(upbeat music) You juggling the challenges of running a business while raising your little ones. Do you crave more ease in balancing your professional ambitions with the demands of parenthood? Well, sit tight, you're in the right place. I'm your host, Alison Caffrey, and I understand the growing pains that come with building a business while nurturing a growing household. Think of this as a soft spot to land when you feel like your ambitions are starting to become just a little overwhelming. Welcome to growing pains. Hey, and welcome back to the growing pains podcast. My name's Alison Caffrey, and today I'm sitting down with Carol Suki. This was an incredible, incredible chat all around how to use our inward intuition versus using external forces to help us make some decisions as it relates to motherhood and business ownership. So Carol has a ton of different types of specialties and a ton of different types of business, but her lifelong goals and empath has always been to serve people in reaching their highest potential. So for over a decade, Carol's extensive experience as a multi-passionate entrepreneur is evident through a combination of owning her own fitness business while raising four small children. She's done a previous career actually in a primary school system, and she actually started a construction business from scratch. She has a luxury travel business, and she is an abundance mentor. So she's got a ton of irons in the fire. This mama has a lot going on. And honestly, it was super inspiring to hear and not only her excitement towards what she does and how specifically excellent she is at that, but it was also cool to hear just how happy it made her. And how it clearly just brought this lightheartedness to their family. And I know that a lot of us struggle with a bunch of different types of things. We struggle with a lot of the stuff that we talk about in the episode like comparison syndrome and imposter syndrome and all of these different types of things, but really what it boils down to is being able to just have a good time and roll with it. And I loved Carol's personality in kind of telling her story and positioning this as something that is just a lifelong practice that we need to just enjoy the ride. So I hope you guys enjoy this episode and I will see you inside. Carol, welcome to Growing Pains. I am so excited to have you here today. - Thank you so much, Alison. I'm happy to be here. All right, well, after what I am happy to say was a very slight technical difficulty. We are here, we are excited to dive in. And Carol, I am so pumped for our listeners to get to hear some of the juiciness that we discussed really quickly before we press record. But for those of you who are listening, let's get a little bit of kind of lay at the land of who Carol is. So tell me a little bit about your business and the family that you have at home. - Mm-hmm, so I am a multi passionate entrepreneur. I say that with like a little bit of, this is not a flex. Let me just tell you, this is not a flex, but that is what I am. I have a few businesses. I have a construction business. I have a travel business. I am also an abundance mentor. And I might have another thing on the go. I won't go too deep into that 'cause it's not happening as of yet. I am also a mother of four beautiful, healthy blessings of children and they are ranging from 15 to almost 22. And I am a wife of, I think, going on 19 years now. - Congrats. - Thank you. (laughs) - My husband and I are about to celebrate our 10 year anniversary in a couple of months. And there's something about that like decade of being married that feels so like, first of all, exciting, right? We're like, well, look at what we've accomplished in the last 10 years. And then there's another phase that's like, well, what is the next 10 years look like? So I love hearing from folks who have done life together for so long. (laughs) - Yeah, yep, it's a trip. - Oh my goodness. Well, okay. So 15 to 22, your kids are a little bit older. Tell me about when you became an entrepreneur. Like when did you start working for yourself in kind of the scheme of like having kiddos and that kind of thing? Were you working first? Did you start a business first? And then kind of what was the timeline like? - Oh, interesting question. Okay, let me try and not digress here. So the entrepreneurship started. I think it was my, I think I was pregnant with my youngest. No, I was, I started before my youngest actually because I did lose one of my beautiful blessings in between my two there. And so, yeah, it was before I had my fourth and I am lucky to have a husband who had the same goals as me, which was, I wanted to raise my kids and he wanted his wife to be able to raise his kids. And as much as I was definitely always and still am prioritizing motherhood, I also knew that with that many children, there's a requirement for money. You need some money because kids are not cheap. And if I really wanted to contribute to the family, I felt like bringing in some money was part of that, but I didn't want to give up on raising my children. So I knew that if I wanted to have the flexibility of raising my children as I wanted to and as I needed to, I needed to do my own thing. And so I started