Good News If You’re Struggling to Find Your Passion! - #019

Show Notes

If you’re unhappy with the work you’re doing or the career you’re in, creating a side hustle could be the perfect solution. But what if you aren’t sure what kind of business to start or what work lights a spark in you? Lori Vajda and Nola Boea explore the search to find your purpose with their guest, the indomitable and creative CEO and Founder of NRW Designs, Natalie Westenscow.   ​

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Sticky Brand Lab

Discover how to find your purpose and create a business you love. Come have a listen!

In This Episode You’ll Learn

• Why you don’t need to focus on ‘finding’ your passion, but rather shift your focus to look for the continual pattern of the thing(s) that you do effortlessly and seamlessly. 
• How to fight the negativity that arises with self doubt.
• The two different schools of thought for pursuing your passion and which leads to more happiness.
• The importance of pricing your services to match the value you offer.

Much of the advice on the pursuit of passion to be centered on “focusing on what you love”. But there is another school of thought that says you should “focus on what you care about.” And as Lori and Nola discovered when talking to guest Natalie Westenscow, when you tap into your natural creativity, (and yes, we all have creative energy) and match that with what you care about, you unleash a different kind of energy. An energy that pushes you to live your purpose. 

(4:33.58) This could be the best advice for someone who finds themselves in a career or job doing something that they're not that interested in.

(7:27.50) A simple yet motivating strategy when your spark hasn’t yet caught fire. 

(10:07.36) The incredible way making over spaces is actually a metaphor for life.

(20:55.23) A powerful link between tapping into your creative energy and pursuing your passion business.

(25:00.44) They saw the universe works in mysterious ways and after this story, we believe.

Resources

This episode was supported by: Be-YOU-nique
​
 NRW Designs - www.NRWdesigns.com

Transcript

Good News If You’re Struggling to Find Your Passion! -  #019
 
Lori: [00:00:00] Follow your passion. Find a job you enjoy, and you'll never have to work a day in your life. If like us, the pursuit of the ever elusive follow your passion seems like bad advice or just out of reach. We've got some great news for you. It turns out career happiness is derived from three important elements: Having the ability to work independently, developing a level of mastery and finding purpose. And that is exactly how today's guest discovered her passion. With just one caveat. She took a job she didn't want to do, doing work she didn't like, in a field she had no interest in. So how did she discover her passion? Tune in to find out. Because it might just help you find yours.
 
Announcer: [00:00:47] You're listening to the Sticky Brand Lab podcast, where time strapped professionals, like you learn how to create a business you love in as little as three hours a week.
 
Nola: [00:00:59] Have you ever wondered what's my passion. Well, you're not alone. Turns out a lot of us have struggled to uncover the one thing that we can get paid to do that also lights a fire in us. Mom, boss, Natalie Westenskow, president and founder of NRW Designs, knows a thing or two about searching for the spark of light, that lights up a soul. After all, she turned her love of creating beautiful spaces into a career, but it wasn't always like that.
You see, Natalie discovered her make-over passion while working in a job she wasn't that crazy about. How do you uncover the clues to the career or side hustle that inspires you? Is searching even the right approach to finding your passion? If you're not fully happy about the work or business you're doing, is it a sign you haven't found it? These are just a few of the topics we'll be exploring on today's show.
 
Hello and welcome aspiring side hustlers. Nola and Lori here with an episode of Sticky Brand Lab we're passionate about. But before we discuss whether you're born with a passion or you discover it, be sure to subscribe to our podcast on Apple podcasts, Google podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts. That way you'll never miss out on any of our weekly helpful, informative, and always opinionated podcasts. Now let's get this purposeful show started.
 
Lori: [00:02:20] Michael J Gelb the author of How to Think, Like Leonardo da Vinci, Seven Steps to Genius, suggested seven notable principles to increase creativity. Some of those include curiosity, thinking independently, embracing uncertainty and balancing logic and imagination. And much like the recommendations from the book, Natalie Westenscow has lived her life applying this type of creative thinking to expand her opportunities.
 
