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[00:00:00.240 --> 00:00:06.160] Profit doesn't always come fast, and that doesn't mean that you're failing.
[00:00:06.160 --> 00:00:09.920] Slow growth is still growth, so just keep going.
[00:00:09.920 --> 00:00:14.400] And a lot of the growth happens really quietly when no one's watching.
[00:00:14.400 --> 00:00:16.400] You know, it doesn't have fanfare.
[00:00:16.720 --> 00:00:25.360] You're listening to Side Hustle Pro, the podcast that teaches you to build and grow your side hustle from passion project to profitable business.
[00:00:25.360 --> 00:00:28.240] And I'm your host, Nikayla Matthews Okome.
[00:00:28.240 --> 00:00:29.920] So let's get started.
[00:00:36.000 --> 00:00:38.160] Hey, friends, hey, welcome, welcome back to the show.
[00:00:38.160 --> 00:00:39.520] It's Nikayla here.
[00:00:39.520 --> 00:00:42.640] And today in the guest chair, I have a returning guest.
[00:00:42.640 --> 00:00:58.720] Her name is Amy Anais, and she is an acclaimed Afro-Latina photographer, turned product designer, and founder of Ozais, a sustainable home goods and fragrance brand that blends intentional design with everyday functionality.
[00:00:58.720 --> 00:01:04.240] Her pieces are multi-use, sculptural, and made to elevate the way you live.
[00:01:04.240 --> 00:01:08.880] Beautiful enough to display, but built to be used and reused.
[00:01:08.880 --> 00:01:20.320] Amy and I also go way back to a friend group established back when I worked for MTV Networks and we were all starting out our careers in media, advertising, PR, you name it.
[00:01:20.320 --> 00:01:26.720] And I first featured Amy on Side Hustle Pro in episode 96, seven whole years ago.
[00:01:26.720 --> 00:01:29.680] So so much life has transpired since then.
[00:01:29.680 --> 00:01:37.440] And Amy is here to talk about these pivotal moments and these shifts and also talk about her newest business venture, Ozais.
[00:01:37.760 --> 00:01:46.800] I would like to give you a heads up, kind of a trigger warning that this episode will touch on pregnancy and infancy loss and stillbirth.
[00:01:46.800 --> 00:01:52.640] So, if those topics are a trigger for you, I just wanted you to proceed with caution.
[00:01:52.960 --> 00:01:59.960] Amy's journey is one I respect and admire so much, and it is truly a blessing to have her back in the guest chair.
[00:01:59.960 --> 00:02:02.200] And with that, let's talk to Amy.
[00:01:59.600 --> 00:02:07.000] All right, all right, Amy.
[00:02:07.480 --> 00:02:08.920] Welcome back to the guest chair.
[00:02:08.920 --> 00:02:10.920] Thank you so much for being here again.
[00:02:10.920 --> 00:02:12.440] Thanks for having me.
[00:02:12.840 --> 00:02:20.920] You know, I can't believe it's been since episode 96, and now I'm in the 400s, and so much has happened in both of our lives.
[00:02:20.920 --> 00:02:23.480] It's been seven years.
[00:02:23.480 --> 00:02:36.120] But for those who haven't listened to that episode yet, tell us a little bit again about how you pivoted from a side hustler working in TV production into photography.
[00:02:36.120 --> 00:02:37.320] So, thanks for having me.
[00:02:37.320 --> 00:02:38.840] It has been seven years.
[00:02:38.840 --> 00:02:41.080] A lot has changed since.
[00:02:41.880 --> 00:02:47.880] But I began my career journey in advertising and public relations.
[00:02:47.880 --> 00:02:49.640] I was actually a talent agent.
[00:02:49.640 --> 00:02:53.080] So, I was on the back end as far as the booking end.
[00:02:53.640 --> 00:03:00.040] And I worked with renowned photographers, stylists, hairstylists, all of that to book them advertising jobs.
[00:03:00.280 --> 00:03:02.440] I did that for about seven years.
[00:03:02.760 --> 00:03:06.520] And while I was a talent agent, I was photographing.
[00:03:06.520 --> 00:03:12.280] So, I've been a photographer literally my whole life since I was a very, very little girl.
[00:03:12.520 --> 00:03:16.040] But it was something that I didn't think I could have a career in.
[00:03:16.040 --> 00:03:17.560] My parents are Caribbean.
[00:03:17.560 --> 00:03:19.480] I needed a real job.
[00:03:20.680 --> 00:03:24.040] So, that's why I did the IPR route.
[00:03:24.280 --> 00:03:29.960] But when I moved to New York, it was with the intention of becoming a fashion photographer.
[00:03:29.960 --> 00:03:33.400] So, that's why I started working with fashion photographers.
[00:03:33.960 --> 00:03:41.800] But I quickly realized that it, though I still loved it, it wasn't necessarily the type of photography that I wanted to continue to pursue.
[00:03:41.800 --> 00:03:47.920] And I got into weddings and portrait work, and I've been doing that ever since.
[00:03:48.160 --> 00:03:53.920] So, yeah, so the seven years that I was there, I was building my photography business on the side.
[00:03:53.920 --> 00:04:01.760] And finally, I was able to let that go and fully focus on my own photography business.
[00:04:01.760 --> 00:04:09.440] And here we are, 13 years later, that I've been business and I've been my own boss since.
[00:04:09.440 --> 00:04:12.640] It's been amazing, incredibly lucrative.
[00:04:12.640 --> 00:04:14.560] It's taken me all around the world.
[00:04:15.280 --> 00:04:16.400] And I still love it.
[00:04:16.400 --> 00:04:20.240] It is something that, you know, I think it will always be a passion of mine.
[00:04:20.240 --> 00:04:22.720] It will always be a huge love.
[00:04:23.040 --> 00:04:29.840] And something you're so gifted, you know, you have this eye, you're even how you edit your photos.
[00:04:29.840 --> 00:04:31.360] Like, it's just stunning.
[00:04:31.520 --> 00:04:37.360] I mentioned TV and production because that's where we crossed paths when I was working at MTV Networks.
[00:04:37.360 --> 00:04:39.680] So what were you doing there?
[00:04:42.160 --> 00:04:44.640] So I'm like, wait, advertise APR.
[00:04:45.120 --> 00:04:53.200] So it's funny because when we met, it was through a mutual, not sorority sister, but a mutual friend.
[00:04:54.000 --> 00:04:55.840] And we had gone to college together.
[00:04:55.840 --> 00:04:58.720] And when I moved to New York, I didn't know anybody here.
[00:04:58.960 --> 00:05:00.480] So she was one of the few people.
[00:05:00.480 --> 00:05:03.280] And she brought me into your MTV network.
[00:05:03.280 --> 00:05:06.880] And she was like, you don't work here, but you're kind of adjacent.
[00:05:07.760 --> 00:05:10.240] So she kind of brought me into that friend group.
[00:05:11.680 --> 00:05:17.120] And honestly, it's such a because that was, geez, almost 20 years ago, right?
[00:05:17.120 --> 00:05:19.120] So we're super aging ourselves.
[00:05:19.120 --> 00:05:25.040] But it's such amazing to see how that friend group kind of evolved and like where they are now.
[00:05:25.040 --> 00:07:12.480] And like, yeah, it's so amazing to see everybody's growth and just to see how like we were such guppies back then you know like first timers and everything wide-eyed just so you know dreamy and but it was so it was so good to have you know our crew like we used to do dinners and meetups a lot of us were connected via you know greek organizations but yeah i don't know if i just have some mental fog going but i could have sworn you worked for tv networks i was there i was there i was adjacent you just you just fit right in very smooth i'm a good chameleon i get into it's funny because there's a lot of spaces that i'm not necessarily like part of but i'm always like adjacent to and everyone always thinks they're like oh you weren't you didn't work there and i'm like that's like those people in college who you realize you're like wait you don't go here you don't go to this school they're in the dorms they're in the dining hall it's like okay all right hey friend for years maybe even decades you have learned how to shrink your brilliance into job titles right you've learned how to sum up your experience in neat little bios and learn how to be professional enough for the room but what happens when that title no longer fits the fullness of who you've become what happens when your job title no longer feels like the whole story that's when it's time to shift introducing Shift, a six-month one-on-one podcast coaching experience with me for the woman who knows she has more to say and is ready to say it on her own terms.
[00:07:12.480 --> 00:07:17.040] Apply to ShiftNow at sidehouse thepro.co/slash shift.
[00:07:17.040 --> 00:07:32.960] Inside of Shift, you'll work one-on-one with me for the next six months to align your content with a bigger vision and expertise and turn your podcast into a clear platform for visibility, community, and revenue.
[00:07:32.960 --> 00:07:42.160] Because shifting isn't just about a podcast, it's about the version of you who finally owns your voice and what happens when you do that.
[00:07:42.160 --> 00:07:51.920] Podcasting is not just a platform, it's a mirror, a space to process, reclaim, and reintroduce yourself in your own words.
[00:07:51.920 --> 00:07:56.880] Apply to ShiftNow at sidehousepro.co slash shift.
[00:07:56.880 --> 00:07:59.760] This is where your next act begins.
[00:07:59.760 --> 00:08:05.360] The one that's not defined by titles, but by your perspective and your purpose.
[00:08:05.360 --> 00:08:10.720] It's time to create a platform that fits who you are now and who you're becoming.
[00:08:10.720 --> 00:08:16.000] Apply to shift now at sidehousepro.co slash shift.
[00:08:21.760 --> 00:08:27.120] So when you started working for yourself full-time, how did you prepare for that transition?
[00:08:28.080 --> 00:08:31.120] It was a long preparation.
[00:08:31.120 --> 00:08:36.560] I think I was preparing for it from when I got a full-time opportunity as an agent.
[00:08:36.560 --> 00:08:38.480] I knew that I wanted to do photography.
[00:08:38.480 --> 00:08:42.800] Like that was always my main objective.
[00:08:42.800 --> 00:08:50.160] And I was very open with my boss at the time, like, hey, I have my own photography business.
[00:08:50.160 --> 00:08:52.240] And they were just super supportive of it.
[00:08:52.240 --> 00:08:56.800] But it was kind of just like a slow burn of really preparing myself.
[00:08:56.800 --> 00:09:11.960] And really, the preparation was financially, you know, because when you become an entrepreneur on your own, you are your own bank account and you don't necessarily get a paycheck every, you know, every two weeks like you do working a corporate job.
[00:09:11.960 --> 00:09:15.160] So I really had to create a nest egg for myself.
[00:09:15.160 --> 00:09:16.120] And I did that.
[00:09:16.120 --> 00:09:30.680] So I paid off all my student loans and I really just started chipping away and kind of saving as much as I could so that when I decided to leave my main job, I had a nest egg there.
[00:09:30.680 --> 00:09:35.400] That if I didn't get a paycheck for, you know, honestly, I did it for about a year.
[00:09:35.400 --> 00:09:37.400] If I didn't get a paycheck for a year, I would be okay.
[00:09:37.400 --> 00:09:39.400] That like my rent would be paid.
[00:09:39.400 --> 00:09:41.640] I'd be able to sustain myself.
[00:09:41.960 --> 00:09:49.480] And that gave me a lot of security, you know, because it's scary to go out and not know like when you're going to make your next dollar.
[00:09:49.720 --> 00:09:52.440] So that's really what I did to prepare myself.
[00:09:52.440 --> 00:09:53.640] That is impressive.
[00:09:53.640 --> 00:10:03.240] The year, like three or six months, people usually strive for and like struggle to do, but a year is what everyone should really be doing.
[00:10:03.240 --> 00:10:05.400] And that is so, so impressive.
[00:10:05.400 --> 00:10:12.360] Once you became an entrepreneur, you were doing photography for quite some time.
[00:10:12.360 --> 00:10:15.000] And then, you know, life shifts happen, right?
[00:10:15.000 --> 00:10:18.520] That really changed fundamentally who you are.
[00:10:18.520 --> 00:10:20.600] And I can certainly relate to that as well.
[00:10:20.600 --> 00:10:23.400] Just the shift of becoming a mom.
[00:10:23.400 --> 00:10:26.200] Like, how did that impact your business?
[00:10:26.200 --> 00:10:27.320] Do you think?
[00:10:27.640 --> 00:10:35.320] Well, becoming a mom was something that I always knew that I wanted to be a mom, but I was never really ready for it.
[00:10:35.320 --> 00:10:45.000] And it wasn't until, and again, I'm going to age myself, it wasn't until I was about 35 that I really started to have the conversations now with my partners, like as far as, you know, what are we doing?
[00:10:45.200 --> 00:10:47.280] You know, are we going to start a family?
[00:10:47.280 --> 00:10:48.720] And he was ready.
[00:10:48.720 --> 00:10:53.520] You know, it was really me that was the issue.
[00:10:53.520 --> 00:11:00.800] So, but I remember we were actually in Cartagena, Colombia, and we had a very heart-to-heart conversation.
[00:11:00.800 --> 00:11:07.920] And he told me, he was like, Look, and this was pre-COVID, he was like, if we're really going to do this, then you need to slow down.
[00:11:07.920 --> 00:11:12.640] He was like, at this point, I was, you know, shooting like over 40 weddings a year.
[00:11:12.640 --> 00:11:14.640] I was busy every single weekend.
[00:11:14.640 --> 00:11:20.240] I was so burnt out at that point that he was just like, this is not sustainable.
[00:11:20.240 --> 00:11:25.200] You know, if you're going, if we're going to become parents, you know, we both need to be present.
[00:11:25.200 --> 00:11:34.720] And right now, as much as you're working, you know, you're going to really, I know you don't necessarily want to scale back, which I did want to scale back, but like, not that I didn't want to stop working.
[00:11:34.720 --> 00:11:38.000] I just really just needed to take more time for myself.
[00:11:38.000 --> 00:11:46.080] So that was probably in 2018-ish around there that we had that serious conversation.
[00:11:46.080 --> 00:11:49.360] And then I didn't become a mom until 20, 2022.
[00:11:49.360 --> 00:11:51.840] So it took some time to get there.
[00:11:51.840 --> 00:11:56.560] And in between, you know, like COVID happened, a lot of things happened in between.
[00:11:56.880 --> 00:11:59.120] But yeah, in 2022, I became a mom.
[00:11:59.120 --> 00:12:11.440] And your experience, we talked about this a little bit before the episode began, but you had a very tragic experience in becoming a first-time mom.
[00:12:11.440 --> 00:12:13.440] And that's certainly shaped who you are today.
[00:12:13.440 --> 00:12:28.880] And I really admire how transparent, you're able to be about that, you know, because I respect you so much for being able to move in a way where you're able to help others while missing your baby girl so, so much.
[00:12:29.120 --> 00:12:31.240] So, can you talk a little bit about that?
[00:12:31.560 --> 00:12:32.760] Absolutely.
[00:12:33.000 --> 00:12:41.080] It's something that any opportunity that I'm given to talk about her, I jump on it every single time.
[00:12:41.080 --> 00:12:46.200] So, in becoming a mom, it kind of goes a little bit before that.
[00:12:46.200 --> 00:12:51.240] So, I lost my dad in the fall of 2021.
[00:12:51.240 --> 00:12:53.080] So, it was end of October.
[00:12:53.800 --> 00:13:04.360] And it wasn't super surprising because my dad was, you know, he was ill, but it was surprising in the sense that, like, I literally just got the call, you know, that dad's no longer with us.
[00:13:04.360 --> 00:13:13.320] So, that was really, you know, shocking and jarring, you know, to me as far as like that huge loss because I was super close to my dad.
[00:13:13.320 --> 00:13:23.160] And in the midst of the grief of, you know, losing him, I find out literally two weeks later that I'm pregnant.
[00:13:23.160 --> 00:13:39.720] And that literally like shook me to my core because it's like the duality of like this immense grief of losing my dad and now this, you know, happiness of finally starting this, you know, journey of becoming a mom.
[00:13:39.720 --> 00:13:56.360] It was so much that I had to, I made a very big mental note to suppress that grief of losing my father because I'm very spiritual in the sense of like I didn't want to put that grief on my children.
[00:13:56.360 --> 00:13:58.040] You know, I'm saying like that, that heaviness.
[00:13:58.280 --> 00:14:00.360] I wanted to have, yeah, that energy.
[00:14:00.360 --> 00:14:02.120] I think that that's the right word.
[00:14:02.120 --> 00:14:10.680] So I told myself in my head, you know, once we give birth, then we can process that, you know, like, let's just get through, let's just get through this.
[00:14:11.720 --> 00:14:14.760] And then we found out that we were having twins and that.
[00:14:14.560 --> 00:14:24.720] And that was something that was completely shocking to me because I never thought in my life that I would have twins, even though my whole life I wanted twins.
[00:14:24.720 --> 00:14:30.240] Like I literally feel like I proclaimed this, I spoke it into existence.
[00:14:30.240 --> 00:14:44.960] And it was funny because when we went to our first OB appointment, because I was having really serious symptoms very early on, which anybody listening, if you have very, very, very serious symptoms early on, you might be carrying multiples.
[00:14:45.360 --> 00:14:51.120] But it was just crazy, you know, like the nausea, like huge cramping, like it was just crazy as far as the symptoms.
[00:14:51.120 --> 00:14:56.960] So going into that OB appointment, I told Jean, how crazy would it be if we're, you know, if we're having twins?
[00:14:56.960 --> 00:15:03.840] I literally, the second, you know, she put the machine on my, on my belly, like it was, there was no doubt.
[00:15:03.920 --> 00:15:05.920] Did you recognize it or did she have to say it?
[00:15:05.920 --> 00:15:11.600] No, I looked at it and I was just like, I looked at him and I was just like, you have to be freaking kidding me.
[00:15:11.600 --> 00:15:15.360] Like, cause we literally had just talked about it before walking in there.
[00:15:16.640 --> 00:15:21.040] So, so yeah, so it was super exciting to find out that we were expecting twins.
[00:15:21.280 --> 00:15:22.480] They were boy-girl.
[00:15:22.720 --> 00:15:23.520] So it was perfect.
[00:15:23.520 --> 00:15:24.320] He was getting his boy.
[00:15:24.320 --> 00:15:25.840] I was getting my girl.
[00:15:26.160 --> 00:15:27.840] And the pregnancy was perfect.
[00:15:27.840 --> 00:15:37.520] Like there was no issues, you know, throughout the whole pregnancy other than, you know, the normal things that happen, especially with twin pregnancies.
[00:15:37.520 --> 00:15:47.440] And yeah, we went into our last OB appointment and we were told that she no longer had a heartbeat.
[00:15:47.440 --> 00:15:54.320] And that was two days before we were scheduled to deliver because I was going to have a C-section at 38 weeks.
[00:15:55.440 --> 00:15:57.520] And my whole world shattered.
[00:15:57.560 --> 00:16:07.000] I like, I just literally could not believe from, you know, we had an appointment maybe three or four days before, you know, and she was there and she was fine.
[00:16:07.320 --> 00:16:09.720] And now she's no longer here.
[00:16:10.280 --> 00:16:13.880] So that was, it rocked my whole world.
[00:16:14.840 --> 00:16:29.480] And within that, as far as the process of trying to process that while I still have another living baby, you know, I still had to deliver both of them, you know.
[00:16:29.480 --> 00:16:38.200] So I had a C-section that day and we welcomed both Micah and Amelia into the world.
[00:16:38.200 --> 00:16:48.040] And it was the most beautiful day because, you know, we got our living son, Micah, but it was the most awful day because we lost Amelia.
[00:16:48.040 --> 00:16:57.320] So it was just like that duality of, you know, this birthday now, forever now, will always have that dual feeling.
[00:16:57.320 --> 00:16:57.880] Yeah.
[00:16:57.880 --> 00:17:05.240] And that's how I started my motherhood journey: grieving one child while holding, you know, holding the other one.
[00:17:05.240 --> 00:17:13.080] And, you know, how I was able to get through that, I honestly really only can say because I had Micah.
[00:17:13.080 --> 00:17:19.720] You know, if he wouldn't have survived as well, or if we would have lost him too, I don't think I would be here in the way that I am now.
[00:17:19.720 --> 00:17:29.400] I don't think I would still have, you know, the positive outlook on life still that I have because he really gave me the reason to keep going.
[00:17:35.560 --> 00:17:36.840] I thank you for that.
[00:17:37.160 --> 00:17:43.240] You're sharing that story and your experience is such a blessing.
[00:17:43.240 --> 00:17:47.440] It is a blessing to me and to everyone who's going to hear this.
[00:17:48.400 --> 00:18:00.800] I think that a lot of times when you have a business and you're usually posting to your business account when you post online, when things like this happen, we kind of just then just only post business stuff, right?
[00:18:00.800 --> 00:18:07.120] It's like, I don't know how to even explain to you what's going on in my personal life.
[00:18:07.120 --> 00:18:10.720] But yet, early on, you shared this with us.
[00:18:10.720 --> 00:18:15.440] How were you able to do that to have the strength to share that with everyone?
[00:18:16.720 --> 00:18:20.400] I think because I've always led from a place of authenticity.
[00:18:20.400 --> 00:18:31.200] And I think because it rocked me so much that I wasn't going to be able to continue being and showing up as the same Amy that everybody was used to seeing me as.
[00:18:31.200 --> 00:18:35.120] I didn't announce my pregnancy before the twins were born.
[00:18:35.520 --> 00:18:37.440] I announced it afterwards.
[00:18:37.440 --> 00:18:43.840] And I could not announce my living son without not announcing my daughter.
[00:18:43.840 --> 00:18:45.360] Like that was a non-negotiable.
[00:18:45.360 --> 00:18:50.800] I wasn't going because not talking about her is acting like she didn't exist.
[00:18:50.800 --> 00:18:51.680] I held her.
[00:18:51.680 --> 00:18:52.880] I have photos with her.
[00:18:52.880 --> 00:18:54.480] You know, she existed.
[00:18:54.480 --> 00:19:05.200] And I think that there's a lot of shame that is put on mothers and families, you know, when they experience stillbirth or when they lose a child in that way.
[00:19:05.200 --> 00:19:16.400] That society, because they didn't get to meet them, because they're not here in the way that like is conventional, you know, that child no longer exists or that child gets forgotten about.
[00:19:16.640 --> 00:19:18.480] And I didn't want that for my daughter.
[00:19:18.480 --> 00:19:27.200] You know, I wanted everybody to know who she was, you know, and I wanted to be able to continue her legacy through what I did or through what I was going to do.
[00:19:27.200 --> 00:19:28.800] So that's why I made the decision.
[00:19:28.800 --> 00:19:29.880] And it took a while too.
[00:19:29.880 --> 00:19:32.520] So they were born at the beginning of July.
[00:19:33.320 --> 00:19:37.400] And I didn't announce until probably mid-October.
[00:19:37.400 --> 00:19:41.640] So I took the time that I needed to that for that initial grieving.
[00:19:41.640 --> 00:19:45.080] And I think that that is what really helped me.
[00:19:45.080 --> 00:19:51.240] So that is something that like I do recommend to folks that are going to be bringing children into the world.
[00:19:51.240 --> 00:19:53.800] Don't feel that need that you have to announce it right away.
[00:19:53.800 --> 00:19:56.200] Of course you can, you know, but things can happen.
[00:19:56.200 --> 00:20:02.440] And I didn't want to deal with everybody else's feelings, everybody else's thoughts and stuff like that.
[00:20:02.440 --> 00:20:07.560] I didn't want the questions of like what happened until I was ready to discuss it.
[00:20:07.560 --> 00:20:14.040] So because I gave myself those few months to really digest it, those around me, of course, my tribe knew what happened.
[00:20:14.040 --> 00:20:15.480] Everybody was super supportive.
[00:20:15.480 --> 00:20:18.760] I had a lot of love and I still have a lot of love around me.
[00:20:18.760 --> 00:20:25.160] But for the outside world, you know, that it's a privilege for you to know what's going on in my life.
[00:20:25.160 --> 00:20:27.960] I wanted to do it in my own terms.
[00:20:27.960 --> 00:20:39.000] And I also felt very early on that it was very important for me to now become an advocate for this community because when it happened to me, I felt so othered.
[00:20:39.000 --> 00:20:45.880] I didn't realize that this had happened to so many other women, women that have been in my life.
[00:20:45.880 --> 00:20:50.280] Like I didn't realize the magnitude of it until it happened to me, you know?
[00:20:50.280 --> 00:20:57.480] And I felt so shitty about that because I was just like, I literally knew women who had experienced stillbirth before.
[00:20:57.480 --> 00:21:04.840] But because I was in a mom before, I didn't understand like the gravity of losing a child, you know?
