Episode Transcript
Speaker 1 00:00:02 And today on the Lady Boss Podcast, we're gonna hear from Melissa Carter, c e o of Cameo Vintage, and I am the Carter Project. She's dominating upcycling and circle fashion on the north shore of Chicago after a long career with many high couture brands in New York City. So, come on, let's listen to the Lady Boss podcast today.
Speaker 0 00:00:43 Well,
Speaker 1 00:00:43 Here we are, Melissa and Winnetka. Hi,
Speaker 2 00:00:46 How are you?
Speaker 1 00:00:46 I'm doing great. And we're just sitting here in the North Shore uniform. Yes. You and I in our Lulus and leggings. Uh, getting right to it. Oh, no. Wrong interview,
Speaker 2 00:00:55 <laugh>. Yes.
Speaker 1 00:00:56 Um, okay. So you're kind of like a North Shore celeb these days. You've, you're back for two years and, uh, all eyes are on Melissa Carter. Yes. Thank you for making time to be here. Of course.
Speaker 2 00:01:07 Well, thank you so much for having me.
Speaker 1 00:01:09 All right. Well, lady bosses, uh, know a lot of things, but I think if I put you at the top of the dressing list, which you're so known for, and I wanna talk about your business and fashion mm-hmm. <affirmative>, um, where'd you get that interest in, in, in looking like this? Uh,
Speaker 2 00:01:24 You know what, uh, you learn a lot of things from your mom. Fashion was not one of them. I literally came out of the womb just loving fashion. I, when I look at life, I see patterns and textures, and I think fashion really, um, parallels to what's happening in every day, whereas with politics, whether it's with, um, just things that the country may need as far as, uh, materials, I think fashion really is art. And I come from a long line of artists in my family. So my grandmother actually was a thrifter. I'm just finding this out. Oh,
Speaker 1 00:02:00 That's awesome. Yes. <laugh>. Well, I think we, um, instantly had a connection because as you know, my dad was a custom clothier. Yes. And he taught us, um, you know, from the time we came out of the womb, that you weren't allowed to wear pants. And his feeling was, you know, if you're dressing better, looking better, taking care of yourself, you're doing better work. Um, is that something you're bringing forward with your son today?
Speaker 2 00:02:21 A hundred percent. I think, you know, what Zoom has taught us is that, or Covid has taught us, is how we truly feel, um, when we don't get dressed. I think there is a different quality when you're polished. Yep. Um, so I think it's important as a young man, young woman, um, sophisticated, um, corporate woman that you dress the part. Um, I think that's the, that's actually the very first resume that people see.
Speaker 1 00:02:50 That's a good point. So, um, you know, we're gonna go back to Covid because while we don't wanna talk about Covid ever again, there's some really great lessons and things that happened, including, uh, US in the North Shore getting you back. Yes. So, you are a North Shore resident, brought, born and bred Highland Park, and lived most of your adult life in New York after college. Yep. And then you came back mm-hmm. <affirmative>. Um, so tell me how hard, in retrospect, is it to go from being a worker bee? You worked at a lot of big companies. Mm-hmm. We'll, talk about, uh, to someone that's a entrepreneur.
Speaker 2 00:03:24 You know, when I was working in corporate, I always said to myself, oh, I just wanna work for myself. Now that I work for myself, I'm like, I understand why people work corporate <laugh>. Um, it's just, it's very different. I, you know, I think sometimes being, being an entrepreneur is, is very emotional. Yes. Because you don't know half the time I'm like, what am I doing? Yeah. Like, what am I doing? Um, why is this person in my life? Am I, why am I not here? And why, what can I change? You're constantly questioning yourself. Yeah. So the confidence that you have at corporate, when everything is listed, like all the job requirements and expectations, you can't list that for yourself. Right. So, I also think being an entrepreneur is incredibly lonely because you really have to keep people around you that are worth, you know, getting sound bites from, and you really have to be able to take the feedback and pivot mm-hmm.
