graduated with a BA in Sound and Image. In 2014 after graduating University I moved to Canada to be with the love of my life. When I was in Portugal I was working as a photographer for an Event Company but when I moved to Canada I had to start from scratch so I worked in retail for 3 years and currently I'm working in insurance. 

I got my first dog Riley in 2015 when I was home waiting to become a Permanent Resident of Canada. Getting Riley was the best decision I have ever made. She absolutely changed my life. I was never allowed to have a dog growing up so when this moment came I was over the moon. We are now best friends and I can't picture my life without Riley in it. 1 year later came Walter. They are so cute and do everything together. 

When I created an Instagram account for Riley in 2015 I had no idea all the friends I was going to make, all the adventures I was about to embark on and how it would change my life. 

It was on Instagram that I met Allison, my business partner. We both have a dog named Riley and we both watched Greys Anatomy religiously every Thursday so that started many topics of conversation. We became really close and one day Allison approached me with the idea of creating a IG page where we feature Dogs With Stuffed Animals. I was all for it and said let's do it. 2 years later we are at 70K followers and created our dream business, Gift Spawt. 

How did you get your idea or concept for your business?

Allison and I have been sending gifts to each others dogs for a while (Birthdays, Valentines Day, Christmas etc). The gifts included a toy and a card and just the whole experience was exciting. We were always curious about what gift our pups were going to receive next. We saw a lot of people doing this and how excited everyone was about it so we decided to create Gift Spawt.

Tell us more about your business and what you do!

At Gift Spawt we focus on celebrating friendships and moments and it's place where we make sending a gift to your dog or other dogs a fun and convenient experience. Each gift includes complimentary wrapping and a hand-written gift card with a personalized message. You no longer have to go to the store to pick up a toy, get a card, get wrapping paper or go to the Post Office. We do all of that for you. 

I’m in charge of the creative part of Gift Spawt. I built our website and update it weekly, run all social media, product photography etc. 

Looking back would you do anything different?

I don’t think I would do anything differently to be honest. I know that we always second guess this answer because maybe I could have done more research on a specific topic here and there but this is my first business. I’m living everything for the first time and just enjoying the journey. No regrets. 

What is your favorite thing about being an entrepreneur?

I can't really just pick one. I love the fact that I get to make people & pups happy. I’m a big fan of satisfying my own curiosity. Everyday I learn something new, it’s a never ending learning experience and I get the opportunity to challenge myself and what i think i’m cable of. Lastly I love the fact that since I became an entrepreneur I get to meet amazing women who hustle everyday and make their dreams come true and that really inspires me. 

Share your favorite moment or moments while growing your business.

My favourite moment was when we released our first holiday box for Christmas in 2018. The moment we posted it on instagram and how much people where absolutely loving what we put together and then having our first sold out box was really the moment where I think Allison and I were like wow. We can really do this. 

What are some of the challenges of being an entrepreneur?

People sometimes tend to sugar coat things but I’m all about honesty. For me the biggest challenge was money. Starting from zero and having to make sure we had money to start our dream. No investors, no family help, just us. Unfortunately you can’t do anything without money but we both work full time so that was something that helped us a lot when we started.

What about some of the challenges you face as a female entrepreneur?

I feel very lucky that I actually haven't come across any major challenges as female entrepreneur. I work mostly with women and they have all been so supportive and encouraging. 

Advice for other other female entrepreneurs or those looking to get started?

Just go for it. I know it can be overwhelming because we tend to think about everything at the same time and I'm guilty of that, however you have to believe that you can do it. You have to reach deep within and trust that you are making the right decision. One thing that helped me a lot when I was thinking about starting Gift Spawt with Allison was listening to podcasts by female entrepreneurs and how they started their businesses. One thing they all had in common was that success did not happen overnight and that gave me more strength to start.

What is your favorite quote?

"We spend our whole lives worrying about the future, planning for the future, trying to predict the future, as if figuring it out will cushion the blow. But the future is always changing. The future is the home of our deepest fears and wildest hopes. But one thing is certain, when it finally reveals itself. The future is never the way we imagined it." - Meredith Grey

How do you avoid burnout?

I do my best to stay healthy. I play soccer once a week and I workout at the gym 3x a week. I’m trying to get into running long distance so let’s see if I can do it. I love a nice bubble bath at the end of a long day while listening to my favourite songs and of course lots of puppy cuddles. 

We know all entrepreneurs work differently. How do you schedule your day?

Well because I have a full-time job (9 to 5) I have to work around that. Allison and I use the app Click-Up where we write down our to do list and we try to do as much as possible everyday. I do a little bit of social media work for Gift Spawt before I go to work in the morning and then I work at night when everyone is already in bed. Not the best schedule but I try to make it work. 

What are your MUST have tools?! (things like organization, calendars, social media, payment platforms, business development sources...etc.)

For me are: Klaviyo for email marketing, Click-Up for to do list & Canva I use to design graphics for our blog etc. 

How do you advertise your brand?

We are still learning about marketing but we are mostly on Instagram. I try to interact with people as much as I can and create real connections. We are going to start using FB/IG ads more when the holiday season starts.  

Is there anything else you'd like for us to know?

There is no "no right time". There's just time and what you choose to do with it. 

That last sentence though!! There is NO RIGHT TIME to start- you just have to commit and GO! Thanks for joining us on the first season of the female founder series! It’s been such a wonderful opportunity to learn from these women. More to come soon.

Why Setting Boundaries Will Make You A Better Business Owner

Do you struggle to set boundaries? If yes, you’re not alone. This has been something I’ve struggled with most of my life.

