#29 How to Build a Brand that Empowers Others and Forges Good in the World, with Missy Robertson, Laminin Designs and Duck Dynasty

All right, guys, it's time for episode number 29, and this is a special one, because this week we're joined by Missy Robertson. Yes, the Missy Robertson of Duck Dynasty, but also a Boutique Hub member and the founder of Laminin, a jewelry brand that's created with purpose and shaping so many women's lives. Let's talk about your business strategy and the juicy details of what actually works, from mainstream fashion to fashion on Main street and the entire ecosystem behind it. How do we scale your company and do it with the balance and the happiness that we all seek? Let's hear from those insiders, experts, and strategists that actually make it happen. I'm your host, Ashley Alderson from the Boutique Hub, and I can't wait to chat. Hey, guys, we're in for a real treat this week on Boutique Chat, because joining us this week is Missy Robertson. Yes, the Missy Robertson of Duck Dynasty, as you probably know her, but she's also a proud Boutique Hub member and the founder of Laminen, which is a jewelry band created with purpose. Now, I'm going to let her tell you all the details of the company because it's definitely something that we're seeing happen a lot these days in terms of fashion. You know, there's an opportunity in our world today when there's a need or a struggle that we could donate, we could give to charity, and we could give a handout. But there's also this new way of thinking which is rather than work through charity, why not build a business that actually gives back and employs these women and shapes lives and futures forever? And that's exactly what Laminin has done and the vision that Missy's had for the company. This is a jewelry brand that is completely operated by women who are starting a new life for themselves. They're starting again. Whether they were struggling with addiction or were caught in human traffic trafficking, this company is a breath of fresh air and a new day going forward for so many women. And Missy and her team have been a member of the Boutique Hub for several months now, sharing the brand, and it's been a great collaboration and a great partnership to help grow their company. So, guys, I'm so intrigued by this interview and I do share this with Missy. I've always laughed thinking about the Duck Dynasty family because most people watch Duck Dynasty and they intrigued by the men on the show, right? Like it's a man show in a way, but from a woman's perspective. I've loved watching all the women, both mothers and daughters, on the show because they've had such a unique perspective on fashion. Whether it's Laminin, this jewelry company, or creating a wholesale apparel line, or creating a great boutique like Duck and Dressing, there's certainly a lot of ties to Southern fashion in the Duck Dynasty world that, trust me, goes far beyond camo. Right. So I'm so excited that we're able to share this story with you and to get to visit with Missy. I know she's such a busy woman, but she's definitely a woman of her word and a woman who is shaping the future of so many other women in this world. I'm so proud that we're able to partner with her, and I hope that you're able to partner with her, too. This is a pretty cool story. So, guys, thank you for listening to the show, and I hope you enjoy this chat with Missy Robertson. Hey, guys, welcome back to the podcast.

This week we have such a special.

Guest I'm so honored to have with us.

Hey, Missy Robertson. Thank you so much for joining us.

Absolutely. Happy to be here.

Well, I know you are such a busy woman, so your schedule was something to make this work out. I appreciate it so much. I'd love to know you just got back from a big trip. And for those who follow along on social media, I'd love to hear about how this trip went and how you're adjusting to being back in the state.

Yes. We've only been back for just a few days, and we came back from Israel. We had a wonderful, very informative, beautiful trip to Israel. And it was me and my family, Jace and the kids, and we joined a group called Israel Collective, and they take a few groups every year and basically just show us the beauty of Israel and inform us of all what's going on basically inside the country and along the borders and just get a feel of the culture and the beauty of it. And we. We definitely did. We had a fantastic trip.

I was loving following the pictures on your social media accounts, and I think so many people are living vicariously through you. Do you have plans to come back again, too, in the future?

You know, I would. I would definitely. I don't have any plans right now, but if I was asked to go back, I definitely would. It was. It was really, really, really done. Well, Jase, however, will probably not go back. That Robertson food thing kind of threw him for a loop. So the food is very different, which I loved, but he's kind of a meat potatoes guy. So he. As soon as we got back to the hotel that last night, before our air, our. For our air, our flight, he said, I want order me some chicken wings. So he did. So he was happy then. But he's not a big fan of hummus, so I can't blame him. I loved it. I thought it was amazing. But, yeah, I can see. I can see how he was ready to get back home just for the food aspect, so. You bet.

