Latest / Pretty In Pink Again / Episode 43: Jennifer Palpallatoc (@hauteofftherack) — Letting Joy Exist, Even When Life Is Heavy

Transcript

Episode 43: Jennifer Palpallatoc (@hauteofftherack) — Letting Joy Exist, Even When Life Is Heavy · Pretty In Pink Again

0:00
I'm Christina, and I'm t and this is the Pretty and Pink Again podcast where Motherhood meets rediscovery.
0:16
Today's guest is someone I've known for almost 10 years, which in the influencer space honestly feels like a lifetime.
0:24
Jen is the founder of Hot Off the Rack, and she's built a career that has grown alongside real life, not just the highlight reel, but the seasons that shape you.
0:33
She's created a brand rooted in style, longevity, and genuine connection from longstanding creative partnerships to motherhood, community building, and sharing the joy and complexity of everyday life.
0:45
She's someone who stayed true to herself as everything around her has evolved.
0:49
We're so excited to sit down with her today and talk about building a brand that lasts, navigating motherhood and postpartum creating community, and how life experience has shaped the way we show up both online and off.
1:01
Welcome, Jen.
1:02
Hey, we have a virtual guest here all the way from Louisiana, hopefully in better weather than we are in now.
1:08
It's freezing.
1:09
Oh, it's chilly today.
1:10
I love it.
1:11
Oh, I know.
1:12
I love, oh, it's so cold.
1:13
It's so cold.
1:14
And I love And what is for you in Louisiana?
1:17
Let me look.
1:18
I'll tell you, let's see.
1:19
Right now it is, this morning it was 30 degrees.
1:25
Oh my God.
1:25
It really, it's chilly.
1:26
Okay.
1:26
I eat my words.
1:27
It's pretty good.
1:27
Okay, so now it's 49, but that's just'cause the sun is out.
1:31
But I thought you were gonna be like 65.
1:34
I know.
1:35
No.
1:35
And it'll get down to 27 tonight, oh, wow.
1:38
I love all your other nurse, so it's like a special Yeah.
1:41
I know you guys have it as a little treat, like you want to wear the cozies and we're like, yes, we get it.
1:45
But then sometimes we're like, okay, we're in Connecticut and, we know we're in it for the long haul here.
1:50
Like this is it.
1:51
So sometimes we like to pick on our southern guests, but I get it, you're, it's cold there too.
1:56
So we're all in our, it's a treat for us Joy.
1:59
Yeah.
1:59
So we are so excited to have you.
2:01
So like I said, I've known Jen for a really long time.
2:05
We met at the beginning, both of us, of influencing.
2:07
Yeah.
2:07
And we met in person at Fashion Week and we've done a ton of like traveling together.
2:12
And so this is such a delight to have you here.
2:14
I miss you.
2:15
I feel like I haven't seen you in person in such a long time.
2:17
I know.
2:18
I was trying to think of the last time, and it was a long time either on.
2:22
That cruise show.
2:23
It was, remember, I think it was the cruise.
2:25
Yeah.
2:25
Because that's what my husbands, it was either that or I'm trying to remember too, the last time that we went to Fashion week and then remember how we went and did karaoke Yes.
2:35
Later.
2:35
Yes.
2:36
Then Yep.
2:37
It might have been that.
2:37
And I know, but it's it's still been a handful of years and I think it's before both of us became moms, which is crazy.
2:43
So now we're Oh yes, it was, yeah.
2:44
So now we're like in this, so your kids, are they five three and mean you doing karaoke?
2:48
Sounds like before kids We skipped When you were Fashion Week events and went out, we were like, okay, we've been there, done that.
2:55
There's fashion week parties, or we could just all get a group of us together and go do karaoke in a private karaoke room.
3:01
And I think it was like the best night ever.
3:03
We was a Korean town.
3:04
Yeah.
3:04
And it was the best.
3:05
Yeah.
3:06
Like literally the best night ever.
3:08
It was fun pre-kids.
3:09
But are your kids are they five and three or?
3:12
Yes.
3:12
Yes.
3:12
So Beck is five and Brooks is three.
3:15
And I went and read to both of their classes today.
3:17
Oh.
3:17
They had a readathon where they wear their pajamas at school.
3:21
And so I got to go read to'em.
3:23
I always get nervous when I have to go in and read books to the class.
3:26
I'm like, why am I anxious to read to a bunch of six year olds?
3:29
Because they're staring at you.
3:30
Okay.
3:30
I practiced my book.
3:32
See, I read over everything like the same way, like when you were in sixth grade, you had to read in class and like you knew when your paragraph was coming.
3:40
You like read over it really fast.
3:41
Like I made sure I knew what I was doing.
3:43
You were prepared for those.
3:45
You were, yeah.
3:45
You were not gonna let, you, were not gonna let a mistake happen in front of a bunch of five year olds.
3:49
I get it.
3:50
We all get it.
3:50
We want you to take us back because.
3:53
You've been in the influencer space now, I feel like you've got that under your belt.
3:57
You've been doing this for a long time.
3:58
I intro my girls like back when we had blogs, that's how long we have been doing this.
4:03
It's been a long time.
4:04
OG blogger, OG bloggers.
4:06
So if you think back to the early days of Hot Off the Rack, I think you were still in college when you started it, right?
4:12
I was.
4:13
So what version of yourself do you picture?
4:15
I answered the question for you, I picture, it's a very similar version to myself now, in the way that I am just very hyper motivated when I want something and I was watching something about people who have a DD and they were talking about when those people are really interested in something, they're unstoppable.
4:38
So when I want something like.
4:40
I can keep going if it's not something that seems that interesting, like the dishes or the laundry might not get done, but if there is a goal I have I'm gonna figure it out.
4:51
And that's the same type of person that I was then I was just college me without kids, so I could hyperfocus even more on what I wanted.
5:01
And now it just looks more constantly carving out time for everything and toggling, so I would say back then I was just like laser focused on what I wanted and I still want to be that way, but now I have to work around all kinds of, mazes what was it that you had like in mind?
5:23
What were you even envisioning back then when you were in college and you started this blog, like you came up with this really cool creative name for it.
5:30
What were you doing?
5:31
What were you posting?
5:32
What was, what were your interests then?
5:35
I would say it still stays true to now.
5:37
I love fashion.
5:39
I really do.
5:40
And so during the time I was in college, I was in my fourth or fifth year at the time, and I knew I wanted to work in the fashion industry, but I didn't want to move away, or I did, but I was dating my now husband and I knew he wasn't moving.
5:58
So I was like I'm not gonna move either.
6:01
And.
6:02
I didn't wanna own a boutique or manage one.
6:04
And here in the south, that's your option.
6:07
It has changed it's evolved since then.
6:09
But back then it was like you work in a boutique or you own it, you manage it.
6:14
And I knew I didn't wanna do that, so I was like, let me start this blog and I'm going to hopefully find a job in the fashion industry.
6:22
And I just started making like an online portfolio, if you will, not knowing that it was a career, because this was almost 14 years ago.
6:30
I started in 2012, so I had no clue.
6:34
None of us really knew at that point that it would be the career.
6:37
No, I was hoping to.
6:39
Find a career.
6:40
But I will say, Jen, I feel like looking back, like you were one of the people that you really treated it like a job.
6:47
Like I feel like all of us had a lot of passion behind it.
6:49
But you treated it like a job.
6:51
Like you had a photographer, I did take it really serious.
6:54
You did like everything.
6:55
Her output of everything was a 10 out of a 10.
6:58
Everything was, I don't wanna say perfect in a negative way, you put so much pride into the aesthetic of everything.
7:05
And I know that has since changed so much on Instagram.
7:09
It has, but it has, it's still there.
7:10
You still do have so much pride.
7:12
Like we're looking at a shop behind her, and just everything is so curated and you had that from the beginning, like you had that.
7:19
Like star quality, you know about you from the beginning.
7:23
You did.
7:23
You really did.
7:24
You really did.
7:25
So do you feel like a lot of things because the industry has changed so much, do you feel like a lot has changed for you or do you feel like maybe what has stayed the same for you throughout the years?
7:37
What has stayed the same for me?
7:39
The thing that has stayed the same for me is I love to create and make people feel something.
7:46
And you can make people feel something through numerous different ways, whether it's to make them laugh or to make them cry, or to make them feel compelled to go out and buy something, or go out and do something nice for someone else.
8:01
I want people to feel something when they see my content.
8:04
And even when I was creating.
8:08
That content.
8:09
When we first started blogging, it was, if anything, to make people feel inspired and that was why I wanted a professional photographer that makes you feel like, wow, this is really something.
