Why Improving Your Attitude Will Help You Win At Business!

We have come to our final female founder feature this season! It has been such a pleasure to learn from these women. Luckily, this isn't the end of the road- most of them are now going to be hanging out with me on the LOTP podcast (which is now live BTW- link under Podcast on the homepage) YAY!

I loved reading through this week's feature. Plus any girl who quotes Meredith Grey in her interview- you know it's going to be a good read. #longlivegreysanatomy

Beyond her excellent quoting skills, Mariana Mesquita, co-founder of Giftspawt is doing it all. From staying active and playing soccer, growing a business, spending time with her family and STILL working at a 9-5 job.

Learning how to prioritize things is super important when balancing life's to do's! And it seems like Mariana has her head on straight about how to pretty much everything.

I believe she can rock so many things due to the way she looks at her life. Mariana says, "I'm a big fan of satisfying my own curiosity," how expansive is that?! That kind of mindset allows her the freedom to choose & prioritize her interests without ANY judgment.

Mariana looks at every experience as an opportunity to learn and to challenge herself.

The biggest take away on this one: growing a business while balancing everything life has to offer is ALL ABOUT ATTITUDE. She even states in her interview, that she doesn't have the best schedule, but she makes it work.

Too often, people don't think there is time for growing their dream with everything else on their plate. The truth is we don't have more time, so we have to MAKE MORE TIME.

How do you organize your week to make time for your business?

P.S. Mariana & her business partner Allison are EP 2 on the podcast in iTunes! If you are interested in learning more about Giftspawt feel free to contact her via IG @marianacrw or @giftspawt and through email at mariana@giftspawt.com.

Take it away Mariana!

What is YOUR story!? Tell us a bit about your background both personally and professionally.

I was born in Porto, Portugal and went to school at the Portuguese Catholic University where I graduated with a BA in Sound and Image. In 2014 after graduating University I moved to Canada to be with the love of my life. When I was in Portugal I was working as a photographer for an Event Company but when I moved to Canada I had to start from scratch so I worked in retail for 3 years and currently I'm working in insurance. 

I got my first dog Riley in 2015 when I was home waiting to become a Permanent Resident of Canada. Getting Riley was the best decision I have ever made. She absolutely changed my life. I was never allowed to have a dog growing up so when this moment came I was over the moon. We are now best friends and I can't picture my life without Riley in it. 1 year later came Walter. They are so cute and do everything together. 

When I created an Instagram account for Riley in 2015 I had no idea all the friends I was going to make, all the adventures I was about to embark on and how it would change my life. 

It was on Instagram that I met Allison, my business partner. We both have a dog named Riley and we both watched Greys Anatomy religiously every Thursday so that started many topics of conversation. We became really close and one day Allison approached me with the idea of creating a IG page where we feature Dogs With Stuffed Animals. I was all for it and said let's do it. 2 years later we are at 70K followers and created our dream business, Gift Spawt. 

How did you get your idea or concept for your business?

Allison and I have been sending gifts to each others dogs for a while (Birthdays, Valentines Day, Christmas etc). The gifts included a toy and a card and just the whole experience was exciting. We were always curious about what gift our pups were going to receive next. We saw a lot of people doing this and how excited everyone was about it so we decided to create Gift Spawt.

Tell us more about your business and what you do!

At Gift Spawt we focus on celebrating friendships and moments and it's place where we make sending a gift to your dog or other dogs a fun and convenient experience. Each gift includes complimentary wrapping and a hand-written gift card with a personalized message. You no longer have to go to the store to pick up a toy, get a card, get wrapping paper or go to the Post Office. We do all of that for you. 

I’m in charge of the creative part of Gift Spawt. I built our website and update it weekly, run all social media, product photography etc. 

Looking back would you do anything different?

I don’t think I would do anything differently to be honest. I know that we always second guess this answer because maybe I could have done more research on a specific topic here and there but this is my first business. I’m living everything for the first time and just enjoying the journey. No regrets. 