I would say yes to things because otherwise, I would feel like a “bad person” for saying no. But in the end, I would end up overbooking and feeling resentful. Sound familiar?

Learning how to set productive boundaries has been a work in progress. Most entrepreneurs struggle with a work-life balance because their work is their life, and their life is their work! Setting your schedule can have its pros and cons.

In this week’s female founder series, Michelle Hanna & Liz Choi, founders of the full service wedding and event company Love Wildly Co, shared that to grow the business, they had to say no. These two powerhouse women shared that besides self-care, they learned that saying no or putting a ceiling on the amount of work that they received gave them extra time to recharge and connect with their families.

This is not an easy feat. It’s HARD TO SAY NO- especially while growing a business. But boundaries are good! Brene Brown says it best when she states compassionate people set limits!

I often keep that sentence in the back of my mind when I’m feeling the pressure on making decisions that involve other people. I always ask myself before I make a business decision, “how does this relate to my bigger picture and my why?” This helps me choose priorities that are congruent to my purpose. I do agree saying yes to opportunities can help you learn and navigate the business world. I would also say that sometimes we take on too much which then impedes on us taking actual action.

When our lists are too long it can feel overwhelming to work on our projects. Learning how to set boundaries can absolutely expand your business. I recently heard that Jenna Kutcher worked the least amount of the hours this year after having her daughter and MADE THE MOST amount of money. She chose to find more balance and invest in projects and business opportunities that fulfilled her purpose rather than just doing them to do them.

I really enjoyed reading through his feature! Michelle & Liz commented on how wonderful it has been to have worked together after so many years of friendship. They also talk about what it was like growing the business while they were still at their 9-5’s. I think this is an important thing to discuss because majority of us can’t just jump at quitting our jobs. We have to be building while we are working. These savvy partners made sure to have a solid foundation under their belts before they truly took it to the next level.

Michelle & Liz do incredible work and their clients would completely agree! Do you have an event coming up and would like to learn more about Love Wildly Co you can visit their website by clicking here and under the contact us form send in an inquiry. If you are interested in collaborating with amazing duo feel free to email them at hello@lovewildlyco.com or check out their Instagram & Facebook pages!

Please welcome Love Wildly Co!

What is YOUR story!? Tell us a bit about your background both personally and professionally.

Love Wildly Co was birthed out of a place where we were searching for an outlet to create. Our inspiration came from a personal need to create plus a seen opportunity to use our gifts to build a business for our families. We have been best friends for over 18 years and despite what so many told us about the dangers of friends going into business together, we have yet to touch those bounds. We decided early on that business or no business, our friendship would be our priority. Through the founding first years, where things are usually the hardest, we have managed to maintain our promise to each other. Sounds cheesy, but we couldn’t have picked a better half to run this business and do life with! We continue to inspire and challenge each other through the ups and downs of both our personal and business life which makes running LWC fun and exciting every time we have an event, strategy meetings, or when we get together to go eat Shabu Shabu.

The first year, we did all that we could to gain experience. We worked at no cost and made all the mistakes we needed to make so that we could lay down a solid foundation for the years ahead. We asked hard questions, we cried, we fought, we laughed a lot, and learned quickly. The second year, we rebranded our company from True Events Co to Love Wildly Co. We wanted to rebrand to really give our business a name that we live and stand by. We felt that giving an identity to our business would help us to continue to build a stronger business and connection to our clients & vendors. We did a lot of marketing and ground work in the second year. Any convention we could showcase our work, we booked! Photoshoots and collaborations with other vendors helped structure our business and set it up for success. Lots of dreaming here and of course we doubled in our sales (insert praise hands here)!!! Then, here we are in our third year and looking back, we have been so blessed with the most amazing clients. It takes a lot to plan one of the most memorable days of your life and we get the honor and privilege of being entrusted with all the details. 

This gives us purpose and we are beyond grateful for all our past, present, and future clients who let us share in these moments with them. Dreaming was done and now in our third year, we are taking real steps to make them a reality. We have a dream of becoming a one-stop-shop for our clients and bring everything in house. This year, we have incorporated paper good such as invites, escort cards, table numbers, save the dates, menus, seating charts, welcome signs, etc. We have also added custom signage! Soon, we will add florals to our list of services.  Florals have been fun to learn but very challenging. Which tells us that we are going in the right direction. We never want to stop growing or become comfortable. We want to continue dreaming and learning to become the best versions of ourselves but also the best version of Love Wildly Co for our clients. So please continue to support and follow our journey on IG @lovewildlyco. We so appreciate you all!

Michelle Hanna, co-founder Love Wildly Co

Tell us more about your business and what you do!

We are a full-service event planning and designing company. Our clients reach out to us when they are trying to plan an event for special occasions. Most find areas of challenge whether it’s trying to design the space, logistical challenges, or finding the right vendors to bring their vision together. Many of our clients do not have the luxury of time due to their professional and personal lives and they need someone to take over. Our goal is to ease the stress and make sure they remember how fun and amazing their event was. 

We are proud of what our company stands for. We work with integrity and go above and beyond for our clients. We are known for our excellent customer service and response time. Ask anyone!

Looking back would you do anything different?

We both agree that working for someone in the industry to learn the groundwork and best practices would have been beneficial. It would have saved a lot of hours and heartache, but we learned a lot from our mistakes and grew from them. Thats all that matters, right?

What is your favorite thing about being an entrepreneur?

The freedom to be as creative and push our limits to whatever we want.

Share your favorite moment or moments while growing your business.