8:23
I wanna go buy this, or I wanna go do this.
8:26
And I feel like that really helped that narrative by adding in that professional photographer.
8:33
And I guess that's what I meant too, by being more hyper-focused.
8:36
Before I had kids, I was able to really curate and perfect things because my day never ended.
8:43
Yeah.
8:43
I would work and work like through the night, I wasn't married yet then either.
8:48
And now I have kids yeah, the day ends at three 30.
8:52
Yeah.
8:52
Yeah.
8:52
Whenever they get out of school and sometimes you try and sneak things in here and there that have to get done.
8:57
For work, but for the most part it's really hard to, so I can't give it my, my full all.
9:04
It's like part of me.
9:06
Yeah.
9:06
But it, it's ironic because even though you are working with less time, because you have more people that you're caring for, your content still makes people feel things because you share more lifestyle things now, which is so relatable.
9:20
Yeah.
9:20
And arguably moms feel more of that, maybe more than they would feel inspired by a beautiful, aesthetically pleasing image.
9:29
Yeah.
9:29
They're gonna, they feel so drawn to you in your personality and your, authenticness and, oh, gotta go kid's home, or, yeah.
9:37
Yeah.
9:38
And I would say that biggest shift, which I know you can say the same thing, is when COVID happened, I was literally in the middle of three different projects and I wanna say one brand pulled away completely.
9:52
The other brand made me reshoot everything because they're like, we don't want this to look perfect.
9:57
So it was it was a Dove campaign and the way that I shot it was like very beautifully curated and my bathroom and I had fresh flowers and the only product out was the Dove soap.
10:09
And they realized that made people angry.
10:12
Yeah.
10:12
Yeah.
10:13
There was a huge shift seeing this cleanliness and perfection, like made people mad.
10:18
So they're like, you know what?
10:20
Put your other products that you actually use on a daily basis, put them back in there.
10:25
Not just that I didn't use the dove, but what else are you using in addition to the dove?
10:29
Nix the flowers.
10:30
You don't have to clean your bathroom to perfection, sure.
10:34
You don't need to have dirty underwear on the floor.
10:36
But let's, let's be a little bit more realistic here.
10:39
And so we re-shot it and then I submitted it and it was really from there I wanna say this in a way that doesn't offend anyone, but 2020, while it was a really difficult year for a lot of people, was also the most eye-opening and most pivotal Yep.
10:57
Time in our careers where we learned the most about what our audience really wanted.
11:04
Yes.
11:04
And like that, how to better connect with them.
11:06
Yes.
11:06
We were always missing.
11:08
I think you said that so eloquently and I'm so happy that you touched on that because we've had, obviously Yep.
11:14
You and a few of your other friends, and nobody's talked about that year yet.
11:18
Yes.
11:18
And how it's, that year was so pivotal and what we were consuming and what you had to basically change how you were working.
11:25
Yeah.
11:26
It really did change.
11:27
It was the first shift I think, of this real life content.
11:31
And I think that anybody that didn't really.
11:34
Evolve with it got left behind right?
11:37
And so you had to evolve with it.
11:39
I think it was very hard.
11:41
I've talked about this, just that was a huge struggle for me because it's something that you are, that you're woven into you at this point when you like start a certain way and it's that's how you were trained.
11:52
If you think about any other job, it's like how you would be trained to do a job and then it shifts and you have to shift with it in order to continue to succeed and to keep going and, it was a huge shift, I think, for everybody.
12:06
And I think that what he said also was that shift.
12:09
Allowed like the curtain to go up a little bit for a lot of content creators.
12:14
And I think it made the content better.
12:16
I do, I think it thick.
12:17
Oh, it was a change for the mem were invented.
12:20
Yes.
12:20
And like these funny reels and all those things are relatable.
12:23
Yes.
12:23
You weren't just consuming things just for the sole purpose of a transaction or to purchase something, you were really Yeah.
12:31
Like watching somebody's life unfold in front of you.
12:33
On stories every day.
12:34
I don't know if you watched this, but I remember Amber talking about how brands were really leaning on us to navigate that year because a brand was.
12:46
A brand.
12:47
They needed faces, familiar, comfortable faces to guide them through what they should be doing and feeling, which was a really big responsibility for us.
12:56
It was, yeah.
12:56
Like we took on a lot that year.
12:59
It was a lot, and it helped us all grow.
13:02
If you let it if you let it, you grew a lot.
13:05
And I also think doing the math, were you pregnant during that time or was it shortly after?
13:10
Yes, I was, yeah.
13:11
I literally had back like the week that they told that husbands were not allowed to go into the, what's it called, the delivery, the triage.
13:22
So fortunately he was allowed to go into the actual delivery room, but just not the triage.
13:28
So like he couldn't come up with me.
13:30
And I remember being like, I don't wanna go up there.
13:33
Please don't make me go by myself because I'm the biggest baby ever.
13:37
And he's you can do it.
13:38
You're be fine.
13:39
Oh my God.
13:39
Just go up there.
13:40
I'll be up there soon.
13:41
And then it all ended up being fine.
13:44
I did have to deliver with a mask on, and I was like this is hard to breathe because they had to put oxygen under my mask so that I could breathe.
13:53
I'm like, who?
13:54
Who?
13:55
What makes anyone think it's a good idea for the person who's in labor to have the mask on?
13:59
Like, why don't you all wear masks?
14:01
Wild.
14:02
You were clearly not the threat in that room.
14:04
I know.
14:04
Wild.
14:05
Literally just, I feel like nobody knew what they were doing.
14:08
No, and I know nobody knew what they, it was at the, it was at the very beginning.
14:12
So you just did it too, because you were like, what else am I supposed to do?
14:16
We don't know.
14:17
Yeah.
14:17
So that must have been, I would assume that would kind.
14:20
Obviously as a first time mom, that's your experience, but then even to shift into your job now.
14:27
So your job is to share your life, share content.
14:30
How do you feel like, looking back on that was that a challenging season to blend the two together?
14:37
Do you feel like that was a shift for you?
14:39
Okay.
14:39
The, I actually feel like it was even easier for me to connect with people because I was supposed to be at home with a baby, just being there, taking care of my child.
14:52
Interesting, I feel like it would be way harder for people who weren't in that space at the time, because how were you supposed to go out and share regular fashion content when people were angry at you?
15:06
If you were leaving the house?
15:08
That was me.
15:08
I was supposed to be there at my house taking care of my newborn baby at the time.
15:13
And so people I felt related to me more.
15:18
And there was a lot of people during that time who started following me while I was pregnant.
15:22
So they were in the same boat as me.
15:24
They were like, probably looking and leaning on you to Yes.
15:27
I really felt like it was even easier because then I just really leaned into mom content, which did really well for me.
15:34
Honestly, sometimes from a business perspective, I'm like, I should probably share more of that type of content.
15:40
And while I love being a mom, I love sharing fashion more.
15:45
Good for you that you honor that, that you, that you realize that Yes.
15:49
Because if you leaned into that, your brand would shift to something that it sounds like you're not, that's not all.
15:55
You are Right.
15:56
As mom.
15:58
And I do have, another.
16:00
Brand that focuses on mom content.
16:04
And helping other moms.
16:06
But when it comes to business and my.
16:11
Like the brand you can where I like, right?
16:13
Yes, it is fashion, right?
16:15
And home and lifestyle, right?
16:16
I can trickle that kind of stuff into there, but I just couldn't, I didn't want that to be the heart of it because I don't, I just don't enjoy it enough.
16:25
Sorry.
16:26
Yeah, no, I think don't be's really fair.
16:28
I think it's really hard, honestly, to blend the two together where it feels very authentic without it completely taking over we've talked about this, we had a whole episode a couple weeks ago about identity and how that can take over and when you've built a business and roles and how you've, when you've built a business and this is like your forward facing business and you don't wanna change that.
16:49
And I think that's what makes Yes, it authentic is to stay with what you want and to stay with the content that you wanna put out there.
16:57
And I think people can see through when it's not authentic and if you're doing something for the cash, like I, I think that it's very transparent when people are doing that, so I get it.
17:08
Yes.
17:08
So it sounds like baby number one was an easier transition.
17:12
You were home during COVI, you were incorporating some of that new stuff with your social media.
17:18
Okay.
17:18
So fast forward a few years than you go to baby number two.
17:22
How was that transition?
17:24
That was a much bigger struggle because number one going from one to two.
17:30
But then secondly, we decided to sell our house and start building.
17:35
So there was so many moving parts that it took me a while to really figure out what direction I was gonna go into.
17:44
And I would say even for that first whole year that I had Brooks, there was a lot to navigate with my content because we were also really coming out of COVID times.
