Empowering Entrepreneurial Moms: Embrace Creativity and Community with Jen Morris

Ever wondered how to seamlessly juggle motherhood and entrepreneurship? Today, we're joined by the inspiring Jen Morris, an actor and the founder of Renegade Motherhood. Discover how Jen's journey through various business ventures evolved after she became a mother, emphasizing the role of creativity and self-awareness. Our conversation underscores the power of making slight yet impactful adjustments to stay aligned with one's passions. Jen's empowering slogan, "We do business like a mother," perfectly encapsulates the multitasking prowess and strength of entrepreneurial moms.

Through personal anecdotes, Jen shares her path in the wellness and nutrition space, highlighting how motherhood and health challenges influenced her entrepreneurial direction. This episode is a heartfelt exploration of the subtle but significant shifts that come from reconnecting with our feminine energy and evolving identities. We delve into the importance of community, support, and laughter, stressing the creation of authentic connections and nurturing safe spaces where entrepreneurial moms can thrive without guilt or competition.

Balancing a business with personal well-being is no small feat, and that's why outsourcing tasks that don't bring joy is crucial. Jen and I discuss the practicalities of maintaining this balance, debunking the myth of complete freedom in entrepreneurship and setting realistic expectations. From the transformative power of theater to the influence of successful business figures with creative backgrounds, this episode is packed with valuable insights and lessons. Plus, get a sneak peek into Jen's local and upcoming digital community, Renegade Motherhood Life, aimed at supporting moms in business. Tune in and be inspired to find joy and magic in your entrepreneurial journey.

To find Jen Morris, you can visit her website at https://www.renegademotherhoodlife.com/collective or on Instagram at @Renegade.Motherhood

Find Carrie Lingenfelter at https://linktr.ee/hearttoheartparentspodcast
You can email Carrie at: info@hearttoheartlife.com

Transcript

Jen: 0:01

We get a lot of ideas and we have to. You know, we are creative and everything, and sometimes, like that can almost feel overwhelming, and so we have, we kind of put ourselves in this box. So I feel like I actually really had to like go through this whole process to like really realize, like this isn't what I want to be doing, which allowed me to then not even a full pivot, but just like slightly like adjust. You know, like what is it when you're on, like you're looking at, you're like at Google maps, and you click the little thing that says like re um, what is it? It's like.

Jen: 0:30

You know, it's like get back on the course. You know it's like, yeah, like center or whatever recenter, like go back center. And I felt like I was just like drifting just a little bit and then I just had to like pull myself back and be like Jen, what is it that you really want to doing? And I realized, really, as I looked back over my many years of running businesses, it was running the business that I really enjoyed doing. It was the ideas and the branding and the messaging and the brainstorming and like the those moments of inspiration and helping people find those moments of inspiration that is what truly filled me up and the building of communities and networks.

Carrie: 1:06

Welcome to Heart to Heart Parents. Let's connect with our kids and learn together. I'm Carrie. I was a former teacher and speech therapist. I'm also a parent of two spirited, gifted, highly sensitive kids. I was quickly brought to my knees as a parent when I thought that I would see a rosy lens version of parenting, just as they present on Instagram, but I quickly learned that's not real life. I will provide real life experiences and transform them into moments for connections and change for you to use in your house. Hi there and welcome back to Heart to Heart Parenting. I'm Carrie.

Carrie: 1:43

I'm your friendly mom, intuitive, and I have my friend and business coach for entrepreneurial moms, jen Morris, here, and I met Jen recently at a renegade motherhood event for mamas in business and it was an amazing event. And not only was it amazing and I met so many amazing moms in business out. It was an amazing event and not only was it amazing and I met so many amazing moms in business out there, but I was also highly entertained with Jen. So it was so much fun and I haven't laughed that hard for a while, which was also very fun. So, jen, would you tell us a little bit more about yourself and what you do?

Jen: 2:21

Yeah, absolutely Thank you for that.

Jen: 2:24

I do think sometimes in motherhood we take things, you know, we take things very seriously and we need to have an outlet for some, for some laughter too.

Jen: 2:32

So, yeah, so I have been an entrepreneur, and for for many, many years, and I'm also an actor, and so that was really like my first business was being in, was being an actor, actor, and so that was really like my first business was being an actor, and have built many different businesses over the course of the last, if you include my acting career 20 years and then I had my first daughter seven years ago a little over seven years ago and quickly realized like the game had changed, that the way I was doing business and running a business and all the things was shifted with becoming a mother. And so flash forward a couple of years and another kid later, and I founded Renegade Motherhood and the Renegade Motherhood Business Society as a way to bring fellow entrepreneurial moms together to, yes, to laugh, to support each other, to brainstorm, to network and really do it. I like to say like we do business like a mother.

Carrie: 3:29

Oh, I love that. That's a great slogan. Yeah, because, mothers, we are wearing a lot of hats and in business.