with a fitness business, which I no longer have, but that has kind of like never left me. I never thought that I would be writing a business. I actually thought business was a little bit icky. I didn't like, you know, the whole sleazy sales thing and what have you. And I was like, and that's not the way it was raised too, right? I have like really old school parents where like, get a good job, have a pension, have benefits. That's how you live. That is success, quote unquote. But anyway, so yeah, that's how my entrepreneurship journey started. And I actually did go back to work when my youngest finished kindergarten. And I was like, you know, running this fitness business, most of the moms were, I was making most of my money in the evenings when the moms came back from work. And that's what I wanted to do with my kids 'cause they just came home from school. And I'm like, kiss you, you know, love you and bye. And that's not, that wasn't working for me at that point in life. And so I went to work and I worked in a school and then I realized this is not for me. I feel like a caged animal. And that entrepreneurial spirit just never left. And so I have to go back to pursuing being an entrepreneur. - What was it like working through some of the ways that you were raised and perhaps even some of your parents' definitions of what success was? Did you hold those to be true at that point where you were like, wow, taking the leap into working for myself is basically putting everything at risk, it's risking my security and my success and all of that. What was that like? - That is literally a constant battle. And I still battle with that today. You know, because I still have my mom, I lost my father in 2019, but my mom still sometimes thinks like, what are you gonna do if you get sick or if Joe gets sick, my husband? You know, how are you gonna make money? You don't have pension and benefits. Like, what are you gonna do? I'm gonna make money, mom. That's what I'm gonna do. You know, and really and truly, I've realized that, you know, working for someone too isn't exactly always just the safest way. And then there's just that piece of I am who I am. Mom is who she is, that is who he was. And we're just different people. I am a risk taker, clearly I'm a risk taker. And I need to embrace that. I need to embrace who I am. They are who they are. They were raised how they were raised. They did what they had to do in that day and age. And this is my time. And this is how I wanna do life. And that's okay. And I have to, and I do have to keep reminding myself, that's okay, this is okay. - Where does the confidence, I'm imagining that your confidence was not just there or created overnight. It's like where there are ways or particular things that you did to build that confidence and that decision. Because I know so many folks, just like you said, who are still struggling with aspects of this daily, right? Or even weekly when they are, you know, chatting with their families or talking with their friends and that kind of thing. So what kind of steps did you take to build that confidence? 'Cause it's very, very clear in the way that you've just described it, that you have a confidence that this is who you are and what you're meant to be doing. - It's definitely a lot of conversations with myself. A hundred percent, reminding myself who the FIM, can I swear? - Yes, you sure can. - I swear, okay. (laughs) - Yeah, this is a safe place, safe, safe place. - It is a heck of a lot of knowing who the fuck I am. Allison, because that's just the way life happens, right? Your parents raise you, that's their job or guide you, I should say, your parents should guide you. And then the people who are around you, guide you, your teachers, your friends, your aunts and uncles, so on and so on. But then there's that piece of, okay, I have an adult brain now and despite who all these people are and what they mean to me, then there's just me and my thoughts and my wants and my needs and my desires and my goals. And you start to separate yourself from what is your truth and their truth. And when you know without a shadow of a doubt who you are, what you want, what you can achieve, what you want to achieve and you take those steps to do it, you start to build that confidence after taking those steps. If you don't take any action whatsoever, it's just, it's thoughts, it streams, it's wishes. Take action and you know what, even if you fail, you tried and or you'll learn a lesson that will guide you towards where you can and or should be. - Yeah, I think it's really a lot of the women that are listening to the show are most likely going to be like younger in their season of motherhood. I imagine that that time particularly when so many things fundamentally change about who you are. But I remember when I had my first son, Frank, I felt like I was almost clinging to my business because that's what made me feel like me, like past version of me, right, was I was a leader in my organization, I was working with my clients that felt really natural to me. And so I didn't actually have those conversations with like new alley, right? I was like, I'm just gonna do the same stuff I've always done. So how do we navigate some of those times where maybe