You know, we. You and I were talking a little bit before we started airing the podcast.

Just about the show.

And, you know, so many people have followed along Duck Dynasty and just this whole journey, right, this evolution, mainly because they love the story, they love the mission, they love the family and the entertainment, the guys. But I loved it because of the women on the show. And I find it so. So many women on the show have become involved in fashion and have such an entrepreneurial spirit. I'd love to know where that all originated from.

Yeah, I don't know where it would have originated from because we're all in laws, so it's not like it was passed down from one source to us. The only thing I would think that I would say that was in common was when you're put on national television, whatever interest you have of looking good, it's kind of ratcheted up a few notches. So there's something about, oh, you're going to be viewed by a few million people on Wednesday night. Maybe you want to have a sort of a semblance to your outfit and your hair done. So we all want to look good when we go out into town or whatever for the day or to church on Sundays. But, you know, then when you're put on tv, it just kind of becomes a little bit more important. And it will, because people will critique the mess out of every physical flaw that you have. And so you can easily get caught up in that, or if you do, it's pretty miserable. But if you don't and you just realize you just want to look good for yourself, when you feel good about yourself, you're able to, you know, pass that on to other people and you're able to be better, a better self. So I think that that's what I learned early on. They wanted us to look a certain way, and I'll say they, as in, you know, production and all of that from Hollywood. And I had to come to the realization of this is a reality show, and I want to look the way that I feel the best. And that kind of morphed over time to where I knew exactly what my style was, because at the Beginning, I wasn't really sure because I'd never really had the opportunity to put forth my style before. Always on a budget, just whatever is on sale, whatever I can find quickly, with three kids and medical debt and all of that with my daughter. So it wasn't a big priority. But, you know, put yourself on national television and it becomes a priority of some sort quickly. That's right.

Was there stylists or people that kind of helped in production assistance that helped you find what your own style was, or was that something that you.

I had. Well, they kind of wanted us to look a certain way, and so which I. You know, we went along with that for a little while, and then sometimes, you know, we would look at an outfit, say, I don't like that. Like, I'm not wearing that. And they were fine with that in terms of wardrobe stylists and all. But I had a friend who owns a boutique here in our town, and we were asked to do a local fashion show for a fundraiser, and I got paired with her boutique, and she's the one that really helped me find my style. And I'm simplistic more. I would say what my style is, is I would say classically modest or modest and classy, whichever one you want to go with. But I'm simple, and I'm just kind of classic, and I always want to make sure that I dress modestly. And so once she found that out about me, in terms of, do you like this? Do you like this? Do you like this? She would be able to put complete outfits together for me, and I could just go in and pick them up. So that was amazing. To have that, and for someone else to understand my style and be able to help me was really, really a step up for me. I had no idea that I would. I would even be able to figure that out for myself.

Isn't that.

It is. Yes. Yes, it is. And now I know, like, so many times I would not want to go shopping because it was so overwhelming. Now I would walk into a huge department store and not even know where to begin. And so now I know my style. I know the dresses that I like. I know the pants that I like. I know what the shirts and all these different blouses, and I know what I like, and so I can go there, and then I figure out the fit and the price and if that all fits within me and my budget. And so that really does help me a lot. She really helped me a lot.

I love that. That's. You know, so many of the boutiques that we work with at the Boutique Hub. That's their mission. Right? You can go shop at a big box store, but you never get that service and someone that really cares. Look and feel your best.

So that's absolutely.

Yes. So now your. Your business and fashion has really evolved. I mean, I know you've had some clothing ventures and different things you've worked on throughout the years, but what is most interesting today is the new jewelry line that you have. And really going to get into this, but not just line itself and the fact that it's beautiful and wearable, but really the mission behind it. So I'd love to hear about Landon and how this came.