Speaker 2 00:04:20 <affirmative>. And I think that's different when you have an HR team, because there's a way that you say things when you're trying to give someone feedback so that it fits within the culture of a brand. When you have your own brand very different, you're getting feedback from people, it's comes off raw. So you have to say like, okay, am I gonna sit in this or am I gonna rise to the occasion? Being an entrepreneur actually has taught me how all the hats I wore in New York were so important. It's really at my New York experience. If I didn't have it, I don't know if I would be as successful as I am on the North Shore. I was working 14 hours a day in New York doing popups, doing social media for the brand, hiring, recruiting, doing anything that I could get my hands on, which is the same things that I'm doing now. So it's just amazing from the days at the gap from my time at Saks Fifth Avenue, it all parallels to what I'm doing today.
Speaker 1 00:05:18 All right. So let's unpack that a little bit, because a lot of those feelings you mentioned, um, if we were to ever tell anybody on the other side of entrepreneurship, you'd never do it. Yeah. Um, I know for myself, when I started my first business, I felt the fear of failure was less great than the fear of regret. So I really just thought, I gotta get out and jump off the Sears Tower and do this. And I, you know, like you had a very, very great career. Great, uh, opportunities. Great. Um, income to go from sort of there to loneliness mm-hmm. <affirmative> to imposter syndrome, to, um, what the hell am I doing? Yes. Does the model work? Yes. I know personally, I ate my way through it. Mm-hmm. <affirmative>, I like cookies, were my best friend Starbucks cookies, because I just had never encountered those feelings. Yeah. How are you dealing with what you can verbalize mm-hmm. <affirmative>, but that's easy to verbalize in a way. It, it just, the sitting with that feeling like you talked about is really, is a big deal for me, even in this day.
Speaker 2 00:06:20 I completely agree. Um, I go to the gym every, not every day, but every other day at 5:00 AM Yep. I think that's like very important for mental wellness. Yes. The great thing about going to the gym is that your body looks great, but at the end of the day, I think as you encounter trauma, you have to release it. Yeah. And the best way to do that in the healthiest way is going to the gym and starting your day early. I also say daily affirmations. That's something that I just started. Yeah. Because it's like, last week I was like, God, what do you, is is this supposed to feel like this <laugh>? Like, because this is really uncomfortable <laugh>, like I just said, you know, you can't every day's a winning day because you get up every day. Right. Yeah. But every day doesn't always feel like a win. Yeah. And I just have to say to myself, okay, I'm gonna dust myself off, go to the gym and figure, you know, punch it out Yep. And start my day anew. Yep. So that's what I've been doing.
Speaker 1 00:07:20 Well, I think, um, you know, I'm guessing that a little bit of those feelings that, you know, you have now, you also had growing up, um, you know, here where you are. Um, not like type to everyone on the outside. Yes. Um, tell me how that's been a benefit being back, you know, as you, you've gotten so much press. You're in every article and every place we look is Melissa Carter and we love it. 'cause none of not many people we'd wanna look at as much as you <laugh> well dressed and on point. Um, do you think people remember you more because of that on the North Shore, and how does that feel?
Speaker 2 00:07:57 You know, it's really funny and I, and you know, I'm just gonna, as a black person growing up on the North Shore, you think that people remember you because you're the only one. Sometimes people don't even recognize or remember me. So coming back as a <laugh>. So I think there was a lot of me internalizing, I'm the only black person in elementary school, so I'm being treated different. And sometimes I was, I mean, that's just, you know, the times. But I think being an African American girl on the North Shore and not equipped with the same confidence could be detrimental. And coming back as a black, first black business owner in Winnetka Yep. Hits a little bit different. Yep. You know, if I could have told my young self in fifth grade that I'm gonna cry <laugh>
Speaker 1 00:08:47 <laugh>, that's okay.
Speaker 2 00:08:49 That, you know, I would come back and it would feel like this. I mean, I don't think I, I don't think I expected this from the North Shore, really,
Speaker 1 00:08:58 The support No. Uhuh.
Speaker 2 00:09:00 Yeah. No. The type of support I get on the North Shore is like none other. Sorry.
Speaker 1 00:09:06 No, it's awesome. Because you know what, the whole reason that I started the Lady Boss podcast was to help people get through the journey.
Speaker 2 00:09:14 Yeah. It's hard.
