Mompreneur Unfiltered: Andrea Olson on Building a Legacy Amidst Challenges

I fully believe that everything happens for us, not to us. So all of those things that happen, like had my first baby's dad not gotten laid off, I would not have looked into passive income. I would not have written my ebook. I would have been dependent on him and stuck in a relationship that wasn't good for either of us.

Today we're talking to Andrea Olson, who's the ultimate mompreneur.

Andrea.

And I'll explain why.

Andrea is a published author of five books, mom of six children, and founder of a seven figure company including product lines at Go Diaper Free and Tiny Undies. Andrea has helped hundreds of thousands of parents worldwide, including myself, to go diaper free. She's also built a potty army by training over 300 coaches to spread the Go Diaper Free message across the globe. After years of developing, improving her online business strategies, she's made it her mission to help other moms do the same.

Through her coaching programs.

Today we're talking about the challenges of parenting and business ownership.

Let's dive in. Andrea, I am so glad to be speaking with you today. And I know you're going to share part of your story, but you are the mother of six children. And I mean, I have four kids and people say, I can't believe you have four kids. I can't believe you have six, because I know how challenging that can be. I know how fun it can be as well. But for today, for me to speak to you is very meaningful because one of the reasons why this podcast exists is because I lost one of my children, my son TJ on May 29, 2017. And we're now recording this on May 29, 2024. So like seven years to the day. And I can't think of a better way to honor him, to talk to a super mom out there who's also overcome her own struggles and is willing to share those, those lessons learned with our audience. So thank you for being here.

Thanks, Terry. Means a lot.

So, Andrea, just to level set for our audience, how would you introduce yourself to someone that you met on an airplane without saying what you do for work?

So I have six kids and I was divorced several years ago and I'm basically in the process of rebuilding my life and I totally value having as much time with my children as possible. My youngest is 15 months now and yeah, I just, I could talk about my kids all the whole flight probably if we needed to, and not ever mention work because I have, I have, it's about, you know, about even. Well, the kids are More important but like my time wise between the two.

So they then, if they then said, so Andrea, how do you support six children post divorce? What would you say? And you're allowed to talk about what you do for work now?

Now I'm allowed to. Oh my gosh. I have had my own online business for a while. So unlike my mom who couldn't leave her, her husband, my dad because she didn't have work or degree or anything, she was a stay at home mom and she had to stay with him an extra 10 years. Unlike her, I've had my own business since about 13 years ago. So when my first child was born and it's pretty much passive income so I, I support them and I actually increased my income by about 50% in order to leave my ex husband and it was a very toxic marriage, toxic relationship and in order to do that I had to make more money so that I could definitely support them on my own. And yeah, I just, I work a couple hours a day and everything the way I set it up before and then, you know, every once in a while I have launches and things like that. But the way I've set it up allows me to do the house stuff, make sure the kids are taken care of, spend time with the littler one, spend time with the bigger one, do one on ones and pay for everything, pay for the house, pay for all the things because I pretty much, that's what I do. I've been raising them mostly on my, I mean ever since then I kind of wanted to be independent and didn't want to and don't plan on mixing my finances with anybody. So they are my responsibility. I don't receive child support yet or anything. And even if I did, it wouldn't hardly make a dent. So yeah, my business provides for all of us and it's such a blessing and so amazing and But I don't have to like slave away every day in order to make that happen or have a nanny all the time. I have a nanny a couple days a week. But yeah, it's pretty, pretty much it's me, I'm taking care of everybody.

So I mean, I think a lot of people listening right now are like, wait a second, like how do you have this many kids and you work like, you know, a few hours a day? How long did it take you to get to the point where I don't want to say it's all passive income because I know you actively work but you don't work as much as people might assume. How long did it take you to get to the point where you weren't working, like around the clock.

