The Alimond Show
Welcome to The Alimond Show --join us as we share our entrepreneurial guests' stories, uncover their secrets to success, and explore the unique paths they've taken to build thriving businesses in our community.
In each episode, our host, Aliyah Dastour, sits down with a diverse group of local business owners, from the corner cafe to the boutique shop, from tech startups to family-run enterprises. We peel back the curtain to reveal the trials, triumphs, and transformational moments that have shaped their entrepreneurial journey.
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The Alimond Show
Mia Belotti of Maison Warehouse
Can you remember the first spark of creativity that ignited your passion? Our guest, a successful interior designer, found hers playing with Barbies and working in retail. She shares in detail about her life-long love for beauty and design, and how her path twisted and turned before she discovered her true calling.
In the chaos of launching a business, she faced numerous challenges. However, it was her creativity, determination, and the ability to change that helped her navigate these obstacles. She also shares about her own run-ins with the IRS, a reminder of the many complexities of making money. But, she assures us, it's all part of the journey. One of the key steps she took towards her success was to establish successful business partnerships through networking, a vitally important aspect to growing a business that we delve into in this episode.
Finally, looking at the future, our guest shares her dreams of building a home and hosting big family gatherings. She stresses the importance of having a supportive partner in achieving long-term goals. She shares about finding the right partner, her life's vision, and the determination to turn dreams into reality. You won’t want to miss this heartfelt discussion on navigating different paths in life and business, and the strength required to keep going.
We're good. That's awesome. Tell me a little bit about what you do Like. What's your actual?
Speaker 2:What's my real job? My real job I'm an interior designer. It's a. It's crazy. I've done retail for 20 plus years. Like actually 2023 makes 20 years, and retail was never really my jam. I mean, I was good at it, but it wasn't really my jam.
Speaker 2:We had no all clothing I wished that I could wear. I could totally do that. It's so funny. My husband said to me the other day because he's in construction, so he was like you know, he's looking at me like in this outfit that I had put on, and he's like what's the designers that I work with? Like when they come into these houses they don't look all like designery, like you designer, and I'm like what do you mean? And I'm like well, I guess it's a compliment, so whatever, go on, go on, so, so yeah. So I studied interior design.
Speaker 2:I actually interned for an interior designer when I was a kid, when I was like 16. It was my second job. I had two jobs in high school and one was working for the family business, which I eventually got to run, and then the other was working part time for an interior designer. So that's kind of where I got my feet wet, but even like when I was little like my auntie on my dad's side, on the Lebanese side, my auntie she used to be an antique dealer and she had a shop called Antiquities Fair in Chevy Chase. So she would put up big, she would go do like the antique show at the DC Armory like once a year and she would display all of her things. It's like in the early 80s and I would sit in like my poofy Laura Ashley dress and I would hand out business cards and say please buy for my auntie.
Speaker 1:Knit yourself. Have children help pass out cars Exactly Like really good.
Speaker 2:But you know, I like at a very young age I'm like, please buy for my auntie. So I was always surrounded by like beautiful things in art history and she studied at the Sorbonne, like she was an amazing person, she was very cool and so anyway I sort of always had like this love of interiors, like when I would play Barbies as a little girl. I would like to you know, set up all of their furniture was more important in setting up the house than whatever Barbie was going to do.
Speaker 1:I did a lot of the Barbie movie, by the way. Oh my God, did it like reenact the childhood.
Speaker 2:Oh my God, I loved, I love that movie so much. What part did you? Like most about it Like was there a certain part that like? Was there a certain part? One of the parts that I really loved other than, of course, america for Arrow speech was when she what?
Speaker 1:part that you like little.
Speaker 2:Yeah, when she like felt flat when she was like so depressed that she was like face down on the ground and like she just like couldn't move and it was like, oh yeah, like, because you always see Barbies like thrown aside, like that, and I was like there was certain little things like that or like the way that weird Barbie would have her legs, and you know what I mean. Like, like, definitely, my like. I was always meticulous with my Barbies. My sister was like the kind of reckless one, so she had weird Barbie and she's a hairdresser now. It explains a lot. She, she definitely cut Barbies hair. So like, oh, let's just say it's good she practiced on Barbie first. She's really good at it now.
Speaker 1:Sorry, and I didn't mean to like backtrack.
