38: IG Live Q+A with Brittany Sjogren

This podcast was transcribed using Descript. Please forgive any typos or errors.

Brittany: Hi friends. Welcome to Life with Loverly. I'm your host, Brittany Sjogren. I'm excited to share my heart with you beyond the 15 seconds. So we get on Instagram, grab an iced coffee and let's do life together. 

Here we are. We thought we could make it work with two phones right next to each other. I don't think that's gonna work this time. Cuz normally when people join. a live. It's like they're in separate locations. 

Nichelle: They are. Yeah, we didn't take that into considerations but that's okay. 

Brittany: Yeah. Cause Nichelle and I are here from the Loverly Grey podcast studio. We thought it would be fun to record tomorrow's episode with you guys live, do a little Q and a answer some questions that you guys might have. We did a question box earlier this week on life with loverly and got a few questions that were submitted by the readers and listeners. So we'll start there and then as you guys are joining and asking questions, then we will get to some of your questions too.

So we're yeah. So drop 'em in the comment box. Yes. If you have anything good, any questions? That you wanna know anything related to the podcast, blogging, lovely, gray, whatever you wanna know, let us know and we'll get through what's short answer. I guess before we get started, while we're waiting for a few more people to join, how was your weekend?

Nichelle: It was good. It was very restful. 

Brittany: How was yours? It was good. Ours was good. We were in San Diego. So fun for a wedding. One of Chris's like long time college friends got married and. It was a reunion for all of his college friends and we had such a great time just being on a little vacation away from the girls.

Although the, my parents took our kids I have two kids who are two and three and they took them to the lake with them for the weekend. I was jealous of how much fun the girls were having on their little vacation with their grandparents. So it was a great weekend for everybody all around. I guess let's get into this.

Nichelle: Yeah. I know one of the really big, I think the most popular question that came through was what I guess made you start a podcast. Where did Life with Loverly come from? 

Brittany: So I actually back in 20 17, 20 18, I put on. I was writing out some goals for the business, what I wanted to accomplish, and Chris listened to podcasts all the time. Like he was constantly listening to like sports podcasts, all sorts of things. I was like, this is so cool. You're re this podcast is like reaching all these different people. Yeah. And I was like, I feel like I have stuff that I talk about on Instagram.

That's really relevant, but Instagram was turning into this. Not everybody wants to sit and watch stories and hear you give like a long explanation on things. I put this on a goal list and then I started having kids. We moved, it just seemed like it got pushed lower and lower until finally actually really helped me, get it started and here we are. I think what I love most about it is we get to have so much more like deep, meaningful conversations on the podcast. We can have guests on the podcast who can like really help, bring awareness about certain topics. So it's been really cool that we've been able to just grow this over three seasons so far. And I feel like we're just getting started. We've got some really cool things coming with the podcast, but it mostly just was a way that I could talk to this community a little bit, like more than just on Instagram stories. 

Nichelle: Exactly. That was one of the things that whenever we were putting it down on a goal list was like, okay, what's the purpose you were like, I want to go beyond the 15, second frames that we get on Instagram.

It's so easy for people to go, okay. If you continue to go longer and longer, but it's so much fun. Cause you're like, I actually wanna finish this conversation. Let's put this done on paper and let's like get into it. 

Brittany: Yeah. Or sometimes people will ask questions on Instagram and they'll be like, oh, I read somewhere that you like went through IVF. Can you tell me a little bit more about your journey? And that's a really long response back, whereas if I send them the link to the podcast, it explains out everything that we went through and there's multiple episodes around our journey. And so I was like, I feel like it's a better story for people to like, hear the full thing.

So it's been really cool just to see what this podcast has done for people and how many people that it's reached. The last year that we've had it out.

Nichelle: Which is so crazy to think about. Starting from where do we begin to? Where we are now? Yeah. Start at the bottom now. We're here.

Brittany: exactly. 

Nichelle: Okay. So another one, just to follow that up, do you have a favorite episode? 

Brittany: I feel like I have a few different type of favorite episodes. I really like the mom guilt episode. I feel like that resonated with a lot of people. Oh yeah. I also think just being able to share different stories, like my brother's story, Chris's sobriety story.

I also love. When I've had guests on anytime that Jenn Boughey has come on, I feel like the listeners really love listening to her and hearing her advice. So I feel like those would be some of my favorites, but our random one that we did in the car, that was a bonus episode of us just like chit chatting.

Yeah. I love those ones too. So I feel like I wanna try to figure out a way we can do a little bit more of that. Cause I feel like you guys also really like when we just are, it feels like you're sitting in the car, and we're just all having girl talk, which is another thing I wanted this to be about.

Nichelle: That one was fun. And I feel like we need to do that a lot more because that's where a lot of really good conversation takes place anyway. Yeah. When we're in the middle of working, but then getting from one place to the other or sometimes just sitting at the table.