As an entrepreneur author, speaker, mother, talented designer, and makeover queen. She is passionate about transforming both people and their spaces. As the creator of Makeover for Takeover experience program, Natalie has a deep desire to help women, and men, of all ages transform their lives by revealing the true origins of beauty, igniting their ability to recognize the value in others and showing individuals how to cultivate a mindset so they can live a life of purpose and self-worth.  With years of experience in interior styling services, Natalie has established NRW Designs, which specializes in home staging, chic closets and interior styling services for both corporations and individuals. Natalie lives by the motto, “Why fit in when you are born to stand out?” We're so excited to have you here, Natalie. Welcome.
 
Natalie: [00:03:50] Thank you for having me.
 
Lori: [00:03:52] Yay. Yay We were fascinated by your story of how you discovered your passion, because it blew so many stereotypes out of the water. And for listeners who are just tuning in for the first time, you can hear Natalie's whole story in podcast episode 10, Mom Boss, Making the Leap to Entrepreneurship. But basically, you told us you were pregnant when you took a job with a company, a new company, actually. And then you went and had enough confidence and courage to mold the position into something that worked for you and that you were interested in doing. Do I have that correct?
 
Natalie: [00:04:30] Yes, you do.
 
Lori: [00:04:31] Ah. Perfect. What advice would you give to someone who finds themselves in a career or job doing something that they're not that interested in?
 
Natalie: [00:04:40] I think that what they need to do is dig a little deeper in the position that they currently hold and find a spark that works. What is it that keeps them coming back? Because that's what did it for me. I wanted to come back to work, but it wasn't so that I can answer everybody's calls. It was so I can finish designing the lobby. It was so I can finish hanging up the pictures. And, um, and that's what, that's what created the spark. And I thought to myself, wait a second, I'm more excited about hanging this picture frame and repositioning these chairs than I am about answering a call. And that's what set it off for me. So I think that, I think from the time that we're born, we are already who we are supposed to become. And I say that we are becoming who we already are. And in everything that we do, there is a continual pattern of something that we do effortlessly and seamlessly.  I did design, and never got paid for it, I still would do design.
 
Nola: [00:05:39] So it's finding that spark.
 
Lori: [00:05:41] Let me back it up just a little bit. You were working and, and how did you even create the opportunity for yourself to do the decorating? And how did you recognize that that even sparked your passion? I mean, you said, you said that after you were doing it, you recognized it, did you know it like going in?
 
Natalie: [00:06:02] Not really, um, What happened was, is here I am in this lobby. It's, it's a huge lobby with a little tiny desk I would literally sit there for eight hours a day with really not a whole lot to do but read a magazine. And I started looking around and I thought I would be pretty if this had a picture frame here and all this would, you know, it would look good. We should create something. These things started happening and I would write little things down. And then I'd find myself on websites, looking for furniture. What would the cost be if we did do that?  And, the opportunity came for me to sit down with the vice president  uh, he wanted to hear my opinion. What do you think, uh, where there would be that there'd be any changes, um, that you would like to make, to make the entrance more appealing when people come in to make it more appealing, should we change? And that was my moment. That was my moment to say, uh, yes. As a matter of fact, I would change the whole thing. I would add this and, and he didn't even blink. He just looked at me and said, How much is that going to cost?
 
Nola: [00:07:08] You have the answer?
 
Natalie: [00:07:09] And I was able to say for $2,000 I will transform this entire section. And I did. And I knew that if I, Oh, if I could just do this every day of my life, I would be so happy. And, um, and, and that was it.
 
 Nola: [00:07:27] At what point did you know that this was actually going to be the start of a side hustle?
 
