WEBVTT 00:00:00.600 --> 00:00:03.339 Welcome to Leveling Up with Lindsay, the podcast 00:00:03.339 --> 00:00:05.500 where we dive into leadership, small business, 00:00:05.620 --> 00:00:08.140 and everything in between. I'm Lindsay, your 00:00:08.140 --> 00:00:10.480 host and the proud owner of White Pony Boutique, 00:00:10.839 --> 00:00:13.599 a space created to empower women, build confidence, 00:00:13.820 --> 00:00:16.280 and foster meaningful connections. Whether you're 00:00:16.280 --> 00:00:19.039 an entrepreneur, a mom, a friend, or someone 00:00:19.039 --> 00:00:21.820 just looking for a little inspiration, This is 00:00:21.820 --> 00:00:24.940 your space to feel seen, supported, and inspired. 00:00:25.160 --> 00:00:28.079 Join me as we share stories, strategies, and 00:00:28.079 --> 00:00:30.460 a little bit of life's chaos while navigating 00:00:30.460 --> 00:00:33.060 what it truly means to level up in starting a 00:00:33.060 --> 00:00:35.539 business, relationship, and personal growth. 00:00:35.840 --> 00:00:38.840 So grab a cup of coffee, get comfy, and let's 00:00:38.840 --> 00:00:43.219 level up together. Welcome back to Leveling Up 00:00:43.219 --> 00:00:45.719 with Lindsay. Today's guest is someone I deeply 00:00:45.719 --> 00:00:48.640 admire, not just because of the beautiful business 00:00:48.640 --> 00:00:51.840 she's built. but because of the strength, authenticity, 00:00:52.359 --> 00:00:54.759 and heart she leads with every day. Samantha 00:00:54.759 --> 00:00:57.280 is the founder of Pure Bliss, a business rooted 00:00:57.280 --> 00:01:00.799 in care, intention, and connection. She's also 00:01:00.799 --> 00:01:03.619 a devoted mom of three who has walked through 00:01:03.619 --> 00:01:06.379 seasons that have tested her, stretched her, 00:01:06.719 --> 00:01:09.420 and shaped her into the woman she is today. This 00:01:09.420 --> 00:01:12.500 conversation is about rising, not even when everything 00:01:12.500 --> 00:01:14.900 is perfect, but when life calls you to begin 00:01:14.900 --> 00:01:17.950 again. It's about navigating motherhood. business 00:01:17.950 --> 00:01:20.609 and leadership in the midst of real life challenges 00:01:20.609 --> 00:01:24.689 and learning how to do it all your own way. Whether 00:01:24.689 --> 00:01:27.109 you're a small business owner, a team leader, 00:01:27.250 --> 00:01:29.629 or simply someone in a season of rebuilding, 00:01:30.390 --> 00:01:32.349 this episode will remind you that you're not 00:01:32.349 --> 00:01:36.510 behind, you're being built and you are not alone. 00:01:37.030 --> 00:01:39.890 Samantha, I am so grateful to have you here. 00:01:40.269 --> 00:01:42.730 So let's kind of dive into your story. Thank 00:01:42.730 --> 00:01:44.900 you for having me. Let's start at the beginning 00:01:44.900 --> 00:01:47.840 for those who don't know your story or who you 00:01:47.840 --> 00:01:51.799 are or what pure bliss is. How about let's give 00:01:51.799 --> 00:01:53.980 a little background to everybody starting with 00:01:53.980 --> 00:01:57.430 you. Starting with me. So my name is Samantha 00:01:57.430 --> 00:02:02.390 Jonas. I grew up on a dairy farm in Long Prairie 00:02:02.390 --> 00:02:05.989 or just west of Long Prairie and So got to be 00:02:05.989 --> 00:02:08.550 raised throwing rocks throwing hay bales milking 00:02:08.550 --> 00:02:11.830 cows doing all the fun things the farm thing 00:02:11.830 --> 00:02:16.129 fun farm dirty things so but as much as I didn't 00:02:16.129 --> 00:02:20.009 appreciate that as a child and strived to get 00:02:20.009 --> 00:02:23.650 away from it I as an adult I'm ever so grateful. 00:02:23.909 --> 00:02:26.909 It definitely instilled values. I can see it 00:02:26.909 --> 00:02:29.030 in your social media with your kiddos doing it 00:02:29.030 --> 00:02:32.289 little bits now. Yeah with my hobby farm. Yeah 00:02:32.289 --> 00:02:35.789 no it's definitely something that I think just 00:02:35.789 --> 00:02:38.669 in general we've lost a lot of that way. I agree. 00:02:40.009 --> 00:02:42.090 getting them and getting their feet in the dirt 00:02:42.090 --> 00:02:45.110 is good for them. Growing up on the dairy farm, 00:02:45.490 --> 00:02:47.689 went to Long Prairie High School, went to the 00:02:47.689 --> 00:02:50.849 model college in St. Cloud here, and went to 00:02:50.849 --> 00:02:53.490 beauty school there. Once I was done and completed 00:02:53.490 --> 00:02:57.009 that, I went off to North Dakota for my North 00:02:57.009 --> 00:03:00.289 Dakota cosmetology license. And by doing that, 00:03:00.310 --> 00:03:02.490 then I had reciprocity between both states. So 00:03:02.490 --> 00:03:05.349 I was licensed in both North Dakota and in Minnesota. 00:03:06.080 --> 00:03:09.860 I got into a really amazing salon there called 00:03:09.860 --> 00:03:13.280 Oliveri's. It was a really high -end salon. That 00:03:13.280 --> 00:03:15.580 was something I just, a standard I set for myself. 00:03:15.860 --> 00:03:18.240 I knew that it's nothing against anybody else. 00:03:18.259 --> 00:03:20.000 It's not that I didn't want to work at a Great 00:03:20.000 --> 00:03:22.620 Clips or Cost Cutters or any other kind of cookie 00:03:22.620 --> 00:03:26.930 cutter type of a salon, but I wanted to. rise 00:03:26.930 --> 00:03:28.990 above. I wanted to be different and I wanted 00:03:28.990 --> 00:03:31.650 to set a higher standard for myself. From the 00:03:31.650 --> 00:03:35.210 get -go, I feel like I wanted to be able to provide 00:03:35.210 --> 00:03:37.990 a higher level of a service for my guests. With 00:03:37.990 --> 00:03:41.509 that comes education. So I got to be a part of 00:03:41.509 --> 00:03:46.039 a lot more hair shows and just attend a lot of 00:03:46.039 --> 00:03:47.680 different hair shows, different conferences, 00:03:47.819 --> 00:03:50.300 things like that, which really, I feel like helped 00:03:50.300 --> 00:03:54.159 level me up in my career. So six years ago is 00:03:54.159 --> 00:03:58.680 when I had the idea of opening Pure Bliss, I 00:03:58.680 --> 00:04:00.379 guess you could say, or at least when it came 00:04:00.379 --> 00:04:02.879 to fruition. It had always been an idea when 00:04:02.879 --> 00:04:06.580 I had worked at GB and Company in St. Cloud for 00:04:06.580 --> 00:04:10.330 a decade, I had always had this thought. that 00:04:10.330 --> 00:04:13.289 I would be able to open up my own salon. And 00:04:13.289 --> 00:04:16.029 that was something I really, I think, always 00:04:16.029 --> 00:04:18.990 strived for. I'm not positive I ever thought 00:04:18.990 --> 00:04:21.529 it would actually come to fruition. I think that's 00:04:21.529 --> 00:04:24.589 one of those, like, you know, princess dress 00:04:24.589 --> 00:04:26.629 dreams when we're little. And you're like, oh, 00:04:26.649 --> 00:04:28.209 I'm going to be able to do this. I'm going to 00:04:28.209 --> 00:04:31.019 have this fairy tale wedding and whatever. So 00:04:31.019 --> 00:04:33.220 I think I always dreamed that I would be able 00:04:33.220 --> 00:04:36.259 to own my own salon. It's so crazy. Like as a 00:04:36.259 --> 00:04:38.819 business owner, you look back, no, well, my business 00:04:38.819 --> 00:04:41.680 is older than five years, I guess, but it's so 00:04:41.680 --> 00:04:44.420 crazy to look back even 10 years ago and to think 00:04:44.420 --> 00:04:47.680 that where you are now with your salon or, you 00:04:47.680 --> 00:04:49.240 know, with my personal business, it's something 00:04:49.240 --> 00:04:51.240 you always dreamed of. I love how you said that, 00:04:51.240 --> 00:04:54.060 but it is the reality of where things are at 00:04:54.060 --> 00:04:58.420 now in the chaos of your busy schedule. Sometimes 00:04:58.420 --> 00:05:00.529 you've got to. take a moment and look back and 00:05:00.529 --> 00:05:03.170 be like, wow, it's crazy. Your dream is here. 00:05:03.689 --> 00:05:07.389 I'm having a lot of wow moments lately, especially 00:05:07.389 --> 00:05:10.629 to reflect and think that Pure Bliss was born 00:05:10.629 --> 00:05:14.029 six years ago. Congratulations. Thank you. It 00:05:14.029 --> 00:05:18.009 has been a journey for sure. Starting it six 00:05:18.009 --> 00:05:22.189 years ago, I had the vision of opening it in 00:05:22.189 --> 00:05:26.029 Avon. That's home base, mother base. When I had 00:05:26.029 --> 00:05:29.290 that vision, I had told my husband at the time 00:05:29.290 --> 00:05:32.310 that if we could make it work with just me and 00:05:32.310 --> 00:05:36.009 one other independent, that it was going to be 00:05:36.009 --> 00:05:39.170 worth it. Six years later, and I think over all 00:05:39.170 --> 00:05:43.829 three locations, there are almost 40 independents. 