The mission behind it was really the only reason that I started it because, you know, again, I've just learned this about fashion over the last few years, but with the fashion, with the jewelry, I just thought, you know, with my personality, I don't do a whole lot of things that don't have meaning behind it. It's just kind of. It's my personality. It's either the way I was raised or what I've been involved in for most of my life. I'm just not one to just go do things usually just for the fun of it. I want to do it if there's a meaning behind it. And so to start a jewelry company was never something that I thought, oh, this will be so fine. So this was something of, who can I help with this jewelry company? And that's why it was started. And we've always been a family of mission. We've always been like that. The Robertsons and even myself growing up in my own household of a preacher, as a dad. And so who can I help with? This was the question. And when I asked that question, it was a very easy answer. They just. These women just started coming. And most of them, all of them that we hire, are some that are in need of a new purpose. And when I say that there's different backgrounds from every single one of them, but most of them have been involved in some type of drug addiction. And so along the things that come around with drug addiction are sex trafficking, homelessness, broken marriages, abusive husbands, things like that are always surrounding women who have overcome or are trying to overcome drug abuse. So this was a way that we could help them get a job. Because if they have ever been arrested, which most of them have, they have convictions on their record, they can't find a job. So we assure them that when they come in and check that box. Have you ever been convicted of a felony or of a crime, you can safely tell the truth. And, and it doesn't mean we're definitely going to hire you, but it means that that is not going to hinder us from looking at you to give you this job. And so because that's our purpose and our mission is we want to help these women change the dysfunctional cycles of their lives, change them to functional and successful and God centered cycles for themselves and their children.

So were these women, had they come together already in some other type of organization first, came in contact with them and met them or, and then the jewelry second or how did that pair?

Well, like I said, our family has been involved in mission. So a lot of them, once I decided we were going to go ahead and try this out, like we're going to try this. What's going on here? Because I realized I had a name involved with the fashion industry. So my friend who owned the boutique said, you should try this. And you know, again I pushed it away like no, I'm not this big fashion person. And then again it comes up to me, no, God, I don't really want to be involved in this. I don't have time for this about, you know, slap number three in the face from God saying you need to do this. I kind of sat up and listened and started really thinking maybe, maybe I should look into doing this, you know. So once I started talking about it, we put some pieces together. My friend was selling them in her boutique to see if there was any interest and we couldn't keep them in stock. Said okay, okay, we might have this, we might can make a go of this. And so I went to Ms. K, my mother in law who works with these type of women on a weekly basis and she has a group called, she calls them Muffin Moms. And it kind of the mom's got dropped. So it's like Mutt, she calls them her muffins. So she says, well I have a few muffins who might need a job. And so she sent six of her muffins to me and we hired them all right there on the spot. And so that's really how it started. We also partnered with a group in town who actually does the rescuing of the sex traffic, sex trafficking industry in the industry itself. So these women who are fleeing from their traffickers or their pimps or have been beaten and end up in, in the, in the police and you know, in the police station or whatever it is, these women were being rescued. And so once they would find a safe, then we were Contacted, they need a job. And so it kind of happened all at the same time. So. And that was a little over two years ago. Wow.

And so how many of these women are employed now and is it basically a community that they come into as well? Right. It's not just the career and the job that they're offering, support system around them to help them become real.

That's the main, actually, I mean, yes, that, that's the main mission because we want them to understand that they can enter the business world and get a real job and pay real taxes. They can do this because normally when they've been involved in the lifestyle that I've already talked about, they don't know what that's like. They don't know about paying taxes, they don't know about paying rent. So they have to understand about how to live on a day to day basis in order to either get their children back or to provide a legal and safe way to take care of their children. And so this is all like a new process for them. And so they're learning that. So the environment itself is very comforting to them because everyone around them has been or is involved in some way trying to rebuild their life. They're bad choices or being a victim of someone else, bad choices in their life. And so it's a safe place in that term as well, where they can share with each other and then also they can learn a skill. So. And I'm learning too, because I thought, okay, well, at the beginning I need to hire an office manager who doesn't have this background. I also need to hire a designer who doesn't have this background, who've already been established in this business community. But now, and I did that, those didn't work out. Now who, you know, you've talked to Charlie to even set up this podcast, she is one of those women and she's running the business part of the company. Erica is one of these women I'm talking about and she's a designer. She designs every piece and they're phenomenal. So these women are learning that they are valued not just because I tell them they are, not just because their preacher is saying that they are, but because they're getting that every single day from the sales that we're making, from people loving and buying the designs that feeds them their value system as well. Like, you can do this and you can make a go of this and you are important to this world.

