Can I Laugh On Your Shoulder?

My guest today is Toni Collier, founder of Broken Crayons Still Color, an international women's ministry that helps women process brokenness and get to hope. She serves alongside her husband, Sam, who is the pastor of Hillsong Atlanta.

4:55 – Toni 101

• Toni wakes up every morning and thinks, "Lord, don't let me mess this up, because I'm crazy."
• She grew up in a tough environment as a child, with a verbally abusive dad and a mother who was sick. She lost her virginity at 13 and began drinking and doing drugs.

11:30 – Unhealthy survival tactics

• In counseling, Toni wondered why she ran to so many things that were unhealthy when she was younger.
• A counselor told her that young people try their best to survive but they don't always have the best strategy.

20:02 – The double life

• Some people's lives look great on social media, but it's not great on the inside.
• Toni lived a double life for 25 years. She was a cheerleader, got good grades and was involved in extracurricular activities. But she would sneak out of her house to meet her boyfriend and eventually slept with different guys.

25:26 – Broken Crayons Still Color

• Toni tells the story of picking her daughter up from school and buying her a box of crayons. Her daughter colored with them so hard that they broke, and it led to a breakthrough in Toni's own life and how she dealt with difficulties in her life.

30:00 – Scars that stay with us

• Toni's mistakes will always be with her. They are scars that are healed and sealed and still present. It brings up anxiety, concern and worry.
• God never promised us a life of perfection. He will be with us in the imperfection.

47:31 – Overcomer: Defeating Anxiety and Abuse

• You can pre-order her book now, Overcomer: Defeating Anxiety and Abuse. It will be available Aug. 23.

49:20 – Get to know you

• If she could win a medal in any sport? Power walking
• Best vacation? Costa Rica
• Song she could listen to over and over? Britney Spears' Hit me baby one more time

FEATURED QUOTES

I literally wake up every morning and I'm like, "Lord, don't let me mess this up, because I'm crazy." – Toni

The double life, in my personal opinion, is the difference between a fan and a follower of Jesus. – Toni

Stay passionate. Find a way. – Toni

LINKS

• https://brkncrayons.com/
• https://tonijcollier.com/

ABOUT TONI:

Toni Collier is the founder of an international women's ministry called Broken Crayons Still Color, which helps women process through brokenness and get to hope. She serves alongside her husband Sam who is the Lead Pastor of Hillsong Atlanta. She is a speaker, host, and consultant that has helped organizations with creative marketing, leadership, student ministry, and strategic planning. Toni is teaching people all over the globe that you can be broken and worthy and unqualified and still called to do great things. She doesn't want you to just face your demons, she wants you to quash the illusion of your brokenness so you can live the most colorful life possible, on and off stage.

THANK YOU TO OUR PARTNERS:

Ready to ditch the bleach forever but can't find a bleach alternative that actually works? You've got to meet this Extra Strength Oxygen Powder by MamaSuds. It launches July 15th and I've had the chance to try it out early and I love it so much! It really tackles the dirt and odor in our clothes. And as usual there are multiple uses for this new product. Not only is it a laundry booster and stain remover, but it's a great scouring agent on any non-porous surface. If you head to their website and sign up for their email list you'll get an email with an early bird special coupon when oxygen powder launches PLUS use discount code MOLLY and get an EXTRA 15% off! www.mamasuds.com

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Speaking of stories behind brands that change the world, I'd like to introduce you to Deux Mains. In French, Deux Mains means two hands. Why 'two-hands'? Because everything they create is made by trained artisans who use their two hands to make their life better while crafting beautiful products.

Truly, this is a company that set out to change lives and make a positive impact in the world. It started when the founder, Julie, wanted to create dignified jobs in Haiti, a place she was growing to love, and that was exploding with creativity. She wanted to share this talent with the world.

Julie set up an educational program to train people with artisan skills and then went on to build a factory that operates on 100% solar energy. Deux Mains now employs more than 40 artisans that handcraft premium leather goods, jewelry and sandals. Their lives are forever changed by their craft.

What's also cool is their products incorporate an eco-friendly twist, working with responsibly sourced materials and repurposed inner-tube and tires in their designs.

When you buy from Deux Mains, you get to be part of a movement that is making a difference in the world, while adding an incredibly well-made piece to your closet that supports conscious living!

You can discover their products online at deuxmains.com and use code MOLLY for 15% off!

My guest today is Julie Colombino-Billingham, founder of Deux Mains, which means "two hands," a Haitian-owned and operated business that handcrafts high-quality footwear, handbags and accessories. 97% of all raw materials are repurposed or sourced locally on the island and manufactured in their 100% solar-powered factory. Use code MOLLY to get 15% off from DeuxMains at Deuxmains.com!

5:28 – Julie 101

• She was a professional ballet dancer and worked for Cirque USA. She is also a trained disaster responder. She got a full-time job at the United Way and wanted to respond to the Haiti earthquake.

9:10 – Going to Haiti

• Julie landed in Haiti 10 days after the earthquake and said the destruction was like nothing she had ever seen before.
• She remembers more of what she smelled and heard versus what she saw.
• Julie met a woman at a tent camp, and the woman said she didn't want bottles of water – she wanted a job.

10:46 – The beginning of Deux Mains

• After a month in Haiti, Julie came back to Florida, sold her house, quit her job at the United Way and went back to Haiti two weeks later with $7,000.
• They raised money and started an education and job training program.

