#269: How To CREATE When You Aren’t Feeling Inspired With Jess Ekstrom, The Founder Of Headbands Of Hope

I really want create your bright ideas to inspire like kids, teens and adults to just start where you are with what you have. You know, the idea of like go big or go home is like not something I subscribe to. I'm like, why don't you start small at home with what you have today and then see where it can bring you tomorrow.

Come on this journey with me each week when you join me. We are going to chase down our goals, overcome adversity and set you up for a better tomorrow. Fasten your seat.

I'm ready for my close up.

Hi and welcome back. I'm so excited for you to meet or reacquaint yourself with Jess Ekstrom. She's been on the show before. If you haven't checked out her episode, go back to 2019 and check it out. I will link it in the show notes. Jess is the founder of Headbands of Hope, a company that donates headbands to kids with illness with every headband sold. Headbands of Hope has been featured on the Today Show, Good Morning America, qvc, the View, and worn by celebrities like kids, Kelsey Ballerini More importantly, Headbands of Hope has donated over 1 million headbands reaching every single children's hospital in America and 22 countries. After starting her own company, she wanted to use her ups and her downs to help others become valued as experts in their industry. Jess is the author of Chasing the Bright side came out in 2019 and that's what our first episode is all about and create your bright ideas. 2022, her newest book and creator of Mic Drop Workshop, Elearning company that helps women tell and sell their stories as thought leaders. For three years, Jess lived and traveled full time in her Airstream with her husband Jake and their 70 pound dog Ollie. Now finally, they are in a house in Raleigh, North Carolina. Jess, thanks so much for being here.

Thanks for having me back. I know, I think the last time we talked, one was pre pandemic and two, I was in an Airstream trailer. So lot has changed since since then.

Let's get into that because we were just offline talking a little bit about it and to me I know everybody's different. I could never fathom. Well, I mean I'm a 15 year old so I wouldn't be able to do it anyways. But even if I didn't, I can't fathom living in an Airstream and driving and traveling around. Give us an idea of what that's like.

Oh my gosh. Well first, like let me set the scene for you. So, I mean, it was 25ft long. And my husband's a former football player, and so he's like 6 5, like a really big guy. So anything he does in the Airstream is, like, straight out of a scene from Elf. If you've seen that movie where, like, you're, like, sitting in the chair trying to make dinner. But, you know, it didn't. It was not supposed to be three years. It started as an idea for a book tour, for chasing the bright side. We were like, oh, let's go to a couple different cities. It'll be great. And then the pandemic hit while we were still in the Airstream, and we're like, what are we going to do? Just sit at home? Like, we're outside in nature, like, kind of going around the country. Why not? But I think, you know, one of the things that I learned, too, is that just try it on if there's something that you want to do or something that you want to, like, achieve. You know, what we ended up doing is, like, what if for one month, we just shifted our mindset to say, okay, we're going to drop everything and go live in an Airstream trailer? And then, boom, by the time that month is up, you know, you can either say, yeah, this feels good, or, like, no, this isn't what I want to do. And so, like, the Airstream, it was great, but it also just taught me that, like, you can shift and pivot all the time and things aren't permanent.

Oh, that's so good. And now I love that you're appreciating just the normalness of living in a house.

Yes, totally. I was just telling you before this, I'm like, you know, obviously, in an Airstream, it was fun, but everything was a little, like, all the simple things were a little bit more complicated. You know, like doing laundry and finding, you know, like, putting it the quarters in the quarter slot or, like, looking for spiders or frogs and, like, the random showers that you're taking. And so now I'm like, oh, my gosh, I have a dishwasher. Like, this is. I mean, I am living large here. And we live in, like, a 1930s historic home. It's not large by any means, but it really does make you appreciate, like, the things that you didn't have before. And I know you were saying that with, like, being deprived of people from the pandemic, like, now it just feels so good to be talking and interacting and seeing people in person.