Our favorite moments will probably have to be those late nights we stayed up after our 9-5PM job to create a business plan and the basic foundations for our event planning business. There were many times we only had a couple hours or sleep but our most favorite thing to do during these brainstorming sessions was to eat delicious foods, snacks, and desserts. We are foodies!

What are some of the challenges of being an entrepreneur?

Owning your own business can be lonely at times. Especially when you’re fixing issues and trying to find solutions. Sure, we have each other but sometimes we are lost and have no idea what we are doing. In those cases, we must make sure to support and build confidence in each other so we can bring our A Game. That’s what we do, fix problems and make sure our clients are happy. 

What about some of the challenges you face as a female entrepreneur?

The industry that we are in is predominantly female so it’s been amazing to be supported by many woman and have that community behind us. The hardest part for us as female entrepreneurs is finding that work/life balance so we can make time for our families. We have a huge responsibly to our husbands and children and also to our clients and business. We’ve learned that sometimes saying “no” or putting a ceiling on amount of work that we receive can give us the extra time we need to recharge and connect with our families.  

Advice for other other female entrepreneurs or those looking to get started?

Be Confident, Be Strong and just GO for it.

Failure is simply the opportunity to begin again, this time more intelligently.

Always ask, you will never know if you never ask. 

What is your favorite quote?

The only way to make sense out of change is to plunge into it, move with it, and join the dance.

Liz Choi, co-founder of Love Wildly Co

How do you avoid burnout?

We must make a conscious effort to take a rest day at least once a week to unwind and turn off our phones. In addition, we treat each other out to massages, shopping, and eating delicious foods without conversations about work. We are very in tuned with each other’s needs since we are best friends and make sure we connect to that space often. 

We know all entrepreneurs work differently. How do you schedule your day?

In our line of work, prepping for the day is essential. When you have 8 events to plan for at the same time, it can get overwhelming, so we make sure to plan out big projects months in advance, meetings and phone calls weeks in advance, and daily tasks the night before. This way we are setup for success in a organized manner and we can knock out those TO DO items. 

What are your MUST have tools?! (things like organization, calendars, social media, payment platforms, business development sources...etc.)

Honeybook is our business mangement tool. It allows us to email clients, book them, create proposals, sign clients, process payment, and many more business related items.

Wix.com is our website server. Its very important to have a website to help support your business and  display to clients  your credibility

Dropbox is a wonderful software we use to save client photos, documents, and a shared space between clients and our team.

Gmail suite is a must for us! We use google docs 110% of the time when we plan with our clients.

Instagram/Facebook is used for all of our social media efforts. 

Yelp/Knot is a space for us to show other potential clients our work based on customer reviews. 

Time Tree is a  shared calendar  we both use to show current events, meetings, phone calls, etc.

How do you advertise your brand?

Yelp, The Knot, Instagram, Facebook, expo/conventions, and styled shoots!

I love that Michelle & Liz talk about prepping prior to their events and planning ahead. I think that this is a great tip that we can all adapt. Think of it like meal prepping. How much more organized and in control do you feel when Monday rolls around? Something I’ve been trying to do in my own business is batch planning. If you are unfamiliar batch planning or batch writing is taking one or two days and knocking out a bunch of the same time of work rather than spreading it out. It can be hard to find the time to do this but I promise you it.is.worth.it.

I hope you enjoyed today’s feature! Only 2 more to go in this female founder’s series!

As always if you have questions & comments about Leader of the Pax and how you can work with us - drop a line below!

Here's How To Stop "Shoulding" On Yourself.

Shoulda, Coulda, Woulda.

How many times do you use at least one of those words a day? I know I’m often kicking myself in regards to the stuff I wish I could do different now. Because let’s be real hindsight is always 20/20.

The shoulda, coulda, woulda mindset is extremely limiting because we can’t go back and change what has already happened. We can only move forward.

It’s completely natural to reflect on the past and learn from the missteps. But we wouldn’t have known unless we had made that decision in the first place.

Sometimes regret can be a motivator. A client once shared with me that she had an opportunity to try out to a be a yoga teacher and she didn’t audition for a number of reasons but mostly because she was scared she wouldn’t get hired. When we started working together she told me that she was fully committed to growing her business because she never wanted to feel that shoulda, coulda, woulda feeling again.

How many times in your life have you limited yourself because of fear?

It’s easy to get locked into what we SHOULD/COULD/WOULD have done looking back. An article Susan Kelley from the Cornell Chronicle shared that in short term people regret their actions but it’s the inaction that lingers with us for years to come.

The first step to stop shoulding on yourself is to become conscious of the thoughts. “I should have gone to the gym” “If I knew what I knew now, I could have made a better decision” “I would have launched this business sooner if I hadn’t been so scared” Sound familiar?

Once you’re aware you can make the commitment to challenging those shoulda, woulda, coulda thoughts. One way to do this is to LIMIT the words should/could/.would out of your vocabulary - now let’s be real that’s tough to do and you aren’t going to be perfect so think about how you can hold yourself accountable while you work on re-routing your mindset.

Have fun trying different words and forgive yourself if you find yourself in a shoulding or coulding type of mood. Try more empowering phrases like “I am”, “I can”, “I will”. CHALLENGE the thoughts with something more accurate.

Other more tangible action to take is just that- taking action. Setting short term realistic goals can bring confidence and momentum. REMEMBER nothing is perfect & no one is perfect. Taking action will lead you to your next step.

Today’s founder, April Mosebrook, learned how to maneuver around that mindset and take action! She is the founder of Bucket List Broadway and the lead singer of her own band April and the Funk Junkies! I met April back when I was teaching yoga at CorePower Yoga. April is an avid yogi and now teacher. I still remember our conversations as she was parting from her corporate job while we were in the locker room together. Funny how the universe brings us together!

