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Bold Starts, Soft Hearts · Divas That Care Network

0:00
SPEAKER_00: It's Divas That Care Radio.
0:02
SPEAKER_00: Stories, strategies, and ideas to inspire positive change.
0:06
SPEAKER_00: Welcome to Divas That Care, a network of women committed to making our world a better place for everyone.
0:13
SPEAKER_00: This is a global movement for women, by women engaged in a collaborative effort to create a better world for future generations.
0:20
SPEAKER_00: To find out more about the movement, visit divas that care.com after the show.
0:26
SPEAKER_00: Right now, though, stay tuned for another jolt of inspiration.
0:31
SPEAKER_01: Welcome to Confidence in Bloom, the podcast that reminds you that confidence isn't about becoming someone new, it's about becoming home to yourself.
0:41
SPEAKER_01: I'm your host, Tina Spolotini, and this season we're embracing the theme End of Year, Beginning of Me.
0:48
SPEAKER_01: A time to pause, reflect, and let go of what no longer serves you.
0:52
SPEAKER_01: Together we'll explore real stories and soulful insights to help you quiet that itty bitty shitty committee, release the shoulds that weigh you down, and step into the new year grounded in self-love, clarity, and confidence.
1:07
SPEAKER_01: Let's begin today's conversation.
1:10
SPEAKER_01: Today I'm talking with Carrie, Carrie the Connector is what we all know her as, Carrie Dusset.
1:17
SPEAKER_01: Carrie, affectionately known as Carrie the Connector, believes in the magic that happens when we lift each other up.
1:24
SPEAKER_01: A natural storyteller and community builder, she's known for creating spaces where authenticity and encouragement flourish.
1:32
SPEAKER_01: Her work celebrates the beauty of real connection, reminding us that confidence grows strongest when we grow together.
1:40
SPEAKER_01: Welcome, Carrie.
1:42
SPEAKER_01: Hello.
1:44
SPEAKER_01: I'm super, super excited for this because I know that you have a, I'm gonna say a bold personality.
1:51
SPEAKER_01: And I hope you don't take offense to that.
1:54
SPEAKER_01: Like, you know, and when I say bold, I mean when you're in a room, your presence is felt, right?
1:59
SPEAKER_01: Like you just have that personality.
2:01
SPEAKER_01: Totally.
2:02
SPEAKER_02: I can't tell you the number of rooms I go into and not even in the room five minutes.
2:08
SPEAKER_02: And someone will come up to me and say, Oh my god, I love your energy.
2:12
SPEAKER_02: Like I get that comment almost every single time I'm in a room.
2:16
SPEAKER_02: Yeah.
2:16
SPEAKER_02: So I know so I know it, yeah, my presence is felt is felt.
2:23
SPEAKER_02: It's just I always make an entrance.
2:26
SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
2:26
SPEAKER_01: And it's and I and it's not like, you know, okay, some people don't like that.
2:30
SPEAKER_01: Like some people, if they're, you know, especially um people that are not in the mood for lots of connection, right?
2:38
SPEAKER_01: Because that happens, right?
2:39
SPEAKER_01: You can be in a room and not really feel like being in the room.
2:42
SPEAKER_01: But when you walk in, like you wear bold colors, yeah.
2:45
SPEAKER_01: And you don't even necessarily have to like open your mouth and start talking.
2:49
SPEAKER_01: You just have this, you know, like this high energy, like you said, this presence that is just so apparent.
2:55
SPEAKER_01: And so I've been told I have that same kind of um energy.
3:00
SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
3:00
SPEAKER_01: I don't know that it's the same as yours.
3:02
SPEAKER_01: Like, I don't, you know what I mean?
3:04
SPEAKER_01: Like, I don't know if we're the same kind of person.
3:06
SPEAKER_01: I don't wear big, bright, bold colors like you're wearing right now.
3:09
SPEAKER_01: Carrie's wearing like big fuchsia glasses with a fuchsia turtleneck.
3:14
SPEAKER_01: Like, she looks like the sun, really.
3:16
SPEAKER_01: Like you just look so bright and energy and yeah.
3:19
SPEAKER_01: So I want to ask you a few questions that we're, you know, I'm kind of we're ending the year of 2025 and heading into a new year.
3:28
SPEAKER_01: And at this time of year, lots of people are talking about like their year end and how this year went and how next year is gonna go.
3:36
SPEAKER_01: Um, I want to know something from you.
3:39
SPEAKER_01: What was one lesson or one shift that's kind of helped you redefine what success and connection mean to you?
3:48
SPEAKER_02: This year has been real a lot of there's always a lot of lessons.
3:52
SPEAKER_02: Um, I think that's something I've learned through throughout time is that you know, you can be going through the worst challenging time.
3:59
SPEAKER_02: And it's hard to see the opportunity when that lesson is presenting itself.
4:04
SPEAKER_02: Um, but really and truly, um, I always try and sit back and kind of like take things in.
4:11
SPEAKER_02: So as much as I am as a talker, I'm really a very good observer as well.
4:16
SPEAKER_02: So I like observe how people are with other people.
4:21
SPEAKER_02: And so a big part of that for me this year is just knowing when to when to stop.
4:27
SPEAKER_02: Um, and so that's been a big, that's been a big thing for me because I'm go, go, go, go, go all the time.
4:35
SPEAKER_02: But I've just realized that I don't need to do that.
4:38
SPEAKER_02: And sometimes I do too much and I don't mean to, but my heart is always in everything that I do.
4:45
SPEAKER_02: So it's really hard for me to not kind of take over sometimes.
4:49
SPEAKER_02: So I've really kind of tried to bake a back seat and go, okay, is this my this isn't my event?
4:55
SPEAKER_02: I don't need to, if someone asks for an opinion or asks for something, totally different.
5:01
SPEAKER_02: But I shouldn't just be putting information out there unless I'm asked.