Speaker 1 00:09:16 Yeah.
Speaker 2 00:09:16 It's really hard.
Speaker 1 00:09:17 It's really hard. Um, all right. So, um, I, I, I'll say thank you for, um, getting that feelings back because they are so, um, there mm-hmm. <affirmative>, but I try really hard to make sure they don't show up a lot. And I, I, I can tell you're in the same boat mm-hmm. <affirmative>. Um, why do you think that all we see on social media is, you know, being an entrepreneur, you're richer, you're famous, or you're, you know, it's easy. You, you're not working for anybody. You've got all the control, and yet you and I are sitting here crying because the real g <laugh> is a lot different than that.
Speaker 2 00:09:54 You know, I think, um, the greatest thing about social media is that it keeps you social. Right? I mean, the root word keeps you social. Um, but imposter syndrome is on the rise. And I think they tell you to be an entrepreneur because that is a new way of thinking. As in, in fact, I tell my son when I pulled him outta school and said, we're just gonna like, have a road trip and, you know, go through the, the countryside and figure it out. I think being an entrepreneur is great, and I'm teaching him to it's okay to work for people, but at the end, all real freedom is working for yourself. And it's not something that I was taught. You know, you're taught to go to college, not take a lap year graduate and go on and go on. Yeah. So I think if anybody knew what it was to be an entrepreneur, I think they would think twice.
Speaker 2 00:10:49 Yeah. You really, I thought New York was difficult and it was. Yeah. But you learn the ebb and flow of New York, it's constantly changing, but there's a couple of things that always remain standard. Coming back to Winnetka and being an entrepreneur in a, let's just face it, a slower suburb feels like New York because you are working those same amount of hours. Yeah. Yep. If I'm up at five in the morning, it's because I'm answering emails. People, I have, you know, high school and pre like college kids interning for me. I'm sending them texts at 2:00 AM and they're like, when are you sleep? And it's like, when you're an entrepreneur, you feel like, if I sleep, or if I don't get this one little task done, it's gonna just, my shit's gonna blow up. And that's not true. And I have had to tell myself like, it's okay. Like, you can wait till tomorrow. Um, I think telling people to be an entrepreneur and, and, and, and not sharing that it doesn't, it comes with an emotional bandwidth. I think that's more detrimental.
Speaker 1 00:11:48 Yeah. And I think that one thing I always heard, and I, I so appreciate my dad so much more knowing what he was going through, you know, raising mm-hmm. <affirmative>, my mom stayed at home and he provided, and we went to private school, and I can't even imagine in the eighties, like the pressure he felt the pressure to earn in a clothing business. Yeah. Which, you know, uh, isn't the rags to riches story that they may mm-hmm. <affirmative>, you may think. Um, but what I think that people would always say to me is, well, you're, you, you're like an owner. When I worked for my first mentor, and I did work like an owner mm-hmm. <affirmative>, I, I had my all, I put my hours in, I was super well compensated. And yet when people say now, well, you know, your people, they're, they're almost as good as an owner. Would you partner them in? Absolutely not. Mm.
Speaker 2 00:12:40 It's a different work ethic,
Speaker 1 00:12:41 But it's also a different risk factor. Yes.
Speaker 2 00:12:44 Yes.
Speaker 1 00:12:44 You know, you are putting aside right now, two years of your life and, you know, two plus years to start this dream. You know, I am the Carter Project Cameo vintage, and if that doesn't succeed the way you want, not that it wouldn't mm-hmm. <affirmative>, you've now, you know, in a way sidelined yourself from corporate America for 2, 3, 4, 5 years. That's risk.
Speaker 2 00:13:08 It's a huge risk. And it's something, you know, it's so funny, like, I was having like a bad month in sales and my son was like, maybe you should go back to corporate. And I was like, mm-hmm. <affirmative>, you dare not say those words. <laugh>. Yeah. I, you know, I think corporate's not a bad thing. No. So I don't really want to harp. I corporate has taught me everything. Yep. That I know, even if I didn't go to college, I think a life or 18 years in New York would teach me everything I need to know about what I'm doing right now. Um, but to your point, that's the scary part. Like, you don't know there is no succession plan. Yeah. You know, at least with a corporate entity, they're developing you and training you. The only thing that I can do for my brand that's parallel to corporate is take feedback and act on it.
