Perfection Not Required: Growing an Online Business from the Inside Out
Perfection Not Required: Growing an Online Business from the Inside Out
Ep.39 How to Build Your Own Fairytale with Kristen Lettini
The path to your happily ever after isn't always...ok rarely ever...is a straight one. There's lots of exploring and discovery of what you want, what lights you up and how you can share what you love doing. Kristen and I catch up on her exit from corporate, what's on the ice cream bucket list and how she plans on building her fairytale...after she figures out what it is!
Kristen Lettini is the creator and host of the Build Your Own Fairytale podcast. She's a brand new corporate escapee and a personal friend in my pod squad! Listen up as we talk early stages of what it looks like to step away from corporate to follow your dreams...whatever they are!
In this episode, we chat about:
1. Using past corporate skills as an entrepreneur
2. Feedback from a peer group versus your family
3. The kiddos are watching
Go here for full show notes and links!
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It's almost like this group, your podcasting group or your peer group, whatever it is that you're doing kind of becomes that mirror of like, oh, here I am telling her how easy it can be and I'm not doing a damn thing.
Kristen Lettini:It is that it really is, it makes such a huge difference in having that support group because I even recently just did an interview. I haven't put it out yet for season two, but with a woman who owns her own small business, and we were talking like, oh, it'd be good to stay connected like this just to keep each other going. You know, aside from her episode recording, and I'm thinking, yeah, it's just not the same. When you talk to your spouse or your friends like they want you to succeed. They're supportive, but their feedback or responses you're getting may not be at the same level as what you're getting from that support group of people sort of in the same boat.
Jamie Stephens:Thanks for tuning in to another episode of Breaking up with corporate each week I chat with everyday women that ditch their nine to five to bet on themselves. We break down their journey into entrepreneurship, unpack the lessons learned and create the vision of how this life gets to be if you're willing to get uncomfortable and step into your potential. I'm your host, Jamie Renee, to time corporate escapee and coach to burnout women looking to plan their escape. Let's go. Hello, and welcome back to another episode of Breaking up with corporate today. I have Kristen Latini on the show. And Kristen is a fellow podcaster of the build your own fairy tale podcast. Welcome, Kristin.
Kristen Lettini:Thank you, Jamie. Excited to be here. Yeah. So
Jamie Stephens:if you guys have listened for a while been around for a while, I was actually on Kristen's podcast a while back. And so we actually met through a podcasting group. So it's exciting to get to reciprocate here now that you have taken a break from your corporate job and exploring kind of what's available for you. So do you want to tell us a little bit about kind of what you're doing now? And what that looks like?
Kristen Lettini:Yes. And thank you. Yes. Thanks for the reminder. It was so fun meeting you in class and then getting to be on each other show. So happy to, to return the favor here. But yeah, so I just recently, I'm about a month ago, decided to take a break from corporate I had been with the same company and a variety of different roles for the past 13 years, a global large company, I've worked in procurement, Marketing and Communications, and really just decided, You know what, now it's my time to take a chance on me, right? I've really enjoyed and learned a lot working in corporate but at the same time, a little bit, you know, overwhelming approaching that burnout with everything during COVID. And I thought, okay, I had the opportunity, we're fortunate enough financially, we can take this break without, you know, losing the roof on our hands and going hungry. So it took it took a few months off to say, Okay, I'm gonna spend the summer with my kids. There, I have 28 year olds, so I thought they still love me a little bit like being around me that now's a good time to spend the summer with them. And couple, I'm gonna explore the entrepreneurial roots. So I am still in this phase of like, I'm not sure what I'm going to do next. But I'm definitely enjoying the podcasting. That was something I wanted to have, regardless of what I decide to pursue outside of this. I just, I love talking to people like making these connections, like with you, Jamie and meeting new people learning from them. And I figure if I'm gonna have those conversations, I may as well share them with other people and, you know, see if other people want to come along for the ride. So I guess it's a long way of saying it's a little bit of an I'm not sure what I'm doing next. But I felt like I'm gonna take this chance on myself, now's the right time. And we'll see what comes next.
Jamie Stephens:Yeah. And, you know, I talked to such a variety of people, for the most part, they're not like me, like they have it all figured out. So it's nice to have. I don't think anyone can Well, that's true. That's true. But it's nice to be able to you know, have these conversations with people who are in kind of that messy beginning stages as well because we can commiserate together and and kind of learn and do all the things. So tell me what drew you to podcasting while you were still incorporate? Like how did you know that that was something that she wanted to explore?