It's so exciting. And I As I mentioned to you, I just moved. And I'm the same way. Just. I lived in the same place for 17 years. So, of course, over 17 years, you kind of just take it for granted. I mean, this is where you live, Right. I wasn't thinking consciously all the time about, wow, I love where I live. And now that I'm in a new place every day, I'm like, oh, my. I'm so grateful for this view. I'm so grateful, you know, for the technology in my condo now that I didn't have before. Like, it's so. I don't know. You appreciate so much more when you get something that you haven't had.

Yeah. And, you know, I think that it's. That's a trained skill, you know, to appreciate what you have, because it's so easy. And I am incredibly guilty of this, of, like, constantly moving the goalpost. You know, you think like, oh, well, once I live in this house or once, you know, in the Airstream, I was like, well, once we get to the west coast or, you know, once I can publish this book or once I can get here. And then you get that thing. And all of a sudden, like, you haven't even celebrated it because you've moved the goalpost to, like, somewhere else that you don't have. And that can be so taxing, and quite frankly, just, like, not a fun way to live. And so I think that the Airstream, the pandemic business, it's like, how do we just appreciate what we have and take a breath before we set our sights on something else?

Yeah, that is so good. But like you said, it's so hard. So hard for people like us and people that are listening, that are overachievers and Type A and. And, you know, want to push yourselves. There is a fine line, I would say. I'm definitely, like, for the most part, I've never been like this, but I'm trying to. To your point, like, I'm trying to say, okay, take the other day. I was like, oh, I should be writing my third book right now. Why am I not doing that? Because I heard another author was. And she was publishing on the same timeline I was, and it made me think, like, oh, wake up. Call Heather. Like, you're asleep at the wheel. You know, that was. Just immediately jumped into my mind, and I had to say, I'm happy for her, but right now, I don't know that. You know, I'm in a space where I'm feeling like I want to do that. You know, maybe I want to take a few months where I'm doing, speaking and doing some different things that I'm enjoying right now and then see what happens next. But, yeah, it is important to take that pressure off.

I couldn't relate even more. Like, I can get such so trapped in these, like, comparison traps. I'm like, I should be, you know, doing this, or I should be speaking on that stage, or I should be, you know, whatever. But, you know, I talked about I have two different types of ambition that might be helpful for anyone listening that because sometimes we're ambitious towards things, but for, like, two completely different reasons. And so I like to classify it as anxious ambition and inspired ambition. And anxious ambition comes from wanting to work because you feel like you're behind. And then inspired ambition, I feel like, comes from wanting to work because you feel like you're making something better. And when we can distinguish between, like, why do I want to write another book? Is it because I saw so and so, you know, come out with their next book and she's hitting the New York Times? Or is it because I really feel like I have an idea that's going to help someone? And I find that whenever I'm moving in a place of anxious ambition, like, the work isn't really that good. You know, the things that I'm producing, I'm not having a good time. And I'm also, like, painting on someone else's canvas. Like, I'm creating things because someone else is not because I actually feel that way. And when I'm working from a place of inspired ambition, the work is fun, the work is good. Because I know that the thing that I'm creating is, like, solving a problem, scratching an itch, or making something better. And so I, a lot of times, have to audit. Okay. If I'm, like, ferociously working right now or wanting to do something, is it coming from a place of anxious ambition or inspired ambition?

Well, you are the master of inspired ambition in my mind. Because of Headbands of Hope, like, there's nothing that is more inspired and doing good and helping. For those who don't know you, who haven't listened to your previous episode or didn't read your first book, can you share a little bit about Headbands of Hope because it's such a beautiful company story. It's all.

Yeah. Oh, thank you. Yeah. I started Headbands Pope when I was in college. I was interning for the Make a Wish foundation, and I was seeing, you know, a lot of kids that would come through Make a Wish they would end up losing their hair if they're going through chemotherapy treatment. And a lot of them would be offered a wig or they'd be given a hat. And a lot of them weren't really concerned with, like, something that would cover up their heads. They weren't really trying to hide their experience. They wanted to just restore their self confidence and feel good about themselves again. And so I would see so many of these kids opting to like, buy their own headbands and wear headbands on their wish trips or into the office. And I just remembered seeing these photos and thinking like, oh, that is such a cool, amazing gesture of confidence that these kids want to wear headbands. And then I remembered, like, oh, we should, you know, have a stash in our office or some headbands. There's probably an organization out there doing this. And so I looked up, like, headbands for kids with illnesses or kids with cancer. And like, nothing came up yet.