00:05:43.829 --> 00:05:46.769 Wow, that's a lot. It has been definitely a blessing 00:05:46.769 --> 00:05:49.589 and a dream. And tell anyone listening your locations. 00:05:50.370 --> 00:05:54.209 Yeah, so Avon was the first, like I said, kind 00:05:54.209 --> 00:05:56.589 of mothership and then we opened up in St. Cloud 00:05:56.589 --> 00:05:58.689 and actually that was kind of an interesting 00:05:58.689 --> 00:06:02.009 fruition as well because the St. Cloud location 00:06:02.009 --> 00:06:06.709 is the old GB & Company location. So when that 00:06:06.709 --> 00:06:10.149 space had become vacant, then I had a friend 00:06:10.149 --> 00:06:13.350 approach and say, hey, do you want a second Pure 00:06:13.350 --> 00:06:16.310 Bliss location? And I was like, oh, for goodness 00:06:16.310 --> 00:06:20.519 sakes, I don't know about this. And he just he 00:06:20.519 --> 00:06:23.160 made the opportunity too good to say no. Oh, 00:06:23.639 --> 00:06:27.939 I am so thankful for that. And it was really 00:06:27.939 --> 00:06:30.379 cool to be back in that space and to make it 00:06:30.379 --> 00:06:33.800 my own space, to update it, to make it what I 00:06:33.800 --> 00:06:36.519 envisioned was something that I could have never 00:06:36.519 --> 00:06:39.500 imagined. So I love that St. Cloud was number 00:06:39.500 --> 00:06:42.839 two. And then St. Joseph was the third location. 00:06:43.100 --> 00:06:45.910 There was a gal that had come in. had interviewed 00:06:45.910 --> 00:06:49.069 at my Avon salon actually from what would have 00:06:49.069 --> 00:06:51.170 been the old cost cutter location and she was 00:06:51.170 --> 00:06:54.069 like Hey, I need a spot to work. And I was like, 00:06:54.089 --> 00:06:57.529 what's happening? And then it clicked. And I 00:06:57.529 --> 00:06:59.490 thought St. Joe would have always been an amazing 00:06:59.490 --> 00:07:02.250 space to have a salon. Great communities that 00:07:02.250 --> 00:07:05.089 you're in. Oh, I feel very blessed for sure. 00:07:05.350 --> 00:07:09.410 So you go from a dream to three salons, which 00:07:09.410 --> 00:07:12.189 is incredible. It's a lot to manage. And I know 00:07:12.189 --> 00:07:14.750 as a business owner, it is a journey as a leader 00:07:14.750 --> 00:07:18.120 of 40 independent sellers. That's also a journey. 00:07:18.420 --> 00:07:20.519 And you're a mom of three. So tell us a little 00:07:20.519 --> 00:07:22.279 bit about the beauty and the chaos of being a 00:07:22.279 --> 00:07:24.579 mother and a business owner. It's definitely 00:07:24.579 --> 00:07:28.439 chaotic, isn't it? You can empathize with that 00:07:28.439 --> 00:07:33.379 one. I did a lot of reflecting on that this morning. 00:07:34.800 --> 00:07:37.740 early mornings, the navigating, the mindset. 00:07:38.079 --> 00:07:40.500 We briefly talked about the mindset this morning 00:07:40.500 --> 00:07:43.180 and just the five seconds we can get as a mom 00:07:43.180 --> 00:07:45.540 to be able to think of all these other things 00:07:45.540 --> 00:07:48.160 because I think in general our mind is so like... 00:07:47.839 --> 00:07:50.560 go, go, go. But yeah, as a business owner, we're 00:07:50.560 --> 00:07:52.860 go, go, go. So then you have these two worlds 00:07:52.860 --> 00:07:55.959 clashing and colliding of trying to navigate 00:07:55.959 --> 00:07:57.980 and coordinate all these different schedules 00:07:57.980 --> 00:07:59.680 and the things that you have to do. And it is 00:07:59.680 --> 00:08:02.779 most definitely chaotic. It's chaotic. It can 00:08:02.779 --> 00:08:05.740 be very difficult at times. And I know that you 00:08:05.740 --> 00:08:08.860 would agree it's most rewarding. I think what's 00:08:08.860 --> 00:08:12.560 so important is even like with business and sitting 00:08:12.560 --> 00:08:15.980 in, we talked about this, looking back and just 00:08:16.399 --> 00:08:18.500 taking in the journey that you're in as a business 00:08:18.500 --> 00:08:21.259 owner. But then what's also most important, even 00:08:21.259 --> 00:08:23.500 more important is taking a moment and sitting 00:08:23.500 --> 00:08:26.339 and being in the moment with our kiddos. And 00:08:26.339 --> 00:08:29.060 I am lucky to have you as a friend and on social 00:08:29.060 --> 00:08:32.279 media. So I love seeing your Snapchats of you 00:08:32.279 --> 00:08:36.159 and your kids with your archery moments or with 00:08:36.159 --> 00:08:38.220 your animals on your little hobby farm. I think 00:08:38.220 --> 00:08:40.919 that is so neat and your silly moments with the 00:08:40.919 --> 00:08:45.909 kiddos. There's nothing that as a chaotic Business 00:08:45.909 --> 00:08:47.490 or someone that you know, that's cool. You've 00:08:47.490 --> 00:08:51.110 got a lot on your plate and so to me when I have 00:08:51.110 --> 00:08:54.370 those moments with my children or my family that 00:08:54.370 --> 00:08:59.350 like Refuels it almost like sets a reset button 00:08:59.350 --> 00:09:01.909 in my soul like in your heart in your mind and 00:09:01.909 --> 00:09:05.379 all it's like Okay. Just be, sometimes you have 00:09:05.379 --> 00:09:08.179 to really manipulate your mind to like shut off 00:09:08.179 --> 00:09:11.299 the outside stuff with work. You know that very 00:09:11.299 --> 00:09:13.220 well, but to be in the moment with your kiddos, 00:09:13.279 --> 00:09:17.080 but honestly, if there's a day for me at the 00:09:17.080 --> 00:09:20.100 lake with my daughters in, you know, on the boat 00:09:20.100 --> 00:09:23.379 or at one of their softball games, I've like 00:09:23.379 --> 00:09:25.279 forget about the rest of the world. And it is 00:09:25.279 --> 00:09:27.799 my favorite time. Would you agree? Like what 00:09:27.799 --> 00:09:30.820 moments are that for you? I would have to agree. 00:09:31.120 --> 00:09:34.220 But I will also say, I wasn't always like that. 00:09:34.299 --> 00:09:37.120 Yeah, no, I agree with that. That's a great point. 00:09:37.419 --> 00:09:40.539 I will say, and you know, you had asked how to 00:09:40.539 --> 00:09:42.899 navigate or how I'm navigating that in the beginning 00:09:42.899 --> 00:09:45.960 of it all, you try to do so much and you try 00:09:45.960 --> 00:09:49.740 to be everything. So there were versions of me 00:09:49.740 --> 00:09:53.370 that I was... focused on the salons and I was 00:09:53.370 --> 00:09:55.289 focused on the independence and at that time 00:09:55.289 --> 00:09:58.690 I tried employees and being not only a boss and 00:09:58.690 --> 00:10:03.049 a wife and a mother and a landlord per se but 00:10:03.049 --> 00:10:08.950 I was really getting lost and when you get stretched 00:10:08.950 --> 00:10:12.230 too thin which at this point in my life and through 00:10:12.230 --> 00:10:14.730 some of the darkest seasons I've ever been through 00:10:14.730 --> 00:10:18.750 I now see how I was stretched to every limit 00:10:18.750 --> 00:10:22.330 that I never should have been, but I'm never 00:10:22.330 --> 00:10:25.490 going to discount it. Because without that stretching, 00:10:26.090 --> 00:10:28.629 without being pushed to my limits and experiencing 00:10:28.629 --> 00:10:30.629 what I've experienced, I wouldn't be who I am 00:10:30.629 --> 00:10:33.590 today. And so the journey, my kids six years 00:10:33.590 --> 00:10:36.629 ago were very young. I mean, my youngest was 00:10:36.629 --> 00:10:39.889 one and a half. So there was a lot of sacrifice. 