we don't even feel like us, maybe we're like, who is this person? Especially as you enter in newly, you know, new motherhood or maybe you're doing something aggressive or different in your business, right? Like launching a personal brand or going into a new industry, right? You've mentioned you have several different companies in several different industries. Like that probably felt like a time or identity felt like it was a bit in flux. - Yes, yes. And you know what, that's okay. And that's something I keep saying to myself too, that's okay, Carol, whatever you do, that's okay. You started this, you didn't, you know, you chose to go in a different direction, that's okay. You prioritize motherhood while everybody else was hustling, that's okay. You have to be forgiving and compassionate with yourself especially when you're a mother because you are becoming something else. You are doing something totally different that you've never done before and it's okay. You have to forgive yourself. There's nothing wrong with evolving. There's nothing wrong with evolution. It happens, that's life, that's the world. That's what happens. And there's nothing wrong with it. Oh, you know, if it's, well, Allison, oh, Allison never used to be like that. Like, you know, she, you know, she'd prioritize her business or, you know, she, you know, let's say, for example, oh, you know, Allison never said she wanted kids. It's so weird that she has kids. Who cares? The opinions of others really and truly don't care. If they don't jive with how you're living your life, maybe the evolution includes, maybe you've evolved from those quote unquote friendships or relationships, right? And I think that's, it's just, it's okay. Whatever you decide, whatever you're learning in life, wherever you are in your journey, it's okay. Roll with it. See what happens. Take a chance. - Mm, I had a conversation with a wonderful mom a couple of weeks ago here on the show about, like, playing it safe and what it means to play it safe and that where she is in Canada, they have like minimum of a year maternity leave with, you know, her employed counterparts and how we as business owners, I think oftentimes, especially in those identity crises moments and one of them is becoming a parent, that you try to kind of fit yourself into the box, the normal sea box. We talked specifically about maternity leave and putting your kids in traditional school versus doing homeschooling and things like that. And I'm wondering, like, we talked a little bit before we press record about, you know, like turning inward versus turning outward in terms of getting the next best step or building that confidence or really being able to decide, right? Where to go or what to do? When do we start to wave that flag and be like, I'm looking too far out. I'm doing the comparison thing or I need external validation in order for me to feel comfortable moving forward. What kind of red flags or things might we start to see when we know we're looking too far outward versus looking inward to make some of our decisions? - I would definitely say the confusion. When you start to face just utter confusion and chaos in your thoughts, in how you're running your business, in what's happening at home, like when you start to lose control basically and/or burnout, there needs to be like some kind of reassessment as to how you're doing things. Who is in your ear? What is your focus? If you know for sure that, you know, your family is number one, your kids are number one, always make sure that that's in line because you know what, you're gonna be a mom to them forever. Businesses can come and go, clients can come and go, you know, everything external, that can all come and go. And that is within your control somewhat. I've done it to myself where I was like, okay, you know, I really wanna focus on the business. Like, I knew when my boys stopped playing hockey and they just focused on baseball. I'm like, okay, I have time. I'm gonna gung ho on, you know, strategy for business. So I started to go doing this, networking, taking this course and, you know, following this person and trying these systems and what have you. Oh my goodness, Alison, I was completely overwhelmed and I had no idea what was going on. And then you have people telling you, well, you should do this. You should burn this way. You should, you know, post this many times. Hey, I try my best to really stay off of social media as much as possible than like taking stuff in and putting my whole wife out there. I might do it in waves, but like, I have kids to raise. I have a husband that I wanna stay connected to, you know? Do it your way. Do the things your way. And if it's like, if it feels like you're just almost leaving your body from taking so much in, from out there, it's like, wait, wait, come back home. Come back to you. Come back to your intuition. Come back to your why. Why are you doing this? It's not for fame. It's not just for the dollar. More times than not, especially women who actually create a business. I'm not talking about multi-level marketing type of businesses. I mean, like creating a real business from scratch, from the heart and the soul. If you don't know where your why is, if you're not working from your