Speaker 2 00:13:52 Yeah. Like, I'm a reactor. Yeah. People say, you know, I think feedback is a gift. Yeah. And I think if people don't realize it, they take it as criticism, feedback. If someone's stopping their day to say, Hey, you're doing this wrong, that's a gift because it's like, thank God somebody saw me <laugh>. I feel seen. It doesn't feel good. No. But thank God someone cared enough to say something. That's right. That's the one thing that I would count as my succession plan as an entrepreneur, is the feedback that I get from the lady boss is my dear friend Annette that owns sixties Beauty Lash, my interns, I don't care if they're 16, 17. Yeah. If they're seeing something, I, when they intern for me, I say, if you see something, say something. It's like the New York m t a <laugh>. Like, just go ahead and say, this is dumb, and I want, just wanna know why. Yeah. Because everyone opinion counts. But yeah, I think corporate, I, I, it's, it's give or take corporate entrepreneur entrepreneurship. Sometimes I wish I'm in corporate just for the steady check <laugh>. And then when I see <laugh> entrepreneurship, even if I made $50 that day, or a thousand dollars that day, I know it's my a thousand dollars.
Speaker 1 00:14:56 Yeah. Okay. So one thing, um, I've seen you so successfully do, especially in this last six months, is all your pivots. So what feedback and what data are you looking at, um, to say to just, I, I mean, 'cause I think that's a real gift of an entrepreneur to see something down the road that seems like they should pivot that way mm-hmm. <affirmative>, but how are you, um, reacting so quickly to the, the kind of the noise and making your business go towards that direction?
Speaker 2 00:15:25 So going back to feedback, I think aligning myself with really smart women like yourself, um, and the woman you have introduced me to in your network, I think, you know, feedback is definitely how I'm pivoting. But I also, and I, and I'm not trying to be crazy when I see people on Instagram doing what I do, and they're either people in my network who have seen it work for me, that's when I know it's time to pivot. Because if you have gotten a taste of what I was feeling two years ago, you're late. Yeah. However, enjoy the wave that was, is what makes me say, you know, what everyone's doing live selling. I have to stop because Interesting. If you really think about live selling is great, but how is that, uh, an elevated experience?
Speaker 1 00:16:17 Yeah. So for people listening that don't know about live selling Yes. Mm-hmm. <affirmative>, that was how I first met you. And, um, I, you know, we weren't allowed to go out at the time. Yes. So I would watch you on Friday nights doing your
Speaker 2 00:16:28 <laugh> Friday night style, life style alive.
Speaker 1 00:16:30 Yes. Um, it, it absolutely entertained me to no end. And then I did wonder like, you know, some of the prices, like how is she gonna make a living off of this? Yeah. Um, 'cause it's like this jean jacket sold now what? So I like that you've started thinking more about things that are scalable and repeatable. Yeah. Um, and I just want you to talk about, you know, kind of just a quick nod to, you know, upcycling and why that's really important mm-hmm. <affirmative> and then really your product line that you're trying to develop. Sure.
Speaker 2 00:17:01 Um, I think upcycling is super important, especially in, in every neighborhood, but especially in neighborhoods like these, because I feel like, you know, for so long you're taught to buy off the rack. And that's not necessarily sustainable when you have other brands to come out that resell. Real, real things like that. They made thrifting elevated, they made it seem more accepting mm-hmm. <affirmative>. And I think now we're in a place where, you know, you're looking at global warming, you're looking at, um, you know, child labor laws in other countries, and you really have to say, what's better for me in my spirit, wearing something recycled or paying X amount of dollars to wear something off the rack and only wear it once and not having a plan for it. When you buy some of these things, sometimes they sit in a landfill for like 15 years, and yes, they still might, those clothing still might end up in a landfill.