Speaker 2:Oh yeah, no worries, I just had to know. I know because Barbie I know All right. So so family and like we kind of grew up in the business. My dad is a designer. When my stepdad but I also refer to him as my dad because I was I had like two dads. Basically my mom and my dad divorced when I was seven and then my mom remarried when I was 10. And my stepdad was just such a big part of raising me, I mean both of them walked me down the aisle.
Speaker 1:Oh nice.
Speaker 2:So he is a designer and just incredibly amazing and so when you have creative parents, then it's really easy to be a creative kid. Yeah, you know, they really like foster that and they embrace it and they celebrate it, like some people would be like no, you have to go to law school, you know. Yeah, although I realize now I probably would have gone to medical school had I been diagnosed with ADHD as a kid and given been given meds.
Speaker 1:What Well? I mean, I do love med school, though, because I'm a doctor, I like like I.
Speaker 2:There's aspects of it Like I think I probably could have been like a psychologist or something like that. I think I probably would have gone into psychology, isn't that?
Speaker 1:fascinating stuff. I love psychology people.
Speaker 2:Oh my gosh. Like like the Amber Heard trial with Johnny.
Speaker 1:Depp last summer. So much drama. I can't be drama though, oh my.
Speaker 2:God, but can I tell you, how much I loved.
Speaker 2:I loved the forensic psychologist, like absolutely adored her. I thought she was extremely professional and I loved the way that she took such a sympathetic approach to what her diagnosis was of Amber Heard. I really liked how she it wasn't dehumanizing, it was very humanizing, it was very like supportive and and it was like all the things that psychology should be. And she didn't say any of the things to be mean, she just was trying to be like hey, listen, like this is, this is what it is and this is how you deal with this, and I really appreciated her perspective and so I am totally fascinated by all those things.
Speaker 1:I love it too. We were just having a conversation, for you Walked in just about like humans in general yes, there's so much good to them and they're bad. Yeah, no matter like who. Yes, and of course, one of us said even if it's just 1%, good, you know Right even if, like, can you just get through to that one person?
Speaker 2:Yes, it's like all of us, but I really think you can grow it too. Like I feel like it's kind of like love, like you know, when you have your first baby and you're like, oh my God, how could I ever love another one like this? And then you have a second baby and you're like, oh my God.
Speaker 1:I did it again.
Speaker 2:I love the whips, like there's some things in us I think, like the good that like you can foster, you can grow, you can like really culture it and like grow it.
Speaker 1:I agree, and if you focus on it, especially as children, talking about kids, you reinforce that right. It's like we do the things like you were saying, like your parents were artists and they were very, you know in that world. They fostered it.
Speaker 2:They do and you really can. You can grow it. You can, like I've always said, like, you know you just you gotta fertilize your own yard. You know it's works for marriage. Yeah, you just put the wheat and feed. You put, you know, right on it, but it's right on it. You can't just make it. Put all the boosters right On your own grass and then, like, you will have a beautiful garden. You know, and yeah, I definitely it's that way for many things, right, I think now in like career-wise, it's like I keep thinking like this whole term, like you know how you hear a lot of people talking about manifesting.
Speaker 2:Yeah, so like we're in like this huge, just pivotal change in our lives, like my husband and I, and then our careers, and I feel like I'm like, okay, I just need to manifest wealth. I need to just manifest wealth. We're gonna do this. I don't know how, but we're just doing it and I'm like, okay, so to that end, I'm like, okay, we need a new business annex, I'm gonna get the big one. So I'm like, what was I thinking? Like this was such a waste of money. Whatever, I'm manifesting wealth. It looks wealthy. We're gonna, this is gonna be successful. Like I feel the success when I hold this titanium car and I go.
Speaker 2:I better work really hard to pay for that annual fee. I'm like, okay, let's go. So I don't know if it's like that whole, like the manifestation, or if it's like the fire underneath you or what it is, but it definitely is putting that into motion somehow. And I feel like it's kind of like that, with everything right, if you have a little bit of good and you wanna grow it, you can. If you have, you know, your marriage, you wanna grow that and invest in that, like. You have to put a little effort into it, you gotta. And so it is manifesting in a way, right, like, and it is.
Speaker 1:Like, you start to expect it and then it starts to happen, you're like oh, there's a clue, yes, and there's a clue and there's a clue, like, and you start Very validating yes, correct.