Carrie: 3:36

We are wearing so many hats too, so I love that. That's a great slogan, and the other day you were telling me about your journey to get there, which you just gave us a little bit of it, a little scenario of it, and it's been. It was really enlightening to hear how you kind of had this one projection of where you were headed and then you sort of just pivot, pivoted and I had a similar scenario where I was headed in one direction and then wasn't really feeling it in my heart and just pivoted and totally changed course and said this is what my heart is wanting. So I wanted I love how empowered you are as being a mom and doing this and wearing so many hats and also hearing your heart, which is amazing. I wanted to ask you about what your journey to get to renegade motherhood. How did that feel? What did that look like for you?

Jen: 4:30

Yeah, so a lot of um, my time spent as a business owner has been in like the wellness and nutrition space. That was sort of just where things started, because that was something that many years ago I needed to put some focus into, because I had it and then I had some help. Things come up and oftentimes your business reflects like where you are in your life journey and so that was like kind of the beginning for me and this was, you know, many, many years ago when I was living in New York city, and but that first, you know, having that first business also really taught me like how to network, the power of getting in the room, the power of building relationships, the power of, you know, positioning and confidence and public speaking and kind of giving that like elevator, you know pitch over and over and over again. And and then other businesses started to come, come from their other collaborations, other partnerships, other types of offerings and services and everything. And then, you know, more recently I kind of found myself on autopilot a little bit and some of the businesses that I had and feeling like, oh, I could, you know I could just keep doing this, but like I knew, I knew it was working with moms. I knew that was like something I wanted to be, to be doing and I think, because I had had a lot of success and stuff in the nutrition space, it just felt like that was the default, that was the box, that was like easy to be in. And, um, the, the, the renegade motherhood actually came.

Jen: 5:57

I started kind of realizing, about two years ago I got really sick and, um, I was sick for about a month, about a year and a half ago, and I was just like I was just totally, I think, wiped out, wiped out from having a second baby at the height of COVID and like everything that that included, and just just really like my body was just like telling me like to take a break. And so during that time I actually was kind of just scrolling Facebook and stumbled upon somebody who I knew, sort of like I was acquaintances with her and she was talking about like this program she offered, like getting you back into your feminine energy and all this stuff. That half of me was like, oh my God, please, like what is this? And then half of me was just like this is exactly what you need, jen. And so I listened to that part of me and I reached out to her Her name is Stephanie and I reached out to her and I was just like I don't know what, what it is about this, but like I feel like I need, I need to talk to you. So I ended up doing some work with her and a lot of that was just about getting out of like the constant doing and the constant hustle and the constant sort of masculine way of like running a business and really getting back to like who you are, your essence. And I think as moms we we often really lose sight of that because we have this massive identity shift that happens when we become a mother and on top of just all the physical and mental things as well that happen, you know. And so I was really kind of having to recover from a lot of that and really again like rediscover who I was.

Jen: 7:18

So the renegade motherhood piece actually came like. I was at a day retreat with her and we were doing kind of a guided meditation. That was about something else kind of. But just in the middle of it, just like it just dropped in and I just heard like renegade motherhood and I'd been trying to come up with sort of words to what it is. That like, like was like the essence of the brand I wanted to create in the community and it just like fell in.

Jen: 7:40

And afterward there was a group of us there and I just said like renegade motherhood. And everyone just like turned and like looked at me and was like, yes, because they knew me and they knew, like you know what I'd been looking for. And then at first I thought that was going to be kind of again working in nutrition, working in postpartum, um, continuing that journey. And I even got to the point where I like launched a program, a community and everything like a paid membership. And as soon soon as I did it, I was just like, nope, isn't it? And I and I think it's important to talk about that because I think, like entrepreneurs and moms and and especially like I am, I do have I was diagnosed ADHD when I was 40.

Jen: 8:16

And I think like we, we get a lot of ideas and we have to. You know, we, we are creative and everything, and sometimes, like that can almost feel overwhelming, and so we have, we kind of put ourselves in this box. So I feel like I actually really had to like go through this whole process to like really realize like this isn't what I want to be doing, which allowed me to then not even a full pivot, but just like slightly like adjust. You know, like what does it mean? You're on on, like you're looking at, you're like at Google maps and you click the little thing that says like re, what is it? It's like, you know, it's like get back on the course. You know, it's like, yeah, like center or whatever recenter, or like go back center.