So, so many of the retailers and the designers who are listening, they ask that question in the boutique Hub quite often. How do I find and retain great staff? And would you agree that just like you said, if you have staff that are 100% bought in the mission that you've created, that they will stick around longer and remain happier? Do you think that's true for everyone in this business?

Yes, I would say 100%. The problem is how do you find and how do you, how can you read people in an interview that that's what, that's the way they're going to be? You can't. So I mean you can, you can kind of get a feeling, a gut feeling. I actually after I did a lot of the initial hiring because I don't have the background of the women that I'm wanting to help. There have been some that have manipulated me and that's the way that that goes because of the celebrity status or because that they want to keep their job or because of just strictly the lifestyle that they've come out of. Their whole life has been manipulation because it's self survival mode. And so I was very easily manipulated because I didn't know what to look for. So I put Charlie into the hiring and the firing category because she is, she's one of those women who is non dramatic. She is very even keel and she also knows what to look for because she was one of those women. So it's harder to manipulate her than it is to me. So again, once you find those key people in your business that are really make up for your weakness as a business owner, because that is a major weakness of mine is being able to understand what they're going through and understand that I'm being manipulated and lied to. I think, oh, I just want to help them. It takes me 80 times to actually figure out to let someone go and that's hard. That's a hard decision for me and I don't want to do it. And they, they know that about me. Like Mrs. Not gonna fire me, you know, she's got too soft of a heart. So I'm like, oh, so again really building up key people in your business. It may take a while to get to, to know those and who they are, but it's definitely worth it. I had, did not have these women in mind to be running and making these decisions for my company. But yet it evolved in a way that their strengths were showing. And so if we can let down our ego enough to say you're in charge and you're going to do awesome and I really am depending on you and I have full confidence in you then it also. Because even if we don't have that background, we all want to be valued. We all want to feel important, like we're giving back to society or we're working hard to make our bosses happy. We all want to feel that way. And so as a business owner, definitely strive to complement and to kind of let that rope out a little bit, let them start to make some decisions on their own, because it just feeds that whole value, which also then they're. They're, you know, they want to reciprocate to you out of gratefulness because they feel valued. They want to stay where they are. They don't want to go somewhere else and have to start over in a place that they, you know, from a place that they love. So actually, I think that that's worked really, really well for us.

That's great advice. Great advice. So talk about the pieces in the actual collection. If there's meaning behind some of the.

Pieces, I would say the commonality that runs through most, if not all the pieces is I'm pretty natural, like, earthy. I like earthy things. And, you know, I love the horns, like deer antlers, that are shed naturally from the deer. So I love the stones that come out of the ground. You know, just anything that is more rustic and earthy. However, we do add a little bling, because I'm not a blingy person. But we add that because we want to make sure that we appeal to all women. And so I think that we keep our own specified look throughout our laminin, even through the seasons. But we will also cater to certain areas of the country, I think better as, like, for spring, there may be more blingy ones. For the fall, there may be bigger pendant ones that you wear with a really nice sweater or something like that. And so even though I will say this is Laminate by Missy Robertson, it's going to start out with what I like, and. But I'm letting that grow, you know, hopefully to appeal to a lot more women out there.

Absolutely. So the line, if there's retailers that are listening and they're wanting to see or learn more, and I know you just had some boutique hub specials that.

Were running in our group.

Can you tell us more about where they can find and connect with you and learn more on the line?