Speaker 2:So validating Correct. So yeah, so I've been validating my manifestations.
Speaker 1:All right, speaking of wealth and speaking of success, will you lay it out for me and for our listeners of what have you done to get you to where you're at now and what are you doing to get you to that?
Speaker 2:Next, the next phase. Manifest as well, my manifestation. What is the road to manifestations? Listen, creativity is number one and you have to do that every day.
Speaker 1:You really do no matter what you do, it's true.
Speaker 2:Whatever your career is, you go into creative so like just keep thinking and keep doing and I feel like there's a notion of also like keep moving forward, right. So we're going through this huge change in our careers. My parents wanted to retire. My husband wanted to start a business. You know I am supporting him in his new adventure. Now I mean, we're design build, like he's the builder and I'm the designer. So in that regard it's like very nice because we can work together, but it's also like a tremendous amount of work. So starting a new business we've been doing for the last we've really just started.
Speaker 2:In the last two months, to be honest, we've launched Baladi Design Build and it just takes like the idea that you have to get a certain amount of things done each week, like it's all the baby steps, right. So like this week I'm going to register the business with the state, okay, this week I'm going to do this, and you kind of take those baby steps. And then my husband had to go pass for his Class A contractor's license and that was like the next hurdle. And then it was like, okay, now I have to learn QuickBooks, because I never did QuickBooks. Like on my retail side I had like a POS system and that's the system I've been using for like 20 years. So like this is, I've done QuickBooks like back in the day, but now it's like all online. Everything is different.
Speaker 2:So that is, it's easier, man, it is. It is a little bit easier, but it's also a little bit harder, cause I'm like, oh my gosh, well, how does this work? And then I'm like constantly calling my accountant, and so you have to also be willing to learn right. Like and change hurts, it's hard, it does. Growth hurts, growing pains hurts, it's hard. There's a lot of sleepless nights and you just can't be scared.
Speaker 1:So or Mark. Can I add to that? You can be scared, but know that you're going to do it anyway.
Speaker 2:Yes, exactly, that's exactly it. Like, no, I'm you're right, cause I'm terrified all the time, like constantly terrified. I'm like yes, but I'm like, listen, just keep putting the next foot in front, like this is going to pass, like whatever this is, like I'm going to get there. I don't know when, but one day I will be there and then I'll breathe better.
Speaker 1:Like and I think that's the experienced business owner, yeah, or experienced mother, or experienced any type of new role, title position that we've given ourselves, right, like when you're a new mom? I'm just talking about mom, that's so true. When you're a new mom, everything terrifies you. If I pick up the child wrong, if the child is coughing, if the baby is doing this thing, everything's horrifying. Now by like child number three you're like what ever You're like hacking up along. You're like you. Good yeah, All right, love you, sweet pea. Good night, Right exactly.
Speaker 2:It's true.
Speaker 1:The fear starts to dissipate.
Speaker 2:It does you get better at it.
Speaker 1:No one expects yes.
Speaker 2:Yeah, you get better at it. Like you're like no, I know what happens after this. Like I think before you don't really have anywhere with all of like well, what actually happens if I do this Correct. And so once you've done it a few times, then it's like oh, no, I know what. And now I know what happens.
Speaker 1:You know, one of the scariest things to me as a business owner just happened not to too long ago is I got audited by the IRS? Oh God, that's my nightmare. So listen. So yeah, it was my nightmare too. I was like so scared that I was gonna be going to jail, Like that was my, that was my.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I was like I would have been jailed, like debtor's prison or whatever, like where they put you. They're not sending you there. A work camp like what is this 1930s?
Speaker 1:England and that's how I was so scared, yeah. And then when I got through it, number one, I won the audit, which felt so good. And then number two, I'm like this like if it ever happens again, it's part of business. It's part of when you make money when you make a certain amount of money, it can happen.
Speaker 2:It can happen. It can happen.
Speaker 1:Sometimes you get all your receipts. I learned so much from the process that now, when I get a letter from the IRS, I don't want to vomit. I'm like, oh, what's up, homies, like what we got today, really it's true, it's true, oh my God, though.