21:49 – New jobs

• They have a beautiful factory that is all solar powered. Their goal is to create 300 new jobs in the next three years.
• People wanted recycled fashion, but they didn't want it to look recycled.

33:34 – The business today

• The business has 40 employees and was able to continue during Covid. They got some government contracts.
• They had to change their business model and now do more direct to consumer sales.

35:30 – Expanding product line

• They didn't want to waste anything, so they started making earrings out of leather scraps.
• Customers started asking for specific products, including a laptop sleeve.
• They are working on a woman's wallet.

FEATURED QUOTES

"A woman I met in a tent camp said she didn't want any bottles of water – she wanted a job."

"I get to be the proud voice of many people who have made us what we are today."

"It's a gift anytime we get feedback – good or bad – because we're still learning."

CONNECT:

https://deuxmains.com/ - use code MOLLY for 15% off

ABOUT JULIE:

To sustainably fight poverty in Haiti, Julie Colombino-Billingham created a business that provides great, dignified jobs. Deux Mains is a Haitian owned and operated business that handcrafts high-quality, footwear, handbags and accessories. 97% of all raw materials are repurposed or sourced locally on the island, and manufactured in our solar powered factory.

In a country where 85% of the population does not have access to the formal jobs and only 1% of the population is University educated, Colombino designed a model using the best practices of the nonprofit and for profit sectors. She incubated a nonprofit arm of the business called REBUILD globally that provides revolutionary education and paid job training programs to the most vulnerable. Every program graduate is then guaranteed a dignified, living wage job at Deux Mains.

Under Colombino's leadership, the past 10 years has been a dramatic evolution from earthquake recovery to a sustainable and eco-friendly business that was quickly propelled into the world of ethical fashion. Just a few of the partnerships deux mains has created include: United Nations, Kenneth Cole, Eileen Fisher, USAID and the Clinton Foundation to fight poverty and strengthen families in Haiti and provide customers a fashion accessory brand they can be proud to wear.

THANK YOU TO OUR PARTNER:

Ready to ditch the bleach forever but can't find a bleach alternative that actually works? You've got to meet this Extra Strength Oxygen Powder by MamaSuds. It launches July 15th and I've had the chance to try it out early and I love it so much! It really tackles the dirt and odor in our clothes. And as usual there are multiple uses for this new product. Not only is it a laundry booster and stain remover, but it's a great scouring agent on any non-porous surface. If you head to their website and sign up for their email list you'll get an email with an early bird special coupon when oxygen powder launches PLUS use discount code MOLLY and get an EXTRA 15% off! www.mamasuds.com

My guest today is Dane Baker, founder and CEO of EcoCart, which makes fighting climate change simple, cost effective and accessible for everyone.

EcoCart has two products, a Shopify app that merchants can install in their online stores and give their customers the opportunity to make their orders carbon neutral and a Google Chrome extension that calculates and offsets the carbon footprint of your online shopping orders at no cost to you.

4:32 – Dane 101

• He started EcoCart with a simple mission in mind: to make the fight against climate change easy, affordable and accessible so that everyone can do their part.

6:32 – What is EcoCart?

• They enable a consumer to offset or mitigate the carbon footprint of their e-commerce orders through environmental projects.

10:26 – Entrepreneurial spirit

• Dane has always had an entrepreneurial spirit and sold avocados door-to-door in fourth grade.
• He thinks entrepreneurship is a great vehicle for change in the world. The environment has always been the most pressing issue in his mind, and it's a really tough problem to solve.

12:43 – Early stages of his business

• Dane became more obsessed with the idea over time and couldn't stop thinking about it. He wanted to test his hypothesis and see if the business worked.
• People seemed interested in Dane's idea, so he got to work building his idea.

18:00 – What he's learned

• Color, fonts and other visuals are so important to his business and consumer psychology.

23:50 – Is it really free?

• If you install the browser extension and shop online, Dane's company gets a commission from brand partners they work with. They use that money to buy certified carbon offsets or donate to earth-saving projects.

27:52 – What has surprised him

• The thing that surprised him most is the percentage of customers that click the box at checkout. On average, it's 28%.

33:00 – Get to know you

• What would he like to win a medal for? A triathlon.
• Best vacation? Cancun with his family.

FEATURED QUOTES

We started EcoCart with a simple mission in mind: to make the fight against climate change easy, affordable and accessible so that everyone can do their part.

I think I've always had an entrepreneurial spirit about me.

The environment has always been the most pressing issue in my mind, and it's a really tough problem to solve.

CONNECT:

https://ecocart.io/

ABOUT DANE BAKER:

Dane Baker is the Founder & CEO of EcoCart, which makes fighting climate change simple, cost-effective, and accessible for everyone. EcoCart has two products: a Shopify app that merchants can install into their online stores to give their customers the opportunity to make their orders carbon neutral, and a Chrome extension that calculates and offsets the carbon footprint of your online shopping orders at no cost to you. Previously, Dane has set out to make the world a better place through entrepreneurial ventures such as limiting materialistic consumption and waste with a peer-to-peer rental marketplace and providing gig-economy workers the wages and benefits they deserve with a first-of-its-kind gig economy employment platform.