Jen: 8:53

And I felt like I was just like drifting just a little bit and then I just had to like pull, looked back over my many years of running businesses. It was running the business that I really enjoyed doing. It was the ideas and the branding and the messaging and the brainstorming and like those moments of inspiration and helping people find those moments of inspiration. That is what truly filled me up, and the building of communities and networks and the fact that it was in nutrition was cool, but that wasn't actually it and I think I had sort of told myself that was it. So so, yeah, so it's been a journey and I think it's important to talk about that too, because oftentimes we think, like if you build a successful business that, like you just stay in that lane forever. But if you really look at people who have built, you know just brands and you know, built these empires, like they have built a lot of different. You know lots of times it's in different markets, it's in different, you know industries and it's okay to do that, it's okay to adjust, it's okay to like try something new and to really follow your instincts and not just do what you're doing because it's expected of you.

Carrie: 10:06

I love that so much. I think that journey is so beautiful and I myself have been on a similar journey. I have a background in speech therapy and I was a teacher previously for elementary kids and I've definitely pivoted and followed my heart to find what brings me passion, and this is my year. My word for 2024 is passion, and it's following what my heart wants and what I want, and I called Heart to Heart Parents my passion project when I originally started. So I totally resonate with what you're saying and it's amazing. I always feel like there's never. There's never things. We have learned that they always help us in another way and maybe we don't see it yet, and I'm sure that your nutrition piece is going to come out in some way too. Like there's never yeah, it's still a piece for sure.

Jen: 10:58

Yeah, yeah, it's just, it's just another, it's another. You know it's another line now, but it's not like the main focus, you know anymore. And so it'll still be there, but not in a way that it has to be like center stage. You know the way it was, so yeah.

Carrie: 11:11

Yeah, I love your center stage references as well. Those are very fitting. But, yeah, I see you as such a powerhouse and a change maker in this local society. That has been really beneficial and it really helped me to feel empowered when I was there as well. So I love that. Yeah, and also not settling for the mundane but going for what our heart is feeling is really powerful, and it definitely can feel hard to do that as a woman in a masculine era. So I feel like there's this huge piece of society that is slowly shifting into this version of rewarding the feminine energy and feeling empowered, and so it's the perfect time, I feel like, for you to be going through this, yeah, it's exciting.

Jen: 12:01

It has been cool seeing some of the shifts and knowing there's a lot more work to be done. This, yeah, it's exciting. It has been cool seeing some of the shifts and knowing there's a lot more work to be done. But, you know, really wanting to fully step into that conversation and everything is exciting.

Carrie: 12:10

Yeah, yeah, and it's also very entertaining too. I enjoy that, thank you, yeah, it's. As I went to your program, I was really excited because I got to meet a lot of people and I feel like social connections and community is a huge piece of what you are doing, and there was almost this like good vibe tribe there. It was just support for each other, and have you found that this helps you to grow as a mom or as an entrepreneur? Oh, definitely.

Jen: 12:40

I mean, yeah, entrepreneurship can be a very lonely road and um, and then motherhood can be an equally lonely road, and so I think when you put the two together, it's like and now, so many more people are, you know, just working from home or you know, working kind of hybrid, hybrid careers as well, and so you know, it's really important to put your put yourself in the room, you know, with people who who carry similar visions. I was actually at a conference over the weekend that was all about like branding and networking and everything. It was in Atlanta, so it was people from all over. Some people even came in from like the UK and stuff. It was really cool and you know it was just such a reminder of you know you can meet one person and it can change the trajectory of your career, you know, in a positive way, but you're not going to meet that person probably from just like staying home and recording TikTok reels.

Jen: 13:31

You know, all day long I'm a little bit of a voice of dissent around that, which has been a journey for me too, because I know there are people who I really greatly respect who are just like killing it on social media and everything. But I also really believe. I mean I've truly like built my network and my business like through like meeting people in person. And even if it's not that person, it's like somebody else they know and refer me to, and I just don't think you can replace that. And so it's because it's you know, it's, and I think sometimes we approach networking the wrong way as well. We go into it, this like what's in it for me thing, I'm going there to get something for me, I'm going there to get business, instead of like what am I, you know, here to learn, or who am I here to meet? Networking, I think again, in sort of a masculine way, it's very transactional um, versus like actually what it really means like to like expand your network. It's not like, you know, I don't, I call mine like, I don't call it like a sales. You know, like group, it's like you don't, it's a networking group. It's you're there to meet people and see what the similarities are and see where there are opportunities to explore. You know, yes, business and stuff like that, but sometimes it's it's you know something different and that's amazing too. So, really trying to, you know like create community, and I do.

Jen: 14:56

I do believe mothers, you know, do business differently and so to put a group of not only entrepreneurs but also moms in a group, there's just there, there's understanding, like if you show up and you are late, you know people understand, like it's okay. You know, like I'm late because my kid was up throwing up all night, or or a drop off didn't go as well as I expected, or I spilled coffee all over my shirt, you know, sorry it's. It's sort of like I call it a sorry free zone, like common, and we're constantly apologizing. I think you know, as moms, we're constantly like trying to kind of be something that maybe we're not, because we think it's like we need to put on a show, and so trying to create a safe space to like kind of just bring the messiness of it and know that there's so much magic in this messiness. We just have to show up and you know, not worry about like wearing a business suit, just show up, come as you are.