Yes, they can go to the website, which is laminandesigns.com and there's a way to contact us, which will probably be Charlie there. And Charlie is really great about emailing you right back. Like, I Said she's one of those, we were talking before. She's one of those who ANSWERS emails at 2:00am not that I want you to email her at 2:00am, but she will. Seems like she's just always thinking how to grow the business and so she's never going to let something slip by on purpose and say, I'm just going to wait till tomorrow, you know, if it happens at 6, 8, 9 o' clock at night, she'll just be on her phone, you know, working on that. So be assured that if you reach out to us about a certain question or a piece or even exclusive items, we don't mind doing that as well. So she will definitely be able to answer you back very quickly.

Perfect. And I know she's been so involved in the Boutique Hub group, so our girls can find her in there as well. The name is so unique and I was watching another interview that you had done on the name and the protein and where this came from. Can you tell us?

Sure. It is the Laminin cross. It looks like a cross if you look at our logo, and that is actually a picture of a protein molecule, one protein molecule that is inside of our bodies. And we have thousands and thousands and thousands of them in our bodies and they hold pretty much everything together. They hold the cells in our body together. When you blow it up under microscope, it is in that shape of a cross. And so our mantra verse is Colossians 1:17. He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. And that not only is he before all things, he's holding us all together. And we're helping facilitate that at Laminan with all of the women and how they're holding each other accountable, holding each other up, encouraging each other. You know, these women, they crack me up because, because they've been through it. They are so blunt with each other and they're at different stages in their recoveries and they really, really can relate so well to each other, but yet they're so compassionate. So it's, it's been a wonderful thing. And, and that, that verse and our logo really does say a lot about our company.

So you got started. It was 2016, right when the company first launched. I'd love to know what are your plans and aspirations for where you see the next three to five years of the business going?

Gosh, my big dreams are to have Laminan hubs all over the country. I would love to have so many boutiques out there that we could open up a Laminan house in Florida. Or in Idaho or in Missouri somewhere, to where we're helping women all over the country get what these women here in West Monroe are getting.

I've heard some other people ask you this question, and I think just along the lines of what you said, having laminate houses along or around the country, there's an opportunity to either create a business or a charity. When you're faced with something you chose to create.

Yes, there is. Yes. I was approached early on by some, you know, wise men and women from my church saying, this is so great, but you probably need to do this as a charity and just raise funds. And I thought, oh, I just. Everything in me was saying, no, no. You know, we have a charity called the Meamu Fund, where we help children and families born with cleft lip and palate, because our daughter was born with that. And fundraising takes a lot of work, and there's a lot of effort. And I just thought, I don't know if I can do another charity at the same time. And the more that I thought about it, I thought, these women, and the more that I'm understanding the way that they operate and their mindset and the value that they seek and need. When this company becomes successful, it's going to be because of their hard work, and there is so much value that is going to be added to them and their mindset just with that fact. So if it was a charity, it would be so much easier for them to just show up, do whatever they're supposed to do or not do, try to get away with as little as they can, and go home with the same paycheck. But this way they understand if this doesn't make any money, this company goes away. And so their heart really shows about, I love this. I want to see this succeed. And it really has divided the goats and the sheep, if you will, because you can. You can tell pretty quickly the ones who really just don't want to work, and there's nothing that I can do about that. I can't make them change their heart. But the ones that do, like Erica and Charlie, they are. They're turning this business around, and it's really, really showing. And they understand if we don't make this work, I have to go find another job. And they are trying their best to make this work, and I really think that that's going to add value to their life.

When I first heard you talk about this, I just was so enamored with this idea, because I wholeheartedly believe in what you're doing and completely Agree with this mindset of, rather than be entitled, be empowered, right?

Yes, absolutely.

It kind of goes back to even the core of money mindset. And I think about even my own journey as a business owner. I was first raised with a money mindset almost that money was a negative thing. Money was the root of all evil. Right. But that was me to see, wow, the bigger business you create, the more opportunity you create to do good in this world around you. And you're living proof of that as well. Can you talk about that mindset and even maybe people that you encounter that see it differently and how you help them to see where you're coming from in terms of creating a business versus a charity in that way?