Natalie: [00:07:32] That's so interesting because after this job, I went on to have my first born, my son. I worked from home after that for the same company answering the phone.  So here's what went through my mind when I did this. I knew that there was a spark, but the spark didn't light a flame up yet. As a matter of fact, some things begin to happen in my life that kind of started to dim the spark out. Things like, well, maybe I need to have a license. Maybe I have to go back to school full-time to learn. Maybe this is not a natural thing. I had to fight a lot of negativity or I can't do that. I can't be successful in that. I don't have a degree in that. I have to go to. School. And so for a long time I fought the idea or is just something I love to do. I'll just do it in my own home when I get the chance. Um, and I'll tell you, when it changed for me. I was inside of a Goodwill store. And by this time my Makeover for Takeover Program is, is taking off and I'm being invited to give speeches. And I had just come back from a church, that had just invited me to come and speak to their singles group. And I was walking and I hear somebody call my name from behind a shelf. And the first thing that went through my mind was am I in trouble?
 
Nola: [00:08:47] Wow.
 
Natalie: [00:08:48] I started looking around like, What? And I, I couldn't see anybody. I'm like, what is happening here? And this, young, short woman comes around the, um, from the other side of the shelf and looks at me and she says, you don't know me, but I know you. And she said, I've been to all of your meetings and I've been, I was at your last one and I was listening to you speak and you're so motivating and you're so inspiring. Um, and, um, she just sent, started to cry. And I grabbed her hand and I just said, what, how can I help you? And she just said, I'm in a really dark place in my life. And she said, and I there's, there's a room that I live in and it just, all it does is reflects the dark place in my life. And I just was praying the other day and I really felt like you could help me with that. You could help turn that dark place into a place of hope. But the first thing I thought was what? And I'll just look down and I just looked at her and just said, I'll help you.
Nola: [00:10:01] Wow.
 
Natalie: [00:10:02] I'll help you.
 
Nola: [00:10:03] Was like, this is crazy, but I'm going to go with it. Is that
 
Natalie: [00:10:07] This is crazy. I'm going to go with it. And I, and the reason why I decided to go with it, because after this experience, there was a word that followed me in everything that I do. And this is why I do what I do to this day. And the word is makeover. And I realized after this encounter with this woman, that it doesn't matter if I'm transforming spaces, as long as I'm transforming a life. Whether it's through a space, whether it's through a logo, whether it's through, uh, earrings, whether it's through a mug that I sell. If I'm transforming your life, then I'm fulfilling my purpose. And this woman was the beginning of that. And when she gave me her room, the first question I had was what's your budget? And, you know, I only have a thousand dollars. That's what she said. I only have a thousand dollars. And I said, well, we're going to make it work. And during that time, I took that thousand dollars and wherever we didn't have the budget to fit the rest, I started going on Facebook. I started going on social media or asking my neighbors and my family. Hey, I have this single woman. She needs help. I need $50. And I started getting donations. And, um, I did, I started to get donations. I even got people that were saying, hey, I have an unused comforter. Would you, could you use that? I have, you know, a desk lamp. Could you use that? I have a desk. And, and, and that's how it started. And we were able to transform her space. Um, and we, we, you know, take the thousand dollars. The space was $2,000 and we got the rest for in donations.
 
Nola: [00:11:36] Wow.
 
Lori: [00:11:37] I have goosebumps as I'm listening to you tell that story. I just want you to know that, uh, like that's one of those. Um, I think Nola calls them God wink kind of experiences. I trust my goosebumps here.
 
Natalie: [00:11:52] Yeah, yeah. And that wasn't the first encounter. That was, I mean, that, wasn't the last, that was just the first, when one of, one of her friends, she showed the room that we changed. It was the first makeover I had ever done. She took that room and she showed her friend and her friend called me the next day. I need you to make over an office that I have. I don't ever want to come in here. It's cluttered. And I need, I need inspiration. And, um, that was my next paid job. And it was a side hustle because I didn't have anything worked out. I just knew that I was really good at making a space look really good.  It was on that day, I was putting up her curtains and I thought, I'm making over more than just spaces. And that became the slogan for NRW Designs. "Making over more than just spaces."
Nola: [00:12:50] Oh,
 