April launched herself into this new beginning. She worked diligently on getting out of her comfort zone, learned how to build her business, asked for help along the way, and poured every ounce of passion into this project. April learned to reframe her limiting beliefs and build a business that she loves. Passion is something that April instills in the decisions she makes in her life whether that is singing, spending time with her family, or with her love of exercise. April’s positive mentality and excitement to bring people together is exactly what is making her life ROCK!

Biggest take away: be like Nike, JUST DO IT.

If you’d like to learn more about participating in Bucket List Broadway and dipping your toe into this creative world take a look at this amazing YouTube video and her website to get inside look! Also you can contact April by email or text: her email is bucketlistbroadway@gmail.com and phone number is 619-726-2817. She is also available by her Facebook page or instagram.

April Mosebrook everyone!

What is YOUR story!? Tell us a bit about your background both personally and professionally.

I was born and raised in a very small town in Arkansas.  I fell in love with singing early on, starting out in church and then branching out to community events, talent shows, and eventually summer theme park performance jobs.  I wasn't really exposed to live musical theater because of lack of access, but I always had a flair for the dramatic!  I literally wanted to BE Sandy in Grease the movie!  During the summer after my sophomore year in college while working at a resort in New Jersey, I experienced my first Broadway show in NYC- a revival of Guys and Dolls.  A new obsession was born.  I came back to college at the University of Arkansas ready to change the direction of my life by changing my major to musical theater.  However, reality didn't quite support my dream, as I was two years into classes supporting a Microbiology degree and was on a 4 year academic scholarship, which would've run out before I was able to get the new degree.  So, I took every theater elective I could manage, auditioned for every campus musical I could, and promised myself that someday I would perform one way or another.  Over the next few years, I had several performing jobs, one of which allowed me to live and work in Austria and travel throughout Europe.  Upon returning to the US, I knew it was time to "get serious" about a career, and put my science degree to use.  I had been accepted to dental school but I knew in my heart that I would not be happy (or even good at) fixing people's teeth!  So I looked for something that would allow me to use my degree while also being in a competitive environment with plenty of interaction with people.  This was when the pharmaceutical world was exploding so I became a sales rep - a job that would take me to Florida and California, would introduce me to the man who became my husband and father of my daughter, AND (after my divorce), the man who is the love of my life and my partner for the last 8+ years.  This career path would provide me with a lucrative and stable income, amazing benefits, life long friendships, and a flexible schedule that was great for a mom.  There was only one problem:  I wasn't passionate about it.  I tried to convince myself that, in a way, sales was "performing":   I got to be in front of an "audience" of customers, and I even tied in my love for singing by writing songs that sold my products!  I also pursued, on a small scale, things that brought me joy, such as yoga and singing in a band.  But I still longed for more. In addition to my lack of passion, as the years marched on and times changed, I became more and more disillusioned with the pharma industry itself. This, along with other factors in my personal life, nudged me toward a self care journey in which I working with a resilience coach and a mediation guide.  Shortly after beginning this, my company announced that lay offs were coming.  I began to meditate upon the concept of having time and space in my life, and visualizing what I would do with it!  Dreams of performing and having my own theater business kept resurfacing.  I truly believe that this meditation and visualization practice helped me manifest being released from the corporate job that had held me down.  In the year that followed, I received a severance pay that allowed me to explore the things that truly brought me joy.  I became a certified yoga teacher, took on more responsibility in my role as lead singer of my band, and spent more time with my daughter.  I knew there was still more in store for me though. I longed to be create something of my own; to be my own boss; to fashion and mold my dreams into a real business that would bring joy to myself and others.  I still wasn't sure what that looked like or how it would manifest but I was open to inspiration.  It was around this time that I heard about Broadway Weekends.

How did you get your idea or concept for your business?

So I was driving one day, flipping around on SiriusXM radio, when I stopped on the Broadway channel.  There was a young woman talking about a new opportunity in NYC for those who dreamed of performing in musicals but didn't have the outlet.  She had created a program called Broadway weekends and likened it to a summer theater camp for adults.  OMG.  She was talking about AND right to me!  This was a bucket list item for me!  Right away, I called my college theater friend in Miami and convinced him we had to do it!   Throughout the weekend, I just kept thinking, "why wouldn't this work in San Diego?" This was the type of experience I had been CRAVING for years.  San Diego has a huge theater presence, both community and professional, but my experience had been that it is hard to break into.  And even more importantly for me, even if were to be cast in a show, the time it would take wasn't realistic for me as a mom and a spouse.   So I set upon my journey - calling upon two amazing women for advice and support. First was the aforementioned young womanwho started Broadway Weekends, Jeanna De Waal. I wanted to ask for her "blessing" and guidance as I set upon this path. (Fun fact, Jeanna recently starred as the title character in Diana the musical at La Jolla Playhouse and will reprise the role on Broadway. Talk about a bad ass Female Founder! The other was my friend and mentor, theater critic Pat Launer, who connected me with so many people in the theater community, provided invaluable guidance, and suggested the name of Bucket List Broadway! I couldn't have done it without their help! From there, I researched, networked, asked questions, went out of my comfort zone, and poured passion into creating this opportunity so that like minded people could come together and satisfy their craving to perform.  Hence, Bucket List Broadway was born.  

Tell us more about your business and what you do!