Yeah, I haven't really been asked about that other than people automatically assume that it's a charity. And so, so many times as well, with charities like Jason and I have traveled a lot over these past five years speaking at different events, and there are so many wonderful charities out there that are really trying to change people's lives. But the products, sometimes that we're given as gifts at these events or whatever, like, please support these. Like, I wouldn't use these. I wouldn't use these. I wouldn't wear these, because the quality is just not there. And so, understanding all of that process, I want to make sure that the jewelry speaks for itself. So if you see it in a boutique, you're drawn to the jewelry just because of its beauty and its quality and its uniqueness and the price. We try to keep the price really, really lower than most of these other expensive pieces of jewelry that really have a lot of the same style that we do, because I want to make sure that it appeals to all women. And so when you're drawn to that, I love the fact that people are drawn to the jewelry itself, but then when they hear the mission behind it and that this is not going to succeed unless you and I say, how can I help? I have three words. Buy the jewelry. This is the only way that this, quote, mission is going to succeed. So that's what I say is, again, the quality feeds these women's value system because they understand we have to make something that appeals to women for them to want to buy it, for them to keep my job, and for them to keep this, for us to keep this business open. So it's a. It's a chain reaction. But it all. I believe it's the best way right now for us to go.

Absolutely. So being so involved in fashion now through this, and again, you know, everyone in the family, the in laws, the ladies, all being involved in fashion and there being so many business owners that are listening to this. If you had one piece of advice for someone listening, watching your journey, what would it be for them to start their journey in fashion as well?

Make sure your heart's in it. If your heart is not in it, it will not succeed. And my heart, like I told you before, was not really in the jewelry. It was in the women and wanting to help them and change their lives. So but with all of that, it's a lot of work. So if your heart is not in it to be able to put the hours that it takes to manage employees to feed the money train that will be taking off immediately. When you make this decision, to understand that it's going to take a lot of sacrifice, don't do it because it takes a lot of work. But if you're going to do it, put all of yourself into it. It will change people's lives. Right now, I would say in America, this is the time to do it with the leadership, the administration that we have, with the business sense that the administration has, with the help that we're getting in tax cuts in pro business of America, this is the time. I'm not sure there's going to be a better time to start anything than right now.

Agreed? Agreed, 100%. Can you talk about when you first started this? Did you have fears besides just not going into the jewelry, but fears and obstacles that you also felt like you had to overcome again, besides the jewelry and taken advantage of by some of the community?

I didn't really have a fear about that because of where we were in reputation with Duck Dynasty. People knew that once that they heard the mission, that I think that our lifestyle validated that. I do, you know, there was some negativity of, oh, you're just trying to make more money. If people only knew. I have not made one dime off of this, and I don't see that happening anytime soon because I'm actually in debt because of this, trying to help these women. And if we do start making money, which we are a little bit this fall, we see, we see some success. All that's going to do is go back into the business to hire more women. So we're not getting rich. Nobody's getting rich off this business. And that's not the plan. But, you know, I always say, and I tell the women this, if we keep God at the center of this business, he will bless it. If we're not, if we're hiding Things. If we are trying to play both hands of our life, one in front of me and me and the other one, you know, with making sure that I don't find out things or just living a secretive, sinful life, then it's not going to succeed. There's just no way it's going to happen. And there's no way that I can know that until God reveals those things to me. And I really believe that's why it's been a roller coaster right now. Things are looking up. We're on the up end of this. And a lot of that goes to thanking Boutique for taking a chance on us. And so I would say number one piece of advice is to keep God at the center and try to think and put your mindset into what his will is for you. Because our whole goal is to change people's lives in order that they can see Jesus and shine a light on Jesus and glorify him. That is my main goal in life. And Laminin is just one of those tools, hopefully, that I'm using to do that.

Man, I was sharing with you earlier, I'm just. That speaks to me so much because the center of my vision board also, you changed my life. And that's through him and his light. So I think that's absolutely spot on. And the more that we can remember that, even daily when we're in the trenches in our business, going back to the core of why are we doing what we're doing right, then it makes it so much, so much more fulfilling. Would you say you also kind of touched on something I want to ask about? Because so many who have an online business deal with this and that is how do you deal or how do you go back to what your core purpose is on a daily basis when you deal with Internet trolls and if you have any secret strategies for dealing with those that you come across, well.