why, reassess. I love that invitation. And I want to double click on this really quick because if I'm in this position where I feel like things are crazy, I'm seeking external validation. I'm constantly comparing or taking in information from other quote unquote experts, right? Who are telling me what I should do. I'm being should all over, right? I need to start getting back to center, getting back to my why, having those conversations with myself. Like you said before, what's the best outlet for that? Like, do I just close myself in a room alone and be like, Ali, what do you want out of life? Like, how do I create that opportunity for myself? And is there like an activity that you particularly long in those crazy seasons where you're like, I just need to get back to center? What do you do? - That actually literally is one of the things that I do. More so than kind of like going into a room and you know, sitting in the dark or something and meditating, I like to go for a walk. I like to go to nature. Nature is a beautiful teacher that a lot of times, especially if for people who live in the city or in the suburbs, I am blessed to be living in the countryside. I have some acreage that I can just roam all by myself and take time. Take that time by yourself. If bugs bother you, maybe don't go to nature. Bugs bother me. But anyways, I do love nature. And just unplug and turn in, walking, you know, maybe even just like listening to some frequency music, there's a whole bunch on YouTube that you can find. And just not thinking about business, not really think, just kind of sit there. Just sit there or walk there and just open up and just maybe even say to yourself, okay, I feel lost. I need to come back home, like say these things to yourself. I need to come back home. Where am I? Where am I in all this noise? And even say, I need answers. Show me a miracle. Show me a miracle today. Show me a miracle this week. Show me what I need to know, right? And then just kind of let your thoughts flow. Don't think about your business systems and did I send that email and all that, not that kind of stuff. Just like just open up and ask the questions. And it's funny how, you know, realistic things, actionable tips will just kind of download. Other than that, I like just breathing exercises, breath work for sure. And then you can seek external validation too, where these people aren't telling you what to do and giving you, you know, like actionable, like business, advice, it's more of like, if you go to someone who, for example, you can like have a conversation with your highest self. They can tap into your highest self or you've been tapping, have you ever heard of tapping? Yeah, emotional freedom technique, like that kind of brings you back to you. Even though there's someone else supporting you through that, they're bringing you back to you. They're not telling you what to do. You're kind of working through, you know, energy blocks and things like that. Like sometimes you don't realize what it is that's blocking you. You may think that you're having, you know, like your business strategy is not working, but really it's something else. It's something energetic, something emotional, maybe that's kind of stopping you from making, you know, opening up to those business decisions that you need to make, is that helpful? Yeah, totally. In my day, grassy. No, I think it's great. I think there's a lot in there. And I think the big thing that I heard from what you said was that blocking in intentional time to get up out of the day to day, whether that is going in being in nature or doing some meditation, doing some breath work, doing some journaling, like that for me is actually particularly really helpful. I have a lot of thoughts, Carol, like a ton of them. And so I think sometimes we like to think as entrepreneurs that all of our ideas are good, right? Like we get excited about something, it sparks that thing. So talk to me about filters, because I think if I went out for a walk in the woods, I would come back with 30 ideas and not all of them are probably good and not all of them probably need to be implemented. So like those filters, I want to talk about like personal filters. And also I love the idea of having a coach. I think coaches strategically placed in my growth trajectory in my business, my personal life, my motherhood, my relationship with my husband. Very, very incredible people to come into my life and those relationships were so life giving. And I want to know what that role needs to look like, right? Because I do, I think as you become a mom and this was true about me before, is that I, Steve and I joke, my husband, we're like, I didn't have intuition before I had kids. Of course I did. I just never really worked on it. I've always in my career been able to almost will something into existence, right? With hard work, I can get whatever I want. With kids, it's a little different, right? They like show you the places where you haven't quite worked on yourself or where you feel like you're being too stubborn or too impatient. And so I think that intuition for me particularly and maybe for some listening is like a very new thing. So creating that filter of like, is this actually what I want or is this just another idea or another shiny object? Like talk about that a little bit. 