00:10:39.889 --> 00:10:43.090 And I look back to those first days. in opening 00:10:43.090 --> 00:10:45.590 up Avon and I have some of the most beautiful 00:10:45.590 --> 00:10:47.990 memories of them sitting on the floor helping 00:10:47.990 --> 00:10:51.809 fold the towels and the capes and like just being 00:10:51.809 --> 00:10:54.190 in the space and helping put it together. We 00:10:54.190 --> 00:10:57.370 did a lot of the work ourselves, which was so 00:10:57.370 --> 00:10:59.970 rewarding, but also very time consuming because 00:10:59.970 --> 00:11:02.090 you try to pinch every penny and to make it work 00:11:02.090 --> 00:11:05.250 as a family. And as my extended family, we've 00:11:05.250 --> 00:11:07.009 always done things together and we've always 00:11:07.009 --> 00:11:09.740 worked together to build things. So. That was 00:11:09.740 --> 00:11:12.179 always a big part of my journey and our journey, 00:11:12.259 --> 00:11:15.399 but I can attest to the, I understand where you're 00:11:15.399 --> 00:11:17.700 coming from with the chaos, but it is a version 00:11:17.700 --> 00:11:20.559 of chaos. I mean, you're, you're navigating it 00:11:20.559 --> 00:11:22.919 and you're figuring it out. Yeah. And I think 00:11:22.919 --> 00:11:26.039 the most important piece here and six years into 00:11:26.039 --> 00:11:29.820 business, I think for a new business owner or 00:11:29.820 --> 00:11:34.720 even someone with a new position in a company, 00:11:35.059 --> 00:11:37.059 a really great friend of mine, Nicole Winter 00:11:37.059 --> 00:11:41.340 said, you go through seasons as motherhood as 00:11:41.340 --> 00:11:44.159 well. And I think I would say that is absolutely 00:11:44.159 --> 00:11:47.799 okay. Speaking to somebody that is possibly going 00:11:47.799 --> 00:11:49.779 to open a new business or thinking about it. 00:11:50.200 --> 00:11:53.539 I would never do anything different. Well, there's 00:11:53.539 --> 00:11:55.080 a few little things I would do different, but 00:11:55.080 --> 00:11:58.279 I would start the same. I would go through the 00:11:58.279 --> 00:12:01.179 hard lessons. My children would be right alongside 00:12:01.179 --> 00:12:04.440 me through it all. At times, I felt like I was 00:12:04.440 --> 00:12:06.779 feeling as a mom. At times, I felt like I was 00:12:06.779 --> 00:12:09.000 feeling as a friend. At times, I felt like I 00:12:09.000 --> 00:12:11.500 was feeling as a wife. At times, I felt like 00:12:11.500 --> 00:12:14.820 I was feeling as an entrepreneur, you know, trying 00:12:14.820 --> 00:12:18.960 to figure it all out. However... what's so magical 00:12:18.960 --> 00:12:20.779 is like putting one foot in front of the other 00:12:20.779 --> 00:12:24.340 and how amazing is it that we had our kiddos 00:12:24.340 --> 00:12:26.659 by our side and actually what they see you know 00:12:26.659 --> 00:12:28.860 what we've been through what they've gone through 00:12:28.860 --> 00:12:32.620 really has taught them greater lessons than we 00:12:32.620 --> 00:12:35.059 could probably ever imagine. I'll never forget 00:12:35.059 --> 00:12:39.029 when one of my girls wrote paragraph about I'm 00:12:39.029 --> 00:12:41.850 gonna get choked up about mom and business and 00:12:41.850 --> 00:12:47.450 I was like and you know if you were to as a Entrepreneur 00:12:47.450 --> 00:12:50.049 especially six years in our kids being younger 00:12:50.049 --> 00:12:52.649 and growing up kind of in the most important 00:12:52.649 --> 00:12:55.769 time of their right like I have teenagers now 00:12:55.769 --> 00:12:58.669 in a tough season Yeah, they're busy. They're 00:12:58.669 --> 00:13:01.659 learning But if I was like, if you were to send 00:13:01.659 --> 00:13:03.620 one of her children to, you know, to talk to 00:13:03.620 --> 00:13:06.659 someone, I'd be like, ooh, what's going to come 00:13:06.659 --> 00:13:10.519 out of that? But seeing, having this presentation 00:13:10.519 --> 00:13:13.259 done from one of my girls and it talking about 00:13:13.259 --> 00:13:17.139 how awesome their mom is, I literally cried and 00:13:17.139 --> 00:13:18.879 I'm going to get choked up, but I cried like 00:13:18.879 --> 00:13:20.919 a baby because I'm like, that's what matters. 00:13:21.080 --> 00:13:24.399 They took the really awesome, the good out of 00:13:24.399 --> 00:13:29.190 it. So what's important to know is I remember, 00:13:29.190 --> 00:13:32.389 let's take it back, I remember being in the most 00:13:32.389 --> 00:13:37.669 executive part of my career at my past job. And 00:13:37.669 --> 00:13:40.669 I opened White Pony Boutique. I was working seven 00:13:40.669 --> 00:13:43.350 days a week. And I'm sure you can attest to putting 00:13:43.350 --> 00:13:45.889 in those kind of hours when you open up one of 00:13:45.889 --> 00:13:49.590 your new locations or started your journey. But 00:13:49.590 --> 00:13:52.539 I would get up at five in the morning. You know, 00:13:52.639 --> 00:13:54.240 obviously I've got my little ones, we've got 00:13:54.240 --> 00:13:56.899 car seats, we've got things. Bring them to daycare, 00:13:57.080 --> 00:13:59.899 go spend an hour at the boutique, go to work. 00:14:00.490 --> 00:14:05.090 50 hours there 50 sometimes 60 maybe more then 00:14:05.090 --> 00:14:08.289 I would come home get my kids fed sometimes on 00:14:08.289 --> 00:14:11.009 the go we would have them literally come with 00:14:11.009 --> 00:14:13.970 me to like let's say the shed and I'd work there 00:14:13.970 --> 00:14:15.809 until I had to go to bed bring them home go to 00:14:15.809 --> 00:14:17.610 bed work on my computer or whatever I had to 00:14:17.610 --> 00:14:20.490 do until sometimes honestly two in the morning 00:14:20.490 --> 00:14:22.409 or my husband would finally get home put them 00:14:22.409 --> 00:14:24.090 to bed and then I'd go back to the shed and work 00:14:24.090 --> 00:14:26.889 until one to two in the morning it sounds crazy 00:14:27.289 --> 00:14:29.750 But when you're so passionate about like putting 00:14:29.750 --> 00:14:32.090 one foot in front of the other, it makes sense. 00:14:32.309 --> 00:14:34.610 But like you said, you teach them. We are teaching 00:14:34.610 --> 00:14:37.750 them to be leaders. We are teaching them that 00:14:37.750 --> 00:14:40.450 their dreams don't just have to be dreams. These 00:14:40.450 --> 00:14:43.750 can become a reality. It just takes a lot of 00:14:43.750 --> 00:14:47.289 hard... work and dedication and perseverance. 00:14:48.049 --> 00:14:49.929 Perseverance was a word for me this morning. 00:14:50.149 --> 00:14:52.210 Just sitting and reflecting a lot of times when 00:14:52.210 --> 00:14:54.309 I wake up in the morning and I do my gratitudes 00:14:54.309 --> 00:14:56.529 and try to think of something I really want to 00:14:56.529 --> 00:14:59.889 focus on for the day and reflecting on being 00:14:59.889 --> 00:15:02.629 able to have this opportunity and come here and 00:15:02.629 --> 00:15:05.470 just the perseverance that it has taken and some 00:15:05.470 --> 00:15:07.830 of the parts of my journey that I've had to go 00:15:07.830 --> 00:15:10.929 through. It coincides with what you said on you 00:15:10.929 --> 00:15:13.590 just can't give up. There are going to be seasons 00:15:13.590 --> 00:15:15.250 when you're talking about new entrepreneurs. 00:15:15.450 --> 00:15:17.049 There are going to be seasons that are super 00:15:17.049 --> 00:15:20.149 hard. And that doesn't just go for entrepreneurs. 