About, well, about a year. I hate to say it, I don't like to brag. I don't believe it's right for us to. But I am very grateful for finding out about passive income because about one year of really hard work in 2011 and 2012. My son was very little and I wrote my book. So I spent most of the time writing that book about six hours a day. I breastfed every hour on the hour and then made this book happen, this ebook. And I had to work on launching it, having the website, the search engine optimization, all the little things, and also making friends on the Internet so they can launch it to their communities. I did all of that and that was a good year of really hard work. And then from there I had the right idea, the right audience, and the right, like, everything came together so perfectly that I was only working three hours a week at that point after it launched, writing a blog post and sending it to my email list and like putting on Facebook, just distributing a blog post every week. And that was it. That was really great. And then ambitious me took over a couple years later and I was like, oh, nobody can find small underwear. Oh, nobody can find small potties. Oh, nobody can find this or that. And so then I started this whole other part of my business. Yeah, it was crazy.

And just for context, can you explain what we're talking about? Small underwear, Right?

I didn't mention that yet. I'm still on the thing where I'm not supposed to tell you what I like. Okay. I teach infant potty training. So babies, newborn babies, Tiny, tiny babies. I just took my 15 month old out of diapers last week and it was seamless because we've. She's already been using the potty since she was born. And so the underwear she's in are my tiny undies. Not mine, but the tiny undies brand. And that's my brand. And then the little potties she uses are my mini potties. And my book, Go Diaper Free is basically the book that I wrote 13 years ago. It's gone through six revisions since then, but like, yeah, I teach new parents how to potty their babies instead of depending on diapers. And like, it's totally in alignment with, you know, baby development. It's way better for the environment, way better for babies, way better for parents. It's better for everybody. And I, I found that niche. And yeah, within a year I was just doing like, I had Heard about the Four Hour Work Week. I read that book about five years before then, but I didn't really need to make it happen until I had a baby. This baby was colicky and clingy and would not sleep without being attached to me in some way, shape or form. And so I couldn't imagine, like, going back was getting my hours to be a therapist. I couldn't imagine going back to work. And what work would I go back to? And then I'd be spending everything I made on a babysitter at Annie in San Francisco. It was really expensive. So instead of that, I found this. And then I never had to leave him, which was amazing. And I, and every single baby since then has been potty trained from birth. And also I've been able to be here for them as much as I've wanted or needed or been meant to be with them.

You know, I'm not sure when the Four Hour Workweek book came out, but I can tell you I've never met anyone who works four hours a week and is successful at it. So I'm glad to have you in the show. And I want to go back a bit. Not like back to when you were, you know, potty training. Not that far back. But were you always a high achiever? Because, I mean, I mean, I'm hearing this right, you're hearing and you're saying, hey, it only took a year. And you're not bragging about it, you're just being honest. And it took some resilience. Clearly it took some dedication or a lot of dedication, resilience. But I'm wondering where the confidence came from. Were you always a high achiever or were you in such a difficult situation, you're like, look, I just gotta step up and meet the expectations that I have for myself.

I mean, I would say a little bit of both. I've always, always been a high achiever. But my parents had such, such a toxic and abusive relationship that I kind of just did my own thing. I was the middle child and I would often just play by myself, just really, really independent. And then my success was my success. And I didn't get. If my brother made a C, he would get some kind of prize or award or toy or something for a.

C. Like, why was that the case, though?

For not failing?

I know, okay.

And then me, I made straight A's in school and I never got a good job a single time. I never got, you know, complimented for anything really. So I got a lot from my teachers and I really loved school. And I found the reward of, you know, being seen there. And it was public school, but it was in Texas. It's a whole nother country. I definitely felt known and heard and seen in school. So I just became a high achiever because that is the only place I could get the attention I needed in order to thrive. And in high school I became, I joined the drill team, which is the dance team, which in Texas is a really big thing, like everything big. And I, I made it from. And I, this is my thing. I always do things without telling anybody. I'm going to do them, but in secret. I'm like, I really hope this works out, but I don't want anybody to see me fail. So I'm just going to work really hard behind the curtains. And I made it all the way to captain of my dance team. I made it to Miss Showtime three times. I had no dance experience and I didn't know anybody else who started at 15. And I rose straight to the top. And I was awesome at it. I was awesome at it. I was a self made dancer. And then I didn't see anybody else doing it. I didn't know about Misty Copeland yet. I really wish I did because we're the same age. But yeah, I, I just. And then, and then I went to African dance and I. There's a picture of you. I did African dance for four and a half years. I was a professor's assistant. I went to Africa and danced there for their villages. Like I went to the top of that. I won the top student in my entrepreneurship degree program. Even though I fussed at my teachers and would be like, you know, challenging them every day, you know, I definitely, anything I have tried to do, I'm, I'm definitely a maximizer and a high achiever, but that comes with a price. You know, there's burnout that comes with that. And having a toxic marriage for nine years of the last. And then before that, that was super toxic too. Like I've been taking a look at myself, like, what am I to do with all of this? I've been doing a lot of self work the last couple years after that, but man, it just made everything harder. So being a high achiever and being in that awful relationship, both of them was like, it was really hard to maintain it because I wasn't in a healthy environment. And had I been, I can't even imagine how much more I could have possibly have achieved, you know. But suppose it was meant to be the way it was.