And.

And I call it like the, the dumbest, smartest moment of my life, being, like 19 years old and like, how hard could it be? Like, I'll start a business. But I think, like, what's important about that, like, origin story is, you know, a lot of times we put so much fancy language and really, like inaccessible goals around entrepreneurship, like, oh, you have to start the next Airbnb or Spotify, like, in order to matter. But really, in my mind, entrepreneurship is about creating what you wish existed. And when there's moments of like, I like to call it inspiration from frustration, like when you are frustrated about something or you think that something should be done better or something that should exist, what if you could be the one that's inspired to change it? And so by knowing that there was a need for headbands in kids with cancer, realizing that no one was doing that, it wasn't like, oh, I'm going to start this multimillion dollar company. It was like, I'm going to solve this problem. And I think that that's where the best ideas come from, is like scratching an itch. You know, what's the itch? That's the problem. And then your scratch is the solution. That could either be starting a business or it could not. It could be something else. But so I started Headbands of Hope in 2012. For every headband sold, we donate one to a child with an illness. And it, I'll tell you, and I think I pro, you know, have talked to you about this before, but it was like, not fire right out of the gate. Because one of my biggest pet peeves is, like, hearing entrepreneurs, you know, successful people tell their story, and they're like, one day I had this idea, and the next day, you know, we're sold out in Macy's and we can't keep anything in stock. And, you know, Khloe Kardashian's wearing her headbands, and it's like, really? You know, that's how it happened. So I like to be real where I'm like, my first order was from my mom. Like, my second order was from my grandpa after he called me to figure out how to work the website. I mean, it was crickets for a bit, but it was like, I knew that if I could just keep throwing darts at opportunities, like reaching out to bloggers or, like, you know, sending headbands to. To people to wear, like, if I could just keep throwing darts, and out of all those no's, I'm bound to get a yes. It's. It was just in my mind, it was just like math. It's like, well, if I can send, you know, 20 different things out, one thing has to come back. And eventually it did. I remember the first blog that ever. And this was, you know, around 2012, and blogging was, like, super popular. And the first blog that ever wrote about us, it was called Healthy Tipping Point. And I remember the day that that article came out, like, we got $500 worth of sales on the website, which to me at that point was like a million dollars in retirement money. I was like, $500? This is crazy. You know, there's just those little signs, like, in the beginning, even though it was slow to. To keep going with it. And I'm so glad that I did, because today we've now donated over 2 million headbands, and we actually just launched in Kohl's this week. I don't know if I told you that.

That's amazing.

Huge. Yeah. Yeah. So we're in all Kohl's locations now.

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You've been working on this since 2012.

2012. Yeah.

So 10 years later, and you're still getting wins. Now it just, it goes to show don't give up on your ideas. And it's interesting because I just interviewed Candace Nelson from Sprinkles, and her story is, like, what you were saying. She literally launched the business. Tyra Banks, producer, picked it up immediately, and Oprah right after. And she couldn't fulfill. To your point, it's one of those, like, sometimes that happens, right? The universe just shows up and offers all these opportunities, and she couldn't handle the opportunity. You know, first world problem. But still, not every business takes off that way. My business definitely did not write like yours didn't. That's definitely the more normal path. Although we always highlight those really special moments, like those Oprah moments. It doesn't have to go that way. Here you are still landing poles 10 years later.

