In this episode, Brea interviews Meg about what it was like leaving Hallmark to venture out on her own. Even though she lived it, it’s different hearing it through the ears of an entrepreneur herself now. Meg shares about how she knew she needed to leave her job, the struggles of being on her own in a city where she knew almost no one, and also how she survived. We also discuss all the “pivots” or transitions Meg has made in her career to continue to be successful. The life of an entrepreneur is definitely not boring! You won’t want to miss Meg’s inspirational story, which many of her followers may not know. It’s a great episode for anyone thinking of starting their own business or making a work transition of their own.

Kilee Nickels, founder and CEO of Nickel & Suede, instagrammer/blogger at @onelittlemomma, podcaster at @kileenickelspodcast, wife, and mom of five boys, shares her journey to get to where she is today. We learn about what Kilee was like as a kid, her college experience, and getting married and having kids at a young age. She opens up about her eating disorder and how she worked through it with counseling. As entrepreneurs ourselves, we loved hearing about how she came up with the concept for Nickel & Suede and how her husband, Soren, has been key to taking her ideas to the next level and pushing her outside her comfort zone. Kilee is super honest about how hard it is to work with your spouse! She shares how she got into blogging and what has resonated with her audience. We get into work-life balance and the struggles that go with running a company while raising kids. She also gives us a peek into what’s next for her and Nickel & Suede. 

Shop her famous tear-drop earrings at Nickel & Suede. 

Kilee’s blog: One Little Momma

Kilee’s podcast: With Kilee Nickels

Follow her on Instagram: @onelittlemomma

Meg & Brea are back to share their current obsessions for the month of November! From restaurants to gift ideas to apps, there is a great mix of everything in this month’s favorites. Be sure to listen to catch them all, and below are links to make them easy to find:

Grateful kitchen

Corkcicle Coffee Mug

Meg’s Ornaments

Beam Smartphone Vent Mount

ASOS

Meg’s beaded dress

Evereve Mittens

CoverGirl Exhibitionist Mascara

Yellowstone

Art Attack Podcast

Nike Run Club App

Dave Hemingway-Turner, formerly of DC and now a KC resident, tells us all about his job as a librarian and how it’s is actually more exciting that you would think.

He opens up about his sexuality and what it was like coming out to his family in his 30s. He shares the sweet story of how he met his husband, Chris, and all the details on their adoption journey. He also gives us an honest look at what it’s like for two men to be raising a daughter and why he feels it’s so important for her to see the world.

He lets us in on what he’s reading, as well as his favorite spots to eat in DC.

Kansas City native and co-owner of 200 Main Vintage, Tobe Reed, reminisces on her days working at Hallmark with Meg, where Tobe worked in the lettering department and ran/founded Hallmark’s blog. We get the inside scoop on what it’s like to work at Hallmark. Tobe shares how her grandmother’s death helped her realize it was time for her to leave her corporate job for a slower, more family-centered way of life. Since leaving Hallmark, she’s had more time and energy for her business, and consequently, the business has grown with her extra attention. You can find 200 Main Vintage on One Kings Lane, Chairish, and locally in Kansas City at Golden & Pine.

Kansas City-based elementary school principals and friends, Christy Lamb and Karen Hile, share a behind-the-scenes look at education from the perspective of an administrator. These women are passionate about education and making the world a better place! 

We talk about burnout in education, balancing family life with the inflexible schedule of an educator, how parents can do a better job of supporting their teachers and administrators and even discipline. 

They also share some educational trends, as well as their opinions on iPads in the classroom. Follow them to join their supportive community and to stay up-to-date on upcoming events. 

Favorite teacher style IG accounts: @schoolinstyle; @toocoolformiddleschool. 

Books: White Fragility: Why it’s so Hard for White People to Talk about Racism; Between the World and Me; Rabbit.

Podcasts: As Seen on Radio; Rise Podcast; The Jennifer Allwood Show.