5:06
SPEAKER_01: Right.
5:06
SPEAKER_01: And that sort of kind of defines the connector part of your title, right?
5:11
SPEAKER_01: I mean, it's not just about, you know, here, Mary, I want you to meet meet Susie.
5:16
SPEAKER_01: It's not that's not necessarily the connection, right?
5:20
SPEAKER_01: But it's also having your hands in in the dirt at all times, right?
5:25
SPEAKER_01: Yeah, oh, I kind of like that though, I'll be honest.
5:28
SPEAKER_01: So I I found I was like that when like in my early 20s.
5:33
SPEAKER_01: I wanted to be a part of everything.
5:34
SPEAKER_01: And then when my kids got older and started, well, not older, but when they start like when they were a school age and they started going into activities and you know, they were asking for parent volunteers, I had this aha moment that I don't want to know what's going on behind the scenes, right?
5:51
SPEAKER_01: Like I really don't want to be a part of you know, all the the gossip and the crap that goes on the right.
6:00
SPEAKER_02: I have no place for gossip drama.
6:04
SPEAKER_02: I'm I'm in my late 40s, I have no room for that in my life.
6:08
SPEAKER_02: Yeah, if you're gonna bring that to me, see yourself out because I have no time.
6:12
SPEAKER_01: Yeah, and and that's kind of like I had to sort of put a stop to that because I wanted to be involved, I wanted to be a part of, you know, doing like putting an event together or you know, creating whatever.
6:23
SPEAKER_01: But then I had to deal with all the the school age stuff, right?
6:28
SPEAKER_01: From the adults.
6:29
SPEAKER_01: And I was like, that's not what I want.
6:31
SPEAKER_01: I want my daughter to enjoy whatever it is that she's doing, or my son, or who whatever activity we were working on.
6:38
SPEAKER_01: So I had to take a step back and I'm like, that will never happen for me again, right?
6:42
SPEAKER_01: So, and I really like admire people that can, you know, like yourself, get into the the nitty-gritty of the event planning and putting together and be able to block and set a boundary for I'm not in the gossip, I'm not in the garbage.
6:59
SPEAKER_02: I don't want the interested in.
7:02
SPEAKER_02: I'm literally, I'm so focused when I'm doing something.
7:05
SPEAKER_02: And and so like I literally make it if I'm helping somebody with an event, they I can literally take care of all the details.
7:13
SPEAKER_02: Tell me what you want, tell me what you want to execute, how you want the thing to feel, so that it's still it's your event, but I'm able to execute it in your voice and just have it be seamless.
7:25
SPEAKER_02: Yeah, and that's super important.
7:27
SPEAKER_02: No, there's an issue because I there's so many people that do event planning and have no plan B.
7:34
SPEAKER_02: And it's like you always gotta have a plan.
7:36
SPEAKER_02: Oh, yeah, and like they fall apart second, things don't go to I'm like, you just roll with the punches.
7:41
SPEAKER_02: It's like my always had my advice to brides.
7:43
SPEAKER_02: I'm like, not everything's gonna go the way you want it to, but this is one day, and you want your marriage to last longer than that, longer than that, and don't let the don't sweat the small stuff, exactly.
7:54
SPEAKER_01: And at the end of the day, if you plan something and it doesn't happen, you're the only one who knows it doesn't happen.
7:59
SPEAKER_01: Totally.
7:59
SPEAKER_01: Of course, you know, of course, if the groom doesn't show up at the altar, that's something different, right?
8:04
SPEAKER_01: You can't plan that either, right?
8:06
SPEAKER_01: Like if you're planning the wedding or the party, you you can't plan everything.
8:10
SPEAKER_01: No, so let's talk about confidence a little bit.
8:13
SPEAKER_01: Um, what does authentic branding look like for women who are ready to step into a new chapter, either personally or professionally?
8:24
SPEAKER_02: I think just being real with yourself, right?
8:26
SPEAKER_02: And I think that's sometimes that takes a little bit of soul searching.
8:30
SPEAKER_02: Um, but I know for me, a big part of that has been finding the right networking working groups, because there's lots of groups out there, but they're not for everybody.
8:40
SPEAKER_02: So I'm not a BI girl.
8:42
SPEAKER_02: And I know that work B I works really well for some people, and I'm not taking anything away from that, but it's just not my, it's not my jam.
8:51
SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
8:52
SPEAKER_02: I especially as an as an independent entrepreneur, it's me.
8:55
SPEAKER_02: That's it's me.
8:57
SPEAKER_02: So I don't have time to go and have coffee with six people that I probably wouldn't have coffee with if they weren't somebody I would associate with on a regular basis.
9:06
SPEAKER_02: Um, I really do things that are very heart-aligned.
9:09
SPEAKER_02: So like I really need to align with clients in order to actually do business with them.
9:14
SPEAKER_02: If we don't align, then I just know it's not going to be a good match energetically.
9:18
SPEAKER_02: So then why bother?
9:20
SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
9:21
SPEAKER_01: And I think so.
9:22
SPEAKER_01: What I'm feeling from you right now is it's it's about community, right?
9:27
SPEAKER_01: B and I, B and I does not give you that sense of community that it gives to others, right?
9:33
SPEAKER_01: And and and so I belong to like officially belong to three different communities that are part of like a networking community.
9:42
SPEAKER_01: But they have what I like about them is they're not just about networking, they have events, they have masterminds, they have like social events, they they put on retreats, like, and you can be a part of all of it or very few of it, right?
9:56
SPEAKER_01: Like, and that's for me, that is more beneficial, right?
10:00
SPEAKER_01: I've been to a couple B and I meetings.
10:02
SPEAKER_01: I don't even to be honest with, I don't even remember what they were like.
10:05
SPEAKER_01: I went as a like a guest.