Kristen Lettini:Yeah, and it's funny because probably two years ago you said podcast mainly who's got time to listen to a podcast? I really wasn't into it but it was during the pandemic I don't know an hour why but I stumbled upon listening to your podcast and really enjoyed it like it got me excited and I don't know if you ever hear like the stories of people being so stressed and overwhelmed that they decided to do another new thing but that new thing was giving them the energy and I don't know the energy they needed to keep going and that to me was listening to this podcast. So I was like, Okay, I am a podcast girl. didn't think I was before but now that I found that I love how I feel when I'm listening and inspired and finding new people to to follow and learn from so that to me was like oh I would love to be that person at one, I'd love to keep learning and keep meeting people and discovering new things. But I would love to also then be able to share it and build a community alongside to do this together. So I mean, it sounds very dreamy, like a fairy tale. It's so perfect. But I know it's not that easy. But it was it was like, Oh, I can do this too. And this is fun. And I like the idea of, there's no, there's no like, hard pressure. This is my product combined. It's like, this is my building out of the community. Yeah. And someday, hopefully, when I have a product or thing or that I'm working on like, that can be something we talked about as well. But for now, it's just really that community. And that's what I love so much. Yeah,
Jamie Stephens:I discovered podcasts several years ago, but it's always been like, just this friend and your ear, you know, I mean, it's just, it's nice to be able to because you feel like you get to know somebody, and you really just start to appreciate the stories. And then if you listen a long time, you kind of learn all the little behind the scenes stories and kind of quirks and stuff. It's just, it's an interesting way that we have available now to like, really build in that intimacy whenever we're also separated, you know, but I like it that you can really connect with people that share very similar interests all over the world, which I think is just an amazing technology and a place that we live in today. So that's really cool. 100% agree. So did you struggle whenever you were trying to figure out like, what your podcast would be about? Or did it come about, like, pretty organically.
Kristen Lettini:I struggled a little bit in the beginning, because it was like, I signed up for this course. And I thought what the heck, I'm the podcast, but I think I should learn how to do it. Um, so I thought through an idea or two, but then ultimately, I don't know what tonight is I'm trying to brainstorm came up was like, Listen, I'm just really kind of looking for people like me, right? They feel like they're doing all the right things. You got the degree you met your partner, you got married, you had kids, you've got a great job like, but it still feels like you want more like it's it's really all there. Yeah, like, don't get me wrong. I'm grateful. Thankful. But the same time like, huh, feels like there could be more. So that's what I came up with the it's talking to people like me. Yeah, we're on want more, I want to build my own various I may not know how, but I know there's something else out there. And that's what I want to explore, learn about and ultimately start taking small steps to to build that fairytale. So it was a little bit of a brainstorm process, but more so organically like, Listen, this is the problem I'm trying to solve for me. And that's what I want to share. Yeah, I'm just curious about
Jamie Stephens:your process. Have you had a fairly easy time, like getting guests and all of this? Because those are all the questions that people ask me when they're like, oh, my gosh, it's so hard, you know. So it's nice to be able to kind of compare other people's how they do stuff?
Kristen Lettini:Yes, I would say, so far, it's been relatively easy. I mean, there's work and then I have to do a little research and find it. Oh, this person looks interesting. I think they're, I can tell their story online or on Stellar web page, or if somebody's told me about them. They look interesting, but then I have to look into it to make sure Okay, yeah, I think it's interesting and good fit for the show. And then there's oftentimes a cold reach out, and I have not large success with that reach out. Largely, we've had one season about 30 episodes. So far. I'm getting ready for season two. So it's been relatively up. Have they all returned? No, not everyone's answered the outreach. But I would say the majority cups, I feel like if you put in that little bit of homework upfront, and you're not reaching out to someone who's like not a total fit for you at all, the chances are relatively good that they'll respond to you. So yeah, I mean, I haven't say it's been, quote, easy, but it's also taken a little bit of legwork to make sure that can be easy. And I'm not sure if you've, it's been similar for you, it actually
Jamie Stephens:has a lot easier than I thought it would be like whenever I first came up with the podcast, my initial thought was that I would do a bunch of solo episodes because the idea of like reaching out and talking to other people as an introvert, like just sounded really terrible to me, but it was, it was actually been one way easier than I thought. And I think that's because, as humans, we all kind of like talking about ourselves, you know, I mean, that's just common nature, like, ooh, somebody wants to hear my story. Okay, too. We're not selling anything on a podcast. So like, I It's like, I'm here to promote you and like your ideas. And so I feel like that has been really easy. I'm to the point now, which is really exciting that I have people reaching out to me, which I never like, I thought I was too little for that. But it's very exciting. Kind of the people that are reaching out. It's like, wow, okay, so yeah, that part has been easier than I thought. What was what was something that was harder for you than you actually expected? The podcasting thing
Kristen Lettini:Yeah, I Um, one more thing I wanted to ask you. Because you and your guests have come from corporate right? I feel like it was also a familiar exercise. Because if you've ever scheduled a networking conversation within your company before, it's very similar like, Hey, I just want to get to know you learn about your career path. Let's get coffee. It's kind of like the same thing. So in this respect, I feel like coming from corporate is a huge advantage if you've done that before,
Jamie Stephens:except that I never did that incorporate. Like one of those I am like, extreme introvert. And so it was, like, even just the thought of networking in general, like I'm, I've grown so much over the last year, like, it's not even funny. But a year ago, the thought of networking would make my skin crawl like my stomach hurt. And I'm just like, I just want to do my job. Can we just, everybody leave me alone? I don't want to talk to
Kristen Lettini:them. And I'm gonna sit here. Yeah. All right. Well, so maybe we had an experience with
Jamie Stephens:that. Yeah, you were in communications and marketing. And we like I'm an analytics, like, give me the numbers. Give me my computer, leave me alone.