[00:21:04.840 --> 00:21:35.200] So, really, I wanted to change that and I wanted to be very open book about it so that if any parent, you know, was experiencing this, they will always find a safe haven in me, you know, as far as you know, I don't want to invade anybody's privacy, but like if you need somebody to talk to, if you need somebody that will just listen, you know, who understands where you're at, that understands the thoughts that you're having, you know, because it can be very intrusive thoughts.
[00:21:35.680 --> 00:21:40.320] I want to be that safe space for other moms, other dads as well.
[00:21:40.880 --> 00:21:43.200] So, that's why I chose to share about it.
[00:21:43.200 --> 00:21:44.960] And I continue to talk about it.
[00:21:44.960 --> 00:21:51.360] I continue to include Amelia in everything that, everything that I do.
[00:21:51.360 --> 00:21:54.000] I always refer to them as the twins.
[00:21:54.000 --> 00:21:56.480] They will still and forever always be the twins.
[00:21:56.480 --> 00:21:58.800] So, we're actually celebrating their name.
[00:21:58.800 --> 00:22:00.320] What a gorgeous name.
[00:22:00.320 --> 00:22:00.640] Yeah.
[00:22:00.640 --> 00:22:01.520] I love it too.
[00:22:01.520 --> 00:22:03.760] Like, that's why I say it like all the time.
[00:22:04.560 --> 00:22:08.480] But we're celebrating their third birthday coming up, you know, next week.
[00:22:08.480 --> 00:22:10.000] And I'm really excited about it.
[00:22:10.000 --> 00:22:14.160] You know, like, I don't have, of course, a conventional relationship with my daughter.
[00:22:14.160 --> 00:22:15.840] I don't get to see her grow.
[00:22:15.840 --> 00:22:18.240] Like, I get to see my sons grow.
[00:22:18.880 --> 00:22:22.800] But she's still part of me and she's part of everything that I do.
[00:22:22.800 --> 00:22:29.120] And I think that her loss really, it just, it just made me a different person.
[00:22:29.120 --> 00:22:34.640] And it made me such a stronger, wiser, you know, sharper, sharper person.
[00:22:34.640 --> 00:22:36.800] And I think it made me a better mom too.
[00:22:36.800 --> 00:22:40.080] You know, I think I have a lot more empathy.
[00:22:40.080 --> 00:22:46.800] I have a lot more softness to my children now that I don't know if I would have had, you know, before, you know?
[00:22:46.800 --> 00:22:57.120] So now I know, like, you know, the how sacred and how precious things are that, like, literally, I take advantage of every single day, like every single day.
[00:22:57.440 --> 00:22:58.080] Yes.
[00:22:58.080 --> 00:22:59.680] And you know what else is sacred?
[00:23:00.120 --> 00:23:01.880] It is something you said.
[00:23:01.880 --> 00:23:16.360] Like, while we don't encourage parasocial relationships, it certainly is a blessing to know someone else, whether it's just someone you saw online share their story who's gone through something that you can reach out to.
[00:23:16.360 --> 00:23:24.920] And I can't tell you how many times I've reached out to my Instagram friends because I, oh, I remember such and such said they went through this, right?
[00:23:24.920 --> 00:23:32.680] And that's why it's so important to share our stories no matter how traumatic at times, when you're comfortable.
[00:23:32.680 --> 00:23:37.160] Like, I don't think that any of us should feel pressure to talk about things.
[00:23:37.400 --> 00:23:39.080] We need to take care of ourselves first.
[00:23:39.080 --> 00:23:43.960] We need to go to therapy and process those feelings first, of course.
[00:23:44.200 --> 00:23:48.120] But if and when you are able to, it is also a blessing.
[00:23:48.120 --> 00:23:53.880] And it has inspired this next version of Amy the Entrepreneur.
[00:23:53.880 --> 00:23:59.720] So tell us a little bit about your newest venture and how you were inspired to start that.
[00:23:59.720 --> 00:24:15.960] So my newest venture is my brand named Ozais, which is a sustainable home goods and fragrance brand that blends fragrance and intentional design with everyday functionality.
[00:24:16.280 --> 00:24:28.520] Our pieces are multi-use and sculptural, and they're made to elevate the way that you live so that they're beautiful enough to display, but they're meant to be used and reused.
[00:24:29.240 --> 00:24:35.640] But I'm going to step it back as far as where the idea of this kind of came.
[00:24:36.360 --> 00:24:49.760] And really, it started, it started brewing a little bit before COVID because, again, I'm a photographer and my livelihood, I guess that's the word, depends on me.
[00:24:44.600 --> 00:24:51.520] You know, I have to show up to the weddings.
[00:24:51.840 --> 00:24:57.200] I have to physically put in the work in order to execute the job.
[00:24:57.200 --> 00:25:00.960] And weddings are really, really taxing on the body.
[00:25:00.960 --> 00:25:08.960] And I am tired, you know, like it's, it's, it's not bending, scratching, laying on the floor.
[00:25:09.280 --> 00:25:13.360] Like, these BVUs don't bend like they used to, you know.
[00:25:13.360 --> 00:25:20.080] So, really, it's just, it was a practical need, you know, I'm saying, as far as like, is this sustainable?
[00:25:20.080 --> 00:25:23.120] You know, do I want to still be shooting weddings when I'm 60 years old?
[00:25:23.120 --> 00:25:26.080] You know, and if you ask me that, no, I do not.
[00:25:26.560 --> 00:25:31.200] So, really, that's where kind of like the idea of starting something new came from.
[00:25:31.600 --> 00:25:42.000] But it wasn't until COVID that I went from booked and busy to paused and canceled and, you know, sitting there.
[00:25:42.000 --> 00:25:46.480] Like, I remember in our first episode, I said I had, you know, my Oprah aha moment.
[00:25:46.480 --> 00:25:48.480] Well, this was like my ocean moment.
[00:25:48.480 --> 00:26:03.280] Like, all my income was like, you know, not that my income was gone because, you know, obviously, like, I still had some payments coming in, but really, there was no timeline of when things were going to come back to normal.
[00:26:03.280 --> 00:26:08.560] So, I started really, because we spent a lot of time at home looking around, you know, like, well, what can I do?
[00:26:08.560 --> 00:26:14.000] And I realized that I'm a huge lover of all things bougie and especially bougie candles.
[00:26:14.320 --> 00:26:19.040] I have the Tiques, the Trudons, like all the high-end candles.
[00:26:19.040 --> 00:26:21.680] I own one or multiple of them.
[00:26:21.680 --> 00:26:29.760] But I was always really frustrated with the fact that it was single use, you know, like you could only use it for that one thing.
[00:26:29.960 --> 00:26:41.800] And also, too, like all of us, you know, when you spend $100 on a candle, you burn it for maybe like an hour and then you blow it out, you know, because I spent $100 on this and I don't want to.
[00:26:44.920 --> 00:26:49.560] So you really, you spend the money on these things and you don't really get use of it.
[00:26:49.560 --> 00:26:53.800] And, you know, that was actually kind of frustrating on my end because I'm just like, what's the point?
[00:26:53.800 --> 00:26:58.200] You know, what's the point of having these things if you're not going to be able to enjoy it?
[00:26:58.440 --> 00:27:00.120] So that started spiraling from there.
[00:27:00.120 --> 00:27:01.480] I started working with a designer.
[00:27:01.480 --> 00:27:06.200] We came up with the designs, came up with the concept, and then we got into the manufacturing.
[00:27:06.200 --> 00:27:09.720] And that took so much longer than I anticipated.
[00:27:09.720 --> 00:27:14.120] I thought the whole thing was going to take a year at most, you know, from start to finish.
[00:27:14.440 --> 00:27:16.920] And in between that, so that was 2020.
[00:27:16.920 --> 00:27:18.840] In between that, my dad died.
[00:27:19.560 --> 00:27:23.560] And then my dog died as well that I had for 15 years.
[00:27:23.560 --> 00:27:26.360] So I'm like dealing with all this grief.
[00:27:27.080 --> 00:27:29.880] And then I, you know, find out that I'm going to be a mom.
[00:27:29.880 --> 00:27:32.360] I, you know, and then we lose Amelia.
[00:27:32.360 --> 00:27:34.840] So it was just like all this stuff going on.
[00:27:34.840 --> 00:27:35.480] Right.
[00:27:35.480 --> 00:27:41.800] And I realize now that the universe really has a way of protecting you.
[00:27:41.800 --> 00:27:51.000] And you might not necessarily understand why things are taking as long as they do, but there's a reason, you know, that's beyond you that you know.
[00:27:51.000 --> 00:28:01.320] Because had I launched this brand in 20, you know, 2021, 2022, losing the most important people in my life, I would have flopped right away.
[00:28:01.320 --> 00:28:06.680] Because when I was dealing with all this grief, I literally put Ozai's to the side.
[00:28:06.920 --> 00:28:09.400] I didn't want, you know what I'm saying, like, it wasn't important anymore.
[00:28:09.400 --> 00:28:13.240] Like, it was, you know, I spiraled down into like this whole grief journey.
[00:28:13.240 --> 00:28:26.640] You had to do deep therapy, you know, and it really wasn't until about the end of 2022, early 2023, that I started to really start picking up the pieces again and saying, okay, well, let's continue this.
[00:28:26.640 --> 00:28:51.840] And it really became part of that as far as part of the reason behind it was the grief, you know, realizing that tomorrow is not promised and that I was trying to build a brand and build, you know, new pieces that really kind of had that story in a different way, you know, as far as being able to really evolve with your pieces and really use your pieces, not feel bad about using them.
[00:28:51.840 --> 00:29:00.640] And it's something that, like, if you're going to make this investment in these goods, that it's something that's going to be part of your life, you know, just not a figment there.
[00:29:00.640 --> 00:29:03.120] So yeah, so that was that.
[00:29:03.120 --> 00:29:10.640] And then in 2023, we continued on, but like the whole process of manufacturing, like it is not for the faint of heart, like it took forever.
[00:29:10.640 --> 00:29:11.920] I can imagine.
[00:29:17.040 --> 00:29:23.200] How did you even go from idea to like, here's who can manufacture this?
[00:29:23.200 --> 00:29:25.760] Like you mentioned that whole process to me.
[00:29:25.760 --> 00:29:27.120] That sounds pretty daunting.
[00:29:27.120 --> 00:29:31.280] Like I have an idea in my head of glassware that I want to make now.
[00:29:31.280 --> 00:29:33.760] Let me go find that person to make it.
[00:29:34.080 --> 00:29:36.800] Again, I'm very spiritual.
[00:29:36.800 --> 00:29:38.480] So I will always go back to this.
[00:29:39.200 --> 00:29:42.160] The universe has a way of just taking care of me.
[00:29:42.160 --> 00:29:50.160] And again, scrolling through Instagram, I knew that I needed to find a designer to kind of come up with a logo and the design, you know, help me with the designs and stuff.
[00:29:50.160 --> 00:29:54.800] And I stumbled upon this one young lady, and I really loved her stuff.
[00:29:54.800 --> 00:30:07.080] And she has ended up being like sent from the angels from me because she helped me from design to manufacturing to production to everything because that was her world.
[00:30:07.240 --> 00:30:10.200] And unknowingly, again, I only liked her designs.
[00:30:10.200 --> 00:30:23.880] And how did I know that she was going to have this multitude of skills, you know, that she was really, you know, she's been kind of like my silent business partner and really helping me as far as navigate this new world.
[00:30:23.880 --> 00:30:25.160] Again, I come from photography.
[00:30:25.160 --> 00:30:28.600] I don't know crap about production, about manufacturing, anything.
[00:30:28.600 --> 00:30:33.560] I know, I know some stuff now, but it was a, you know, it's a whole new world for me.
[00:30:33.720 --> 00:30:35.080] So, yeah, so that's how I did it.
[00:30:35.080 --> 00:30:41.400] You know, I was able to connect with this young lady and she helped me tremendously.
[00:30:41.640 --> 00:30:44.840] I owe so much, so much to her.
[00:30:45.560 --> 00:30:53.000] So it was a lot of trial and error, a lot of getting samples back that were not, you know, up to par.
[00:30:53.000 --> 00:30:59.720] And I knew that I wanted something that was luxurious, that felt luxurious.
[00:31:00.200 --> 00:31:11.640] So it was a certain kind of, and I have, you know, the pieces here, like, I wanted you to feel it in your hands and like be like, oh my goodness, this is, this is a glass, you know?
[00:31:12.280 --> 00:31:13.560] So we went back and forth.
[00:31:13.560 --> 00:31:18.520] And every time I said no to a sample, it was another three, four months until I got another sample.
[00:31:18.520 --> 00:31:24.920] So I knew that every time I said no, because it wasn't up to par, because it's kind of like my photography.
[00:31:24.920 --> 00:31:30.760] Like I'm so such a stickler as far as how clean and beautiful my work is.
[00:31:30.760 --> 00:31:36.520] This had was no difference, you know, like it was always, no, we need no, you know?
[00:31:36.520 --> 00:31:37.000] Yes.
[00:31:37.720 --> 00:31:41.320] So it just kept adding time and time and time to the timeline.
[00:31:41.320 --> 00:31:44.640] And my manufacturers were getting frustrated with me.
[00:31:43.080 --> 00:31:47.920] I think my designer was getting frustrated with me.
[00:31:44.360 --> 00:31:49.280] Like, just pick one.
[00:31:50.160 --> 00:31:52.400] This also sounds costly, right?
[00:31:52.400 --> 00:32:01.040] Like, I know you're one to save a nest egg, but having gone in so blind to this industry, how did you approach it financially?
[00:32:01.040 --> 00:32:02.240] Did you have money saved?
[00:32:02.240 --> 00:32:05.360] Did you have to end up, you know, putting some on credit?
[00:32:05.360 --> 00:32:08.400] Like, how did you fund this back and forth?
[00:32:09.520 --> 00:32:23.120] Well, having had the discipline from early on, as far as that nest egg, um, I kept building onto that nest egg because thankfully enough, I never had to tap into that nest egg.
[00:32:23.120 --> 00:32:27.120] Once I left my job, you know, I had work very consistently.
[00:32:27.120 --> 00:32:28.720] I, again, I was booked and busy.
[00:32:28.720 --> 00:32:29.920] I was very busy.
[00:32:29.920 --> 00:32:43.840] Um, so I kept adding on to that nest eg, you know, and I had a good, you know, amount of savings that was either going to go to a house or you know, I'm saying for life, you know, especially living in New York, things are expensive here.
[00:32:43.840 --> 00:32:44.720] So it was that.
[00:32:44.720 --> 00:32:46.640] So I self-funded everything.
[00:32:46.640 --> 00:32:51.760] I talked to my partner about it and I was just like, hey, this is really what I want to do.
[00:32:51.760 --> 00:32:54.400] I think that this really could be something.
[00:32:55.040 --> 00:32:58.800] I'm going to use this money.
[00:32:58.800 --> 00:33:07.040] And again, it wasn't when I started off, you know, if I'm candid, it was going to be like $15,000, $20,000 that, you know, I was investing into this.
[00:33:07.040 --> 00:33:10.320] You know, that's night, haha, naive little me.
[00:33:11.680 --> 00:33:12.160] Right.
[00:33:12.160 --> 00:33:15.600] Like I said, I'm like, glass, samples.
[00:33:15.600 --> 00:33:19.600] This is like the dollar signs are just pinning in my head.
[00:33:19.600 --> 00:33:21.520] Well, again, naive little me.
[00:33:21.520 --> 00:33:24.880] I started off with I wanted to create a beautiful candle, right?
[00:33:24.880 --> 00:33:27.280] That was in a vessel that could be reused.
[00:33:27.280 --> 00:33:29.040] That's where the concept started.
[00:33:29.040 --> 00:33:32.680] And then it evolved into all these other uses that you can do.
[00:33:33.000 --> 00:33:40.280] So in the beginning, and especially when I was working with the designer, she was just like, Yeah, I think, you know, we could be within that ballpark for the first run.
[00:33:40.600 --> 00:33:42.360] Yeah, that quickly spiraled.
[00:33:42.360 --> 00:33:52.680] So, yeah, so I've self-funded everything and it's been humbling, you know, because I have really drained.
[00:33:52.840 --> 00:34:00.440] I don't want to say drains because I still look at it, you know, as a huge investment, but I have really that nest egg is invested a lot.
[00:34:00.440 --> 00:34:02.440] Them, them eggs ain't there no more.
[00:34:03.480 --> 00:34:06.520] But that's real.
[00:34:06.520 --> 00:34:07.400] And that's Nanda.
[00:34:07.480 --> 00:34:08.680] So thank you for sharing that.
[00:34:08.680 --> 00:34:12.840] Yeah, you know, like it's, it's, it's super expensive, you know, and I didn't realize.
[00:34:12.840 --> 00:34:16.680] And again, it goes back to my I like nice things.
[00:34:16.680 --> 00:34:20.760] So it was just like, as we kept building on, I was just like, oh, yeah, well, I like that.
[00:34:20.760 --> 00:34:27.560] So now that taxes, you know, I'm saying like everything that you add on or that you amplify, it adds on.
[00:34:27.560 --> 00:34:30.600] And you think that because it's per piece, right?
[00:34:30.600 --> 00:34:33.480] So yeah, the per piece price is not that much.
[00:34:33.480 --> 00:34:39.800] But when you multiply that by having to get a thousand pieces, that adds up very, very quickly.
[00:34:39.800 --> 00:34:43.160] And then, you know, we produce overseas.
[00:34:43.160 --> 00:34:58.280] So, you know, the import duties, and this was before tariff, the tariffs that we have now, you know, those import duties that you have, the freight fees to get it to you, it starts stacking up very, very, very quickly.
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[00:37:50.520 --> 00:37:55.160] And how did you approach the product line, like the SKUs?
[00:37:55.160 --> 00:37:58.760] So with a Glass Clear collection, you have different pieces.
[00:37:58.760 --> 00:38:02.120] So how did you kind of streamline it for your because this is your first run?
[00:38:02.120 --> 00:38:07.080] You're just launching now to say, all right, I'm going to launch with this many in these colorways.
[00:38:07.080 --> 00:38:07.800] Absolutely.
[00:38:07.800 --> 00:38:13.160] So the great thing about my line is that the foundation is two pieces, right?
[00:38:13.640 --> 00:38:18.520] So for those who are not viewing us right now, you won't be able to see it, but watch the video.
[00:38:18.840 --> 00:38:20.120] Yeah, watch us on YouTube.
[00:38:21.560 --> 00:38:25.880] So these are two foundational pieces, which is the carafe and the Tumblr.
[00:38:25.880 --> 00:38:29.640] So this is kind of what you're starting with, and this is the investment that you're making in.
[00:38:30.200 --> 00:38:31.160] And they start like this.
[00:38:31.160 --> 00:38:33.080] So they're clear pieces, right?
[00:38:33.960 --> 00:38:37.480] Then our manufacturer is able to add the color to it.
[00:38:37.480 --> 00:38:52.640] So it was really creating the colorways that we wanted first, in which I knew I started off with a teal and like a citron color were the two colors that like I really gravitated to that I thought would really be beautiful in people's homes.
[00:38:52.640 --> 00:38:57.120] And then we have a charcoal, we have a frosted, and then we have the clear as well.
[00:38:57.120 --> 00:38:59.280] So that's kind of where we started.
[00:38:59.280 --> 00:39:00.960] And then the same with fragrances.
[00:39:00.960 --> 00:39:05.840] We have four different fragrances that you can get in three different ways.
[00:39:05.840 --> 00:39:16.480] You can get it as a candle, you can get it as a re-diffuser, like a diffuser fluid, or you can get it as an oil to use with our mineral rocks.
[00:39:16.800 --> 00:39:20.160] So, but it's again, the foundation is four different fragrances.
[00:39:20.160 --> 00:39:25.120] And we hope to continue to involve that as the brand continues to grow.
[00:39:25.120 --> 00:39:29.200] So we're talking now as far as creating some more blends.
[00:39:29.840 --> 00:39:31.680] But that's kind of where we've gone.
[00:39:31.680 --> 00:39:38.320] And because it's those foundational pieces, you can kind of mix and match and build as you need and build as you want.
[00:39:38.320 --> 00:39:42.640] So you're not constrained to one particular way that you want to use it.
[00:39:42.640 --> 00:39:51.280] So if you want to use it for drinking, you know, just as drinkware, our Tumblr and our craft, like they interlock together.
[00:39:51.280 --> 00:39:55.120] So they become a personal.
[00:39:55.120 --> 00:39:56.160] Say no more.
[00:39:56.160 --> 00:39:58.400] But you know what it reminds me of too?
[00:39:59.040 --> 00:40:01.440] It reminds me of weddings too, actually.
[00:40:01.440 --> 00:40:03.600] Just like a really beautiful tablescape.
[00:40:03.600 --> 00:40:05.680] Like I could just see this just outfitted.
[00:40:05.680 --> 00:40:11.280] And I also can see this in like a really high-end furniture and decor store.
[00:40:11.440 --> 00:40:15.840] Like not restoration hardware because they're mainly like couches and dressers, right?
[00:40:15.840 --> 00:40:18.640] But like a crate and barrel, a wooden street.
[00:40:18.800 --> 00:40:20.280] Yeah, like a crate and barrel or straight.
[00:40:20.480 --> 00:40:22.720] Yeah, like absolutely.
[00:40:22.720 --> 00:40:23.360] Yep.
[00:40:23.360 --> 00:40:25.280] So are you thinking that way as well?
[00:40:25.280 --> 00:40:27.760] Like, are you trying to get it in retail first?
[00:40:27.760 --> 00:40:28.320] Okay.
[00:40:28.320 --> 00:40:29.600] Tell us more about that.
[00:40:29.600 --> 00:40:33.240] I love that you brought that up as far as, again, I come from the wedding world.
[00:40:29.840 --> 00:40:34.120] I'm in the events industry.
[00:40:34.360 --> 00:40:37.720] So when I was building this, I really built that with that in mind.
[00:40:37.720 --> 00:40:44.120] As far as if an event professional is investing in our pieces, they can use it for so many different ways.
[00:40:44.120 --> 00:40:53.720] You know, so when you have, especially like a rental house, they want to be able to maximize their pieces, you know, and get the most dollar, you know, for a piece that they're investing in.
[00:40:54.120 --> 00:40:57.240] So again, you can use it as a candle.
[00:40:57.240 --> 00:41:02.120] You can use it as a mineral diffuser.
[00:41:02.120 --> 00:41:03.640] You can use it for drinking.
[00:41:03.640 --> 00:41:06.120] You can use it if you flip it around.
[00:41:06.120 --> 00:41:07.960] You can use it with a decorative candle.
[00:41:07.960 --> 00:41:13.240] So now this one piece, you know, you have five different uses for it.
[00:41:13.240 --> 00:41:14.440] And that was the whole thing.
[00:41:14.440 --> 00:41:16.200] I wanted something that was sustainable.
[00:41:16.200 --> 00:41:25.560] We're such a wasteful, and when I say we, I mean as Americans, because I don't live anywhere else, you know, so like as Americans, we are very wasteful.
[00:41:25.560 --> 00:41:29.960] We're so used to single-use things that we use it and then we throw it away.
[00:41:29.960 --> 00:41:34.040] So I wanted something that wasn't going to end up in landfills.
[00:41:34.040 --> 00:41:43.640] I wanted something that, you know, looks beautiful in your home, you know, that's timeless, that does not kind of date you, and that you can use over and over again.
[00:41:43.640 --> 00:41:56.280] And that you don't have to feel compromised as far as, especially if you're using this for drinking, that you are going to be harmed because all of our accessories are housed in their own vessels as well.
[00:41:56.280 --> 00:42:01.240] So like the wax oil and all that is not going to seep into your drinking glass.
[00:42:01.240 --> 00:42:05.960] So you never have to worry about, you know, chemicals and stuff getting into you.
[00:42:06.280 --> 00:42:20.800] So it's all those things like that that were going through my head when I was developing this product for it to be something that is, again, wholesome, like a whole full line that if you invest in this, you're investing in something that really can live with you.
[00:42:20.800 --> 00:42:25.520] And that's when I say live with you in your home, because as you're transitioning, right?
[00:42:25.520 --> 00:42:31.120] So, like, say you're living in your dorm and you're looking, you're using this as, you know, a decancer, right?
[00:42:31.120 --> 00:42:34.160] But now you move into a house, now you want to use it as a candle.
[00:42:34.160 --> 00:42:38.160] Like, there's just so many ways that you can transition with it.
[00:42:38.640 --> 00:42:46.880] And that it's built with such quality that you know, you can honestly drop this, even though it's made of glass and it probably won't shatter.
[00:42:47.120 --> 00:42:50.400] That's how durable this glass is.
[00:42:50.720 --> 00:42:52.080] It's so unique.
[00:42:52.080 --> 00:42:54.320] Are you also going to patent this?
[00:42:54.320 --> 00:42:56.880] Because it is, I haven't seen this before.
[00:42:58.160 --> 00:43:02.080] I know, expensive process, right?
[00:43:02.080 --> 00:43:03.360] Let's talk about it.
[00:43:03.360 --> 00:43:05.040] It is a whole long thing.
[00:43:05.040 --> 00:43:05.520] Yeah.
[00:43:05.520 --> 00:43:10.800] It's funny because my lawyer is actually a past, a past guest of yours, Kumbi.
[00:43:11.120 --> 00:43:11.520] Really?
[00:43:11.520 --> 00:43:11.840] Yes.
[00:43:11.840 --> 00:43:12.080] Yes.