10:06
SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
10:07
SPEAKER_01: Um, you know, I mean, we're not here to talk about the different communities we could belong to, but I think it's more about you know, that finding that community that is going to support you and give you the resources that you're gonna need over your time, whether it's in business or because networking isn't just about business.
10:25
SPEAKER_01: Like, would you agree?
10:26
SPEAKER_02: Oh, well, yeah, no, like I honestly, I have so you may or may or may not know, but I um belong to Weminition.
10:35
SPEAKER_02: Um, the nice thing about Wiminition is there's no membership fee, you're just paying for lunch.
10:39
SPEAKER_02: You participate in what you want, but like like like the saying goes, you get what you give, right?
10:45
SPEAKER_02: So if you're not going to come all the time, you can't expect everybody's going to be rigging your your phone the just because you came to three meetings.
10:53
SPEAKER_02: Like that's right, like you really need to put more into it.
10:56
SPEAKER_02: And so, yeah, many of the women and I meet outside of of that meeting space, but the consistency of being in that meeting space constantly has really opened the doors to my business blossoming.
11:09
SPEAKER_02: And I so appreciate that.
11:11
SPEAKER_02: And I love the female entrepreneur.
11:13
SPEAKER_02: Um, we're all in the same mindset, we're not in competition with each other, even when we do the same kind of work, right?
11:20
SPEAKER_02: Because it's not about that, it's about that feeling of connection and feeling of support.
11:24
SPEAKER_02: And I really find that with that group, it really does it for me.
11:28
SPEAKER_02: However, I love going to the coffee with the chamber as well.
11:32
SPEAKER_02: It's it's a totally different niche.
11:34
SPEAKER_02: There's a lot of people, it's a lot more overwhelming than it was 25 years ago when I started going, because it was like 30 people.
11:40
SPEAKER_02: Now it's like 300 or 500.
11:43
SPEAKER_02: Oh, it's crazy.
11:44
SPEAKER_02: It's crazy.
11:45
SPEAKER_02: But my key to going to networking events like that is find a person that you haven't seen in a while or someone that you wanted to connect with.
11:53
SPEAKER_02: Go and chat with that person and then find out from them who they think you need to meet based on what your connection is.
12:01
SPEAKER_02: So when I go to a networking meeting, it's never about me.
12:04
SPEAKER_02: It's about okay, what can I do for this person?
12:08
SPEAKER_02: Who can I connect that person with and who can they connect me with where it's going to be actually beneficial, not just talk.
12:17
SPEAKER_01: Yeah, yeah, exactly.
12:18
SPEAKER_01: And I want to touch a little bit on what you said about um, you know, meeting other women or like other others in the same industry as you.
12:28
SPEAKER_01: When you're in a networking meeting and you're sitting beside someone who is basically doing the same work that you're doing, you know, like whether it's like life coaching or, you know, a connector like yourself or, you know, any of the other industries that we, you know, us entrepreneurs are in, sometimes that person can become your best friend.
12:50
SPEAKER_01: Oh, right.
12:51
SPEAKER_01: She doesn't have to be your competition, even if you're doing exactly the same kind of work, because we all have our own, you know, systems and our own ways, right?
13:03
SPEAKER_01: Like I know, like rapport is a big deal, right?
13:06
SPEAKER_01: Like we need to hold rapport with a person that we're talking to.
13:10
SPEAKER_01: And sometimes, you know, you and I could be talking to the same person, and that person will connect more with you over me, right?
13:19
SPEAKER_01: And so we need to consider that as well, right?
13:22
SPEAKER_01: We need to absolutely you know take into consideration we're not here for everyone.
13:26
SPEAKER_01: Totally.
13:27
SPEAKER_02: Yeah, it's not it, it's you're not going to be everybody's cup of tea, and that's okay.
13:33
SPEAKER_02: And that's okay, exactly.
13:34
SPEAKER_02: Because there's a ton, and there's so much, like we're in a big city, not to mention being being in the field of social media now, like your reach is far greater than you possibly could have, especially if you're putting in the effort to do engagement, which is always my piece of advice for people.
13:52
SPEAKER_02: You can have the prettiest, prettiest social media out there, but if you aren't doing the engagement and the networking, it's kind of it's not doing it any good for you.
14:01
SPEAKER_01: Yeah, exactly.
14:02
SPEAKER_01: And we're also working, like you know, we might be competing with the person sitting beside us, but our our um I I I guess it's called a network.
14:13
SPEAKER_01: The people that we can help and work with, we like we're in a in a world now where we can work with people all over the world.
14:21
SPEAKER_01: 100%, yeah.
14:22
SPEAKER_02: Right.
14:22
SPEAKER_02: I had a conversation with somebody actually out of Milan, Italy, uh, or yeah, out of Milan um uh last year.
14:29
SPEAKER_02: And I thought, like, when would I ever have the opportunity?
14:32
SPEAKER_02: Um, and then even wearing wearing a different hat.
14:35
SPEAKER_02: I worked for Nurse Next Door at one time and in their public relations, and we actually had a translator from China there because they wanted to kind of have our nurses, their nurses kind of trained by our our organization.
14:48
SPEAKER_02: Oh wow, how cool is that, right?
14:50
SPEAKER_02: Like my wildest dreams, did I ever think I'd be having conversations with people all like across exactly, yeah, exactly.
14:58
SPEAKER_01: And like I put I posted on Monday, I was at a networking meeting um that was held in the States, I think in Denver, and I met a lady there who lives in Turkey, yeah, right, and I was like, wow, and she actually just called me this morning, and I was like, okay, this is this is super cool, right?
15:15
SPEAKER_01: Now, of course, for someone like me, whoever I'm talking with has to speak English, right?
15:21
SPEAKER_01: And so, you know, but I mean, English is all over the world.
15:24
SPEAKER_01: Every I mean, not every single person talks English, but every community has English, right?