Thank you to our partners of the show:

Ready to ditch the bleach forever but can't find a bleach alternative that actually works? You've got to meet this Extra Strength Oxygen Powder by MamaSuds. It launches July 15th and I've had the chance to try it out early and (INSERT YOUR EXPERIENCE WITH IT). And as usual there are multiple uses for this new product. Not only is it a laundry booster and stain remover, but it's a great scouring agent on any non-porous surface. If you head to their website and sign up for their email list you'll get an email with an early bird special coupon when oxygen powder launches PLUS use discount code MOLLY and get an EXTRA 15% off! www.mamasuds.com.

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I'd like to introduce you to Deux Mains. In French, Deux Mains means two hands. Why 'two-hands'? Because everything they create is made by trained artisans who use their two hands to make their life better while crafting beautiful products.

Truly, this is a company that set out to change lives and make a positive impact in the world. It started when the founder, Julie, wanted to create dignified jobs in Haiti, a place she was growing to love, and that was exploding with creativity. She wanted to share this talent with the world.

Julie set up an educational program to train people with artisan skills and then went on to build a factory that operates on 100% solar energy. Deux Mains now employs more than 40 artisans that handcraft premium leather goods, jewelry and sandals. Their lives are forever changed by their craft.

What's also cool is their products incorporate an eco-friendly twist, working with responsibly sourced materials and repurposed inner-tube and tires in their designs.

When you buy from Deux Mains, you get to be part of a movement that is making a difference in the world, while adding an incredibly well-made piece to your closet that supports conscious living!

You can discover their products online at deuxmains.com. Use code MOLLY for 15% off!

My guest today is Ferzan Jaeger, the founder of Olive & Loom. Her mission is to bring her customers traditional, old world goods with a fresh, modern aesthetic.

Raised in Istanbul and settled in the U.S., Ferzan's passion is exploring new ways to bring these two cultures together. She loves to surround herself with simple treasures that remind her of family, history, her favorite foods, and the vibrant Mediterranean lifestyle.

After having kids, she has become even more interested in raising them in a multicultural environment and teaching them her family traditions.

4:45 – Ferzan 101

• She has a very quantitative side to her. She loves science and math but is also very creative.
• While working at NASA, she discovered a more creative, entrepreneurial side to herself.

8:30 – Growing up in Istanbul

• She felt like life events took over her destiny. She wanted to find out what she liked besides math and science.

12:15 – Finding herself in her 30s

• Farzan felt like she started finding herself in her 30s.
• She wanted to do her own thing and be an entrepreneur.
• She settled into a routine and realized that nothing mind blowing was happening for her to quiet the noise of wanting to be an entrepreneur.

17:12 – Olive & Loom

• Ferzan wanted to do something on her own and was struggling with homesickness. She couldn't find any Turkish products.
• She started her company with Turkish towels and olive oil soaps. It started getting traction, but not as much as she wanted.
• She eventually left NASA to focus on her business.

25:32 –A different approach

• Many women think they can do more, but she underestimated how difficult it would be to run two brands.
• It's important people know it's not a charity brand.

27:46 – Misconceptions

• Some people have misconceptions about working with the refugee community.
• Even though they have accents, we all think the same.

32:43 – Get to know you

• What sport would she want to win a medal in? Tennis
• What she misses most about Turkey? The food

FEATURED QUOTES

"This desire to do something for myself and use a more creative side of me grew and grew and grew." – Ferzan

"Do you just stay somewhere, dreaming of some other aspect of a life, or do I just go follow my dreams?" – Ferzan

"It's like these life events kind of take over your destiny in a way." – Ferzan

CONNECT:

https://www.oliveandloom.com/

Thank you to our partners of the show:

It's time for a SPRING CLEAN REFRESH! Let's get that home sparkling, the safe way with MamaSuds!

Castile soap is the superhero of soaps, it really does it all- from the windows to the walls! It's truly the only soap you need. What can you do with MamaSuds Castile Soap? Clean the floors, scrub the counters, bathtubs and tile, clean the baseboards, the windows and the blinds, you can even use it to clean the carpets! Grab a gallon of MamaSuds Castile Soap and start tackling all of your Spring Cleaning to-do's at www.mamasuds.com and use code MOLLY for 15% off your order!

---

I'd like to introduce you to Deux Mains. In French, Deux Mains means two hands. Why 'two-hands'? Because everything they create is made by trained artisans who use their two hands to make their life better while crafting beautiful products.

Truly, this is a company that set out to change lives and make a positive impact in the world. It started when the founder, Julie, wanted to create dignified jobs in Haiti, a place she was growing to love, and that was exploding with creativity. She wanted to share this talent with the world.

Julie set up an educational program to train people with artisan skills and then went on to build a factory that operates on 100% solar energy. Deux Mains now employs more than 40 artisans that handcraft premium leather goods, jewelry and sandals. Their lives are forever changed by their craft.

What's also cool is their products incorporate an eco-friendly twist, working with responsibly sourced materials and repurposed inner-tube and tires in their designs.

When you buy from Deux Mains, you get to be part of a movement that is making a difference in the world, while adding an incredibly well-made piece to your closet that supports conscious living!

You can discover their products online at deuxmains.com. Use code MOLLY for 15% off!

My guest today is Dilan Dane, CEO of System2, the first relationship based, technology accelerated fitness brand that prioritizes longevity over quick fix exercise fads. He grew up in Sri Lanka, and his family's income was less than $20 a month.