Yeah, well, and it's like, I think that it's the little moments to me that stand out the most. Like, we've had some of the big moments, you know, like Kohl's or we. We got, you know, our NBA and WNBA licensing this year, so we're now, like, a headband provider for all the teams. And we've had some really amazing moments. But I'll tell you the ones that, like, I think about the most fondly is like, the first time I was ever to go into a children's hospital and, like, a be, like, that person that came in and they could pick out their favorite color and spend time with them. Or like, the time I was in an airport, you know, a year or two after getting started, and I saw a girl wearing a headband from Headbands of Hope. And I went up to her and said, I love your headband. And she started telling me all about Headbands of Hope and not, you know, not knowing who I was. And so it was like, those are the moments that I think about the most. And I think that kind of sums up for me, like, what, like, success to me, really is. A lot of times we think of success as, like, winning the super bowl, but when you really look at it, it's like the summation of all the first downs. It's like all the small moments that lead to where you are today. And so that could be, you know, again, in the form of a business or career or whatever. But it's like, you know, don't breeze past the small moments, because in the end, those are the things that add up and truly matter.

I love that you're using the football analogies for your husband.

That was very funny for him. If you're listening. That was for you, babe. Yeah. Oh, my gosh. That's nice.

Now, one thing I want to note from a business perspective, and there's a lot of data, and I actually did an episode about this, that when you tie a charity component to your business, your business will accelerate. However, what I love about you is you didn't do it from a business standpoint. You created the business to fulfill the need, and you're so passionate about helping people, you know, and great examples of stories you're sharing with us right now, how much has that origin story and the why behind your business impacted your business?

One of the things that you said that I want to point out, too, is like, you know, there's almost two ways you can go about it. You can business to make money and then figure out how to donate it or figure out where the need is and then create a business around it. I definitely did the latter, which is the way that I like to work. And it's really about, like, how can you find that overlap? I think of it as, like, a Venn diagram of, like, what are the things that you love to do that you're passionate about? And then where are some of the world's greatest needs and the problems? And so where can those things intersect and overlap? That could be your next big idea. And so I think in the beginning of Headbands of Hope, like, we were right around the era of, like, tom Shoes, and, you know, the, like, doing good and doing not. Being a nonprofit organization, too, was big for us, because growing up, it's like, that's what you. You talk, okay. Either you're, you know, doing something good and making no money, or you're making money and not doing any good. And I think that, you know, consumerism and business has changed where, like, you shouldn't have to choose between making a living and making a difference, like, be able to do both at once. In the beginning of Headbands of Hope, I think, like, making a difference was the thing that set us apart. But then as things went on and a lot of brands were giving back, which is great. It's, like, no longer the only crutch that you can stand on. So we really had to focus on, yes, we want people to love our cause, but we want people to love the product even more. And so that was kind of a wake up call for me. Like, five years into the business was like, we can't just have this crutch of like, but look what we do. It has to be something that people want to wear and not just wear, but buy again or buy for their friends. And so now I would say, like, our products are just. I mean, we have like over 400 different types of headbands on the site that are like, you know, people will say, oh, I can't wear a headband. They squeeze my head or they fall off. It's like, okay, well, then we'll create a headband that solves that problem. So at the end of the day, you kind of see the trend of, like, to me, you know, which is why I wrote create your bright ideas. Like, entrepreneurship isn't about all these big fancy things. It's about seeing problems and creating solutions. And so that happened from cause, but it also started to happen with product, which was really key to our success in lasting 10 years, which a lot of businesses don't.

Well, and that's also your willingness to innovate and evolve. You know, I was a part of a traditional business for so many years, having been in the radio business for 20 years. There was never that commitment to innovate. The commitment to reinvest in the company, to want to test and try to want to evolve the product. And that's so key in any business, is to listen to your consumer, listen to their pain points, and then invest and test and try. And one thing that you also brought up that I love was you talked about, you know, growing up, we saw it, and I thought this too. I had to go out and make a lot of money. And then when I wasn't at work, go and give back. And I was on a board of a charity for a decade. And I remember it was like, I worked so hard during the day to make wealthy people wealthier, right? There was no, like, give back component. And then on the weekends and at night, I would work so hard trying to build this charity up to do good so that I would feel good about myself. And then I was left with, like, no time in my life at all. Like, literally, like, I was. And I was pleased with the work I was doing, the charity, I needed the paycheck. But I never saw beyond, like, to what you did. I never thought about, is there a way I can merge these together. And had I not been fired, I wouldn't have even tried to figure it out. But it is so interesting today to be able to let everyone know it doesn't have to be this or that and is the actual word. It needs to be this and that and keep evolving and testing and trying until you find out that solution for you.