Brittany: Yeah. The car conversation is I so many times where I wish we had. Our little microphone, lip curls that we could just start recording right now. Cause this would be like great podcast materials. Yeah. Now we know how to do this. 

Nichelle: So someone asked what is coming this fall? What can they look forward to?

Brittany: We are gonna be doing another closet sale last year. We had a in person closet sale. So much fun. We got to meet so many people and we raised over $16,000 for charity, which was so exciting. So we are gonna do that again. In September. This year, we are finalizing the location. It will be an Athens. As soon as we have the location finalized, we will share that with everybody.

So you guys can make arrangements to come. Last year we had Stamped and Finch was here. We had a friend who makes like charcuterie cups. 

Nichelle: Yes. Grazed by Lily. 

Brittany: Yes. Yes. So hopefully she will be back. So we're gonna make it a really fun event again. That is coming. And then another thing that's coming, I don't really think I've told you guys this yet, but we are gonna be dropping some podcast merchandise later this year in October, and I freaking cannot wait. We are pumped guys for you. It's not your average podcast merch. That's what I'm gonna say. There's so many good pieces we've been working on the designs. It's been something that we've been working on for Almost a year now making it perfect. We are creating, we have teams who are sewing the pieces together.

It is created specific for you guys. So that's gonna be coming in October and. I just can't wait, we're, we'll be sharing some, like sneak peeks on Life with Loverly. So if you're interested in seeing what is coming that I would say is probably the main thing that we're all most excited about. 

Nichelle: Oh, for sure. For sure. Someone asked how you came up with the name Loverly Grey and I don't think. A lot of people know necessarily.

Brittany: I don't know if I've really shared that on the podcast before. So it's really hard to name a blog. Yeah. It's and when I started people named their blog, something else besides just their name and I, when I started it was right after we got married and my maiden name was Brittany Wallace.

And my married name is Brittany Shogren, but Sjogren is spelled S J O G R E N. So it doesn't look like it's pronounced. And so I was like, this is really gonna be hard for people to say, or, what is this word? So that's why I didn't wanna go with my name right away. So I had to come up with a blog name and I remember I had a note in my phone that was just like a bunch of different words, and I would try putting some words together trying to figure something out one. My favorite color is gray. I feel like it's been gray for like the longest time. Yeah. Which is such a kind of funny color to be your favorite. And so I was like, maybe I could incorporate gray in there. And I just started thinking of I love the color gray, what's another word for love.

And I came up with Loverly. And so then it just became Loverly Grey and I was like, this kind of. Has a ring to it. Yeah. And here we are six years later. Love it. 

Nichelle: I love that you didn't change it either because I know a lot of people do go back and they rebrand and they'll change after a while. But I think it's so funny because people refer to you as Loverly Grey. Like when they see in public, they're like Loverly Grey.

Brittany: Yeah. And I have a lot of like blogger friends who just call me lovely and which is fine. Taryn's always like lovely. Brittany come here or whatever, when we're in person, but yeah, it's fun. This one came 

Nichelle: through and I'm like, how do I answer this? It's what does a typical day look like for you, Nichelle, on the creative. There's a couple of different situations. I think it just depends on the day, honestly. Yeah. 

Brittany: Okay. Before you answer that a little bit of background, Nichelle is like my right hand. She does so much here at Loverly Grey she's I guess her official title on our like board of everybody's title is director of operations.

She does oversee some of our other team members, but she does so much more than just being on the business side. She helps me on like with my creative brain, she helps me do like literally everything. And then from there, like delegates. Just so you guys know like who she is and so she does everything I, but more specifically.

Nichelle: I was gonna say, maybe that's why it's always we were talking about like job descriptions the other day, and it's always like, whenever I go to write it down, I'm like so I think just from the beginning of the day, it starts Brittany it's we try to plan out what the day holds and then the week holds and we come back to that and start from the beginning.

We have meetings, we touch base with each other, the other team members, we decide what needs to be done in that day. And then we kind of branch off and figure out what it is that we need to do on the creative side, which is, it's 80% of the job, honestly. Yeah. Is the execution of all the plans that we put into.

Brittany: So it's, she's the one like behind, like the reels, she's the photographer, the videographer. She's like the one, if I'm standing in my closet being like, I wanna put some workwear together and I'm like, going hard in the like styling the outfits. She's okay, let's think of a song. Let's think of a transition.

Where are we going to shoot this? How do like, where, what type of for our work wear reels, we mostly do them in my office to give people the illusion of okay, there's a desk I'm going to work. Most of the outfits are obviously going to a place of work to give you that illusion.

Or sometimes they're like stepping out of a door, cause it's like, you're gonna leave your house. And this is like what you're gonna be wearing. So we she's the one that kind of helps come up with all of that. But.

Nichelle: It's a lot of research. It's a lot of, trends. It's a lot of shopping, which I don't think a lot. I don't think a lot of people understand, like that's a huge part of it. Sometimes like a time suck, which is so funny at the end of the day. Cause we're like, oh, we gotta shop for something for that. And then we're like, where do we begin with a theme for that? And then go shopping. Yeah. And so many times like you guys give us a lot of ideas when you're like.