Yeah. And I wonder. This is Speculation. I wonder if that would have held you back, being in a better situation, because, like, sometimes, like, being untethered and leaving for a bad reason is never good, right? But it's like being untethered allows you to reach even higher, you know, heights than you could have originally. So I don't want to justify anything that you had to go through to get there, but I just feel like, no, I think it would be hard for someone to improve upon what you've done. Like, that's. I guess that's where I'm getting at. Like, I don't see how someone could have made what you've done better. That's where I'm landing it. That's where the thought is coming from.

It's coming up, you know, and I've told you this before, but I fully believe that everything happens for us, not to us. So all of those things that happen, like, had my first baby's dad not gotten laid off, I would not have looked into passive income. I would not have written my ebook. I would have been dependent on him and stuck in a relationship that wasn't good for either of us. And I wouldn't have been able to serve these hundreds of thousands of parents that I've been able to serve. And then now all these moms that I'm coaching. Like, I can't even explain how much that had to happen for me to have needed. Like, I didn't just want to write an ebook. Some people just want to start a business. I. I had to. We were on food stamps like there was no other choice. And. And he wasn't making progress as quickly as I'd liked as a new mom. You know, if you're a new mom, you're just like, I really need. Like, everything needs your nesting. And, like, am I okay? Am I safe and stable? Can I raise this baby? You know, does he have it? And he didn't have it, so I had to have it, you know, and, oh, man, it had to happen that way. And then. And then my ex has been for sure. Like, if I didn't have. If I didn't have to work my butt off the last three years we were together, I wouldn't have reached the revenue levels I reached by accident. I didn't even know that I had reached them. But I was working so hard and also simultaneously taking courses on how to break free from, you know, certain types of toxic people and just doing a lot of self work, self care, but all in secret, all quietly, all very small, so I could be safe doing It. And so yeah, those really bad things. Cause really good things to happen. It just sucks that I had to go through them. But it's. I mean, it's part and parcel, right?

Yeah, yeah. And I want to reiterate that because sometimes I say things and I'm listening to it later, I'm like, that sounded stupid. So I want to reiterate. What you went through was obviously not good. It was not deserved either. I just want to firmly restate that just because again, I don't want to listen to this later. Like, okay, dude, you're an idiot for saying that. So I want to put it out there. But then I want to ask a question too. I mean, do you think there's a possibility that you feeling a bit, let's say, like neglected as a child is what also fuels you to be even more present for your children to the point where you're saying, look, how can I maximize revenue in the minimum amount of time?