Exactly. And I'll go a step further. That it also doesn't have to mean, like, leaving your job and starting your own thing. And I think, again, we hear that tale of, like, oh, well, I want to change things up, so I'm going to quit my job and move to a third world country and try to save the world and solve hunger. And it's like, or what are the things that I'm involved in that I'm doing today, whether it's my work or my life, that I can make more meaningful? So, for example, there was a study at Yale that I really love, and they interviewed hospital custodians, and they took one pool of custodians that were, like, really dissatisfied in their work, that they didn't. They didn't like their jobs. And they asked them, like, what is it that they did every day? And one of them, you know, said, oh, I change the sheets. Another said, I take out the trash. I sanitize the equipment. And then they asked them why they did it. And one person said that, you know, I need benefits or I need salary, you know, to support my. My life and my family, you know. And then they asked, like, what their job titles were. And one person said, you know, janitor, another custodian. And then another said, maintenance worker. But then they interviewed another pool of custodians that had the exact same jobs, you know, same title, same responsibilities, but they were, like, loving their jobs. And so they asked what they did every day. And one of them worked in hospice care. And she would, like, shuffle around the artwork each week from room to room so that her patients would have something different to look at. And then another person, like, carried around a notepad on his belt and would tally, like, which rooms got visitors that day, circle the ones that didn't, and make it a point to spend more time in the rooms that didn't get any visitors that day. And then another example, they said, like, someone took it upon himself to educate himself about the different chemicals used in the cleaning supply so he could make sure to not use any cleaning product that would irritate his patients. And when they asked these people who were really satisfied in their job what Their job titles were one person described himself as an ambassador for the hospital, and another person described herself as a healer. And so I think what's so interesting about the study is, like, all of these people, the happy, the unhappy, the fulfilled and the unfulfilled, had the same job, but it was the mindset that they had of, like, this isn't a job. The people who were truly fulfilled chose not to look at their job as a job, but more as a service to humanity. Like, how am I. How can I use what I've been given to help others? And so I think that that's another, like, just important part of this whole equation of going for it and solving problems, that there's ways to do it potentially exactly where you are without any changes being made on the external, only, like, being made on the internal. And so I think before we say, like, let's quit everything and start nonprofit and do this, it's like, well, what am I doing today that I could potentially make more meaningful and figure out how to provide that service and serve those people even better?

Oh, thank you so much. I had never heard of that study before, and that just made me start tearing up. It was so beautiful, especially because of the stigma that people would put around a custodian or, you know, that's. Oh, gosh, that sounds, you know, so hard or so basic. But to hear how they can flip it and make it so incredibly and make such a difference in people, people's lives. Now I know what everyone who is listening right now is thinking, Jess. They're thinking, okay, great for that study, and great for those people that figured it out. And this is such a great segue to create your bright ideas, is that people are saying, but in my job, in my situation, that doesn't exist. So can you talk to us a little bit about how this book is going to help them figure that out?

No. And I totally get it. And everything's different. And I think that the through line in all of this is like, okay, I'm going to reference. I'm going to reference another study I've been nerding out on studies recently. But there was a study at UC Berkeley where this professor told his class to write I am statements like, I am blank and as many as they could, and with no instruction of what?

Powerful. So powerful.