Brittany: Really wanna see an idea for this. And we're like, okay, like how could we put our spin on that for sure. Yeah. It's so helpful. Yeah. So that's always really fun, but I feel like there's so many different roles that Nichelle has, but I feel like, and she is a very main part of the 

 aspect of it, but she also helps the business, keep rolling on the other side too.

Nichelle: So yeah, there's just little snippet there. So are you watching any cool shows right now? 

Brittany: We just started one last night. I think it's called the Terminal. Oh, the Terminal. I don't know. We just started it. It's what is that kind of a thriller Chris Pratt, is in it. 

Nichelle: Oh, okay. Don't know, but okay.

Brittany: I was like, what is the guy who is in Jurassic Park? I literally was blanking on his name and here I am thinking Guardians Of the Galaxy because the Marvel situation. That's where we're different. We're watching that. I just finished watching The Summer I turned pretty.

Nichelle: So cute guys, if you haven't watched it.

Brittany: It was like a feel good. I did start listening to the books though. Cuz there's three and I'm excited to get into the second one to hear like about what happens next, but they are doing a second season. 

Nichelle: Yes. So I did hear that. There's one of the main like plots. I guess season one in the book, it's not the same thing.

Like it, yeah. That doesn't even take place in the book. Yeah. So I'm very curious to go and read them now. 

Brittany: So that's why I'm interested in doing, like listening to the books. Yes. Yeah. What other shows? I feel like Chris and I love like FBI seal team. We like more of those type of shows.

Nichelle: Those are really good. I am a total nerd and just went back and rewatched stranger things. We did just finish stranger things too. Did too, did you season four? Yes. Oh, good. Okay. It was so like so long, the episodes was like a movie. It is, yes, it was a real, it was probably the best season. Honestly, I know she doesn't really get into that kind of stuff guys.

But if it's your jam, like it was probably the best shot, best directed. Yeah. And best like acting of all four seasons. I feel like I really liked season one, but maybe that's cuz like I was like understanding like for sure what it was. Yeah. We're also watching all American, which we started watching.

I think during COVID in 2020 and loved it. And so we're still in like the, I don't know how many seasons there are, but I feel like we're still watching it and that's been like a really great, just the story. Like I love all Americans, so that's a good one too. Oh, that's like a football one. So I don't really, I've not been in any other TV shows recently, except that I've been reading a lot.

It's been fun. Love it. cool. So what was your professional background before? Lovely gray. Before I started lovely gray, I worked at a corporate job. I worked for an it staffing firm in Atlanta in site global, and I was in sales. So I did. outside sales. I would go to meet with managers or people who were in it positions that were hiring a team.

And I would sell them our services and hope that they would use in insight global to fill their, like it staffing positions. And so it was very much like face to face, like personal connections that I was like making with these hiring managers. So they would use me and in insight global to fill their positions.

So I feel like that's where I got a lot of like sales experience because in this job influencing. I'm like, it's like very heavy sale related. And so having a sales background has been like, one thing that I feel like has helped me so much in this industry. So I'm very thankful for that. I it's so funny.

I didn't know that. because it is like so much different than the fashion industry. But my like sales experience has really helped shape, like my business here now. Oh, 1000%. I think we've talked about this before. And somebody had actually asked what do you think you do differently that stands out?

And I think it's the experience that you had before. Yeah. Having sales experiences. That's gonna be a game changer. Exactly. And I would say for anybody, who's like wanting to get into this industry or wanting to start a blog or start something, or even not like having some type of sales training is very beneficial in life.

So that would definitely be, if you're wanting to get started somewhere, this is taking a sales class of some sort is gonna really help you out. Yeah. They wanna know where you get your home INPO from. So it's funny because I feel like a majority of my Instagram feed is like home bloggers and yes, like realtors and home decor accounts.

There's this one interior designer I love she's in Illinois. Kate marker. her. Everything she does is like stunning. It is. I reached out to her being like, I would love to work with you. if we ever do any like large project. And she was like, we don't have any out of like state availability. There was no available there.

I was like crushed, but I absolutely love her. And I feel like, yeah, that was probably. Like her, there's a few other I'll have to look them up and we will leave some of my favorite accounts in the show notes. So this, that we are like recording right now, and this is gonna be going live on the podcast tomorrow.