17:56
If you'll, when I say COVID times, I mean people ready to get back out there and do things in a more typical way.
18:03
Yes.
18:04
And remember you're talking not six feet apart and limited guests and occupancy.
18:10
We were traveling more.
18:12
I remember, you know what?
18:13
Right when I found out that I was pregnant with Brooks.
18:15
I went to New York that weekend and there was certain things that you had to abide by.
18:23
There were certain guidelines, like we still had to wear masks on the plane and in the airport and stuff.
18:29
And there was a lot more outdoor seating, things like that and New York, but you could still go to New York.
18:33
That was a big deal, right?
18:34
Yeah.
18:35
And I remember in the first year of Brooks, I did some outfit content and some lady commented and she was like ew, you're not a fashion blogger, or whatever she said, or you're not a fashion influencer.
18:52
I'm like, actually that's what actually I'm, that's what I had for.
18:56
Yeah.
18:56
I was like, that is what I was like, just because I've been sharing all this baby stuff.
19:00
I'm like, that is what I used to do.
19:03
And I still do that, but I've just been here with this baby, so there was a lid.
19:08
And I wasn't mad at her for saying that.
19:10
It was, she was rude, but what I mean is I get where she was coming from because I wasn't really posting that much fashion.
19:17
So to her she was probably like, what are you doing?
19:20
Where is this?
19:20
Yeah, where is this coming from?
19:21
Yeah.
19:21
It's like to you, you're like going back to your roots and I feel like that's, you like need that.
19:26
I feel like especially, yes.
19:28
Like when you're a mom and when you don't feel like yourself.
19:30
We talk about this all the time, that like awful feeling of just not really knowing who you are anymore.
19:35
And like sometimes looking back at the girl that you used to be, you're like, like grasping for her again.
19:42
And so shooting that content.
19:45
I am sure to other people it sounds so silly, but I understand what you're saying because you're like, no, this, it's like bringing me back.
19:51
It makes me, it's making me feel alive again to feel like that girl again.
19:56
And it sometimes I felt like that.
19:58
So I'm curious if it started to feel a little bit fraudulent, because I felt like when the shift did happen to where you're home and now you're a mom and the content's shifting a little bit, and then you're out in the streets trying to, do street style again, and you feel a little bit like, you're like, oh I don't, it's, it's not like riding a bike where it comes back to you all of a sudden it feels weird.
20:19
Yeah, it feels weird.
20:20
Yeah.
20:20
Also, like, where were you?
20:22
Your life is different if you're a lifestyle blogger or lifestyle content creator.
20:27
Your lifestyle is drastically different.
20:29
You're not wearing, tight and leather shorts while you're pushing a stroller, like the two don't go hand in hand.
20:35
So you have to separate the two, yeah.
20:37
And it's weird.
20:38
Yeah.
20:38
Yeah.
20:38
It's like we used to love that dress up aspect of it and then it became, what are you really wearing and what is your day to day style like, and people loved that sort of content.
20:49
So I do get it, but going back to just I guess the postpartum with your second, did you have any sort of like postpartum anxiety, any sort of postpartum depression, or do you feel like it was just that kind of lifting back out and trying to find yourself again after that time?
21:07
I didn't actually go and have postpartum anxiety diagnosed.
21:11
By all means.
21:12
I think everybody gets a little bit of postpartum anxiety.
21:14
How could you not?
21:16
Mine mostly stemmed from the fact that I got postpartum hypertension.
21:19
So I ended up in the ER with both of them because I had crazy high blood pressure.
21:26
And so it's basically post eclampsia.
21:28
Oh, okay.
21:30
And with having the high blood pressure, I had to take blood pressure medication to get it under control.
21:36
And on top of that I also had to get more sleep and rest and relax, but also take care of a newborn baby and run a business.
21:46
Nurse throughout the night, I'm like, this is impossible, yeah.
21:49
Those two don't seem to go hand in hand.
21:51
I know.
21:52
And I had plenty.
21:55
Of help.
21:56
Oh wait, there's another part to this.
21:57
Not that anybody asked, but I also had a third degree tear.
22:02
Oh, okay.
22:04
And so that I was just very uncomfortable.
22:08
Like it was very uncomfortable.
22:09
Like I couldn't just do whatever I wanted because I had to watch my blood pressure.
22:12
I literally had to take my blood pressure like multiple times a day, because when you're taking the medicine, sometimes it can drop too low.
22:18
So you have to like, take it, make sure it worked, then take it again, make sure it didn't drop too low.
22:23
Like it, it was obnoxious.
22:25
I, and you had to and check your blood pressure throughout the day, like at home?
22:29
Yes.
22:29
Just check.
22:30
Oh my gosh, yes.
22:31
Yeah.
22:31
So stressful.
22:31
Yes.
22:32
I know.
22:32
There's not enough to do.
22:34
I would love, love, love more kids, but I will never do pregnancy and postpartum ever again.
22:40
You could not I feel like it would be unfair to my family for me to go through it again.
22:46
Because it was that I also had, gestational diabetes.
22:50
And I didn't have hyperemesis, but I threw up every day.
22:55
I was, constantly sick and nauseous.
22:59
So it makes me sad to think about the fact that I feel like I missed a lot of Beck's life at that time'cause I was so sick, right?
23:07
So I'm like, I'm not, I am not doing that again.
23:10
And it was for both of them.
23:11
So I can't imagine.
23:13
That if I did it another time, that it would be any different.
23:16
Just saying.
23:17
So I would love, I hope that we adopt one day because I would love more kids, but I, Blake has a mastectomy.
23:23
Like I will never put myself through it again.
23:27
I know it's hard.
23:27
It's so hard, especially when you have health issues, like during and after.
23:31
I can't even imagine.
23:32
You're trying to take care of a baby and trying to take care of yourself, which you need to do.
23:37
Yeah.
23:37
Do you feel like there was a moment where you realized like how much support you actually needed through that time?
23:43
Because I, this will get us into our next sort of initiative that you built.
23:48
Yes.
23:49
I would say, it was probably once my blood pressure had regulated, maybe.
23:56
Yes.
23:57
Once it had regulated, and then I was like, okay, like I can breathe again.
24:01
I literally for eight weeks, and this is what I said, I didn't actually go and have myself diagnosed for postpartum anxiety, but I literally thought I could potentially die every day because you could post eclampsia is very dangerous, right?
24:16
And just every day I am like I, I could maybe die.
24:20
And so once I could actually like, think again, I was like, huh.
24:25
Man I'm so glad to be out of that.
24:28
Here we are, like feeling normal again.
24:30
But I also realized that during those eight weeks that I had to deal with all the blood pressure stuff, I literally had everything I needed.
24:39
Everything.
24:40
Like I was able to just sit there and watch TV and do whatever.
24:44
But what about the people who had to go back to work?
24:46
Because they literally have to be able to afford their lives, what about the people who don't have, neighbors who are willing to bring them meals or watch their toddler or husbands who really take on so many different roles?
25:01
I considered myself very fortunate and that was what made me want to start Hot Mama Collective.
25:09
I had actually started Hot Mama Collective while I was pregnant with Brooks because I had this situation happen while I was pregnant.
25:15
Becca?
25:17
And so when I was pregnant with Brooks and I was still having all of those same issues again, plus a baby, right?
25:22
I was like yes.
25:24
I was like I wanna do something to help other women who are not in the same luxurious boat that a lot of us are.
25:34
Like I would say we're pretty lucky.
25:37
Even though that was like not all those things that I experienced were not enjoyable things.
25:43
I don't want to do them again.
25:45
I know that there are people who have much worse things that happen to them, and in much worse situations, in much worse living situations.
25:53
So I wanted to start a foundation that would essentially create that village that I have.
26:00
And that so many of us are fortunate to have for women who don't have that village.
26:04
My gosh.
26:05
I know.
26:05
It's amazing.
26:05
Wow.
26:06
That is the most I know.
26:08
Touching sentiment.
26:09
And I Please tell me about this.
26:11
I know'cause that is not an easy thing to do, to start a foundation.
26:15
Yes.
26:15
So it's called Hot Mama Collective obviously a play on words from my Hot off the rack.
26:21
And basically I host two events a year where we collect a ton of items and when I say collect a ton of items, I go to a local charity.
26:33
The most recent one that we've been donating to is Safe Harbor.
26:37
So that is for women who experience domestic violence and abuse and usually have children.
26:44
And, they are distributing these items directly to these women and they're constantly working and checking on these women.
26:51
And so we have a list of specific items because I also didn't wanna just take in random things and be like, here you go.
26:58
Hope you needed some of this.
26:59
It's like specific things and it's usually specific sizes for whatever point these kids are at.