Natalie: [00:12:52] And, um, but again, even though I still didn't know it was going to be called NRW Designs. I just knew I had that slogan. I wrote it in a little, I had a book that I labeled the dream bigger book. And I wrote in there that if I was to start a, uh, a design firm that, I would have that as a slogan making over more than just spaces. Um, after that, I went on to partner with a partner and create our first design firm. Um, which at the time was called Modestly Chic Designs. And we got more clients and more clients, and through those clients, we learned how to, okay, this works, this doesn't work. Okay. We're going to have to charge a little more. Um,
 
Nola: [00:13:29] Refining the business model.
 
Natalie: [00:13:31] Yeah, during that time and, the both of us had to take a leap and one of us was still working a full-time job. I went into this design firm completely. I left everything and put everything into this design firm. And I'll tell you, there were months that went by, we didn't get any calls, and then I went months where people would call and say, you know, I would say, what's your budget. And I will look and I'll say, well, that's really not going to fit. It's going to be more like this, you know? Oh, you're crazy. And would hang up on us, like that's too much money. And during those moments, you know, you got to be able to tell yourself and believe that this is really where you belong.
 
Once that was established and we got to a place where, um, my partner got married and she didn't want to do this anymore. She wanted to do other things. And that was the first time that I was really scared. Because I was, am I going to continue to do this? Can I do this by myself? Can I do this as a homeschooling mom? I homeschool my kids full-time. There won't be this extra help.  It'll just be me. And I took a leap in 2018 and I opened up NRW Designs.
 
Nola: [00:14:41] You did it!
 
Lori: [00:14:45] Your story is so inspiring for many, many reasons. One is there's a huge difference between having ideas and taking action. And I think what's incredible is you worked through your fear of not having qualifications, not being good enough, not being thought of as an expert to having that encounter with that woman and taking the leap. And making it happen. And learning as you're going. And, and not only learning as you're going, but having them the confidence to set boundaries and say, I can't do that for that price. This is my price. This is what you get when you hire me to do your space. And, and trusting that you have now, the credibility that you were thinking you didn't have. Which I think is, is inspiring.
 
Nola: [00:15:46] Sometimes, defending your price is also defending your value,
 
Natalie: [00:15:51] Yes.
 
Nola: [00:15:52] Your business value. That is.
 
Natalie: [00:15:54] That's exactly how I saw that was and believe me in the beginning, I didn't defend it. I would feel bad for saying all this is actually going to cost an extra $50 or an extra 45. And I would absorb the cost. I went through months like that. Uh, but I realized that if this is going to be a real business, then I have to really treat it like a real business. And this is not a favor that I'm doing for someone. And I realized that if I, if I'm going to take, I'm going to be taken seriously, then I need to be serious about it. And I needed to find the value. Because it's a very competitive market.  There's interior designers, interior decorators, interior, interior, a lot of things. And then with social media, there are so many influencers out there. And I discovered that I'm me. This is my space. This is my lane. And there is got to be something that I do differently than everybody else or else I wouldn't be here. Um, you're not here to be a copycat. You're here to be an original. And, um, and I've found that that thing was making over more than just spaces. I don't just decorate a house. I don't just decorate a room. I change a life. I transform your life.
 
The next place that I was invited to after that was to a women's group home. it was a nonprofit, halfway house for women, um, in domestic violence situations that have been removed from that. And now they're in this home, um, or they're um, former drug addicts, that have been released from prison into a halfway home. these women were actually women that were being rescued also from human trafficking situations.
 
And they asked me to create a curriculum in order to rehabilitate them back into society, getting a job, getting to work, getting a means of transportation, having a place to live up their own for the first time. And every week I was teaching a class, I would stay after the class for about an hour or two, and I would make changes to a living room. I would bring clothes. And there is where I discovered that there were a lot of women that were hurting, um, that needed to start over. Needed for someone to believe that they can. Um, and I remember the first time I saw the slogan on a pillow, she believed she could, so she did. And that became the be all end all for me because you know what, you can really do it.  And that's what I started to share with them. If you believe you can do it, you can do it. And I fully support it. Let's do it together. And, um three weeks after that, I was called by the central Florida Boys and Girls Club to create that same curriculum that I had introduced there for young girls in middle school for an afterschool program.
 