Carrie: 15:46

So yeah, that's true. I remember your chat on that. That was amazing, like come and be comfortable in you, the version of you that you want to be, and I love that. When I was there, I was having a rough morning with my kids and I was able to say, hey, I have a couple of two E kids at home that are mine, and I had a really hard morning.

Carrie: 16:07

So it was nice to be in a group of moms and just kind of breathe as I'm feeling shaky because it's a new environment for me. It's the first time I've done something like that in person instead of online, and I had a rough morning so I'm not in the same headspace I would normally be, so it was awesome to be around moms like that.

Jen: 16:27

Oh good.

Carrie: 16:28

Yeah.

Jen: 16:28

I just think there's enough guilt, there's enough competition, there's enough of all of that that you can find that anywhere, right? So I'm all about how can we remove that stuff and just accept people for where we are and the journey that we are. And it's not here to like look a certain way and it's definitely not here to look like you know perfect, it's just like. Yeah, I mean just just the fact that, like you were able to like show up despite like the obstacles, and then feel like seen and heard, like there's so much beauty in that Right Cause, then that can create like more confidence and then it can allow you know you or you know the like the the person to, to go out and, like you know, have have more confidence when they're making, like, a sales offer, when they're asking that person to be a guest on the podcast. It's this ripple effect, but it has to come from a place of like authenticity first.

Jen: 17:23

Otherwise, you know, I've been to so many events where I'm just like this was just not, it just didn't feel, it didn't feel real, it didn't feel authentic, it didn't. I didn't feel necessarily like safe in the space, necessarily like safe in the space, like safe to be me. And then that's, you know, like that has this negative, you know kind of impact. That happens that you go into self-doubt and you go into like, well, I should have worn the other thing. Or wow, I don't, you know, maybe I do need to go look a certain way or have this certain kind of haircut or shoes. And then it's like this opposite effect, instead of just like celebrating truly who you are and the morning that you had and knowing that like you're in good company.

Carrie: 17:58

Yes, and I like to show that sometimes on Instagram, because it's you know, it's this, this dim lighted, perfect version of motherhood, perfect version of what being a woman looks like. Like. If you act like this, it's going to life's going to be perfect, right.

Jen: 18:16

And.

Carrie: 18:17

I love my I do this crunchy mama series where I talk about. There's this role that society thinks I should look like in the area that I live in and I love to. I wear the Birkenstocks because they're comfortable, but just busting the seams and changing the role and not having to live in that perfect version of ourselves and just being true to who we are has been really helpful. Have you found anything that you like to do in self care that helps to keep you grounded with all of the social media pieces and society?

Jen: 18:50

Yeah, yeah, I mean definitely like a lot of the work that I mentioned that I've done with, like you know, just you know like kind of this healing work in groups of women has been has been huge Um, giving myself more time for, like the quiet, and I have to create that for me, that I am not someone that's like I'm going to sit down and meditate, um, and so like knowing that I'm plugged into this group and that when I go to those things that's going to be present, you know it's like it's a good, it's a good way for me to like set up some you know kind of accountability around that. But self-care for me too is probably maybe a little different than how some people think of it. You know, I have an acting background, I have a musical theater background, I love to sing and I wasn't finding a lot of time or opportunities to do it after I had kids and so, um, I joined a choir that you know um was launched and at a lot of arts nonprofit down the street for me and so, like I go to that on Tuesday nights from five to seven and I sing and there's some amazing women in the group and we become friends and like. So that to me is like I'm really, really essential for my mental health. Um, and I joined the board of that arts nonprofit because I something that is, for me, a form of self-care is like, how can I also like pay forward my privilege and, and you know, and try to, um, you know, leave a little bit of a legacy, um, you know, with an organization. So I joined the board and it's been really cool to be able to like get involved and help, you know, fundraise and increase visibility and that kind of a thing.

Jen: 20:21

Um, and you know, some people I, you know I do joke sometimes about it, that's like my unpaid internship and stuff like that. Cause it is, it is work and you know, and it's a juggling act, but it's, it's just it. It fills my cup in a way too. And and then, you know, even, like my business is is a form of self-care. I love the work I do, I love the conversation I have.

Jen: 20:45

You're, you're the third person today, like from that organ, from that community that I've been in touch with. Today. I had coffees with two others this morning and you know, and it feels great to like do work with people who you genuinely enjoy being in a room with, you know, or it feels great to like do work with people who you genuinely enjoy being in a room with, you know, or in a Zoom room with, and you know, know that, like you know, even just having a conversation, you know hopefully like gave them a little clarity and a little more confidence and you know having it be like a win-win. So, like you know my business I mean not all pieces of it right, like I outsource the bookkeeping, like there's pieces that I'm like I don't want to touch.