What is your favorite thing about being an entrepreneur?

I can't really just pick one. I love the fact that I get to make people & pups happy. I’m a big fan of satisfying my own curiosity. Everyday I learn something new, it’s a never ending learning experience and I get the opportunity to challenge myself and what i think i’m cable of. Lastly I love the fact that since I became an entrepreneur I get to meet amazing women who hustle everyday and make their dreams come true and that really inspires me. 

Share your favorite moment or moments while growing your business.

My favourite moment was when we released our first holiday box for Christmas in 2018. The moment we posted it on instagram and how much people where absolutely loving what we put together and then having our first sold out box was really the moment where I think Allison and I were like wow. We can really do this. 

What are some of the challenges of being an entrepreneur?

People sometimes tend to sugar coat things but I’m all about honesty. For me the biggest challenge was money. Starting from zero and having to make sure we had money to start our dream. No investors, no family help, just us. Unfortunately you can’t do anything without money but we both work full time so that was something that helped us a lot when we started.

What about some of the challenges you face as a female entrepreneur?

I feel very lucky that I actually haven't come across any major challenges as female entrepreneur. I work mostly with women and they have all been so supportive and encouraging. 

Advice for other other female entrepreneurs or those looking to get started?

Just go for it. I know it can be overwhelming because we tend to think about everything at the same time and I'm guilty of that, however you have to believe that you can do it. You have to reach deep within and trust that you are making the right decision. One thing that helped me a lot when I was thinking about starting Gift Spawt with Allison was listening to podcasts by female entrepreneurs and how they started their businesses. One thing they all had in common was that success did not happen overnight and that gave me more strength to start.

What is your favorite quote?

"We spend our whole lives worrying about the future, planning for the future, trying to predict the future, as if figuring it out will cushion the blow. But the future is always changing. The future is the home of our deepest fears and wildest hopes. But one thing is certain, when it finally reveals itself. The future is never the way we imagined it." - Meredith Grey

How do you avoid burnout?

I do my best to stay healthy. I play soccer once a week and I workout at the gym 3x a week. I’m trying to get into running long distance so let’s see if I can do it. I love a nice bubble bath at the end of a long day while listening to my favourite songs and of course lots of puppy cuddles. 

We know all entrepreneurs work differently. How do you schedule your day?

Well because I have a full-time job (9 to 5) I have to work around that. Allison and I use the app Click-Up where we write down our to do list and we try to do as much as possible everyday. I do a little bit of social media work for Gift Spawt before I go to work in the morning and then I work at night when everyone is already in bed. Not the best schedule but I try to make it work. 

What are your MUST have tools?! (things like organization, calendars, social media, payment platforms, business development sources...etc.)

For me are: Klaviyo for email marketing, Click-Up for to do list & Canva I use to design graphics for our blog etc. 

How do you advertise your brand?

We are still learning about marketing but we are mostly on Instagram. I try to interact with people as much as I can and create real connections. We are going to start using FB/IG ads more when the holiday season starts.  

Is there anything else you'd like for us to know?

There is no "no right time". There's just time and what you choose to do with it. 

That last sentence though!! There is NO RIGHT TIME to start- you just have to commit and GO! Thanks for joining us on the first season of the female founder series! It’s been such a wonderful opportunity to learn from these women. More to come soon.

Do You Know How Powerful Your Thoughts Are?

Have you ever noticed that when you decide on the car you want you begin to see everywhere?

Or when you start dreaming about becoming a business owner and all the people you begin to come in contact with are on that path too?

Our thoughts are extremely powerful - most of the time we don’t even recognize the weight they carry in our lives. They can be the stem of our greatness and the anchor to our anxiety.

When we can push past the mind games and trust ourselves to just take one step forward beautiful things can come together.