Bucket List Broadway is a workshop during which participants get to explore their passion for performing musical theater by working with local theater professionals in a safe space.  BLB'ers are guided thru different sessions, working toward a performance of solos and a group number at the end of the workshop.  Participants are encouraged to bring in a solo they would like to work on and the musical director will provide tips, training and guidance to help them grow.  We also work on vocals and choreography for the big dance number, as well as spend time on vocal technique, acting skills and movement.  The workshop culminates in a "showcase" performance for family and friends during which the participants showcase what they have learned.  We welcome any levels of experience (from seasoned performers to brand new explorers) and no auditions or training are required. It really is a beautiful thing to see my fellow Musical Theater lovers as they let go, experience, enjoy, perform, grow, blossom and fully soak up this opportunity. I provide guidance at many levels and play the role of both teacher and participant throughout the weekend.

Bucket List Broadway is a fairly new endeavor, and is the type of experience that will forever be changing to keep up with the needs and desires of each group I work with.  Therefore, I know I will be revising, revisiting and morphing the program with each occurrence.  I also plan on offering variations, such as special workshops for high school students, and parent/child workshops.  I am also planning to offer these as special events to groups who want to set up private workshops.

Looking back would you do anything different?

I used to be the type of person who said "I shoulda, coulda, woulda" about a lot of things in my life.  So I sometimes had the tendency to wish that I would have started something sooner!  But, luckily, I am quickly able to pull out of that mindset, since I know that this passion could've only come to fruition when I was fully ready for it.  The universe gently guided me to this when the time was right and the space was cleared in my life.  This dream could have only been fully realized when I was inspired, prepared, and able to fully commit to it.

What is your favorite thing about being an entrepreneur?

I love being able to create something from the ground up.  It is so freeing, fun and satisfying to take my dream and manifest it as reality.  Another thing that is nice is that I am in control of my own schedule so that (at least sometimes) I can work around what works for the rest of my life and my family.

Share your favorite moment or moments while growing your business.

Two moments stick out in my mind.  The first was receiving a phone call from a woman who had seen my promotional appearance on KUSI.  I could hear the excitement in her voice and was surprised that she had actually reached ME!  (As if I was special or a celebrity or BLB was some huge business!) It was so cute!  Her story and her passion were exactly what I had envisioned as the perfect participant in my dream endeavor. The second was the performance at the end of my first workshop.  When I stood up to address the crowd, I was overwhelmed with a sense of accomplishment and happiness.  This moment was only surpassed by the joy and pride I felt as the BLB'ers showcased what they had learned.  I was blown away by their bravery, their talent, their growth and their enthusiasm. 

What are some of the challenges of being an entrepreneur?

It's interesting....my biggest challenges are born from the things I love the most!   Although I love being in charge of my schedule and time, I sometimes have trouble when it comes to focusing and prioritizing.  As a mom, spouse, dog owner, yoga teacher, lead singer, volunteer, avid exerciser, lover of life AND entrepreneur, I am constantly being pulled in many directions, as most women are.  Also, although I have many years of sales and business experience, this is my first time starting something from scratch, which means there are a lot of things I had to learn from a business perspective. 

What about some of the challenges you face as a female entrepreneur?

Luckily, I haven't really faced any challenges from others on the outside yet.  I feel that women are finally starting to get the respect we deserve and that it's a great time to be a woman starting a business.  Most of my challenges are self imposed - self doubt, fear of failure, what if's -and other things that I place in my own way, and sometimes it seems that these characteristics affect women more often and more profoundly than they do men.  But I think women also tend to recognize and deal with these internal challenges more efficiently and honestly.

Advice for other other female entrepreneurs or those looking to get started?

Don't get in your own way.  The challenges I face are only made bigger when I place limiting thoughts on them or let my fear get in the way.  When you experience thoughts of failure, instead of letting them stop you, use them as fuel and reframe the situation.  I literally would say to myself - "what's the worst that can happen?" and "if the worst does happen, what does that mean?"  And then I decided that even if the worst DID happen, rather than seeing it as a failure, I would reframe it as a moment of growth and a lesson on how to improve for next time.  

What is your favorite quote?

"The one thing that you have that nobody else has is YOU.  Your voice, your mind, your story, your vision. So write and draw and build and play and dance and live as only you can"  Neil Gaiman

How do you avoid burnout?

My #1 savior from fatigue and burnout is exercise! I am an avid HOT yogi and also enjoy many other physical activities, such as swimming, spinning, running stairs at the beach and hiking.  I schedule this time into my day with just as much importance as any other appointments.   

We know all entrepreneurs work differently. How do you schedule your day?

I schedule blocks of time to work on the business and try to stick to those, allowing breaks in order to recharge.  Each day and week looks different because of where I am in the process of building a workshop and because of my other responsibilities, so I sit down every Sunday night to plan out my week (workouts included!) and make a plan that will maximize my time in the week ahead.

What are your MUST have tools?! (things like organization, calendars, social media, payment platforms, business development sources...etc.)

I am still pretty old fashioned when it comes to planning, so my big ole notebook journal is where I make my to-do lists, jot down my ideas and brainstorm. I put all all my appointments (and sometimes even reminders from my to-do list) on my phone calendar so I always have it right at my fingertips. I feel we are lucky to have social media these days as it is an amazing way to promote without having to spend any or much money!  

How do you advertise your brand?

Facebook has certainly been my friend as I promote Bucket List Broadway. Not only do I post on my business and personal page,  I enlist the help of friends inside and outside of the theater community to spread the word.  I appeared on the KUSI morning show for an interview and a song just prior to the first workshop, which resulted in bringing in a few more participants.  I did interviews and articles with several neighborhood papers, and I plan on using these same tools again with each subsequent workshop.  One of my goals is to eventually  advertise in playbills and programs of local shows.  I imagine there are many people who, like me, wish they could be on stage instead of just in the audience so this should be a great way to find enthusiastic clients.

