On Burnout, Partnerships and Success On Your Own Terms - The Mothership

Today I’m speaking with Megan Bowser, Katie DeConto & Krista Ann Nordgren of The Mothership in Durham, North Carolina. Krista Anne reached out to me while I was on the Keeping Shop Retreat this fall and I as I read her email detailing her business, I 100% wished she and her partners were there with us. Their concept, a co-working space meets retail space, is fresh and welcoming and puts its clients front and center. Whether it’s providing a space for artists to make a living or creating a place for people to work to their full potential, Krista Anne, Megan and Katie are there for it. As I mentioned in my intro, I interviewed these folks after an intense day at the store. Meredith had been sick and I couldn’t find anyone to cover. I had binged a terribly depressing though important podcast (Believed) while the shop was quiet and when it wasn’t, I’d dealt with some difficult people. It had been a long day so it actually didn’t surprise me when the conversation with Krista Ann, Megan and Katie turned to burnout. We were able to go deep and honest about burnout, hovering on the edge of it and how, if we acknowledge it, we can pull ourselves back from it before it gets too bad. The three of us talk about partnering up and why finding good partners is the best thing that happened to us. We talk about cutting other business owners slack when they’re crabby and cutting ourselves slack when we don’t always believe in the values that we’re selling (this is where I go into my body image issues).

This is such a meaningful conversation. I can’t thank Krista Anne, Katie and Megan enough for their candor and their honesty. Every small business owner should listen to this episode (and I’m not just saying this because it’s my pod) and I hope you find as much value in it as I did.

Find more from The Mothership: www.wearethemothership.comInstagram: @mothershipsightings

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