Kristen Lettini:All right, well, but in terms of its challenges, too. So I think the outreach and having the conversations themselves to me were the, quote, easy part. They were fun, I really get excited, energized by having them. The more challenging part, honestly, was the technical piece, like learning to edit. Even just learning how to share information on social media apps, so lots to learn. But just those beginning steps, they can feel so overwhelming, like, Oh, my God, Chick never ended a podcast and pop music bear and feed it out. And all the little things that you don't think about, yeah, those were the main challenges I had. And I think once I actually sat down to try to overcome them, they weren't that scary. But it was the anxiety and fear of like, oh, my gosh, let's figure out how to do that. That was hard.
Jamie Stephens:Yeah. Yeah, the tech pieces always and mine wasn't necessarily the tech piece, because I had a background with like YouTube videos. So that part was actually easy for me. But the marketing, which I never did when I was I mean, like, I did a very, very, very poor job. When I was doing my youtube channel of any sort of marketing or social media, that was not my thing. And that's definitely one of the areas I have grown in over the last year is really understanding that marketing isn't so scary. That it's like, Oh, I'm just talking, I'm just being me. I don't you know, it's like we put on this professional suit when we go to, you know, promote something. And it's like, okay, it doesn't have to be that way. Like, they hear how I am on the podcast They Hear You know, it's like, this is just another extension of me, but it's definitely a process to get to that point to where you have that just like, oh, this is fine, you know, without like, just think you're gonna die when you put something out. That's like,
Kristen Lettini:it is it is. And I remember texting another friend from our podcast, that's when I first made my first post to say, I'm going to have a podcast and I texted her. I'm like, I didn't die. I'm still breathing. Outstanding. That's it. Okay. Okay. It seems so overwhelming. And I can come up with ideas all day about you or other people like what you could do to promote it. When it comes to myself or yourself. You're like, oh, yeah, I don't know, I know that process for sure. in overcoming, like, No, this is just me and I had a fun conversation, I want to share it, if somebody's want to see it, they can keep scrolling, man, keep on moving, you know,
Jamie Stephens:something you said, I think it's important. It's easier to look at somebody else's stuff and see what they could do or how they could do something. And having that that's something that I didn't really realize one of the benefits of having like a peer group, you know, people that you're learning a craft with learning how to do something, learning something new pushing beyond your limits, because it is easier to see somebody else, like where their gaps are. But you don't have that for yourself necessarily, or know how to like how to address them. Like maybe you can acknowledge them, but you don't know. And so it's almost like this group, your podcasting group or your peer group, whatever it is that you're doing kind of becomes that mirror of like, oh, here I am telling her how easy it can be and I'm not doing a damn thing. So let me just again, take some of my own medicine and really just do this because it's so much easier to see when it's somebody else, right?
Kristen Lettini:It is that it really is it makes such a huge difference in having that group, that support group because I even recently just did an interview. I haven't put it out yet for season two, but with a woman who's who owns her own small business, and we were talking like, oh, it'd be good to stay connected like this just to keep each other going. You know, aside from her episode recording, and I'm thinking yeah, it's just not the same when you talk to your spouse or your friends like they want you to succeed. They're supportive. But the As feedback or responses you're getting may not be at the same level as what you're getting from that support group of people sort of in the same boat. You know,
Jamie Stephens:it's, yeah, it's like, Oh, honey, it's great. We're like, your peers might be like, yeah, no, it's really good. But you could do this, you know, like, if you just tweak that I think it would come across. But you know, like one of those things where you can really just have that sounding board, which is so important. And really the first time I've ever I mean, I think we're a little bit the same as a lifelong learner and likes to learn all the things, but I've never actually taken advantage of any of the communities where I've learned things and courses and all of that. And so this has been a real change maker, like as far as having that community and staying in touch with people and keeping each other accountable, I think has been really great. Yeah.
Kristen Lettini:And I was gonna add something to it. The lifelong learner, I think we both come with a supply chain background, right? Yeah. You ever did the Lean Six Sigma stuff? It was like that, always looking for incremental improvements? And I feel like I'm seeing why with, okay, hadn't even just plan out the podcast, or how to organize the files like that. Those are things that I get excited about.
Jamie Stephens:Yes, yeah. We've actually talked about that before. I'm like Kristin, come organize my file.