I truly believe that  once we decide what’s next for us the universe conspires to support our next step. I think it’s a mix of perseverance & magic that make things happen. 

Have you heard the phrase “your thoughts become your reality?” well that’s exactly what happened to this week’s founder Kelly Callaghan owner of Slay Beauty Bar, Spray Tan Class, and now host to the live event & podcast Wake Up To Level Up.

Kelly shared in our blog interview that she was determined to get out of her 9-5 cubical lifestyle and in order to do that she knew she needed to figure out a way to support herself.

She wrote a bunch of ideas out in her journal about 4 years before she started her business and within a matter of 2 years Kelly had grown her baby mobile spray tanning business into an international multi-six figure business.

GO GIRL!

Kelly mentions that our minds will play tricks on us telling us things like we aren’t good enough, smart enough, experienced enough and in order to fight through it you gotta believe in yourself and take action towards your goals.

Besides these juicy tidbits Kelly shares that she has grown outside of her business as well. Learning to set personal boundaries, diving deep into self- love, and connecting herself to other women who support her highest self. In order to stay at this high vibration Kelly meditates and practices self care. She also recognizes she is only as good as her team and delegates certain tasks to other people in order to reach her goals faster. Over the years she has learned how to create her own systems which in turn she has taught to others which have now made an international presence!

Can’t wait for you to soak up the goodness of Kelly Ann, she truly is an inspiration! If you are looking to know more about Kelly or get in to touch with her about her event, Wake Up to Level Up in 2020 reach out to her via instagram!

Without further ado, Kelly Callaghan!

What is YOUR story!? Tell us a bit about your background both personally and professionally.

After years of working in sales/marketing for multiple telecommunications companies, I realized my alignment with my true beliefs/values/perception was off. 

During those six years of working for corporate, I found myself constantly obsessing over having a "free life". A life where I didn't have to ask for permission to take days off. A life where I could have TRUE impact on others and on myself because I was finally living on purpose instead of on accident. 

I knew I was made for more than a cubicle 9-5 lifestyle. I wanted to travel the world, to connect with new faces and to undoubtedly love what I do for a "living".

It wasn't until I found myself in tears for a week straight WHILE sitting in my cubicle that I was forced to jump into the drivers seat and take action FOR my life.

That week I made the decision to quit my job and booked a few one-way tickets to places I've dreamed of exploring and dove all in to consciously creating my life.

It was through those solo travel experiences that I gained the confidence and guidance to realize that I truly was the creator of my existence now and forever.

Slowly, I started to chip away at the limiting beliefs that kept my boxed up for so many years. I started playing intentional games with myself to see how far I could expand.

"What if I saw my big, bold dreams as attainable?"

"What if I took the steps forward to have FUN and to live life with purpose and intention rather than on accident?"

"What if I could be the woman of my own dreams so that I could attract the right people, places, things, experiences into my life?"

"What if I stopped playing small and WENT ALL IN?"

After playing around the world for 18 months, I decided that I wanted this type of freedom more than I wanted anything else. 

I made the decision to take the leap and jump into building my own business so I could be MY OWN BOSS and I could say YES to the things that truly made my happy and fulfilled.

I took the last few grand I had saved up and invested it into a mobile spray tanning business.

With no knowledge of business, it was a bit risky but I knew that I had the grit, the intelligence and the drive to figure it out as I went.

I didn't have all the answers. I didn't even know who to turn to to ask for help.

All I knew was that I had this undeniable hunger to create a life worth living and that, to me, was more important than anything else.

Through much trial and error, messy mistakes, overwhelm and stress, I managed to pull through each obstacle that temporarily held me back from the next level of mastering this thing called entrepreneurship.

With each mistake and "failure", I got better.

With each person saying "what the ---- are you doing?" I got more lit up and inspired.

With each disappointment or rejection, I found redirection into a better space/situation.

Within a matter of 2 years I had grown this baby mobile spray tanning business into an international multi-six figure business. 