Through the kindness and generosity of others, Dilan was able to move to the U.S. at 20 and received a scholarship and financial aid to attend MIT, where he studied computer science and physics. It was not always easy because he barely spoke English and struggled with social anxiety. He was completely overwhelmed and felt physically and mentally exhausted.

After passing out during a final exam, a professor offered Dilan the chance to take the exam again if he sought help immediately for his depression. Dilan eventually learned about fitness and therapy, which changed his life. That led him to found System2.

3:58 – Dilan 101

• He lives in San Francisco and runs a fitness/tech startup company. He wants to bring a team of coaches to every human.
• Growing up in Sri Lanka, his dad was a police officer and his mom was a housewife.
• Dilan was always good in school and was encouraged to apply to U.S. universities.

11:48 – Dilan's childhood

• He had a very complicated relationship with his father. His father was a good man who wanted to provide for his family, but he struggled to do that and had problems with alcohol and anger issues.
• He craved his father's love the most and wanted his father to see him.
• His father was so proud that Dilan was top of his class, and that became Dilan's identity. He craved that recognition and love.

18:45 – An angelic professor

• An angelic professor made a huge impact on Dilan's life. He noticed that Dilan did well in class but failed finals and encouraged Dilan to meet with a therapist.
• The therapist encouraged Dilan to exercise, and the habit stuck.

30:59 – Fitness world

• What really helps with mental health is changing your core set of habits, including moving your body, Dilan says.

34:50 – System2

• Besides fitness, Dilan is also passionate about artificial intelligence. Due to recent advancements, he thought there might be a way to take personal training and make it scalable.
• It would give trainers multiple eyes, so they can see their clients when they work out in person, at home or on the road.

40:25 – How System2 works

• People do better when they're not struggling alone. System2 gives people a coach, trainer and friend who helps people move forward in their journey.
• People pay $99 a month and get a custom program.

49:36 – Get to know you

• Most unusual talent? Trusting people very quickly.
• Something important he doesn't talk about a lot? Spending more time with his aging parents.
• Who would play him in a movie? Jake Gyllenhaal

FEATURED QUOTES

"Having the opportunity to learn from incredible people in their respective fields, that was very inspired."

"There's a running joke in Silicon Valley that all the startup founders have daddy issues."

"MIT is a very intense and hard place to survive at. Not everyone survives that place, but I did."

"I feel like a lot of us have, in some way, this angelic person show up in your life, and it might be for just like a moment, but that really makes a big difference in your life."

"I sometimes think all problems are problems of loneliness."

CONNECT:

• https://getsystem2.com/
• https://www.linkedin.com/in/dilandane/

Thank you to our partners of the show:

It's time for a SPRING CLEAN REFRESH! Let's get that home sparkling, the safe way with MamaSuds!

Castile soap is the superhero of soaps, it really does it all- from the windows to the walls! It's truly the only soap you need. What can you do with MamaSuds Castile Soap? Clean the floors, scrub the counters, bathtubs and tile, clean the baseboards, the windows and the blinds, you can even use it to clean the carpets! Grab a gallon of MamaSuds Castile Soap and start tackling all of your Spring Cleaning to-do's at www.mamasuds.com and use code MOLLY for 15% off your order!

---

I'd like to introduce you to Deux Mains. In French, Deux Mains means two hands. Why 'two-hands'? Because everything they create is made by trained artisans who use their two hands to make their life better while crafting beautiful products.

Truly, this is a company that set out to change lives and make a positive impact in the world. It started when the founder, Julie, wanted to create dignified jobs in Haiti, a place she was growing to love, and that was exploding with creativity. She wanted to share this talent with the world.

Julie set up an educational program to train people with artisan skills and then went on to build a factory that operates on 100% solar energy. Deux Mains now employs more than 40 artisans that handcraft premium leather goods, jewelry and sandals. Their lives are forever changed by their craft.

What's also cool is their products incorporate an eco-friendly twist, working with responsibly sourced materials and repurposed inner-tube and tires in their designs.

When you buy from Deux Mains, you get to be part of a movement that is making a difference in the world, while adding an incredibly well-made piece to your closet that supports conscious living!

You can discover their products online at deuxmains.com. Use code MOLLY for 15% off!

Wow! It's episode 250. Can you believe it? It's astonishing to me that I recorded episodes 1-8 in the summer of 2016 and am still doing this five years later.

This week's episode is a solo one, and I'm answering your questions about shopping second hand on Facebook Marketplace. I get so many questions about this. Shopping second hand is one of the most ethical ways to shop, and I've often shared my passion about it. Today, I'm sharing my favorite shopping tips with you.

2:26 – A love for Facebook Marketplace

• When we moved to the farm, I sold a lot of our stuff on Facebook Marketplace. But I bought a ton of stuff, too.
• Probably, easily, three quarters of the things in our new home are from Facebook Marketplace.

6:59 – Before you search

• Make sure you set your filters – location radius, mileage and local pickup.
• I almost never, ever, ever shop for anything that's going to be shipped to me.

8:21 – Mileage and location

• For me, for most items, I'm not willing to drive more than 20 to 25 miles. If it's a larger ticket item, I might expand the area or look around where my family lives so they can pick it up.
• Set your radius and mileage on your mobile phone's Facebook app versus the desktop version. I can be more precise in the mobile app.