[00:43:12.960 --> 00:43:13.680] Oh, yeah, of course.
[00:43:13.680 --> 00:43:14.640] I know you guys are friends.
[00:43:14.640 --> 00:43:15.200] Yeah.
[00:43:16.480 --> 00:43:18.400] I see the connections online.
[00:43:18.400 --> 00:43:19.280] Yep.
[00:43:19.600 --> 00:43:22.160] So we've had long conversations about it.
[00:43:22.160 --> 00:43:29.280] And getting a utility patent is definitely something that has been front of mind.
[00:43:30.080 --> 00:43:38.640] But it's so cumbersome and so expensive that we're still exploring it.
[00:43:38.640 --> 00:43:41.120] But I don't know if it's something that we can do.
[00:43:41.120 --> 00:43:49.280] Like, if I'm just honest, like if I can invest these thousands of dollars on it, which because it's profortable first.
[00:43:49.280 --> 00:43:50.080] Yeah, that's that.
[00:43:50.080 --> 00:43:50.800] And that's the thing.
[00:43:50.800 --> 00:44:08.280] And can we get ripped off, you know, somebody else doing something similar, maybe, you know, but I'm hoping that, again, that the universe will just like protect us and for right now until we're able to get profitable and really like invest in something as important as getting um getting the patent for it.
[00:44:08.280 --> 00:44:19.880] But we do have a trade trademarks, um, like on our name and all of that, um, so we are protected in those things, and we have like first use and like you know, all of that, like very documented.
[00:44:19.880 --> 00:44:29.160] Um, but it's just a long process, like this whole business thing, like everybody thinks it's like so easy breezy and like come out with a product and like there's just so many layers to it.
[00:44:29.160 --> 00:44:39.720] Um, no, the girls are lying, they're lying online.
[00:44:39.880 --> 00:44:42.120] That's what this show is for, it's to unpack.
[00:44:42.120 --> 00:45:02.600] But you know, I always say whenever I speak to founders who have hard product-based businesses, it is a lot like I know people who have taken breaks, um, and you know, because it's like, all right, to get the next round of to pay for this next level of approvals and then the products coming out to me, I need another, you know, 10 to 20.
[00:45:02.600 --> 00:45:05.400] So it's going to take another year for me to get there, right?
[00:45:05.400 --> 00:45:12.120] So I know the longer process that comes with this, and you sharing this will also help others as well.
[00:45:12.120 --> 00:45:25.080] But I also see the vision, but then there's a gap between the vision and when you have the client, like the retailers or what have you, to truly start to see the revenue kick in.
[00:45:25.080 --> 00:45:27.880] So, how do you deal with this phase in the meantime?
[00:45:27.880 --> 00:45:29.160] How do you stay encouraged?
[00:45:29.160 --> 00:45:31.080] How do you keep pushing?
[00:45:31.400 --> 00:45:33.320] Girl, that is the everyday.
[00:45:33.280 --> 00:45:41.000] Um, and I'm so happy that you asked that because that is literally been the foundation groundwork that we've been doing.
[00:45:41.000 --> 00:45:47.760] So, we've we're a baby brand, still, we've only been, um, we've only we launched a year ago, you know, so we've only been on the market for a year.
[00:45:48.080 --> 00:46:03.760] And when we launched, we actually launched at a trade show, a huge trade show here in the city called New York Now that's when we introduced ourselves to the world, and that was probably it was really hard because we didn't honestly make that many sales.
[00:46:03.760 --> 00:46:12.480] If I'm very transparent, we got maybe two or three, you know, different boutiques that ended up carrying us, um, but we didn't really make any money from being there.
[00:46:12.480 --> 00:46:26.720] But what we did get was that consumer feedback because just like you said, you see the vision, I see the vision, but somebody who's never seen this before, it's a lot for them to digest.
[00:46:26.720 --> 00:46:36.800] And because it's something that's so new and innovative, just like when any new product comes out, it takes a minute for people to kind of for it to become their norm.
[00:46:36.800 --> 00:46:55.280] So, that's what we've been doing as far as on our end with how we communicate the line to the consumer versus like on how we communicate it on our social platforms, really, is educating the consumer of what it is that you are investing in when you invest in Ozai's.
[00:46:55.280 --> 00:46:57.600] You know, that it is not just a pretty candle.
[00:46:57.600 --> 00:47:00.800] Yes, it's a beautiful candle, but it is also this.
[00:47:00.800 --> 00:47:07.920] You are investing in sustainability, you are investing in a piece that is timeless, that's going to grow with you, that's going to live with you.
[00:47:07.920 --> 00:47:12.320] Um, so that's what we're spending a lot of our time is educating.
[00:47:12.320 --> 00:47:15.600] And I feel that little by little, we've been chipping at that.
[00:47:15.600 --> 00:47:18.800] And I feel like it's been a very slow burn.
[00:47:18.800 --> 00:47:32.440] Um, but now I am seeing those seeds that I planted a year ago, they're starting to bloom, you know, and it can be very, you know, humbling and defeating, you know, deflating, defeating.
[00:47:33.480 --> 00:47:53.240] Because when people don't get it, no, you know, and it's just like we find that we actually do a lot better in person as far as like when we've done pop-ups, when we, when people are able to see it and feel it, they get it right away, you know, they understand it right away and they are like, this is so freaking cool.
[00:47:53.240 --> 00:48:02.440] But online, when you're just seeing a reel real quick, when you're just seeing one picture, it's very hard to translate sometimes because, again, people's minds are very narrow.
[00:48:02.440 --> 00:48:04.120] They're seeing a candle.
[00:48:04.120 --> 00:48:05.720] Oh, they're seeing a diffuser.
[00:48:05.720 --> 00:48:10.360] Oh, they're seeing reed diffusers, but they're not seeing the whole concept behind it.
[00:48:10.360 --> 00:48:18.600] So it's just a very slow burn that we're seeing now that it's paying off, but it's going to have to be a continual thing.
[00:48:18.600 --> 00:48:24.280] So it's not something that we can educate for a year and then, you know, start doing something else.
[00:48:24.280 --> 00:48:33.320] I think it's something that we're going to have to always continuously, you know, keep educating until we become a household name.
[00:48:33.320 --> 00:48:36.440] You know, like now you don't have to explain what an iPhone is.
[00:48:36.600 --> 00:48:37.320] You know what I'm saying?
[00:48:37.320 --> 00:48:43.160] But, you know, 15, 20 years ago when the iPhone came out, you know, like everybody was like, how what?
[00:48:44.360 --> 00:48:46.120] Why would I leave my Blackberry for this?
[00:48:46.120 --> 00:48:46.520] Right.
[00:48:46.520 --> 00:48:47.080] Exactly.
[00:48:47.720 --> 00:48:49.000] How wild is Blackberry?
[00:48:49.320 --> 00:48:49.560] Right?
[00:48:49.880 --> 00:48:50.760] The Blackberry.
[00:48:50.760 --> 00:48:54.680] Like, oh, no, that iPhone will never work for business users.
[00:48:54.680 --> 00:49:05.720] I mean, but speaking of the consumer, it's interesting that you talk about the education piece that you're doing online, but then also some longer-term visions of working with retailers.
[00:49:05.720 --> 00:49:08.040] So, who is really the consumer?
[00:49:08.040 --> 00:49:11.800] And if it's twofold, how are you planning to approach that?
[00:49:11.800 --> 00:49:14.360] If it's like B2B and B2C, it is.
[00:49:14.360 --> 00:49:16.160] It's B2B and B2C.
[00:49:14.840 --> 00:49:21.600] So, we still want to be direct-to-consumer as far as you can get the product directly from us.
[00:49:22.160 --> 00:49:26.160] But in the reality of the product world, you have to move numbers.
[00:49:26.160 --> 00:49:36.400] So, working with retailers is, you know, the ideal and kind of like that wholesale market as far as selling, you know, 500 pieces to a retailer.
[00:49:36.400 --> 00:49:39.920] You know, that's how you're able to scale a lot quicker.
[00:49:39.920 --> 00:49:46.400] So, we are, I can't announce it yet, but we are in the works with like a huge retailer right now.
[00:49:46.720 --> 00:49:48.080] Oh, I'm excited.
[00:49:48.080 --> 00:49:49.440] Yeah, that's amazing.
[00:49:49.920 --> 00:49:54.880] And that's where I say all the good energy.
[00:49:55.840 --> 00:49:57.040] I immediately see it there.
[00:49:57.040 --> 00:50:06.320] Like, as soon as you see the pieces, and I'm so glad you brought them, you know, because like I've obviously seen the pictures, but like seeing you hold it and use it, it just really, you're right.
[00:50:06.320 --> 00:50:08.240] It just clicks in a different way.
[00:50:08.240 --> 00:50:09.120] It does.
[00:50:09.760 --> 00:50:21.360] So, so, yeah, so we definitely see ourselves in high-end retail and becoming kind of just like a household, you know, staple.
[00:50:21.360 --> 00:50:33.280] And I think that being in retail and it being more not just New York City-based, you know, being able to get it into the hands of more people is kind of where it's at.
[00:50:33.280 --> 00:50:37.600] So, we are doing, we did a trade show back in January.
[00:50:37.600 --> 00:50:40.400] We are doing it again now in August.
[00:50:41.040 --> 00:50:46.160] And hopefully, you know, again, it's just a slow burn as people continue to see you.
[00:50:46.160 --> 00:50:50.160] And also, too, like, my pieces aren't, you know, $10 pieces.
[00:50:50.160 --> 00:50:53.760] You know, you're really making an investment in our pieces.
[00:50:53.760 --> 00:51:06.600] So, when a retailer, and especially now in today's economy, retailers are being very a little bit more reserved and I don't want to say stingy, but like a little just more reserved with conservative with conservative.
[00:51:06.600 --> 00:51:07.240] That's the word.
[00:51:07.240 --> 00:51:09.000] That's the better word.
[00:51:09.880 --> 00:51:20.520] So, they're being very conservative on how they're spending and they don't necessarily want to take a risk on a new brand because they don't know how that's going to perform in their stores.
[00:51:21.960 --> 00:51:22.520] Exactly.
[00:51:22.520 --> 00:51:24.840] And for smaller boutiques, it's hard too.
[00:51:24.840 --> 00:51:26.520] Like, I understand they're small boutiques.
[00:51:26.520 --> 00:51:33.320] So, if you invest in all this inventory and that inventory doesn't move, then you're stuck with all this inventory, you know?
[00:51:33.320 --> 00:51:41.960] So, I get it as far as kind of being a brand that now, like, this is our third trade show.
[00:51:41.960 --> 00:51:46.840] I feel that, like, now being the third one, those same retailers, they're like, oh, they're still there.
[00:51:46.840 --> 00:51:55.400] You know, like, oh, you know, like now it's kind of creating that recognition that hopefully now that trust is there and that they see.
[00:51:55.400 --> 00:51:58.120] Again, we did our first trade show and we had nothing to show.
[00:51:58.120 --> 00:52:00.600] Like, we literally were like, hello, we're new.
[00:52:00.600 --> 00:52:01.560] We're here.
[00:52:01.560 --> 00:52:04.280] You know, now we are a year in.
[00:52:04.280 --> 00:52:11.320] So I do have some rapport to share with them and like, you know, some feedback and data and stuff like that.
[00:52:11.320 --> 00:52:16.120] That hopefully, you know, it will entice retailers to take a chance on us.
[00:52:16.760 --> 00:52:29.240] And again, it just, it just something that I have to just continue to do because I get such good feedback from folks that like are able to see it and experience it.
[00:52:29.240 --> 00:52:32.920] That I know that I have a very good product that I don't doubt.
[00:52:32.920 --> 00:52:38.840] It's just being there and kind of right time, right moment, you know, and it'll happen.
[00:52:38.840 --> 00:52:39.240] Yeah.
[00:52:39.400 --> 00:52:46.480] Say the cores because, like you said, it's when you see it, it automatically, it's just, it makes so much sense.
[00:52:46.800 --> 00:52:59.200] And if you were not to stay the course, I think it would be such a disservice to the community that you are going to serve because I can just see it in homes and it's just a matter of getting the right retail partner.
[00:52:59.200 --> 00:53:02.960] I can just see myself walking through Nordstrom and just seeing these displayed.
[00:53:02.960 --> 00:53:06.320] I see them, I see these being staged in apartments when you walk through it.
[00:53:06.320 --> 00:53:11.520] And I see myself drinking from it in my future vlogs just to, you know, look bougie.
[00:53:11.520 --> 00:53:11.920] Like we are doing that.
[00:53:12.160 --> 00:53:14.640] That's what we like happening in the English package.
[00:53:15.040 --> 00:53:17.440] We just like your way.
[00:53:18.160 --> 00:53:20.000] Oh, no, I was gonna listen.
[00:53:20.000 --> 00:53:22.480] I'm all about investing in my guests.
[00:53:27.920 --> 00:53:36.400] Before we go into lightning round, I want to talk about what a blessing it is to have one business and then start a side hustle and be your investor, right?
[00:53:36.400 --> 00:53:40.000] Your main hustle is your business and then your side hustle is your business.
[00:53:40.000 --> 00:53:45.200] How has having your photography business helped with being able to start Ozais?
[00:53:46.480 --> 00:53:53.440] I think that what I had to tell myself was that I wasn't starting over.
[00:53:53.760 --> 00:53:55.760] Like I didn't start over with Ozais.
[00:53:55.760 --> 00:53:57.600] I started with experience.
[00:53:57.600 --> 00:54:09.280] You know, I have over 20 years of experience already dealing with clients, dealing with, I want to say like I've always been a curator, right?
[00:54:09.280 --> 00:54:17.440] At first I was a curator of talent, you know, and then I've been a curator now of moments, of memories, right?
[00:54:17.760 --> 00:54:23.520] And now I'm a curator of objects, you know, so it's like, it's not something new for me.
[00:54:23.520 --> 00:54:26.640] It's just switching to a different medium.
[00:54:27.440 --> 00:54:39.560] So for me, I feel like I've been able to transfer a lot of my skills that I had in building my photography degree or degree, photography career into this business.
[00:54:39.560 --> 00:54:49.880] So all the product shots that you see, I photographed them, you know, like I've saved so much money on being able to photograph my own products.
[00:54:50.440 --> 00:54:56.680] Mostly all the marketing collateral that you've seen, I've done that collateral.
[00:54:57.000 --> 00:55:00.280] My designers helped me as well with a lot of the collateral too.
[00:55:00.280 --> 00:55:08.840] But again, I've transferred all these skills over that had I not had these skills, I would be spending thousands of dollars on getting other people to do it.
[00:55:08.840 --> 00:55:23.960] So it's just been really helpful as far as, and also to having the patience, you know, like building my photography career, I had to have patience, you know, it wasn't an overnight success.
[00:55:23.960 --> 00:55:28.920] It wasn't one of those that I went from, you know, one to two clients to now 100 clients.
[00:55:28.920 --> 00:55:35.400] Like it was very slow, you know, and now, yes, I'm booked and busy and I have a lot of clientele, but it wasn't like that.
[00:55:35.400 --> 00:55:37.000] I wasn't an overnight success.
[00:55:37.000 --> 00:55:42.120] And I use that as my foundation for this business as well.
[00:55:42.120 --> 00:55:52.200] That slow does not mean lack, you know, that slow is still flowing, you know, kind of like how they say, you know, slow and steady wins the race.
[00:55:52.520 --> 00:55:53.240] Isn't that?
[00:55:53.240 --> 00:55:53.480] Yeah.
[00:55:54.040 --> 00:55:56.200] And also like still, it's forward motion.
[00:55:56.200 --> 00:55:57.240] It's forward motion.
[00:55:57.240 --> 00:56:00.520] It doesn't really matter the speed, like you're moving forward.
[00:56:00.520 --> 00:56:07.800] But that is nice to be able to reflect back on, hey, you know, my photography business, it took years to get to where I am today.
[00:56:07.800 --> 00:56:10.120] And it's, it's not an overnight thing.
[00:56:10.120 --> 00:56:15.680] But speaking of that, like you mentioned, you have had to slow down since you've had children.
[00:56:15.840 --> 00:56:27.280] So, how do you manage the rigor of wedding photography and the schedule, plus your side hustle of Ozais, plus being a mom?
[00:56:27.920 --> 00:56:30.160] Well, being a mom comes first.
[00:56:30.160 --> 00:56:32.240] That is a non-negotiable for me.
[00:56:32.240 --> 00:56:38.320] So, some days I'm a photographer, some days, you know, I'm working on Ozais, but every day I'm a mom.
[00:56:38.320 --> 00:56:41.600] Like, so if it means getting up at 6 a.m.
[00:56:41.680 --> 00:56:47.280] and I have between 6 and 10 to be able to get work done, you know, because at 10, that's when Jean goes to work.
[00:56:47.280 --> 00:56:51.120] And, you know, now I have to fully be present for the kids.
[00:56:51.120 --> 00:56:55.600] That is something that is a non-negotiable for me, especially now that they're so little.
[00:56:55.600 --> 00:56:59.280] So that's how that's how I balance that.
[00:56:59.280 --> 00:57:05.760] But I also feel that like nobody, I don't want to say nobody's checking for me, but they're not.
[00:57:05.760 --> 00:57:06.480] You know what I'm saying?
[00:57:06.480 --> 00:57:12.480] Like, I think that we get in our head that people are waiting for this, you know what I'm saying?
[00:57:12.480 --> 00:57:14.160] And they're really not.
[00:57:14.480 --> 00:57:18.160] People aren't really thinking about you, like how you think they're thinking about you.
[00:57:18.160 --> 00:57:19.680] So I've really internalized that.
[00:57:19.680 --> 00:57:27.920] And I've realized that sometimes you need to launch things a little bit quieter, a little bit more intentionally, and just let it happen when it's going to happen.
[00:57:27.920 --> 00:57:40.480] You know, that it, you might have a two-month timeline and it might take six months, you know, but if those six months you can launch it and then you launch it well, then it's worth having waited that extra amount of time.
[00:57:40.480 --> 00:57:43.360] So that's really kind of just how I'm balancing things.
[00:57:43.360 --> 00:57:54.640] I literally take every day as it is, if I'm not able to get something to something, you know, that day, we will hopefully wake up tomorrow and I can do it again tomorrow.
[00:57:54.640 --> 00:57:56.560] But does it mean I don't get frustrated?
[00:57:56.560 --> 00:57:58.640] Does it mean that I don't get overwhelmed?
[00:57:58.640 --> 00:58:02.280] You know, I'd be lying if I said no, because I do a lot of it.
[00:58:02.680 --> 00:58:12.920] But I rely as much as I can, you know, like on my family, on, you know, my supports, you know, my support system around me because I learned to say no.
[00:58:12.920 --> 00:58:21.800] You know, I learned through motherhood to say no and to be 100% unequivocally, you know, unapologetic about that, you know.
[00:58:21.800 --> 00:58:30.120] So, like, I say no to brunches and yes to barcodes, you know, like I just, it's just what it is right now.
[00:58:30.120 --> 00:58:31.960] And it's the season of life that I'm in.
[00:58:31.960 --> 00:58:35.480] You know, luckily, I'm just about to say it's a season.
[00:58:35.480 --> 00:58:35.880] Yeah.
[00:58:35.880 --> 00:58:41.800] And I'm a little bit older, you know, like I'm not in my 20s, you know, where I feel like I need to be out and about with my friends and stuff.
[00:58:41.800 --> 00:58:43.000] I lived that life already.
[00:58:43.000 --> 00:58:44.440] And that's where I'm thankful.
[00:58:44.440 --> 00:58:48.840] And again, I'm bringing up the universe as far as things happening when they're supposed to happen.
[00:58:48.840 --> 00:58:56.760] I think that in the season that I'm at right now, I'm okay with, you know, it just being us, you know, and being our family unit.
[00:58:57.080 --> 00:59:09.400] And I think right now, the most important thing is raising my babies, you know, and for them to see me working as a mom, but being a present mom too, you know, because this time goes by so quickly.
[00:59:09.400 --> 00:59:15.240] And one of the things that my father told me before he had passed away is, and it stuck with me.
[00:59:15.240 --> 00:59:20.600] And like, it's literally, I remember it every single day is that he wished he would have been around more.
[00:59:20.600 --> 00:59:27.720] My dad was a doctor, a pediatrician, and he worked to the bone, you know, just to provide for us.
[00:59:27.720 --> 00:59:35.960] But in his last years, you know, he saw how close we were to my mom, and we would call my mom for everything because she was the one that was always around.
[00:59:35.960 --> 00:59:38.920] And dad, we would call, you know, to just be like, hey, dad, how are you?
[00:59:38.920 --> 00:59:42.600] But it wasn't like when we needed something, we called her mom, you know.
[00:59:42.600 --> 00:59:53.520] And for him, I think that that really weighed heavy on him in his last years is that he wished he would have been there for our younger years, you know, because now we were out of the house, we weren't around and stuff.
[00:59:53.520 --> 01:00:05.120] So, I think that I've really taken that to heart as far as just really being present for my children while they're here at home with me because that's a luxury, you know, and that is the biggest luxury to me.
[01:00:05.440 --> 01:00:07.840] It is such a luxury, and thank you for that.
[01:00:07.840 --> 01:00:16.240] Because I think I needed that reminder because I think society can make you feel like you can be in the midst of literally a dream that you had, right?
[01:00:16.560 --> 01:00:21.200] Of being a parent, and then you feel like you need to be doing something else.
[01:00:21.200 --> 01:00:26.000] So, here you are, and you could be present in this moment with your kids, but you're like, oh, but I need to be doing work.
[01:00:26.000 --> 01:00:46.880] Like, and it's, it's this sick, toxic relationship with society because I mean, you do have to make money, so there's some reality to it, but just like the inability to be able to not think about something else you could be doing is it's really challenging.
[01:00:46.880 --> 01:00:57.120] And it sucks that that even pops up in our mind, but we can do a better job of shifting our mind and remembering what's important and remembering that it is a luxury, right?
[01:00:57.120 --> 01:01:00.640] To be an entrepreneur who has a more flexible schedule.
[01:01:00.640 --> 01:01:05.520] But I'm going to ask selfishly for myself: how do you manage to travel, right?
[01:01:05.760 --> 01:01:09.040] Because that's something I'm still trying to figure out with two little ones, right?
[01:01:09.040 --> 01:01:10.560] Like, how do you do that?
[01:01:10.560 --> 01:01:14.560] Well, I haven't traveled really since Shiloh was born.
[01:01:14.880 --> 01:01:17.840] So, I don't know how to do it yet, really, with the two.
[01:01:18.560 --> 01:01:20.080] And how old is your youngest?
[01:01:20.080 --> 01:01:21.920] And I mean, like, traveling for work, right?
[01:01:21.920 --> 01:01:24.000] Like, if you have to go away.
[01:01:24.000 --> 01:01:25.600] Yeah, yeah, like doing weddings.
[01:01:26.480 --> 01:01:33.080] So, for that, honestly, I have a huge blessing that my mom is actually with us for six to seven months out of the year.
[01:01:33.320 --> 01:01:43.240] So, which, which again, like the universe, you know, had my dad not passed away, I wouldn't have this flexibility with my mom.
[01:01:43.240 --> 01:01:48.520] So, there's such a duality there as far as like, because my mom was my dad's main caretaker.
[01:01:48.520 --> 01:02:05.320] So, it was just like, it's almost like my dad sacrificed himself so that my mom could be now here for me, which is a very weird way to, but again, I always feel that the universe has like a bigger meaning to us.
[01:02:05.320 --> 01:02:08.360] So, like, I really try to think of the positives and things.
[01:02:08.360 --> 01:02:10.520] But, anywho, that was a very long-winded.
[01:02:10.840 --> 01:02:12.920] So, my mom's here with us six to seven months out of the year.
[01:02:12.920 --> 01:02:14.120] So, she's our main caretaker.
[01:02:14.120 --> 01:02:17.320] So, that is how I'm able to do a lot of things.
[01:02:17.320 --> 01:02:20.280] She actually comes back next week, and I'm just like, oh my God.
[01:02:20.600 --> 01:02:24.440] So, so, yeah, so I do have, you know, help in that end.
[01:02:24.680 --> 01:02:28.920] And then Jean's family as well steps in as far as with child care.
[01:02:28.920 --> 01:02:38.600] So, that's really, I would say, my biggest thing is as long as we have child care, I'm able to comfortably leave knowing that the kids are staying with family.
[01:02:39.000 --> 01:02:44.200] But it's also too, you know, I have these things already pre-planned.
[01:02:44.200 --> 01:02:49.480] So, that's the luxury of, you know, shooting weddings that I know in six months, you know, this wedding's in New Orleans.
[01:02:49.800 --> 01:02:51.720] You know, this summer I'm going to St.
[01:02:51.720 --> 01:02:52.20