Is there anything else you'd like for us to know?

We will be announcing our next event soon, so please like us on Facebook to receive updates and announcements.  Also, our website should be updated and ready to roll soon,  so you will have one more way to stay in touch with us!

It was such a pleasure interviewing April. I love how her childhood passions helped guide her destiny. April, like myself, loves community and bringing people together. She truly loves encouraging people to try out areas of their life they’ve always dreamed about which could be performing on stage. April also reminded me to take care of myself- that we all need to take care of ourself. Time blocking our work day and scheduling physical activity is key to our success. Thank you for your time and energy dear friend! Can’t wait to have you on the LOTP podcast soon! xo

Question, feedback, comments? Write us below!

Do You Know How Powerful Your Thoughts Are?

Have you ever noticed that when you decide on the car you want you begin to see everywhere?

Or when you start dreaming about becoming a business owner and all the people you begin to come in contact with are on that path too?

Our thoughts are extremely powerful - most of the time we don’t even recognize the weight they carry in our lives. They can be the stem of our greatness and the anchor to our anxiety.

When we can push past the mind games and trust ourselves to just take one step forward beautiful things can come together.

I truly believe that  once we decide what’s next for us the universe conspires to support our next step. I think it’s a mix of perseverance & magic that make things happen. 

Have you heard the phrase “your thoughts become your reality?” well that’s exactly what happened to this week’s founder Kelly Callaghan owner of Slay Beauty Bar, Spray Tan Class, and now host to the live event & podcast Wake Up To Level Up.

Kelly shared in our blog interview that she was determined to get out of her 9-5 cubical lifestyle and in order to do that she knew she needed to figure out a way to support herself.

She wrote a bunch of ideas out in her journal about 4 years before she started her business and within a matter of 2 years Kelly had grown her baby mobile spray tanning business into an international multi-six figure business.

GO GIRL!

Kelly mentions that our minds will play tricks on us telling us things like we aren’t good enough, smart enough, experienced enough and in order to fight through it you gotta believe in yourself and take action towards your goals.

Besides these juicy tidbits Kelly shares that she has grown outside of her business as well. Learning to set personal boundaries, diving deep into self- love, and connecting herself to other women who support her highest self. In order to stay at this high vibration Kelly meditates and practices self care. She also recognizes she is only as good as her team and delegates certain tasks to other people in order to reach her goals faster. Over the years she has learned how to create her own systems which in turn she has taught to others which have now made an international presence!

Can’t wait for you to soak up the goodness of Kelly Ann, she truly is an inspiration! If you are looking to know more about Kelly or get in to touch with her about her event, Wake Up to Level Up in 2020 reach out to her via instagram!

Without further ado, Kelly Callaghan!

What is YOUR story!? Tell us a bit about your background both personally and professionally.

After years of working in sales/marketing for multiple telecommunications companies, I realized my alignment with my true beliefs/values/perception was off. 

During those six years of working for corporate, I found myself constantly obsessing over having a "free life". A life where I didn't have to ask for permission to take days off. A life where I could have TRUE impact on others and on myself because I was finally living on purpose instead of on accident. 

I knew I was made for more than a cubicle 9-5 lifestyle. I wanted to travel the world, to connect with new faces and to undoubtedly love what I do for a "living".

It wasn't until I found myself in tears for a week straight WHILE sitting in my cubicle that I was forced to jump into the drivers seat and take action FOR my life.

That week I made the decision to quit my job and booked a few one-way tickets to places I've dreamed of exploring and dove all in to consciously creating my life.

It was through those solo travel experiences that I gained the confidence and guidance to realize that I truly was the creator of my existence now and forever.

Slowly, I started to chip away at the limiting beliefs that kept my boxed up for so many years. I started playing intentional games with myself to see how far I could expand.

"What if I saw my big, bold dreams as attainable?"

"What if I took the steps forward to have FUN and to live life with purpose and intention rather than on accident?"

"What if I could be the woman of my own dreams so that I could attract the right people, places, things, experiences into my life?"

"What if I stopped playing small and WENT ALL IN?"

After playing around the world for 18 months, I decided that I wanted this type of freedom more than I wanted anything else. 

I made the decision to take the leap and jump into building my own business so I could be MY OWN BOSS and I could say YES to the things that truly made my happy and fulfilled.

I took the last few grand I had saved up and invested it into a mobile spray tanning business.

With no knowledge of business, it was a bit risky but I knew that I had the grit, the intelligence and the drive to figure it out as I went.

I didn't have all the answers. I didn't even know who to turn to to ask for help.

All I knew was that I had this undeniable hunger to create a life worth living and that, to me, was more important than anything else.

Through much trial and error, messy mistakes, overwhelm and stress, I managed to pull through each obstacle that temporarily held me back from the next level of mastering this thing called entrepreneurship.

With each mistake and "failure", I got better.

With each person saying "what the ---- are you doing?" I got more lit up and inspired.

With each disappointment or rejection, I found redirection into a better space/situation.

Within a matter of 2 years I had grown this baby mobile spray tanning business into an international multi-six figure business. 

Through BELIEF, perseverance, passion, dedication and an understanding that NO ONE was going to do this for me and that I had to take 100% responsibility for my own life, I was able to make massive internal and external shifts.

I saw loop holes in an industry that was just starting to gain massive momentum. I filled those holes and solved those problems with solutions for clients. When I shifted from personal gain to global change and outward impact, I became "successful". Not only monetarily but I became more fulfilled because I had found that I had a passion for CONNECTING with others and helping others achieve their own dreams.