9:48 – Searching

• Try different search terms. If you search rocking chairs, people list it different ways – wood rockers, rocking chairs, front porch chairs, etc.

11:08 – Save, save, save

• When you click on a listing, you can save an item. Use it very liberally. It tells Facebook it's the kind of thing you're looking for. It also helps to check back on an item and see if it's still for sale. If it's been several days or weeks, you can negotiate a lower price.

12:24 – Select "notify me"

• You can select "notify me." This lets you know if a new listing fitting your criteria comes up. It's not perfect and can sometimes be delayed.

13:00 – Ready to buy

• You might have to fight to get a hot ticket item if it's priced well or free.
• If you see something you like, message the person quickly and write a personal message.

15:24 – Can you negotiate?

• Yes and no, but if it's a hot ticket item listed for less than 24 hours, I typically offer full price.
• If it's been listed for several days or a week, I'll try to negotiate.

17:09 – Don't ghost people

• There is nothing more annoying when someone ghosts you. It's very frustrating. Don't do this.

18:14 – The most important tip

• You have to be patient. If you are looking for something, and you need it right away, Facebook Marketplace is probably not going to be the best place to search.

FEATURED QUOTES

"Shopping second hand is keeping things out of landfills and giving things a second life, or a third life, or a fourth life."

"In the last year or so, I have developed a bit of – I don't want to say addiction, because that sounds really negative – a love for shopping on Facebook Marketplace."

"How to shop second hand on Facebook Marketplace – I'm giving you my tips of how I snag really amazing deals."

"Most people on Facebook Marketplace want their stuff gone."

"If you are looking for something, and you need it right away, Facebook Marketplace is probably not going to be the best place to search."

Thank you to our partners of the show:

It's time for a SPRING CLEAN REFRESH! Let's get that home sparkling, the safe way with MamaSuds!

Castile soap is the superhero of soaps, it really does it all- from the windows to the walls! It's truly the only soap you need. What can you do with MamaSuds Castile Soap? Clean the floors, scrub the counters, bathtubs and tile, clean the baseboards, the windows and the blinds, you can even use it to clean the carpets! Grab a gallon of MamaSuds Castile Soap and start tackling all of your Spring Cleaning to-do's at www.mamasuds.com and use code MOLLY for 15% off your order!

---

I'd like to introduce you to Deux Mains. In French, Deux Mains means two hands. Why 'two-hands'? Because everything they create is made by trained artisans who use their two hands to make their life better while crafting beautiful products.

Truly, this is a company that set out to change lives and make a positive impact in the world. It started when the founder, Julie, wanted to create dignified jobs in Haiti, a place she was growing to love, and that was exploding with creativity. She wanted to share this talent with the world.

Julie set up an educational program to train people with artisan skills and then went on to build a factory that operates on 100% solar energy. Deux Mains now employs more than 40 artisans that handcraft premium leather goods, jewelry and sandals. Their lives are forever changed by their craft.

What's also cool is their products incorporate an eco-friendly twist, working with responsibly sourced materials and repurposed inner-tube and tires in their designs.

When you buy from Deux Mains, you get to be part of a movement that is making a difference in the world, while adding an incredibly well-made piece to your closet that supports conscious living!

You can discover their products online at deuxmains.com. Use code MOLLY for 15% off!

My guest this week is Ingrid Carney, founder and CEO of Ingrid and Isabel. She spent six years at three of the top five global advertising agencies before migrating to Silicon Valley startups. But it was her own personal experience with pregnancy that inspired her greatest business success.

After struggling with what to wear, she thought of a simple problem solver to keep her pants up as her belly grew. This helped her get more life out of her own clothes. Her invention, the Bellaband, became wildly popular. Her maternity retail sales brand is the now the largest in the U.S.

4:29 – Ingrid 101

• Ingrid is married and has two daughters. She was pregnant with her oldest daughter, Isabel, when she got the idea to create the Bellaband. They live in San Francisco.

5:29 – Favorite place she has lived

• She lived in Italy, and it will always hold a special place in her heart.

7:45 – Entrepreneurial spirit

• Ingrid doesn't remember having an entrepreneurial spirit when she was younger, but she found a letter she wrote to her grandmother about wanting to run a business.
• She never set out to own a company, employ people or be a CEO. She only wanted to help other women.

10:28 – Career path

• Before starting her company, she worked in advertising and marketing and leaned into the creative side of herself. She loved talking to people and asking questions about products and services.
• She then worked for startups in Silicon Valley and worked alongside engineers. It helped her hone her skills of helping people and marketing to different audiences.

15:53 – Pregnancy problem turned inspiration

• Ingrid found that control top pantyhose were not flattering, so she folded them down. It softened the line at her waist and smoothed things out.
• When she was pregnant, she started problem solving when her pants didn't fit correctly. She wrapped an Ace bandage around her waist, but it didn't work. Then she put a tube top over her pants, and it worked.

24:05 – Sustainability

• Ingrid invests a lot into sustainability and wants to educate her consumers. She supports domestic and international production when done correctly.

33:44 – Selling like hotcakes

• She took baby steps and measured risks and asked mom friends to test her Bellaband samples and give her feedback.
• Her Bellabands started selling like hotcakes, and it took her less than three years to become a seven-figure business.

