All right. Hi, this is Leslie. I am the host of the Why Not Today podcast. And this podcast
is to celebrate people who have been courageous and said, why not today? I started this podcast
in honor of my father, Patrick Cain, who often said, why not today? I am based in Reston,
Virginia, Planned Community, right outside of Washington, D.C. I am also a sales director
with Mary Kay and use this platform to share courageous stories. And I am super excited.
My guest today is Bianca Mosquitos. I think I said it right this time. We actually did
this last week and got a love technology. It did not record. We had four seconds. I
am saying, hold on, let's start again. I pray it is going to be recorded now and it is going
to be even better this time. I always like to share connections and how you get to know
people and how that works before we hear from Bianca. I originally met Bianca because I
worked at the YMCA as a water robot instructor. It was kind of my fun little hobby, but you
just never know who you are going to be in front of. They did an event one day. I do
not remember what it was, but I had a Mary Kay table there. I was combining Mary Kay
with that. Bianca was a brand new employee to the Y. I met her. She had a cute little
baby with her. Fiona was teeny tiny. Just the perfect little angel. I know that I know
that I know that when I meet somebody and I remember every little detail that they are
going to be in my life. I am so grateful that you are Bianca in my life. We are going to
hear from Bianca today. Why do not we start Bianca? Why do not you introduce yourself?
Tell us a little bit about you. Then a fun fact that nobody would know. I cannot wait
to hear from you.
Yes. Thank you for having me. First of all, my intro is I am Bianca Moschitis. I live
right here in Breston with Leslie. I have been in this area since 2017, like Leslie
mentioned. I am very involved in the community. I love volunteering. I love just meeting people.
It is so fun. I graduated from Wakeville High School in Arlington and then kind of shifted
my way around to make it to Breston with the YNCA. This is my seventh location. I also
do a podcast with a friend of mine who is employed with the Y as well, co-turb. I also
have my foodie platform, Nova Eats, where I have my shirt on. I learned my lesson from
last time. I have my shirt on today. I love to adventure around the northern Virginia
area and just tell everybody where the best places to eat and who are some of the best
business owners and all of that jazz.
What is a fun fact that nobody knows about you?
I am the oldest of five kids on my mom's side and I am the oldest of my brother on my dad's
side.
Okay. Lots of siblings.
I have lots of siblings. I am the oldest of all of them. Same side.
I am learning them now because I just recently met my other siblings as adults. It has been
very nice to get to know the side of the family I have not been able to know.
I think my earbuds just stopped working. Can you still hear me okay?
Yeah, I can hear you. I am going to take these off because too much technology is killing
me.
All right. Why I asked Bianca to be honest especially is because she was, you were very
instrumental in me doing this podcast. Bianca has a podcast as she mentioned called Real
to Real with Coach Herb and Bee. They interviewed me. Gosh, I think it was during COVID because
we did it virtually.
It was during COVID.
I hate that we say that but we do. I remember walking around the lake with you one day and
I am like just in my heart was like I want to do a podcast. I am not sure what it looks
like or what I am going to do and you are like just do it.
Then fast forward last fall, I have told the story many times about my dad's friend that
shared a picture of himself with an eye patch and he talked about and always reminded me
of my dad and he said and Pat came and I always said why not today? That just stuck and just
resonated with me. One day Bianca and I got together again and I was telling you that
story and you are like well first of all that is the name of your podcast and why don't
you just start it.
So starting my podcast and it is not perfect and I am still figuring stuff out every time
and sometimes it doesn't record and it just gets challenging. But I just started. I set
a date. I figured out the logo and the theme and then I set a date and just started. So
you are very instrumental in me starting this and getting this rolling. So you are involved
in a lot and what I admire about you is just all that you are involved in is new as you
are to the rest of the community and you start a podcast.
So originally that is probably your big courageous why not today thing and talk about how you
got that started and what you did to get going and was it something you thought about forever
and just woke up one day and like I am doing this.
So funny you say that right. So I don't think that to be very honest I don't think that
we would have started that podcast if we hadn't been told to stay home. You know we were so
wrapped up in whatever was happening at that time of life and so when we had a moment to
be at home we all realized wow we actually missed talking to each other.
I thought you started this before Copa and I didn't realize you started during Copa.
No it started in May 2020. Okay. And you know coach and Ben and I we always used to come
together for lunch and we would talk during lunch and we just would have like great conversation
to the point where some people would be like oh I can't wait for lunch tomorrow what are
we talking about type of situation. So when we wanted to do the podcast because
we were at home we would all do happy hours in calls right.