Nola: [00:18:41] And can you describe a little bit about the Makeover for Takeover program since it's such a big component of what you do?
 
Natalie: [00:18:48] Yeah, there's two, there's the Makeover for Takeover Experience. And now there's a Makeover for Takeover program. So the Makeover for Takeover Experience is, it's a nine month program that teaches women and young girls, what the real meaning of beauty is. Inner beauty. And that is, that started in that home with the women. With a Makeover for Takeover program, there are women that want to start a business, or they want to start a homeschooling for their kids, and they'll say things like if I just had an office with a desk and a computer.  I just had, um, a desk for me to hold my kids, you know, lessons. And so we take what your dream is and we make it a reality. And so I take leftover furniture, donated items, and I begin to transform the space that they need. And it is as no cost to them is totally funded by the Makeover for Takeover program.
 
Nola: [00:19:43] Oh. Oh, so this, this is a charity type of program.
 
Natalie: [00:19:47] Yes. And we've already done, uh, 11 Makeover for Takeovers.
 
Lori: [00:19:52] That is awesome. Well, when we come back, Natalie, we would love to get your advice, experience and suggestions for anyone who would like to follow their passion or find their passion.
 
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 Nola: [00:20:44] Welcome back to Sticky Brand Lab, where we show you how to turn your knowledge, passion, and great idea into an income stream so you can create a side business and lifestyle you're excited about. So, Natalie, do you think that there is a connection between creativity and pursuing your passion business?
 
Natalie: [00:21:05] Yes, I do. Um, I believe very much in creative energy actually. Um, Yeah, creative energy, I think is where you find that when you know, creativity and pursuing your passion, create creative energy. And I believe it's a different type of energy. I think it's the kind of energy that is inspired by the Holy Ghost and pushes you to what you were destined to do. Um, I believe everybody's called to make an impact some way shape or form, um, in the smallest way to the most magnanimous large way.
 
Lori: [00:21:39] I hadn't heard of it exactly like that. But now that you're saying there's a difference between creativity and creative energy, that all of a sudden is like, that makes so much sense. Why had I never thought of that before? Yeah. Like ding, ding, ding, ding. Yeah, yeah, yeah, exactly. That is an, of course you gave me more goosebumps. So, I just feel like this is one of those synergistic kind of experiences, um, that I'm really grateful for. So speaking of which, as a boss, how do you continuously inspire or apply creative energy to growing and expanding your own business?
 
Natalie: [00:22:19] First of all, the first thing I have to do is simmer down. I have so much creative energy that if I don't focus, I can be in five places. And then what happens is that I begin to become good at some things but a master of nothing. Creative energy, if it's misunderstood, can make you feel like everything that you've come up with is for now. And it isn't. There's a time for it, and I had to learn that by making mistakes. I was starting all kinds of things all at the same time and wondering why I was dropping the ball in several different places.  And so, I have to write it down and make it a habit to reflect on it on a weekly basis. Where am I with this?  Um, and so, um, and I'll give you an example of that, you know, as far as NRW Designs and making over spaces, I've got a really good momentum going with that, so things are moving. And now what I'm going to do is I'm going to kind of put that on hold just a little bit so that I can focus on getting my real estate license. And my goal is to fuse the two together.
 
Lori: [00:23:28] Again, you had talked about your desire to create from the inside, out. And it almost sounds like your real estate license is going to give you the opportunity to create homes from the inside out.
 
Natalie: [00:23:43] I never saw it like that, but yes, absolutely.
 
Lori: [00:23:46] I could actually see the inside and you examining what that space looks like almost from the idea of who would come into that space.
 