Through BELIEF, perseverance, passion, dedication and an understanding that NO ONE was going to do this for me and that I had to take 100% responsibility for my own life, I was able to make massive internal and external shifts.

I saw loop holes in an industry that was just starting to gain massive momentum. I filled those holes and solved those problems with solutions for clients. When I shifted from personal gain to global change and outward impact, I became "successful". Not only monetarily but I became more fulfilled because I had found that I had a passion for CONNECTING with others and helping others achieve their own dreams.

Today, I own a salon in San Diego (Slay Beauty Bar), I have 12 women in the United States and Canada conducting spray tan trainings (Spray Tan Class), I hold group spray tan trainings throughout North America (Slay The Spray), I hold live events for women in business who are ready to WAKE UP TO LEVEL UP in mindset + business (Wake Up To Level Up) while running all my social media accounts - YouTube, Wake Up To Level Up Podcast, IG, FB Groups, etc.

I am a busy woman. BUT, I am pulled by passion - not pushed by need/ego/money. It all comes from a place of WANTING to make massive impact and I LOVE (most of) every second of it! :) 

How did you get your idea or concept for your business?

Great question! I wrote a bunch of ideas out in my journal approx. 4 years before I started my business. I believe it came from my background working at a tanning salon and doing research on low barrier businesses.

Tell us more about your business and what you do!

I oversee operations for Slay Beauty Bar where we help women feel even more luxurious through spray tanning, teeth whitening and eyelash extension services.

I run Spray Tan Class which is composed of a group of women who are eager to help other women learn how to spray tan or advance their career in the spray tanning industry. 

I also hold powerful experiences through live events and retreats called Wake Up To Level Up to help women in business "step into their Goddess" and find power from within.

Looking back would you do anything different?

I would ask for help more, make better decisions on investments, slow down to speed up and hire a coach for certain things I needed help with.

What is your favorite thing about being an entrepreneur?

FREEDOM and the fact that I can tap into my creativity at all moments. 

Share your favorite moment or moments while growing your business.

Seeing the women in person at Wake Up to Level Up has been absolutely my favorite part of being an entrepreneur so far. So many amazing, beautiful people all inspired to be better. It took my breath away.

What are some of the challenges of being an entrepreneur?

Wearing a lot of hats. Overwhelm. Stress. Moments where you question and doubt yourself. It takes a lot of grit and a lot of patience and faith to be an entrepreneur but I have all of that and learning how to be better every day.

What about some of the challenges you face as a female entrepreneur?

Being that I mainly work with women, I don't have many challenges solely based on the fact that I am a female in business. Maybe the cattiness that can surface? Other women telling me I am not good enough because I only have this many months or years of experience? It doesn't seem challenging to me anymore because I stand true and strong in the person I am today. No one and nothing can impose their own beliefs on me because I am stronger than that now and I know I come from a genuine and secure place.

Advice for other other female entrepreneurs or those looking to get started?

Jump. Now. Don't wait. Don't overthink. Just do. 

You will figure it out as you go along. 

Ask for help, don't overextend yourself and do what FEELS RIGHT in your heart. 

Your mind will play tricks on you. Telling you you aren't good enough, smart enough, experienced enough.

Everything that has ever existed began with a thought.

It is possible if you BELIEVE and take inspired action to go towards your goals.

Be kind to yourself and others. Do what's right. Never do it just for the money. Do it to make change and to help others. 

What is your favorite quote?

What if you lived ALL OUT?

How do you avoid burnout?

Meditate. Delegate. Systems. Ask for help.

We know all entrepreneurs work differently. How do you schedule your day?

Trying to become more of a planner/organizer. I try to start with body movement/meditation in the morning, online work after that, lunch, me time and do my creative work when I feel inspired.

What are your MUST have tools?! (things like organization, calendars, social media, payment platforms, business development sources...etc.)