Kristen Lettini:What makes me excited doesn't have to make you excited. That's how we can all coexist. Yeah, here's
Jamie Stephens:your zone of genius. And my zone of genius are not the same. But it's really something whenever you, I don't know if I heard it on a podcast, or like where I heard it. But that concept of letting other people handle what's not in your zone of genius, and really just kind of focusing there. And, you know, it's like, well, if you're smart, you can do a lot of things. But do you want to? Are they bringing you joy? Are you happy doing them? Yeah, I could probably sit down and figure out a system for my files. That's a little bit better than what I have now. And, you know, do all the things, but it's actually a pretty good one for this podcast. It's all the other files. Like, what am I do it? Yeah, I mean, I think that's it just makes life so rich, whenever you can just focus on the things that you really enjoy, and that light you up, and then let other people focus on the things that you don't enjoy. By it lights them up. So it's like a win win.
Kristen Lettini:It isn't. I never had this thought. But as you were speaking, I was thinking, okay, the whole reason, the people you're talking to you have left corporate, right, it's to pursue their passion. Right, right. And I'm thinking, Okay, if you left to pursue your passion, and then you find yourself bogged down with details that you're not passionate about, like you should be applying the same principle. I'm not doing that because I want to do this thing. So I've never thought about it that like, instead of like trying to be the hero, like, No, I can do it all. I don't need to spend money to get XYZ done. Right? Hey, if you spend a little bit of investment and you can get those things done that much more efficiently, then you have, how much more time to do your sternum genius work, and then hopefully put even more out there.
Jamie Stephens:Yeah, which is exactly what we were talking about before we hit record is that even though I did my own editing in the beginning of the podcast, and all of that thing, and I know how to do it. It is not fun for me, it is not something I enjoy. It is not like it takes an overwhelming amount of time because I just get too nitpicky and like think that it has to perfect. And I'm not like quoting you know, it's like it's all YouTube learnings. You know, it's not like I've got a very skilled system that I can just go through and do all this audio editing. So it's just like to be able to pass that on to somebody else. So I can get, like five hours of my life back every week. I mean, that's just priceless. You know. I do want to ask you, because I think it's so fun. Tell me about you have twin girls with you. And you're doing a summer ice cream tour. Yeah, and I'm a big fan of ice cream. Tell me kind of what sparked that. And just tell me a little bit about that. Because I think it's so fun. Yeah, no,
Kristen Lettini:thank you. I think it's fun to actually as I was preparing to leave corporate. I've you know, was talking to all my friends and colleagues had a woman who I worked with said, Oh, she was talking about I was going to do because I told her I'm trying to take the summer with my kids and make sure I just really kind of you know, live in that moment before I worry about what's next. And she mentioned she had done this ice cream challenge or ice cream tour last summer the summer before with her boys. And they were keeping scorecards and they were trying to find the best ice cream in the state. And so she shared that with me. I was like I love that. Like I think it's probably not good for my waistline but I love it. Nice. It's just a little bit ice cream once in a while like Okay, fine. So yeah, I mean, we're not as hardcore with keeping score or anything but it's just really giving us a fun excuse to get ice cream when we're out in our you know, not our neck of the woods. We did it a lot. And we went for a swim meets, if they were at home, we would say, Okay, what's the closest lights came around here? Try it out. And my kids love it. It's way. But yeah, they get a notch. Like, what song law are you going to use when you use these pictures that you took a vice? Fighting over, which was to gets to pick the song? I'm like, listen, I control I wouldn't use the song that I think I'm just asking for your input.
Jamie Stephens:I'm just letting you think you get an input.
Kristen Lettini:But it's not because I was picking up the kids to like, it's fun. Because they're watching me. Right? Right. I figure something out and live out my dreams, which I hope and I think most parents would hope if you say your kid comes to you, like, I've got this dream to do XYZ I want to dance on this stage. You as the parent, even a bad dream seems far off. Like you're going to want to help them right, right? And say, yeah, go after it. At least try if you fail, you could, you could try another way, which is often when I've had to tell myself like look, I'm going to try. He can this chance taking this break. And if it doesn't work, I'll go back. But for now, I want to try it. So I feel like I was also an important factor in my decisions to take this break because in some new future someday they cook to me I want to be able to say Yeah, go for it. Let's let's do we can are you to make that dream come true. And if it's not the right dream, we'll find something else better. But I'm going to be here to support you. So I feel like they know about the podcast, they get on the podcast, they help me promote the fun. They'll come up with ideas to to talk about the podcast. It's funny. They're teachers at school, like oh, I guess they were asking what parents do. One of my girls is like, she's got a podcast. Had a detox you at the time I was still working. She's like, No, just told her you had a podcast,
Jamie Stephens:because that's what's cool, mom. Everybody's got a job, but
Kristen Lettini:on a tangent there from ice cream, but I just I do love the fact that it's showing my children like this. Competence and desire you can have with it yourself. And it may or may not work. It's kind of scary, but they're sort of along for the ride or have a front seat view for this ride.
Jamie Stephens:Yeah, and what important life skills they're learning to. I mean, that is just so huge. And I know you have daughters, I have four daughters, I I've never had boys. So I don't know. So I'm going to make a generalization here. But as a mother of girls, I know for me, it is very important that whatever life advice or whatever I want to teach my children, it's like, it's really hard to really just kind of tell your kids and give them life advice and things like that. If you're not living that yourself.