'Cause I'm sure there's moms on here listening better. Like, can I trust my own thoughts in the woods? I don't know if I can. (laughing) That's so true. And I get that. And you know what, yes, as entrepreneurs, our job is to kind of like be innovative and think of new things, right? And what's, okay, other people are doing what I'm doing. How can I make my approach different and what have you? If you're kind of going so far out of the box that it's like, you don't know the how, how to get there, you might be thinking a little too far ahead or maybe it's just not for you because as entrepreneurs, we literally can probably do anything. Maybe not in our zone of genius, maybe not even in our zone of excellence, but our capabilities are pretty, we're pretty talented people in the sense of, you know, you see somebody, you know, who's doing well at something like, I shouldn't have thought of that. I could do that. 'Cause yeah, we probably could, right? But if there's no passion to it, it was just like, I should have done that. I could have made money doing that. And there's really nothing like really behind that, like driving a fire inside of you. And you just don't know where to start. Like really like sit back, take a step back and really, really look at it. I would say never just jump into anything. Like sure, we have these ideas and it's like, oh my God, okay, great. I can run for president. I budget this house so well. I could probably be the president, right? I mean, that's extreme. But, you know, really like, okay, fine, take the download, but then like really work, pick it apart, pick it apart and really see, is this just another great idea? Or does this feel right to me from every aspect, right? Really pull it apart. It was that, sit with it and see if your ideas are just, you know, you just, you're just downloading the whole world or if it's like really, really meant for you, feel it out. And if it doesn't leave, if that fire doesn't leave for that, then maybe try and pursue it, see what happens. - Yeah, it's interesting. Something that I have been doing recently is when I have ideas, I'll write them down in my journal and I'll say, is this something I think will bring me money or bring me fulfillment or both? And so I think that oftentimes when we are looking at the pursuits of next in our business, especially in those early years or when times feel tight financially or we want to, you know, we have a specific revenue goal. I always joke with my clients. I'm like, revenue goals are excellent, but if the revenue goal is the only goal, then the only thing we're gonna do is make decisions to serve that top line. And I think that where I've gotten particularly into some sticky situations in my business growth trajectory are when I'm only serving a revenue goal versus an actual fulfillment goal, right? So a fulfillment goal could look like something a little bit more customer facing, like something for our company, Master of Maternity Leave, we want 100 voices this year. 100 women who've gone through our programming who have just a rave review to give us. And that goal, I personally believe, will also impact revenue, like it absolutely will. But it also, at the top top tippy top of our focus shows us that we're serving first, right? So I think those types of things for me personally have been really helpful filters. And I think like it's so, so hard to prioritize or focus on one thing. So I'd love to like shift our conversation ever so slightly 'cause I know you said that you're focusing on abundance. And I think abundance mindset in my experience of growing a company, doing lots of personal development, doing lots of business development, abundance is a really, really hard one to wrap your brain around, especially for moms. Because moms are always, I feel like, juggling 10,000 things. There's never enough time in the day that to-do list feels like it's ever growing. And the only thing that feels abundant at times, at least for me, is like the demand on my time, right? Like I know that there's an endless demand for my time when I just can never meet it. And so let's talk about how moms can practice more abundance. And I think one of the cool things that I've personally experienced out of abundance or practicing more of an abundance mindset is that prioritizing feels easier. I can say I can focus on this one thing because I know that that thing has an abundant amount of opportunity if I just focus there. And when I decide to focus on the next thing, that will give me the opportunity and it will still be there, right? When I come in it, I decide to give it my focus. So talk to me about some of the early stage things that moms can start to do to focus on really curating an abundance-based mindset. - So abundance to me is, it's like, it's freedom. A freedom to live as you desire, right? To have the things that you desire. Abundance is not about a dollar amount per say, obviously. You have an abundance of money. You got a lot of figures in your bank account. But at the same time, it's like, you don't necessarily need that to feel abundant. If you feel whole, if you feel at peace, like you should be aiming for these