15:31
SPEAKER_01: And so, yeah, and so I mean, that's just the power of you know, technology number one, absolutely, absolutely and the world we're living in today, right?
15:39
SPEAKER_01: Totally, totally.
15:40
SPEAKER_01: I want to talk a little bit about storytelling.
15:43
SPEAKER_01: So, I mean, we all know that you know, you get to know people through their stories.
15:47
SPEAKER_01: Yes.
15:48
SPEAKER_01: How do you think that storytelling can help women on their journeys, especially when you know we're transitioning, reinventing, or just starting fresh in this new year?
15:59
SPEAKER_02: Yeah, you know, that authenticity is in vulnerability is so important.
16:03
SPEAKER_02: And I think a lot of people shy away from well, this is what I used to do, and I don't really want to talk about that.
16:10
SPEAKER_02: But your story is about who you are.
16:13
SPEAKER_02: Like I got laid off three times during this during the pandemic.
16:17
SPEAKER_02: So over like five years, I was laid off or within like well, a year and a half, I was laid off three times.
16:23
SPEAKER_02: So you know, so it's a matter of being resilient, right?
16:27
SPEAKER_02: And it's just like, and my network has been as such, I've barely had to apply for a job in the last 20 years.
16:34
SPEAKER_02: That's saying something, right?
16:36
SPEAKER_02: So it's the power of connection is huge.
16:39
SPEAKER_02: Um, and so during that time, I really played into my LinkedIn and being connected that way and even just putting out positive messaging um because it was really hard, especially being in the healthcare field, because you had to know what was going on, but it sucked your soul, right?
16:57
SPEAKER_02: Like all that information.
16:59
SPEAKER_02: And then everyone's coming at you with, well, what do you think about like, what do you think about the vaccinations?
17:05
SPEAKER_02: I don't whether you want to or don't want to is completely up to you.
17:10
SPEAKER_02: I am not that person.
17:11
SPEAKER_02: You and I could have completely different political views.
17:14
SPEAKER_02: I'm never going to try and put my view on you.
17:17
SPEAKER_02: I might tell you why I think, why, why I think, what I think, but I'm never going to try and influence you to think the way that I think.
17:24
SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
17:25
SPEAKER_01: Um, I know I remember having those conversations, like, you know, don't ask me what I think because you may not want to hear it.
17:32
SPEAKER_02: No, right?
17:32
SPEAKER_02: Like, and and and at the end of the day, I chose to get vaccinated because I like traveling and I wasn't going to have to stay in place.
17:40
SPEAKER_02: That just was who I was, right?
17:42
SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
17:43
SPEAKER_02: Again, those stories are like people want to get to know you.
17:47
SPEAKER_02: And I think a lot of people think, well, like, because I always tell you need to do a video, and they're like, oh my god, oh my god, oh my god.
17:52
SPEAKER_02: Like they don't have to be perfect and polished.
17:54
SPEAKER_02: This isn't this isn't a um this isn't TV, you're not doing a commercial, right?
18:02
SPEAKER_02: So I'm just just be who you are.
18:04
SPEAKER_02: 30 seconds about customer or funny thing you're using that is, right?
18:09
SPEAKER_01: Yeah, it's funny that you're using that as an example right here because I don't do videos.
18:15
SPEAKER_01: I don't want to.
18:16
SPEAKER_01: And I don't know.
18:17
SPEAKER_01: I mean, obviously, if I really dig deep enough, I can figure out why I don't want to, but I don't want to.
18:22
SPEAKER_01: And I think, why am I being so stubborn about this?
18:26
SPEAKER_01: Like everyone else is doing it, right?
18:28
SPEAKER_01: Yeah, and and they know that they're not exactly perfect because none of us are right.
18:33
SPEAKER_01: If you and I get on a call, like on Zoom, I mean, I'm gonna show up as I am.
18:38
SPEAKER_01: Why can't I do that on Facebook and social media?
18:40
SPEAKER_01: I don't get it, right?
18:42
SPEAKER_01: But yeah, but it is it is what it is, right?
18:44
SPEAKER_01: And I mean, we can talk that.
18:46
SPEAKER_01: I mean, I know we can talk about you know how to get yourself on social media for a lot of people.
18:50
SPEAKER_01: Totally, right?
18:52
SPEAKER_02: Just it just don't be afraid to be vulnerable.
18:54
SPEAKER_02: And people actually appreciate that authenticity more than anything else.
18:58
SPEAKER_02: More than anything, and it's true, yeah.
19:00
SPEAKER_02: I think that's why I connect well with people because I am an open book.
19:04
SPEAKER_02: I I am who I am, I don't I don't make apologies for it.
19:08
SPEAKER_02: This is like this is me, and like like it, hate it, don't you know, whatever.
19:13
SPEAKER_02: You want to be by be in the room with me, great.
19:15
SPEAKER_02: And if not, that's okay too.
19:17
SPEAKER_02: Yeah, but I'll even find when I'm going to networking events.
19:20
SPEAKER_02: Sometimes the energy is just too much for me, and so I'm getting out of the room like the earliest, or sometimes I'm there even later because I've just really connected really well with yeah, but and I think I think we can all relate with that, right?
19:32
SPEAKER_01: Because sometimes we feel that, sometimes it is too much, and then sometimes it's like, you know what, I kind of just want to go home.
19:38
SPEAKER_01: I'm done.
19:39
SPEAKER_01: Yeah, yeah, yeah.
19:40
SPEAKER_01: I get that.
19:41
SPEAKER_01: So you're known for creating spaces where authenticity and encouragement flourish.
19:47
SPEAKER_01: What are the key ingredients that you bring to building community?
19:52
SPEAKER_01: Number one, um, and and also what lifts us all together to I think just just like finding.