Kristen Lettini:Do as I say, not as I do.
Jamie Stephens:It's like yeah, go follow your dreams. Well, Mom, is your dream and supply chain. No, no, it's not. You know, so it's like, okay, so what is that? Like? What kind of example Am I being what? And I'm not like shaming anybody who's not in a position to go out and do like, I don't want to get me wrong, but it's like, just to have that to where it's like, No, I totally believe in you. And it's okay, we were gonna try and sometimes will fail. And look, that is okay, we get back up, you know, just all of the lessons because you don't go through entrepreneurship and be like scratch free. It just doesn't have it. So, I mean, it's, it's a gift that you're giving them, like all of it just one year presents and you just being able to like focus on them all summer long and have these fun little things like ice cream challenges and all this stuff. But then I know your girls are really active, like in sports and swimming and basketball, other things and dance and 47 activities, but it's like, it's nice that they can see like, Okay, well, we don't have to give up fun. Just because we're an adult. Like we can still find ways to incorporate what we love. And here's this way that we can do it. And look what mom is showing us. You know, I think it's so important.
Kristen Lettini:One notes add just as you're saying that I there's one memory from the summer so far that definitely sticks out as a highlight is for me. One day, our pool was closed. Something was going on. It was super hot and like what are we going to do? And so we woke up I said, Girls get dressed. We're gonna go to the boardwalk. So we drove the hour to the beach, hung out in the boardwalk, they get some arcade games, they did some rope climbing. They just had a good time. And as we're getting ready my one daughter says Mom, I like that you do fun things now wasn't it? Yes. It wasn't extravagant. It wasn't like I was taken when Disney it was pretty low budget day on spending a couple dollars but low budget, Nothing extravagant. And I just that moment for me was like, Okay, this is what I had wanted to do with the summer and they appreciate it. They are having fun and they recognize the change. It's like mom couldn't do this before when she was working every day and yeah, we didn't hear for it but it just wasn't nearly as much fun. So
Jamie Stephens:I mean, that's it's such a sweet age. To You know, they're eight years old. I mean, I've got my youngest is now 15. So it's not the same.
Kristen Lettini:I imagine not quite, but I don't want you to think too hard about what happens then.
Jamie Stephens:Oh, yeah, no, it's really great that you could do this now because it's like, they still want to hang out with you. And they still want to be around you. They still think you're cool and doing all the things now it's like, oh, yeah, yeah, that's fun. So what has been your favorite ice cream flavor to date?
Kristen Lettini:So I will tell you, I'm not super adventurous with the flavors. Vanilla with heat bar. Okay. Okay. It all standby. So I'll usually go with some version of that. Like last night, I did have a vanilla heat bar shake. I've never done a shake. It was delicious. Yeah, we don't get too crazy. We're not we don't always go out at the same flavors to like, do an apples to apples comparison. So you're a stickler for that we're not following those rules. But honestly, one of our favorites, we have to close by that we love we've done for now. We're like, Oh, those still pretty tough on the list. And so we're like, oh, this is lucky that we have our favorites close by. Yeah.
Jamie Stephens:I'm a fan of Heath Bar myself. It's so good. Good. I make a really good toffee every year, like at Christmas. And it has to be at Christmas because it doesn't set up. Right. Like it has to be cold and all of the things. I only make it once a year because oh my gosh, it's like butter, sugar. Chocolate. Like, bye. Yeah,
Kristen Lettini:I love a good excuse to bake. Because then it's like a freebie. Like,
Jamie Stephens:I get to eat this. Like, yeah,
Kristen Lettini:I can't do too much of it.
Jamie Stephens:So what is on season two for your podcast?
Kristen Lettini:So let's good question. Thank you for asking. So season one I started out with just we're gonna look at all our areas of life, work home personal, you know, hear what other people are doing. See if we can make small adjustments to make our lives more magical. Season two, I'm really planning to narrow in on the workspace, right. So traditionally, I thought, or I think you either have keypads, right. Once you have kids, you can have your stay at home mom, or you can you know, continue or be part of the workforce and a nine to size. And I'm going to be speaking to women who have done something in between, right, and figure out how they how and why they decided to do that. what's been great about it, what maybe hasn't been so great about it, but really tackling in on the work aspect of it. Because like I said, it just feels like there's really two, two straight paths. You either pick a branch off, you pick one or the other, and then you go and then we're all sitting there commiserating if you're, you're home like, oh, I would rather be making money or if you're working you feel guilty or not with the kids, like there's a gazillion reasons, just covered to for either one of those branches. But yeah, there's I've realized, and there's a whole lot more in the middle or outside of those two paths. And, you know, having the technology and tools we have today, and especially with COVID. Now bringing us even more, virtually, there are a lot of opportunities. So if you don't want to if you don't fit well in one of those buckets, some people do, and they love it, which is great. But it feels like you're not sitting well in one of those two buckets. And maybe there's something else out there that you could be dealing with, even though you have this desire to start your own. Or maybe it's with someone else. It doesn't have to be your own venture, but maybe it's just the industry that you're in, right. So that's the main day for season two. And I'm super excited. I'm just in the middle of lining up some guests now for season two. And yeah, I'm personally excited about what I'm going to learn from them, and then being able to share that with my audience.