27:05
And then we collect all of these items and we donate it to these moms in need and Safe Harbor directly distributes it to the moms.
27:13
So it's incredibly intentional, you know exactly what you're getting Yes.
27:16
For this exact population of women.
27:19
Yes.
27:19
And I always, I like to do exact products, so it's not like people are just like handing money and if they do hands money, I had recently added on sponsors to the events because the events started getting really expensive for me to put on by myself.
27:36
So I would bring on these sponsors and then I talk about their businesses and how they are giving back to the community.
27:43
And then they're also helping me put on helping me fund the event because the event itself, to host over 80 women and feed them all and do all these different things is expensive.
27:55
But in the end, it's a fun way to bring women together to celebrate motherhood and friendship and philanthropy, all the things, while also giving back to moms in need in the same process.
28:08
Are you doing these events only in Louisiana?
28:10
Do you have other chapters that have popped off in other places now that you have so many hot moms following you?
28:17
Yeah, so I've actually discussed it with one person and we need to circle back to it.
28:23
I had a lot of figuring out to do on my end of how I would want to do that.
28:29
But yeah I would love to start doing that in other cities and being able to attend them to, start kicking them off and, I think it would be really great to do it.
28:40
And I know that there are other women who have reached out who live in other cities that are like, oh, how can I get involved?
28:46
And I'm like it's, nonprofits are a lot more to run than people realize.
28:52
So I currently am unable to run it at the capacity that I would like.
28:57
So for now I've just been doing two events a year.
29:00
We donate these products and then I do fun things in between like these You have, I was gonna, I know.
29:06
Tell us these, we get, so it says, this one says.
29:10
Pop Mama.
29:11
Collective established 2022, which is when I was pregnant with Brooks.
29:15
And then I have another one, another design.
29:16
In fact, I have'em right here.
29:18
Reach over here.
29:19
Show us.
29:20
So cute.
29:21
So I have Pop Mama this style too that says Pop Mama.
29:26
Yes.
29:27
And then I did it in a few different colors.
29:29
So then I've got the hot mama with the burgundy, and then I've got this kind of beige color here.
29:35
And I did that with a portion of the proceeds going towards purchasing products for moms in need.
29:43
So again, with, I don't just want it to be like empty donations.
29:49
I want it to be very intentional and specific, because I feel like that can happen a lot to where somebody's oh, let's donate to a charity.
29:55
How about everybody brings canned goods, but yeah.
29:58
Where does that go?
29:58
They might not have made canned goods and that's going to waste.
30:01
So I like to make sure that whatever we're donating is actually needed at that time.
30:07
And it's a lot of work to sift through multiple skews of items.
30:12
So if you're collecting items, you have to be intentional that you're only collecting maybe like 10 items or 10 20 different types of items.
30:18
'cause if you're collecting just like a hodgepodge of things, although that's so generous, it takes time and effort to organize it on the back end and distribute it.
30:27
I started a foundation a few years ago.
30:29
And so I relate to you like the passion that goes into philanthropy.
30:34
It's a business, but you don't get it.
30:36
It's, you don't get, it's get paid.
30:39
You don't get paid back.
30:40
You get paid back.
30:42
Because if you're connected to the mission, obviously it's extremely fulfilling.
30:45
And also serving your community and serving a group that you clearly feel so passionate about, like moms.
30:52
But it's a business.
30:54
Like you have to have a 5 0 1 C3, you have to find a place to manage the money.
30:58
You can't just open up a checking account.
31:00
Like it has to be like a specific type of account.
31:02
Yes.
31:03
Yes.
31:04
I would love to do, but that is also why I know.
31:06
We would love to Stephen and I would love to do something like that here and have it be like, hot mom, mom of Connecticut.
31:12
Connecticut.
31:12
Yeah.
31:12
Hot mom of Connecticut.
31:13
Know.
31:14
Yes.
31:14
That would be so fun.
31:15
I know.
31:15
I would love to do something like that too.
31:17
No, I'm so impressed by the fact that you were able to realize that you have access to so much and some women.
31:24
Don't, and you wanted to help those other women.
31:27
That is the epitome of being a girl's girl.
31:31
Aw.
31:32
I do.
31:33
I'll say it makes me like, like tear up girl, girl's, girl.
31:35
You are.
31:36
I'm a girl's girl through and through.
31:37
Which is funny'cause I ended up with boys but I guess that's also too why I found this project here, if you will, to help me stay even more so connected.
31:47
Sometimes my husband's like, what are you doing in there?
31:50
They'll all be watching football'cause they all love football.
31:53
And I'll be in my room like doing random stuff or organizing my makeup and he's what are you doing in there?
31:59
I'm like, I'm not a boy's girl, I'm a girl to girl.
32:03
I'm like, I need to be in here.
32:04
Like doing, done the girly, like gimme a few minutes.
32:07
Oh my God.
32:08
So it goes back to your a DD.
32:10
You would not be getting fulfillment in that room.
32:13
No.
32:13
No way.
32:14
Nope.
32:14
Much more fulfillment.
32:16
Organizing your hot mama sweatshirts.
32:17
I love it.
32:18
Yep.
32:19
Wow.
32:19
I love that.
32:20
And I honestly congratulations to you on pulling off those events yearly.
32:24
And so where can we find the sweatshirts?
32:28
Yeah, so I do have them on my website right now and Oh, that was a story.
32:32
That was what I was gonna tell you.
32:33
Oh, tell, okay.
32:33
So I, what I made them originally four is I was having my hot mama's giving.
32:39
So I do two events a year.
32:40
I do my Mother's Day luncheon in the spring, and then I do a Hot Mama's giving,'cause I love a play on words.
32:46
Love it.
32:46
And at these events I have different sponsors, and so I made the sweatshirts'cause I was like, oh, this would be really cute to give the sponsors just as a thank you gift, right?
32:58
And then I started wearing them and I started getting.
33:03
More questions about it.
33:04
They're like, oh, that's really cute.
33:05
Like I wanna get one of those sweatshirts.
33:07
So I was like, okay, maybe I'll make a few more.
33:09
And then so I decided to make some, and then my mom and I did a dance.
33:15
Yeah.
33:15
Yeah.
33:15
And this real went viral.
33:18
And then because of that real going viral, people start looking at other things on your page.
33:24
But actually something that was really cool about that reel going viral was that I felt like people started wanting to buy the things that I had just because they liked feeling, I hope this comes out the right way, but connected to me like a friend to you.
33:40
Yes.
33:41
Yes.
33:41
So I had one girl message me, and she said that she ordered my back sling bag that I designed, my Sophia bag that I designed and my hot sweatshirt, because she was like, oh my gosh, I just love all these.
33:52
And she just, she loves you.
33:54
She loves you.
33:54
Yeah.
33:55
But she had just found my account through that viral video of my mom and I dancing.
34:01
And, she was able to scroll through my account and see more that she liked and was like I wanna support.
34:07
And that was pretty cool.
34:08
So then I ended up selling a ton of these sweatshirts that people were ordering.
34:13
So then I made a bunch more.
34:15
And and so I, I wanted to share about them that I have.
34:18
So now it's like official now.
34:19
It's like an, it's merch.
34:21
It's merch for you official.
34:22
Awesome.
34:22
Yes.
34:23
Amazing.
34:23
Okay, so you mentioned your mom and she was obviously, I, she is a note on my phone because I am obsessed with your mother.
34:31
I wish that we actually asked her to come on with you and sit next to you.
34:34
Oh, she is, she's not allowed for this.
34:36
Oh, she is a good time.
34:37
She okay, so tell, she's not allowed.
34:39
Tell us about,'cause I feel like even before this viral reel, and I, when I say viral, what are the numbers?
34:44
I, it is viral, right?
34:46
Like that?
34:46
Yes.
34:47
This is huge.
34:47
So we have had.
34:48
We have had other videos go viral before.
34:53
So I knew that whenever we, whenever you get her on she's a fan face.
34:58
Yes.
34:58
Like I knew that whenever we did this dance that people were going to like it.
35:03
Yes.
35:03
Because it was proven before that they liked content.
35:06
Yes.
35:07
But yes, now the numbers are, let's see, I wanna say it's a little, it's 53 million.
35:15
Unreal.
35:16
Unreal.
35:16
Which is wild.
35:17
Wild.
35:18
It just, it was really crazy.
35:19
It was really crazy.
35:20
And I, when I tell you that there's other videos that get nega that, get some negative comments.
35:26
But I would say 96% of the comments and feedback on this video were only good.
35:33
Which is, I feel like that goes to show why the video did get shared so much because it just only brought people.