20:00
SPEAKER_02: out with somebody's story is um thinking like about how I can help them connect with others uh even this morning I was chatting with uh um one of the ladies from Woman issue who's kind of just started and I'm just like wait wait a second I'm like I've got a client the couple people that I think that I could connect you with right like you don't necessarily think well how could these connect but they do so it's just you know making those introductions and so like and I don't get paid to do those introductions but I do them very regularly because I think it's important right and it just because somebody isn't in your industry doesn't mean you can't collaborate with them.
20:35
SPEAKER_02: No and that's that's part of supporting right like supporting your fellow woman right like what is wrong with that well and it's getting different eyes on your page right so even though you might do completely different things I'm sorry it's called marketing 101 it's like the more different types of people you can get looking at your stuff the better.
20:55
SPEAKER_02: That was the whole point of hashtags back in the day is so that you could get different communities looking at things.
21:00
SPEAKER_01: Now they've kind of gone the way of the dodo bird we can still use them a little bit but you certainly don't need 30 hashtags on things right right yeah so now like we've kind of talked about how you know women entrepreneurs um not that we said they they often feel like comp like they're competing but it's kind of a known thing right women often feel that if we're doing the same business we're competing against each other.
21:25
SPEAKER_01: How do you turn that um you know like you you know you are the queen of collaboration and connection and how can you turn that into like a real business growth for women instead of them feeling like it's I'm just competing with everyone out there.
21:43
SPEAKER_02: So I like I'll often I'll often especially when somebody's new to newer to the industry I'll often kind of take that person on the right wing go out for a coffee with them and like just find out more about who they are and like maybe who I could connect with them with because again not everyone's going to be your customer and I think knowing you know again because a lot of people are like oh you know I I don't I don't know what my niche is everyone's my niche.
22:06
SPEAKER_02: It's like no everyone's not your niche.
22:08
SPEAKER_02: Who do you want to work with?
22:10
SPEAKER_02: And it took me a long time to figure that out but I do I connect really well with women and so that's usually who I connect with I have a couple clients that are men as well um but like they really need to trust what they're doing um and just know that it's okay that we do things differently.
22:28
SPEAKER_02: And I find it's almost like having like masterminds when you do get to meet up because it's like what are you doing?
22:35
SPEAKER_02: What's working well for you?
22:36
SPEAKER_02: What do you find that you know is working isn't working well for you.
22:40
SPEAKER_02: Oh what could you do differently?
22:42
SPEAKER_02: Or oh you know what maybe you should come to this meeting or that meeting right and which is why I do a newsletter because I think it's not just I want to introduce people to businesses they maybe even haven't heard of um and there's so many people doing so many cool things out there that I had known nothing about.
23:00
SPEAKER_02: And so I just think it's always great you know always great to kind of do different things and give people different information about things they may not even know even existed.
23:11
SPEAKER_01: Yeah and I love that you know like you said there's so many people out there that are doing things that I don't even know about.
23:17
SPEAKER_01: I love meeting those people right because then I'm I can my curiosity grows and then I I start asking questions and I know lots of times they look at me like do you really want to ask me these questions like you know but sometimes I'm like I I get curious I'm like what what exactly does that mean and how can I put that into my life or how can I you know bring it into someone else's life somehow some way absolutely yeah and I find it interesting to meet with people who are not you can be like minded and not be the same.
23:50
SPEAKER_02: And I think some people don't grasp that concept right um the young lady I was talking to this morning um is a very different person than I am.
24:00
SPEAKER_02: Uh we energetically we like just seem to connect but we're very very different people but I enjoy different perspectives and it makes you it it it honestly it gets you to think harder.
24:11
SPEAKER_02: And I think that that's a good thing right because we get complacent if we stay still and we like getting uncomfortable is the best thing you can do for yourself because that's where growth happens right absolutely so many people are just just go on with day to day they go on about their routine and then and then they're constantly complaining that you know well everything's the same well that's because you don't do anything different.
24:35
SPEAKER_01: Yeah and and and as humans I mean we are creatures of habit right and so by the time we realize that we're stuck in a routine that's not working it's been a long time.
24:46
SPEAKER_01: Right.
24:47
SPEAKER_01: And so if you don't expand that boundary on the outside of your you know your comfort zone you're gonna get deeper and deeper in that zone.
24:55
SPEAKER_01: And then next thing you know and we see that we see it a lot with older people like the elderly where they sort of push the new stuff away right I see that with my mom a lot.
25:04
SPEAKER_01: She's like determined that I am not about to change like I can't change.
25:09
SPEAKER_01: I'm old I'm you know and because she's always said you know we're creatures of habit she doesn't even realize herself how the habits that she lives right now were formed at one time and she hasn't been doing that since she was a child.
25:23
SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
25:23
SPEAKER_01: Right.
25:24
SPEAKER_01: And so we we have to like we're in charge of whatever change happens.
25:29
SPEAKER_01: 100% right and so if we don't allow that change and it doesn't have to be big gigantic steps it can be baby steps right a little bit at a time.
25:37
SPEAKER_02: I don't know if you've ever read Atomic Habits but you know he talks about stacking and you know it's just adding one small thing to I've got credit but I've got um uh the uh audible and oh it's a really good read yeah so every time I so every time I uh well what when I go to bed at night or I'm sitting here working on something I always have a podcast on so I've listened to that book probably 50 times because everybody's talking about it right yeah yeah exactly yeah I guess well and it's and and it is it's like forming new habits is hard it's it really is and I find myself falling back into habits and and it's just having ADHD let me tell you I will meet somebody I always remember a face I am horrible with names but I could probably tell you what you were wearing the last time I saw so you you're very visual yes you're very visual I love that that's super cool that's super cool I used to remember names quite well yeah now I'm like they just go right over my head I don't know if that's age or if that's I got too much you know too much stuff to organize in my brain is sometimes what I think.
26:46
SPEAKER_02: This is what I tell my husband all the time because like he always tells me that I'm not listening to him.