Speaker 2:We were audited one time and it was ridiculous, and it was on our personal time. We were very young, like first married, and we got an audit from the IRS and it was because they actually didn't apply our tax payment that we had sent in to our account. I don't know why they did something wrong, but it came back on us oh, you had the hard tax. And then we had yes, and I was like that's it, we're hiring an accountant and I'm never doing my own taxes again, like ever. And so that was the end of that. I was like, oh my gosh, like why? And of course, you know, you're like in your early 20s, so that's like very scary. You're like what is this adulting? It's so hard. I was like not it, I'm out, tap your end, right, exactly Like can I unsubscribe? They? We didn't even have unsubscribe back then. That's right, that's right. If I knew that word, I would have been like I'm unsubscribing to adulting. This is not okay, All right.
Speaker 1:Next question how do you project your business in the future? I know you guys are just now starting to get a design. Build off the ground running, like talking to other business owners who are wanting to grow and scale their business, whether they're hiring a team or they're trying to do marketing. What are some things that you're either planning on doing or that you've done, that you're like this was a really good.
Speaker 2:Okay. So we're really spoiled. I have to tell you, like I and I've acknowledged that we are really spoiled All of our businesses, word of mouth and repeat clientele and we've been working because we worked with my dad and my husband worked with my dad for so long Like it's a lot of networking. So what we continue to do is to continue to network and in person with people. Where do you go? Network?
Speaker 2:Cause I think that's a great Honestly, it's all social Like, it's like no like like people we know like people we know like pool parties, but it's like our clients will have a pool party and invite us.
Speaker 1:So you have a strong relationship with clients.
Speaker 2:Very strong relationship. I want to see pool parties. Yes, so I mean, thank goodness, knock on wood, they love us. So. So we get a lot of referrals just from other clients and friend.
Speaker 2:All of our friends end up wanting to be our clients, which is also amazing.
Speaker 2:So you get to work with people that you like and people that really want to support your business, because they know that you put out a quality product and that's the level that they want and that they expect. And you know, like we're so happy to do it for them. Like we're building a kitchen right now for some of our best friends, which is really such a cool project and it's really great because it's like across the street from our house, so like my husband can be home to let the kids, you know, get them out the door and then, you know, then I can take my time to come to podcast. Yes, because literally he's walking across the street to the job, which is great, and then he checks on that job for a couple of hours in the morning and then he'll go to some other job, you know. So, yeah, I think fostering relationships is one of the best tools that we have and it's free yeah, like that's amazing, well, and how do you foster relationships?
Speaker 1:Because it comes natural to you? Obviously because you're not overthinking it, just from listening to how you're speaking about it, but like for somebody who maybe is like like, could you break it down For like a shy person?
Speaker 2:Yeah, okay. So I think when you care, it shows, it shows. So when you talk to people, you are listening to them. Are you responding to them, whoever you are listening to this conversation today, or is there something that you do that can help them? And when you identify that need you, can you know like it's nothing for me to be like, oh, I'll give you like, hey, this is a little piece of advice like here's that and you can reach out in any way that you can connect. It's about making connections, right.
Speaker 2:So you want to connect to people and, and I think that helps, and then I think for introverts is maybe a little bit more taxing, right?
Speaker 2:So you have to put yourself in that suit during the day and then give yourself space, if you're an introvert, to retreat at night or wherever like, so that you can regroup, because you're going to have to keep doing this on repeat, not really, but after the pandemic I mean, we suffered a lot, no, but like I the pandemic, I went through a lot of trauma during the pandemic. So after that I did revert to a little bit of being an introvert. I used to be so extroverted and I've learned that it can tax me, yeah, so, like you know, post trauma Mia is not the same as pre trauma Mia, so that is really hard to learn how to redefine yourself. So it is a lot like an introvert having to like put the show on, because when you're dealing with grief and a lot of heavy emotions it can make you want to turn into yourself. So you do have to still push yourself to get out there and like be human and connect and you know work through it and it is healthy and good for us, but sometimes exhausting.
Speaker 1:Do you feel comfortable talking about the posts and the pre? What happened in between?
Speaker 2:Sure, I mean, we lost a baby. Yeah, at 15 weeks. We named her Mia or no, mila after me, but not really. But yes, no, I'm Mia, she was Mila. So Mila for Mila, girl, for because she was a miracle. They told us we would not get pregnant on our own. We have two boys, but we struggled to get them and then never tried or didn't try ever again. And eight years later we were pregnant and I knew she was a girl. And then I lost her and it was horrible. It was really, really bad. So you know, we've been trying ever since and still no luck. But we'll see what comes in 2024.