So if you are missing this, you can listen back. But in the show notes, we will also drop some of my favorite Instagram accounts to follow for home decor and inspiration too. Love that. Where do you see lovely gray in 10. . Ooh. I feel like there's so many aspects of where it's, I think it's because if you think about all of the things that are going on , the trajectory could be. one of two things. Yeah. And it's funny because Michelle and I usually sit down like once or twice a year and go over goals and check and see like where we are on our goals for the year. But we started out by doing like a 10 year plan and then a five year plan, a three year plan, a one year plan And so some of the stuff that's on the 10 year goal plan, I'm. man. I think we can make some of that stuff happen sooner. It already is happening sooner. And I think that's where we came up the other day and we were like, we need to reevaluate the yeah, the big goal list again, probably before the end of the year.

yeah, I think we'll have a clothing brand. I think we'll have a brick and mortar store I think will take. I and like where I wanted like life with loverly to be a little bit different from loverly gray is this is where I can still continue sharing like the personal stuff with you guys.

Whereas maybe in the future, it turns into more of a. Like a consumer brand where it's a clothing brand that I'm gaining all this knowledge and experience. And I have so much data from just you guys over the last six years. And I'm really seeing what y'all like, so I'm gonna use all that.

And. create my own brand. And so I think, and there's a lot of other things that I don't necessarily wanna spill just yet but we are working on some really exciting things and some things that are gonna be really cool and I think touch y'all's lives too. How often do you get microblading done? I got my eyebrows microblade. I don't know if you guys can really see in, cause we're far away. And also, I know you guys probably all want the link to this table situation. this is a blanket that we used for sound in the studio. so it's a fuzzy blanket. We got at the Nordstrom anniversary. So last year we don't even know if it's really needed anymore, but at this point we're just like, we just like it.

It's like inviting. Anyway, so I get my eyebrows. Microbladed Millie from brows by Millie and Alpharetta does them. She's amazing. She has done some like the celebrities that she's done. She's signed like NDA. So she can't like officially say, but it's you are goals. Oh yeah. She just, she did yours too.

She did mine too. She's done my mom's my best friends. She's great. I get it done probably once a year at this point when I first started. So like when you first get 'em done, you go back two weeks later and she does a touch up. And then I think it's every six months if needed and it takes different to EV like your skin.

It does. There's so many things that could, affect the results. Yes. And there's no. Tried and true, like answer for every single person. So mine took really well, but she also told me you might wanna come back more frequently than 18 months. Like I usually tell people even probably less than a year, because you actually use skincare that is supposed to overturn skin cells.

Yes. Retinol things like that can affect it. So you just might have to go a little bit more frequently. But yeah, I would say for me, I just wanted to have a good outline to then be able to fill my brows in properly. Like I just wanted them to always look right. So I still fill them in, but once it's been like a year six or 15 months or so then I'll go get her to redo it.

And then, but it's like totally worth it. I feel like it's been like a game changer and making me feel like confident in how I do my like makeup every day. 10 out of 10 recommend if you are in the market for some eyebrows. Good. All right. Do we have some more? Actually we do see what do you guys wanna talk about?

how competitive is the influencer world? That's a good question. I feel like it,

sometimes I feel like the battle or the competitiveness is like a lot internal. Yes. Yes. It's not like I am. looking, I'm gonna use like Terran as an example, right? You guys all know Terran Newton. She's one of my lovely, like close friends. I'm not looking at her and verbalizing to her oh, it's not fair that you got to do a like home collaboration with Lowe's yeah, what I didn't get that, it's more just maybe like a ping in internally where I'm like, how did she get that?

Okay like what do I need to do? So I. If, if we're being honest, like everybody is probably a little bit like how is she doing that? How, there's always gonna be this internal, like I wanna do more cause she's doing more. So I think it's more com like you have to put your blinders on and remind yourself like what your goals are, who your community is, and not necessarily worry about what other people are doing.

because it's so easy to get sidetracked and to get like down this rabbit hole of they're doing all this and I'm just poor me sitting over here and not remembering that what you're doing is great and it's serving your community specifically. Yeah. Yeah. And it can be very hard. if you have a competitive nature to wanna do more, if you see other people doing right.

Something different. So I think it's the same in the sales industry. If you think about it, like there's competition, wherever you look and the influencer, community, I feel like is saturated, but again, to your point, What speaks to your audience? What works for your audience. It's gonna be totally different than, the girl next door.

And anytime I feel like I get in like a rut or I get in a where I'm like, oh gosh, like I am just so worried about what other people are doing. I have to have like a. Turn off my phone, like reset, go back to like my goals. What am I doing here? What do I really like to do? And get back to that and not necessarily worry about what other people are doing.

So I think just trying to stay in your lane is one way, but it's definitely, it's hard, especially when it feels like everybody is just doing all this stuff and she's traveling here and she just got this cool collaboration. What about me? And it's okay , there's a lot of really great things going on.

Yeah. Over here as well. So that's funny cuz another, this kind of, piggybacks off what you just said, but advice for someone that's starting out in this industry, I think that's so huge. Staying in your lane figure, figuring out what works for you. What is gonna speak the best to your audience?

And can you live in that? I also. When you go to get started in this industry, and I'm say like the influencer world in general. So whether that is like home, whatever you're passionate about, sit down and think about what is not being offered in my space right now. I'm passionate about this, but I'm not seeing anybody else really sharing X, Y, Z.