Prompt 2: Key Takeaways

Now please extract the key takeaways from the transcript content I provided.

Extract the most important key takeaways from this part of the conversation. Use a single sentence statement (the key takeaway) rather than milquetoast descriptions like "the hosts discuss...". 

Limit the key takeaways to a maximum of 3. The key takeaways should be insightful and knowledge-additive. 

IMPORTANT: Return ONLY valid JSON, no explanations or markdown. Ensure:
- All strings are properly quoted and escaped
- No trailing commas
- All braces and brackets are balanced
Format: {"key_takeaways": ["takeaway 1", "takeaway 2"]}

Prompt 3: Segments

Now identify 2-4 distinct topical segments from this part of the conversation.

For each segment, identify:
- Descriptive title (3-6 words)  
- START timestamp when this topic begins (HH:MM:SS format)
- Double check that the timestamp is accurate - a timestamp will NEVER be greater than the total length of the audio
- Most important Key takeaway from that segment. Key takeaway must be specific and knowledge-additive.
- Brief summary of the discussion

IMPORTANT: The timestamp should mark when the topic/segment STARTS, not a range. Look for topic transitions and conversation shifts.

Return ONLY valid JSON. Ensure all strings are properly quoted, no trailing commas:
{
  "segments": [
    {
      "segment_title": "Topic Discussion", 
      "timestamp": "01:15:30",
      "key_takeaway": "main point from this segment",
      "segment_summary": "brief description of what was discussed"
    }
  ]
}

Timestamp format: HH:MM:SS (e.g., 00:05:30, 01:22:45) marking the START of each segment.

Prompt 4: Media Mentions

Now scan the transcript content I provided for ACTUAL mentions of specific media titles:

Find explicit mentions of:
- Books (with specific titles)
- Movies (with specific titles)  
- TV Shows (with specific titles)
- Music/Songs (with specific titles)

DO NOT include:
- Websites, URLs, or web services
- Other podcasts or podcast names

IMPORTANT: 
- Only include items explicitly mentioned by name. Do not invent titles.
- Valid categories are: "Book", "Movie", "TV Show", "Music"
- Include the exact phrase where each item was mentioned
- Find the nearest proximate timestamp where it appears in the conversation
- THE TIMESTAMP OF THE MEDIA MENTION IS IMPORTANT - DO NOT INVENT TIMESTAMPS AND DO NOT MISATTRIBUTE TIMESTAMPS
- Double check that the timestamp is accurate - a timestamp will NEVER be greater than the total length of the audio
- Timestamps are given as ranges, e.g. 01:13:42.520 --> 01:13:46.720. Use the EARLIER of the 2 timestamps in the range.

Return ONLY valid JSON. Ensure all strings are properly quoted and escaped, no trailing commas:
{
  "media_mentions": [
    {
      "title": "Exact Title as Mentioned",
      "category": "Book",
      "author_artist": "N/A",
      "context": "Brief context of why it was mentioned",
      "context_phrase": "The exact sentence or phrase where it was mentioned",
      "timestamp": "estimated time like 01:15:30"
    }
  ]
}

If no media is mentioned, return: {"media_mentions": []}

Prompt 5: Context Setup

You are an expert data extractor tasked with analyzing a podcast transcript. 
I will provide you with part 2 of 2 from a podcast transcript. 
I will then ask you to extract different types of information from this content in subsequent messages. Please confirm you have received and understood the transcript content.

Transcript section:
u have to go away.
[01:01:24.000 --> 01:01:25.600] Yeah, yeah, like doing weddings.
[01:01:26.480 --> 01:01:33.080] So, for that, honestly, I have a huge blessing that my mom is actually with us for six to seven months out of the year.
[01:01:33.320 --> 01:01:43.240] So, which, which again, like the universe, you know, had my dad not passed away, I wouldn't have this flexibility with my mom.
[01:01:43.240 --> 01:01:48.520] So, there's such a duality there as far as like, because my mom was my dad's main caretaker.
[01:01:48.520 --> 01:02:05.320] So, it was just like, it's almost like my dad sacrificed himself so that my mom could be now here for me, which is a very weird way to, but again, I always feel that the universe has like a bigger meaning to us.
[01:02:05.320 --> 01:02:08.360] So, like, I really try to think of the positives and things.
[01:02:08.360 --> 01:02:10.520] But, anywho, that was a very long-winded.
[01:02:10.840 --> 01:02:12.920] So, my mom's here with us six to seven months out of the year.
[01:02:12.920 --> 01:02:14.120] So, she's our main caretaker.
[01:02:14.120 --> 01:02:17.320] So, that is how I'm able to do a lot of things.
[01:02:17.320 --> 01:02:20.280] She actually comes back next week, and I'm just like, oh my God.
[01:02:20.600 --> 01:02:24.440] So, so, yeah, so I do have, you know, help in that end.
[01:02:24.680 --> 01:02:28.920] And then Jean's family as well steps in as far as with child care.
[01:02:28.920 --> 01:02:38.600] So, that's really, I would say, my biggest thing is as long as we have child care, I'm able to comfortably leave knowing that the kids are staying with family.
[01:02:39.000 --> 01:02:44.200] But it's also too, you know, I have these things already pre-planned.
[01:02:44.200 --> 01:02:49.480] So, that's the luxury of, you know, shooting weddings that I know in six months, you know, this wedding's in New Orleans.
[01:02:49.800 --> 01:02:51.720] You know, this summer I'm going to St.
[01:02:51.720 --> 01:02:52.200] Lucia.
[01:02:52.200 --> 01:02:56.760] Like, I know these things in advance so I can plan for traveling when I need to.
[01:02:57.160 --> 01:02:58.280] That's true.
[01:02:58.280 --> 01:02:58.920] Yes.
[01:02:59.400 --> 01:03:01.080] I think like everything's doable.
[01:03:01.080 --> 01:03:02.920] It's just like it feels more daunting.
[01:03:02.920 --> 01:03:05.480] It feels like, oh, there's a lot more to coordinate.
[01:03:05.480 --> 01:03:07.480] And I'd rather just not.
[01:03:07.800 --> 01:03:10.840] Like, I'd rather just not pack anything or coordinate.
[01:03:10.840 --> 01:03:12.120] So I'm just going to stay here.
[01:03:12.120 --> 01:03:13.000] But you're right.
[01:03:13.320 --> 01:03:16.640] I know in advance, you can make it happen.
[01:03:14.040 --> 01:03:21.120] All right.
[01:03:21.280 --> 01:03:24.560] So now we're going to jump into a quick lightning round.
[01:03:24.560 --> 01:03:25.920] Are you ready?
[01:03:25.920 --> 01:03:27.200] I am.
[01:03:27.520 --> 01:03:28.720] All righty.
[01:03:28.720 --> 01:03:36.080] Number one: What is a resource that has helped you in your business that you can share with the Side Hustle Pro audience?
[01:03:36.080 --> 01:03:36.720] Absolutely.
[01:03:36.720 --> 01:03:38.080] So I champ two.
[01:03:38.080 --> 01:03:39.680] The first is Canva.
[01:03:40.080 --> 01:03:50.720] I use Canva almost every single day to create marketing materials and any kind of collateral that I need, especially since we're trying to tell a visual story.
[01:03:51.040 --> 01:03:55.760] The things that you're able to do in Canva just in a one, two, three click is just amazing.
[01:03:55.760 --> 01:04:01.600] So I definitely recommend that as far as really investing in the pro version of it.
[01:04:01.600 --> 01:04:05.920] There's just so much more that you can do and you can do it so quickly.
[01:04:05.920 --> 01:04:21.440] And then my silent business partner, ChatGPT, is been a huge game changer, mainly because I have a lot of things in my head and sometimes I can't articulate it the way that I want to.
[01:04:22.000 --> 01:04:39.280] So really from a writing perspective, especially since I do have to write a lot of pitches and just write a lot of different things, it really helps streamline as far as what I'm thinking and kind of just give me a good starting point for any new thing that I need to do.
[01:04:39.280 --> 01:04:43.040] Like literally, ChatGPT has been amazing.
[01:04:43.040 --> 01:04:47.040] So those are two resources that I would heavily, heavily use.
[01:04:47.120 --> 01:04:49.680] It's a thought partner for me, too, for sure.
[01:04:49.920 --> 01:04:56.160] Number two, who is a black woman entrepreneur who you would want to switch places with for a day and why?
[01:04:56.160 --> 01:04:58.400] It's Elaine Welter Roth.
[01:04:59.040 --> 01:05:10.840] She is, I've been following her for years, and I feel that there is a bit of synergy with our career paths and kind of like our journey.
[01:05:10.840 --> 01:05:13.080] You know, she started in media.
[01:05:13.480 --> 01:05:15.560] I started in advertising.
[01:05:15.560 --> 01:05:20.680] You know, she transitioned into TV and authorship and now advocacy.
[01:05:20.680 --> 01:05:26.920] And, you know, I transitioned from talent agent to photographer now to this product-based business.
[01:05:26.920 --> 01:05:40.280] So I feel like there's a lot of synergy like that as far as how we've transitioned our careers to totally different paths, but still kind of building from what we've used or what we've learned in the past.
[01:05:40.280 --> 01:05:48.840] But really, the main reason is because now she's become a huge advocate since becoming a mother as well for maternal health.
[01:05:48.840 --> 01:06:01.640] And she's a huge advocate for this foundation called Birth Fund, which funds, you know, education and just resources for maternal health.
[01:06:01.640 --> 01:06:10.760] And, you know, having experienced such a traumatic first birth, you know, story, it's something just really hits home for me.
[01:06:10.760 --> 01:06:19.000] So I think I would really, you know, love to step into her shoes and kind of see kind of like the back end of that and like what she does like on a day-to-day.
[01:06:19.000 --> 01:06:20.920] Yes, me too.
[01:06:21.160 --> 01:06:25.560] Number three, what's a non-negotiable part of your day these days?
[01:06:25.880 --> 01:06:28.200] Intentional time with my kids.
[01:06:28.200 --> 01:06:28.680] Really?
[01:06:28.680 --> 01:06:30.920] That's non-negotiable.
[01:06:30.920 --> 01:06:32.920] Number one, two, three, four, and five.
[01:06:33.560 --> 01:06:39.320] And also, two, I really take time every single day to spend time with Amelia too.
[01:06:39.640 --> 01:06:41.560] That's so beautiful.
[01:06:41.560 --> 01:06:47.680] Number four: what is a personal trait that has helped you significantly in your business?
[01:06:48.000 --> 01:06:49.840] I think a lot of reflection.
[01:06:50.480 --> 01:07:01.200] I really take time to pause and think, think, think things through of what's working and what might not be working.
[01:07:01.840 --> 01:07:10.240] And this really helps just give me clarity of how to move forward with, you know, whatever endeavor I'm doing at that time.
[01:07:10.560 --> 01:07:18.160] So I think that that's really just like a good habit that I've made is just like letting myself really reflect on what I'm doing in that moment.
[01:07:18.160 --> 01:07:28.720] And then finally, what is your parting advice these days for fellow women entrepreneurs who want to be their own boss but are worried about not having a steady paycheck?
[01:07:28.720 --> 01:07:30.640] Okay, so I got a few things.
[01:07:33.440 --> 01:07:35.920] The first is to keep your day job.
[01:07:35.920 --> 01:07:38.000] Like, I know it's not sexy.
[01:07:38.000 --> 01:07:41.840] I know everybody wants to start a side hustle and then that'd be their main hustle.
[01:07:41.840 --> 01:07:54.960] But honestly, relying on that, you know, consistent paycheck until you're able to really sustain yourself financially with, you know, your next endeavor, I think it will save you a lot of heartache.
[01:07:54.960 --> 01:08:02.240] It will save you a lot of, you know, just extra stress that comes with not knowing when your next paycheck is coming.
[01:08:02.800 --> 01:08:08.560] So unless your job is, you know, running you to the ground now and is, you know, toxic or anything like that.
[01:08:08.560 --> 01:08:12.000] But if you're able to keep that day job, I would highly suggest it.
[01:08:12.000 --> 01:08:13.760] That would be the first thing.
[01:08:13.760 --> 01:08:20.560] The next is to set boundaries, both, you know, in your current role and your future role.
[01:08:20.560 --> 01:08:25.920] You know, just set those boundaries there so that they can coexist nicely together.
[01:08:26.240 --> 01:08:28.000] So that's a huge one.
[01:08:28.000 --> 01:08:32.680] The next is that profit doesn't always come fast.
[01:08:29.840 --> 01:08:36.200] And that doesn't mean that you're failing.
[01:08:36.520 --> 01:08:38.840] Slow growth is still growth.
[01:08:38.840 --> 01:08:40.200] So just keep going.
[01:08:41.000 --> 01:08:46.120] And a lot of the growth sometimes happens really quietly when no one's watching.
[01:08:46.120 --> 01:08:48.200] You know, it doesn't have fanfare.
[01:08:48.440 --> 01:08:51.320] So just give yourself that permission to build at your own pace.
[01:08:51.320 --> 01:08:53.800] Like I said earlier, nobody is checking for you.
[01:08:54.040 --> 01:08:58.520] So don't feel that you have to be on a particular kind of timeline to get things done.
[01:08:58.520 --> 01:09:01.880] You know, if they're able to get done, they're able to get done.
[01:09:02.840 --> 01:09:05.480] And the last thing is that you're not starting from scratch.
[01:09:05.480 --> 01:09:08.360] You are starting from your experience.
[01:09:08.360 --> 01:09:18.680] So when you are starting your new side hustle or continuing that side hustle, you know, you're starting from the experience that you already have and just keep building on that.
[01:09:18.680 --> 01:09:19.960] I love all of these.
[01:09:19.960 --> 01:09:21.800] Ooh, we got to call all of these out.
[01:09:21.800 --> 01:09:22.440] Oh my gosh.
[01:09:22.440 --> 01:09:26.600] But my favorites are, you know, keep that day job.
[01:09:26.920 --> 01:09:28.760] Keep that day job.
[01:09:28.760 --> 01:09:31.560] Slow progress is still progress.
[01:09:31.560 --> 01:09:33.640] And you are never starting from scratch.
[01:09:33.640 --> 01:09:36.600] There's always some experience that you can lean on.
[01:09:36.600 --> 01:09:42.200] So with that, Amy, where can people connect with you and Ozais after this episode?
[01:09:42.200 --> 01:09:43.000] Absolutely.
[01:09:43.000 --> 01:09:48.040] So I am Amy Anais Photo on all social platforms.
[01:09:48.600 --> 01:09:55.400] And I am Ozais, which is OZAIZ.com is our website.
[01:09:55.400 --> 01:10:01.000] And on social, we are Ozais Home on all social platforms.
[01:10:01.000 --> 01:10:02.200] All right, guys.
[01:10:02.200 --> 01:10:03.880] And there you have it.
[01:10:03.880 --> 01:10:05.400] This was so wonderful to catch up.
[01:10:06.040 --> 01:10:08.440] Thank you for so good.
[01:10:08.440 --> 01:10:09.480] Thank you for your candor.
[01:10:09.480 --> 01:10:10.840] Thank you for your transparency.
[01:10:10.840 --> 01:10:14.040] Thank you for sharing even the tough moments with us.
[01:10:14.040 --> 01:10:16.480] And God bless you and your family.
[01:10:16.480 --> 01:10:18.560] And we'll continue talking after this.
[01:10:14.840 --> 01:10:21.440] And you, everyone else, I'll talk to you next week.
[01:10:23.360 --> 01:10:26.400] Hey, guys, thanks for listening to Side Hustle Pro.
[01:10:26.400 --> 01:10:30.880] If you like the show, be sure to subscribe, rate, and review on Apple Podcasts.
[01:10:31.120 --> 01:10:34.560] It helps other side hustlers just like you to find the show.
[01:10:34.880 --> 01:10:39.520] And if you want to hear more from me, you can follow me on Instagram at SideHustle Pro.
[01:10:39.520 --> 01:10:46.560] Plus, sign up for my six-foot Saturday newsletter at sidehustlepro.co slash newsletter.
[01:10:46.560 --> 01:10:54.000] When you sign up, you will receive weekly nuggets from me, including what I'm up to, personal lessons, and my business tip of the week.
[01:10:54.000 --> 01:10:58.720] Again, that's sidehustlepro.co/slash newsletter to sign up.
[01:10:58.720 --> 01:11:00.320] Talk to you soon.