Speaker 2:My kids are old, so it's like completely restarting over and my husband's like, what are you doing? But I said to him honey, we're starting this new business. If we're going to be wealthy, I might as well be wealthy with the baby. I'm like, just give me what I want. It's fine. Money makes everything better. Oh my God. I'm like just, I'm just going to get my baby. I don't know how we're going to, we're going to figure it out, but I feel like I'm. I always have looked at my life like in reverse. Do you ever do that? I do. I feel like I'm, like I've envisioned myself more often than not as an old lady, looking back on my life and thinking what I would want from my life at this time, right now.
Speaker 1:I think that's such an amazing exercise and beautiful thing to do you do? I explain how you do it Okay, so, okay.
Speaker 2:So the vision in my head is this big, big, big, long farm table, like very long, and I have that table so I plan to fill it. It's in the warehouse right now and my parents brought it back from Francis Gordres. Anyway, it's like it's actually super not gorgeous, it's like really really just super simple, but I love it. And then we just have this vision of this giant long table and all my kids and grandkids at this table and I want to see that table full, like always full, and laughter and food and all the things you know, and flowers, because I love flowers, freshly cut, yeah, of course, all I'll take any.
Speaker 2:To be honest, I'm like I like fake, whatever I do a lot of faux flowers, I'll do anything and a lot of flowers. So I have like this vision of this beautiful table and all this family like and I want that. And so I, when we lost Mila, I was like you know what, like I always wanted a third baby, but I kind of had written it off. So I got myself a Jack Russell puppy and then, like two months later I got right.
Speaker 2:So I was like I'm all done, I'm going to get a puppy because I'm not having my other baby, my third baby. And then, anyway, kind of opened this window where my husband was like because he was like adamant like two is fine, we're done, and I was like, no, I'm not done. And then, after losing her, he's like, okay, you can have another one. I was like, okay, I'm like, now I have to manifest it. I've been manifesting so hard on that one. That's the hardest one.
Speaker 2:Listen, it is so much easier to make a successful business than it is to have a baby at 40. Like, don't take it for granted. People Like, yeah, so yeah, but everything is hard work and I feel like if you try hard enough, you will find a path to success. So that's kind of the way I go, and more often than not it's not the path that you think it's going to be when you start the journey. And that goes for fertility, that goes for business, that goes for life and parenting and all the other things like and driving, because I always get lost the first time, even with the navigation.
Speaker 1:Yeah, even with the navigation.
Speaker 2:I listened one time. I followed Google Maps to Manassas and I was like why am I here? I left Arlington. I was trying to come back to Leesburg. Like what is going?
Speaker 1:on what is going on. You know, my worst thing is putting together those Ikea. You're probably like shame on you for even getting, but putting together Ikea furniture.
Speaker 2:Ikea furniture oh, I love it.
Speaker 1:For me. I'll say okay, guys, if I'm doing it with somebody, just so you know I'm going to put it together wrong the first time. Know that this is going to save you two or three times, and then we're going to get it.
Speaker 2:And then we'll get it. Every time I'll send one of my sons to your house. My kids love putting together furniture. Oh my gosh, I ordered like some little kit for the beach house, like on my parents beach house, like on Amazon, and I'm like Gabe, you want to help me put this together? He was nine at the time and he's like putting the thing together with all the little you know little screws and little yeah, the little allen wrenches and he's like mom, I really love doing this stuff.
Speaker 1:When you get paid, I'm like okay that people hate doing.
Speaker 2:Oh my gosh, we're all Lego builders in our house. We love putting together things, following directions, Love it. I don't know what speaks to us, but yeah, so I think, I think we just like, and I like to create this.
Speaker 1:I was gonna say it's a creation, it is what would you give, Like? What type of resources would you tell a business owner who is wanting to learn more? Yeah, Like, what is something that you're like? This book, this podcast, this.
Speaker 2:Oh my gosh, I wish I did read any of these things. You are so like I'm way.
Speaker 1:You too video create anything Okay so is this bad?