things, freedom, peace, just living in gratitude every single day. Just there's that feeling of wholesomeness, like that's abundance to me, right? Just having joy about what you're doing, how you're doing it, and feeling confident that it doesn't even matter what anybody else is doing per say, or how their abundant life is going. If you're living life on your terms, that's, to me, that you should feel that. If you want, like, that equals abundance. Knowing what you want, doing what you want at the pace that you want, and just having that gratitude and peace with it all. - How has your perspective on abundance changed as your kids have gotten older? I know that you're in a season right now where the kids are older and you've been in business for a while, and I'm sure the demands on the time just look a little bit different. What does that look like now for you? - That definitely is, I will definitely say that freedom peace is really working for me, because I really felt almost like a slave to what I had to do. I had to make money as these kids were growing, and they were all competitive athletes, and again, there's a dollar of value to that. And so, and then there was just me just spreading myself thin amongst the four kids, and I have no regrets about that, but it was a busy time. But also respecting the fact that, "Hey, right now, it's a busy time, Carol. "You chose to put these kids in these sports." They are thriving, they are grateful, they are, it's worth it. But knowing that I could be here at this moment in time and not going crazy and having this whole schedule that basically doesn't belong to me. And so now looking back and just knowing how much it has supported my children in their own journey, it feels like, I did that from the heart, and it feels good, and I'm feeling abundant, and I'm feeling abundant. And again, just having my businesses and just being so grateful for where I am now, knowing that what I did then, woo, it was busy, it was a gong show, but I'm grateful for those experience that I've been able to offer my children, and now I get to kind of like sit back and enjoy the fruits of my labor. - That is so excellent. What are you excited about? What else on the horizon for the rest of the year? I mean, you've got a couple of businesses, you've got kiddos who are growing into adults, and you're able to have fun experiences with them and have conversations, like, I'm so grateful for the time that our kids are in minor four and two, but like, so grateful for this time. Like, they love being like cuddly, like we were cuddling earlier today, and they just like love being with us, and it's so excellent. I know that sometimes it feels very demanding on like my body and my time, and I'm just so grateful for this time, and I'm looking forward to some of the things that you're probably experiencing. So what is that like, you know, having excitement about what's happening in the future? Are your kids like involved in your businesses at all? - Mm, yes. My construction business, my boys are now old enough, and they like to help out. They think that they're gonna take over the business, and I'm like, honey, are you sure you wanna get that dirty? (laughing) But they're awesome, and you know, their work ethic is amazing, and it's a joy to watch, because I remember, so like I said, I have a construction business, so I remember when they used to, you know, play with these dump trucks, and these, you know, these little toy backhoes, and now they're like running them with their dad. It's, it does bring me to tears, but like who cries on a construction site, right? (laughing) They all, of course, love the travel piece. They love that mom is a travel advisor, and sometimes get to go on some journeys with us, so that's really nice. And, you know, even when I was a fitness instructor, and I would do like these big, you know, charity events, and I'd be instructing up there, like the whole family would come and support me, so I definitely am blessed to have like, my own little cheer team that's always got my back, and they know that mom is the same. I've got there back too, so, you know, it's really beautiful, like, as much as, you know, you can enjoy those little cuddles and kisses, and those tiny hands that you get to hold. There's this different, beautiful side of life as they get older, and, you know, you can have those conversations like, a couple weeks ago, my son was like, you know what, mom? Like, you, you really are an inspirational person. (laughing) Let me hold this together here. But, you know, it really makes it all worth it to hear your kids appreciate you, and be, you know, some of your biggest fans. So, to all the moms out there that are, you know, pursuing their entrepreneurial journeys, and hoping to make their kids proud, like you are. They're watching, have fun with it. And, you know, involve your kids, tell them what you're doing, and, you know, whether they pursue entrepreneurship or not, I don't push it on my children. My eldest does have some entrepreneurial stuff going on, but she also is working a full-time job as well. And, you know, she gives me credit for that, and it feels good, because I know that I'm being a good example to my kids, and so all those entrepreneurial moms out