Jen: 21:21

It's not my, it's not my zone of genius.

Jen: 21:24

It does not feel like self-care to me.

Jen: 21:26

When, and I've started to have a better, a better like kind of radar for that too, like stuff that I used to do because I thought like I had to do it, I've now kind of started to be like, okay, what is the work I really love to do?

Jen: 21:38

That's going to like, you know, yes, like put dollars in my pocket and stuff like that and increase the brand visibility and make me happy, and like do that and not feel like I have to be doing every single thing else too, because that's when you know a business starts to really feel like a chore and a job and it's very easy for it to then start to feel, you know, you start to almost resent your business instead of why so many people start a business, right. So that's that's been a big learning for me, to learning how to, you know, delegate and outsource what I can in a way that economically makes sense to, but trying to, at least, you know, 70% of the time, doing the part that I love, because ultimately that's where the ROI is, you know, for me, for my mental health, for my financial health and everything else.

Carrie: 22:28

I love that. I was trying to get all of my ducks lined up in a row as I was looking to launch my podcast and getting the website and all of these pieces, and my husband came to me and he was like Carrie, stop trying to line up all the ducks. Just you have these recordings. Just like launch and go and worry about all the details later. Like, do the part you love.

Jen: 22:51

Yeah, yes, good advice from your husband.

Carrie: 22:53

I know, because I think again.

Jen: 22:54

That's a part of like you know. We get on social media and we hear from all these talking heads about all the systems you have to have and all the different software platforms and everything and and for some people that's great, you know, but I think for other people it makes you stop.

Jen: 23:09

Um, I had a podcast that I did over COVID as as sort of a part business part, you know, just kind of happiness experiment, and at first it was like great. And then I just started like thinking, oh, I need to like monetize this and it needs to sound a certain way and it should sound like this. And all of a sudden, like one podcast episode was taking me like hours to edit and I was like this is, this is not, this isn't good, this isn't good. And so I really had to just totally like stop and step away, because I was just going down this rabbit hole of like this is not this is not healthy because I thought it's what I had to do and I.

Jen: 23:42

But what I know to be true is when I was able to really step back and look back at all the times that I've been happiest in my business business, you know, businesses, career and the most like getting the most wins was when I was again kind of building that plane in the air. Yeah, like getting the most wins was when I was again kind of building that plane in the air, because you can spend all the time building the plane and if you don't like have fuel to put in, it's not going to go anywhere, right. But if you have some momentum, you just kind of launch and then you figure it out as you go, based on the feedback that you're getting. And I think that kind of I feel like used to be the way that like entrepreneurship was sort of done, like when I kind of first started. It was.

Jen: 24:22

But then, like with you know, social media becoming what it is and all these funnels and things that are supposed to make it easier for you, it can, but oftentimes you have to have a team of people that can be doing all that work, otherwise you can spend all of your time doing that stuff and none of the time doing the stuff you actually really love and you know it's so. Sometimes I do. I feel like sometimes I'm saying the things that everyone else would be like. She's wrong, but based on my experience, and.

Jen: 24:50

I can only. I can only speak to my own experience, Right, yeah, and for moms too. You know like we're trying to do all the things and we can't do all the things. We can't, you know, no. So a lot of people are saying you know just, oh, you know, just build a business as a mom and then you'll have freedom. But and everybody wants freedom but when you really boil it down, I started to ask people well, how much freedom do you actually have? It's like I have no freedom, because every single moment is either my kids or my business, because I'm I feel like I should be doing it this way instead of like doing it in a way that actually aligns with your goals and the lifestyle that you want, which only you can decide. So that's, that's been a big learning for me too.

Carrie: 25:30

Yeah, yeah, I love that. And when it doesn't feel right like stop that piece of the puzzle, I had to throw, throw in my coin coin and say I'm done with certain pieces of social media, because it was really hard on my heart for times, just I really had to pivot and switch on my focus of what I really enjoyed and, yeah, thank you for that.

Carrie: 25:50

That's so true. And I have to share something I love using the podcast to help me find my voice, which is healing from my inner childhood. And when you mentioned the singing in the choir, I was like, oh, that's been in my closet, of something I would love to do one day. But, voice is not anything that's in my, in my formal background.

Jen: 26:12

And that's okay. That's okay. There's a lot of people in the choir who like, well, like, I sing in middle school choir and I haven't opened, I haven't sang since, and that's. But that's the beauty, I mean, that's the beauty of the community. Right, like when you, if you were like I've never sung before, I wouldn't say let's go try to do a show at Carnegie hall, a solo act, right, like, that's probably not the first step. Or let's go try to be on America's Got Talent, right, but it's like plugging into a group and a community where you can, like you know, have guidance and support, to like find your voice and see where that is for you. Are you a soprano or are you an alto? You know, um in in, like a in a safe, brave place.