Prompt 6: Key Takeaways

Now please extract the key takeaways from the transcript content I provided.

Extract the most important key takeaways from this part of the conversation. Use a single sentence statement (the key takeaway) rather than milquetoast descriptions like "the hosts discuss...". 

Limit the key takeaways to a maximum of 3. The key takeaways should be insightful and knowledge-additive. 

IMPORTANT: Return ONLY valid JSON, no explanations or markdown. Ensure:
- All strings are properly quoted and escaped
- No trailing commas
- All braces and brackets are balanced
Format: {"key_takeaways": ["takeaway 1", "takeaway 2"]}

Prompt 7: Segments

Now identify 2-4 distinct topical segments from this part of the conversation.

For each segment, identify:
- Descriptive title (3-6 words)  
- START timestamp when this topic begins (HH:MM:SS format)
- Double check that the timestamp is accurate - a timestamp will NEVER be greater than the total length of the audio
- Most important Key takeaway from that segment. Key takeaway must be specific and knowledge-additive.
- Brief summary of the discussion

IMPORTANT: The timestamp should mark when the topic/segment STARTS, not a range. Look for topic transitions and conversation shifts.

Return ONLY valid JSON. Ensure all strings are properly quoted, no trailing commas:
{
  "segments": [
    {
      "segment_title": "Topic Discussion", 
      "timestamp": "01:15:30",
      "key_takeaway": "main point from this segment",
      "segment_summary": "brief description of what was discussed"
    }
  ]
}

Timestamp format: HH:MM:SS (e.g., 00:05:30, 01:22:45) marking the START of each segment.

Prompt 8: Media Mentions

Now scan the transcript content I provided for ACTUAL mentions of specific media titles:

Find explicit mentions of:
- Books (with specific titles)
- Movies (with specific titles)  
- TV Shows (with specific titles)
- Music/Songs (with specific titles)

DO NOT include:
- Websites, URLs, or web services
- Other podcasts or podcast names

IMPORTANT: 
- Only include items explicitly mentioned by name. Do not invent titles.
- Valid categories are: "Book", "Movie", "TV Show", "Music"
- Include the exact phrase where each item was mentioned
- Find the nearest proximate timestamp where it appears in the conversation
- THE TIMESTAMP OF THE MEDIA MENTION IS IMPORTANT - DO NOT INVENT TIMESTAMPS AND DO NOT MISATTRIBUTE TIMESTAMPS
- Double check that the timestamp is accurate - a timestamp will NEVER be greater than the total length of the audio
- Timestamps are given as ranges, e.g. 01:13:42.520 --> 01:13:46.720. Use the EARLIER of the 2 timestamps in the range.

Return ONLY valid JSON. Ensure all strings are properly quoted and escaped, no trailing commas:
{
  "media_mentions": [
    {
      "title": "Exact Title as Mentioned",
      "category": "Book",
      "author_artist": "N/A",
      "context": "Brief context of why it was mentioned",
      "context_phrase": "The exact sentence or phrase where it was mentioned",
      "timestamp": "estimated time like 01:15:30"
    }
  ]
}