And so when we do this happy hours in calls we find ourselves creating that type of synergy
between each other. And so I said to coach you know why don't we just do a podcast and
he would laugh at me. And then I said so we're going to start one.
And he was like okay and Ben you know said I'll help.
And he started writing the questions up and in the beginning we had no idea what we were
really trying to do and then when we got to maybe like the ninth or tenth episode we were
like look this is fabulous we actually know now we want to focus on small business owners
and you know whomever to focus on creating that type of podcast where they come off as
a friend right. So we're friends with them already.
But like the community doesn't see them in that light right.
So what we were what we've been able to do over the past two years I think is wonderful
and you know going from cold calling people in a sense and knowing a few people to interview
us to now people are reaching out to us sometimes to say I'd love for you to interview us.
I think it's wonderful because they see that we're fun people to interview with.
That's awesome. And then from there you got involved in NovaEats.
So what is NovaEats and what's it all about. So NovaEats is my foodie platform and I started
that or more so took it over for my friend Marcus Toler last September in 2021.
And so when I took that over I took over a page that was mainly about like bar scenes
and things. It's just it's a Facebook page right.
It is a Facebook page we also have an Instagram but I mainly use the Facebook group because
the group is more interactive than the page would be right.
And so with the group we have about 3800 people a part of that community and I took it to
the point where I believe I grew it almost 1500 people within the past few months and
I plan on hopefully growing it more right. But now it's starting.
Yeah now it's starting to gain traction a little bit people are starting to see it and
they want to be involved and I had no idea how it would turn out right.
I just I really like food.
I like fun and hanging out with my friends and anytime that I can do that as well as
promote that business.
The best part is that you sometimes record your now that you can be in front of people
record your podcast in these venues that you're promoting getting involved.
Yeah.
Yeah we absolutely love doing that. We have the opportunity to record all the time at
Red's table.
Ryan Tracy is so welcoming and you know he's all about having us come over and bring that
that type of energy there and Jimmy's over at Jimmy's hotel tavern and you know the the
bike lane we go and do that and we have created two beers so far and we're planning our next
alone and just so much fun.
And I'm excited to to be able to take that further but also with the know the eat try
to see where that goes because I had no idea where that this podcast is going just really
no idea and it's just having the courage to just take the next step.
So I totally skipped over the question about what does courage mean to you.
Let's go back to that and we can kind of talk about that.
Yeah.
So courage to me means stepping outside of your normal realm your your normal box.
We all are so used to doing what we are normally doing all the time like we do our regular routine
and that's it.
And then the moment we think about something that interests us we sometimes shield our
own selves from doing it.
Right.
You think about how fun it could be we think about I want to I want to really do this but
some of us never really take that step and then later on down in life think about wow
I really should have did this.
So I just say step outside of your box do your thing.
Don't be afraid.
What is it going to hurt.
What's the worst thing that can happen.
It doesn't work and you're not going to be behind and I think that's why you've been
such an inspiration to me is it's just taking the next step and trying like I don't know
where this podcast is going you don't know where Nova Eats and it's interesting just the
conversations you have and the people you talk to so with the podcast I've started having
some merchandise.
I've got cups and I've got some t-shirts and actually a friend of mine keeps buying I gave
her a cup and she keeps buying more because she wants she's giving them as gifts she keeps
giving away like I said lunch today with a friend of mine that owns a jewelry store and
I was asking her about doing a charm for a necklace that says why not today or have the
logo so the logo of the why not today I don't even have anything sitting here is my dad had
an eye patch and hand around my mustache so it says logo and so I know a lot of people
are just listening audio so I was talking to Kurt about doing I wish I had my cup differently
right now.
Well and this is most people listen audio we are going to have a video eventually but
having the charm being the front being my dad's logo on the back inscribed why not today
and you can do it either way so adding some high end merchandise and so yeah just taking
that next step and you know coordinating all the pieces of the puzzle and having the courage
as you said to step out of the box and try it.
Once you said like I'm going to do a podcast and they all probably laughed at you or here
we go.
Was it scary did you do it did you second guess it.
Oh it was 1000% scary and definitely second guessed it and definitely listen to myself
and was like oh my goodness and the more I listen to myself the more of a vibe I understood
what I was going for.
So when I did tell people I'm sorry to talk to you they automatically looked at me was
like who is going to listen to y'all but that also can you know kind of break you down a
little bit you start listening to those things and it makes you kind of second guess maybe
I shouldn't do it nobody's going to listen but realistically you never know who was going
to pay attention right.
It's all about who you bring on who is your guest so was I petrified absolutely am I still
doing my podcast because I don't want to hear myself.