35:43
Happiness and joy from the video because they could just feel us having fun.
35:48
And it seems like a healthy, I don't know if we have a super healthy mother daughter relationship, but from the dance you might think we do.
35:55
And so they're like, oh my gosh, look at this.
35:57
Mom and daughter are having fun wearing all these different so cute outfits, and the biggest comment is about, so that was the Taylor Swift one, right?
36:04
That was the Taylor Swift one?
36:05
Yes.
36:05
Okay.
36:05
They did a dance throughout New York City.
36:07
So then there was another one.
36:09
'cause then the other one went viral.
36:10
Yes.
36:10
The other one.
36:10
Yep.
36:11
Okay.
36:11
That's the one I was organic.
36:12
Showed me one today.
36:13
The first and your, when your mom at the end said, you're gonna bleep out these swears.
36:17
Yeah.
36:17
Aren't you like that to me?
36:19
Seems like such a relatable mother daughter moment.
36:21
Yep.
36:22
Yes.
36:22
That was the first one.
36:23
And you know what's funny is, so we only taught her part.
36:26
She didn't know about the curse words at all.
36:29
Okay.
36:29
And we just let her listen.
36:31
Like we rec, we screen recorded like somebody else doing it and we stopped it.
36:35
Before you said, then you come in and with the wrap.
36:38
Yeah.
36:38
So we taught it to her.
36:39
Okay.
36:39
Then what is that trend, just so in case anybody is not following.
36:43
Wait, what is like in the morning?
36:45
Sad and Okay.
36:46
Yeah.
36:46
Yes.
36:47
I did it with my daughter, but I didn't post it because she was the one doing the wrap version.
36:53
Right.
36:53
I knew all the words.
36:54
I knew all the words.
36:56
My mom like does not let me curse.
36:58
Okay.
36:59
And so we thought it, we thought I was gonna get a funny reaction out of her, like we thought, like we would be singing and she would hear me saying it and turn around.
37:09
Like I was waiting for.
37:10
So I was getting really into it, waiting for her to like whip around and be like, Jennifer.
37:15
But she was so focused on doing her, on her part.
37:17
Yeah.
37:18
She was rocking out to you.
37:20
So she was like, she had no clue what was going, she was, even though she, that was the first, we only did one take.
37:30
Okay.
37:30
And she just didn't know what was happening.
37:32
And so I was like that was weird.
37:34
I was like, let's show it to her.
37:35
Let's show it to her and see what she says.
37:38
So I like start filming her just to see if, I'm like, did she know?
37:42
Did she not?
37:43
I'm so confused.
37:44
And then that was when she was like Jenny, Jenny out the words like, she's not okay.
37:50
Like I was almost even wondering if she was gonna let me.
37:54
Actually, it didn't matter because I'm gonna post it anyway.
37:58
But yeah, no, she's not into, she's not into cursory.
38:01
She'll even like comment on some of the things that I wear and they're like, but you didn't leave the house in that leave out of the house in that.
38:08
Oh my God.
38:08
So how is she liking her new yeah, she's worldwide famous.
38:13
She's scary because.
38:15
People recognize her all the time.
38:18
Like in the airport, like she'll be traveling people like at, on a work call, the conference call because she's a, she still works full time.
38:27
She's a pharmaceutical sales rep.
38:29
And she was on this conference call and they had just hired some new people and this girl was like, oh my gosh.
38:37
She was like texting people that, she's like this, the mom who was in that viral video is literally on this conference call right now.
38:44
And then her boss ended up calling her out on the conference call, was like, Liz, like we've enjoyed seeing you dancing in New York blah, blah, blah.
38:52
And then the girl piped in.
38:53
She was like, oh my gosh, I was just texting my friend saying that you were on this conference call.
38:57
I love it.
38:58
I love this for her.
38:59
But he's scary because she's not, she is very much herself through and through.
39:05
And okay, she's in sales, so she knows how to.
39:10
Present herself to people.
39:12
But at the same time, like she doesn't alter her personality.
39:15
Like she's still very much her, which can be nerve wracking.
39:18
'cause I never know what she's gonna say out there, you guys seem like you are, you compliment each other so well, but you do seem like opposites oh, we're so awesome.
39:26
Yeah.
39:26
We're so opposite.
39:28
People are like, oh my gosh, y'all are best friends.
39:31
It's so good.
39:31
And we're like, we're not best friends.
39:33
We're so opposite.
39:34
You're like, I'm afraid of her.
39:36
We're yeah.
39:37
We're so opposite.
39:38
We have a lot of fun together and we have the same humor.
39:41
And we have the same a, DD, so don't put us by ourselves in an airport, like we need a guide.
39:48
But but we.
39:50
We're a mother-daughter relationship.
39:53
We're not a friendship.
39:55
So she is very much my mother.
39:58
She's still your mom.
39:59
She's never taken, yeah.
40:00
She's never really taken on a role of being my friend.
40:04
So speaking up, so my friend was with us, and every time before we go on a trip together, I brief her on everything that she's not allowed to talk about in front of my mom.
40:14
That my mom cannot know about me.
40:17
Can't know that I went out to dinner somewhere because that would mean that I was spending money.
40:22
She can't know.
40:23
Yeah.
40:23
She reels You spends on a certain thing.
40:26
Wait, say that again?
40:26
She reels you in.
40:27
She seems like she's very strict.
40:30
She in a good way, but like she just keeps she's like the boss lady.
40:33
She's the most lady's mom.
40:34
Conservative.
40:34
Yes.
40:35
Don't you feel like all moms have this level of conservation, like they want for their daughters?
40:39
Yep.
40:40
Yes.
40:41
Yes.
40:41
You spent and she is very.
40:43
Very frugal.
40:45
But in a good way.
40:46
In the way that she's very financially sounds like.
40:49
Because growing up when she made us all split, one appetizer and one meal, like the whole family would have to split that one appetizer and one meal.
40:57
And I always thought it was'cause like, we couldn't afford it or whatever.
41:01
This is, this is what you do when you go out to eat.
41:03
No, it was'cause she was saving her money and because of that, like now she gets to have two beach homes, but you don't get that without saving your money.
41:12
Like you don't get to have all these extra little luxuries throughout the day and still get to have these other things later in life.
41:20
You have to give up sacrifice a lot of those smaller things that like, she doesn't like that I go out to eat.
41:27
And it's so funny that me and my sister would both be at my mom's house and we'd both be leaving to go out to dinner like neither of us knew.
41:34
And we're like, oh, gonna to so and so's house?
41:36
And she's yeah, I'm gonna go to my friend's house.
41:37
Oh my gosh.
41:38
You'd both be lying.
41:39
You're both.
41:40
We all we both ended up at the same Mexican restaurant.
41:44
I love that.
41:45
That's what you lying and going out, you're like, we're lying about going out to eat.
41:49
Don't wanna spend money.
41:50
But it's just like a very known thing about like how you behave around my mom.
41:53
You're like, yeah, we're gonna eat at home.
41:55
We're gonna have some apples for a snack.
41:59
Yeah.
41:59
She's tell I for my second coffee today.
42:01
Tell us also, she's like a fitness buff, right?
42:04
Like she is Oh yes.
42:06
In such good shape.
42:07
She's like on your feet doing backflips.
42:10
This woman is unstoppable.
42:12
Yeah.
42:12
So she does not skip a day.
42:15
Even when we were in New York, like I even showed like a snippet of us in the gym.
42:20
She went to the gym every day.
42:21
Even though we were walking a bajillion miles in New York City, she was like, I'm gonna go to the gym.
42:29
She doesn't skip a day.
42:29
She really doesn't, never has.
42:31
And she was a gymnast growing up.
42:34
And then when she went to college, she was a cheerleader and she's just always stayed active and she still coaches privates for cheerleaders.
42:44
So anytime a girl is, a local girl is wanting to try out for college, cheerleading, like they call up my mom.
42:53
Wow.
42:53
Coach Liz.
42:54
Coach Liz.
42:54
Coaches are like, I have so many people who message me and they're like, oh my gosh your mom coached, my daughters like all through high school and now they cheer for Iowa or whatever.
43:03
She she just stays really active.
43:06
I love it.
43:06
My gosh.
43:06
She's an icon.
43:07
She's, wow, I love that.
43:09
So you have one sister, where do you fall in line?
43:12
Yes, I have one sister I have one sister and then I have two stepsisters.
43:16
So I'm the oldest.
43:17
You're the oldest, okay.
43:18
I'm the oldest daughter.
43:19
Yes.
43:19
And my sister and I are five years apart.
43:23
Does she live near you?
43:25
She does, yes.