Jamie Stephens:You know, that is one of the most underrated things that for me anyway, underrated because I don't know why. But I didn't account for the vast amount of exposure and knowledge I had to such amazing women and brains. Like during this podcast, I've had just my eyes open to possibilities. So I love that that's what you're exploring, because you know, you may find your thing. And there it's just like somebody may say something that sparks something that goes something else. And then you pair it with another podcast and guests that you had a while back. And then it's like all comes together. And it's like in a super exciting way. It's something similar to like kind of where I'm exploring now. You know, I've had this passion for YouTube before and then it just kind of waned and COVID because it was on food and cooking. And I was so sick of that during COVID. So it just kind of dropped off. But I had some guests on my podcast last week already and Joel from SSDNow media, but they are now doing YouTube or they're YouTubers. And it's kind of like the way that they've done it and the things that they like I learned from just that interview. It's just like it's sparked so many things for me that it's like Oh, like this is one of the best parts that nobody talks about is all of the just really brilliant women that you You get to talk to, and that is super fun. I mean, I've made a lot of friends, like still, like still keeping in touch with guests and stuff that I've interviewed over the last year. And so that's been really fun. Do you still keep in touch with some of your people? Yeah,
Kristen Lettini:absolutely. I mean, I'm connected to all of them on social media. So at a minimum, when they're posting, I'm seeing what's going on, I'm cheering for them along the way. But that feels like I'm building a whole new group of friends out there, even if I've never met them physically. Face like we've had an hour long conversation. And then you really get to know a person in that time, right? And then you can we continue to see what's going on in their lives. So it is pretty cool.
Jamie Stephens:Yeah, because in an hour, you generally get past like, the surface stuff. And you can really just kind of talk to people and find out like, okay, like, let's actually get to know each other and some of these things. So that's, yeah, that's really cool.
Kristen Lettini:I was going to add to it even like you said, even if it's not, okay, I want to be a YouTuber from that example. There could be something that that you take and apply to your day job or something else that that was like the little spark or little idea you needed to take something to the next level. So not to be that same exact thing. Yeah, that's it. I'm looking forward to to OCR from people who've done all sorts of like, you're like, I don't even know that was a job, right? Like how? Yeah, those are the types of topics that I'm expecting to uncover. Were like, I have no desire to be a dance coach. But cool. Let me hear how you did that, and what it could spark for me. So that's what I'm excited about to you. That's exciting.
Jamie Stephens:So backing up a little bit. How did you know it was time to kind of switch gears and find something else outside of your corporate career that you had been in for 13 years?
Kristen Lettini:Ah, excellent question. I will say this decision was something for me many years in the making. I've had this desire for way back when I read Jack Canfield, these success principles. And in the book they sell, you'd write down your goals and read them every day. And one of my goals that I wrote down many years ago was to own my own business with positive cash flow, you have to write down all the details. Yeah. Well, that's it has come and gone, but it was always in the back of my mind, like maybe I could do my own thing. And then in 2018, my job was impacted. So I was given six months notice, which was a very long lead time, right to say, Okay, well, your jumps been eliminated, but you've got six months to find a new one within the company. If not, you're out the door. And at that time, it was a huge shock. I very much appreciated the will vo runway of six months. We're getting ready to we were just literally like days into our kitchen first floor renovation that was like, oh, yeah, we cannot go without a job right now. Okay. All right. And so I started looking at obviously, I landed because I stayed with the company for years after that. But it was at that time where I was like, Oh, maybe I should have just taken the package and figured it out. Like I knew I could figure I have the faith in myself, but I'll figure something out. I'm not going to be end up sitting on the couch, eating bonbons and like, miserable maybe for a couple of days. But I'll pick myself up and figure something out find something. But I landed within the company, so I didn't have to get to that. We got through the the home renovations. It was all great. But then so that's really since 2019. When I landed in that new rule. I was like, Hmm, maybe I should have used that opportunity. Right? And to say, Okay, I'll take a little break. I'll see what's next. And so then really 2019 2020 COVID hit. Work got crazier for everyone. I don't care what industry or role you're in, I like everyone's job got a little harder, if not a lot harder and stressful because we're all managing extra stuff. Now, whether it's at home or at work. At the time I was an employee help make sure our employees were safe and taking care of themselves. That time it just got that much more stressful, but were overwhelming. I felt like it was really evident to me while I was not being with my children during the day, like thank God for my husband, who was able to flex a little more in terms of the homeschooling and like keeping them they were in kindergarten when COVID first hit. So there was no like jump on your computer and do your own stuff. He was very hands on. Right? So yeah, we only survived then the next school year by bringing in college students to help with that, which they were amazing. But yeah, it just was really evident to me like how little I was able to give them because of how much I was putting into my day job. And then come 2021 Same thing. So by 2022 I was like listen, I'm still feel I moved to a new role, which was a really great shift. I was enjoying it. But at the same time like I think now might be my time like my kids are still young enough that they will they want to hang out in them but for the most part, I could take the summer I try to figure out if not, if it's like if I fail miserably multiple times. Okay, I'm enough to go back and say, Alright, I made this mistake I tried it didn't work for me. But here I am reapplying For a new role. So that's where I just it was yours for me in the making of like, do I want to do those? I do want to do it. But I know that sounds crazy. It's scary. Like I just I went through that dialogue multiple times. And it wasn't until I started having the conversations with my husband, with my mom with like good brands like I'm really have this desire, and I would rationalize like, why it would be okay. They're like, Oh my god. So go do like, okay, and then it got to the point where it's like summers around the corner. I think I need to do it. So I gave like five weeks notice. I didn't want to leave my team and alert shows. All right to make something out. That was it. It was a really, it was a long decision for me it was drawn out. I was never I didn't have the clear what's next. It was just I have this whisper that has now turned into yellow like you'll figure it out. Just go try. Just go try.