Yeah and see that's the thing is like when you start to hear yourself and listen to yourself
you start to think about wow okay maybe I should you know cut back on this or maybe I should
sound this way and it really starts to get you to think about how you want your podcast
to be for the next one.
Right that's that's what I've been doing and that sounds like you guys to just every week
it's like okay one thing add one thing get a little better this recording is going to
be the best because we've done it twice.
Yeah.
It's not perfect but you just do the best you can.
Were there any regrets about starting it or is there anything you've regretted not doing
it let's go back and just say not with that but anything in your life you're like I really
wish I would have done that.
No I don't have any regrets because I feel like regrets make you sad.
I don't ever regret anything great you always do something because at that moment it felt
right or even if it didn't feel right something just told you to do it but don't regret it
because you might have did it for a reason.
It's a lesson learned or it's something that's exciting so I don't regret anything if anything
I learned from the mistakes that I've done and try to not do them again.
Right.
Like they said John Maxwell who's a leadership trainer or coach and he always said if he
fall down before you get up grab the lesson bring it up with you.
So that's what you know it's not going to be perfect and we just got to keep trying.
Because nothing is ever perfect like nothing and the more we try to make it the more it's
going to hurt.
Exactly.
So what encouragement would you give to somebody to say why not today and do something courageous?
If I could describe what a push is that would be my encouragement like just a nice little
show because you never know what that little nudge may do.
I even do it to my children like my child just started that lesson she was nervous like
oh my gosh I don't want to do this and then what did I do when she got there and we got
to the door I just assured a little bit and then from there she's been asking when are
we going back next and this is exciting I love this you know.
It's just starting and once you start you know it's just putting your toe in the water
and trying because you just never know.
And even for me I get nervous every time I do something new but you know one thing that
someone told me which is my husband why are you nervous why are you scared you do stuff
like this all the time and you're good at it so just you'll be alright.
Yeah but we doubt ourselves and so it's knowing to work on our strengths and what we're good
at have you ever done the strength finder test?
Have you ever done it?
I had done the strength finder test and it was a while ago so I don't really remember
what my thing is necessarily.
I pulled out again recently because it kept coming up and somebody had a great analogy
if you take your hand and write your name with your dominant hand right in there and
then you write it with the other hand it's a hot mess with the other hand and so when
we work on our strengths we're good we don't we can be a hot mess and it's like why are
we trying to do things we're not good at somebody else is good at that like there's a lot of
things I'm not good at and I surround myself with people that can be good at those things
so I can use my strengths to do the things I need to do.
So alright I think we went through pretty much all my questions I kind of forget what
we talked about this time and last time but get out of the box and be courageous and just
take a nap and you just never know who that's going to be.
One thing and I guess we did talk about this that I admire about you is not only have you
done these things but you've gotten involved in community and I love to see all that you're
doing so you told me the other day and I guess we can share that you've been telling me about
the task force you're going to be on.
Let's talk about that again.
Yeah so yes so I'm excited you know this is something that hasn't like come out yet but
I'm really excited about the journey that it potentially bring in it's being a part of
the Reston Town Center North Task Force and you know kind of building our area up to see
what could be helpful for the generation that's coming up next you know I'm really big into
community like Leslie said and Leslie has no idea that she actually motivated me into
doing a lot more of the volunteer work.
Oh really?
Yeah because you know you have no idea how much you have motivated me over the time that
we've spent and you know that because sometimes I've messaged you and be like you know I'm
in a little bit of a depression and I just need a friend to hang out with or take a walk
and things like that and you're always ready to be there right.
So when we spoke about being a part of the community when I first met you and you were
just stating how you were a part of a few different you know volunteer opportunities
in the area directly I was like wow I really should try to figure out how or what is going
to interest me volunteer wise and once I started to click with that I was like you know what
let me just go for it right because we would have known that Walter would have said hey
would you be interested in being a part of this.
I would have never thought about being a part of it before let alone know how that works
right.
So now to be involved in the community and get asked to be a part of some of these exciting
volunteer groups like Rotary and helping with Walter Alcorn and helping with the NAACP
Loud and it's just exciting to just get back and then see the people's faces after you
give them a hug or you know you help their kid at this event and it's just a nice feeling
that makes me feel better because when I was younger people helped me and I had no idea
how they felt but now I understand it.
I always share there's when I taught water ropes there's a woman in my class and also
my mother are two people that are always giving and giving and giving and have a really hard
time accepting help and so I told them I said when you don't let somebody else help you
you're blocking their blessing like how much food do you get from helping somebody and
said when you don't let somebody help you you're blocking them their blessing and so
giving back and helping and if you're having a bad day they say you know be grateful and
do something for somebody else volunteer help somebody else when you're down it's going
to make you feel so much better and you know I came by the volunteering and then doing
all these things naturally.