Jen: 26:53

I mean that's the power of like, of community right there and it can look it can be a community in a choir, it can be a community in a professional networking group, it can be, you know, like a friend community. But we don't have to like we can do scary things and they're like less scary when you're in like a supportive community where you are like oh I, oh God, I never sang before this choir either and like oh, it's not just me Cool.

Jen: 27:16

You know, finding, finding space for that and and if you know someone's listening to this and they're like I really would love, like a group of moms, but I'm just not finding, you know, sometimes, and sometimes you find a community, it's not the right community and like, if you know like this is not the kind of people like, then you gotta, you gotta be willing to like kind of walk away and exit a situation in order to like find, you know, the people who actually resonate or build it. I mean, for me, I couldn't really find it, so I built it because I was like I can't find what I'm really looking for. So I'm going to build it because chances are there's also people like me and so I just need to start it so that they can find it and together we can grow it. And there's beauty in that too, of like knowing I'm not the only one who's, you know, who's feeling this way. I know there's more of me out there. I just need to be the one to like start it.

Carrie: 28:06

Yeah, that's wonderful, that's awesome and yeah, I love did. Does the, the acting that you do does this is kind of switching gears, but I was curious if it helps you to build any creative skills or does that help you with your mindfulness piece? I'm asking because my son really enjoys acting and I've always thought for these kids that are really spirited and gifted, like, does this bring in pieces that help us just be in tune with ourselves? Yeah, for me.

Jen: 28:36

Yes, I mean, I really was always the one wanting to, like, you know, put on my mom's old dance costumes and just like parade around in the living room. But I was actually a really shy kid and I had some health things going on when I was younger and so I missed a lot of school and everything. I think because of that, and then the messaging I received from others about being weird and everything, cause I wasn't in school and dah, dah, dah, dah, you know it made me kind of like retreat and get smaller. Um, but in high school I, you know, auditioned for my first show and, um, there was an amazing theater teacher, larry Coleman, and he, you know, gave me an opportunity as a freshman in high school to do like a supporting role in a comedy, and that was it. I was hooked because it just was like, it was a place to play. It was a place to like, yes, put myself in other people's shoes and tell other people's stories, but by doing that also, like, truly express who I am. And I think that's the beauty of like performing arts Like, yes, we're telling other people's stories, but we're doing it by like, truly showing, like, our essence as a human, and that totally changed my life. I mean theater completely changed my life for sure. I, you know he, larry passed away not long after I moved to New York City, but I will forever be grateful for him because he, you know, like just kind of saw this this shy kid, you know and I really found my voice through through the stage and, you know, taught me other things like how to handle rejection, because most of performing a theater, you know career is, is you do not book most of what you audition for. So really having to come to terms with rejection and um, and like how to not take things really personally, and how to pivot and evolve and learn new skills and also, like also kind of have boundaries around.

Jen: 30:30

Like right now I I'm a, I still do some commercial work. I have an agent in Denver and you know I do, I do book things sometimes and then there's other things that I'll get sent to me and I look at it and I kind of do the math in my head around like okay, this amount of time is going to have to go in just to the audition. Then if I book it, it's this and I'm like you know what, this is not enough money and to be able to really like. And if I hadn't, if I didn't have the entrepreneurship background that I did, I wouldn't be able to do that I'll take. But now I'm able to really kind of like, have this just like honest conversation with myself of like, okay, why is it that I want this? Is it my ego saying like, oh, I want this. For my ego, you know, financially, what's it like, what's the, what's the impact it's going to have on my family? And you know also, just like, is it something? Is it like? Is it, is it a brand I believe in, is it not? I mean, there's that kind of ethical piece of it too. And so you know, yeah, like, just just it's.

Jen: 31:28

I've learned a lot through my acting background and it's definitely been a gift. You know, even even the hard times have been a gift for helping me, like, get to where you know where I am now. So there's so much creativity that can be gleaned. But I also think you know, if you look at some of the smartest business owners out there, like Jessica Alba and oh, who are some of the other ones who have, you know these J-Lo and Rihanna they have to build a brand and a business and she's really done it too. I mean, I give her, whether you like her or not, I like some of her music. I'm not a Swifty, but like I respect who she is, right, yeah, and so I think that's a piece that also isn't talked about enough, the the kind of like business savviness that can come from a creative background you know, yes, creativity, but also this sort of a different way of thinking that you know you can't really teach in like an MBA program.

Carrie: 32:28

Yeah, I love that. Thank you so much for sharing your story with that. I wouldn't have known that you were a shy child.

Jen: 32:36

I too, was a child but I wouldn't have known.