Speaker 2 00:17:55 However, if it's worn multiple times, the breakdown process is a lot easier for the world, for the earth. So, wearing brands, fast fashion brands, I don't have to list 'em. Everyone knows what a fast fashion brand is, is actually more detrimental to your body as well as the landfills. I recently purchased a hat from a brand, and the tags had a disclaimer that said may cause cancer. And I said, and it's a hat. So you're basically putting this cancerous material on your head, um, in the art of fashion. Hmm. Those same vapors that come out of clothing Yeah. When they're put in the landfill and broken down, those are vapors are released into the air. Yeah. So people wondering, how am I getting cancer? Well, hmm. It's in everything. It's, it's in all the chemicals that are used to make most fashion, fashion, it's, it's in everything.
Speaker 1 00:18:52 So I think that, um, I can really relate to this, the child labeler laws mm-hmm. <affirmative> and my last business, I spent a ton of time in China producing mm-hmm. <affirmative> decor for some of the places and the designers you work for. And, um, very, very frequently I'd leave my, you know, 10 and 12 year old son to go across the globe for what was, you know, 48 hours and then fly back mm-hmm. <affirmative>. And I remember looking so many times at the eyes of these little boys making the Victoria's Secret Christmas tree and realizing they weren't 14, 15, 16 years old. They were younger. And it just, it struck me that I couldn't do that for my, just my own soul, as you say. Mm-hmm. <affirmative> and ultimately sold that business to do something which was manufacturing in America because I so believed in, you know, like, let's shop, here's you gonna shop
Speaker 2 00:19:43 Here, invest
Speaker 1 00:19:44 In your own country, build up our people, not the rest of the world. Yes. So when you talk about, um, you know, that I, I tried to a year ago consciously stop buying things made in China. Yeah. I'm like, I just, this is a small thing I can do. Right. Um, besides buying things that had been previously worn, let me tell you how hard that is. If you don't shop vintage,
Speaker 2 00:20:04 It's extremely hard if you don't shop vintage. I mean, it, it's extremely hard.
Speaker 1 00:20:07 It is like shocking to just start putting a bigger lens on where are the things I'm wearing me, it's coming from Yes.
Speaker 2 00:20:15 Where are the cosmetics that I'm using coming from? Yeah. It's almost like if we didn't have China to manufacture, what would we have?
Speaker 1 00:20:22 It's, well, we'd have enough. Maybe we just wouldn't have as many as things as much. And do we need those? Yes. And I think that's sort of great lens you're bringing back to people. So now, um, you take the vintage clothing, you're also have a service where you style Yes. Uh, women. Is that style women for events or style them for their every day? Can you talk a little bit about that?
Speaker 2 00:20:43 Yes. So I am, I consider myself a style curator. So what I specialize in is doing a closet cleansing, or I do a closet edit. So I build your wardrobe with what you already own before you go shopping. There's a lot of times where, you know, women are emotional shoppers. If we get fired, we need to go shopping. Mm-hmm. <affirmative>, if we have a fight with someone, we go shopping. It's always a reason why to shop. I take that access and I rebuild it in your wardrobe and whatever. We say, you know what, let's edit. We'll put in my showroom cameo vintage. I still do trunk shows all along the North Shore. Yeah. Um, hopefully in Martha's Vineyard. And I still have clients in New York whose closets I clean as well. I build a Pinterest board of all of the looks. And yes, you have to be the model because it's your clothes.
Speaker 2 00:21:33 And I show you how to wear the looks that we've salvaged. I then have, uh, forged relationships with Neman, Marcus Sachs, Michael K Collection, where I can come in and pull things on a memo. Mm-hmm. <affirmative>, meaning your card's not charged. We're gonna bring these items to your wardrobe. So basically I'm bringing city shopping to you. And so, and sometimes it's before these pieces even hit the sales floor, I have access to them. Wow. When coming to your home, I then will bring circular fashion from my showroom. You really cannot tell the difference. All the pieces in my showroom are cared for. And they're consigned by fabulous woman from New York, Martha's Vineyard in here. So event season's coming up, if someone calls me and it's like 9:00 PM and they need a dress, they can come to my showroom at 9:00 PM obviously there's a charge. And then I introduce them to a collection. Okay. If they're saying, Hey, I want to build, uh, an outfit around these sneakers, I want an entire 10 piece wardrobe off of these sneakers. Maybe we can't get it in my showroom. But again, I have the partnerships in the city where we can pull from and also some showrooms in New York. So, yeah.