00:15:20.389 --> 00:15:22.490 We're talking about moms. We're talking about 00:15:22.490 --> 00:15:26.049 dads. We're talking about friendships. There 00:15:26.049 --> 00:15:29.549 are seasons in every section of your life that 00:15:29.549 --> 00:15:32.529 you need to be able to push through. And there 00:15:32.529 --> 00:15:34.669 are some seasons that just need to be called 00:15:34.669 --> 00:15:37.149 quits. You need to decide whether or not this 00:15:37.149 --> 00:15:40.100 is worth it. pushing forward and you're dedicated 00:15:40.100 --> 00:15:43.539 to doing it. Or if you just cap it at that part 00:15:43.539 --> 00:15:46.279 of its beautiful season and calling it a day. 00:15:46.759 --> 00:15:49.179 Yeah. That reminds me the word that comes to 00:15:49.179 --> 00:15:51.340 my mind with what you just said in perseverance 00:15:51.340 --> 00:15:54.200 and, and understanding what's working, what's 00:15:54.200 --> 00:15:56.860 not pushing through. Honestly, I think, would 00:15:56.860 --> 00:16:00.379 you agree over six years as a mom moving in your 00:16:00.379 --> 00:16:02.820 business journey boundaries? And I think it comes 00:16:02.820 --> 00:16:05.500 with a little bit of age. I don't know about 00:16:05.500 --> 00:16:08.470 you, but I would say. There are really hard times. 00:16:08.470 --> 00:16:11.549 I am trying to be better at boundaries for myself 00:16:11.549 --> 00:16:15.309 in so many ways, but that that's a. I feel like 00:16:15.309 --> 00:16:18.169 in general, as a human being, we are going to 00:16:18.169 --> 00:16:20.409 have to continue to work on our boundaries. I 00:16:20.409 --> 00:16:23.409 was terrible, I'll be honest, at boundaries, 00:16:24.110 --> 00:16:26.830 especially with being a hairstylist. We are people 00:16:26.830 --> 00:16:30.529 pleasers by nature. And so anytime someone would 00:16:30.529 --> 00:16:34.289 ask for something at the salon. Yep. Done. Got 00:16:34.289 --> 00:16:36.870 it. Didn't matter. I just did it. I didn't think 00:16:36.870 --> 00:16:38.809 of the numbers. I never thought of anything. 00:16:38.970 --> 00:16:41.129 It was, I want to keep everyone happy. I'm going 00:16:41.129 --> 00:16:46.070 to do this. I thought as the salons grew, the 00:16:46.070 --> 00:16:51.450 more I did, I thought that... I would become 00:16:51.450 --> 00:16:55.870 more of a joy in my family's eyes and that I 00:16:55.870 --> 00:16:59.169 would be an inspiration. And I didn't see the 00:16:59.169 --> 00:17:01.769 detriment it was actually doing. I mean, all 00:17:01.769 --> 00:17:04.049 of that, you know, has to come together and you 00:17:04.049 --> 00:17:06.450 do go through those seasons and just knowing 00:17:06.450 --> 00:17:09.390 that there are going to be tough times, but you 00:17:09.390 --> 00:17:11.269 have to persevere and you have to push through. 00:17:11.559 --> 00:17:14.059 OK, so I'd say you've always been so open and 00:17:14.059 --> 00:17:16.460 honest about the not so glamorous moments. And 00:17:16.460 --> 00:17:19.500 if there is one thing you wish more moms, especially 00:17:19.500 --> 00:17:21.839 working moms, heard more often, is that it? I 00:17:21.839 --> 00:17:24.660 think I had made a post on this just recently. 00:17:25.200 --> 00:17:27.460 But what I would tell these moms, whether you're 00:17:27.460 --> 00:17:30.000 a working mom, a stay at home mom, I did daycare 00:17:30.000 --> 00:17:32.400 for a little while. I didn't know that. So I 00:17:32.400 --> 00:17:35.319 mean, at one point, I had three jobs to make 00:17:35.319 --> 00:17:39.519 my dreams come true. So. I would have to say 00:17:39.519 --> 00:17:42.319 to these moms, mothers, no matter who you are 00:17:42.319 --> 00:17:46.119 and what you do, I see you. I truly, truly see 00:17:46.119 --> 00:17:50.240 you. As a mom, we end our days or even sometimes 00:17:50.240 --> 00:17:51.980 we don't even get to the end of our day and we 00:17:51.980 --> 00:17:56.460 are so insanely exhausted from the waking up, 00:17:56.660 --> 00:17:59.519 making our own schedules to making sure our kids 00:17:59.519 --> 00:18:02.400 are put together. Their schedules are taken care 00:18:02.400 --> 00:18:04.480 of and they have everything that they need and 00:18:04.480 --> 00:18:07.160 ordered and birthday parties and... holidays 00:18:07.160 --> 00:18:09.700 and birthday presents and X, Y, and Z. I mean, 00:18:09.819 --> 00:18:13.839 it's just Easter money. Oh, the tomb fairy. We 00:18:13.839 --> 00:18:16.740 should also make a preface. Maybe if you're driving 00:18:16.740 --> 00:18:19.279 with your kids right now, you should turn it 00:18:19.279 --> 00:18:24.480 down. Start when you're by yourself. Okay. We 00:18:24.480 --> 00:18:27.299 could go a whole nother episode of the things 00:18:27.299 --> 00:18:29.200 about being a mom that they don't, not in the 00:18:29.200 --> 00:18:30.819 fine. It's in the fine print. It's in the fine 00:18:30.819 --> 00:18:34.039 print. St. Patrick's day. You have to do a leprechaun. 00:18:36.319 --> 00:18:38.759 Sorry to cut in, but the tooth fairy thing is 00:18:38.759 --> 00:18:40.680 my least favorite. I'm just going to throw that 00:18:40.680 --> 00:18:46.880 out there. The teeth. All the teeth. There were 00:18:46.880 --> 00:18:50.500 times at about five in the morning. You have 00:18:50.500 --> 00:18:53.839 the old moment. The old bleep moment. Can we 00:18:53.839 --> 00:18:58.500 do a bleep? That I took our stairs 10 at a time 00:18:58.500 --> 00:19:02.119 to run to get all the money. What about the elf? 00:19:02.519 --> 00:19:04.799 The damn elf. There have been seasons in your 00:19:04.799 --> 00:19:07.619 life that weren't in the plan that called for 00:19:07.619 --> 00:19:10.140 a lot of strength and a lot of rebuilding. Can 00:19:10.140 --> 00:19:13.019 you share what chapter taught you about yourself, 00:19:13.220 --> 00:19:16.339 your identity and what you're capable of? Yeah, 00:19:16.519 --> 00:19:20.200 a year ago, literally one year ago, my world 00:19:20.200 --> 00:19:29.700 got flipped upside down. And as a wife at the 00:19:29.700 --> 00:19:33.650 time to be shook the way I was. and to have the 00:19:33.650 --> 00:19:36.750 flip happen that happened, it's undescribable. 00:19:36.930 --> 00:19:39.349 I was actually reflecting with a client yesterday 00:19:39.349 --> 00:19:43.430 and I had said, it's been one year. And they 00:19:43.430 --> 00:19:46.750 said, it was hard to watch you go through what 00:19:46.750 --> 00:19:49.730 you went through. Is it weird of me to say that 00:19:49.730 --> 00:19:53.410 I was in such a space and in such a survival 00:19:53.410 --> 00:19:56.150 mode and my kids were at the root of everything 00:19:56.150 --> 00:19:59.950 that mattered? at that point that I dropped everything 00:19:59.950 --> 00:20:02.369 when my world shattered a year ago when I hit 00:20:02.369 --> 00:20:06.670 rock bottom. And because of that, I wish I could 00:20:06.670 --> 00:20:09.589 have seen it through other people's eyes. I don't 00:20:09.589 --> 00:20:12.750 know what that would have looked like. I mean, 00:20:12.869 --> 00:20:15.369 I've really tried. I think as a mom and as a 00:20:15.369 --> 00:20:17.349 business owner, we really try to put ourselves 00:20:17.349 --> 00:20:20.250 together and try to put on this face. And you 00:20:20.250 --> 00:20:23.789 really try to be someone that. people would be 00:20:23.789 --> 00:20:26.910 able to look up to and as much as there are things 00:20:26.910 --> 00:20:29.890 that I would love to share just in the season 00:20:29.890 --> 00:20:33.670 of I'll say divorce because that's Ultimately 00:20:33.670 --> 00:20:35.869 what is happening. There are certain things I 00:20:35.869 --> 00:20:40.079 can't share, but I would never wish What I went 00:20:40.079 --> 00:20:43.940 through on anybody as an outsider a friend a 00:20:43.940 --> 00:20:48.200 fellow business owner in the community Sam you 00:20:48.200 --> 00:20:52.880 stand out to so many you lead with love and passion 00:20:52.880 --> 00:20:56.079 and you really you know put action and emotion 00:20:56.079 --> 00:21:00.380 like so without knowing details as someone from 00:21:00.380 --> 