Natalie: [00:23:58] Yes.  Yes. That's exactly how I look at the space. Who's going to live here.  And, um, making it over from that vein.
 
Lori: [00:24:07] Yeah. When you talk about how, like how some of your clients have found you in the work that you've done in transforming their space and really bringing out the heart-centered component of them in there. It has always sounded through your story like you're connecting to their vision, not just your vision of what this could become, but their vision. And then you had used the term bigger, like thinking bigger. Kind of taking that for them to that one step bigger than what they ever imagined for themselves possible.
 
Natalie: [00:24:46] Yes.  For me, it's not enough to just make over your space to where you are. I have to make over your space to where you're going.
Nola: [00:24:55] And didn't you recently do that to your own space, your own office?
 
Natalie: [00:25:00] I did. I did. Oh, it was the funniest story ever. I tell you, um, I had spent months not coming into my office. My office became a storage, uh, whenever I wanted to clean the house and I didn't want to take the time to, uh, put something away. I stuck it in the office. And, um, I don't know why I did that. And I remember just sitting in my, in my bedroom and I was, you know, journaling and I was writing down the way that year had gone. And I thought, what are some changes that I want to see? And I started thinking about. You know, I love wall signs. I love inspirational messages. Love murals. And I started thinking, I wonder what it would be, what it would take for me to get there, to where I'm putting my favorite quote on the wall with the vinyl or something to that effect.  But I will tell you the truth guys, the moment I realized the level of transformation that would have to take place in my office, I completely shut the door. Because I went through another moment in my life where I thought that's a really big job. Can I do that? And it felt very overwhelming. And I said, no, I'm not doing it. I made over a little wall and I painted one little wall and that was it. I called it a day.  I spent more time decorating other people's spaces. I had two jobs and I remember I had to come into my office one day and I just broke down and I broke down crying because I realized that my office no longer reflected where I was. Let alone, where I was going. So the very space that is supposed to contain, you know, my creative energy, contain my creative ideas, was no longer containing it. And I knew that I couldn't go any further.
And, um, I had this wonderful, wonderful woman of God send me a message and, um, it was "Make room for the maker."  That day, in the very studio that I'm in, the AC flooded out the printing, the printer section and the whole, and I mean, it's so just imagine water everywhere, water coming down the walls, water in the carpets. And it was one of those days. And I was sitting at the edge of the desk thinking I am all alone. I am by myself. I have to do this alone. The boys could only help me as much as they could. And I remember sitting there and I got this text message from this wonderful woman and she has a ministry where she helps to support other women in business. And she sends me this message and she says, um, you know, the Lord told me to get you this machine. And the machine was called the maker.
 
Lori: [00:27:37] My, I have goosebumps again.
 
Nola: [00:27:40] This is from a different woman? This a different woman sent you the text saying is coming when another text said the maker's coming your way,
 
Lori: [00:27:49] the maker.
 
Natalie: [00:27:51] make room for the maker
 
Nola: [00:27:52] Oh my goodness. And another lady says I'm
 
Lori: [00:27:57] I've got this machine from
 
Natalie: [00:27:58] I've got, I'm you. Yeah. I'm getting you this machine. Um, the Lord told me to get you there. So just tell me how much it costs and it's the maker and I'm thinking, Oh my, and it clicks on me. Make room for the maker.  Now, I didn't even know how to work this machine. I didn't know what it did. I just knew that what I wanted to accomplish I could no longer accomplish in this space that I, that I was in.  And so, having that flood out that section, um, was what started getting things moving because I now had to get all the furniture out and now had to take things away. I had to, and as I started that process, I realized I was already about a third into the make-over. Might as well just keep going. And I just thought, wow,
 
Nola: [00:28:42] That
 
Natalie: [00:28:42] that incredible? Isn't God incredible? I was being stubborn and he's like, well, you know what? I'm going to be stubborn. I'm going to go ahead and break some pipes here.  I started to sit down and I started to think, what do I want it to look like? And I remember I was making some chicken sandwiches for my boys. And I heard "from office to studio." And I knew at that moment that God was taking me from an office to a studio. And I had to look up the definition of those words. Why was that so significant? Because an office is a container of the things that you do. That's what an office is.  But when you look at the definition of studio, it is a place that you create what you do and then send it out. And I knew, Oh, this makes so much sense. And so I went from NRW Designs to NRW Design Studio.
 