Carrie: 32:39

That's so empowering for children to learn from and to grow like that, and I love that you went on that journey for yourself and you found that, and I'm hoping to find that for my kids too. Do you ever share your journeys and some of these pieces that you've grown with with your own kids? Do you share?

Jen: 32:57

Oh yeah, yeah, we talk about a lot, I mean my, my oldest is seven and you know she's, she's definitely she's a deep, deeply feeling child. She's a lot like me, a lot like I was as a kid. My mom is always kind of like you know, you know she's just like you and I see it as she gets older. I see it more and more and you know as a mother, it's like it's. It's beautiful and painful.

Jen: 33:26

You know, when you see your kids struggling with, you know these sort of like big life questions and some anxiety and fear, and and so you know we're her, she, she's, she's been on some stages and she's actually kind of like you know, I really like being an audience member, mom, I don't know that I want to be on stage now and and I, looking back, I didn't want to be at that age either. I wouldn't have wanted to be in front of a group of people at age seven, and so I think I think it's been interesting to kind of really sit with that for myself, because when I grew up in the eighties, I don't know, there was just not as much of a push of like getting your kids involved in like all the activities, like right away.

Jen: 34:02

It was like, you know, there weren't. There weren't these kind of like theater schools like down the street from me and suburb in Ohio. So it wasn't until high school that there was even an opportunity really. But but yeah, I mean, I am, I'm a big believer in like really talking openly with my, with my kids, with my girls. They, you know, sometimes struggle when I have a board meeting or I have choir practice or a conference and they're like why are you leaving us again? And I have had to really learn to say, like you know, I want to be the best mom I can be to you and part of that is like no-transcript, that's going to help us as a family and being able to really say that and not apologize for it.

Jen: 35:09

And you know, and this last conference I ended up coming home a little bit early because my oldest was struggling and I was able to do that. But you know, I went, I was able to kind of balance the ambition and the motherhood piece and do it in a way that it was a win for everybody and it's not always easy, and like when my daughter was really crying and unhappy on the phone the night before I came home, like it was really hard, yeah, but to know that like she's also learning from me subconsciously about what it looks like to like take care of yourself and you know, and and be a happy, fulfilled mother, yeah, and I and I got that from my mom too, I mean, I, my mom mirrored that to me as well, which, you know, you don't really know at the time, right, but as you get older, you start to look back and you're like, damn, my mom was really good at that.

Jen: 36:00

So many skills a time, right. But as you get older you start to look back and you're like, damn, my mom was really good at that, and I never felt neglected. I never felt.

Jen: 36:05

I always felt like she was there and I'm like, how did she do all that? Because I know she wasn't always there, because she was doing all this other stuff too, but I never felt like I was an afterthought or second you know ever. And so it was. It was, yeah, I, I am in awe of of what she did, but yeah, but anyway. I think it's important to talk about that openly and not necessarily just go into like, oh, I'm a bad mom because I'm leaving my kids. It's like no, it's just like it's yeah, there are seasons. There are seasons.

Carrie: 36:34

So, yeah, there's definitely seasons to all of their growth.

Jen: 36:39

Yes, yeah.

Carrie: 36:40

And so you mentioned that she was sensitive, and are you, do you designate as a highly sensitive person too?

Jen: 36:48

I would say I'm a bit of like a recovering highly sensitive person because of a lot of the work I've done.

Jen: 36:56

I used to really internalize a lot of the rejection and everything that I you know, talked about about theater and took it very personally to the point that, like everything really did deeply upset me and everything, and I'm really working on finding more like just inner peace and inner happiness, and like letting go of the stuff I can't control, which doesn't mean sticking my head in the sand about like all of the atrocities that happen around us every single day yeah, you know, but still finding time for like the gratitude and the, the connection, and like trying to be more present and I think through and it's, it's hard, I'm not going to sit back and act like I have it all figured out by any means, cause it is a constant, it's a practice, yeah, but I think I spent the first couple of years of motherhood and during COVID and everything, just being very angry, being very angry at at just politically and all the injustice and everything.

Jen: 37:58

And now it's like, okay, what can I do to be a piece of the positive solution and not just like stick my head in the ground, like you know, that's important to me too, to not just sit back and be like, well, I'm a white woman, what can I do? I've joined a, you know, a book club that's about, you know, becoming a better white woman and working on our inner racism and like addressing it, and like addressing it head on and it's been really hard work, um, and also realizing, like you know, how can I be, how can I address this in my, my business, you know, and not just ignore it, and how can I create space, you know, for these conversations and for, um, uh, and how can I make a lot of money? So I can also like solve problems that way, you know, or address problems that way, because I truly believe that, you know, moms are the change makers, as you mentioned before, and like you know, and if you get more moms making more money, we can do a lot of really good things with that. We can do a lot of really good things with that, and I think that's a conversation we're not often talking about enough.