00:21:03.279 an outside perspective I wouldn't be so hard 00:21:03.279 --> 00:21:05.400 on yourself to think and maybe that's not the 00:21:05.400 --> 00:21:08.339 right wording but to see you from a 30 ,000 foot 00:21:08.339 --> 00:21:12.400 view it wasn't it's not ugly but you just know 00:21:12.400 --> 00:21:15.920 and it's okay to like hold yourself protect yourself 00:21:15.920 --> 00:21:18.099 a little bit so when you said you dropped everything 00:21:18.099 --> 00:21:22.029 from an outside you're still in my eyes definitely 00:21:22.029 --> 00:21:26.390 doing it all, you could just see a little bit 00:21:26.390 --> 00:21:30.829 of an emptiness there. And it wasn't in your 00:21:30.829 --> 00:21:34.369 drive. It wasn't in your passion. When you wear 00:21:34.369 --> 00:21:36.289 your heart on your sleeve for the world, for 00:21:36.289 --> 00:21:40.230 your business, for your family, when you feel 00:21:40.230 --> 00:21:43.609 a little broken. And you're usually very open. 00:21:43.710 --> 00:21:46.849 You are an open person. It's really difficult 00:21:46.849 --> 00:21:48.910 to, they say, fake it till you make it. Well, 00:21:49.049 --> 00:21:52.069 you can try that. You can try it, but guess what? 00:21:52.410 --> 00:21:55.230 Those who love you the most and know who you 00:21:55.230 --> 00:21:58.089 are, it's really hard to fake it till you make 00:21:58.089 --> 00:22:01.630 it. Yeah. When my earth shattered a year ago. 00:22:01.920 --> 00:22:05.900 Nothing prepares you for that, honestly. Like 00:22:05.900 --> 00:22:08.680 marriages have challenges. I totally understand 00:22:08.680 --> 00:22:11.619 that and I see it and I've had countless friends 00:22:11.619 --> 00:22:15.700 and men or women come to me and ask for even 00:22:15.700 --> 00:22:19.400 their own advice and I give what I can and I 00:22:19.400 --> 00:22:21.420 will tell and I will preach to everyone that 00:22:21.420 --> 00:22:24.019 you fight for that marriage. You fight for it. 00:22:24.019 --> 00:22:26.279 It is your vow. It is something that you made 00:22:26.279 --> 00:22:29.309 a sacrament to each other for and it is insanely 00:22:29.309 --> 00:22:32.750 special. There are times that will come that 00:22:32.750 --> 00:22:35.410 you can no longer fight those battles and I will 00:22:35.410 --> 00:22:38.630 say I held on as long as I possibly could and 00:22:38.630 --> 00:22:41.210 fought as long as I possibly could for that. 00:22:41.670 --> 00:22:47.210 I didn't realize the depth of shame that I thought 00:22:47.210 --> 00:22:50.970 I would have felt from having to say I was getting 00:22:50.970 --> 00:22:54.750 divorced or that I would be divorced. So I think 00:22:54.910 --> 00:22:57.950 I remember going to confession with my kiddos 00:22:57.950 --> 00:23:01.950 and my faith has become insanely strong through 00:23:01.950 --> 00:23:05.269 this. And I will say for anyone going through 00:23:05.269 --> 00:23:08.069 it, nothing prepares you to pick your children 00:23:08.069 --> 00:23:11.869 up and to pick yourself up. And, you know, they've 00:23:11.869 --> 00:23:14.549 had to see me cry more in the last year than 00:23:14.549 --> 00:23:17.369 I probably ever have cried. And I took that with 00:23:17.369 --> 00:23:19.849 grace when I say that, like, let your children. 00:23:20.949 --> 00:23:23.809 truly see you. As a mom, why do we have to put 00:23:23.809 --> 00:23:27.029 on this face? We do it for everyone. We just 00:23:27.029 --> 00:23:28.930 said that, right? Like we can put on a face for 00:23:28.930 --> 00:23:31.710 the world, but why? You're trying to teach those 00:23:31.710 --> 00:23:35.250 kids to be empathetic, beautiful, loving, kind 00:23:35.250 --> 00:23:37.470 human beings. And if you put on a face, what 00:23:37.470 --> 00:23:39.430 are you showing them? That you can put on this 00:23:39.430 --> 00:23:42.700 mask and not truly... Express who they are and 00:23:42.700 --> 00:23:44.819 how they feel and that they have to shove it 00:23:44.819 --> 00:23:47.519 down, you know back in our day, right? it was 00:23:47.519 --> 00:23:52.440 a go to your room to cry or whatever and I Tell 00:23:52.440 --> 00:23:55.440 my kids please feel your feelings. Please cry 00:23:55.440 --> 00:23:58.460 like and I was that mom I will be completely 00:23:58.460 --> 00:24:01.420 honest and saying that I was not always the kindest 00:24:01.420 --> 00:24:04.019 mom I was not always the best mom and I wasn't 00:24:04.019 --> 00:24:08.079 always the best wife. So I have owned my what 00:24:08.079 --> 00:24:12.450 you can call my shit I've owned it. I've accepted 00:24:12.450 --> 00:24:16.210 it. I threw myself into therapy. I took a massive 00:24:16.210 --> 00:24:18.990 step back from my businesses. I have amazing 00:24:18.990 --> 00:24:21.650 managers at the salon that, you know, I think 00:24:21.650 --> 00:24:24.029 as a business owner, we get nervous and scared 00:24:24.029 --> 00:24:26.410 to be like handing our baby. Literally, it's 00:24:26.410 --> 00:24:28.150 like taking your newborn baby and being like, 00:24:28.190 --> 00:24:31.529 here, take it and have them take care of it. 00:24:31.750 --> 00:24:35.869 And for me to be able to entrust in those women 00:24:35.869 --> 00:24:38.920 that they've got it. and they have held this 00:24:38.920 --> 00:24:41.660 up for an entire year. And I am ever so thankful 00:24:41.660 --> 00:24:45.799 and proud of them as I needed to transition my 00:24:45.799 --> 00:24:48.500 focus as a mother back to my children because 00:24:48.500 --> 00:24:51.700 I needed to heal and they needed to heal. And 00:24:51.700 --> 00:24:54.140 we needed to work through this brand new season 00:24:54.140 --> 00:24:57.099 of darkness, but bring it to light. We talk about 00:24:57.099 --> 00:25:00.980 the rising and when you asked me about the different 00:25:00.980 --> 00:25:04.740 topics or themes for it. The rising spoke out 00:25:04.740 --> 00:25:07.859 to me because I actually, what would have been 00:25:07.859 --> 00:25:10.859 our anniversary date, got a massive phoenix on 00:25:10.859 --> 00:25:14.539 my side because I don't want to look at my old 00:25:14.539 --> 00:25:17.359 anniversary date as a detriment. I don't want 00:25:17.359 --> 00:25:20.819 to look at it as something that I'm going to 00:25:20.819 --> 00:25:24.279 regret every day because I never will. My marriage 00:25:24.279 --> 00:25:26.619 brought me my children. It brought me life lessons. 00:25:26.759 --> 00:25:28.640 I'm going to learn from this. I'm going to grow 00:25:28.640 --> 00:25:34.920 from it. I once loved that man dearly. So he 00:25:34.920 --> 00:25:38.099 has taught me things that I couldn't, I mean, 00:25:38.099 --> 00:25:41.259 I'm always going to be thankful for. Was I thankful 00:25:41.259 --> 00:25:44.240 for what I had to go through? No. Is it hard 00:25:44.240 --> 00:25:46.539 and challenging? But it's still hard and challenging. 