Well, I'll say if it's, if it's bad reviews about our product, we take those very seriously or customer service or anything. I'm not sure that we've had many of that. Honestly, I'm being completely honest because our girls handle things so quickly and so well. If a piece does fall apart and people are upset about it, then we've got to figure out why that happened and they are immediately the refunded or it's replaced. So that is so rare. Me personally is a whole different issue so that I can. I just. I know who I am and I know 100% who I believe in and I know who created me. And I know what purpose I have here on this earth. I am confident that I'm doing everything I can to live out what I'm supposed to here on this earth. If somebody doesn't like it, I'm sorry, I can't do anything about that. And I'm not changing for you. So I had to come to a place of that, you know, through Duck Dynasty. And I didn't read most of everything that was out there even to begin with. I just kind of made that pact with myself. When there were articles that came out or when I would post something and there would be hundreds of comments, I just didn't read them. So because I knew that early on there was going to be so much negativity because of where we stand with God and with our spiritual life. And so there's really nothing that they're going to say that's going to change that about me. So I would say, if any advice, ignore it. If you are confident in your product and confident of yourself, ignore the negativity.

Well said. Well said. And everyone has to deal with that at some point. But again, it goes back to you and how confident you are with why you're here and what you're doing. I love that.

Right.

Speak to me about family is the core of everything. God first, family second, career third. Right. And there's so many women today, women specifically, who are getting involved in fashion, whether it's the retail or designing, just like you are, and they're balancing their role as a wife and as a mother and as a business owner. And I mean, you're definitely doing this on a daily basis. Can you talk to us about what that process is like and maybe tips and tricks that, that you've discovered that could. Could help someone listening, learn how to better balance all these things?

First of all, you pray. You just, you pray for clarity and you pray for wisdom. Because, yes, we say. We say when we have to write down our priorities on paper. God number one, family number two, everything else number three. But if you're not living that, it's going to show pretty quickly and you're going to be stressed pretty quickly as well. So I've been through all those stages in my life because before Duck Dynasty, I had to work. I had to work in order for us to pay our bills, because there's not that many duck hunters out there. So there, there are a few more now because of Duck Dynasty, but there were not. And so there was only a certain amount of duck calls that we could sell every year. In order to pay our bills. And so I've been on all spectrums of the financial scale, and I definitely have more freedom now, so I'm able to put more time into the things that draw my heart. Before, I had to work, whether I liked it or not, and that was difficult. So I would say pray. You know, I don't think there's one perfect solution for every woman in America out there. It depends on what kind of a husband you have, what kind of a relationship you have outside of work, how your kids treat you, how you treat your kids. There's so many dynamics in life that the only thing that. That's going to keep constant is God. And if you have a relationship with him and you listen to him and you understand that his will is for, number one, for him to be glorified, and for, number two, for him to do it through you. He wants to use us to glorify Him. It just. It sets. It sets our life a lot easier, and we're able to choose and pick our priorities a lot easier with that.

That's great advice. All right, let's do some lightning. Round questions. Sound good?

Oh, boy. Okay.

Okay. These are pretty simple. I promise it won't be too hard. So let's start your favorite podcast or place that you go online to find inspiration for business or personal reasons.

Oh, gosh. Right now I'm flooding Pinterest. We just bought a really, really old plantation house in Monroe, and I'm wanting to redo it. And so right now, I'm Pinterest. Pinterest, Pinterest, Pinterest.

I would agree. I'm right there with you. How about your favorite mentor? Who do you look to as a mentor?

Oh, gosh, I have. I've been blessed with very many, but one of my mentor moms, I would say, is Dr. Jonelle Kirby. And she's. I grew up here with her, and she's. She is a wonderful doctor of marriage and family therapy and so much more. So, yes, Dr. Jonelle Kirby, if anybody wants to look her up.

Like it. All right. Your favorite book at the moment.