And so he split the class in half, and he had half the class write these I am statements in the hallway, just like looking at a blank wall, and then the other half write them in the Life Sciences building, which had a Huge Tyrannosaurus, like, T. Rex skeleton. The people, the students who wrote their IM statements, like, in the Life Sciences building, wrote much, like, larger, grander, more meaningful, I am statements than the ones who were sitting in the hallway looking at the wall. Because sometimes we're in the presence of something that reminds us, like, what we do, who we are, how far we've come. It can help us remember, like, who we really are and what impact we want to have and what we want to do. And so I think about that sometimes, too, is like, sometimes we, like, lose a dinosaur and we, like, forget to, like, remind ourselves that we're a part of something so much bigger. And so with create your bright ideas. You know, this is my book that I wrote for, like, kids and teens about how to, like, solve problems and how to start businesses. We're finding a lot of adults are enjoying it, too. But I think that, you know, really, at the end of the day, even though this book might be classified under, like, starting a business or entrepreneurship, it's about how do I remind myself and believe that it can be me? Like, there's even in chapter one, there's a contract that you sign because it's an interactive book that says, like, before I continue reading this book, I believe that, like, I can be the one to make a difference, that I can be the one to make a change. Because a lot of times, like, we don't need the what as much as we need the why. Of course, I can teach you the mechanics of starting a business and what to do and step one, step three, but most of the time, it's the shift of belief that we actually need of, like, yeah, I can be the one to start the business. Not like, you know, one day or someday, or maybe I'm not qualified, but it can be me. And so that's why I wrote create your bright ideas is because I want that belief to start younger. And when maybe you feel like you're not ready or that you have to have more experience, like, start it today.

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But like you said, I mean, that goes for adults at any point in time. And this is going to make you laugh every single day. I have written down my I am statements because, guys, literally the I am is one of the most powerful things going back to the Bible that you can put in front of any word and be really intentional and mindful about, you know, what you're saying and really be clear on that. I read the same ones over and over again every day. And I just have this. I have such a great feeling when I do it. It starts my day with that strong intention. I'm really clear on that. And so powerful. And it works. And then to your point of the contract, in chapter one, when my son was reaching the age, I think it was like eight or nine, where they start not being like mommy's little boy so much. I remember people were telling me that was coming. I had him sign a contract, which I still have, that says no matter how old I am, my mom can always hug me and give me a kiss goodbye. And I had him sign it.

Right?

And so occasionally now I'll pull it out because he won't.

He's 15.

Like, peace, Mom.

I'm out of here.

And he runs out the door and I come running after him. Sometimes I'm like, look at your contract. Don't forget, this is a commitment. But I'm a firm believer, like, yet again, it's just about if we're going to write something down, we're 90% more likely to actually act on it and make it happen. Right. If we're going to share it with somebody else and let it be known, we're going to hold ourselves accountable. These are basics in business and goal setting in life that, you know, we need to be aware of. And that's one of the greatest things about this book, no matter what age you are. Yes, it's written for someone who might be 8 or 9 years old, but it's a real simple read for this 48 year old right here. And it's such a strong reminder of these basic steps, and they're tactical steps that everybody should be taking and making each day.

Yeah. And first of all, I also want to say, I think I told you I'm expecting my. My first. That's due in February. Yeah. So I'm like, I'm gonna make her sign a contract as soon as she can. As soon as she can scribble her handwriting. I'm like, you're gonna Sign mommy's contract that I can hug you and kiss you for as long as I want. But yeah, I mean, with create your bright ideas, like the way that I wanted to write it was, you know, obviously you're hearing my story and what I've learned through starting Headbands of Hope, like the ups and the downs. But with each chapter, there's a challenge that you take into the real world. For that week, there's like a prompted journaling activity where you either fill in the blank or fill something out or start just start thinking about, like, how can I apply this to my life? And then there's a tear out coloring page of like a quote or a mantra from the book. Because sometimes like we read books and it's like, oh, I really want to remember that thing or that, what, you know, they said or that one liner and then there's no way to do it. And so the illustrator Nadia Fisher, she's super talented, has created these like black and white coloring pages at the end of each chapter with like the most powerful quote from it. So you can tear it out, color it, put on your wall. And so I want it to be like, not just hearing my story, but also simultaneously writing your own.