43:26
She actually we are so lucky she's living with us right now because she was switching apartments and she was gonna start looking for a different one.
43:35
And I was like don't do that Tyrana holidays.
43:37
You can just stay here.
43:38
And she teaches kindergarten at my kids' school.
43:42
Oh, perfect.
43:42
And and Beck is in kindergarten, so it's really nice.
43:45
That's so sweet.
43:46
And sometimes she takes them to school, she brings them home from school, helps with homework.
43:51
Oh, love that for you.
43:53
Love that for you.
43:54
I love it for me too.
43:55
I do.
43:57
So I wanna talk back to,'cause another point that you had said, you have the hot mama sweatshirts, right?
44:03
Which took off.
44:04
Yes.
44:04
And then you also have your longstanding partnership with Gigi, New York, which Yes.
44:09
Can you, so that is a leather handbag company.
44:12
And you have designed how many at this point?
44:15
Is it like 10?
44:16
Is it a lot?
44:17
I think well it's been 10 years.
44:20
10 years, okay.
44:20
But I designed I think six different bags with'em.
44:24
Wow.
44:25
Wow.
44:25
So you have these beautiful bags that you actually designed.
44:28
They're very You.
44:29
All of them.
44:30
Like anytime any of them come out, I'm like, you can tell that you didn't just stamp your name on them.
44:35
Like they're very you.
44:36
And they're also like very current and very practical.
44:39
I feel like they've even become a little bit more practical the last couple years, which makes sense.
44:43
Yeah.
44:44
But can you talk to us about that relationship and how that formed?
44:47
And then about your bag collection too.
44:50
Yeah.
44:50
So when I first started working with Gigi, New York, I'm sure you remember Yeah.
44:53
Back in the day.
44:54
Best, it was the best.
44:56
And I loved Gigi, New York.
45:00
Loved their bags so much that they were, everybody had the all in one clutch.
45:04
And I used their bags all the time.
45:08
Like those were the bags that I used, and so when they were coming out with their new collections, because remember we were so lucky to be able to go to their factory, we were able to see in a behind the curtain perspective of what it looks like.
45:23
And I was like, oh I think you should do this type of bag.
45:26
And they're like, okay, come design it with us.
45:28
And I was like, okay, I will.
45:30
So when I went to the factory that time, I essentially came up with a design that I wanted to do, and.
45:37
Because they make everything right there in the factory.
45:41
Yeah.
45:41
They're Long Island based.
45:43
Yep.
45:43
Long Island based.
45:44
Yes.
45:44
They're able to do that.
45:45
Like they're able to literally make up a sample right there for you.
45:50
And that was what we did.
45:51
So we started with the Gen bucket Bag Island.
45:53
It was 2014.
45:54
Yes it was.
45:55
So we did the Jen Bucket bag and it sold really well.
45:58
Was like one of their best sellers for two years.
46:01
Then we did the Jenny Saddle bag, and that was in 2015.
46:06
Still one of their best sellers.
46:08
They still keep it around, which is actually why, and I have the You have the new one?
46:12
Yep.
46:13
Yeah.
46:13
So this is the playoff of it.
46:15
Yep.
46:15
Oh my God.
46:16
I'm obsessed with that.
46:18
I'm on the website right now.
46:20
Look at this chocolate brown in the bordea color.
46:23
Yeah.
46:23
Chocolate brown.
46:23
Be so good.
46:25
These are beautiful.
46:26
We, Debbie Saddle bag was such a good seller.
46:29
Actually, you know what, let me reverse a minute.
46:32
Let's talk about this one first.
46:33
Okay.
46:34
So then I did another bucket bag.
46:37
Okay.
46:38
And while the bucket bag was very cute and fashionable, we realized that the Gigi New York customer is more of your functional Yeah.
46:47
Every day we were all evolving.
46:49
So that probably makes sense.
46:50
Yes, it makes sense, right?
46:51
Yes, exactly.
46:52
We want the, yeah, we want the sling bag.
46:55
Yes.
46:55
And because the bucket bag didn't actually like close clothes.
47:00
That's kinda hard when you have kids.
47:02
It is.
47:02
They can reach all up in it.
47:03
They can empty it out.
47:04
You need something that sits.
47:05
Yeah.
47:05
But we still love that bag.
47:06
We still It's your fashion bag, right?
47:08
Yeah.
47:08
But then we needed something for every day.
47:10
So we decided to do the Beck Sling bag, which is named after Be Beautiful.
47:14
And that we have now done this bag in seven different colors because it sells so well.
47:21
It's beautiful.
47:21
And it's just your elevated sling bag.
47:24
It's got this beautiful leather strap.
47:26
You can also swap it out for the webbing strap, which is more comfy for all day wear.
47:31
Then you've got this really cute this lavish gold chain here, and we've got a pocket across the back and then it is super spacious.
47:39
And I would say that for all GG New York bags, like they do a good job with.
47:44
There, which you can fit inside of it.
47:45
Yep.
47:46
So once we did this bag, we're like, all right, we're right.
47:49
It's true.
47:50
Gigi New York customer is your functional bag.
47:54
So yes, they're willing to spend some money on a nice leather bag, but it needs to be very functional.
48:00
But it also still has, I love that all of the bags still have that gold hardware.
48:05
There's a little lamb to it.
48:07
It's not just like a basic Yes.
48:09
100%.
48:09
Like trying to be under the radar type of bag.
48:11
There's still a lot of elegance to them too.
48:13
And that's why I love when you can personalize these too.
48:15
Yes.
48:16
You can personalize them.
48:16
That was stunning.
48:18
Our favorite thing to do.
48:19
Yep.
48:19
Our, the all in one bag I gave to all my bridesmaids for their gift.
48:23
That was what I did with all of their initials on'em.
48:25
That Respect bag.
48:26
It definitely that Gigi, New York clutches were like, it a logger, it staple like it was a rite of passage.
48:33
You had to have one.
48:34
Yep.
48:35
And yeah.
48:36
Yep.
48:36
That was what you had.
48:37
Then we decided to do the Sophia bag, which is an elevated version of the Jenny Saddle bag.
48:43
So we decided to add a love lobster clips.
48:47
Yep.
48:47
Because you can swap out the straps that you wanna use.
48:51
You can wear it with both straps.
48:53
But I also think it's so cute at night to just do, yeah.
48:57
I want this bag.
48:58
I'm ordering this on your website.
49:00
We still got the nice full pocket across the beautiful bag.
49:04
You know me, I love gold hardware.
49:06
So we added this little, you did it in all the good colors this year.
49:10
The four door is sold all out right now.
49:11
Oh yeah.
49:11
That's been gone too.
49:12
And the talk.
49:13
Okay.
49:13
We'll tell you what happened.
49:15
Yes.
49:15
Okay.
49:15
So when that reel Yep.
49:17
Went viral, you were wearing this, they completely sold.
49:20
Yes, we were wearing it.
49:22
So it completely sold out and they've had to remake them like over and over.
49:27
It's so crazy amazing where and it's so funny, Tom, the owner was like, I still don't really understand what happened, but thank you so much.
49:36
Just dancing around New York with my mom.
49:38
It was perfect.
49:38
It literally was made somebody feel something.
49:40
Yeah.
49:41
I made somebody.
49:42
Didn't even try.
49:43
And you didn't trash want the bag too.
49:45
Yeah.
49:46
And it was maybe I can't dance around New York with my mom, but I can wear that coat.
49:52
I can get that bag, and so we originally did it in the Bordeaux, the black and the tan.
49:59
And then when they all sold out, we had, I really wanted Brown, I know the chocolate, and tried to get my hands on the chocolate.
50:06
I wanted a brown bag.
50:07
I couldn't even get it.
50:07
It was probably right around that viral real time.
50:10
And I was like, oh man, this Sophia.
50:11
Yep.
50:11
'Cause it was also right around New York.
50:13
I missed you when I went to New York for Fashion Week.
50:15
It was a little bit after that, but I saw, I think you had that bag around there.
50:20
And then I saw that it was in Brown and I was like, that's the one I'm gonna get.
50:23
Yes.
50:23
That's the one.
50:24
And then couldn't get my hands on it.
50:25
It's available right now.
50:26
Yeah.
50:26
I'm gonna get it.
50:27
It must have just restocked.
50:29
They did.
50:29
They did.
50:30
So I really wanted to do chocolate and they're like, okay, we know you wanna to chocolate, but we have to start with just three colors first.
50:38
We can't go crazy.
50:39
And so it's okay.
50:40
Then whenever the bag sold out, I was like, how about that chocolate now?
50:46
And so Tom was like, okay, we can do the chocolate it because we already had the leather.
50:50
And so they did it Sure enough sells out again.