Jamie Stephens:Do you think that having the podcast and having like building that confidence over the last nine months or whatever, however long? It's been six months? How long has eight months? I don't know, what is time anymore?
Kristen Lettini:What is nine? Definitely having the podcast helps. I mean, it's no overnight success. Yes. Yep, there are people are like, Oh, you'd have to listen to this amazing show, right. But it was something like it just felt good to do it. To do something consistently to put it out there to see it growing, albeit slowly, right? In my mind, if it gets one download a day, it's going in the right direction, right? So yeah, having the podcast definitely helped. It was like, Oh, you're doing something, you're not doing nothing. And it's not the end all be all, but it's something that it feels done,
Jamie Stephens:right? I think just that like, almost like a confidence boost, like I've done something I've never done before. And I'm being consistent. I'm learning in the process. I'm growing. I'm stretching myself, I'm learning these new skills, whether it's tech or marketing, or speaking or recording, like whatever it is, it's all new stuff. And I think it just builds that competence of yeah, like I can figure it out, like whatever it is, whatever it is, I can Google it. I can ask somebody, I have community, I have people, which is not something that a lot of people have whenever they first leave, you know, it's like building that kind of network before you walk away, I think is is interesting. Yeah. Nice to have. For sure.
Kristen Lettini:Definitely helpful. I recommend that if you're planning Yeah, you're planning that sign. Find that community at a time.
Jamie Stephens:Exactly. Yeah, I've like I said, I've never really done that. But this time has been different. So that's been it's been really interesting. And I can say like, Yeah, this is really something you should invest your time in. Because it's not just for a friendly chat. So it's like, no, these people can really help hold you accountable to help raise the bar help raise you, and you did the same for them, you know,
Kristen Lettini:exactly. And for the most part, I feel like we all understand like, seeing you succeed, doesn't mean I won't succeed, right? We can both exceed. And actually, things are much better when we both do instead of just one of us. Right? So that would mean me helping you makes me any worse off.
Jamie Stephens:Yeah, I guess all of the women I follow online today, like they all seem to have that abundance attitude. But that's really something that is cultivated, and not something that I think is just natural for people. So how would you say that you kind of got to that point? Were you there before you kind of took on this podcasting role. And like were you saw people as peers and helpful and not as like competition, or I don't even know what I'm trying to say, but
Kristen Lettini:I follow where you're going. And I would say maybe not as I wasn't as mindful about it, or what it was called. But I will say that, I feel like I had some of it because being in a large corporation. So I've worked in both a 13 person company. And then I worked for 140,000 person global company, worked at both extremes. And even that large company, I like I mentioned at the top of this, and worked across different functions. So I first went, I spent five years in procurement before I made the switch over to marketing, and then ultimately communication. So in that time trying to switch from procurement to something that was less related, like I wasn't going straight into a supply chain. I was like, hey, I want to go into marketing. The people around me didn't necessarily know how to help, even if they wanted to support me. They're like, Yeah, I'm sorry, I don't know what the steps are for that. So when I would find the people in my outreach to say, tell me how you got into your role and tell me about your paths. They were all willing to share and it wasn't bringing them down. So I feel like it was almost living through that example of me finding those people and it for the most part, just like you said, with the podcasts that reaching most people were willing to chat with me and share their story with me and there wasn't anything like they were fearful I was going to take their job when I wasn't even in the function. Yeah. And they were like, look, here's the things you need to know here's what you need to do and let me know how I can help you. They were all for the most part. are very supportive. And I feel like it was that mentality in action without knowing, being mindful of what it was. So I was always happy to pay that forward. Once I made it. I made that switch of functions when others would reach out whether or not they were just starting in their careers or a few years long to say like, how did you do it? And I was always happy to share with them. Look, it wasn't easy. It took a couple years. But here's what I did. So
Jamie Stephens:that's great. So if you had to distill this is a hard question. So feel free to take a minute, but if you had to distill everything you've learned in the last year since starting your podcast, what would be one of the biggest takeaways where you're like, Man, this is it.