Oh, it's so good. And to me, what it activates is that creative muscle that likes me. Like so many people listening right now, you have those days, you just don't feel creative, you don't feel inspired. And when you feel like that and you're in a grind job and there's a lot of pressure, it's easy to lose sight of it and just say, well, I'm just not a creative person. Well, that's just not me. These types of exercises really stimulate that different side, the other side of your brain to, you know, stop just focusing on the numbers and the pressure for a moment to get away from that anxious side and lean into that creative side, which is missing for everybody. And everybody has it, don't you think?

Yeah, absolutely. And there was actually like an article in the New York Times recently that was about like kids and teens. But I also think this goes for adults too. And how we like are kind of blaming social media for like, you know, depression or not feeling good about themselves or having negative self image, which I think is like, like totally can be valid. But what this article said is like, the other side of the equation is that kids aren't feeling good about themselves or a positive self image or identity because there's not enough time to create or pursue their passions or just like color there's like, no dead time. It's like I'm on social media or I'm at soccer practice, or I'm doing this or that. And so creativity in kids and teens was something that was really important that that sometimes isn't being met. And so if you can do that in a way where you're not just being creative, but being creative towards coming up with solutions to things, then I think that that's like, such a great way to start training your muscle to see like, that. Because I know for me, like, it started when I was a kid and, like, I watched my dad start a business, which, you know, I was like, I don't know what that means. Like, good luck. And then I remember being on a camping trip with him in my family and, like, wanting to. I was taking out my headphones to, like, jam out to my Walkman, because that's how like, long ago it was. I was like 10 years old and my headphones were getting tangled in this cord and. Or it was like getting tangled in a knot. And I was getting so frustrated. I was like, dad, headphone cords should just roll up like a slinky so they never have to get tangled again.

Brilliant.

I'm just gonna invent that, like, easy. And I remember him telling me, like, you know, Jess, that's already been invented, but I really want you to keep thinking that way. Like, keep looking for inspiration from frustration. And so I think because that was a muscle that I started to, like, use and get reps in when I was 10 years old, by the time I was at the Make Wish offices and saw that it was a muscle that was already activated, like, that should be better. Here's how I could fix it. And so if we can start helping, like, kids and teens or whoever, like, adapt that kind of muscle early on of what are the things that could be better and how can I be the one to make it better? Then that's just something that will carry with us for a lifetime. And like I said, it doesn't have to be, like, in the form of a business. It could be in your community, in your school, in your work, like picking up trash on the street. It could be anything. But just kind of adapting that problem solver mindset should start as soon as, you know, as early as possible.

What a blessing that your father activated that in you. What a gift. I did not have that growing up, but now, because of your book and the very specific exercises that you allow for, yet my son won't read the book. I read the book and then at dinner, I bring up the points to stimulate that muscle for him because I'm not just naturally thinking that way, Right. I get caught up in, oh, how was basketball practice? And, oh, do we have homework? And how did you make up the Spanish and what's going on with your friends for this weekend? Like, just the day to day, but I was actually reading. A good friend of mine just had a baby. And so this is helpful for you. And it was all about the subconscious mind and how the older we get, you know, the further we are away from our subconscious mind and not connected to it. Babies are all subconscious. Whatever you're speaking to them, they are. It's going right into their subconscious. And then those younger years, right, they're so. They're malleable, right? You can still impact them to get to think, you know, that they are empowered to be creative, that they can solve problems. You know, the way that we talk to children is so important before they get stuck in this way or, you know, so that they don't end up like that. And the tactics and tools provided here are empowering for any parent that's listening right now. Regardless of if your kid's going to read the book or not, when you do, you can apply it to your life. And then through the questions that you ask and challenges you give your child, you can impact them.