Website: https://www.themodernprincipal.com/

IG: https://www.instagram.com/themodernprincipal/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/themodernprincipal/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/ModernPrincipal

Pastry Chef, Tiffany MacIssac, takes us through how she grew up in Hawaii, moved to NYC for theatre but fell in love with cooking and enrolled in culinary school 3 weeks after she arrived. She shares the crazy story about how she and her husband moved to DC from NYC and how she opened her own bakery. 

She talks about finding balance between what you want to make and what your customers want, the custom cake industry and process with clients who want something they’ve seen on Pinterest, and how they often undercharge for how much time they put into their cakes.

We get the full story on the Military Ball cake, also known as the “Trump cake”, and how it blew up out of context in the media, how she handled it and what it did for her outlook on business.

“Standing by your morals doesn’t only count when it works in your favor, you have to stand by them even when it’s not in your favor.”

“We would never turn anyone away for any reason.”

She also lets us in on the food scene and chef culture in DC and some of her favorite spots to eat around town.

Meg & Brea chat with college friend, Jessica Furst Johnson, a successful election law attorney, who also just happens to be dubbed an “election expert.” Jessica shares her path to her very successful career and the surprising way she landed her first big job.

We talk politics respectfully and discuss why understanding the other side is so important.

“It is critical to know what they [people in voting districts] think, and I don’t think you can better your understanding of an issue unless you are asking questions and conversing about it.”

She answers the question: “What do people get wrong about Republicans?” She gets into misconceptions about the party and how Republicans really feel about education. 

Later we talk about what it’s like to be a working mom, who really loves to work. Jessica explains why she got hate from moms on Twitter and how she doesn’t regret the decision to take the biggest opportunity in her career.

We end on a lighter note of fashion in DC, running marathons and some great advice.

Meg and Brea chat about competition and comparison in life, business, and online. They discuss being driven and striving for excellence but not being competitive about it. Focus on your own passion and your own goals and only let other’s successes inspire you to work harder and do your best. They get into about healthy competition when it comes to fun and games. 

“It’s more about the experience, than it is about winning.” — Meg

They talk about how you are in control of your mindset and that you can change it. Meg shares how she regularly does this in her car. Simply changing your mindset and your own self talk can change how you feel about something.

Meg & Brea have an honest discussion about how being secure and happy with yourself and your own efforts toward your goals, makes it easier to be genuinely happy for others, cheer them on and even help others out. 

“I’m doing my best, and I’m secure in that, so I can be genuinely happy for someone else and not feel that competitive comparison thing.” — Brea

They also get into distraction and focus and how by changing that alone, especially in the age of constant devices and social media, you can get more done on your own projects.

“All that time you’re spending thinking about other people, what if you spent it on yourself?” — Meg

Meg, Brea, and Arienne begin the episode bonding over Notre Dame where Arienne is an alum and is very involved at the University. Let’s just say, Starter jackets were discussed. We chat parenting and how when we all grew up there was an expectation of behavior. 

Arienne talks about how she sometimes knows things are going to happen. There’s a lot of Book Club talk and why we all think everyone needs to be in one. We mention the book A House in the Sky, A Little Life, how Meg is “dark”, and how our book club loves true crime.

Arienne dishes on one of her most memorable experiences at the White House correspondence dinner with David Arquette, and how the dinner and parties actually work. Meg talks about her own brush with a famous band on her bachelorette party.

We talk about journalism and Arienne’s passion for it. We go into Arienne’s journalism career, PR career, how clients should work with PR companies, and how Arienne got her gig teaching at American University and Georgetown.

College students listen up! Arienne gives some great advice on how to make the most of your college experience and get amazing opportunities.

Make sure to listen to the end. We deep dive into race in America, white privilege, intersectional feminism, white guilt, and Arienne gives some amazing advice to how to learn and understand the world as it really is. 

There are gems of knowledge all over this episode. And a little Meghan Markle chat to top it off.

Find Arienne at Moki Media.