26:50
SPEAKER_02: So I quite literally have been seeing a hypnotist to work on my listening.
26:57
SPEAKER_02: And I know it sounds silly not at all but but honestly like just as somebody with ADHD it's really hard to focus sometimes.
27:06
SPEAKER_01: I believe it's not that I'm not listening but there's lit the little hamster in my little brain is constant is on constantly and there's so many distractions yeah yeah I get that I get that now I've so you and I have met through women womanish and we actually haven't met in person but we've been in the same room I was gonna say I've seen you across the room and I don't think we've actually yeah had a conversation we've never actually met but we've been in the same room and I and I didn't even realize this until you and I had our first meet and greet that you run the photo booths and that and you yeah and I would think that they're super cool.
27:43
SPEAKER_01: Uh what so I mean clearly you use these as tools to meet people to get to know them and as a connect them.
27:50
SPEAKER_01: Yeah for sure so what tell me what you know I I'm gonna call them playful right because everybody that comes to these booths I mean they're there for they they're playing right I mean they're having fun they want to enjoy themselves what do you you um use these experiences as to teach about your visibility and confidence when you're talking with you know with your other I guess clients or whatever you're working with that just I that play is so in so important right like I was always a Barbie girl growing up which is why I love fashion and so and Mr.
28:31
SPEAKER_02: dress up was like always on TV for oh my gosh I love Mr.
28:34
SPEAKER_02: Dress Up like literally I have a tickle trunk right so it's just if there's a costume party I am in like always in you need a costume contact me chances are I got something you can use oh I love that I loved Mr.
28:48
SPEAKER_01: Dress Up I went to see him I was an adult like I was I I think I was close to 40 when I went to see him so too funny.
28:54
SPEAKER_02: Yeah I saw I saw him as a child but always like always just instilled that curiosity right like be able to have fun and I think that's what I love about this business is we constantly get to have fun.
29:07
SPEAKER_02: And as you age you don't go out as much so this like this gets me out on a Friday or a Saturday night and I'm it's either you make money or you spend money on the weekend.
29:17
SPEAKER_02: I'd rather make it and I still get to have fun right so we were at the Superlative awards last weekend and oh my God like just so much fun.
29:25
SPEAKER_02: The pictures were were incredible um people always have a great time actually we ended up with five like five five star reviews uh the next day which was like so it was just like it just it it just fills my heart so much because I love what I do I absolutely love doing the photo booth I love bringing people joy and especially you know you go to a boring conference what a fun way like it just adds something fun even with a Christmas party we're usually busier than the dance floor right so you know so you're doing something right and the same thing it's just like oh you brings like such incredible energy and it's like well that's what it's about right that's yeah poses to do and so it just yeah it just and it's a it's confidence boosting.
30:16
SPEAKER_02: So we're like wow I look really good.
30:18
SPEAKER_01: I'm like right and you know guess what we could take another one right yeah and you can and you have props right like you always have those silly glasses and yeah so I mean like that's an opportunity for you to like let go and have fun and at a party like you're usually drinking right you don't have a glass of wine relax a little bit well I think that's a big part about uh about uh about our booths too is that you can text message yourself a link and then you can look back at all the photos that were taken all night because they're a whole lot more prim and proper at the beginning than they are at the end.
30:52
SPEAKER_01: Oh yes they are I love that that's a great idea yeah and I do lots lots of uh lots of um conferences um I because of my connection with the senior community um I don't burn bridges either that's just not something that I do yeah doesn't matter I would rather walk away with grace trust me there's bridges I've wanted to burn but I haven't because at the end of the day that's a reflection on you not on them and so you know you walk away and you just smile and that's that's also something I was tell my kids that too right like you never know when that person or those people are gonna come back into your life and you don't know what you might need from them or they might need you and you need to be able you need to have their trust right on either way you never know right I agree with you.
31:41
SPEAKER_02: No so you know so anyways it's just it's just about just being being that person who can let water run off their back and go you know what this happened what was the lesson because there's always a lesson so take that lesson and now try and do things better right yeah yeah I love that so now often women feel disconnected from you know like traditional marketing right yeah a lot of people don't even really know how to market themselves how do how how can us women promote our work in ways that um feel aligned human and hard centered because I mean that's kind of what we all want so I always go with the four pillars so my four my four pillars are promotion because no one wants to to see ads that are buy for me buy for me buy for me constantly right right so that's one part of it then you want to entertain people so something funny um something inspirational right so having a quote or something something that means something to you so you want you want to convey that meaning and you don't want to just convey the meaning to you what is the meaning to your customer so I always come through I think that's why my marketing resonates so well with people is that I'm able to speak in their voice to their clients in a way that resonates with them.
33:10
SPEAKER_02: And so I I would love to tell somebody how to do that but really just be authentic and I know I keep using that word but really and truly that's what people connect with people are doing business with you because they like you.
33:24
SPEAKER_02: They it may not even they may not even need your product they're buying your product or promoting your product because of you.
33:30
SPEAKER_02: You are your brand at the end of the day.
33:33
SPEAKER_02: And so that's the you know that's just so so important.
33:37
SPEAKER_02: And that storytelling aspect putting yourself out there and it's not comfortable I still don't like and I do it all the time hello beautiful people let's carry the connector here right like it's just that's that's how I start everything and it doesn't have to be this big audacious thing it can just be hey you know what I just got off the phone with this client and I helped them do this.
33:59
SPEAKER_01: Yeah something that you think you'd need help with contact me or if you know somebody who needs help with this contact me right right yeah yeah and I I think you're right I think it's you know just be yourself right ask your real question don't don't pussyfoot right like just ask ask me what you really want to know and I will do my absolute best to give you the answer that I have absolutely yeah and there's the education piece people love being educated.
