Welcome to Leveling Up with Lindsay, the podcast
where we dive into leadership, small business,
and everything in between. I'm Lindsay, your
host and the proud owner of White Pony Boutique,
a space created to empower women, build confidence,
and foster meaningful connections. Whether you're
an entrepreneur, a mom, a friend, or someone
just looking for a little inspiration, This is
your space to feel seen, supported, and inspired.
Join me as we share stories, strategies, and
a little bit of life's chaos while navigating
what it truly means to level up in starting a
business, relationship, and personal growth.
So grab a cup of coffee, get comfy, and let's
level up together. Hi everyone. Welcome to the
very first episode of Leveling Up with Lindsey.
I can't even begin to tell you how excited I
am to be with you here today launching my very
first podcast. This is something that has been
on my heart for such a long time and finally
here we are today. If you're new here and don't
know me personally let me introduce myself. My
name is Lindsey. I'm a wife to an incredibly
hard -working husband. I am a mom to two beautiful
daughters that inspire me every single day, and
a dog mom to a very spoiled little puppy. I am
also the founder of a white peony boutique, a
women's clothing boutique that has grown far
beyond my wildest dreams starting back in 2018
in my home. From the comfort of my home actually
to where we're doing this podcast episode today
in beautiful St. Joseph, Minnesota. But before
I get in the journey of building the boutique,
I want to share a little bit more from where
I came from and the people who shaped me. I grew
up right here in central Minnesota, and I'm the
daughter to two of the kindest, supportive individuals
that I'm so lucky to call my parents. My mom
is where I get my passion, my people skills,
and my creativity from. And she's always had,
honestly, a way of making others feel seen, heard,
and definitely cared for. And my dad, he's definitely
where I got my silliness from and my love for
sports. Together, they've been my cheerleaders
from day one, encouraging me to dream big and
absolutely believe in myself. I also owe so much
to my grandparents who played a huge, huge role
in my life. Growing up, I worked alongside them
at my family's Minnesota State Fair stands. Those
earlier has taught me the value of hard work,
dedication and connecting with people. And in
case you're curious about the Minnesota State
Fair Stands, we have the lunchbox. the Italian
junction, the Mexican hat, and the charcoal hut.
Looking back now, I can see how those experiences
absolutely helped shape my entrepreneurial spirit
and planted the seed for the business I have
today. This podcast is my chance to not only
share my story, but the lessons I've learned
along the way about leadership, entrepreneurship,
personal growth, and making an impact. Whether
you're a business owner, a leader, or someone
chasing a dream, I hope this podcast will inspire
you to level up in your very own life. So let's
dive into my story and the why behind it all.
So talking a little bit about growing up with
my grandparents, working at our Minnesota state
fair stands, I learned so much, whether it's
leadership skills, person skills. that really
transitioned actually or elevated when I played
basketball. Sports growing up were my everything.
I played softball for a little while, volleyball
for a little while, but basketball was my true
passion. And I always tell everyone that if I
didn't play basketball 360 days out of the year,
or if I wasn't on a team in that day, I'd have
my parents actually drop me off at the local
Whitney Center to just practice on any skills
or pick up a game with anybody, any of the guys,
girls. no matter the age I would start playing
pickup game with them. Fast forward to my career.
I spent 12 years working at a local financial
institution where I had the opportunity to develop
my leadership skills even further and oversee
multiple branches. I loved my job and the people
I worked with, but deep down, I knew I always
wanted something more. Something that would allow
me to combine my passion for people, my creativity,
and my entrepreneurship. In 2018, I took a leap
of faith, actually, and I started a white peony
boutique out of my home. I began hosting live
selling events and in -person shopping experiences
right out of my basement. Within a year, the
boutique started to take over my home, literally,
and my husband was very eager and encouraging
me to find a space somewhere else. Before I knew
it, White Peony was growing into something I
had only dreamed about. Today, we have two storefront
locations, a thriving online store, and an amazing
team of 16 employees who bring so much heart
with everything they do. But here's the thing,
White Peony Boutique was never just about selling
clothing. From the very beginning, I wanted to
be in something so much more meaningful. We sell
beautiful clothing, but the heart of the boutique
is about connection, community. and making a
difference. That's why we started Operation White
Peony in the very beginning. It's an initiative
focused on giving back to our local community,
which our team has done in so many ways, from
gathering school supplies, to giving back to
teachers, to gathering food for the food shelf,
to supporting cancer warriors at Christmas with
our indie blessing trees. We've literally served
thousands of individuals, but also given back
to many, many nonprofits. It is also why I launched
the White Peony Small Business Initiative. This
is created to honestly support other small businesses
in the area, which I believe are the heart and
soul to bring people together and really build
our community for what it is today. But I am
here to support and highlight and shout them
out for the rooftops just as I was supported
from the very beginning. At the end of the day,
I believe a boutique should be more than just
a place to shop. It should be a place where people
feel seen, valued, and inspired. Whether it's
through a kind word, a thoughtful interaction,
or simply helping someone feel confident in their
own skin, my goal is to create an experience
that goes far beyond clothing, whether it's individually
or in our community that we serve. So why start
a podcast? Well, as much as I love this boutique,
I realize there's only so much I can share through
social media posts or conversations in the store.
I wanted to create a space where I could deep
dive into the things I'm passionate about, which
are leadership, entrepreneurship, personal growth,
and the stories of inspiring women who are making
an impact, even those right here within White
Peony Boutique. through leveling up with Lindsay.
I'll be sharing lessons I've learned in business
and life, interviewing incredible individuals
from all different walks of life, and talking
about what it really takes to level up, whether
it's in your career, your relationships, or your
personal goals. This podcast is for anyone who
wants to grow, who's ready to dream bigger, and
who wants to create a life filled with purpose
and absolute passion. My hope is that you'll
walk away from each episode feeling inspired,
encouraged, and ready to take your next step,
whatever that looks like for you. Thank you so
much for joining me in this very first episode
of Leveling Up with Lindsay. Sharing my story
and heart with you has been such a gift, and
I can't wait to bring you along my entire journey.
If you enjoyed this episode, I'd love for you
to subscribe, leave a review, or share it with
someone who might need a little inspiration today.
You can also follow me on social media to stay
up to date on future episodes and everything
happening, even at White Piano Boutique. Remember,
wherever you are in life, you have the power
to level up. too late to dream big, work hard,
and make an impact. I am so excited to grow with
you until next time. Thank you for listening.
If you found this information helpful, please
share it with a friend. If you're looking for
more information on the topics we covered, please
head to the show notes below. And if you wouldn't
mind leaving a five star rating and review, this
would help this mission and our journey to get
started. Let's make today and every day an opportunity
to level up. Until next time, keep dreaming,
keep striving and keep making a difference.