How can I. , how can this be like specific to me, but something I'm super passionate about. And then I also think would you do this? If you weren't getting paid because that is like a huge thing. Like I remember when I first started, I was like, I just genuinely enjoyed doing this. And even now I'm like, if some I will always do some version of this regardless if it's like actually being face to face on here all the time, or if that's, off somehow, but making sure that it's like unique to you and that you're not trying to just keep up with the Joneses or you're not just doing it so that you can.

What you think an influencer life looks like? Cause there is so much that goes on behind the scenes. So just make sure it's something that you're extremely passionate about and that you would wanna do regardless of like social, like what's happening on social. Yeah. This was a fun one because I know this is not something that you talk about necessarily all the time.

I know, but tell us about your tattoos. So this is a question I get a lot. Yes. And it's, I'm happy to share about them. I love all of my tattoos. I think I'm at seven right now. So I have seven tattoos, which I feel like surprises. Some people . I started when I was 18, I got my first typical first tattoo.

on my foot. It's a star. And this is the one. This is the only one that I'm was that a good idea? I love it still, but it was definitely like a first tattoo. And then I started being like, okay, I want all these to like really mean something. And one thing that my dad made me do, cuz like my parents didn't have tattoos when I was like, I wanna get a tattoo.

They were like why though? Like I don't think so. And he told me why don't you wait for one year? So you've you're of age to get a tattoo. think about what you want and then wait for one year. And if you still want a tattoo in one year, then you can get it. And so I decided I wanted the star on my foot.

He, I waited a year later. I still wanted it went and got it. My second tattoo was, is on my wrist and it's, it was with pink in which has faded. You can like barely even see it now, but it's. The name Sabina, which is my mom's first name and my middle name. And now Collins's middle name. So it's like a family name and I got that one just for my mom.

I got it right when I went to college and she was having a hard time with me being away and I missed her a lot. don't think I've actually looked at it before. You can see the S I can hear, I know that was your handwriting too, right? Yeah. So I think five of the seven are. No, four of the seven tattoos are all in my handwriting, which is another cool thing for me.

So then I got Sabina and then the next one is on my other wrist that says love. And then the next one, I think was the one on my side that says shine on. And that one was in my handwriting too. And then the arrow, and then we have the wildflower bundle on my wrist, this ones for my dad, we. He always like just was like, you're a wildflower, go grow.

And our, we danced to Tom petty song at my wedding and the song was called wildflowers. And so it was just like always been our thing. So I got that one. And then recently I just got the word grace tattooed on my wrist or kind of forearm area. And. So that's my most recent one and I think I've got five or six others that I'm ready to go get.

I know, when any, whenever anyone's ready for another tattoo, all I can keep thinking is, okay, so I'm going back to Charleston in October. I'm like, do I make an appointment with the same guy and just have another one done up there? Probably. I was pretty impressed. Yeah. That's a great idea.

I know I'll meet you there. Yeah, let's go. they're so fun. It's one of those things. My mom had said the same thing. Wait a. but, and I'm glad I did the first time, because what I wanted changed, I changed my mind. It was when I wanted a fury, a fairy. I was five. No, I'm just kidding. but I ended up getting the typical, see it was Chinese symbols at the time.

But I got it very hidden. So you can't even see it. Nobody even knows that I have it, but yeah, I have a couple that I regret the stars on my. probably up there. They're not like, it's not like life changing, but I'm like, if I would've known better, I wouldn't have done it. Yeah. I feel like you have also had a few that you've covered or changed 1000%.

So it took me several, moments of I guess weakness when I went in and was like, I'm just gonna get this. And then it turned, it didn't turn out the way that I had anticipated. And then I got them covered up and. I'm trying to be more thoughtful. Yeah. About what it is that I'm getting and that they have more meaning, advice, if you're interested in getting a tattoo is make sure you think about it for a little while and that it's something you want on your body for the rest of your life and that it's special to you.

, that's something I would've probably, I'm glad I did think about all of them and I still love them all, but, yeah. I think that's important. Absolutely. Top five wardrobe additions. You're most excited for this fall. Ooh, I have one what's yours, but Vince. Yes. Ooh. Okay.

The like wool Marino wool coat from the Nordstrom anniversary sale that we both got is so good. I'm gonna live in it. Yeah. We'll I think it might still be available in some sizes. We'll have to check, but we'll also look for something similar if it's sold out, because it is so great. If you haven't grabbed it.

10 outta 10 . And so that's one thing I always love like a knee high boot in the fall. I tend to wear like dresses that I always wear, like a knee high boot with. So I just got the Sam Edelman, swayed boots from the Nordstrom anniversary sale. Those are awesome. Let's see what else I feel like. I start to always look for like really good sweaters.

I remember last year I had a few sweaters that I would wear with jeans, like on repeat that are like this one sweater that if I don't have anything else to wear, I know I can put on like a classic pair of jeans. And this is the go to sweater. Anthro has some really great options. So I'm excited to see, but then.