If no media is mentioned, return: {"media_mentions": []}

Full Transcript

[00:00:00.240 --> 00:00:06.160] Profit doesn't always come fast, and that doesn't mean that you're failing.
[00:00:06.160 --> 00:00:09.920] Slow growth is still growth, so just keep going.
[00:00:09.920 --> 00:00:14.400] And a lot of the growth happens really quietly when no one's watching.
[00:00:14.400 --> 00:00:16.400] You know, it doesn't have fanfare.
[00:00:16.720 --> 00:00:25.360] You're listening to Side Hustle Pro, the podcast that teaches you to build and grow your side hustle from passion project to profitable business.
[00:00:25.360 --> 00:00:28.240] And I'm your host, Nikayla Matthews Okome.
[00:00:28.240 --> 00:00:29.920] So let's get started.
[00:00:36.000 --> 00:00:38.160] Hey, friends, hey, welcome, welcome back to the show.
[00:00:38.160 --> 00:00:39.520] It's Nikayla here.
[00:00:39.520 --> 00:00:42.640] And today in the guest chair, I have a returning guest.
[00:00:42.640 --> 00:00:58.720] Her name is Amy Anais, and she is an acclaimed Afro-Latina photographer, turned product designer, and founder of Ozais, a sustainable home goods and fragrance brand that blends intentional design with everyday functionality.
[00:00:58.720 --> 00:01:04.240] Her pieces are multi-use, sculptural, and made to elevate the way you live.
[00:01:04.240 --> 00:01:08.880] Beautiful enough to display, but built to be used and reused.
[00:01:08.880 --> 00:01:20.320] Amy and I also go way back to a friend group established back when I worked for MTV Networks and we were all starting out our careers in media, advertising, PR, you name it.
[00:01:20.320 --> 00:01:26.720] And I first featured Amy on Side Hustle Pro in episode 96, seven whole years ago.
[00:01:26.720 --> 00:01:29.680] So so much life has transpired since then.
[00:01:29.680 --> 00:01:37.440] And Amy is here to talk about these pivotal moments and these shifts and also talk about her newest business venture, Ozais.
[00:01:37.760 --> 00:01:46.800] I would like to give you a heads up, kind of a trigger warning that this episode will touch on pregnancy and infancy loss and stillbirth.
[00:01:46.800 --> 00:01:52.640] So, if those topics are a trigger for you, I just wanted you to proceed with caution.
[00:01:52.960 --> 00:01:59.960] Amy's journey is one I respect and admire so much, and it is truly a blessing to have her back in the guest chair.
[00:01:59.960 --> 00:02:02.200] And with that, let's talk to Amy.
[00:01:59.600 --> 00:02:07.000] All right, all right, Amy.
[00:02:07.480 --> 00:02:08.920] Welcome back to the guest chair.
[00:02:08.920 --> 00:02:10.920] Thank you so much for being here again.
[00:02:10.920 --> 00:02:12.440] Thanks for having me.
[00:02:12.840 --> 00:02:20.920] You know, I can't believe it's been since episode 96, and now I'm in the 400s, and so much has happened in both of our lives.
[00:02:20.920 --> 00:02:23.480] It's been seven years.
[00:02:23.480 --> 00:02:36.120] But for those who haven't listened to that episode yet, tell us a little bit again about how you pivoted from a side hustler working in TV production into photography.
[00:02:36.120 --> 00:02:37.320] So, thanks for having me.
[00:02:37.320 --> 00:02:38.840] It has been seven years.
[00:02:38.840 --> 00:02:41.080] A lot has changed since.
[00:02:41.880 --> 00:02:47.880] But I began my career journey in advertising and public relations.
[00:02:47.880 --> 00:02:49.640] I was actually a talent agent.
[00:02:49.640 --> 00:02:53.080] So, I was on the back end as far as the booking end.
[00:02:53.640 --> 00:03:00.040] And I worked with renowned photographers, stylists, hairstylists, all of that to book them advertising jobs.
[00:03:00.280 --> 00:03:02.440] I did that for about seven years.
[00:03:02.760 --> 00:03:06.520] And while I was a talent agent, I was photographing.
[00:03:06.520 --> 00:03:12.280] So, I've been a photographer literally my whole life since I was a very, very little girl.
[00:03:12.520 --> 00:03:16.040] But it was something that I didn't think I could have a career in.
[00:03:16.040 --> 00:03:17.560] My parents are Caribbean.
[00:03:17.560 --> 00:03:19.480] I needed a real job.
[00:03:20.680 --> 00:03:24.040] So, that's why I did the IPR route.
[00:03:24.280 --> 00:03:29.960] But when I moved to New York, it was with the intention of becoming a fashion photographer.
[00:03:29.960 --> 00:03:33.400] So, that's why I started working with fashion photographers.
[00:03:33.960 --> 00:03:41.800] But I quickly realized that it, though I still loved it, it wasn't necessarily the type of photography that I wanted to continue to pursue.
[00:03:41.800 --> 00:03:47.920] And I got into weddings and portrait work, and I've been doing that ever since.
[00:03:48.160 --> 00:03:53.920] So, yeah, so the seven years that I was there, I was building my photography business on the side.
[00:03:53.920 --> 00:04:01.760] And finally, I was able to let that go and fully focus on my own photography business.
[00:04:01.760 --> 00:04:09.440] And here we are, 13 years later, that I've been business and I've been my own boss since.
[00:04:09.440 --> 00:04:12.640] It's been amazing, incredibly lucrative.
[00:04:12.640 --> 00:04:14.560] It's taken me all around the world.
[00:04:15.280 --> 00:04:16.400] And I still love it.
[00:04:16.400 --> 00:04:20.240] It is something that, you know, I think it will always be a passion of mine.
[00:04:20.240 --> 00:04:22.720] It will always be a huge love.
[00:04:23.040 --> 00:04:29.840] And something you're so gifted, you know, you have this eye, you're even how you edit your photos.
[00:04:29.840 --> 00:04:31.360] Like, it's just stunning.
[00:04:31.520 --> 00:04:37.360] I mentioned TV and production because that's where we crossed paths when I was working at MTV Networks.
[00:04:37.360 --> 00:04:39.680] So what were you doing there?
[00:04:42.160 --> 00:04:44.640] So I'm like, wait, advertise APR.
[00:04:45.120 --> 00:04:53.200] So it's funny because when we met, it was through a mutual, not sorority sister, but a mutual friend.
[00:04:54.000 --> 00:04:55.840] And we had gone to college together.
[00:04:55.840 --> 00:04:58.720] And when I moved to New York, I didn't know anybody here.
[00:04:58.960 --> 00:05:00.480] So she was one of the few people.
[00:05:00.480 --> 00:05:03.280] And she brought me into your MTV network.
[00:05:03.280 --> 00:05:06.880] And she was like, you don't work here, but you're kind of adjacent.
[00:05:07.760 --> 00:05:10.240] So she kind of brought me into that friend group.
[00:05:11.680 --> 00:05:17.120] And honestly, it's such a because that was, geez, almost 20 years ago, right?
[00:05:17.120 --> 00:05:19.120] So we're super aging ourselves.
[00:05:19.120 --> 00:05:25.040] But it's such amazing to see how that friend group kind of evolved and like where they are now.
[00:05:25.040 --> 00:07:12.480] And like, yeah, it's so amazing to see everybody's growth and just to see how like we were such guppies back then you know like first timers and everything wide-eyed just so you know dreamy and but it was so it was so good to have you know our crew like we used to do dinners and meetups a lot of us were connected via you know greek organizations but yeah i don't know if i just have some mental fog going but i could have sworn you worked for tv networks i was there i was there i was adjacent you just you just fit right in very smooth i'm a good chameleon i get into it's funny because there's a lot of spaces that i'm not necessarily like part of but i'm always like adjacent to and everyone always thinks they're like oh you weren't you didn't work there and i'm like that's like those people in college who you realize you're like wait you don't go here you don't go to this school they're in the dorms they're in the dining hall it's like okay all right hey friend for years maybe even decades you have learned how to shrink your brilliance into job titles right you've learned how to sum up your experience in neat little bios and learn how to be professional enough for the room but what happens when that title no longer fits the fullness of who you've become what happens when your job title no longer feels like the whole story that's when it's time to shift introducing Shift, a six-month one-on-one podcast coaching experience with me for the woman who knows she has more to say and is ready to say it on her own terms.
[00:07:12.480 --> 00:07:17.040] Apply to ShiftNow at sidehouse thepro.co/slash shift.
[00:07:17.040 --> 00:07:32.960] Inside of Shift, you'll work one-on-one with me for the next six months to align your content with a bigger vision and expertise and turn your podcast into a clear platform for visibility, community, and revenue.
[00:07:32.960 --> 00:07:42.160] Because shifting isn't just about a podcast, it's about the version of you who finally owns your voice and what happens when you do that.
[00:07:42.160 --> 00:07:51.920] Podcasting is not just a platform, it's a mirror, a space to process, reclaim, and reintroduce yourself in your own words.
[00:07:51.920 --> 00:07:56.880] Apply to ShiftNow at sidehousepro.co slash shift.
[00:07:56.880 --> 00:07:59.760] This is where your next act begins.
[00:07:59.760 --> 00:08:05.360] The one that's not defined by titles, but by your perspective and your purpose.
[00:08:05.360 --> 00:08:10.720] It's time to create a platform that fits who you are now and who you're becoming.
[00:08:10.720 --> 00:08:16.000] Apply to shift now at sidehousepro.co slash shift.
[00:08:21.760 --> 00:08:27.120] So when you started working for yourself full-time, how did you prepare for that transition?
[00:08:28.080 --> 00:08:31.120] It was a long preparation.
[00:08:31.120 --> 00:08:36.560] I think I was preparing for it from when I got a full-time opportunity as an agent.
[00:08:36.560 --> 00:08:38.480] I knew that I wanted to do photography.
[00:08:38.480 --> 00:08:42.800] Like that was always my main objective.
[00:08:42.800 --> 00:08:50.160] And I was very open with my boss at the time, like, hey, I have my own photography business.
[00:08:50.160 --> 00:08:52.240] And they were just super supportive of it.
[00:08:52.240 --> 00:08:56.800] But it was kind of just like a slow burn of really preparing myself.
[00:08:56.800 --> 00:09:11.960] And really, the preparation was financially, you know, because when you become an entrepreneur on your own, you are your own bank account and you don't necessarily get a paycheck every, you know, every two weeks like you do working a corporate job.
[00:09:11.960 --> 00:09:15.160] So I really had to create a nest egg for myself.
[00:09:15.160 --> 00:09:16.120] And I did that.
[00:09:16.120 --> 00:09:30.680] So I paid off all my student loans and I really just started chipping away and kind of saving as much as I could so that when I decided to leave my main job, I had a nest egg there.
[00:09:30.680 --> 00:09:35.400] That if I didn't get a paycheck for, you know, honestly, I did it for about a year.
[00:09:35.400 --> 00:09:37.400] If I didn't get a paycheck for a year, I would be okay.
[00:09:37.400 --> 00:09:39.400] That like my rent would be paid.
[00:09:39.400 --> 00:09:41.640] I'd be able to sustain myself.
[00:09:41.960 --> 00:09:49.480] And that gave me a lot of security, you know, because it's scary to go out and not know like when you're going to make your next dollar.
[00:09:49.720 --> 00:09:52.440] So that's really what I did to prepare myself.
[00:09:52.440 --> 00:09:53.640] That is impressive.
[00:09:53.640 --> 00:10:03.240] The year, like three or six months, people usually strive for and like struggle to do, but a year is what everyone should really be doing.
[00:10:03.240 --> 00:10:05.400] And that is so, so impressive.
[00:10:05.400 --> 00:10:12.360] Once you became an entrepreneur, you were doing photography for quite some time.
[00:10:12.360 --> 00:10:15.000] And then, you know, life shifts happen, right?
[00:10:15.000 --> 00:10:18.520] That really changed fundamentally who you are.
[00:10:18.520 --> 00:10:20.600] And I can certainly relate to that as well.
[00:10:20.600 --> 00:10:23.400] Just the shift of becoming a mom.
[00:10:23.400 --> 00:10:26.200] Like, how did that impact your business?
[00:10:26.200 --> 00:10:27.320] Do you think?
[00:10:27.640 --> 00:10:35.320] Well, becoming a mom was something that I always knew that I wanted to be a mom, but I was never really ready for it.
[00:10:35.320 --> 00:10:45.000] And it wasn't until, and again, I'm going to age myself, it wasn't until I was about 35 that I really started to have the conversations now with my partners, like as far as, you know, what are we doing?
[00:10:45.200 --> 00:10:47.280] You know, are we going to start a family?
[00:10:47.280 --> 00:10:48.720] And he was ready.
[00:10:48.720 --> 00:10:53.520] You know, it was really me that was the issue.
[00:10:53.520 --> 00:11:00.800] So, but I remember we were actually in Cartagena, Colombia, and we had a very heart-to-heart conversation.
[00:11:00.800 --> 00:11:07.920] And he told me, he was like, Look, and this was pre-COVID, he was like, if we're really going to do this, then you need to slow down.
[00:11:07.920 --> 00:11:12.640] He was like, at this point, I was, you know, shooting like over 40 weddings a year.
[00:11:12.640 --> 00:11:14.640] I was busy every single weekend.
[00:11:14.640 --> 00:11:20.240] I was so burnt out at that point that he was just like, this is not sustainable.
[00:11:20.240 --> 00:11:25.200] You know, if you're going, if we're going to become parents, you know, we both need to be present.
[00:11:25.200 --> 00:11:34.720] And right now, as much as you're working, you know, you're going to really, I know you don't necessarily want to scale back, which I did want to scale back, but like, not that I didn't want to stop working.
[00:11:34.720 --> 00:11:38.000] I just really just needed to take more time for myself.
[00:11:38.000 --> 00:11:46.080] So that was probably in 2018-ish around there that we had that serious conversation.
[00:11:46.080 --> 00:11:49.360] And then I didn't become a mom until 20, 2022.
[00:11:49.360 --> 00:11:51.840] So it took some time to get there.
[00:11:51.840 --> 00:11:56.560] And in between, you know, like COVID happened, a lot of things happened in between.
[00:11:56.880 --> 00:11:59.120] But yeah, in 2022, I became a mom.
[00:11:59.120 --> 00:12:11.440] And your experience, we talked about this a little bit before the episode began, but you had a very tragic experience in becoming a first-time mom.
[00:12:11.440 --> 00:12:13.440] And that's certainly shaped who you are today.
[00:12:13.440 --> 00:12:28.880] And I really admire how transparent, you're able to be about that, you know, because I respect you so much for being able to move in a way where you're able to help others while missing your baby girl so, so much.
[00:12:29.120 --> 00:12:31.240] So, can you talk a little bit about that?
[00:12:31.560 --> 00:12:32.760] Absolutely.
[00:12:33.000 --> 00:12:41.080] It's something that any opportunity that I'm given to talk about her, I jump on it every single time.
[00:12:41.080 --> 00:12:46.200] So, in becoming a mom, it kind of goes a little bit before that.
[00:12:46.200 --> 00:12:51.240] So, I lost my dad in the fall of 2021.
[00:12:51.240 --> 00:12:53.080] So, it was end of October.
[00:12:53.800 --> 00:13:04.360] And it wasn't super surprising because my dad was, you know, he was ill, but it was surprising in the sense that, like, I literally just got the call, you know, that dad's no longer with us.
[00:13:04.360 --> 00:13:13.320] So, that was really, you know, shocking and jarring, you know, to me as far as like that huge loss because I was super close to my dad.
[00:13:13.320 --> 00:13:23.160] And in the midst of the grief of, you know, losing him, I find out literally two weeks later that I'm pregnant.
[00:13:23.160 --> 00:13:39.720] And that literally like shook me to my core because it's like the duality of like this immense grief of losing my dad and now this, you know, happiness of finally starting this, you know, journey of becoming a mom.
[00:13:39.720 --> 00:13:56.360] It was so much that I had to, I made a very big mental note to suppress that grief of losing my father because I'm very spiritual in the sense of like I didn't want to put that grief on my children.
[00:13:56.360 --> 00:13:58.040] You know, I'm saying like that, that heaviness.
[00:13:58.280 --> 00:14:00.360] I wanted to have, yeah, that energy.
[00:14:00.360 --> 00:14:02.120] I think that that's the right word.
[00:14:02.120 --> 00:14:10.680] So I told myself in my head, you know, once we give birth, then we can process that, you know, like, let's just get through, let's just get through this.
[00:14:11.720 --> 00:14:14.760] And then we found out that we were having twins and that.
[00:14:14.560 --> 00:14:24.720] And that was something that was completely shocking to me because I never thought in my life that I would have twins, even though my whole life I wanted twins.
[00:14:24.720 --> 00:14:30.240] Like I literally feel like I proclaimed this, I spoke it into existence.
[00:14:30.240 --> 00:14:44.960] And it was funny because when we went to our first OB appointment, because I was having really serious symptoms very early on, which anybody listening, if you have very, very, very serious symptoms early on, you might be carrying multiples.
[00:14:45.360 --> 00:14:51.120] But it was just crazy, you know, like the nausea, like huge cramping, like it was just crazy as far as the symptoms.
[00:14:51.120 --> 00:14:56.960] So going into that OB appointment, I told Jean, how crazy would it be if we're, you know, if we're having twins?
[00:14:56.960 --> 00:15:03.840] I literally, the second, you know, she put the machine on my, on my belly, like it was, there was no doubt.
[00:15:03.920 --> 00:15:05.920] Did you recognize it or did she have to say it?
[00:15:05.920 --> 00:15:11.600] No, I looked at it and I was just like, I looked at him and I was just like, you have to be freaking kidding me.
[00:15:11.600 --> 00:15:15.360] Like, cause we literally had just talked about it before walking in there.
[00:15:16.640 --> 00:15:21.040] So, so yeah, so it was super exciting to find out that we were expecting twins.
[00:15:21.280 --> 00:15:22.480] They were boy-girl.
[00:15:22.720 --> 00:15:23.520] So it was perfect.
[00:15:23.520 --> 00:15:24.320] He was getting his boy.
[00:15:24.320 --> 00:15:25.840] I was getting my girl.
[00:15:26.160 --> 00:15:27.840] And the pregnancy was perfect.
[00:15:27.840 --> 00:15:37.520] Like there was no issues, you know, throughout the whole pregnancy other than, you know, the normal things that happen, especially with twin pregnancies.
[00:15:37.520 --> 00:15:47.440] And yeah, we went into our last OB appointment and we were told that she no longer had a heartbeat.
[00:15:47.440 --> 00:15:54.320] And that was two days before we were scheduled to deliver because I was going to have a C-section at 38 weeks.
[00:15:55.440 --> 00:15:57.520] And my whole world shattered.
[00:15:57.560 --> 00:16:07.000] I like, I just literally could not believe from, you know, we had an appointment maybe three or four days before, you know, and she was there and she was fine.
[00:16:07.320 --> 00:16:09.720] And now she's no longer here.
[00:16:10.280 --> 00:16:13.880] So that was, it rocked my whole world.
[00:16:14.840 --> 00:16:29.480] And within that, as far as the process of trying to process that while I still have another living baby, you know, I still had to deliver both of them, you know.
[00:16:29.480 --> 00:16:38.200] So I had a C-section that day and we welcomed both Micah and Amelia into the world.
[00:16:38.200 --> 00:16:48.040] And it was the most beautiful day because, you know, we got our living son, Micah, but it was the most awful day because we lost Amelia.
[00:16:48.040 --> 00:16:57.320] So it was just like that duality of, you know, this birthday now, forever now, will always have that dual feeling.
[00:16:57.320 --> 00:16:57.880] Yeah.
[00:16:57.880 --> 00:17:05.240] And that's how I started my motherhood journey: grieving one child while holding, you know, holding the other one.
[00:17:05.240 --> 00:17:13.080] And, you know, how I was able to get through that, I honestly really only can say because I had Micah.
[00:17:13.080 --> 00:17:19.720] You know, if he wouldn't have survived as well, or if we would have lost him too, I don't think I would be here in the way that I am now.
[00:17:19.720 --> 00:17:29.400] I don't think I would still have, you know, the positive outlook on life still that I have because he really gave me the reason to keep going.
[00:17:35.560 --> 00:17:36.840] I thank you for that.
[00:17:37.160 --> 00:17:43.240] You're sharing that story and your experience is such a blessing.
[00:17:43.240 --> 00:17:47.440] It is a blessing to me and to everyone who's going to hear this.
[00:17:48.400 --> 00:18:00.800] I think that a lot of times when you have a business and you're usually posting to your business account when you post online, when things like this happen, we kind of just then just only post business stuff, right?
[00:18:00.800 --> 00:18:07.120] It's like, I don't know how to even explain to you what's going on in my personal life.
[00:18:07.120 --> 00:18:10.720] But yet, early on, you shared this with us.
[00:18:10.720 --> 00:18:15.440] How were you able to do that to have the strength to share that with everyone?
[00:18:16.720 --> 00:18:20.400] I think because I've always led from a place of authenticity.
[00:18:20.400 --> 00:18:31.200] And I think because it rocked me so much that I wasn't going to be able to continue being and showing up as the same Amy that everybody was used to seeing me as.
[00:18:31.200 --> 00:18:35.120] I didn't announce my pregnancy before the twins were born.
[00:18:35.520 --> 00:18:37.440] I announced it afterwards.
[00:18:37.440 --> 00:18:43.840] And I could not announce my living son without not announcing my daughter.
[00:18:43.840 --> 00:18:45.360] Like that was a non-negotiable.
[00:18:45.360 --> 00:18:50.800] I wasn't going because not talking about her is acting like she didn't exist.
[00:18:50.800 --> 00:18:51.680] I held her.
[00:18:51.680 --> 00:18:52.880] I have photos with her.
[00:18:52.880 --> 00:18:54.480] You know, she existed.
[00:18:54.480 --> 00:19:05.200] And I think that there's a lot of shame that is put on mothers and families, you know, when they experience stillbirth or when they lose a child in that way.
[00:19:05.200 --> 00:19:16.400] That society, because they didn't get to meet them, because they're not here in the way that like is conventional, you know, that child no longer exists or that child gets forgotten about.
[00:19:16.640 --> 00:19:18.480] And I didn't want that for my daughter.
[00:19:18.480 --> 00:19:27.200] You know, I wanted everybody to know who she was, you know, and I wanted to be able to continue her legacy through what I did or through what I was going to do.
[00:19:27.200 --> 00:19:28.800] So that's why I made the decision.
[00:19:28.800 --> 00:19:29.880] And it took a while too.
[00:19:29.880 --> 00:19:32.520] So they were born at the beginning of July.
[00:19:33.320 --> 00:19:37.400] And I didn't announce until probably mid-October.
[00:19:37.400 --> 00:19:41.640] So I took the time that I needed to that for that initial grieving.
[00:19:41.640 --> 00:19:45.080] And I think that that is what really helped me.
[00:19:45.080 --> 00:19:51.240] So that is something that like I do recommend to folks that are going to be bringing children into the world.
[00:19:51.240 --> 00:19:53.800] Don't feel that need that you have to announce it right away.
[00:19:53.800 --> 00:19:56.200] Of course you can, you know, but things can happen.
[00:19:56.200 --> 00:20:02.440] And I didn't want to deal with everybody else's feelings, everybody else's thoughts and stuff like that.
[00:20:02.440 --> 00:20:07.560] I didn't want the questions of like what happened until I was ready to discuss it.
[00:20:07.560 --> 00:20:14.040] So because I gave myself those few months to really digest it, those around me, of course, my tribe knew what happened.
[00:20:14.040 --> 00:20:15.480] Everybody was super supportive.
[00:20:15.480 --> 00:20:18.760] I had a lot of love and I still have a lot of love around me.
[00:20:18.760 --> 00:20:25.160] But for the outside world, you know, that it's a privilege for you to know what's going on in my life.
[00:20:25.160 --> 00:20:27.960] I wanted to do it in my own terms.
[00:20:27.960 --> 00:20:39.000] And I also felt very early on that it was very important for me to now become an advocate for this community because when it happened to me, I felt so othered.
[00:20:39.000 --> 00:20:45.880] I didn't realize that this had happened to so many other women, women that have been in my life.
[00:20:45.880 --> 00:20:50.280] Like I didn't realize the magnitude of it until it happened to me, you know?
[00:20:50.280 --> 00:20:57.480] And I felt so shitty about that because I was just like, I literally knew women who had experienced stillbirth before.
[00:20:57.480 --> 00:21:04.840] But because I was in a mom before, I didn't understand like the gravity of losing a child, you know?
[00:21:04.840 --> 00:21:35.200] So, really, I wanted to change that and I wanted to be very open book about it so that if any parent, you know, was experiencing this, they will always find a safe haven in me, you know, as far as you know, I don't want to invade anybody's privacy, but like if you need somebody to talk to, if you need somebody that will just listen, you know, who understands where you're at, that understands the thoughts that you're having, you know, because it can be very intrusive thoughts.
[00:21:35.680 --> 00:21:40.320] I want to be that safe space for other moms, other dads as well.
[00:21:40.880 --> 00:21:43.200] So, that's why I chose to share about it.
[00:21:43.200 --> 00:21:44.960] And I continue to talk about it.
[00:21:44.960 --> 00:21:51.360] I continue to include Amelia in everything that, everything that I do.
[00:21:51.360 --> 00:21:54.000] I always refer to them as the twins.
[00:21:54.000 --> 00:21:56.480] They will still and forever always be the twins.
[00:21:56.480 --> 00:21:58.800] So, we're actually celebrating their name.
[00:21:58.800 --> 00:22:00.320] What a gorgeous name.
[00:22:00.320 --> 00:22:00.640] Yeah.
[00:22:00.640 --> 00:22:01.520] I love it too.
[00:22:01.520 --> 00:22:03.760] Like, that's why I say it like all the time.
[00:22:04.560 --> 00:22:08.480] But we're celebrating their third birthday coming up, you know, next week.
[00:22:08.480 --> 00:22:10.000] And I'm really excited about it.
[00:22:10.000 --> 00:22:14.160] You know, like, I don't have, of course, a conventional relationship with my daughter.
[00:22:14.160 --> 00:22:15.840] I don't get to see her grow.
[00:22:15.840 --> 00:22:18.240] Like, I get to see my sons grow.
[00:22:18.880 --> 00:22:22.800] But she's still part of me and she's part of everything that I do.
[00:22:22.800 --> 00:22:29.120] And I think that her loss really, it just, it just made me a different person.
[00:22:29.120 --> 00:22:34.640] And it made me such a stronger, wiser, you know, sharper, sharper person.
[00:22:34.640 --> 00:22:36.800] And I think it made me a better mom too.
[00:22:36.800 --> 00:22:40.080] You know, I think I have a lot more empathy.
[00:22:40.080 --> 00:22:46.800] I have a lot more softness to my children now that I don't know if I would have had, you know, before, you know?
[00:22:46.800 --> 00:22:57.120] So now I know, like, you know, the how sacred and how precious things are that, like, literally, I take advantage of every single day, like every single day.
[00:22:57.440 --> 00:22:58.080] Yes.
[00:22:58.080 --> 00:22:59.680] And you know what else is sacred?
[00:23:00.120 --> 00:23:01.880] It is something you said.
[00:23:01.880 --> 00:23:16.360] Like, while we don't encourage parasocial relationships, it certainly is a blessing to know someone else, whether it's just someone you saw online share their story who's gone through something that you can reach out to.
[00:23:16.360 --> 00:23:24.920] And I can't tell you how many times I've reached out to my Instagram friends because I, oh, I remember such and such said they went through this, right?
[00:23:24.920 --> 00:23:32.680] And that's why it's so important to share our stories no matter how traumatic at times, when you're comfortable.
[00:23:32.680 --> 00:23:37.160] Like, I don't think that any of us should feel pressure to talk about things.
[00:23:37.400 --> 00:23:39.080] We need to take care of ourselves first.
[00:23:39.080 --> 00:23:43.960] We need to go to therapy and process those feelings first, of course.
[00:23:44.200 --> 00:23:48.120] But if and when you are able to, it is also a blessing.
[00:23:48.120 --> 00:23:53.880] And it has inspired this next version of Amy the Entrepreneur.