46:01 – Get to know you

• What childhood movie she can't get out of her mind? Close Encounters of the Third Kind
• Song she has to sing along to? A Mariah Carey song with high notes, and Chainsmokers songs

FEATURED QUOTES

"Every company needs its superpower, whatever it is. For some people, it's fabric." – Ingrid

"I took a break, I had a baby, I went through post-partum depression, came up for air and was like, 'Let's do this.'" – Ingrid

"We slowly went out and started to expand when we had validation from the market." – Ingrid

CONNECT:

https://www.ingridandisabel.com/

About Ingrid Carney:

Ingrid spent years in advertising, but it was her own personal experience with pregnancy that inspired her greatest business success. Struggling with what to wear, she thought of a simple problem-solver to keep her pants up when her pregnant belly grows, suggesting she NOT buy maternity so soon, but get more life out of her own clothes. Nearly twenty years and twelve patents later, Ingrid's widely popular invention (the Bellaband®) evolved into the maternity apparel company Ingrid & Isabel, which is now the largest maternity retail-sales brand in the US.

About the Brand, Ingrid & Isabel:

In 2003, the Bellaband® hit the shelves as the first pregnancy belly band on the market. Today, that single invention has grown into a national company offering a full-range of maternity essentials sold in specialty stores across the country, as well as major retailers like Nordstrom, Amazon, Bloomingdale's, Gap and more. In 2017, the brand launched their sister line, Isabel Maternity by Ingrid & Isabel, which is available at more than 1,800 Target stores nationwide. From belly to baby, the brand's got your back - they try everything they make on actual pregnant women, tailoring the fits to real bodies of all sizes at every stage of pregnancy and postpartum. The brand source's the highest-quality fabrics with the softest feel and stretch, and only work with WRAP-certified factories, ensuring humane and ethical conditions during production. Ingrid & Isabel is indeed a brand for Moms by Moms.

Thank you to our partners of the show:

It's time for a SPRING CLEAN REFRESH! Let's get that home sparkling, the safe way with MamaSuds!

Castile soap is the superhero of soaps, it really does it all- from the windows to the walls! It's truly the only soap you need. What can you do with MamaSuds Castile Soap? Clean the floors, scrub the counters, bathtubs and tile, clean the baseboards, the windows and the blinds, you can even use it to clean the carpets! Grab a gallon of MamaSuds Castile Soap and start tackling all of your Spring Cleaning to-do's at www.mamasuds.com and use code MOLLY for 15% off your order!

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I'd like to introduce you to Deux Mains. In French, Deux Mains means two hands. Why 'two-hands'? Because everything they create is made by trained artisans who use their two hands to make their life better while crafting beautiful products.

Truly, this is a company that set out to change lives and make a positive impact in the world. It started when the founder, Julie, wanted to create dignified jobs in Haiti, a place she was growing to love, and that was exploding with creativity. She wanted to share this talent with the world.

Julie set up an educational program to train people with artisan skills and then went on to build a factory that operates on 100% solar energy. Deux Mains now employs more than 40 artisans that handcraft premium leather goods, jewelry and sandals. Their lives are forever changed by their craft.

What's also cool is their products incorporate an eco-friendly twist, working with responsibly sourced materials and repurposed inner-tube and tires in their designs.

When you buy from Deux Mains, you get to be part of a movement that is making a difference in the world, while adding an incredibly well-made piece to your closet that supports conscious living!

You can discover their products online at deuxmains.com. Use code MOLLY for 15% off!

My guest this week is Kristi Soomer, founder and CEO of Encircled, a line of innovative, sustainable and versatile women's wear based in Toronto. She wanted to help women do more with less in their wardrobes. She launched her online store in 2012 and now has a studio in Toronto.

5:58 – Kristi 101

• The brand started as a travel clothing line. Kristi came from a corporate career and never went to fashion school, but she wanted to make comfortable, stylish clothes.

7:41 – The beginning

• She was packing for a yoga retreat in Costa Rica and didn't know what to pack. She liked the concept of a piece of clothing that could be versatile and used many different ways.
• She used a versatile scarf she had and improved it until she created her own prototype.

12:16 – Creating a brand

• She started with a product instead of a brand and developed a brand that wrapped around her product.
• She named her company Encircled because it made her think of her circle scarf.

14:51 – Ethical fashion

• Kristi was ahead of the curve when it came to sustainable fashion, but some people didn't understand why it mattered.
• She says authenticity and integrity are really important to her, so she became curious about sustainable fashion and human rights in the fashion supply chain.

19:18 – Progress over perfection

• Kristi says it's impossible to shop perfectly, but you can find better brands, better fabrics and better options. Try to take incremental, small steps.
• People expect her to be perfect and they criticize what she drives, but there's a lot of grey area in sustainability.
• She believes in progress over perfection.

29:23 – Turning point in her business

• It was a hard decision to quit her career, and her family didn't support her desire to be an entrepreneur.
• She started seeing growth in the business in 2015. She began hiring people to help her, and she plans to have 20 employees this year.

35:50 – On the horizon

• She started a podcast, is doing interviews and started an email marketing course and goal setting course. She wants to help female entrepreneurs level up.
• She wants to keep creating comfy, dressy clothes and expand product development and find new fabrics.