And, I started thinking about, well, what does the studio look like? I've never had one. And, um, I started thinking about what I was going to create and I started writing those things down.  And that's how the transformation started happening. So I'm not just doing, you know, homes anymore. Never thought in a million years that I would be here today. That I would even get to this place. But. I believed that I could. And so I did. I just, I had to keep believing in myself. I had to keep believing that I could do it. Even when my kids got sick.  Here's something else that was happening. Um, my tendons are torn and so there was a lot of pain in my elbows and my shoulders.  And, uh, there were many nights where I felt like I couldn't. And then I thought, what am I going to teach my boys for every time they feel pain, give up. Or am I going to tell them to push through? Am I going to tell him to push through, take a breather, but keep on going? And I realized that's what I did. That's what I would tell them. I would tell them, okay, take a breath, calm down, keep on going. And so if I, if I'm going to say that to someone, I need to first say to myself.
 
Nola: [00:30:57] since you had mentioned your boys, this is an opportunity to shift a little bit so as a mom and an entrepreneur, how do you instill, empowerment with your boys?
 
Natalie: [00:31:06] It's interesting because, a lot of other parents would say things like, Oh, I want my children to, um, you know, to go to college to do this. And I'm all for that. Um, but I really believe that, um, my children need to follow the path that they were created for. My son, my oldest, he came to me one day and he said, mom, I don't know what I want to be when I grow up. And I don't like that statement for this reason. We already are. We are becoming who we already are. And so the first thing I did is I looked at my son and I said, well, first of all, you're not gonna be anything, um, that, that, because you already are, who are you now? What is it that motivates you now? And, and I said, what do you love? Now, what is it that makes you spark now? And he's like, I love talking about scripture, but I also love gaming. I say, we'll figure out a way to do both. And so now he's actually started his own YouTube channel and he's actually on there and, you know he's actually working together with his brother and one is 11 and one is 14 and one edits while the other one records videos. And so now they're doing that together and they're getting ready to launch their own thing. And I always let them know too that. It's okay. If they want to work with somebody else, it's okay. If you want to get a job doing this, but it's also okay. If you want to start your own thing.
 
Lori: [00:32:22] That's awesome. That is awesome.  Just in today's show, you've impacted Nola and myself. So we are grateful to have you here as a guest, but as a mom, what impact do you hope to make on your two boys, as both a creative type and as a woman owned business?
 
Natalie: [00:32:40] As a mom, I need them to walk away knowing that if they believe in themselves, they can do it. They can accomplish and achieve anything that they set their mind to.  Um, and then the other thing is to be supportive of women business owned businesses. I think it's important that as men, as boys, you know, raising men, because that's what you're doing, it's important that they be supportive husbands. If your wife ever decides that she wants to do, be supportive, find a way to support her in her dream. If you have a daughter find a way to support her in her dream, don't limit them because they're female.
 
Nola: [00:33:18] Yeah, that's so great. And you know that because of the training and the inspiration, you're giving them that they are, you know, they're going to go back out and be an impact as well. Just being who they are and especially under your encouragement to do so.
 
Natalie: [00:33:37] Yeah, we were just at a jump place yesterday. And, um, we were there with some other kids and there's an older girl there and he was just, my oldest was sitting down and he was listening to her talk about this YouTube channel that she's had, and I happened to just be walking by and he just tells her, he said, “You're incredible. That's amazing! Don’t stop what you're doing.” He's like, “That's awesome.” And I just, it gave me tears because I thought, it's working.
 