50:54
So it's a very fortunate, crazy phenomenon.
50:59
I love that.
50:59
It's been the most wild experience for sure.
51:03
I love that.
51:04
And I also know, because I saw that you posted something shortly after this, that this was coming off of a very hard year for you.
51:12
And oh yes.
51:13
I wanna talk about that if you are comfortable sharing about this, but I feel like this was like almost a moment of.
51:21
Not that anybody deserves or doesn't deserve success.
51:25
But I really feel like because of what you went through the last year, this was like a moment to break out of that and like your community rallied behind you and then you also got a new community that kind of, yes.
51:37
Started to follow you.
51:39
But can you talk to us about the last year and your father, because you did share a little bit about this, but you were really quiet for I would say the last year, right?
51:48
Yeah.
51:48
Which is very abnormal for you.
51:50
You're not somebody, that really goes dark online.
51:52
You don't really take a lot of breaks, can you talk to us about your dad?
51:55
'cause you did, you used to share him too, but Yes.
51:59
Yes.
51:59
So firstly, to rewind a little bit more, we just finished building this house.
52:07
About a year ago now, and then we moved in.
52:11
We actually moved in sooner than it was even finished because we had to, whenever, I don't know if you've ever built a house before, but like eventually you're so drained that you're like, we just have to, we have to be in here.
52:23
Who cares if it doesn't have a roof?
52:24
I'm kidding.
52:25
It did.
52:25
There's certain stipulations, yeah.
52:26
Not everything was done, but it was fine.
52:27
It was very livable.
52:29
And then come January, my dad suffered a really intense stroke.
52:34
And even prior to this stroke, he was diagnosed with MS about 10 or 11 years ago.
52:40
So he had been living with ms.
52:42
MS is a disease that you can live with.
52:45
It's a autoimmune disease.
52:46
So there's different levels of it and everyone has different symptoms.
52:51
But it definitely affected him cognitively.
52:54
He was still very much there, just not quite as sharp because my dad, for a lack of a better word, he was ambidextrous.
53:02
And when you're left-handed and ambidextrous, so he was, mostly a left-handed person.
53:07
And when you're ambidextrous, you can use both parts of your brain.
53:11
Oh, yeah.
53:11
Okay.
53:11
And so he was super smart, but also super creative and super artistic and just very would notice things that not everyone else would.
53:21
Because you're using both sides of your brain.
53:24
And so he wasn't, he had not fully been himself since that happened.
53:31
So it affected him cognitively.
53:33
He couldn't, he could walk but not super well because it it usually affects one side of your body.
53:39
So you're almost like numb on that side of your body and it flares up like in and out, but then you'll have some symptoms that just stay with you.
53:49
Then when he had the stroke, that made the recovery.
53:53
Almost impossible, because it was a really big stroke.
53:58
And then he already struggled with a lot of those things, right?
54:03
After he had the stroke, we got him into rehab.
54:06
We were hopeful because you never know with the brain.
54:10
The brain is a really interesting thing.
54:12
I learned a lot about strokes.
54:14
The one thing about the brain though is once certain parts of it die, like that's it, it doesn't come back.
54:20
Now you can, it, it can learn how to reroute different things, which is like really crazy.
54:27
But depending on what parts of your brain, it got some things just can't come back, so he couldn't speak.
54:35
He could say like a couple of words, but like barely and not always when he wanted to, and then he couldn't walk or really move.
54:44
Like he wasn't mobile at all and he couldn't eat because when your speech is affected, that also means like your tongue and your throat are affected too, so you can't safely chew and swap past the foods.
54:57
So he needed like around the clock care.
55:02
I'm just gonna be very like, honest about this part.
55:04
But because he couldn't get up out of the bed, it actually did make that easier for us to take him home because the biggest issue for when people bring elderly people home or somebody who has had, has been in an accident.
55:24
We were fortunate in that aspect.
55:26
I hate to say that, but I'm just trying to explain it.
55:29
But we didn't have to pay for this 24 hour care.
55:33
Like we could actually sleep at night knowing that he wasn't gonna get up and hurt himself on an accident.
55:40
Were you still getting up to check on him to see if he needed something because he couldn't tell you?
55:45
Yes.
55:45
But it's not the same thing as like having to pay somebody to sit in there, because that's what a lot of people have to do.
55:51
And so I do totally understand when people have to, leave a parent or a loved one in a home because.
55:59
It's not affordable.
56:01
I had to essentially not work Yeah.
56:04
For months seven.
56:05
So he moved in with you?
56:06
He moved in with you guys?
56:07
Yes.
56:08
And then we ultimately took him home on hospice.
56:11
But I really couldn't work because I was constantly working with the nurses who were coming in to see him, the sitters.
56:20
And they You had a full house?
56:22
I was, yeah.
56:24
Yes.
56:24
And then I've got kids and yeah, it was definitely, I'm trying to keep my composure here so I'm not getting like too deep into this.
56:34
I know.
56:34
But anybody who has experienced losing a parent, I'm sure, knows what it's like, and so the fact that, that it was the hardest year and that.
56:51
Not only was it the hardest year on me, like mentally, but also like financially because I wasn't working.
56:57
Yeah.
56:58
And being a business owner and just Yep.
57:00
And not not having any like paid time off.
57:03
No.
57:03
And your livelihood depends on you showing up and working.
57:07
And a lot of people don't understand that.
57:09
And it's really hard to take a step back if you, for you, if you need something, if a family member needs something, it's really hard to take a step back.
57:17
Yeah.
57:17
And you had to make that there's nobody to take your place.
57:19
There's nobody else to make that money for you.
57:22
And it really affected things a lot and there just wasn't anything I could do about it, and so the fact that we do this silly fun dance, which actually this is funny.
57:35
My dad was a dancer.
57:37
He went to UCLA and he started in the engineering program.
57:42
But he actually loved to dance and he actually coached tons of girls in dance and volleyball.
57:48
I didn't know that all the time.
57:50
Yeah.
57:50
So he was a dancer at UCLA and even like in the American Ballet Company, which is really good.
57:56
Wow.
57:56
I did not know that.
57:56
Yeah.
57:58
And that we're out there just like doing something that he would love and just being a light to other people and that it ends up selling out my bag and it ends up bringing me I, I think I got probably 80,000 new followers Interesting.
58:14
From this.
58:14
It was just like, how could that not be him?
58:18
Him giving everything back that I had to give up.
58:21
Yeah.
58:22
Because I knew like when he had ms, like I tried to get him to move in with us like so many times and he wouldn't do it because he didn't wanna put that on me, and so I, I knew that even in this case, like he never wanted to be a burden on us, and so it was just like such a cool thing that something like that would come from us just doing something that we enjoyed doing.
58:47
I loved that you shared that too.
58:49
I, you had shared that as you were coming back after the video went viral and you did create a post, because that's where I saw it and I said, wow.
58:57
I like Yeah.
58:57
Connected the dots and I thought the same thing.
59:00
This has to be, again, not that anybody deserves or doesn't deserve anything, It like gave life into your business once again and created Yes.
59:09
A whole new group of people that are there to support you in your business and everything that you stand for.
59:15
And I just thought it was such a beautiful connection.
59:18
And it was him.
59:19
Yeah, it was him.
59:19
It was him coming through.
59:21
Oh, when I was going through that whole experience I had every time I was praying and every time, there was like a miracle.
59:30
'cause there was, yeah.
59:31
There was so many different miracles that things that people prayed for and things that unfolded.
59:37
And so every time I would always say to God when I was praying I will always share of your good work right through this.
59:45
You know what I mean?
59:45
Like I've been given so many of these miracles, like I will always make sure to share like where they come from.
59:51
Yeah.
59:51
Like it's not, I don't think it's just coincidence.
59:55
It's such a beautiful story and thank you for sharing it here and thank you for sharing it on your page because I really do think.
1:00:03
You're literally one of the best people I've known the, one of the best people I've met through this platform.
1:00:09
I'm so grateful to know you and I'm so grateful that you came on here to share that.
1:00:13
And we love you so much and your message is certainly one of hope.
1:00:18
And love and light and Yeah.
1:00:20
And being a good person gets you good things.
1:00:22
I really do think that.
1:00:24
It is.
1:00:25
It is.
1:00:25
Thank you for saying you're wonderful.
1:00:28
You're wonderful.
1:00:28
Okay.
1:00:29
So on a happier note, Jen, we always close our podcast with a, our pink spotlight, which is like our person, place thing, tip, mantra.
1:00:39
We say anything that's making your life a little bit better.
1:00:42
It could be like a tip, it could be a product that you're using and loving.
1:00:45
Just something.