[00:23:53.880 --> 00:23:59.720] So tell us a little bit about your newest venture and how you were inspired to start that.
[00:23:59.720 --> 00:24:15.960] So my newest venture is my brand named Ozais, which is a sustainable home goods and fragrance brand that blends fragrance and intentional design with everyday functionality.
[00:24:16.280 --> 00:24:28.520] Our pieces are multi-use and sculptural, and they're made to elevate the way that you live so that they're beautiful enough to display, but they're meant to be used and reused.
[00:24:29.240 --> 00:24:35.640] But I'm going to step it back as far as where the idea of this kind of came.
[00:24:36.360 --> 00:24:49.760] And really, it started, it started brewing a little bit before COVID because, again, I'm a photographer and my livelihood, I guess that's the word, depends on me.
[00:24:44.600 --> 00:24:51.520] You know, I have to show up to the weddings.
[00:24:51.840 --> 00:24:57.200] I have to physically put in the work in order to execute the job.
[00:24:57.200 --> 00:25:00.960] And weddings are really, really taxing on the body.
[00:25:00.960 --> 00:25:08.960] And I am tired, you know, like it's, it's, it's not bending, scratching, laying on the floor.
[00:25:09.280 --> 00:25:13.360] Like, these BVUs don't bend like they used to, you know.
[00:25:13.360 --> 00:25:20.080] So, really, it's just, it was a practical need, you know, I'm saying, as far as like, is this sustainable?
[00:25:20.080 --> 00:25:23.120] You know, do I want to still be shooting weddings when I'm 60 years old?
[00:25:23.120 --> 00:25:26.080] You know, and if you ask me that, no, I do not.
[00:25:26.560 --> 00:25:31.200] So, really, that's where kind of like the idea of starting something new came from.
[00:25:31.600 --> 00:25:42.000] But it wasn't until COVID that I went from booked and busy to paused and canceled and, you know, sitting there.
[00:25:42.000 --> 00:25:46.480] Like, I remember in our first episode, I said I had, you know, my Oprah aha moment.
[00:25:46.480 --> 00:25:48.480] Well, this was like my ocean moment.
[00:25:48.480 --> 00:26:03.280] Like, all my income was like, you know, not that my income was gone because, you know, obviously, like, I still had some payments coming in, but really, there was no timeline of when things were going to come back to normal.
[00:26:03.280 --> 00:26:08.560] So, I started really, because we spent a lot of time at home looking around, you know, like, well, what can I do?
[00:26:08.560 --> 00:26:14.000] And I realized that I'm a huge lover of all things bougie and especially bougie candles.
[00:26:14.320 --> 00:26:19.040] I have the Tiques, the Trudons, like all the high-end candles.
[00:26:19.040 --> 00:26:21.680] I own one or multiple of them.
[00:26:21.680 --> 00:26:29.760] But I was always really frustrated with the fact that it was single use, you know, like you could only use it for that one thing.
[00:26:29.960 --> 00:26:41.800] And also, too, like all of us, you know, when you spend $100 on a candle, you burn it for maybe like an hour and then you blow it out, you know, because I spent $100 on this and I don't want to.
[00:26:44.920 --> 00:26:49.560] So you really, you spend the money on these things and you don't really get use of it.
[00:26:49.560 --> 00:26:53.800] And, you know, that was actually kind of frustrating on my end because I'm just like, what's the point?
[00:26:53.800 --> 00:26:58.200] You know, what's the point of having these things if you're not going to be able to enjoy it?
[00:26:58.440 --> 00:27:00.120] So that started spiraling from there.
[00:27:00.120 --> 00:27:01.480] I started working with a designer.
[00:27:01.480 --> 00:27:06.200] We came up with the designs, came up with the concept, and then we got into the manufacturing.
[00:27:06.200 --> 00:27:09.720] And that took so much longer than I anticipated.
[00:27:09.720 --> 00:27:14.120] I thought the whole thing was going to take a year at most, you know, from start to finish.
[00:27:14.440 --> 00:27:16.920] And in between that, so that was 2020.
[00:27:16.920 --> 00:27:18.840] In between that, my dad died.
[00:27:19.560 --> 00:27:23.560] And then my dog died as well that I had for 15 years.
[00:27:23.560 --> 00:27:26.360] So I'm like dealing with all this grief.
[00:27:27.080 --> 00:27:29.880] And then I, you know, find out that I'm going to be a mom.
[00:27:29.880 --> 00:27:32.360] I, you know, and then we lose Amelia.
[00:27:32.360 --> 00:27:34.840] So it was just like all this stuff going on.
[00:27:34.840 --> 00:27:35.480] Right.
[00:27:35.480 --> 00:27:41.800] And I realize now that the universe really has a way of protecting you.
[00:27:41.800 --> 00:27:51.000] And you might not necessarily understand why things are taking as long as they do, but there's a reason, you know, that's beyond you that you know.
[00:27:51.000 --> 00:28:01.320] Because had I launched this brand in 20, you know, 2021, 2022, losing the most important people in my life, I would have flopped right away.
[00:28:01.320 --> 00:28:06.680] Because when I was dealing with all this grief, I literally put Ozai's to the side.
[00:28:06.920 --> 00:28:09.400] I didn't want, you know what I'm saying, like, it wasn't important anymore.
[00:28:09.400 --> 00:28:13.240] Like, it was, you know, I spiraled down into like this whole grief journey.
[00:28:13.240 --> 00:28:26.640] You had to do deep therapy, you know, and it really wasn't until about the end of 2022, early 2023, that I started to really start picking up the pieces again and saying, okay, well, let's continue this.
[00:28:26.640 --> 00:28:51.840] And it really became part of that as far as part of the reason behind it was the grief, you know, realizing that tomorrow is not promised and that I was trying to build a brand and build, you know, new pieces that really kind of had that story in a different way, you know, as far as being able to really evolve with your pieces and really use your pieces, not feel bad about using them.
[00:28:51.840 --> 00:29:00.640] And it's something that, like, if you're going to make this investment in these goods, that it's something that's going to be part of your life, you know, just not a figment there.
[00:29:00.640 --> 00:29:03.120] So yeah, so that was that.
[00:29:03.120 --> 00:29:10.640] And then in 2023, we continued on, but like the whole process of manufacturing, like it is not for the faint of heart, like it took forever.
[00:29:10.640 --> 00:29:11.920] I can imagine.
[00:29:17.040 --> 00:29:23.200] How did you even go from idea to like, here's who can manufacture this?
[00:29:23.200 --> 00:29:25.760] Like you mentioned that whole process to me.
[00:29:25.760 --> 00:29:27.120] That sounds pretty daunting.
[00:29:27.120 --> 00:29:31.280] Like I have an idea in my head of glassware that I want to make now.
[00:29:31.280 --> 00:29:33.760] Let me go find that person to make it.
[00:29:34.080 --> 00:29:36.800] Again, I'm very spiritual.
[00:29:36.800 --> 00:29:38.480] So I will always go back to this.
[00:29:39.200 --> 00:29:42.160] The universe has a way of just taking care of me.
[00:29:42.160 --> 00:29:50.160] And again, scrolling through Instagram, I knew that I needed to find a designer to kind of come up with a logo and the design, you know, help me with the designs and stuff.
[00:29:50.160 --> 00:29:54.800] And I stumbled upon this one young lady, and I really loved her stuff.
[00:29:54.800 --> 00:30:07.080] And she has ended up being like sent from the angels from me because she helped me from design to manufacturing to production to everything because that was her world.
[00:30:07.240 --> 00:30:10.200] And unknowingly, again, I only liked her designs.
[00:30:10.200 --> 00:30:23.880] And how did I know that she was going to have this multitude of skills, you know, that she was really, you know, she's been kind of like my silent business partner and really helping me as far as navigate this new world.
[00:30:23.880 --> 00:30:25.160] Again, I come from photography.
[00:30:25.160 --> 00:30:28.600] I don't know crap about production, about manufacturing, anything.
[00:30:28.600 --> 00:30:33.560] I know, I know some stuff now, but it was a, you know, it's a whole new world for me.
[00:30:33.720 --> 00:30:35.080] So, yeah, so that's how I did it.
[00:30:35.080 --> 00:30:41.400] You know, I was able to connect with this young lady and she helped me tremendously.
[00:30:41.640 --> 00:30:44.840] I owe so much, so much to her.
[00:30:45.560 --> 00:30:53.000] So it was a lot of trial and error, a lot of getting samples back that were not, you know, up to par.
[00:30:53.000 --> 00:30:59.720] And I knew that I wanted something that was luxurious, that felt luxurious.
[00:31:00.200 --> 00:31:11.640] So it was a certain kind of, and I have, you know, the pieces here, like, I wanted you to feel it in your hands and like be like, oh my goodness, this is, this is a glass, you know?
[00:31:12.280 --> 00:31:13.560] So we went back and forth.
[00:31:13.560 --> 00:31:18.520] And every time I said no to a sample, it was another three, four months until I got another sample.
[00:31:18.520 --> 00:31:24.920] So I knew that every time I said no, because it wasn't up to par, because it's kind of like my photography.
[00:31:24.920 --> 00:31:30.760] Like I'm so such a stickler as far as how clean and beautiful my work is.
[00:31:30.760 --> 00:31:36.520] This had was no difference, you know, like it was always, no, we need no, you know?
[00:31:36.520 --> 00:31:37.000] Yes.
[00:31:37.720 --> 00:31:41.320] So it just kept adding time and time and time to the timeline.
[00:31:41.320 --> 00:31:44.640] And my manufacturers were getting frustrated with me.
[00:31:43.080 --> 00:31:47.920] I think my designer was getting frustrated with me.
[00:31:44.360 --> 00:31:49.280] Like, just pick one.
[00:31:50.160 --> 00:31:52.400] This also sounds costly, right?
[00:31:52.400 --> 00:32:01.040] Like, I know you're one to save a nest egg, but having gone in so blind to this industry, how did you approach it financially?
[00:32:01.040 --> 00:32:02.240] Did you have money saved?
[00:32:02.240 --> 00:32:05.360] Did you have to end up, you know, putting some on credit?
[00:32:05.360 --> 00:32:08.400] Like, how did you fund this back and forth?
[00:32:09.520 --> 00:32:23.120] Well, having had the discipline from early on, as far as that nest egg, um, I kept building onto that nest egg because thankfully enough, I never had to tap into that nest egg.
[00:32:23.120 --> 00:32:27.120] Once I left my job, you know, I had work very consistently.
[00:32:27.120 --> 00:32:28.720] I, again, I was booked and busy.
[00:32:28.720 --> 00:32:29.920] I was very busy.
[00:32:29.920 --> 00:32:43.840] Um, so I kept adding on to that nest eg, you know, and I had a good, you know, amount of savings that was either going to go to a house or you know, I'm saying for life, you know, especially living in New York, things are expensive here.
[00:32:43.840 --> 00:32:44.720] So it was that.
[00:32:44.720 --> 00:32:46.640] So I self-funded everything.
[00:32:46.640 --> 00:32:51.760] I talked to my partner about it and I was just like, hey, this is really what I want to do.
[00:32:51.760 --> 00:32:54.400] I think that this really could be something.
[00:32:55.040 --> 00:32:58.800] I'm going to use this money.
[00:32:58.800 --> 00:33:07.040] And again, it wasn't when I started off, you know, if I'm candid, it was going to be like $15,000, $20,000 that, you know, I was investing into this.
[00:33:07.040 --> 00:33:10.320] You know, that's night, haha, naive little me.
[00:33:11.680 --> 00:33:12.160] Right.
[00:33:12.160 --> 00:33:15.600] Like I said, I'm like, glass, samples.
[00:33:15.600 --> 00:33:19.600] This is like the dollar signs are just pinning in my head.
[00:33:19.600 --> 00:33:21.520] Well, again, naive little me.
[00:33:21.520 --> 00:33:24.880] I started off with I wanted to create a beautiful candle, right?
[00:33:24.880 --> 00:33:27.280] That was in a vessel that could be reused.
[00:33:27.280 --> 00:33:29.040] That's where the concept started.
[00:33:29.040 --> 00:33:32.680] And then it evolved into all these other uses that you can do.
[00:33:33.000 --> 00:33:40.280] So in the beginning, and especially when I was working with the designer, she was just like, Yeah, I think, you know, we could be within that ballpark for the first run.
[00:33:40.600 --> 00:33:42.360] Yeah, that quickly spiraled.
[00:33:42.360 --> 00:33:52.680] So, yeah, so I've self-funded everything and it's been humbling, you know, because I have really drained.
[00:33:52.840 --> 00:34:00.440] I don't want to say drains because I still look at it, you know, as a huge investment, but I have really that nest egg is invested a lot.
[00:34:00.440 --> 00:34:02.440] Them, them eggs ain't there no more.
[00:34:03.480 --> 00:34:06.520] But that's real.
[00:34:06.520 --> 00:34:07.400] And that's Nanda.
[00:34:07.480 --> 00:34:08.680] So thank you for sharing that.
[00:34:08.680 --> 00:34:12.840] Yeah, you know, like it's, it's, it's super expensive, you know, and I didn't realize.
[00:34:12.840 --> 00:34:16.680] And again, it goes back to my I like nice things.
[00:34:16.680 --> 00:34:20.760] So it was just like, as we kept building on, I was just like, oh, yeah, well, I like that.
[00:34:20.760 --> 00:34:27.560] So now that taxes, you know, I'm saying like everything that you add on or that you amplify, it adds on.
[00:34:27.560 --> 00:34:30.600] And you think that because it's per piece, right?
[00:34:30.600 --> 00:34:33.480] So yeah, the per piece price is not that much.
[00:34:33.480 --> 00:34:39.800] But when you multiply that by having to get a thousand pieces, that adds up very, very quickly.
[00:34:39.800 --> 00:34:43.160] And then, you know, we produce overseas.
[00:34:43.160 --> 00:34:58.280] So, you know, the import duties, and this was before tariff, the tariffs that we have now, you know, those import duties that you have, the freight fees to get it to you, it starts stacking up very, very, very quickly.
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[00:37:50.520 --> 00:37:55.160] And how did you approach the product line, like the SKUs?
[00:37:55.160 --> 00:37:58.760] So with a Glass Clear collection, you have different pieces.
[00:37:58.760 --> 00:38:02.120] So how did you kind of streamline it for your because this is your first run?
[00:38:02.120 --> 00:38:07.080] You're just launching now to say, all right, I'm going to launch with this many in these colorways.
[00:38:07.080 --> 00:38:07.800] Absolutely.
[00:38:07.800 --> 00:38:13.160] So the great thing about my line is that the foundation is two pieces, right?
[00:38:13.640 --> 00:38:18.520] So for those who are not viewing us right now, you won't be able to see it, but watch the video.
[00:38:18.840 --> 00:38:20.120] Yeah, watch us on YouTube.
[00:38:21.560 --> 00:38:25.880] So these are two foundational pieces, which is the carafe and the Tumblr.
[00:38:25.880 --> 00:38:29.640] So this is kind of what you're starting with, and this is the investment that you're making in.
[00:38:30.200 --> 00:38:31.160] And they start like this.
[00:38:31.160 --> 00:38:33.080] So they're clear pieces, right?
[00:38:33.960 --> 00:38:37.480] Then our manufacturer is able to add the color to it.
[00:38:37.480 --> 00:38:52.640] So it was really creating the colorways that we wanted first, in which I knew I started off with a teal and like a citron color were the two colors that like I really gravitated to that I thought would really be beautiful in people's homes.
[00:38:52.640 --> 00:38:57.120] And then we have a charcoal, we have a frosted, and then we have the clear as well.
[00:38:57.120 --> 00:38:59.280] So that's kind of where we started.
[00:38:59.280 --> 00:39:00.960] And then the same with fragrances.
[00:39:00.960 --> 00:39:05.840] We have four different fragrances that you can get in three different ways.
[00:39:05.840 --> 00:39:16.480] You can get it as a candle, you can get it as a re-diffuser, like a diffuser fluid, or you can get it as an oil to use with our mineral rocks.
[00:39:16.800 --> 00:39:20.160] So, but it's again, the foundation is four different fragrances.
[00:39:20.160 --> 00:39:25.120] And we hope to continue to involve that as the brand continues to grow.
[00:39:25.120 --> 00:39:29.200] So we're talking now as far as creating some more blends.
[00:39:29.840 --> 00:39:31.680] But that's kind of where we've gone.
[00:39:31.680 --> 00:39:38.320] And because it's those foundational pieces, you can kind of mix and match and build as you need and build as you want.
[00:39:38.320 --> 00:39:42.640] So you're not constrained to one particular way that you want to use it.
[00:39:42.640 --> 00:39:51.280] So if you want to use it for drinking, you know, just as drinkware, our Tumblr and our craft, like they interlock together.
[00:39:51.280 --> 00:39:55.120] So they become a personal.
[00:39:55.120 --> 00:39:56.160] Say no more.
[00:39:56.160 --> 00:39:58.400] But you know what it reminds me of too?
[00:39:59.040 --> 00:40:01.440] It reminds me of weddings too, actually.
[00:40:01.440 --> 00:40:03.600] Just like a really beautiful tablescape.
[00:40:03.600 --> 00:40:05.680] Like I could just see this just outfitted.
[00:40:05.680 --> 00:40:11.280] And I also can see this in like a really high-end furniture and decor store.
[00:40:11.440 --> 00:40:15.840] Like not restoration hardware because they're mainly like couches and dressers, right?
[00:40:15.840 --> 00:40:18.640] But like a crate and barrel, a wooden street.
[00:40:18.800 --> 00:40:20.280] Yeah, like a crate and barrel or straight.
[00:40:20.480 --> 00:40:22.720] Yeah, like absolutely.
[00:40:22.720 --> 00:40:23.360] Yep.
[00:40:23.360 --> 00:40:25.280] So are you thinking that way as well?
[00:40:25.280 --> 00:40:27.760] Like, are you trying to get it in retail first?
[00:40:27.760 --> 00:40:28.320] Okay.
[00:40:28.320 --> 00:40:29.600] Tell us more about that.
[00:40:29.600 --> 00:40:33.240] I love that you brought that up as far as, again, I come from the wedding world.
[00:40:29.840 --> 00:40:34.120] I'm in the events industry.
[00:40:34.360 --> 00:40:37.720] So when I was building this, I really built that with that in mind.
[00:40:37.720 --> 00:40:44.120] As far as if an event professional is investing in our pieces, they can use it for so many different ways.
[00:40:44.120 --> 00:40:53.720] You know, so when you have, especially like a rental house, they want to be able to maximize their pieces, you know, and get the most dollar, you know, for a piece that they're investing in.
[00:40:54.120 --> 00:40:57.240] So again, you can use it as a candle.
[00:40:57.240 --> 00:41:02.120] You can use it as a mineral diffuser.
[00:41:02.120 --> 00:41:03.640] You can use it for drinking.
[00:41:03.640 --> 00:41:06.120] You can use it if you flip it around.
[00:41:06.120 --> 00:41:07.960] You can use it with a decorative candle.
[00:41:07.960 --> 00:41:13.240] So now this one piece, you know, you have five different uses for it.
[00:41:13.240 --> 00:41:14.440] And that was the whole thing.
[00:41:14.440 --> 00:41:16.200] I wanted something that was sustainable.
[00:41:16.200 --> 00:41:25.560] We're such a wasteful, and when I say we, I mean as Americans, because I don't live anywhere else, you know, so like as Americans, we are very wasteful.
[00:41:25.560 --> 00:41:29.960] We're so used to single-use things that we use it and then we throw it away.
[00:41:29.960 --> 00:41:34.040] So I wanted something that wasn't going to end up in landfills.
[00:41:34.040 --> 00:41:43.640] I wanted something that, you know, looks beautiful in your home, you know, that's timeless, that does not kind of date you, and that you can use over and over again.
[00:41:43.640 --> 00:41:56.280] And that you don't have to feel compromised as far as, especially if you're using this for drinking, that you are going to be harmed because all of our accessories are housed in their own vessels as well.
[00:41:56.280 --> 00:42:01.240] So like the wax oil and all that is not going to seep into your drinking glass.
[00:42:01.240 --> 00:42:05.960] So you never have to worry about, you know, chemicals and stuff getting into you.
[00:42:06.280 --> 00:42:20.800] So it's all those things like that that were going through my head when I was developing this product for it to be something that is, again, wholesome, like a whole full line that if you invest in this, you're investing in something that really can live with you.
[00:42:20.800 --> 00:42:25.520] And that's when I say live with you in your home, because as you're transitioning, right?
[00:42:25.520 --> 00:42:31.120] So, like, say you're living in your dorm and you're looking, you're using this as, you know, a decancer, right?
[00:42:31.120 --> 00:42:34.160] But now you move into a house, now you want to use it as a candle.
[00:42:34.160 --> 00:42:38.160] Like, there's just so many ways that you can transition with it.
[00:42:38.640 --> 00:42:46.880] And that it's built with such quality that you know, you can honestly drop this, even though it's made of glass and it probably won't shatter.
[00:42:47.120 --> 00:42:50.400] That's how durable this glass is.
[00:42:50.720 --> 00:42:52.080] It's so unique.
[00:42:52.080 --> 00:42:54.320] Are you also going to patent this?
[00:42:54.320 --> 00:42:56.880] Because it is, I haven't seen this before.
[00:42:58.160 --> 00:43:02.080] I know, expensive process, right?
[00:43:02.080 --> 00:43:03.360] Let's talk about it.
[00:43:03.360 --> 00:43:05.040] It is a whole long thing.
[00:43:05.040 --> 00:43:05.520] Yeah.
[00:43:05.520 --> 00:43:10.800] It's funny because my lawyer is actually a past, a past guest of yours, Kumbi.
[00:43:11.120 --> 00:43:11.520] Really?
[00:43:11.520 --> 00:43:11.840] Yes.
[00:43:11.840 --> 00:43:12.080] Yes.
[00:43:12.960 --> 00:43:13.680] Oh, yeah, of course.
[00:43:13.680 --> 00:43:14.640] I know you guys are friends.
[00:43:14.640 --> 00:43:15.200] Yeah.
[00:43:16.480 --> 00:43:18.400] I see the connections online.
[00:43:18.400 --> 00:43:19.280] Yep.
[00:43:19.600 --> 00:43:22.160] So we've had long conversations about it.
[00:43:22.160 --> 00:43:29.280] And getting a utility patent is definitely something that has been front of mind.
[00:43:30.080 --> 00:43:38.640] But it's so cumbersome and so expensive that we're still exploring it.
[00:43:38.640 --> 00:43:41.120] But I don't know if it's something that we can do.
[00:43:41.120 --> 00:43:49.280] Like, if I'm just honest, like if I can invest these thousands of dollars on it, which because it's profortable first.
[00:43:49.280 --> 00:43:50.080] Yeah, that's that.
[00:43:50.080 --> 00:43:50.800] And that's the thing.
[00:43:50.800 --> 00:44:08.280] And can we get ripped off, you know, somebody else doing something similar, maybe, you know, but I'm hoping that, again, that the universe will just like protect us and for right now until we're able to get profitable and really like invest in something as important as getting um getting the patent for it.
[00:44:08.280 --> 00:44:19.880] But we do have a trade trademarks, um, like on our name and all of that, um, so we are protected in those things, and we have like first use and like you know, all of that, like very documented.
[00:44:19.880 --> 00:44:29.160] Um, but it's just a long process, like this whole business thing, like everybody thinks it's like so easy breezy and like come out with a product and like there's just so many layers to it.
[00:44:29.160 --> 00:44:39.720] Um, no, the girls are lying, they're lying online.
[00:44:39.880 --> 00:44:42.120] That's what this show is for, it's to unpack.
[00:44:42.120 --> 00:45:02.600] But you know, I always say whenever I speak to founders who have hard product-based businesses, it is a lot like I know people who have taken breaks, um, and you know, because it's like, all right, to get the next round of to pay for this next level of approvals and then the products coming out to me, I need another, you know, 10 to 20.
[00:45:02.600 --> 00:45:05.400] So it's going to take another year for me to get there, right?
[00:45:05.400 --> 00:45:12.120] So I know the longer process that comes with this, and you sharing this will also help others as well.
[00:45:12.120 --> 00:45:25.080] But I also see the vision, but then there's a gap between the vision and when you have the client, like the retailers or what have you, to truly start to see the revenue kick in.
[00:45:25.080 --> 00:45:27.880] So, how do you deal with this phase in the meantime?
[00:45:27.880 --> 00:45:29.160] How do you stay encouraged?
[00:45:29.160 --> 00:45:31.080] How do you keep pushing?
[00:45:31.400 --> 00:45:33.320] Girl, that is the everyday.
[00:45:33.280 --> 00:45:41.000] Um, and I'm so happy that you asked that because that is literally been the foundation groundwork that we've been doing.
[00:45:41.000 --> 00:45:47.760] So, we've we're a baby brand, still, we've only been, um, we've only we launched a year ago, you know, so we've only been on the market for a year.
[00:45:48.080 --> 00:46:03.760] And when we launched, we actually launched at a trade show, a huge trade show here in the city called New York Now that's when we introduced ourselves to the world, and that was probably it was really hard because we didn't honestly make that many sales.
[00:46:03.760 --> 00:46:12.480] If I'm very transparent, we got maybe two or three, you know, different boutiques that ended up carrying us, um, but we didn't really make any money from being there.
[00:46:12.480 --> 00:46:26.720] But what we did get was that consumer feedback because just like you said, you see the vision, I see the vision, but somebody who's never seen this before, it's a lot for them to digest.
[00:46:26.720 --> 00:46:36.800] And because it's something that's so new and innovative, just like when any new product comes out, it takes a minute for people to kind of for it to become their norm.
[00:46:36.800 --> 00:46:55.280] So, that's what we've been doing as far as on our end with how we communicate the line to the consumer versus like on how we communicate it on our social platforms, really, is educating the consumer of what it is that you are investing in when you invest in Ozai's.
[00:46:55.280 --> 00:46:57.600] You know, that it is not just a pretty candle.
[00:46:57.600 --> 00:47:00.800] Yes, it's a beautiful candle, but it is also this.
[00:47:00.800 --> 00:47:07.920] You are investing in sustainability, you are investing in a piece that is timeless, that's going to grow with you, that's going to live with you.
[00:47:07.920 --> 00:47:12.320] Um, so that's what we're spending a lot of our time is educating.
[00:47:12.320 --> 00:47:15.600] And I feel that little by little, we've been chipping at that.
[00:47:15.600 --> 00:47:18.800] And I feel like it's been a very slow burn.
[00:47:18.800 --> 00:47:32.440] Um, but now I am seeing those seeds that I planted a year ago, they're starting to bloom, you know, and it can be very, you know, humbling and defeating, you know, deflating, defeating.
[00:47:33.480 --> 00:47:53.240] Because when people don't get it, no, you know, and it's just like we find that we actually do a lot better in person as far as like when we've done pop-ups, when we, when people are able to see it and feel it, they get it right away, you know, they understand it right away and they are like, this is so freaking cool.
[00:47:53.240 --> 00:48:02.440] But online, when you're just seeing a reel real quick, when you're just seeing one picture, it's very hard to translate sometimes because, again, people's minds are very narrow.
[00:48:02.440 --> 00:48:04.120] They're seeing a candle.
[00:48:04.120 --> 00:48:05.720] Oh, they're seeing a diffuser.
[00:48:05.720 --> 00:48:10.360] Oh, they're seeing reed diffusers, but they're not seeing the whole concept behind it.
[00:48:10.360 --> 00:48:18.600] So it's just a very slow burn that we're seeing now that it's paying off, but it's going to have to be a continual thing.
[00:48:18.600 --> 00:48:24.280] So it's not something that we can educate for a year and then, you know, start doing something else.
[00:48:24.280 --> 00:48:33.320] I think it's something that we're going to have to always continuously, you know, keep educating until we become a household name.
[00:48:33.320 --> 00:48:36.440] You know, like now you don't have to explain what an iPhone is.
[00:48:36.600 --> 00:48:37.320] You know what I'm saying?
[00:48:37.320 --> 00:48:43.160] But, you know, 15, 20 years ago when the iPhone came out, you know, like everybody was like, how what?
[00:48:44.360 --> 00:48:46.120] Why would I leave my Blackberry for this?
[00:48:46.120 --> 00:48:46.520] Right.
[00:48:46.520 --> 00:48:47.080] Exactly.
[00:48:47.720 --> 00:48:49.000] How wild is Blackberry?
[00:48:49.320 --> 00:48:49.560] Right?