My father passed us on and I was talking to someone today it's like when we were kids
not kids but like in my 20s and 30s he was like you younger generation need to get involved
and we're like yeah right and it's fun to see now not just my generation so involved
but the generation before getting involved earlier and when I think we talked to you
know all the connections and you know co-turb who you do your podcast with he worked at
the Y which I did but one of the connections I have with him and my dad is all three of
us were best arrested honorees and that it's just giving back to me wasn't I didn't do
it for the accolade or for the recognition but it was just to give back and that's what
you do and get involved and it's fun and then one way or the other and again that's courageous
being on these task force and doing things like it's not something you've done before
but you got to learn.
Yeah it's it's really exciting to hear about all of the people who we both share as friends
and I love seeing that like like wow yeah right.
So when I go around I'm like wow I've seen some of these pictures yeah right yes you
heard me but I had definitely love sharing the friends that we have because you know
that they know a person who you share conflict like you when I see Robin from Pinot's power
and I'm like wow she shares the same energy as I need to breathe it's nice.
Yeah absolutely.
So I always talk about or anything else you want to add about encouraging other people
I think you're frozen so hopefully you'll come back in a second there you come can you hear
me?
Oh am I okay there?
Yep you are.
I feel like my last thing yes my one last thing would be I think you have to learn how
to encourage yourself.
Yes.
So that you have to learn how to encourage yourself too and the little things that make
you happy like for me when I wake up in the morning and I go into the bathroom I love
to tell myself you're gonna have a great day you're gonna have an exciting day and if I
do that then it starts me out smiling and then I kind of like go into my day with a little
bit of encouragement right so it's just like you know start to encourage yourself you deserve
it.
Absolutely and you know it's in your gut like you have the intuition you have the idea
somebody placed in your you know God placed it in your heart and or not that much like
go for it and that's I think what I really like to focus on this with this podcast is
so many people don't do those things because they're scared and we all do it scared we
just got to do it.
So I always connect back in the podcast to my dad and I know we talked before you did
the interview we did the interview and you're like well I don't know your dad how do I connect
back?
I always like to look like after a conversation figure out the connections so first of all
the why connection with working at the Y and her being there and I remember my dad had
a major stroke in 2000 and the first event he went to was actually the grand opening
ribbon cutting of the Y and I took him there because he couldn't navigate on his own he
couldn't drive.
So that was kind of cool your community involvement just getting involved and as I said he was
a big proponent of that and one thing we talked about and I don't think you talked you brought
up this time but just ask and I think we did kind of talk about that what's the worst thing
can happen if you try it but just ask you know you said in the beginning you reached
out to people and you're afraid and you didn't think they would say yes but they did and
if they didn't who cares and I remember that was one thing my dad always taught me just
ask the worst thing somebody's gonna say is no and I remember the sleepover so it's a
little girl you know you have a sleepover with your friends and then my friends were
like I'm afraid to ask my parents I'm like why are you afraid what's the worst thing
to say?
Yeah.
No in your staying at home you're not hanging out with me so just ask.
After especially after dealing with everything that we've dealt with you know I think just
ask people are so willing to be a part of your life now because it just may help them
too.
Yeah people want to help.
And it's flattering when people ask you for help.
Yeah.
So I've genuinely had more help over the past two, three years than I've probably had in
a long time.
It's awesome.
And it's because of me meeting people like yourself and meeting people like her with
me meeting people you know like all over the community that kind of help you feel comfortable.
And you have definitely jumped into this community and I love it.
So where do people find you?
You can find me at my Facebook is Bianca Mosquitos my Facebook page is Bianca Mosquitos as well
or know the eats with a Z or at real the real with coach herb and B and we are everywhere.
You are and I love that.
Yeah.
All those places and be all those places.
Have no idea.
That's okay we just do it.
Yeah.
Well thank you again for sharing your story and thank you for doing it twice and hopefully
this report work.
You can find the why not today podcast on Spotify and iTunes and we're working on a website.
We have some merchandise if you want to why not today cup or a t-shirt got all kinds of
fun stuff and maybe we'll have some fun jewelry to go with it too.
So again thank you share this with your friends like and comment and if you know somebody that
is courageous and done has a story that you think I should share on why not today let
me know.
Thanks Leslie with why not today thank you Bianca for sharing and sharing your courageous
so thank you so much for having me thank you.
You're welcome and we are here every other Saturday is the goal this one didn't work
but it'll be okay.
All right thanks again.
Bye.