IG, YouTube, FB Group, PayPal, WordPress, LearnDash, WooComm, so many!

How do you advertise your brand?

Social Media

Is there anything else you'd like for us to know?

Would love to connect on my podcast Wake Up To Level Up + on IG! Keep GLOWING, ladies!

I met Kelly several years ago when she was just starting her business. It’s been such a pleasure watching her journey unfold. A huge take away from Kelly’s story is that we must lean on ourselves and trust ourselves to make decisions. This sentiment reminded me of female founder, Bre Thomas, who shared the same thing. She mentioned that one of the most challenging (and rewarding) things that she has discovered from entrepreneurship is trusting herself when making decisions.

Kelly has done this time and time again as she has continued to evolve her business and take it to the next level. I’m so excited for her podcast interview and the juicy tidbits & strategies you’ll learn from her.

If you have any comments & questions please leave a comment below!

Why Mistakes Are Your Best Teachers

Being a new business owner is no small feat. Especially if you're working alone. Trusting that you're making the right decision without validation can be challenging, but to move forward, you gotta take action and hope for the best.

That's precisely the mindset that business owner Breana Thomas founder of Nutrivenience shared about her experience being an entrepreneur. She mentions that she's had to learn how to make decisions herself, trust herself, and learn along the way.

The reality of being an entrepreneur is not as pretty as a curated photo on Instagram. No one sees the behind the scenes like working until 2 or 3 in the morning or having to test different services or platforms.

I think one of the reasons people don't move forward is that they are scared to make mistakes when in all honesty we need those mistakes to learn where to go next. Bre says it herself, "Pay attention, learn quick, and re-route when needed." The only way to grow is to GO.

Brene Brown writes in her book, The Gifts of Imperfection, you must be OK with however your day ends. Recognizing your worth is not tied to the tasks you completed, the money you made, or how successful you were at the thing you were trying to achieve. The real deal is how you feel about yourself and how you show up for yourself every single day.

I've tried to put this mindset at the forefront of my day. It's essential to enjoy the little wins along the way as we go after the bigger dreams that we have. Bre also describes how wonderful it has been building her business steadily, and by taking it one step at a time.

Another founder, Marissa Rose Nash talked about in her interview about living in the grey. I think this is a valuable mindset to have while growing your business. Instead of having such strong expectations about things being a certain way allowing them to ebb and flow and take it one step at a time is key! Angela Buckner also describes this way of thinking. She shares in her interview that enjoying the process even when it’s so tough to be new at something is very important to one’s overall mindset and growth.

In addition to slowing down and enjoying the ride, Bre puts self-care high on her priority list. To avoid burn out, Bre makes sure to come back to the basics. Like moving her body, sleeping well, and eating nutrient-dense foods.

If you are looking to get in touch with Bre you can reach her through email at breanathomas310@gmail.com. You can also take a look at her creative instagram here and her company Nutrivenience to learn more about what she does!

Let’s get started!

What is YOUR story!? Tell us a bit about your background both personally and professionally.

Well...I moved to Orange County 10 years ago to pursue hair dressing. I got a job at a salon and a year in realized the industry was not for me. I liked working with my hands, I liked being creative, I liked making people feel good, but I didn't like the materialism and drama that came with the industry. So I quit.

I started working for restaurants as a server and eventually got a job at True Food Kitchen right when it was opening in Newport Beach. Everything I learned there resonated so much, and though I loved cooking, I'd never looked at it as a profession until then. The health aspect of it all added tremendous value to what that could be and gave me purpose. I didn't want to work in a restaurant, I wanted to help people one on one. 

From there I decided I wanted to work as a private chef. I enrolled in culinary school and began my deep dive into all things health and nutrition. I started an online holistic nutrition course, watched documentaries, read countless books, started juice cleansing and tried different eating styles. I was gluten free, vegan, vegetarian, keto, paleo, I tried them all. Eventually developing my own eating style which was a cumulation of everything that made me feel good. That eating style is now Nutrivenience. 