00:25:46.559 --> 00:25:50.059 And I feel like it shook me so much to my core 00:25:50.059 --> 00:25:55.339 that I got to be come a thousand times better 00:25:55.339 --> 00:25:58.539 version of a mom than I could have ever, ever 00:25:58.539 --> 00:26:02.250 been. I've gotten told by friends and co -workers 00:26:02.250 --> 00:26:05.690 I smile so much more. I smile different. I see 00:26:05.690 --> 00:26:09.950 it in my own photos. I literally, like I could 00:26:09.950 --> 00:26:12.049 have said this from the first sentence that you 00:26:12.049 --> 00:26:15.849 had said, I am so proud of you. First of all, 00:26:15.950 --> 00:26:20.309 so strong, so incredibly strong, Sam, and how 00:26:20.309 --> 00:26:23.309 you have evolved in a year and how you stand 00:26:23.309 --> 00:26:26.660 stronger. being so dang confident in your faith, 00:26:26.759 --> 00:26:30.099 your family and your journey of who you are and 00:26:30.099 --> 00:26:32.619 like what makes you take you glow completely 00:26:32.619 --> 00:26:35.519 different in such a beautiful way. You have always 00:26:35.519 --> 00:26:38.099 been beautiful. You have always been an incredible 00:26:38.099 --> 00:26:40.819 inspiration. But like, I just have to tell you, 00:26:41.259 --> 00:26:43.880 I feel so blessed to have you on this and talk 00:26:43.880 --> 00:26:46.880 about your journey because going through something 00:26:46.880 --> 00:26:49.500 like that. And like you said, you felt like you 00:26:49.500 --> 00:26:51.940 hit rock bottom, but to take one foot in front 00:26:51.940 --> 00:26:55.140 of the other, lean in on what matters the most 00:26:55.140 --> 00:26:57.480 and, you know, bringing your children in tighter, 00:26:58.079 --> 00:27:01.460 allowing people in your business to flourish 00:27:01.460 --> 00:27:06.160 when it was the hardest for you. And then just 00:27:06.160 --> 00:27:10.789 taking day by day and you're becoming, this is 00:27:10.789 --> 00:27:13.049 incredible. Thank you. And I agree. And when 00:27:13.049 --> 00:27:15.190 you say I smile differently and I can see it, 00:27:15.430 --> 00:27:17.430 I literally from head to toe have the chills 00:27:17.430 --> 00:27:20.509 down my whole body. It is such a beautiful thing 00:27:20.509 --> 00:27:23.430 that has come from something not so great, but 00:27:23.430 --> 00:27:26.309 it is beautiful. So you should be very, very 00:27:26.309 --> 00:27:28.730 proud. And there's nothing to say that that it 00:27:28.730 --> 00:27:31.390 was anything on him. It was a darkness that we 00:27:31.390 --> 00:27:34.490 created together. I can only ever hope the best 00:27:34.490 --> 00:27:37.289 for him. And I pray that he and I hope that he 00:27:37.289 --> 00:27:40.869 has his glow and his happiness. I mean. It's 00:27:40.869 --> 00:27:43.690 never easy to let go of an 18 -year relationship, 00:27:43.950 --> 00:27:47.130 but I am trying to find solitude in the season 00:27:47.130 --> 00:27:50.349 and in that path and knowing that there is something 00:27:50.349 --> 00:27:53.529 greater for me. I have gone through so many things 00:27:53.529 --> 00:27:56.410 in the last year and I'm so ever so thankful 00:27:56.410 --> 00:27:59.410 for it. I think once I flipped my mindset to 00:27:59.410 --> 00:28:03.509 being you know in fight or flight and truly being 00:28:03.509 --> 00:28:06.730 able to find myself going out with friends and 00:28:06.890 --> 00:28:09.910 absorbing my hobby farm and riding the horses 00:28:09.910 --> 00:28:13.450 and picking up, shooting bow and being able to 00:28:13.450 --> 00:28:17.009 maintenance a 12 acre farm by myself for an entire 00:28:17.009 --> 00:28:19.309 year. Strong. That's what I'm going to look at 00:28:19.309 --> 00:28:21.089 you. That is my word for you. I know you said 00:28:21.089 --> 00:28:24.150 perseverance, which is so exactly part of that. 00:28:24.269 --> 00:28:27.329 But strength, girl. Thank you. I love that you 00:28:27.329 --> 00:28:30.210 are. you know, leap this out if you need to, 00:28:30.329 --> 00:28:33.529 but badass. Oh, you're so sweet. I love it. It's, 00:28:33.529 --> 00:28:37.190 it's definitely been a journey. And I mean, even 00:28:37.190 --> 00:28:40.809 through venturing into the dating world. Oh goodness. 00:28:41.789 --> 00:28:44.930 That's another podcast. Bless everyone's soul. 00:28:45.150 --> 00:28:47.289 But there's something to be said for that. Like 00:28:47.289 --> 00:28:50.369 you become an independent, like I already feel 00:28:50.369 --> 00:28:53.230 like I was independent and I feel like I was 00:28:53.230 --> 00:28:55.670 having to do everything and be consumed by all 00:28:55.670 --> 00:28:58.670 and run. a lot of different things by myself 00:28:58.670 --> 00:29:02.630 and so low that I was becoming this masculine, 00:29:02.829 --> 00:29:08.750 feminine woman. And I have really thrusted myself 00:29:08.750 --> 00:29:11.509 into the more feminine version. I swear I wear 00:29:11.509 --> 00:29:15.829 skirts or dresses every day now. And I just, 00:29:16.049 --> 00:29:18.890 I'm embracing it and loving it. And I think that's 00:29:18.890 --> 00:29:21.170 been something interesting and hard for some 00:29:21.170 --> 00:29:23.190 of the guys that I went out on dates with for 00:29:23.190 --> 00:29:26.599 me to be like. I don't need you, I would want 00:29:26.599 --> 00:29:29.140 you. And there's a complete and utter difference 00:29:29.140 --> 00:29:32.000 between that. If I want you in my life, that's 00:29:32.000 --> 00:29:34.200 something special. And that goes for friendships, 00:29:34.240 --> 00:29:36.559 that goes for anything. And we talked briefly 00:29:36.559 --> 00:29:40.299 about boundaries, but this last year has taught 00:29:40.299 --> 00:29:43.480 me an insane amount of boundaries. I mean, I 00:29:43.480 --> 00:29:46.819 have an amazing girlfriend, Kayla, who has been 00:29:46.819 --> 00:29:50.700 by my side and my rock the entire time. And she 00:29:50.700 --> 00:29:53.980 has also been through her own journey. And there 00:29:53.980 --> 00:29:55.980 was times when I would send her a message and 00:29:55.980 --> 00:29:57.220 be like, Kayla, what do you think of this? And 00:29:57.220 --> 00:29:59.619 she's like, no, why do you need to say that? 00:29:59.779 --> 00:30:01.740 You don't need to say that. That girl has taught 00:30:01.740 --> 00:30:03.900 me so much about boundaries. I think everyone 00:30:03.900 --> 00:30:06.859 needs someone like that in their life. And someone 00:30:06.859 --> 00:30:09.000 who struggles with boundaries, those closest 00:30:09.000 --> 00:30:12.019 to me, I oftentimes like, well, you know, from 00:30:12.019 --> 00:30:14.220 a 30 ,000 foot view, analyze where I could do 00:30:14.220 --> 00:30:16.140 better with boundaries, but also be like, hey, 00:30:16.200 --> 00:30:19.549 you. We all need that friend or to be that friend 00:30:19.549 --> 00:30:22.170 to someone. Sometimes you have to go through 00:30:22.170 --> 00:30:25.109 those experiences and have your boundaries be 00:30:25.109 --> 00:30:28.009 breached in order for you to be like, okay, I 00:30:28.009 --> 00:30:29.710 didn't like that. I didn't like how it felt. 00:30:30.329 --> 00:30:32.509 So I think I needed to do that a little different 00:30:32.509 --> 00:30:35.549 next time. I know so many listeners may be quietly 00:30:35.549 --> 00:30:38.049 walking through something hard right now, holding 00:30:38.049 --> 00:30:40.849 everything together, but unsure of what's next. 00:30:41.450 --> 00:30:43.750 What would you say to them? What advice would 00:30:43.750 --> 00:30:48.140 you give them? Give yourself grace. Mic drop. 00:30:48.480 --> 00:30:52.880 I think that is the hardest in so many different 00:30:52.880 --> 00:30:56.460 phases of our life is literally grace. Giving 00:30:56.460 --> 00:30:59.180 yourself grace and knowing that this too shall 00:30:59.180 --> 00:31:03.299 pass. There is a new season ahead. There is something 00:31:03.299 --> 00:31:06.440 greater on the other side. And if you just be 00:31:06.440 --> 00:31:10.599 patient, everyone always told me in the beginning 00:31:10.599 --> 00:31:15.859 to surrender. Sam, just surrender. just give 00:31:15.859 --> 00:31:19.420 it to God and he will take care of you. And there 00:31:19.420 --> 00:31:24.500 were so many times I'm like, I surrender. I surrender. 00:31:24.720 --> 00:31:29.599 Give it to me. And I truly had not fully surrendered. 00:31:29.640 --> 00:31:31.880 I think as that business owner, as that mom, 00:31:31.980 --> 00:31:34.079 we want to have that grip on it and we want to 00:31:34.079 --> 00:31:36.559 be in control and we feel like we need to take 00:31:36.559 --> 00:31:42.559 care of it. And it truly wasn't until a lot of 00:31:42.559 --> 00:31:46.140 self -reflection, giving myself grace, surrendering, 00:31:46.339 --> 00:31:49.279 and living for the day. Oh my goodness. Don't 00:31:49.279 --> 00:31:51.700 live for yesterday. Yesterday's gone. Yesterday's 00:31:51.700 --> 00:31:54.400 in the history books. You need to live for today. 