Speaker 2:Okay, the only Instagram influencers that I watch are fashion ones, for clothes Makes sense. That's why you're so cute. It's an outlet for me. I'm like, ooh, that's cute. You wanna be more creative in business? I don't know who to tell you to watch, to be honest, because I don't watch them. I don't read about them because it's kind of like, I don't, you don't want the noise. It's kind of noise. It's more work, so it's not pleasurable for me. I do occasionally read my trade publications that come in. I have one called Business of Home and I will read the articles that come in there. They're kind of interesting because it gives me a pulse on what the big brands are doing, like I don't know. Like when Bed, bath and Beyond shut down a ton of stores, they'll write about that or they'll write about certain brands. You know that we buy from or whatever, and what their business model is or who sold to what business. So it's kind of interesting, but I don't always like to watch like I don't watch any design shows, none.
Speaker 1:Not even that. What's her name?
Speaker 2:Joanna Gaines, oh no.
Speaker 1:How they get gay Galax.
Speaker 2:No, I don't even know who she is. She's so cute. I don't even know who she is, I don't watch them. It's like work. She's just cute though.
Speaker 1:She's like little trans, as she's like transitions, as she's like doing her Instagram videos.
Speaker 2:Oh my God, she's, cute.
Speaker 1:She's very humble and so, yeah, I think everybody will like her.
Speaker 2:I know I'll have to look her up. Like I literally never watch them. I'll like scroll through and I really do watch. I do participate in a lot of Facebook groups. One of the things that I learn a lot from is being part of, like, trade groups. So I'm in two different ones for interior designers and interior design sourcing. They all are national, national or international. I think we've got people from England and stuff in there.
Speaker 2:So it is very interesting to see the kinds of questions that come up in there and that's. It's great just to get feedback from people in your industry. So it's more personal, I think, than reading necessarily about others, because you're reading about them but they themselves are telling you the audience, and you have a chance to respond and then they'll respond. So you get a lot of people who will have challenges with certain types of clients, or challenges with wording and contracts or challenges with like hey, this design isn't working and I'm out of ideas. So there's a lot of collaboration in those kinds of groups and I enjoy that kind of engagement. As far as like reading things, I read mostly news, like if I'm gonna read, I'll read news, which is you know, I don't know. Sometimes I wanna know.
Speaker 1:I don't love news, listening, reading, anything, but sometimes I gotta get a little bit cultured and what's going on in the world.
Speaker 2:In the world, yeah, exactly. So I like read a lot of news, like New York Times and Washington Post, like articles, but not all the time. Like every once in a while that's what I'll be reading. So I'll come up with, like some it's usually medical or science-y articles that really catch my attention. That, or global warming, or you know anything that has to do with environment, those kinds of things I'm like, oh, what's happening? What's happening? You know politics? Oh God, love it, I love, hate it. I do like this is like my drama show. Oh my God, I like it is. It's like some people are bravo and I'm like what does the Washington Post say?
Speaker 2:about politics, this week I'm like, ooh, that's good. But I'm like I hate it, but I love it.
Speaker 1:You know, You're hilarious. Where do you see yourself in 10 years? Where do you see yourself? Where do you see your business? Besides, you'll be in your arm. Okay, I see my right.
Speaker 2:Yes, no, she'll be. It'll be a girl. Oh, that's right, and she'll be like eight or nine in 10 years. Yeah, she should be nine, and so I'll have a nine-year-old. We'll be going to the third grade, I'll be volunteering in that classroom. There we go Doing something ridiculous, and I think definitely.
Speaker 1:I could see being like a snack mom. Oh my God, I love packaging the food.
Speaker 2:Are you kidding? I love it.
Speaker 1:The cute, like Halloween parties. Oh, that would be so nice.
Speaker 2:I would love to. So, yeah, hopefully I'll be working less. I know a lot of people are like, wait, but you're a business woman, yeah. Yeah, but like I want to work less in my next life with my next kid, yeah, but I want to. I'll be living in my house that my husband will build me because that's the plan. I don't know where it is, but he's going to build me a really cool house because he always keeps saying I've just got 10 years.
Speaker 1:We've got 10 years.
Speaker 2:Oh no, like I'm giving him like a five-year deadline, I'm like I want that new house You'll have been living in for five years by now.