How did you get your idea or concept for your business?

Working as a private chef, a lot of my clients wanted to lose weight. After adhering to the diets they presented to me, in terms of the food I made, I realized that a lot of it was crap...and incredibly unhealthy. I developed the Nutrivenience plan initially for myself. It's something I did for 3 months straight in the beginning and have done it at least once a month since . I brought this plan into the homes of my clients and it worked for them as well. 

When I began teaching spin, I got so many questions from riders regarding weight loss, nutrition, meal prep, etc. I knew I had to figure out a way to mass produce my food because I physically couldn't cook for all of these people in their homes. And voila... Nutrivenience was born. 

Tell us more about your business and what you do!

Nutrivenience offers prescriptive, whole-food, plant-based meal plans delivered throughout Orange County, Ca. 

Customers receive a combination of ready-made food and juice for the desired length of their plan (3 or 5 days). Our main focus is health, with weight loss being the side effect. 

Looking back would you do anything different?

No. I've learned so much by doing everything myself with no outside investors or help. It's been a slow growth process but steady and extremely rewarding. 

What is your favorite thing about being an entrepreneur?

I love having a platform to express my creativity 

Share your favorite moment or moments while growing your business.

Favorite moments are always customer feedback. Our food is changing people's lives. The way they look at 'healthy' food, the way they feel and the knowledge they gain. This has the potential of changing our food system entirely here in the US.

For me this is what it's all about. This is how I make this world a better place.

What are some of the challenges of being an entrepreneur?

The hours. It never truly stops, and no one really understands that unless they're a business owner/entrepreneur. It's task oriented, you don't get to clock out, and in the beginning (which for me is still 3 1/2 years in) the tasks never end.

I'm an only child and I think this works in my advantage, because you're alone a lot. You've got to figure shit out on your own, you've got to make hard decisions on your own and just hope everything turns out okay. And when it doesn't, you've got to learn quick and keep moving. 

What about some of the challenges you face as a female entrepreneur?

Honestly, I don't think I've had any. I think it's so celebrated right now that if anything I've had an advantage. 

Advice for other other female entrepreneurs or those looking to get started?

Just start. As cliche as that sounds. Once you start 'doing it', you realize most people who are also 'doing it' have no idea what the hell they're doing. 

Pay attention. Learn quick. Reroute when needed. 

What is your favorite quote?

I have many. But in regards to entrepreneurship: Sell the problem not the solution.

How do you avoid burnout?

I do my best to stay healthy. I move my body almost every day. I nourish it with whole foods 80% of the time. And I get 7-8 hours of sleep per night. 

We know all entrepreneurs work differently. How do you schedule your day?

I have an ongoing to-do list in the Notes section of my phone. At night I pull atleast 6 things I need to get done the next day and put them at the top. I also work a full time job and teach spin classes so my days are hectic. I schedule alarms for everything to get as much out of my brain as possible. Hardest tasks first thing in the morning.    

What are your MUST have tools?! (things like organization, calendars, social media, payment platforms, business development sources...etc.)

Honestly, I try to keep it as simple as possible. I'm technologically retarded. I use my notes/calendar in my phone. Besides that, I outsource everything else (marketing, social media, website, etc) now because I simply don't have the time. So I'd say, MUST have tools are finding the right people to do the things you're not naturally good at.

How do you advertise your brand?

We still are all Instagram and word of mouth. With this, the business has doubled every year. 

Soon we're going to start with FB/IG ads. 

Is there anything else you'd like for us to know?

You really should eat more plants. 

Bre, thank you for your time and energy! It was an honor learning about your business! I’m an only child too and can relate on so many levels! Regardless if you have siblings or not you gotta learn how to be independent, answer your own questions, an trust yourself. Thanks for your inspiration and contribution to the female founder series!

Questions, comments, feedback? Send us a comment below!