Speaker 1 00:22:45 So that's a real, a real pivot. So you, it is, you know, taking the circular code word for vintage. Yes. I'm catching on. Yes.
Speaker 2 00:22:52 <laugh>. Um,
Speaker 1 00:22:52 And added to it. Yes. The new in case you're filling in. Right. Um, will cameo vintage have their own line at some point?
Speaker 2 00:23:01 So what I do with clothes that I are slow moving is I upcycle them with my logo. And my logo is an African American woman with an Afro. And initially when I came up with this logo, I was in corporate, I was actually supposed to be recruiting at F I t and I found a graphic designer instead, <laugh>, and this is before Covid. I said to myself, I want my own brand. Um, so an Easter European woman made the logo, I didn't make it, and I put it on the clothing to advocate for diversity and inclusion. I think in the wake of George Floyd Breonna Taylor, I think, you know, before Covid things would happen to people of color and people would be like, oh, even myself, they probably did something or they were wearing something. That's what Covid taught us, is to sit and watch what was happening in our country.
Speaker 2 00:23:48 And if you, regardless if you're a Republican democrat, it's wrong, period, point blank. And having a white woman wear my logo and say, is this a cultural appropriation? No, it's not. But for her to say, to even think that it is, when I've been wearing white woman on me since I was two, no one ever stopped me and said, you know what? Why are you wearing that? What my logo does is open up the conversation about race within fashion. So if you were to walk in and just like you're wearing your Prada plaque, you had an Afro woman, someone would, someone definitely would ask you, what is that? Yep. And you could then advocate for a brand, say, oh, you know what? I'm actually supporting this black-owned, female-owned business on the North Shore, actually is to advocate for, uh, diversity. Do you have any questions? Mm-hmm. <affirmative>, you're already starting the conversation. Ation starting conversation. I think when, you know, lawsuits are settled and marches are over, we forget about the people who, I don't, I won't say we forgot about George Floyd, but he's a, he's a memory. Right. Yeah. Until it happens again.
Speaker 1 00:24:53 Yeah. Or a leader. And I think that's, uh, yeah. So much of who you are is, you know, you're a leader. Um, you're certainly leading the North Shore and Chicago land and thinking about their wardrobe and style mm-hmm. Differently mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. <affirmative>. Um, I'm really happy to see them, you know, the, the editorial people recognizing that, um, you know, style is all colors, all ages Yes. All body styles. And, and I think that that's what I've been so impressed with, is so many people that have used you, you know, you've got a solution for not, you know, five, nine, blonde, 110 pounds. Yeah. And that, that's kind of easy. Yeah. And that's what you did in New York. Yeah. So, um, where do you see the business three, three years from now? You look back and you say, wow, that was worth the ride. <laugh> all the drama's
Speaker 2 00:25:40 Over all the drama, you're
Speaker 1 00:25:41 Just printing money. Um,
Speaker 2 00:25:42 Yes. Would
Speaker 1 00:25:43 Love that. What does that look like?
Speaker 2 00:25:44 Yeah. That's speaking to an existence. Um, I probably would want to like, have a vintage store, but not be attached to it. Yeah. You know, and not be in it. Yeah. Um, I think I just wanna continue on with my style, um, consulting. Um, I'm also, you know, archiving for some major brands. Um, and, you know, I didn't think I would like archiving so much, but it's really interesting. Um, being on the Costume Council of Chicago, I think, you know, I might take my skillset there and see what I can do, um, from, from more of a, I, I kind of wanna be global. Like, I don't, I hate to say it, I don't wanna be an influencer, but I do <laugh> if that's okay. <laugh>. I'm like, sorry. But I mean, I do want to be able to partner with brands and bring my style to the brand, whether if it's con con consulting, if it's, um, sourcing, if it's just my personality, um, I would love that. That's the goal. I myself want to be my brand. And then Cameo vintage is yes. The way that I dress. Maybe I sell it <laugh> and move on. 'cause that's what you do with
Speaker 1 00:26:53 Companies. Well, I, I read, um, and you've referred to your mentor with the staffing business, the global mentor you have, um, as challenging you to think bigger. Yes. So I think we're gonna challenge you to own that goal. Yeah. I mean, why not? Um, you know, Armani times Melissa Carter. Yes. Prada Times Melissa Carter. Yes. I would. Fendi times Melissa Carter.