00:31:54.759 --> 00:31:56.900 And if you're already focused on tomorrow, what 00:31:56.900 --> 00:31:59.039 are you doing to yourself? I agree with that. 00:31:59.039 --> 00:32:02.220 That's a hard, hard thing for me as someone being 00:32:02.220 --> 00:32:04.759 so futuristic, too. Thinking about what you just 00:32:04.759 --> 00:32:07.240 said there. I actually over the last year in 00:32:07.240 --> 00:32:09.359 a different way went through a little bit of 00:32:09.359 --> 00:32:10.960 a roller coaster on a business journey. And when 00:32:10.960 --> 00:32:13.079 you said, I surrender and give it to God, I got 00:32:13.079 --> 00:32:15.440 the chills again, because that is something. 00:32:16.039 --> 00:32:20.319 Last year made me dig into so many things about 00:32:20.319 --> 00:32:24.240 who I was, what personal things I could do differently 00:32:24.240 --> 00:32:28.079 and take every day for what it's worth. as a 00:32:28.079 --> 00:32:31.500 futuristic thinker, I think so far ahead by nature. 00:32:31.759 --> 00:32:34.640 But it was doing me no good in the season that 00:32:34.640 --> 00:32:37.019 I was in. So going through something, it was 00:32:37.019 --> 00:32:41.299 a tougher year and for different reasons. And 00:32:41.299 --> 00:32:44.500 I just found myself saying, Lindsay, you've got 00:32:44.500 --> 00:32:47.819 to give it to God. You're giving this year absolute 00:32:47.819 --> 00:32:50.640 all. You're doing everything you can, whether 00:32:50.640 --> 00:32:53.589 that's on a personal or professional level. You 00:32:53.589 --> 00:32:56.910 need to just I love that surrender and sometimes 00:32:56.910 --> 00:32:59.150 it's literally just mean like I felt myself go 00:32:59.150 --> 00:33:02.450 Like take a deep breath like shoulders like release 00:33:02.450 --> 00:33:06.569 all the damn anxiety Release it. That's not doing 00:33:06.569 --> 00:33:09.849 me any good Release it and what do you have in 00:33:09.849 --> 00:33:12.309 front of you that a you can control and be that 00:33:12.309 --> 00:33:15.630 you have surrounding yourself with love and Friendship 00:33:15.630 --> 00:33:18.190 and the in the values that matter to you. Yeah, 00:33:18.490 --> 00:33:21.779 and then just being present in the moment is 00:33:21.779 --> 00:33:24.039 what really turned it around for me, which has 00:33:24.039 --> 00:33:26.660 led me to be a much stronger. I've always been 00:33:26.660 --> 00:33:28.640 independent as well, but I've been absolutely 00:33:28.640 --> 00:33:31.700 more confident in what brings me joy, the values 00:33:31.700 --> 00:33:35.160 that I'm gonna hold real strong to. And as a 00:33:35.160 --> 00:33:37.619 business, the economy at the moment is still 00:33:37.619 --> 00:33:39.859 all over the place, but I just feel stronger. 00:33:40.519 --> 00:33:43.880 And I think that is... The best advice that I 00:33:43.880 --> 00:33:46.400 think we could give is sometimes you hold on 00:33:46.400 --> 00:33:49.220 so tight, you hold on so tight, you have unanswered 00:33:49.220 --> 00:33:51.440 questions. I think you just need to take a step 00:33:51.440 --> 00:33:54.039 back, sit down and breathe and surrender. I think 00:33:54.039 --> 00:33:56.019 once you do that too, you have to realize what 00:33:56.019 --> 00:33:59.160 it teaches your children. I love that. Because 00:33:59.160 --> 00:34:01.799 a lot of times we forget that they're watching 00:34:01.799 --> 00:34:03.859 us. They're watching our every move. They're 00:34:03.859 --> 00:34:06.059 watching how we react, how we respond to things. 00:34:06.160 --> 00:34:10.900 I used to be a very brash, I'll call it, reactor. 00:34:12.030 --> 00:34:15.190 And I feel like I caught myself yesterday at 00:34:15.190 --> 00:34:19.269 a soccer game. There was, bless this mom's, you 00:34:19.269 --> 00:34:21.769 know, a friend sitting next to me. She was like, 00:34:22.130 --> 00:34:24.510 her child was whining, whining, whining, whining. 00:34:24.789 --> 00:34:28.269 And she goes, do you ever get that at home? And 00:34:28.269 --> 00:34:33.730 I was like, no. And I was like, but mine are 00:34:33.730 --> 00:34:37.510 older. And I caught myself being the old Sam 00:34:37.510 --> 00:34:40.550 and being like. Oh, I wouldn't put up with it. 00:34:41.170 --> 00:34:44.429 And then I'm like, no, ground myself, put myself 00:34:44.429 --> 00:34:46.949 back on the ground, because sometimes that is 00:34:46.949 --> 00:34:49.510 also hard to hear. And what does that mean as 00:34:49.510 --> 00:34:51.289 a mom to say, well, I just won't put up with 00:34:51.289 --> 00:34:53.570 it? I used to be so, when I was so much more 00:34:53.570 --> 00:34:55.610 brash, you know, that would have been my response. 00:34:55.849 --> 00:35:00.309 And so now for me to pause, reflect with my kids, 00:35:00.809 --> 00:35:03.630 my son is very much a feeler and more emotionally 00:35:03.630 --> 00:35:07.300 like outward, but he holds it in. And I see a 00:35:07.300 --> 00:35:10.039 lot of how I used to be in him, like holding 00:35:10.039 --> 00:35:12.500 it back, holding it in, suppressing it. And then 00:35:12.500 --> 00:35:15.480 he'd have his like moment in silence. Whereas 00:35:15.480 --> 00:35:19.639 now I just try to embrace my children. Definitely 00:35:19.639 --> 00:35:21.900 learn your kids as love languages. Oh, that's 00:35:21.900 --> 00:35:23.679 good advice. You know, we talk love languages 00:35:23.679 --> 00:35:26.159 as adults, but have you truly thought about your 00:35:26.159 --> 00:35:28.920 child's love language? Because once you look 00:35:28.920 --> 00:35:32.320 at that and how they need to be loved and how 00:35:32.320 --> 00:35:35.300 they need to be communicated with your parenting 00:35:35.300 --> 00:35:38.670 journey. I promise you will be transformed. It 00:35:38.670 --> 00:35:42.670 is insane. So the moment that I step back, I 00:35:42.670 --> 00:35:45.250 give him a moment to decompress, to let that 00:35:45.250 --> 00:35:48.670 rise, come down. And then I embrace him and hug 00:35:48.670 --> 00:35:52.489 him and we get to talk it out. It is a game changer. 00:35:52.590 --> 00:35:55.889 Game changer. So for me to tell that mom like, 00:35:55.889 --> 00:35:59.289 oh, I don't put up with it. I. That's the old 00:35:59.289 --> 00:36:02.289 Sam. Sure. The new Sam is definitely more patient 00:36:02.289 --> 00:36:06.679 and I take a lot of it more with. grace and just 00:36:06.679 --> 00:36:09.760 knowing that if I take their love language into 00:36:09.760 --> 00:36:12.300 consideration, it's a night and day difference 00:36:12.300 --> 00:36:15.880 for parenting. Now, overall, you know, you've 00:36:15.880 --> 00:36:18.139 been in quite the journey over the last year. 00:36:18.420 --> 00:36:20.440 I'm sure you get a lot of questions of people 00:36:20.440 --> 00:36:22.980 asking how you do it all. What is your honest 00:36:22.980 --> 00:36:27.480 response now compared to even before? How do 00:36:27.480 --> 00:36:30.719 you do it all now? One day at a time. There you 00:36:30.719 --> 00:36:33.579 go. One foot in front of the other a year ago. 00:36:33.760 --> 00:36:37.360 One of the girls at the salons who has just been, 00:36:38.159 --> 00:36:40.179 and Leanna has been amazing, literally looked 00:36:40.179 --> 00:36:43.440 at me when all of this happened and said, how 00:36:43.440 --> 00:36:45.719 are you going to do it? And I made a post about 00:36:45.719 --> 00:36:47.840 that as well. And I literally just looked at 00:36:47.840 --> 00:36:50.420 her and said. I'll let you know when I do it. 00:36:50.519 --> 00:36:52.619 And I met that in a totally different context 00:36:52.619 --> 00:36:55.159 for other than what happened today. Managing 00:36:55.159 --> 00:36:58.199 three salons, knowing that all my independents 00:36:58.199 --> 00:37:02.519 are so capable and so fierce and powerful themselves 00:37:02.519 --> 00:37:05.619 and worthy of so much. And then knowing that 00:37:05.619 --> 00:37:08.400 I have my three kids, I'm going to lead by example, 00:37:08.880 --> 00:37:11.219 running the hobby farm, but also just taking 00:37:11.219 --> 00:37:14.039 on what I can take. There are things I might 00:37:14.039 --> 00:37:19.239 not get back to a client today. And if they can't 00:37:19.239 --> 00:37:21.699 grace me for that then I am really sorry I might 00:37:21.699 --> 00:37:25.320 not be your person. I am in a new season and 00:37:25.320 --> 00:37:27.480 there are things that just need a little bit 00:37:27.480 --> 00:37:30.500 more of my priority than others. Well you definitely 00:37:30.500 --> 00:37:33.340 created something so beautiful and it's not just 00:37:33.340 --> 00:37:36.480 in business but in the life that you're rebuilding. 