Speaker 2:So exactly. So I'll have like that. I'll probably be repainting something, you know, because that happens every five years. So if it's five years old, I'll have to repaint like 50% or 100% of the house and yeah, I think that would be really good and hopefully we'll have time to take more vacations with our kids and enjoy more family time. And I want that big table, like I got the table. It's just in the warehouse, it will be in the house and full like really full?
Speaker 2:No, I don't want grandbabies in ten years, but like I want, like their girlfriends, and like you know what I mean, like I want because my oldest is 15, so he'll be 25 like he could be married maybe. Yeah, we married young. If he stays with his girlfriend, he keeps saying he's in a merry-go-round, like really, how do you know? But I have to say I knew too. I knew my husband and I've been together since we were 16 and 17. There we go.
Speaker 2:I knew, and I think, secretly he knew because you know, literally one time we had been dating for about a year at this point and he had gone away to college and I was still a senior in high school Maybe it was like a little over a year because, yeah, I was junior senior, so it was a year and he says to me I could see myself marrying you. And I was like what, what I'm like? Oh, really, I Think I took those words and I held on to them like a jockey holds the reins and a race. I'm like, oh, my god, I'm holding on to this to the finish line, like it will happen. And of course it did.
Speaker 1:Yeah, when held were you and you got right. Oh, we were so young.
Speaker 2:We were so young. We were like 22 and 20 22 yeah yeah, I mean, it was a long time by then, right, but like by walk by now standards, yeah, it's like, oh my god, we were so yeah, yeah, I don't know that I would really advise that for anyone. I don't know that I would give myself that advice, but you, I was like chomping at the bit to marry that man. I don't even know why. I Mean I still love them build you a home.
Speaker 1:And he was yes, give you that. So babies.
Speaker 2:Oh my god, yes, exactly. Let me tell you he has built every one of my dreams, every one of my crazy, like Weird ideas, and he's like you need to stop having ideas. I'm like, well, you keep building them, so I'm gonna keep having them.
Speaker 1:That's amazing. Do you have such a supportive, strong foundation?
Speaker 2:Oh my god, yes and like we're like, very like partners, we're really in it together. And when he's not being a very partner, I'm like, hey, you need to be partner on this.
Speaker 1:Well, that communication that's right, that's right.
Speaker 2:So it's definitely getting there. I don't know, it's um. It's nice to be able to have somebody that, like you, just it's a ride or die. You know, like for life, like you know that you are going to Overcome every obstacle together, and some days it's really hard.
Speaker 1:Yeah, those obstacles are really big.
Speaker 2:They're really big and it's really hard. And it just gets harder. Like the more adulting you have to do, the more Hard the problems become. Yeah, like I don't like it, but the more, but the more solutions. Yes, it's true. Yeah, you can. I mean, it's beautiful, though like the growth it hurts, but it's actually beautiful. And I think at the end, when I have my big table and everyone is sitting at my table, I he better be there next to me, like that's, that's it, that's it.
Speaker 1:Building the extension to the table. That's right.
Speaker 2:I'm like we're gonna need a leaf sorry the leaf, Maybe some of those breadboards that like flip up on the end. Yeah, I need some of those. He'll be like, uh, why?
Speaker 1:That was good Harding words for the audience, anything special that you want to share, or just a little piece of advice besides, um yeah, find your person find your person number one.
Speaker 2:Find a good partner that could be business partner, that could be life partner or whatever it is. Make sure that they're a partner, though, because you need that. That kind of support is key. The other thing, I think, is um, don't give up on taking from this life what you want, because it's not guaranteed that it's going to be handed to you, and you have to try to get it, and you'll surprise yourself, because if you try, you'll probably get it. Like. A lot of people have always looked at me Like, and they're like how does she keep doing all these projects at her house? So how does she keep doing this or whatever? I have an idea and I try, and then I'll. I will work for that goal, because I want it bad enough, and if you want anything bad enough, it is within your reach if you just Figure out how to navigate your way there. There's so many different roads. Pick one, and when it stops, turn and pick another one. But keep going, just keep going. That's the best advice I've got.
Speaker 1:I love that. Thank you so much for being on our episode today sharing because your story. I want a picture in 10 years. Yes, of my table and you can be at it. I was gonna say maybe I can come this leaf up there. It's a big table, oh, that's so beautiful. Thanks so much for coming in today.
Speaker 2:Thanks for having me.