1:00:46
It could be motherhood related, girl related.
1:00:48
Anything that's you wanna share with us and our listeners today.
1:00:54
I feel like I've shared lots of products and so this Yes.
1:00:57
But we love a show and tell with this tip.
1:01:00
Yes.
1:01:00
I'll leave you with this tip.
1:01:01
Okay.
1:01:01
I was gonna say to always allow yourself to feel joy, even when the timing feels poor or inappropriate, because that is one of, that's what's gonna help you survive challenging times and even go and teach your kids.
1:01:18
How to get through tough times is you have to still feel joy, laugh about something that's funny.
1:01:24
Like even if it feels like you shouldn't be feeling happy at that time, you can feel happy and sad at the same time.
1:01:33
And that's really important for people to know and for kids to realize that you don't, when something's going wrong in your life that you can still feel joy and that there's gonna be joy again.
1:01:46
And the only way to know that there's gonna be joy again, is to make sure that you're giving yourself little bits of that throughout those tough times.
1:01:53
I love that.
1:01:53
What a beautiful way.
1:01:55
Because people often say oh, you have to look at the glass half full.
1:01:59
This is such a more powerful way of saying it, like you have to look for joy.
1:02:04
Joy's not just gonna come and find you and come knocking on your door.
1:02:06
You have to look for it.
1:02:08
And you have to train your eyes and your kids' eyes to look for and create it.
1:02:12
I love that.
1:02:12
Yeah.
1:02:12
What a beautiful, that's such sentiment.
1:02:14
I love that.
1:02:14
That's such a beautiful message and I think it's very timely with like where we are in the year and everything, so I love that tip so much.
1:02:20
Thank you so much for sharing.
1:02:21
Love that with us.
1:02:23
What about you, Tina?
1:02:24
Yes.
1:02:24
Okay, mine seems silly now.
1:02:25
Mine is gonna seem the silliest, but, alright.
1:02:28
So Christine and I, a couple weeks ago, did these IVs and I went back on Wednesday of last week, and I did another one because my whole family had the flu.
1:02:37
Oh.
1:02:37
And my mom, my sisters, my nieces, my kids were getting sick and I was like, I just don't feel like having the flu right now.
1:02:46
Not like I ever wanna have it, but just right now I don't feel like getting the flu.
1:02:49
Not today.
1:02:50
So I did another IV with her and she did the Not sick today, iv.
1:02:55
And so it was like high dose of vitamin C and zinc.
1:02:58
And then it was a shot of, I think it's called glutathione.
1:03:02
And I know, knock on, I don't have the flu yet.
1:03:06
Knock on wood.
1:03:07
Knock on wood.
1:03:07
No.
1:03:07
But I feel it made me like feel better.
1:03:10
Yeah.
1:03:11
Everybody around me is like dropping like flies.
1:03:14
Yeah.
1:03:15
It makes sense.
1:03:15
Those are the things that you need to keep your body healthy.
1:03:18
Yeah so that is my, yeah, the IVs are, that is my pink spotlight.
1:03:23
I went to label Bella Medical over in Farmington and it was terrific and I filmed the whole thing.
1:03:28
Love it.
1:03:28
Oh good.
1:03:28
She went on, love it so much.
1:03:30
I had a meeting that day at 10 30 and my appointment was at 10, so she put a pressure bag on it and I was like, it's fine, I'll take the call from the chair.
1:03:38
And she's no.
1:03:39
You're not going on a Zoom call with a yeah ID in your, I'm like, it's really fine.
1:03:43
It's me here.
1:03:44
But anyway, she put a pressure bag on there, so the bag was done in 30 minutes, so it was super fast.
1:03:50
I love it.
1:03:50
Oh wow.
1:03:50
I know.
1:03:51
In and out.
1:03:51
That's great.
1:03:52
I was in and out.
1:03:53
I love it.
1:03:54
I'm actually going to get a vitamin D shot.
1:03:56
I've been getting vitamin D shots because my vitamin D, when I did my hormone test, it was so low, it was like in the red.
1:04:03
So I got a vitamin D shot a couple months ago and I'm going back like throughout,'cause we get like the seasonal depression because our vitamin D is so low during the winter.
1:04:11
Look at it.
1:04:11
Winter.
1:04:11
Winter, it's so gray outside.
1:04:12
Like our lighting is gone.
1:04:14
So I'm going to do that tomorrow.
1:04:16
So hopefully that is supposed to be, helping to keep the immunity, helping to keep my mood up.
1:04:21
You need all of that.
1:04:22
So mine this week is very silly.
1:04:24
I have shared like all the tips, all the products for the last like several weeks and I was like thinking about this last night, but I have this snack that I have been eating every night and it's bringing me so much joy.
1:04:36
So what is it?
1:04:37
So like at night, I want like dark chocolate, but I also want a little snack that's gonna keep me full throughout the night.
1:04:43
And so I have been eating, I saw this on, it was a reel.
1:04:48
And so I do it the lazy way.
1:04:49
I'm gonna sh I'm gonna share the way that you could do it, that's like the fancy Instagram way and it's to take a date and to pit it and you shove like peanut butter in it and drizzle dark chocolate on top.
1:04:59
And it's supposed to taste like a Twix bar or something like that.
1:05:02
Like it's like a candy bar.
1:05:04
And I've done it that way, but I don't have time for that.
1:05:06
Especially at night, unless I like pre-B batch them.
1:05:09
So I do it the lazy way.
1:05:10
I take a couple of dates, I take a spoonful of peanut butter and then a handful of chocolate chips and it does the trick.
1:05:17
It is, I love it.
1:05:18
Delicious.
1:05:19
And I recommend it to everybody.
1:05:20
Like it is so good.
1:05:22
And so I've been snacking on it every night.
1:05:23
And I feel like it's just it is the most satisfying little snack that I could have at night, so I'm gonna try that.
1:05:29
I have dates in the refrigerator.
1:05:30
It's I love it for the smoothies.
1:05:31
I love it.
1:05:32
They make pitted dates.
1:05:33
Yeah, they do, but I, so you don't have to like, do all the work.
1:05:37
I get them at Whole Foods in their pits in them.
1:05:39
They, it's fine, but we'll just might lose it too.
1:05:42
I tooth, but I should try the pitted ones if I could find them.
1:05:47
But yeah, that, it's a delicious snack, so anybody they that organic.
1:05:50
I also, I feel like it could be like a cute little like dessert if you wanna bring it somewhere for the holiday season, yeah.
1:05:55
Because I feel like it's a little, yeah.
1:05:57
I've seen people do it and.
1:05:58
Tell me if I'm wrong, but don't Some people put sea salts.
1:06:01
Yes, can have.
1:06:01
You can put the sea salt flakes on top.
1:06:03
Yes.
1:06:04
You can make it, you can make'em fancy.
1:06:05
You could put a little sprinkle on top like you could do it.
1:06:07
But I feel like, yeah, I do it the lazy way.
1:06:09
I don't make them every single night like that.
1:06:11
I'm not like in there.
1:06:12
You get the same effect, but they're just not as pretty.
1:06:14
Yes.
1:06:14
It's but I've been eating it every night and so had to share.
1:06:18
I was thinking about that and I was like, I'm gonna share that as my pink spot.
1:06:21
I love that.
1:06:22
This is the sixth day in a row that I've been, I love a snack chomping on dates.
1:06:25
I know I love a snack and it's controlled peanut butter and have blackened out in the pantry the way I consume peanut butter.
1:06:31
I do go at it with a spoon though, but I put it back but thank you Jen, so much for coming on.
1:06:38
We love you so much.
1:06:40
It was such a pleasure to catch up with you, and I hope I get to see you in person very soon, because I miss you so much, and I miss your life.
1:06:45
No, I would've loved, I would've loved to have come to Connecticut.
1:06:49
I know.
1:06:49
I know.
1:06:50
Next time for the sequel, you can come.
1:06:52
Jen, it was such a pleasure to meet you and to hear your stories and thank you for sharing them here.
1:06:56
And thank you for spending your time with us today.
1:06:58
Know we love you and everybody go follow Jen.
1:07:00
She is at.
1:07:01
Hot off the rack and it's at Hot Mama Collective as well, too Hot Mama Collective.
1:07:06
Yep.
1:07:06
So we'll, we will put all of her information in the show notes so you can go and follow her.
1:07:10
We're gonna put the bags in, the sweatshirts in the show notes too.
1:07:12
Yep.
1:07:12
We'll link everything in your show notes and and so if you love this, please rate review, subscribe to us pretty and pink again, and thank you guys so much.
1:07:22
We will see you next week.
1:07:24
See you next week.
1:07:25
Bye.