I really wanna continue to wear like skirts with boots, even if it's like a little bit more of a maxi skirt, having that with a pair of boots is really great. And then I'm excited to put some more work wear outfits together that are like more fall, but like chic that you could wear to the office, but then like a work conference you could wear.

you guys know, I love like mixing and matching and wearing pieces or styling with pieces that you could wear to work, but then wear it a different way to wear it to something that you're doing on the weekend. And I love styling fall clothes like that because the colors are really great.

You can get some good neutral tones but then have some like pops of color. So I think that's. Always on the look for like good denim. That was my other question. I feel like a lot of people have been asking for. Non-distressed denim and that's something that's on your radar. Very important for work wear.

I recently just shared a pair of like dark denim from loft. That's like a classic pair of jeans that they had that I love. I've been really into the brand mother like the mother jeans lately. They have like such good denim. It's a little bit higher of a price point, but I've been so pleased.

They wash so well, like everything about the brand I've loved. I've had a few of their pair of pants and just got some at the anniversary sale. And so I'm excited to keep wearing those in the fall. Love that. What's your favorite? All time. Cup of coffee. Oh, so tough. I does it depend on the type of year or time of.

I feel like I love like a lavender latte O milk lavender latte, or if that's not available, I just do a classic, like vanilla oat milk latte. There's a coffee shop here, local in Athens called Molly's. And they have a honey lavender syrup that they like make in house and they do it with their espresso and O milk.

And it is, I do iced and it is so good. I could drink that every single day. Yeah. It is delicious. And I love like the owner. Molly is amazing. I just love like supporting a local business. And even like down on 38, we were talking just about the coffee is so good when we go to the beach. So good.

Yeah. I wish, yeah. I wish that we had something like that close by. I know, I think I a specialty cup, but if I'm like right now, this is just like a Starbucks blend cake, K cup with. Vanilla O milk creamer. So this is honestly my, this is why we drink, like every day, like in the office. It's my favorite warm, yeah.

Coffee. I would say it's just nice and homey. I love a good cha latte. I love that in the fall I like the iced one , which was generally Joe's was the first one I'd ever had iced. Yeah. And it's vanilla. So it's not like the spiced one. You've been getting the, like a blended coffee a lot lately.

Yes. Starbucks has. It depends on who, which one you go to, but it's an espresso frappuccino or a coffee fr frappuccino. And it's literally just the coffee and ice. And then I get almond milk with it just cuz it was a few less calories and O milk and it's lighter. So it's nice and cold. And does the job. We love coffee over here.

Yes. If you guys haven't realized that also some of the merch that we're gonna be dropping is coffee related. So we'll just leave that information there. Of course.

Let's see, what other questions do we have? First of all I'm gonna pause this for a second and just say, thank you guys for joining in too, and submitting questions and listening. We're gonna save this video too, so you'll be able to rewatch it. If you wanna go back or listen to something that we've said here again, but thank you for being here.

We're, we're still in the middle and I'm gonna keep answering them, but just want you guys to know we appreciate this and this is maybe something we will start to do every season. This is fun. We always wanted to do Q and as yeah. We tried to incorporate them in some of the episodes, but this has been fun.

I know it's like random. I know, like just jumping around it. Yeah. We have some of our other team members behind the scenes, like feeding us the questions. So if you see me coming here, , we're slowly taking all of our pieces of paper and answering your questions. Okay. When you go on vacation, how do you balance your time?

I think some people probably are meaning like you do a really good job of the family time, date night, like going to do all the things, but then are you still feeling rested? I feel like sometimes I go on vacation. It depends on what the vacation is. Yeah. If it is a trip where we have like an agenda for work and we're trying to like shoot outfits, then I need to bring help.

Michelle comes down, somebody else comes down to either help me get. Like outfit photos, or my mom is there to help with the girls if we're going on just like a pure vacation. And I'm like completely trying to UN unplug. I typically will leave Instagram and have a family vacation just because I've realized over the years, like I don't fully enjoy both.

I feel like. I can't relax and have a vacation. Like I want to have a vacation if I'm like I could be on Instagram. I'm like, oh, I saw this sale. I really wanna tell them about that. Cause I told, I think it's something my people would really love, but I know that I deserve a break.

Everybody gets a vacation from their job. , at different times. And I feel like what works best for me is when I completely unplug. And then I can be like 100% present with my family and we can have a memorable vacation compared to like me trying to do both. If I do need to do both, then I try to do everything I need to do for work at the like forefront and then spend the time with my family after that.

So it really just depends. I, my kids are so young and they're at like such a fun age where I don't wanna miss out on sitting time with them. Yeah. So I really try to like separate things and if I'm gonna be like, I turn off my phone and then we just spend time. Doing that, which I'm actually doing next week, we're going on a family vacation and I'll be unplugging from Instagram.