34:27
SPEAKER_02: I love learning about like new health products or oh I didn't know that the blue light glasses were a thing or is that actually a thing right so it's like and then it I always like being prompted to make further investigation.
34:42
SPEAKER_02: And I think that's probably as much as I like the marketing I love the research part of it too because absolutely because I get to know things right yeah I know sometimes that can come across as a know it all but it's like no I just like knowing about different things exactly about more people.
34:58
SPEAKER_01: Right.
34:58
SPEAKER_01: And and like you said okay now the blue light on the glasses that's been around for yeah quite a while now but things are always changing.
35:05
SPEAKER_01: I remember when the um the polarized lenses came out I know that we're talking probably 15 20 years ago now but I remember thinking to myself when they showed me the difference I'm like why haven't I heard of this before yeah right and so you know that goes with every product that's out there.
35:22
SPEAKER_01: When you learn of something new and we know like with our phones now there's new apps all the time.
35:28
SPEAKER_01: Yep you know share if you learned something new today share it with the person that you're sitting beside at lunch or on the bus or wherever you are right yeah you heard about this new app did you know we could do this on our phone now there's nothing wrong with that.
35:41
SPEAKER_02: If somebody doesn't want to hear about it they'll say well yeah thank you for letting me know right yeah but you know like share share your knowledge I I'm really I I annoy the crap out of my husband because he's like I don't think that person cared about blah blah blah whatever and I'm like I might have been the only person that engaged that person in conversation today.
35:58
SPEAKER_01: That's right.
35:59
SPEAKER_01: Exactly exactly you know it's funny that you say that my daughter was at the gym this morning and she sent me a message and she said this older man um just came up to me and told me that I was um showing too many body parts and and something else or that he couldn't get motivated today.
36:15
SPEAKER_01: And I said and she was like kind of down on herself she was wearing sweatpants and a long sleeve t-shirt right and I was like he's clearly triggered by something that you either did or didn't do right and he needed someone to see him and hear him right often you know that's people need that.
36:35
SPEAKER_02: But what a great way to look at things right and I think and I think that's what I'm always thinking about look at put the shoe on the other foot.
36:42
SPEAKER_02: And that's really hard for a lot of people to do because I don't know you watch people drive out there everybody's very self-centered these oh my gosh yes about me and then me and then me and then me yeah I'm the only one that's in a hurry I'm the only one who has to get anywhere.
36:56
SPEAKER_02: Yeah hey you don't know that that person just lost the just got the news that they lost their mom so they they the their mind wasn't on that or that person just this just happened to that person like you have no idea what's going on in some who writes somebody off right away because sometimes someone's just having a bad day.
37:16
SPEAKER_01: Maybe after the third interaction if they're still a jerk well then maybe they're just a jerk right yeah yeah exactly three chances yeah yeah totally totally now as we're moving into 2026 what are some of the shoulds that you need to let go of and have let go of and how did you kind of open space inside you to allow more self-trust and self-creativity I'm really trying to just you know figure out things a little bit clearer.
37:49
SPEAKER_02: So being more vulnerable and being curious um taking bold steps imperfect steps they don't have to be perfect steps um and letting go of that perfectionism because I'm a firstborn child so I like being I'm a people pleaser and I like things to be perfect.
38:08
SPEAKER_02: I've really struggled with that for years um and then even just like and then I expect people to act like I act because it's logical and it makes sense.
38:18
SPEAKER_02: But that's not how life works and so I've really kind of taken a bold step to let things go a little and not be so I have to do this I should do this I should do that.
38:32
SPEAKER_02: You know what like my mom my mom cleans her house every Sunday and I said to mom nobody's gonna stand up at your funeral and go, she had such a clean house because I can tell you I clean but my house is not organized.
38:45
SPEAKER_02: I always have something going in and out especially with the photo booth business and I honestly sometimes it bothers me but at the end of the day you know what I have uh a great relationship with my husband I have a cute little dog who you might hear snoring beside me sleeping on the bed across from me and um life's just about like enjoying it right so like my husband and I don't have lots of bad habits we're not really big drinkers we don't smoke we're not big partiers so we spend money on vacations we love going and exploring things right so that's what I do to and so I'm really just trying to concentrate more on making sure that my home life is my priority.
39:31
SPEAKER_02: Yeah and and the thing is if you're if you have a good home life then your work life can be improved or just as good right and vice versa right yeah and then just having those boundaries to to be like I'm not working Sundays or like one of I talked to a girl yesterday too and she's like you know what my phone goes off after four o'clock the only reason you're getting hold of me is because I'm on my way to get food.
39:56
SPEAKER_02: I was like fair I'm like that's a good habit right yeah Like I try and work well, my husband's out of the house and he leaves at 6:30 in the morning.
40:04
SPEAKER_02: So I'm often up working then.
40:06
SPEAKER_02: Sometimes I'm up at 4:30 working because I just find my creative brain works really well between about 4:30 and 6:30, as weird as that is.
40:14
SPEAKER_02: So I do a lot of batch content at that time.
40:17
SPEAKER_02: Um, and then just work on other things throughout the day.
40:20
SPEAKER_02: It's like, okay, I've got this event coming up.
40:22
SPEAKER_02: Okay, I've got to have this stuff ready.
40:24
SPEAKER_02: I have two photo booths this weekend on the same day.
40:27
SPEAKER_02: So I've got to be really organized.
40:28
SPEAKER_02: Okay, I'm setting up one on Friday, got everything ready for that.
40:32
SPEAKER_02: And then okay, we're gonna use the same booth.
40:34
SPEAKER_02: So how can I make that work, right?
40:37
SPEAKER_02: Right.
40:38
SPEAKER_01: Yeah, and that yeah, you have you have to be prepared for that.
40:41
SPEAKER_01: Totally.
40:41
SPEAKER_01: Totally.
40:42
SPEAKER_02: And I have multiple booths in your pants.