Speaker 2 00:27:15 Yes.
Speaker 1 00:27:15 I mean, I think just sit in that, because if anyone can do it, it's you. You are, uh, you know, such a showstopper. I just, I, I absolutely know. And, uh, that big things are gonna happen. And we'll sit back here and cry about how to <laugh> how to spend all the money. Exactly. The good old days of how hard it was.
Speaker 2 00:27:34 Exactly. Exactly. <laugh>.
Speaker 1 00:27:42 Okay. Team, here's the part of the show where we ask our guests five questions. We do it in a rapid fire style, and we wanna see what the answers are. Here we go. Okay. All right. Melissa, tell me, what do you think is your superpower
Speaker 2 00:27:55 Being a chameleon? I can almost read any room. Um, and I'm also in chameleon in the way I dress, so,
Speaker 1 00:28:01 Okay. Mm-hmm. <affirmative>, uh, favorite recent business book you've read?
Speaker 2 00:28:06 Favorite recent business book that I've read was, was actually gonna be a podcast. Sure. It basically discussed, uh, the power of buying black and why that's important for, um, black owned businesses. Um, forgot the name though. 'cause I was on a whim. I'm sorry. That sucks. Details.
Speaker 1 00:28:25 Yeah.
Speaker 2 00:28:25 Whatever. Yeah. Okay. <laugh>, it was a message <laugh>
Speaker 1 00:28:28 Most influential mentor in this current decade for your, your personal and professional life.
Speaker 2 00:28:36 Okay. It would definitely have to be Annette Pecora.
Speaker 1 00:28:39 Okay. Why?
Speaker 2 00:28:40 Um, she's like my accountability friend. Okay. She's a friend that will say, did you do this? Did you do that? Did you do this? And she constantly questions and constantly has me thinking bigger at all times. Oh,
Speaker 1 00:28:51 I love,
Speaker 2 00:28:52 That's that person in your life. Oh,
Speaker 1 00:28:53 She's amazing. Uh, one goal that you hope to accomplish in your business before the end of the year.
Speaker 2 00:28:58 My goal is to be, have my infrastructure completely organized. Infrastructure, meeting processes, actual inventory being everything is just kind of like an ode to quality and focusing on the importance of staying organized and, um, focused <laugh>. Yeah.
Speaker 1 00:29:19 Remember, I, great ideas are great ideas, but only ideas that get executed. Make money.
Speaker 2 00:29:24 Exactly. Exactly. And that, what did you say before? Planting seeds, what we were talking about. Okay.
Speaker 1 00:29:29 And that, so, uh, if we plant seeds today Yes. We don't know what they will yield to three, four years from now. Yes. So surrounding yourself by, by good people Exactly. Is really important. Exactly. Okay. Um, and then, um, most exciting opportunity of your business that you're looking forward to over the next few months?
Speaker 2 00:29:48 The most exciting opportunity, I think would be really to focus on my pivot. You know, I'm trying to do things grand and I think the, I think scaling back and being more intimate with my clients and really kind of focusing on my skillset. I think that is, that, I know it seems small, but it's just, I, I feel like I haven't had the time to get to know my business 'cause I haven't spent the time to get to know myself. That's
Speaker 1 00:30:15 A lot of foundation work. It sounds like.
Speaker 2 00:30:17 You know what? Yes. So really continuing the
Speaker 1 00:30:18 Foundation, you know, to, I've always learned and felt that, you know, sometimes you're kind of sidelining getting the foundation Right. To go forward.
Speaker 2 00:30:24 Yes. So let's, so I think it's that build
Speaker 1 00:30:26 The foundation. So 2023 is the rocket year.
Speaker 2 00:30:29 Yes, exactly.
Speaker 1 00:30:30 All right. Let's do it. <laugh>.
Speaker 2 00:30:32 Yes. <laugh>.