Nola: [00:34:05] Wow.
 
Lori: [00:34:06] Yeah, I'm wowed.
 
Nola: [00:34:09] So we, we often ask our guests for what their favorite motto or quote is. And you shared it a little bit earlier, and I'm wondering if you could repeat that for us and tell us more about what that means to you.
 
Natalie: [00:34:27] Okay. My favorite quote is, "She believed that she could, so she did." And I I'll tell you the first time I saw it, I was inside of Kirkland's store. Right. Looking for some items for one of the make-overs that I was working on. And I stopped dead in my tracks because I saw this teal poke a dot that in gold pillow. And, and instead of finishing the shopping for my client, I ended up shopping for myself I purchased, I purchased the pillow. I purchased the couch to go with a pillow. I purchased a blanket all around because that lit me up. Because I felt like, I felt like I had happened upon a statement, that described what I had just went through.
 
Nola: [00:35:14] Yep.
 
Lori: [00:35:15] So I think naturally, um, anybody listening today, listening to your inspirational story would recognize that you continuously, push the status quo.  So for yourself, what is something that you plan to do this year that pushes your edge just a little bit more? To this. You can see her face, but she just had like this little girl in a candy store, kind of look on her face.
 
Natalie: [00:35:46] Yes, because for me, that's the real estate industry.
 
Nola: [00:35:50] Oh, yes. House flipping.
 
Natalie: [00:35:54] Yes. I don't just want a house flip though I want to own or sell vacation homes that are already decorated by me.
 
Lori: [00:36:08] Very cool. Yes.
 
Natalie: [00:36:10] you know, and so I want to be able to do that. or, flip homes, and, and I'm on edge right now. It's, it's pushing the edge.  I've already failed the test several times. And this is going to be the eighth time I take this test.  I had a major influencer in the real estate world after I failed the test the second time tell me that I need to rethink my options. I've had. People in my own family say, you're not cut out for this. I've had, I've had a lot of negativity. I've had people say to me, you're going on your eighth time? Just a lot of negativity. And here's how I feel. I know. Without a shadow of doubt that I'm meant to go in this direction. And I know that somebody else out there is being told the same thing I'm being told, and I'm going to be that person that's going to make it through and be able to turn around and say, you can do it as well.  If you really believe that you can make a difference in that field, keep going. And that's going to be the thing that I'm pushing for this year is to obtain my real estate license, and to begin to flip homes.
 
Lori: [00:37:24] You can make a quote on it. And just, uh, if you feel that this is what you are meant to do, keep going.
 
Natalie: [00:37:32] Yes. Keep going. Don't stop. It's okay. To be tired. It's okay. To take a break. Um, I also think it's important too. It's important to be surrounded by the right people. It really is. Oh my gosh. Your circle of influence is so important. Who is influencing you? What are they saying to you? Having the right circle of influence is really important.
 
Nola: [00:37:57] Well, thank you, Natalie, for being our guest, and sharing your story insights and inspirations. So if someone wants to learn more about you and your company, or, um, if someone wants to make a donation to your Makeover for Takeover program, where, where can they reach you?
 
Natalie: [00:38:18] They can definitely reach me by email on designteam @ NRWdesigns.com or I'm always, uh, reachable on Instagram or Facebook at NRW Designs, and they can message me for more information.
 
Nola: [00:38:34] And I take it. That's also your website address.
 
Natalie: [00:38:37] Yes, it's www.NRWdesigns.com.
 
Nola: [00:38:40] Listeners if you would like to learn more about Natalie, her company NRW designs and the services they offer, or to, um, get a recap on that quote, visit our website's stickybrandlab.com resources page.
 
Lori: [00:38:56] Be sure to come back next Tuesday and every Tuesday for another informative, inspiring and motivating episode. And remember. Actions create results. So tap into your desire to create a business and brand you love by taking 1% action every day. Small steps, big effects.
 
Nola: [00:39:18] Have you ever wondered? What's my passion…