And I'm so excited to just it's a good time actually relax. That's really the only way. Yes. Cause there's so much, anybody who's a business owner, understands like the being an entrepreneur is 24 7. There's always something that could be going on. So this is just a small way I can step away and try to refresh myself.

Yeah. I feel like it's a perfect time though, because it's that lull between the end of summer. Technically for a lot of people and then fall. Yeah. Clothing coming back in stock, like right now you're probably seeing a lot of sales, which is awesome. But what they're doing is trying to make room for all the fall stuff that's about to happen, right?

Yeah. In August. And you'll be back for that. Rejuvenated. Exactly. and I think it's like next week is it's like a busy time where people are trying to get back in the groove of getting ready for school and that type of thing. So we were sneaking away at a time. . I don't know if it's super popular for other people to be vacationing.

I feel like it's always busy at thir in 30 a now, but right. You gave away that secret. yeah. Sorry, everybody. Okay. So this one kind of piggybacks off that. How do you manage your high demanding job daily tasks and being a mom and wife? Help is the first thing. I think they're just things like I've realized that I can't do everything and it is okay to ask for help and to have help.

And we do. We have, I have help managing my house. My kids are in daycare. They go to this like wonderful little school that runs an amazing curriculum. That's actually more like a school than a daycare. And so they are thriving there they're in an environment. They absolutely love.

We have several babysitters, we're not afraid to ask for a date night. I think like one important thing for us was moving back to Athens to be closer to family so that our kids could grow up around grandparents and things like that. And then like running a business.

It's there's a lot more people behind the scenes than just me and just Michelle. Yeah. Chris works here full time. We have several other employees who are here as well, who each have their own role, but as this was growing and being something I really was passionate about and wanted to continue doing, I knew I was, I can't, I couldn't, you just can't do it all.

And I've tried and failed or. Got to places where I was like, I'm doing everything at 25%. I'm a terrible wife. I'm a terrible mom. I'm a terrible business owner. Like I'm not happy in any of these areas. What do I do? And if you really look at people who are successful, like they aren't doing it, everything by themselves.

Yeah. There's a lot of help going on behind the scenes. And that looks a lot that looks very different for everybody. And you have to do what's best for you and for your family. And that's what I've learned and what I've accepted. And it's made me very happy, over the last few years, so yeah, that's how it happens.

So someone said that you've shared about having a therapist, counselor and that you are making yourself a priority by taking your Wednesday mornings and your Saturday mornings for yourself. What do you how do you feel like that's changed your everyday life? I feel like because in this industry, I'm like, I have to be on a lot of the time, and.

Even on the times where I'm not like on, it's still I'm still thinking about what's going on and I just needed to figure out, like, how can I take a break for myself and for my mind. And so starting therapy that like really helped just with Overall anxiety that I was experiencing, but I was, she's more of a life coach that kind of helps me work through some like really big problems, but has a counseling background.

So is able to like really walk me through my mindset and like retraining my mind on certain things. And that has helped me a ton. Just like even feel confident in certain decisions that I'm making, but it's like me investing that time in that. And then I've set time aside two times a week to go work out and clear my head and do that for like my own personal health.

Cuz I feel like I just have to schedule that in cause I'm a very like scheduled like regimented person, but sometimes I'll think of other things that become more important than taking care of myself to running my business or being with family. And so I've just decided this is where I like what I have to do to.

Maintain a clear head space and keep going at this caliber. Something I wanna try. Haven't implemented this yet, but I really wanna try starting to wake up every day at 5:00 AM and cause right now I usually get up at 6, 6, 15 ish, and then I feel like I rush to get ready and then I get the kids up and do our morning routine and then I like leave for work and.

But I think like I could have so much more like personal time like development, like mind development. If I'm up a little bit earlier and can pour into myself, it's like the kids are still sleeping, there's something about just like being awake and those early mornings, like reflecting.

So that's something I'm gonna work towards. Maybe once we get back from vacation, I'll start implementing that. Yeah. I feel like that will just help me in the long run, plus like my kids sleep in until seven or seven 15 now, but that's not gonna be forever. Yeah. So I'm gonna have to wake up earlier at some point, but I just think it's really important to prioritize yourself cuz you cannot pour from an empty cup.

So if you are, running thin as a mom or at work or both places, it's so hard to like. Pour into your family or those around you, if you are just depleted. So taking time and prioritizing yourself is definitely something you should do. Yeah. I actually got up and meditated this morning.

How was that? It was so good. I love starting the day like that. Cuz it again, it's a reflection. Clear mind. Think about the day. Get the day started. I love that. Yeah. This one's funny. How do you manage your closet? Laundry and shoes. Oh, I have. Hi Alex. I love you. Okay. How do I manage my closet?

Laundry and shoes? It's a mess. if anybody has any tips, that would be great. And I'm just kidding. there's I think that it's this is what we've said in the past. It's organized chaos. Yes. It's we know what everything is, but if somebody walked in, they would be like, what? . And I think it's different to for somebody who this isn't your job, like you should not have this camera close.