00:37:37.210 --> 00:37:39.469 What does the next chapter look like for Sam? 00:37:39.650 --> 00:37:41.829 It's so crazy to think of the next chapter because 00:37:41.829 --> 00:37:44.329 I've been living so much in the moment, which 00:37:44.329 --> 00:37:48.050 I thoroughly am enjoying. Yes, it will definitely 00:37:48.050 --> 00:37:51.269 be. I'm in what I'm calling my repair season, 00:37:51.329 --> 00:37:55.070 so it's definitely a repair. There's some things 00:37:55.070 --> 00:37:57.269 that the salons that we're working on repairing, 00:37:57.289 --> 00:38:00.929 you know, just picking up after being absent. 00:38:00.929 --> 00:38:04.449 Sure, I'll call it in the last year and just. 00:38:04.570 --> 00:38:06.510 There's going to be moments of repair working 00:38:06.510 --> 00:38:09.690 through co -parenting and dealing with all of 00:38:09.690 --> 00:38:14.409 that on our new journey as a family. So I'm really 00:38:14.409 --> 00:38:18.030 excited about the future. I've met someone that 00:38:18.030 --> 00:38:20.389 brings a whole new light to my life right now. 00:38:20.650 --> 00:38:23.670 My kids will always be my light and my businesses 00:38:23.670 --> 00:38:27.250 will always come first. But it is so crazy that 00:38:27.250 --> 00:38:30.110 when you are in the depths of it to think of 00:38:30.110 --> 00:38:33.809 someone making you feel. Like you were on cloud 00:38:33.809 --> 00:38:37.030 nine or that like, and you deserve that. Anybody 00:38:37.030 --> 00:38:39.489 deserves that. I would agree. It's just, you 00:38:39.489 --> 00:38:41.789 get so lost in the moment and there are just 00:38:41.789 --> 00:38:45.050 things with this man that I, I feel like I dreamt 00:38:45.050 --> 00:38:47.530 and I was like, I'm going to have a man that 00:38:47.530 --> 00:38:50.590 opens my door and has all the chivalry. And I, 00:38:50.590 --> 00:38:52.550 I went on so many dates and I'm like, this is 00:38:52.550 --> 00:38:55.659 just never going to happen. I'm super excited 00:38:55.659 --> 00:38:58.800 about this new path, whether or not it's just 00:38:58.800 --> 00:39:02.159 for the moment or for longer, who knows, but 00:39:02.159 --> 00:39:04.599 I'm going to thoroughly enjoy it for the time 00:39:04.599 --> 00:39:08.500 being. So my next season is still pouring into 00:39:08.500 --> 00:39:12.000 the kids, continuing to grow the businesses and 00:39:12.000 --> 00:39:14.900 getting them through this repair season and then 00:39:14.900 --> 00:39:19.739 really continuing to find and flourish who I 00:39:19.739 --> 00:39:22.679 am and knowing that I am not going to go back 00:39:22.679 --> 00:39:25.349 to the darkness. There will be seasons of darkness. 00:39:25.570 --> 00:39:27.949 I don't doubt that through the rest of my life. 00:39:28.190 --> 00:39:29.329 You know, I'm going to live for another hundred 00:39:29.329 --> 00:39:35.449 years. But yeah, I think truly continuing to 00:39:35.449 --> 00:39:39.750 embrace who I am and not allowing others and 00:39:39.750 --> 00:39:44.170 their opinions to influence my path and my future. 00:39:44.429 --> 00:39:46.369 You know, this, you might've just answered this, 00:39:46.389 --> 00:39:49.170 but to kind of end this, I want something like 00:39:49.170 --> 00:39:51.150 a strong statement. What are you most proud of 00:39:51.150 --> 00:39:54.639 today? but something that you never imagined 00:39:54.639 --> 00:39:58.619 you'd be able to say out loud prior to today. 00:39:59.679 --> 00:40:01.960 Something you're most proud of. Is it sad to 00:40:01.960 --> 00:40:04.480 say that as a mom, of course, I want to tell 00:40:04.480 --> 00:40:07.760 or say that my kid, I'm so proud of my kids. 00:40:08.340 --> 00:40:12.940 Of course, right? Absolutely. The new Sam is 00:40:12.940 --> 00:40:16.360 going to tell you that I would tell anybody and 00:40:16.360 --> 00:40:19.989 I am so insanely proud of myself. That got me 00:40:19.989 --> 00:40:22.110 choked up and I want to hug you. Oh, you're so 00:40:22.110 --> 00:40:25.730 sweet. The depth that, the Sam that I was, the 00:40:25.730 --> 00:40:29.210 Samantha that I was a year ago and to who I am 00:40:29.210 --> 00:40:32.090 today, I am insanely proud of her and for all 00:40:32.090 --> 00:40:34.769 that I've accomplished and made my way through 00:40:34.769 --> 00:40:38.090 and the darkness and being able to pull myself 00:40:38.090 --> 00:40:40.750 through. There are times in your life that we 00:40:40.750 --> 00:40:43.230 all contemplate maybe never being around, right? 00:40:43.230 --> 00:40:45.409 And I went through a lot of those depths and 00:40:45.409 --> 00:40:48.329 darknesses and yes, my children pulled me through. 00:40:49.079 --> 00:40:51.579 But ultimately at the end of the day, it was 00:40:51.579 --> 00:40:55.159 myself that chose to not live there, to not stay 00:40:55.159 --> 00:40:58.460 there, and to continue to rise and to grow. Samantha, 00:40:58.539 --> 00:41:01.210 thank you for sharing your story so openly. What 00:41:01.210 --> 00:41:04.050 you've built and rebuilt is such a powerful reminder 00:41:04.050 --> 00:41:06.110 to us all that even when life doesn't go the 00:41:06.110 --> 00:41:09.409 way we imagined, sometimes the detour leads us 00:41:09.409 --> 00:41:12.429 right to where we're meant to be. To our listeners, 00:41:12.610 --> 00:41:15.070 here are a few things I hope you carry from today's 00:41:15.070 --> 00:41:17.869 conversation. You don't have to do it all the 00:41:17.869 --> 00:41:20.969 way someone else does. You are wired uniquely 00:41:20.969 --> 00:41:24.269 and your way is enough. Give yourself permission 00:41:24.269 --> 00:41:27.210 to begin again. Starting over doesn't mean you 00:41:27.210 --> 00:41:31.070 failed. It means you're brave. Don't. underestimate 00:41:31.070 --> 00:41:33.769 the power of leading with your heart, even when 00:41:33.769 --> 00:41:36.650 it's heavy. You can find Samantha and Pure Bliss 00:41:36.650 --> 00:41:39.849 on Instagram. What is your Instagram handle? 00:41:40.389 --> 00:41:43.190 Samantha Ann. And give her a follow and let her 00:41:43.190 --> 00:41:46.889 know if any of this resonated with you. As always, 00:41:47.030 --> 00:41:49.369 thank you for tuning in to Leveling Up with Lindsey. 00:41:50.110 --> 00:41:53.269 Until next time, keep growing, keep rising, and 00:41:53.269 --> 00:41:55.829 keep showing up. Thank you for listening. If 00:41:55.829 --> 00:41:58.230 you found this information helpful, please share 00:41:58.230 --> 00:42:00.170 it with a friend. If you're looking for more 00:42:00.170 --> 00:42:02.389 information on the topics we covered, please 00:42:02.389 --> 00:42:05.329 head to the show notes below. And if you wouldn't 00:42:05.329 --> 00:42:07.510 mind leaving a five -star rating and review, 00:42:07.889 --> 00:42:10.289 this would help this mission and our journey 00:42:10.289 --> 00:42:13.590 to get started. Let's make today and every day 00:42:13.590 --> 00:42:16.929 an opportunity to level up. Until next time, 00:42:17.230 --> 00:42:20.190 keep dreaming, keep striving, and keep making 00:42:20.190 --> 00:42:20.869 a difference.