Well, what I think is interesting, too, that I was thinking about with create your bright ideas is like, kids, you know, with the school system, you're almost programmed to think like, that the next level is, like, where you need to be. That you'll know, like, okay, I'm going to go from first grade to second grade, second to third grade. And so you feel like you almost need to, like, wait until I'll wait to read till I'm in this grade, or I'll wait to do math till I'm in this grade. And then when you graduate and you're out of the school system, like, you're almost still waiting for those levels. You're like, when will someone tell me that I've made it or done a good job or that, you know, I, like, have advanced to the next part? Because that's how you've been trained to kind of go through life is like, knowing when you've, how you're doing, what's next and, like, what to expect. And so I think that that's like, you know, another part of why I wrote create your bright ideas for kids and adults is to feel like, you know, you don't need Keep moving the goal post, or you don't need to wait until you feel like you've achieved something to start doing the thing that you really want to do. Because I can be so guilty of that as well as, like, the. Once I. Then I, you know, like, phrase is kind of the thief of ambition. Because you're like, well, once I do this, then I'll give myself permission to do the thing that I truly want to do. But I think that we learned in the action, like, in the process and not in the planning. But we wait for, like, the planning and the learnings to happen before we do anything about it. And so if that's the phase that we're in, the waiting till we have everything perfect, then we're just never going to begin. I mean, Headbands of Hope was such a messy story. Like, it still is. Like, I mean, I lost $10,000, which I write about in Chasing the Bright side. It was a loan from my dad that I wired to a fraudulent manufacturer, but it's like. Like, I made it back, but it was not, like, a linear story, and that's how it should be. And so I think I really want create your bright ideas to inspire, like, kids, teens, and adults to just start where you are with what you have. You know, the idea of, like, go big, go, or go home is, like, not something I subscribe to. I'm like, why don't you start small at home with what you have today and then see where it can bring you tomorrow?

Done will always be better than perfect, and ready is always gonna be a lie. I mean, it's so, so true. I have so many people that say to me, there's three mistakes in your first book. And I say, I know there is. And I'm always gonna be the woman on her deathbed that said, I'm so glad I'm not going down saying, I had the greatest book within me, but I couldn't get it perfect, so it's gonna die with me instead. That imperfect book is impacting people in the world and doing good, and I'm leaving legacy behind. And I. I love that. Like, I love the mistakes.

I love that. I mean, people with zero typos have probably written zero books. So, like, I. I like, you know, I always say, like, if. If at first you don't succeed, you're still ahead of everyone who never started. And so it's like, even if you start something that doesn't work, I mean, I've started things that haven't worked. And, like, I now have more information than I did before. And so even if a kid or a teen, like, starts a company that, you know, doesn't, like, do anything big or make a lot of money, then maybe they have a lot better understanding of, like, the things that they enjoy doing. Like, hey, I really loved doing the marketing. I hated doing, like, the finances. I want to find a career in marketing. So no matter what, like, when you engage with the world, when you explore your ideas and when you give yourself permission to do them, you're learning more and more about yourself and the role that you want to have in this world. And that's always good information, no matter the outcome of the business.

So true. Give me your favorite quote from the book.

Oh, my gosh. I think, like, if I could write a headline for it, it would be ordinary people can do extraordinary things. And I think that with kids and teens, it's like they don't maybe don't feel like they're in this, like, realm of possibility yet. But every expert was once a beginner. You know, every, like, podcaster like yourself once Googled how to start a podcast. Like, every architect had to start with, like, Legos and Lincoln Logs. So ordinary people can do extraordinary things.

Oh, it's so true. Where can everyone find. Create your bright ideas and where can they find you?

So you can go to createyourbrightideas.com and purchase it there or just find your local bookstore and see if they have a copy or order it through them. And you can find me on any social media. But I do have a hype text that I send out every Monday so you can text me the word HYPE to 704-228-9495 and you'll get a little quote from me each Monday at 11am Eastern.

Well, I'm going to be signing up for that because I need more brightness in my life. Just keep doing what you're doing. I'm so proud of you and the world. So grateful for all of your work.

Thank you, Heather. The feeling is mutual. Thanks for having me back.

You need to get the book. Get the book for people you love. Get the book for the holidays as a gift. And get the book for you and for your kids. I'm going to put the link below in the show notes. Check it out. This is one you won't regret until next week. Keep creating your confidence. I decided to change that dynamic. I couldn't be more excited for what you're gonna hear. Start learning and growing. Inevitably, something will happen. No one succeeds alone.

You don't stop and look around once in a while. You could miss it.

Come on this journey with me.