39:35 – Get to know you

• Favorite meal? Hamburgers
• Song she has to sing? Journey's "Don't Stop Believin'"

FEATURED QUOTES

"Authenticity and integrity are really important to me." – Kristi

"I became very curious and very interested in human rights in the fashion supply chain." – Kristi

"There are very few women who ever surpass the million-dollar mark in revenue. We passed that in 2015 and continue to grow, and I want more women to be able to do that." – Kristi

CONNECT WITH KRISTI:

• https://www.kristisoomer.com/
• https://www.encircled.ca/

ABOUT KRISTI:

Kristi is the founder and CEO of Encircled. A line of innovative, sustainable and versatile womenswear based in Toronto and retailed exclusively online. A former management consultant who virtually lived in airports, Kristi started Encircled with the dream of helping women do more with less in their wardrobes. Frustrated with the lack of versatile and stylish travel clothing, she started designing it. With no fashion background and little capital, she launched her online store in 2012. Today, Encircled has a beautiful studio in the Junction Triangle area of Toronto, a team of 12, and makes all of its clothing within 35km of their studio.

Encircled has been featured in publications like FASHION magazine, NOW Magazine, The Globe and Mail, and Apartment Therapy. Encircled is also a certified B Corporation, and winner of the StartUp 50 Fastest Growing companies in Canada in 2018. In 2018, Kristi was named to the Clean50, a list honouring the top contributors to clean capitalism and positive environmental impact through business in Canada. Kristi holds a degree in Finance from the University of Western Ontario, and an MBA from Queen's University. Learn more about Encircled at: www.encircled.ca.

Thank you to our partners of the show:

It's time for a SPRING CLEAN REFRESH! Let's get that home sparkling, the safe way with MamaSuds!

Castile soap is the superhero of soaps, it really does it all- from the windows to the walls! It's truly the only soap you need. What can you do with MamaSuds Castile Soap? Clean the floors, scrub the counters, bathtubs and tile, clean the baseboards, the windows and the blinds, you can even use it to clean the carpets! Grab a gallon of MamaSuds Castile Soap and start tackling all of your Spring Cleaning to-do's at www.mamasuds.com and use code MOLLY for 15% off your order!

---

I'd like to introduce you to Deux Mains. In French, Deux Mains means two hands. Why 'two-hands'? Because everything they create is made by trained artisans who use their two hands to make their life better while crafting beautiful products.

Truly, this is a company that set out to change lives and make a positive impact in the world. It started when the founder, Julie, wanted to create dignified jobs in Haiti, a place she was growing to love, and that was exploding with creativity. She wanted to share this talent with the world.

Julie set up an educational program to train people with artisan skills and then went on to build a factory that operates on 100% solar energy. Deux Mains now employs more than 40 artisans that handcraft premium leather goods, jewelry and sandals. Their lives are forever changed by their craft.

What's also cool is their products incorporate an eco-friendly twist, working with responsibly sourced materials and repurposed inner-tube and tires in their designs.

When you buy from Deux Mains, you get to be part of a movement that is making a difference in the world, while adding an incredibly well-made piece to your closet that supports conscious living!

You can discover their products online at deuxmains.com.

My guest this week is Fisayo Che, a mother of three and founder of apparel brand Elisamama. She created the brand after a long search for quality kids' clothing that was fun and functional and used colors like her Nigerian roots. Every piece of her clothing is made in Nigeria, and she wants to provide jobs and skills training for people there.

3:31 – Fisayo 101

• Elisamama is founded with a commitment to promote joy and to make a difference.
• She wants to provide an economic opportunity for her artisans.

5:38 – Where does her joy come from?

• There's a saying that Nigerians are the happiest people. They don't take life as seriously, and they are thankful to have a home and be happy.

7:42 – Moving to the U.S.

• She was born in Europe and traveled elsewhere, so she didn't have a cultural shock when she moved to the U.S.

10:03 – Finding stylish kids' clothes

• People think FIsayo has a deep love for fashion, but that's not the case. Fashion, for Fisayo, is more about utility.
• There has been a huge shift to neutrals in the past few years, but Fisayo prefers more colorful clothes with more personality.

15:27 – Talent is equally distributed, opportunity is not

• We have to keep reminding ourselves that talent is equally distributed but opportunity is not.
• She noticed that quality was not a priority in the sewing world in Nigeria.

22:40 – Tipping point

• Fisayo felt responsibility for the lives of her team members and felt pressure for her company to be successful.
• It's an intense motivation to keep her business going.

27:02 – Developing her team

• Technology has been one of her company's biggest blessings, especially as she develops her team.

30:29 – On the horizon

• Fisayo wants to pick up additional retail accounts and keep the ship afloat.

35:40 – Get to know you

• Something you'd never guess about Fisayo? She wrestled in high school.

FEATURED QUOTES

"Elisamama is my brand that is founded with a commitment to promote joy and to make a difference." – Fisayo

"We design and we produce really fun, vibrant, exciting, joyful clothing using African-inspired prints." – Fisayo

ABOUT FISAYO CHE:

Fisayo Che, a mother of three, is the founder of apparel brand Elisamama. Fisayo established the brand after a long search for quality kids' clothing that was not only fun and functional but also reflects a bold use of color, emblematic of Fisayo's Nigerian roots.

The Elisamama brand's joyful, easy-to-wear and stylish clothing is made with African-inspired wax print fabrics. Every piece is handmade in Nigeria by a team of local artisans.