Kristen Lettini:Biggest thing for me one for myself, like to like one, just just try it. Failure is okay. When you have that impostor syndrome or fear of like, who am I to do this? I have learned and I try to, sometimes I need reinforcement, but try to focus on like, who might not to do this, right. And I've heard these bots, other people out there probably have them. I owe it to them to share it. Yeah. And like we said earlier, it's they want to hear it. If they're interested. They'll stick around. They'll listen, if they don't, they'll keep scrolling. They might have a negative thought about me, but that's okay. Yeah, they are gonna keep on going. It's not gonna hurt me. And I at least tried it. I can say I tried it. So beloved.
Jamie Stephens:I was listening to a book the other day, and I don't know which one it is. But I think that's chil printer from Denise Duffield Thomas. But one of the things she was saying that struck me so hard, because I have, I've gotten better out over the years, over the year. But that imposter syndrome, that who am I? Like, who cares what I have to say? Like that was just the constant dialogue. For me. It's like, yeah, I can post this but fine. Like, who cares what I have to say, the thing that she said in the book, and it was just kind of like, it wasn't like this grandiose thing, you know, how sometimes just this one sentence and slang, you know, a slew of, you know, a bit middle of a paragraph, just, that's the one that jumps out and gets you. But it was, I'm a contributor, not a guru. And I thought, wow, like, that just really hit me. Because it's like, I don't have to be perfect. Like, I don't have to know every single in and out, I don't have like, I'm just contributing to the conversation. And that felt so easy. You know, I've always been a contributor. I've always been contributing to the conversation, whether it be like I work or my family, or like, what are the things it's like, this is no different. I'm contributing to a different conversation now. But it's still like, I'm just a contributor. I don't know all be all end all. You know, it's like, why put that pressure on yourself? And I think that is, no, it was very eye opening to be like, Yeah, I'm a contributor, not a guru. Like to put that on me.
Kristen Lettini:I like that. I'm gonna use that because I do have it sometimes job. I'm writing a post or you want an editing the podcast. I'm like, oh, I want to get this. And I think you know, it's good enough. Yeah, it's good enough. I'm contributing. Here it is. Maybe people will like it. Maybe they won't. But it's my effort. So awesome. I'm a contributor. I like it. I
Jamie Stephens:like it. All right. Well, do you want to tell people where they can find you, Kristen, and all the things listen to your podcast.
Kristen Lettini:For now, the best place to find me is on Instagram or Facebook. I'm at person dot Latini. And the podcast is build your own fairy tale available on Apple podcasts or Spotify or any of the other platforms, you may listen. But those are the two main ones. So yeah, I would love it. If you head on over, you can follow me I share some behind the scenes into me trying to build my own fairy tale, some laughs some funny pictures of my kids over eating ice cream, and then things about the podcast. So I would love to see
Jamie Stephens:you there. Awesome. And I will link all of that in the show notes. So thank you so much for coming on the show today.
Kristen Lettini:Thank you Jamie had so much fun. All right. Bye bye.
Jamie Stephens:Yay. I am so excited that I got to return the offer and share Kristin story on the show. There's so much to learn on this entrepreneurial journey. And I think hearing some of these very beginning stages will really help you on your path. Some of the key takeaways from this episode are number one, adopt the Come with me. Getting started in business can be as simple as, hey, this is the problem I'm trying to solve for myself. I'm figuring it out. Come with me as I build it. Number two, go with what you know. Some things will be easier than others when you're getting started in your business. Let your previous experience fuel the parts of your business you're comfortable with while you learn the other more challenging aspects. Number three, respect the process. Things can feel overwhelming and daunting when you haven't done them before. However, once you realize that you're a human dealing with other humans, you can start to drop the fear and just do the thing, and that is so scary anymore. Number four, find your peer group. When you're learning a new skill, craft, business, whatever, it's so much easier for our brains to see how to help others. When you find your peer group, you're really finding a mirror to reflect back to you what you could be doing as well. It's an awesome way to learn and grow. Most times someone going through the process with you can provide greater feedback than your friends and family. Number five, recognize your own zone of genius. It's important to put your energy into things that you enjoy and light you up and handing off tasks to people that they actually like doing and are good at it. It's a win win. Number six, be the example your kids are watching and are seeing you as the example. Whether it's eating healthy or pursuing your dreams or trying even if you might fail or getting up if you do fail, or when you fail. Your example is more powerful than any advice. Number seven, be a contributor. Get your ideas into the world without over analyzing and questioning your every comment. You don't have to be an expert. You're simply contributing to the conversation. Okay, friends, that is it. Thanks so much to Kristen for being on the show. Today. I've linked everything up in the show notes. And if you feel like being a rock star, go ahead and send this episode to a friend or lever the or leave a review so more women can find this show. We're all in this together girl. Until next week, find me on Instagram at Jamie Renee