40:44
SPEAKER_02: I just I really like this booth and what it's doing right now.
40:46
SPEAKER_02: So I just it's kind of my upgrade for my clients.
40:49
SPEAKER_01: Ah, good for you.
40:50
SPEAKER_01: That's awesome.
40:50
SPEAKER_01: I love that.
40:51
SPEAKER_01: So when your life or your business is feeling um out of alignment, what kind of practices uh help you sort of realign with your why?
41:02
SPEAKER_01: And we all know that, right?
41:03
SPEAKER_01: We all know that.
41:04
SPEAKER_01: We have to know that when we get into business, and how also help you kind of reconnect with what is really truly important.
41:11
SPEAKER_02: You know what?
41:12
SPEAKER_02: I usually put more into my networking when I get to that point because I think you know what?
41:17
SPEAKER_02: I'm missing something or someone, and this is a great way to do it.
41:23
SPEAKER_02: So that's an awesome answer.
41:24
SPEAKER_02: I actually really like that, and putting myself in in different in different networking situations, so not with people I always network with.
41:32
SPEAKER_02: So sometimes like shaking things up a little, because again, you get things get stale sometimes.
41:39
SPEAKER_02: So sometimes like sitting with different people, right?
41:42
SPEAKER_02: Because even women, you tend to like, oh, you know who who your people are, but it's really important to sit with somebody new, or I'll find somebody new there and like, oh, who are you?
41:51
SPEAKER_02: What do you do?
41:52
SPEAKER_02: Oh, how can I connect you?
41:53
SPEAKER_02: Let's have a coffee, let's see what we could do together, right?
41:56
SPEAKER_02: Like, and it may not, and it's not necessarily that we're gonna do business together, but I just want to help that person succeed.
42:02
SPEAKER_02: It's just just part of who I am.
42:03
SPEAKER_02: I don't know.
42:04
SPEAKER_02: I said, my name is Carrie for a reason.
42:06
SPEAKER_02: I care, right?
42:07
SPEAKER_02: Like, I really truly believe that I am in service to others.
42:11
SPEAKER_02: That's why I was put on this earth, and so that's that's me fulfilling my purpose, is just being able to help others.
42:18
SPEAKER_01: I love that.
42:18
SPEAKER_01: I love that.
42:19
SPEAKER_01: Okay, so I'm gonna ask you.
42:20
SPEAKER_01: I mean, I think you kind of answered it in one way or another, but if you could offer one message to the women standing on the edge of reinvention right now, um, what would you say as they start their own like beginning of me chapter?
42:36
SPEAKER_02: Write down your goals and decide, decide and decide what your non-negotiables are and make sure that you stick to your boundaries.
42:45
SPEAKER_02: If that's something I haven't learned yet, and I'm still still do that because I still allow some people to bend those boundaries.
42:52
SPEAKER_02: I really think that that's probably the biggest, biggest thing that that will give you the most amount of success.
42:59
SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
43:00
SPEAKER_01: And that, and with that, I mean, you don't necessarily mean like, you know, it's an absolute no every single time someone asks you for something.
43:08
SPEAKER_01: It's more about, you know, that doesn't fit into my world right now.
43:12
SPEAKER_01: It's gonna have to be a no.
43:14
SPEAKER_02: Absolutely.
43:14
SPEAKER_02: Or and I always take no's, they're a no for now, right?
43:18
SPEAKER_02: So they're not a no forever.
43:20
SPEAKER_02: And so, and I probably got into that habit having worked in in the fundraising field because sometimes it was a no, but it's just no right now.
43:28
SPEAKER_02: Yeah, I can't ask later.
43:30
SPEAKER_02: Maybe I can ask in a different way or a different person, and and I might get that yes, but don't look at as you're getting into things, you just don't make money your focus because as soon as you make money your focus, you will you will always be running towards it.
43:47
SPEAKER_02: Right.
43:47
SPEAKER_02: And then you lose not your focus, it makes a huge difference.
43:51
SPEAKER_02: So don't worry about the money, it will come.
43:54
SPEAKER_02: Just be yourself.
43:55
SPEAKER_01: Yeah, I love that.
43:57
SPEAKER_01: Thank you so much for joining me today with conversation.
44:01
SPEAKER_01: And I really look forward to actually like talking to you in a room.
44:06
SPEAKER_01: Yes, hopefully that will be happening soon.
44:08
SPEAKER_01: I was gonna say, are you coming to a munition on Tuesday?
44:10
SPEAKER_01: I am, yeah.
44:11
SPEAKER_01: So maybe that'll be the day.
44:13
SPEAKER_02: I will be there and I will be uh sporting some fashions on the runway.
44:18
SPEAKER_01: Oh, I love it.
44:20
SPEAKER_01: Oh my gosh, I love it.
44:21
SPEAKER_01: Well, thank you so much, Carrie.
44:23
SPEAKER_01: Absolutely.
44:24
SPEAKER_01: Thank you so much for tuning in to Confidence and Bloom.
44:27
SPEAKER_01: And I hope you enjoyed the conversation with Carrie as much as I did.
44:31
SPEAKER_01: And I hope that you're reminded that you're not alone on this journey and that your confidence grows every time you tell that itty bitty shitty committee to hush.
44:41
SPEAKER_01: If you're ready to take this even deeper, I'd love to invite you to the Bloom Room, a nurturing community where women come together to release self-doubt, reconnect with themselves, and bloom into the truest versions of who they are meant to be.
44:55
SPEAKER_01: Until next time, remember, confidence isn't something you find, it's something that blooms from within.
45:02
SPEAKER_00: Thanks for listening.
45:03
SPEAKER_00: This show was brought to you by Divas That Care.
45:06
SPEAKER_00: Connect with us on Facebook, on Instagram, and of course on divas that care.com, where you can subscribe to our newsletter so you don't miss a thing.