[00:48:49.880 --> 00:48:50.760] The Blackberry.
[00:48:50.760 --> 00:48:54.680] Like, oh, no, that iPhone will never work for business users.
[00:48:54.680 --> 00:49:05.720] I mean, but speaking of the consumer, it's interesting that you talk about the education piece that you're doing online, but then also some longer-term visions of working with retailers.
[00:49:05.720 --> 00:49:08.040] So, who is really the consumer?
[00:49:08.040 --> 00:49:11.800] And if it's twofold, how are you planning to approach that?
[00:49:11.800 --> 00:49:14.360] If it's like B2B and B2C, it is.
[00:49:14.360 --> 00:49:16.160] It's B2B and B2C.
[00:49:14.840 --> 00:49:21.600] So, we still want to be direct-to-consumer as far as you can get the product directly from us.
[00:49:22.160 --> 00:49:26.160] But in the reality of the product world, you have to move numbers.
[00:49:26.160 --> 00:49:36.400] So, working with retailers is, you know, the ideal and kind of like that wholesale market as far as selling, you know, 500 pieces to a retailer.
[00:49:36.400 --> 00:49:39.920] You know, that's how you're able to scale a lot quicker.
[00:49:39.920 --> 00:49:46.400] So, we are, I can't announce it yet, but we are in the works with like a huge retailer right now.
[00:49:46.720 --> 00:49:48.080] Oh, I'm excited.
[00:49:48.080 --> 00:49:49.440] Yeah, that's amazing.
[00:49:49.920 --> 00:49:54.880] And that's where I say all the good energy.
[00:49:55.840 --> 00:49:57.040] I immediately see it there.
[00:49:57.040 --> 00:50:06.320] Like, as soon as you see the pieces, and I'm so glad you brought them, you know, because like I've obviously seen the pictures, but like seeing you hold it and use it, it just really, you're right.
[00:50:06.320 --> 00:50:08.240] It just clicks in a different way.
[00:50:08.240 --> 00:50:09.120] It does.
[00:50:09.760 --> 00:50:21.360] So, so, yeah, so we definitely see ourselves in high-end retail and becoming kind of just like a household, you know, staple.
[00:50:21.360 --> 00:50:33.280] And I think that being in retail and it being more not just New York City-based, you know, being able to get it into the hands of more people is kind of where it's at.
[00:50:33.280 --> 00:50:37.600] So, we are doing, we did a trade show back in January.
[00:50:37.600 --> 00:50:40.400] We are doing it again now in August.
[00:50:41.040 --> 00:50:46.160] And hopefully, you know, again, it's just a slow burn as people continue to see you.
[00:50:46.160 --> 00:50:50.160] And also, too, like, my pieces aren't, you know, $10 pieces.
[00:50:50.160 --> 00:50:53.760] You know, you're really making an investment in our pieces.
[00:50:53.760 --> 00:51:06.600] So, when a retailer, and especially now in today's economy, retailers are being very a little bit more reserved and I don't want to say stingy, but like a little just more reserved with conservative with conservative.
[00:51:06.600 --> 00:51:07.240] That's the word.
[00:51:07.240 --> 00:51:09.000] That's the better word.
[00:51:09.880 --> 00:51:20.520] So, they're being very conservative on how they're spending and they don't necessarily want to take a risk on a new brand because they don't know how that's going to perform in their stores.
[00:51:21.960 --> 00:51:22.520] Exactly.
[00:51:22.520 --> 00:51:24.840] And for smaller boutiques, it's hard too.
[00:51:24.840 --> 00:51:26.520] Like, I understand they're small boutiques.
[00:51:26.520 --> 00:51:33.320] So, if you invest in all this inventory and that inventory doesn't move, then you're stuck with all this inventory, you know?
[00:51:33.320 --> 00:51:41.960] So, I get it as far as kind of being a brand that now, like, this is our third trade show.
[00:51:41.960 --> 00:51:46.840] I feel that, like, now being the third one, those same retailers, they're like, oh, they're still there.
[00:51:46.840 --> 00:51:55.400] You know, like, oh, you know, like now it's kind of creating that recognition that hopefully now that trust is there and that they see.
[00:51:55.400 --> 00:51:58.120] Again, we did our first trade show and we had nothing to show.
[00:51:58.120 --> 00:52:00.600] Like, we literally were like, hello, we're new.
[00:52:00.600 --> 00:52:01.560] We're here.
[00:52:01.560 --> 00:52:04.280] You know, now we are a year in.
[00:52:04.280 --> 00:52:11.320] So I do have some rapport to share with them and like, you know, some feedback and data and stuff like that.
[00:52:11.320 --> 00:52:16.120] That hopefully, you know, it will entice retailers to take a chance on us.
[00:52:16.760 --> 00:52:29.240] And again, it just, it just something that I have to just continue to do because I get such good feedback from folks that like are able to see it and experience it.
[00:52:29.240 --> 00:52:32.920] That I know that I have a very good product that I don't doubt.
[00:52:32.920 --> 00:52:38.840] It's just being there and kind of right time, right moment, you know, and it'll happen.
[00:52:38.840 --> 00:52:39.240] Yeah.
[00:52:39.400 --> 00:52:46.480] Say the cores because, like you said, it's when you see it, it automatically, it's just, it makes so much sense.
[00:52:46.800 --> 00:52:59.200] And if you were not to stay the course, I think it would be such a disservice to the community that you are going to serve because I can just see it in homes and it's just a matter of getting the right retail partner.
[00:52:59.200 --> 00:53:02.960] I can just see myself walking through Nordstrom and just seeing these displayed.
[00:53:02.960 --> 00:53:06.320] I see them, I see these being staged in apartments when you walk through it.
[00:53:06.320 --> 00:53:11.520] And I see myself drinking from it in my future vlogs just to, you know, look bougie.
[00:53:11.520 --> 00:53:11.920] Like we are doing that.
[00:53:12.160 --> 00:53:14.640] That's what we like happening in the English package.
[00:53:15.040 --> 00:53:17.440] We just like your way.
[00:53:18.160 --> 00:53:20.000] Oh, no, I was gonna listen.
[00:53:20.000 --> 00:53:22.480] I'm all about investing in my guests.
[00:53:27.920 --> 00:53:36.400] Before we go into lightning round, I want to talk about what a blessing it is to have one business and then start a side hustle and be your investor, right?
[00:53:36.400 --> 00:53:40.000] Your main hustle is your business and then your side hustle is your business.
[00:53:40.000 --> 00:53:45.200] How has having your photography business helped with being able to start Ozais?
[00:53:46.480 --> 00:53:53.440] I think that what I had to tell myself was that I wasn't starting over.
[00:53:53.760 --> 00:53:55.760] Like I didn't start over with Ozais.
[00:53:55.760 --> 00:53:57.600] I started with experience.
[00:53:57.600 --> 00:54:09.280] You know, I have over 20 years of experience already dealing with clients, dealing with, I want to say like I've always been a curator, right?
[00:54:09.280 --> 00:54:17.440] At first I was a curator of talent, you know, and then I've been a curator now of moments, of memories, right?
[00:54:17.760 --> 00:54:23.520] And now I'm a curator of objects, you know, so it's like, it's not something new for me.
[00:54:23.520 --> 00:54:26.640] It's just switching to a different medium.
[00:54:27.440 --> 00:54:39.560] So for me, I feel like I've been able to transfer a lot of my skills that I had in building my photography degree or degree, photography career into this business.
[00:54:39.560 --> 00:54:49.880] So all the product shots that you see, I photographed them, you know, like I've saved so much money on being able to photograph my own products.
[00:54:50.440 --> 00:54:56.680] Mostly all the marketing collateral that you've seen, I've done that collateral.
[00:54:57.000 --> 00:55:00.280] My designers helped me as well with a lot of the collateral too.
[00:55:00.280 --> 00:55:08.840] But again, I've transferred all these skills over that had I not had these skills, I would be spending thousands of dollars on getting other people to do it.
[00:55:08.840 --> 00:55:23.960] So it's just been really helpful as far as, and also to having the patience, you know, like building my photography career, I had to have patience, you know, it wasn't an overnight success.
[00:55:23.960 --> 00:55:28.920] It wasn't one of those that I went from, you know, one to two clients to now 100 clients.
[00:55:28.920 --> 00:55:35.400] Like it was very slow, you know, and now, yes, I'm booked and busy and I have a lot of clientele, but it wasn't like that.
[00:55:35.400 --> 00:55:37.000] I wasn't an overnight success.
[00:55:37.000 --> 00:55:42.120] And I use that as my foundation for this business as well.
[00:55:42.120 --> 00:55:52.200] That slow does not mean lack, you know, that slow is still flowing, you know, kind of like how they say, you know, slow and steady wins the race.
[00:55:52.520 --> 00:55:53.240] Isn't that?
[00:55:53.240 --> 00:55:53.480] Yeah.
[00:55:54.040 --> 00:55:56.200] And also like still, it's forward motion.
[00:55:56.200 --> 00:55:57.240] It's forward motion.
[00:55:57.240 --> 00:56:00.520] It doesn't really matter the speed, like you're moving forward.
[00:56:00.520 --> 00:56:07.800] But that is nice to be able to reflect back on, hey, you know, my photography business, it took years to get to where I am today.
[00:56:07.800 --> 00:56:10.120] And it's, it's not an overnight thing.
[00:56:10.120 --> 00:56:15.680] But speaking of that, like you mentioned, you have had to slow down since you've had children.
[00:56:15.840 --> 00:56:27.280] So, how do you manage the rigor of wedding photography and the schedule, plus your side hustle of Ozais, plus being a mom?
[00:56:27.920 --> 00:56:30.160] Well, being a mom comes first.
[00:56:30.160 --> 00:56:32.240] That is a non-negotiable for me.
[00:56:32.240 --> 00:56:38.320] So, some days I'm a photographer, some days, you know, I'm working on Ozais, but every day I'm a mom.
[00:56:38.320 --> 00:56:41.600] Like, so if it means getting up at 6 a.m.
[00:56:41.680 --> 00:56:47.280] and I have between 6 and 10 to be able to get work done, you know, because at 10, that's when Jean goes to work.
[00:56:47.280 --> 00:56:51.120] And, you know, now I have to fully be present for the kids.
[00:56:51.120 --> 00:56:55.600] That is something that is a non-negotiable for me, especially now that they're so little.
[00:56:55.600 --> 00:56:59.280] So that's how that's how I balance that.
[00:56:59.280 --> 00:57:05.760] But I also feel that like nobody, I don't want to say nobody's checking for me, but they're not.
[00:57:05.760 --> 00:57:06.480] You know what I'm saying?
[00:57:06.480 --> 00:57:12.480] Like, I think that we get in our head that people are waiting for this, you know what I'm saying?
[00:57:12.480 --> 00:57:14.160] And they're really not.
[00:57:14.480 --> 00:57:18.160] People aren't really thinking about you, like how you think they're thinking about you.
[00:57:18.160 --> 00:57:19.680] So I've really internalized that.
[00:57:19.680 --> 00:57:27.920] And I've realized that sometimes you need to launch things a little bit quieter, a little bit more intentionally, and just let it happen when it's going to happen.
[00:57:27.920 --> 00:57:40.480] You know, that it, you might have a two-month timeline and it might take six months, you know, but if those six months you can launch it and then you launch it well, then it's worth having waited that extra amount of time.
[00:57:40.480 --> 00:57:43.360] So that's really kind of just how I'm balancing things.
[00:57:43.360 --> 00:57:54.640] I literally take every day as it is, if I'm not able to get something to something, you know, that day, we will hopefully wake up tomorrow and I can do it again tomorrow.
[00:57:54.640 --> 00:57:56.560] But does it mean I don't get frustrated?
[00:57:56.560 --> 00:57:58.640] Does it mean that I don't get overwhelmed?
[00:57:58.640 --> 00:58:02.280] You know, I'd be lying if I said no, because I do a lot of it.
[00:58:02.680 --> 00:58:12.920] But I rely as much as I can, you know, like on my family, on, you know, my supports, you know, my support system around me because I learned to say no.
[00:58:12.920 --> 00:58:21.800] You know, I learned through motherhood to say no and to be 100% unequivocally, you know, unapologetic about that, you know.
[00:58:21.800 --> 00:58:30.120] So, like, I say no to brunches and yes to barcodes, you know, like I just, it's just what it is right now.
[00:58:30.120 --> 00:58:31.960] And it's the season of life that I'm in.
[00:58:31.960 --> 00:58:35.480] You know, luckily, I'm just about to say it's a season.
[00:58:35.480 --> 00:58:35.880] Yeah.
[00:58:35.880 --> 00:58:41.800] And I'm a little bit older, you know, like I'm not in my 20s, you know, where I feel like I need to be out and about with my friends and stuff.
[00:58:41.800 --> 00:58:43.000] I lived that life already.
[00:58:43.000 --> 00:58:44.440] And that's where I'm thankful.
[00:58:44.440 --> 00:58:48.840] And again, I'm bringing up the universe as far as things happening when they're supposed to happen.
[00:58:48.840 --> 00:58:56.760] I think that in the season that I'm at right now, I'm okay with, you know, it just being us, you know, and being our family unit.
[00:58:57.080 --> 00:59:09.400] And I think right now, the most important thing is raising my babies, you know, and for them to see me working as a mom, but being a present mom too, you know, because this time goes by so quickly.
[00:59:09.400 --> 00:59:15.240] And one of the things that my father told me before he had passed away is, and it stuck with me.
[00:59:15.240 --> 00:59:20.600] And like, it's literally, I remember it every single day is that he wished he would have been around more.
[00:59:20.600 --> 00:59:27.720] My dad was a doctor, a pediatrician, and he worked to the bone, you know, just to provide for us.
[00:59:27.720 --> 00:59:35.960] But in his last years, you know, he saw how close we were to my mom, and we would call my mom for everything because she was the one that was always around.
[00:59:35.960 --> 00:59:38.920] And dad, we would call, you know, to just be like, hey, dad, how are you?
[00:59:38.920 --> 00:59:42.600] But it wasn't like when we needed something, we called her mom, you know.
[00:59:42.600 --> 00:59:53.520] And for him, I think that that really weighed heavy on him in his last years is that he wished he would have been there for our younger years, you know, because now we were out of the house, we weren't around and stuff.
[00:59:53.520 --> 01:00:05.120] So, I think that I've really taken that to heart as far as just really being present for my children while they're here at home with me because that's a luxury, you know, and that is the biggest luxury to me.
[01:00:05.440 --> 01:00:07.840] It is such a luxury, and thank you for that.
[01:00:07.840 --> 01:00:16.240] Because I think I needed that reminder because I think society can make you feel like you can be in the midst of literally a dream that you had, right?
[01:00:16.560 --> 01:00:21.200] Of being a parent, and then you feel like you need to be doing something else.
[01:00:21.200 --> 01:00:26.000] So, here you are, and you could be present in this moment with your kids, but you're like, oh, but I need to be doing work.
[01:00:26.000 --> 01:00:46.880] Like, and it's, it's this sick, toxic relationship with society because I mean, you do have to make money, so there's some reality to it, but just like the inability to be able to not think about something else you could be doing is it's really challenging.
[01:00:46.880 --> 01:00:57.120] And it sucks that that even pops up in our mind, but we can do a better job of shifting our mind and remembering what's important and remembering that it is a luxury, right?
[01:00:57.120 --> 01:01:00.640] To be an entrepreneur who has a more flexible schedule.
[01:01:00.640 --> 01:01:05.520] But I'm going to ask selfishly for myself: how do you manage to travel, right?
[01:01:05.760 --> 01:01:09.040] Because that's something I'm still trying to figure out with two little ones, right?
[01:01:09.040 --> 01:01:10.560] Like, how do you do that?
[01:01:10.560 --> 01:01:14.560] Well, I haven't traveled really since Shiloh was born.
[01:01:14.880 --> 01:01:17.840] So, I don't know how to do it yet, really, with the two.
[01:01:18.560 --> 01:01:20.080] And how old is your youngest?
[01:01:20.080 --> 01:01:21.920] And I mean, like, traveling for work, right?
[01:01:21.920 --> 01:01:24.000] Like, if you have to go away.
[01:01:24.000 --> 01:01:25.600] Yeah, yeah, like doing weddings.
[01:01:26.480 --> 01:01:33.080] So, for that, honestly, I have a huge blessing that my mom is actually with us for six to seven months out of the year.
[01:01:33.320 --> 01:01:43.240] So, which, which again, like the universe, you know, had my dad not passed away, I wouldn't have this flexibility with my mom.
[01:01:43.240 --> 01:01:48.520] So, there's such a duality there as far as like, because my mom was my dad's main caretaker.
[01:01:48.520 --> 01:02:05.320] So, it was just like, it's almost like my dad sacrificed himself so that my mom could be now here for me, which is a very weird way to, but again, I always feel that the universe has like a bigger meaning to us.
[01:02:05.320 --> 01:02:08.360] So, like, I really try to think of the positives and things.
[01:02:08.360 --> 01:02:10.520] But, anywho, that was a very long-winded.
[01:02:10.840 --> 01:02:12.920] So, my mom's here with us six to seven months out of the year.
[01:02:12.920 --> 01:02:14.120] So, she's our main caretaker.
[01:02:14.120 --> 01:02:17.320] So, that is how I'm able to do a lot of things.
[01:02:17.320 --> 01:02:20.280] She actually comes back next week, and I'm just like, oh my God.
[01:02:20.600 --> 01:02:24.440] So, so, yeah, so I do have, you know, help in that end.
[01:02:24.680 --> 01:02:28.920] And then Jean's family as well steps in as far as with child care.
[01:02:28.920 --> 01:02:38.600] So, that's really, I would say, my biggest thing is as long as we have child care, I'm able to comfortably leave knowing that the kids are staying with family.
[01:02:39.000 --> 01:02:44.200] But it's also too, you know, I have these things already pre-planned.
[01:02:44.200 --> 01:02:49.480] So, that's the luxury of, you know, shooting weddings that I know in six months, you know, this wedding's in New Orleans.
[01:02:49.800 --> 01:02:51.720] You know, this summer I'm going to St.
[01:02:51.720 --> 01:02:52.200] Lucia.
[01:02:52.200 --> 01:02:56.760] Like, I know these things in advance so I can plan for traveling when I need to.
[01:02:57.160 --> 01:02:58.280] That's true.
[01:02:58.280 --> 01:02:58.920] Yes.
[01:02:59.400 --> 01:03:01.080] I think like everything's doable.
[01:03:01.080 --> 01:03:02.920] It's just like it feels more daunting.
[01:03:02.920 --> 01:03:05.480] It feels like, oh, there's a lot more to coordinate.
[01:03:05.480 --> 01:03:07.480] And I'd rather just not.
[01:03:07.800 --> 01:03:10.840] Like, I'd rather just not pack anything or coordinate.
[01:03:10.840 --> 01:03:12.120] So I'm just going to stay here.
[01:03:12.120 --> 01:03:13.000] But you're right.
[01:03:13.320 --> 01:03:16.640] I know in advance, you can make it happen.
[01:03:14.040 --> 01:03:21.120] All right.
[01:03:21.280 --> 01:03:24.560] So now we're going to jump into a quick lightning round.
[01:03:24.560 --> 01:03:25.920] Are you ready?
[01:03:25.920 --> 01:03:27.200] I am.
[01:03:27.520 --> 01:03:28.720] All righty.
[01:03:28.720 --> 01:03:36.080] Number one: What is a resource that has helped you in your business that you can share with the Side Hustle Pro audience?
[01:03:36.080 --> 01:03:36.720] Absolutely.
[01:03:36.720 --> 01:03:38.080] So I champ two.
[01:03:38.080 --> 01:03:39.680] The first is Canva.
[01:03:40.080 --> 01:03:50.720] I use Canva almost every single day to create marketing materials and any kind of collateral that I need, especially since we're trying to tell a visual story.
[01:03:51.040 --> 01:03:55.760] The things that you're able to do in Canva just in a one, two, three click is just amazing.
[01:03:55.760 --> 01:04:01.600] So I definitely recommend that as far as really investing in the pro version of it.
[01:04:01.600 --> 01:04:05.920] There's just so much more that you can do and you can do it so quickly.
[01:04:05.920 --> 01:04:21.440] And then my silent business partner, ChatGPT, is been a huge game changer, mainly because I have a lot of things in my head and sometimes I can't articulate it the way that I want to.
[01:04:22.000 --> 01:04:39.280] So really from a writing perspective, especially since I do have to write a lot of pitches and just write a lot of different things, it really helps streamline as far as what I'm thinking and kind of just give me a good starting point for any new thing that I need to do.
[01:04:39.280 --> 01:04:43.040] Like literally, ChatGPT has been amazing.
[01:04:43.040 --> 01:04:47.040] So those are two resources that I would heavily, heavily use.
[01:04:47.120 --> 01:04:49.680] It's a thought partner for me, too, for sure.
[01:04:49.920 --> 01:04:56.160] Number two, who is a black woman entrepreneur who you would want to switch places with for a day and why?
[01:04:56.160 --> 01:04:58.400] It's Elaine Welter Roth.
[01:04:59.040 --> 01:05:10.840] She is, I've been following her for years, and I feel that there is a bit of synergy with our career paths and kind of like our journey.
[01:05:10.840 --> 01:05:13.080] You know, she started in media.
[01:05:13.480 --> 01:05:15.560] I started in advertising.
[01:05:15.560 --> 01:05:20.680] You know, she transitioned into TV and authorship and now advocacy.
[01:05:20.680 --> 01:05:26.920] And, you know, I transitioned from talent agent to photographer now to this product-based business.
[01:05:26.920 --> 01:05:40.280] So I feel like there's a lot of synergy like that as far as how we've transitioned our careers to totally different paths, but still kind of building from what we've used or what we've learned in the past.
[01:05:40.280 --> 01:05:48.840] But really, the main reason is because now she's become a huge advocate since becoming a mother as well for maternal health.
[01:05:48.840 --> 01:06:01.640] And she's a huge advocate for this foundation called Birth Fund, which funds, you know, education and just resources for maternal health.
[01:06:01.640 --> 01:06:10.760] And, you know, having experienced such a traumatic first birth, you know, story, it's something just really hits home for me.
[01:06:10.760 --> 01:06:19.000] So I think I would really, you know, love to step into her shoes and kind of see kind of like the back end of that and like what she does like on a day-to-day.
[01:06:19.000 --> 01:06:20.920] Yes, me too.
[01:06:21.160 --> 01:06:25.560] Number three, what's a non-negotiable part of your day these days?
[01:06:25.880 --> 01:06:28.200] Intentional time with my kids.
[01:06:28.200 --> 01:06:28.680] Really?
[01:06:28.680 --> 01:06:30.920] That's non-negotiable.
[01:06:30.920 --> 01:06:32.920] Number one, two, three, four, and five.
[01:06:33.560 --> 01:06:39.320] And also, two, I really take time every single day to spend time with Amelia too.
[01:06:39.640 --> 01:06:41.560] That's so beautiful.
[01:06:41.560 --> 01:06:47.680] Number four: what is a personal trait that has helped you significantly in your business?
[01:06:48.000 --> 01:06:49.840] I think a lot of reflection.
[01:06:50.480 --> 01:07:01.200] I really take time to pause and think, think, think things through of what's working and what might not be working.
[01:07:01.840 --> 01:07:10.240] And this really helps just give me clarity of how to move forward with, you know, whatever endeavor I'm doing at that time.
[01:07:10.560 --> 01:07:18.160] So I think that that's really just like a good habit that I've made is just like letting myself really reflect on what I'm doing in that moment.
[01:07:18.160 --> 01:07:28.720] And then finally, what is your parting advice these days for fellow women entrepreneurs who want to be their own boss but are worried about not having a steady paycheck?
[01:07:28.720 --> 01:07:30.640] Okay, so I got a few things.
[01:07:33.440 --> 01:07:35.920] The first is to keep your day job.
[01:07:35.920 --> 01:07:38.000] Like, I know it's not sexy.
[01:07:38.000 --> 01:07:41.840] I know everybody wants to start a side hustle and then that'd be their main hustle.
[01:07:41.840 --> 01:07:54.960] But honestly, relying on that, you know, consistent paycheck until you're able to really sustain yourself financially with, you know, your next endeavor, I think it will save you a lot of heartache.
[01:07:54.960 --> 01:08:02.240] It will save you a lot of, you know, just extra stress that comes with not knowing when your next paycheck is coming.
[01:08:02.800 --> 01:08:08.560] So unless your job is, you know, running you to the ground now and is, you know, toxic or anything like that.
[01:08:08.560 --> 01:08:12.000] But if you're able to keep that day job, I would highly suggest it.
[01:08:12.000 --> 01:08:13.760] That would be the first thing.
[01:08:13.760 --> 01:08:20.560] The next is to set boundaries, both, you know, in your current role and your future role.
[01:08:20.560 --> 01:08:25.920] You know, just set those boundaries there so that they can coexist nicely together.
[01:08:26.240 --> 01:08:28.000] So that's a huge one.
[01:08:28.000 --> 01:08:32.680] The next is that profit doesn't always come fast.
[01:08:29.840 --> 01:08:36.200] And that doesn't mean that you're failing.
[01:08:36.520 --> 01:08:38.840] Slow growth is still growth.
[01:08:38.840 --> 01:08:40.200] So just keep going.
[01:08:41.000 --> 01:08:46.120] And a lot of the growth sometimes happens really quietly when no one's watching.
[01:08:46.120 --> 01:08:48.200] You know, it doesn't have fanfare.
[01:08:48.440 --> 01:08:51.320] So just give yourself that permission to build at your own pace.
[01:08:51.320 --> 01:08:53.800] Like I said earlier, nobody is checking for you.
[01:08:54.040 --> 01:08:58.520] So don't feel that you have to be on a particular kind of timeline to get things done.
[01:08:58.520 --> 01:09:01.880] You know, if they're able to get done, they're able to get done.
[01:09:02.840 --> 01:09:05.480] And the last thing is that you're not starting from scratch.
[01:09:05.480 --> 01:09:08.360] You are starting from your experience.
[01:09:08.360 --> 01:09:18.680] So when you are starting your new side hustle or continuing that side hustle, you know, you're starting from the experience that you already have and just keep building on that.
[01:09:18.680 --> 01:09:19.960] I love all of these.
[01:09:19.960 --> 01:09:21.800] Ooh, we got to call all of these out.
[01:09:21.800 --> 01:09:22.440] Oh my gosh.
[01:09:22.440 --> 01:09:26.600] But my favorites are, you know, keep that day job.
[01:09:26.920 --> 01:09:28.760] Keep that day job.
[01:09:28.760 --> 01:09:31.560] Slow progress is still progress.
[01:09:31.560 --> 01:09:33.640] And you are never starting from scratch.
[01:09:33.640 --> 01:09:36.600] There's always some experience that you can lean on.
[01:09:36.600 --> 01:09:42.200] So with that, Amy, where can people connect with you and Ozais after this episode?
[01:09:42.200 --> 01:09:43.000] Absolutely.
[01:09:43.000 --> 01:09:48.040] So I am Amy Anais Photo on all social platforms.
[01:09:48.600 --> 01:09:55.400] And I am Ozais, which is OZAIZ.com is our website.
[01:09:55.400 --> 01:10:01.000] And on social, we are Ozais Home on all social platforms.
[01:10:01.000 --> 01:10:02.200] All right, guys.
[01:10:02.200 --> 01:10:03.880] And there you have it.
[01:10:03.880 --> 01:10:05.400] This was so wonderful to catch up.
[01:10:06.040 --> 01:10:08.440] Thank you for so good.
[01:10:08.440 --> 01:10:09.480] Thank you for your candor.
[01:10:09.480 --> 01:10:10.840] Thank you for your transparency.
[01:10:10.840 --> 01:10:14.040] Thank you for sharing even the tough moments with us.
[01:10:14.040 --> 01:10:16.480] And God bless you and your family.
[01:10:16.480 --> 01:10:18.560] And we'll continue talking after this.
[01:10:14.840 --> 01:10:21.440] And you, everyone else, I'll talk to you next week.
[01:10:23.360 --> 01:10:26.400] Hey, guys, thanks for listening to Side Hustle Pro.
[01:10:26.400 --> 01:10:30.880] If you like the show, be sure to subscribe, rate, and review on Apple Podcasts.
[01:10:31.120 --> 01:10:34.560] It helps other side hustlers just like you to find the show.
[01:10:34.880 --> 01:10:39.520] And if you want to hear more from me, you can follow me on Instagram at SideHustle Pro.
[01:10:39.520 --> 01:10:46.560] Plus, sign up for my six-foot Saturday newsletter at sidehustlepro.co slash newsletter.
[01:10:46.560 --> 01:10:54.000] When you sign up, you will receive weekly nuggets from me, including what I'm up to, personal lessons, and my business tip of the week.
[01:10:54.000 --> 01:10:58.720] Again, that's sidehustlepro.co/slash newsletter to sign up.
[01:10:58.720 --> 01:11:00.320] Talk to you soon.