Oh, God. I'm a reader, too. I can't. Okay, okay. Have I just now. Which. This is crazy. Just read, because some friends of mine gave me this book. I think it's called Redeemed. Is it Redeemed? Francine Rivers.

Oh, Redeeming love.

Redeeming Love. Yes. I just finished that, like, two weeks before we went to Israel. And so, yeah, I would highly recommend. I didn't realize how long it took me to read that, but, yeah, highly recommend that. That's a good one.

That's a good one. All right. Your favorite quote or verse?

Okay, again, I have a lot of favorite verses, but one that always comes out to mind is Philippians 2:14, which is easier said than done. Do everything without complaining or arguing so that you may shine like stars in the universe. I love that one. If I could only do it.

I was gonna say. I think I needed to hear that today.

That's a good one.

All right. Beards or no beards?

No beards.

Also easier said than done. Right?

Right.

Camo or stripes?

Neither. Solid.

Solid. All right. Bandanas or baseball caps?

Oh, baseball cap, honey, all the way.

Perfect. Well, Missy, before we wrap up today, this is kind of the last question I ask everybody on the show, and I love hearing that you answer. And it kind of goes back to. Every business is created with purpose. And so I'd love to know just this journey that you're on with Laminan as you build it, and you think about your future and think about even your future with Nia, which I'm sure she's a part of this business as well. And you're sitting with her sometime on this plantation house, right, that you just purchased. And you're reflecting back on the business and what's been created and what it did for others. Love to know what's the legacy, number one, that you hope to leave most with the business with Lamnan, and number two, with your personal work in this world.

One and two are going to be the same answer. And I'm going to steal this from someone because he said it so perfectly. One of Jace's cousins, we're always talking kingdom issues, and he's such so awesome and wonderful, and we have the same kind of mission mindset. And he said. He said when I lay in my. In that, when I'm put in that casket at the end of my life, he said, this may sound selfish, but I want people to say, he moved. He moved the needle just even just a little bit for the kingdom of God. And I thought, you know, I've never voiced that out loud because it sounds almost a little selfish, you know, like I want to be viewed in a certain way, but for other people to say, you know, that Missy Robertson, she moved the needle for the kingdom of God, that would be amazing. And if it's through Laminin or through whatever else we do in our lives here on Earth, for me, that's what I want him to say. That's what I Want my God to say too.

I love that. Well, Missy, thank you so much for taking the time to be with us today and for the mission that you have. And you definitely are moving the needle. I really, I just want to value you and thank you so much for what you're doing for so many on this earth and for being a part of the. I'm sure that our women are going to love to hear your story.

I hope so. Thank you so much.

Such a cool story, you guys. I'm so thankful that we, we have this opportunity at the Boutique Hub to see these new brands emerge in the boutique and in the fashion world that are really out there aiming to do good. If you've been a member of the Hub for a while, you've probably heard me say this, I'm going to sound like a broken record, but people want to do business with people and people want to do business with companies who have a purpose. It's one thing just to sell clothes or one thing just to sell jewelry, but it's a whole nother to have a purpose behind it that is really trying to shape the greater good of the community and the world around us. So I'm thrilled that we were able to share this story with you today. And I hope you love the interview with Missy as much as I loved getting to visit with her. That was a pretty cool experience for sure. Guys, I just want to thank you. Thanks for being a part of the Boutique Hub. Thanks for listening to this podcast and thank you for your intentions to shape the world around you. You know, there's one thing that's always been at the the center of my vision board, and it is the words, you changed my life. And I feel like when you're in business for the right reasons, you're going to attract other people who are also in business for the right reasons. And community is definitely the thing that makes our world go round. So thank you for listening and more importantly, thank you for being generous and kind and being a true community at the Boutique Hub. Helping one another, helping your own community, helping your own own team, and helping shape the world around you. I appreciate you guys and I salute you. Thanks for being here for another week and I can't wait to be back for more next time. Hey guys, thank you so much for listening to this episode. We hope that you loved it. Don't forget to hit subscribe and leave a rating and review down below for.

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