Like no, or there's probably like an easier system. I also feel like there's like pieces that I get attached to and then I like wanna keep it. And maybe I have it worn it in however long, but it's like holding a special place in my heart. And I'm like, I just can't part with it because like I wore it to that event.

And that was like so much fun. So I do try to go through and clean my closet. I feel like we do have an organized chaos system. I have wonderful employee who goes through. Checks the closet and manages it and like just goes through and sees like what's in stock and what can we reuse? And maybe what got restocked.

Let's use that again to style another piece and show people how to wear that piece again. But yeah, shoes, I feel like, we just, I don't know. It's so funny cuz if you were to look at my closet, it's just like a bunch of. Different styles. Yeah. Like it's all just neutral shoes. I just don't really like dark shoes.

I just got a pair of green sandals. Like those like Sage green, like heels. And I feel like those are like fun. . Yeah, but they're still neutral. I just, I feel like, because I think the shoe should compliment the outfit and sometimes I feel like you could have a great outfit and then the wrong shoes.

Yeah. And your attention is drawn to your feet. So then people. Like your outfit because of the shoe. So that's why I tend to do like neutral and it keeps the attention up on the outfit if that's the goal. So yeah. Shoes have been a little harder to get. Yeah. We've been asking for some like shoe storage situation, we store it and then it gets put back on the floor in a line I know I just line them up and I'm like, okay, these will do organize chaos.

And then laundry is just, I don't even. That's funny. I don't, it's a really hard question to answer, unfortunately. I'm really sorry about that. yes. Thanks. Somebody wants to know if shacks are still in stock or I'm sorry, in this year. Sorry. I think some will be I don't know if I will necessarily be like going for the like plaid.

as much, like there was this like beautiful gray shack I had last year from Z supply. I like that. I think they need to have some structure and I think they need pockets better, cuz it's just like this oversized shirt that sometimes isn't really that flattering or I feel like I was only really wearing it if I was like, Leggings and like a longer sweater, so that wouldn't have been like my go-to jacket to pick from.

So I feel like I'm still gonna keep an eye out on them, but I don't know if that is gonna be like the one coat that I would suggest. I feel like going for something a little bit more classic that is a little bit more maybe tailored and would be a better buy for long term wear. I think, yeah, I think this has been really good.

There were a couple of questions. I think that came through the life with lover league Q and as, and had to do with a lot with blogging. And I know you covered a little bit, but we have, what is it two now? Two full episodes. Yeah. On blogging. So definitely check those out. They were very deep. And insightful.

There was the mom guilt. There was a lot of questions that we answered that definitely go in more detail. Yeah. And some of the podcasts that we have , and as we're getting close to ending season three in August, we'll be starting season four. And so we're working on, some things that. you guys might wanna see in the next like upcoming season.

So if there's a topic or if there's a guest or somebody that you want to see on the podcast, let us know. Again, this has been so fun. Guys always submit. If you have any questions, we'd love to try to answer them even at the end of an episode, if necessary, but definitely send those in. I know we I feel like we sometimes get email requests, but then we end up just answering their question and not necessarily answering it on the podcast.

So we need to do a better job of that also. I'm dying. I know you guys see me playing with these strings right now. She can't handle it right now. I'm like, oh, gang them. But this dress kind of, you need the strings for it to lay down fan out. Yeah. That's so sometimes I leave strings on a dress, if it makes sense for like it to the way it falls, but the ones that it's like, there was no point to, I look so much better without those are always take off.

I know you guys are concerned. I don't think I'm gonna take these ones. We started a collection in the drawer to see how many strings she actually takes off of clothes. I just, I don't know. I think one thing I love about like fashion and is making it yours. So if you like, what, like a brand has started with.

You can change that. Like I cut jeans all the time. To make them a little bit shorter, cut the strings off, wear them a different way. Take built off of freedom dress that comes with it and replace it. Yeah. You have the freedom to be creative and I feel like that's where you can.

make your closet stand out and it doesn't have to just be like everybody's wearing this, everybody's wearing the same thing. Like you get to be creative. And I feel like that's one part of my job that I love and something I feel like that makes me stand out is I do share those. Ideas and like being creative with you guys.

So you can do that when you're replicating the outfits that I'm sharing. Yes. This has been fun. Guys, thank you so much for joining in today's episode of life with loverly, like I said, this is gonna be available for you guys. To watch on life with loverly on Instagram here, and then it will also be on the podcast wherever you listen to podcasts, you'll be able to listen to this starting tomorrow morning.

So thank you so much again for joining us. New episodes are released every Tuesday, so make sure you follow along wherever you get your podcasts. Thanks for listening to today's episode. If you enjoyed this podcast, please rate and review on the platform you listen on. It truly means the world to me.

And don't forget to follow along on Instagram at life with loverly until next time.