While the core business of Elisamama is providing quality clothing that promote joy, the heart of the business mission is to provide jobs and skills training for Nigerian artisans, with the purpose of providing them a pathway towards economic empowerment and improved quality of life.

Thank you to our partners of the show:

It's time for a SPRING CLEAN REFRESH! Let's get that home sparkling, the safe way with MamaSuds!

Castile soap is the superhero of soaps, it really does it all- from the windows to the walls! It's truly the only soap you need. What can you do with MamaSuds Castile Soap? Clean the floors, scrub the counters, bathtubs and tile, clean the baseboards, the windows and the blinds, you can even use it to clean the carpets! Grab a gallon of MamaSuds Castile Soap and start tackling all of your Spring Cleaning to-do's at www.mamasuds.com and use code MOLLY for 15% off your order!

---

I'd like to introduce you to Deux Mains. In French, Deux Mains means two hands. Why 'two-hands'? Because everything they create is made by trained artisans who use their two hands to make their life better while crafting beautiful products.

Truly, this is a company that set out to change lives and make a positive impact in the world. It started when the founder, Julie, wanted to create dignified jobs in Haiti, a place she was growing to love, and that was exploding with creativity. She wanted to share this talent with the world.

Julie set up an educational program to train people with artisan skills and then went on to build a factory that operates on 100% solar energy. Deux Mains now employs more than 40 artisans that handcraft premium leather goods, jewelry and sandals. Their lives are forever changed by their craft.

What's also cool is their products incorporate an eco-friendly twist, working with responsibly sourced materials and repurposed inner-tube and tires in their designs.

When you buy from Deux Mains, you get to be part of a movement that is making a difference in the world, while adding an incredibly well-made piece to your closet that supports conscious living!

You can discover their products online at deuxmains.com.

My guest this week is Megan Hyatt Miller. She is the President and Chief Executive Officer at Michael Hyatt & Company and the co-host of the popular business podcast, Lead to Win. She is also Michael's oldest daughter.

As the architect of Michael Hyatt & Company's standout culture, she is committed to helping her team win at work and succeed at life, while also delivering phenomenal results to their customers.

Under her leadership, Michael Hyatt & Company was named as one of Inc. Magazine's Best Workplaces for 2020, which ranks the top companies in America for their employee engagement.

When she's not taking the company to new heights, she's fully present at home with her husband Joel and five kids in Franklin, Tenn.

4:55 – Megan 101

• Her dad started the performance coaching business in 2011, and she joined in 2012.
• Megan thought she wanted to be a stay-at-home mom, but she was going stir crazy and decided to join her dad in the business.

8:18 – The double win

• This concept of the double win comes out of her dad's and her personal experience. Her dad was a workaholic and hit a wall in his 40s.
• They wrote a book to explain how they make succeeding at work and in life possible.

11:27 – Work-life balance

• Women are always asked about work-life balance, but men rarely are.
• Men have been conditioned that it's not OK to bring their personal life into work.

14:20 – Negotiating as a couple

• Men and women should be co-CEOs of the family and create equal distribution of labor.
• You need to establish your non-negotiables in three categories – self-care, relational priorities and professional results

28:03 – Hustle culture

• Women have been sold this lie that we can do it all if only we're somehow smart enough or good enough, and it just leaves us feeling crummy.

44:12 – Get to know you

• Guilty pleasure? Magazines and Netflix alone in my bedroom

FEATURED QUOTES

"This concept of the double win comes out of my dad's and my personal experience." – Megan

"Men have been conditioned that it's not OK to bring their personal life into work." – Megan

"Women have been sold this lie that we can do it all if only we're somehow smart enough or good enough, and it just leaves us feeling crummy." – Megan

LINKS:

• https://michaelhyatt.com/author/meganmiller/
• https://www.amazon.com/Win-Work-Succeed-Life-Principles/dp/0801094690

Thank you to our partners of the show:

It's time for a SPRING CLEAN REFRESH! Let's get that home sparkling, the safe way with MamaSuds!

Castile soap is the superhero of soaps, it really does it all- from the windows to the walls! It's truly the only soap you need. What can you do with MamaSuds Castile Soap? Clean the floors, scrub the counters, bathtubs and tile, clean the baseboards, the windows and the blinds, you can even use it to clean the carpets! Grab a gallon of MamaSuds Castile Soap and start tackling all of your Spring Cleaning to-do's at www.mamasuds.com and use code MOLLY for 15% off your order!

---

I'd like to introduce you to Deux Mains. In French, Deux Mains means two hands. Why 'two-hands'? Because everything they create is made by trained artisans who use their two hands to make their life better while crafting beautiful products.

Truly, this is a company that set out to change lives and make a positive impact in the world. It started when the founder, Julie, wanted to create dignified jobs in Haiti, a place she was growing to love, and that was exploding with creativity. She wanted to share this talent with the world.

Julie set up an educational program to train people with artisan skills and then went on to build a factory that operates on 100% solar energy. Deux Mains now employs more than 40 artisans that handcraft premium leather goods, jewelry and sandals. Their lives are forever changed by their craft.

What's also cool is their products incorporate an eco-friendly twist, working with responsibly sourced materials and repurposed inner-tube and tires in their designs.

When you buy from Deux Mains, you get to be part of a movement that is making a difference in the world, while adding an incredibly well-made piece to your closet that supports conscious living!

You can discover their products online at deuxmains.com.