there, like, keep doing what you're doing. Your kids are watching, and they're proud of you. - That is so incredible, Carol. I think everyone listening probably needs to hear that, including me, 'cause I'm sure there are days that still get tough, right? I mean, even though you're out of the thick of toddler life, and all the things that maybe I'm struggling with, or the other moms listening are, there are plenty. Like, I had a mom on here a few months ago, whose kiddos are about to go to college, and she's, like, doing the whole thing, where they're going and visiting the schools, and it's just such a demand on the family's time, and it's such an emotional experience, too, making a decision like that. So, before we press record, I was saying, I had a mom on, her name was Crystal, and Crystal said that as your kids get older, nobody tells you that it doesn't get easier, it just gets different. And I think while I might be getting lots of the rewards of, like, the sweet cuddles, and that kind of thing, and, like, the little kids, like, you're getting the very sweet rewards of being able to see your kids grow up, and become adults, and apply the things that they've learned from watching you and your husband over the years, and get those little, lovely points of validation where they see you, right? Like, for the human, the adult that you are, and not just, like, their caregiver. So, that's so beautiful. Thank you so much for encouraging. - Oh, you're welcome. Yeah, we need it. We do need it. You're right, and, you know, sometimes you forget, 'cause we're so busy just trying to make, trying to make shit happen, and you know what you are, you're making shit happen. You're here, the kids are good, you know? And they're watching, so, you know, show them what, you know, what real love looks like, you know? And sometimes it looks like hustle. Sometimes it looks like crying, you know? Trying to hide it, trying to hide in the bathroom crying, but, you know, when they come out, they notice that your eyes are a little bit well done, but it's all part of it. It's all part of life, and you getting through it all is teaching your kids something, and you don't even know it. So, keep going. - I do, I believe that. I think the entrepreneurial backdrop for a family is incredibly, incredibly educational, and not only just in capability, and trusting yourself, and hustling, and working hard, and all that stuff, but also, you have to get up and believe in yourself every day. And even when you don't, you still have to sort of pretend like you do. (laughs) - That's right, it's hard, it's so hard, because some days, especially I think for moms, with like our women in general, for like our hormonal cycle, right? Sometimes I feel like the guys get it slightly easier, because they wake up with the same amount, like a hormone dump every morning. We don't, and so we've got that like 30-day cycle, where we're like, "Oh man, I stink, I stink, I stink, I stink." I'm the best, I stink, I stink, I stink, I stink, I stink. - Where's my mom? (laughs) - I love it. - Who told me I could run my own life? (laughs) - Yeah, so it's so incredible. Carol, honestly, thank you so much for the real conversation here, and for all the encouragement too, that you gave to moms, I think I learned a lot about turning inward, and about how to block that time in, because transparently, I think especially for moms, growing businesses and raising families, I mean, the demands on the calendar are just so, so high. So being able to proactively schedule in that time, for anybody listening, I really do think that that's gonna be helpful. And for folks who want to get in touch with you, where can they follow along, and find out all the fun stuff that you're doing with your multiple businesses and your growing family? (laughs) - I am most active, I will say on Instagram, at carol.suki, I'm also on TikTok, I have my website, carolsuki.com, and I do have a podcast as well, the Carole Suki podcast, so just try and find me wherever I'd be happy to have-- - Fantastic, I will link all that stuff up, Carol, for folks to be able to connect with you. Thank you so much for taking the time out today, to join me on Growing Pains. - Thank you, Alison, it's been a pleasure. (upbeat music) - Thank you so much for tuning into today's episode of Growing Pains. I know that you have so many things vying for your attention right now, so I am so grateful that you just spent the last hour or so with me. So I hear all the time from mompreneurs, Ali, Ali, what systems do I need to have in place in order to thrive in business and in parenthood? If you go over to alisoncafry.com/checklist, you can grab my kid-proof business checklist, and it will get you started in the right direction around making sure that you build a business that doesn't steal all of the time away from your family. If you loved today's episode, I would be so, so, so honored if you would leave a review on the podcast, it helps us reach even more incredible mompreneurs just like you and give them the resources they need to be wildly successful in business and wildly present at home with their families. Thanks so much again, and I'll see you next time. (upbeat music) (upbeat music) (upbeat music) [BLANK_AUDIO]