Jen: 39:07

We're always like, oh, there's this wealth, discrepancies and everything, and like all these, you know, a lot of white men have a lot more money and stuff like that and there's these, these gap, you know, and I don't. I can't solve all that Right, but I can say can we talk about it more? Let's celebrate when we're making money. Let's not be ashamed or embarrassed about it. Let's charge what we're worth. If you're going to charge, you know, if you're going to have a fee, like, stop giving away everything for free, stop discounting your services, like because when, when a mom in my group is like has a great month and makes a lot of money doing like important work, like that's a win for all of us, yeah, yeah.

Jen: 39:40

It's a win for all of us and because I know that, like some of that money, I just know it's going to go to a nonprofit or it's going to go to you know a cause or it's going to, because I really believe that not all of us but a lot of you know a lot of moms truly do want to see the world, you know, improve and are willing to put our money where our mouth is when we have, when we have the funds. So, yeah, I went a little bit of a tangent there, but I love it. I.

Carrie: 40:11

I love it being the change that we want to see, not focusing on the negative or the aspects that we don't we don't want to see, but focusing on the positive and the changes and changing our mindset from I wish this part wasn't happening to let's see this happen. So we're changing our mindset from what we don't want to see to what, the positive version, what we do want to see, and I love that you're doing that, and it may be one person, but I think one person creates that change and starts that cycle. Yeah, yeah, you're doing that, and it may be one person, but I think one person creates that change and starts that cycle.

Jen: 40:43

Yeah, yeah, I mean I'm just sort of like okay, if there's, if there's organizations doing really important work, I want to be able to support those organizations and so I can do that with time Right, and so I can get more time by having more income, because income can buy you time.

Jen: 41:00

Um and you know, or I can do that through giving generously, but the you know, and my business allows me to leverage and to earn more income, and so it's like, okay, instead of just feeling mad, like how can I channel some of that into my greater purpose and also help in the way I can help? So I'm not just talking about something that's upsetting me, I'm also trying to take some meaningful action, and it's not perfect and there's still a lot of unlearning I need to do and everything. But I feel like for a long time I was just stuck in that sort of anger mode and nothing really good happened during that time, you know.

Carrie: 41:46

So yeah, so it's yeah, yeah, I think it. I think it was a rough period for a lot of us, so it's amazing to see so much progress and so much change, and toward the positive version, and I think we're in that era of change, which is awesome and I love it. I love connecting with other change makers and people that are not willing to just sit and watch things. They're willing to take a chance and try to make changes for our kids, for ourselves, for everyone, working together.

Jen: 42:18

Yeah.

Carrie: 42:19

It's been such a pleasure to talk to you. I'm truly honored to have you here, Jen. I love what you're doing and it's so fun to be able to connect in that locally. It's been really great for me. Can you tell us how everyone can find you?

Jen: 42:35

Yeah, so I'm actually in the process of like having an Instagram identity crisis, like moving some things around. So I'm like, what should I say for Instagram? Today, I don't even know you can go to renegademotherhoodlifecom and that is where, if you are local to the Boulder County kind of Denver metro area, you can find information about events.

Jen: 42:54

And then this summer, in the next couple of weeks, I will be rolling out a digital community as well, so that'll be for any mom in business who wants to connect with with. You know other moms doing the same thing for learning, for networking, for ideas and kind of the collective, like you know, brainstorming and everything, and so that's going to be coming soon. I'm, I am taking my own, I'm not, I'm, I'm practicing what I preach and I'm, I'm building the plane in the air and I'm really excited about it because I know it's needed. And so you can kind of stay tuned about all that stuff on renegademotherhoodlifecom or meetjenmorriscom as well.

Jen: 43:33

And yeah, follow me. I don't even know.

Carrie: 43:34

I'm like where what are my Instagrams right now?

Jen: 43:36

Cause I'm'm just I'm just moving things around, and so, yeah, you can go to the websites and that's where everything will be. Yeah.

Carrie: 43:43

I'm in the process to I start, I launched an Instagram and I'm like, well, that's not the name I wanted, but it's out there now yeah whatever, and I'm like I don't know that it even really matters anymore, but yeah, but yeah there we go. That's great. Yeah, work in progress right now with Instagram. So, yeah, I'll put it in the show notes and that way people can connect. And yeah, thanks so much for being here, jen.

Jen: 44:08

Thanks for having me. I love the conversation and I look forward to seeing you in person soon. Yes, agreed.

Carrie: 44:15

Thanks so much for following along with us on our heart to heart parents podcast journey. I'm Carrie and I am here to ask you for a quick favor. If you've enjoyed today's episode, would you be sure to review us, rate us and give us a follow on any platform that you're using to listen to this podcast. Also, we love when you share it with a friend. That's super helpful. One other thing we would love is if you would love to contact and reach out with us. We now have an email. It's info at hearttoheartlifecom. Have a great week.