Today, I own a salon in San Diego (Slay Beauty Bar), I have 12 women in the United States and Canada conducting spray tan trainings (Spray Tan Class), I hold group spray tan trainings throughout North America (Slay The Spray), I hold live events for women in business who are ready to WAKE UP TO LEVEL UP in mindset + business (Wake Up To Level Up) while running all my social media accounts - YouTube, Wake Up To Level Up Podcast, IG, FB Groups, etc.

I am a busy woman. BUT, I am pulled by passion - not pushed by need/ego/money. It all comes from a place of WANTING to make massive impact and I LOVE (most of) every second of it! :) 

How did you get your idea or concept for your business?

Great question! I wrote a bunch of ideas out in my journal approx. 4 years before I started my business. I believe it came from my background working at a tanning salon and doing research on low barrier businesses.

Tell us more about your business and what you do!

I oversee operations for Slay Beauty Bar where we help women feel even more luxurious through spray tanning, teeth whitening and eyelash extension services.

I run Spray Tan Class which is composed of a group of women who are eager to help other women learn how to spray tan or advance their career in the spray tanning industry. 

I also hold powerful experiences through live events and retreats called Wake Up To Level Up to help women in business "step into their Goddess" and find power from within.

Looking back would you do anything different?

I would ask for help more, make better decisions on investments, slow down to speed up and hire a coach for certain things I needed help with.

What is your favorite thing about being an entrepreneur?

FREEDOM and the fact that I can tap into my creativity at all moments. 

Share your favorite moment or moments while growing your business.

Seeing the women in person at Wake Up to Level Up has been absolutely my favorite part of being an entrepreneur so far. So many amazing, beautiful people all inspired to be better. It took my breath away.

What are some of the challenges of being an entrepreneur?

Wearing a lot of hats. Overwhelm. Stress. Moments where you question and doubt yourself. It takes a lot of grit and a lot of patience and faith to be an entrepreneur but I have all of that and learning how to be better every day.

What about some of the challenges you face as a female entrepreneur?

Being that I mainly work with women, I don't have many challenges solely based on the fact that I am a female in business. Maybe the cattiness that can surface? Other women telling me I am not good enough because I only have this many months or years of experience? It doesn't seem challenging to me anymore because I stand true and strong in the person I am today. No one and nothing can impose their own beliefs on me because I am stronger than that now and I know I come from a genuine and secure place.

Advice for other other female entrepreneurs or those looking to get started?

Jump. Now. Don't wait. Don't overthink. Just do. 

You will figure it out as you go along. 

Ask for help, don't overextend yourself and do what FEELS RIGHT in your heart. 

Your mind will play tricks on you. Telling you you aren't good enough, smart enough, experienced enough.

Everything that has ever existed began with a thought.

It is possible if you BELIEVE and take inspired action to go towards your goals.

Be kind to yourself and others. Do what's right. Never do it just for the money. Do it to make change and to help others. 

What is your favorite quote?

What if you lived ALL OUT?

How do you avoid burnout?

Meditate. Delegate. Systems. Ask for help.

We know all entrepreneurs work differently. How do you schedule your day?

Trying to become more of a planner/organizer. I try to start with body movement/meditation in the morning, online work after that, lunch, me time and do my creative work when I feel inspired.

What are your MUST have tools?! (things like organization, calendars, social media, payment platforms, business development sources...etc.)

IG, YouTube, FB Group, PayPal, WordPress, LearnDash, WooComm, so many!

How do you advertise your brand?

Social Media

Is there anything else you'd like for us to know?

Would love to connect on my podcast Wake Up To Level Up + on IG! Keep GLOWING, ladies!

I met Kelly several years ago when she was just starting her business. It’s been such a pleasure watching her journey unfold. A huge take away from Kelly’s story is that we must lean on ourselves and trust ourselves to make decisions. This sentiment reminded me of female founder, Bre Thomas, who shared the same thing. She mentioned that one of the most challenging (and rewarding) things that she has discovered from entrepreneurship is trusting herself when making decisions.

Kelly has done this time and time again as she has continued to evolve her business and take it to the next level. I’m so excited for her podcast interview and the juicy tidbits & strategies you’ll learn from her.

If you have any comments & questions please leave a comment below!

Why Mistakes Are Your Best Teachers

Being a new business owner is no small feat. Especially if you're working alone. Trusting that you're making the right decision without validation can be challenging, but to move forward, you gotta take action and hope for the best.

That's precisely the mindset that business owner Breana Thomas founder of Nutrivenience shared about her experience being an entrepreneur. She mentions that she's had to learn how to make decisions herself, trust herself, and learn along the way.

The reality of being an entrepreneur is not as pretty as a curated photo on Instagram. No one sees the behind the scenes like working until 2 or 3 in the morning or having to test different services or platforms.

I think one of the reasons people don't move forward is that they are scared to make mistakes when in all honesty we need those mistakes to learn where to go next. Bre says it herself, "Pay attention, learn quick, and re-route when needed." The only way to grow is to GO.

Brene Brown writes in her book, The Gifts of Imperfection, you must be OK with however your day ends. Recognizing your worth is not tied to the tasks you completed, the money you made, or how successful you were at the thing you were trying to achieve. The real deal is how you feel about yourself and how you show up for yourself every single day.

I've tried to put this mindset at the forefront of my day. It's essential to enjoy the little wins along the way as we go after the bigger dreams that we have. Bre also describes how wonderful it has been building her business steadily, and by taking it one step at a time.

Another founder, Marissa Rose Nash talked about in her interview about living in the grey. I think this is a valuable mindset to have while growing your business. Instead of having such strong expectations about things being a certain way allowing them to ebb and flow and take it one step at a time is key! Angela Buckner also describes this way of thinking. She shares in her interview that enjoying the process even when it’s so tough to be new at something is very important to one’s overall mindset and growth.

In addition to slowing down and enjoying the ride, Bre puts self-care high on her priority list. To avoid burn out, Bre makes sure to come back to the basics. Like moving her body, sleeping well, and eating nutrient-dense foods.

If you are looking to get in touch with Bre you can reach her through email at breanathomas310@gmail.com. You can also take a look at her creative instagram here and her company Nutrivenience to learn more about what she does!

Let’s get started!

What is YOUR story!? Tell us a bit about your background both personally and professionally.

Well...I moved to Orange County 10 years ago to pursue hair dressing. I got a job at a salon and a year in realized the industry was not for me. I liked working with my hands, I liked being creative, I liked making people feel good, but I didn't like the materialism and drama that came with the industry. So I quit.

I started working for restaurants as a server and eventually got a job at True Food Kitchen right when it was opening in Newport Beach. Everything I learned there resonated so much, and though I loved cooking, I'd never looked at it as a profession until then. The health aspect of it all added tremendous value to what that could be and gave me purpose. I didn't want to work in a restaurant, I wanted to help people one on one. 

From there I decided I wanted to work as a private chef. I enrolled in culinary school and began my deep dive into all things health and nutrition. I started an online holistic nutrition course, watched documentaries, read countless books, started juice cleansing and tried different eating styles. I was gluten free, vegan, vegetarian, keto, paleo, I tried them all. Eventually developing my own eating style which was a cumulation of everything that made me feel good. That eating style is now Nutrivenience. 

How did you get your idea or concept for your business?

Working as a private chef, a lot of my clients wanted to lose weight. After adhering to the diets they presented to me, in terms of the food I made, I realized that a lot of it was crap...and incredibly unhealthy. I developed the Nutrivenience plan initially for myself. It's something I did for 3 months straight in the beginning and have done it at least once a month since . I brought this plan into the homes of my clients and it worked for them as well. 

When I began teaching spin, I got so many questions from riders regarding weight loss, nutrition, meal prep, etc. I knew I had to figure out a way to mass produce my food because I physically couldn't cook for all of these people in their homes. And voila... Nutrivenience was born. 

Tell us more about your business and what you do!

Nutrivenience offers prescriptive, whole-food, plant-based meal plans delivered throughout Orange County, Ca. 

Customers receive a combination of ready-made food and juice for the desired length of their plan (3 or 5 days). Our main focus is health, with weight loss being the side effect. 

Looking back would you do anything different?

No. I've learned so much by doing everything myself with no outside investors or help. It's been a slow growth process but steady and extremely rewarding. 

What is your favorite thing about being an entrepreneur?

I love having a platform to express my creativity 

Share your favorite moment or moments while growing your business.

Favorite moments are always customer feedback. Our food is changing people's lives. The way they look at 'healthy' food, the way they feel and the knowledge they gain. This has the potential of changing our food system entirely here in the US.

For me this is what it's all about. This is how I make this world a better place.

What are some of the challenges of being an entrepreneur?

The hours. It never truly stops, and no one really understands that unless they're a business owner/entrepreneur. It's task oriented, you don't get to clock out, and in the beginning (which for me is still 3 1/2 years in) the tasks never end.

I'm an only child and I think this works in my advantage, because you're alone a lot. You've got to figure shit out on your own, you've got to make hard decisions on your own and just hope everything turns out okay. And when it doesn't, you've got to learn quick and keep moving. 

What about some of the challenges you face as a female entrepreneur?

Honestly, I don't think I've had any. I think it's so celebrated right now that if anything I've had an advantage. 

Advice for other other female entrepreneurs or those looking to get started?

Just start. As cliche as that sounds. Once you start 'doing it', you realize most people who are also 'doing it' have no idea what the hell they're doing. 

Pay attention. Learn quick. Reroute when needed. 

What is your favorite quote?

I have many. But in regards to entrepreneurship: Sell the problem not the solution.

How do you avoid burnout?

I do my best to stay healthy. I move my body almost every day. I nourish it with whole foods 80% of the time. And I get 7-8 hours of sleep per night. 

We know all entrepreneurs work differently. How do you schedule your day?

I have an ongoing to-do list in the Notes section of my phone. At night I pull atleast 6 things I need to get done the next day and put them at the top. I also work a full time job and teach spin classes so my days are hectic. I schedule alarms for everything to get as much out of my brain as possible. Hardest tasks first thing in the morning.    

What are your MUST have tools?! (things like organization, calendars, social media, payment platforms, business development sources...etc.)

Honestly, I try to keep it as simple as possible. I'm technologically retarded. I use my notes/calendar in my phone. Besides that, I outsource everything else (marketing, social media, website, etc) now because I simply don't have the time. So I'd say, MUST have tools are finding the right people to do the things you're not naturally good at.

How do you advertise your brand?

We still are all Instagram and word of mouth. With this, the business has doubled every year. 

Soon we're going to start with FB/IG ads. 

Is there anything else you'd like for us to know?

You really should eat more plants. 

Bre, thank you for your time and energy! It was an honor learning about your business! I’m an only child too and can relate on so many levels! Regardless if you have siblings or not you gotta learn how to be independent, answer your own questions, an trust yourself. Thanks for your inspiration and contribution to the female founder series!

Questions, comments, feedback? Send us a comment below!