Absolutely. And it's so funny, it takes somebody else saying something for you to get giant click like that. You just made a huge wow. I've never made that connection before. But I was so just over. Like, I wasn't. Nobody really got me or saw me or anything. So I don't. I try really hard to not go over above and beyond with my kids. Like, they work for money. They have to, you know, clean up after themselves. We've got really good one on one time, as much as we can. But like as a group this morning we like sat on the porch and painted together. Even the baby. We all had our art stuff out, just drawing and painting. And it is summer and usually I hate summer break, but I was like, I'm not not working this morning, so what are we going to do? We built a water table, we played in the water, we swung, you know, did swings and stuff. And like all the time just like everybody tells you they grow up so fast and it's so cliche, but it's so true. And I know that my parents were so busy arguing and trying to survive and hurt each other that I was ignored. And my kids, like, there's six of them, so they definitely have to fight for attention. But I try really hard. Yeah, I feel like I'm definitely a better mom because of that happening to me. And I didn't realize that, but like, there's a part of me that just wants. I don't want any kid to ever feel like that, you know, and that's also in my work, you know, teaching these moms to be responsive to their baby's cues. They are crying to get the diaper off, not because they're wet or dirty. And we're literally taught to ignore them. And. And that's not honoring anybody. So I maybe, perhaps it's also, like, fed into my work. And. And what I teach moms and dads to do is really just pay attention and respond to their babies. Like, I wasn't probably. I mean, I don't. I don't remember being responded to. Not in a positive way, anyway.

Yeah, let's. Let's go deeper, though, because, I mean, again, I only have four kids. It feels weird singing only, but.

But still.

But I mean, at the dinner table, it's like they're all talking over each other, and sometimes they're asking good questions, sometimes they're asking silly questions. And I hate ignoring them in general because sometimes I'm like, look, I'm just trying to, like, make bacon or whatever. How do you. This is like, I'm just asking for. Prepared anybody for this point. Like, how do you, like, get them to, like, cheap chill so you can actually have a conversation?

It's. That is probably the hardest thing. So a couple of things. So usually if I have to focus on something and I really need my mental power, and they're like, look at me. Look at me. No, that wasn't it. Look again. No, that wasn't it. Look again. Mom. Mom. Mom. He hit me. I do not do screen time as a regular thing, but I will put them in front of something. The other day, we were watching how bubble gum is made, and I was like, you guys just watch this. How bubblegum's made for a few minutes, and I'm gonna finish making dinner, you know, like. And also, I got an air fryer. So dinner's way faster than it used to be, but that's one thing. And then when we're actually eating, we can have normal conversations. But if I have to concentrate on work, I don't have them around unless I'm, like, printed out something. And I print out things all the time to just be able to go analog with them when I'm with them. If I try to do something digital when I'm with them, I just get frustrated and I'm snappy, and it's not good. If I'm making dinner and I'm, like, trying to follow a recipe or just get something marinated, I will absolutely say, everybody just needs to wait. I just need five minutes, and then we'll get to it. Now, when everybody talks at the same time, if I'm totally overwhelmed and having a really hard day and they're just like fighting or complaining or whining or begging, I will put my sound, my noise canceling headphones on. And everybody's like, oh, mommy's not listening anymore. Got it. Let's take it somewhere else. And I'm like, you can go upstairs or go outside, but don't be in here. If you're in here, you're helping me. You know, the more kids I have, the more you call it strict. But also, it's like, I'm getting bound. Like, I need boundaries. They need boundaries. We all need to learn boundaries. I never learned boundaries. But like, this is time for this, not that. And then when everybody's talking at once, I'm like, you know, I cannot hear four people at the same time. We talk one at a time, and that often results in a fight. But they're getting really used to it. I mean, they're like, I want to talk first. No, me, I was talking first. And I'm like, headphones. When you go home, I will talk to you, you know, or I'll go take a time out. We all have calm down spots in the house, and I've got these really sour apple candies in there, and they try to steal them. And it's like, I've got my meditation chives. I got all this stuff in mind. And they've got stuff in theirs. We have spaces we can go. But it is like a daily. It is tough. And then sometimes when it gets too unruly, I'd take them outside. I don't even take them outside. I walk outside.

Yeah.

Learned that for my first midwife. I just walk outside. You change the scene, the scenery. And like, when I walk outside and I brought my watercolor set that I got for myself, I haven't painted in years, but I'm like, I'm just gonna start painting. So I brought it outside and I sat down. They all got their art stuff and just sat with me. And it's like, literally they just do everything we do. If I'm in a tizzy and not really present, then they're going to be in a tizzy and contributing to that. So it's kind of like a herd mentality thing going on. I'm just gonna walk outside in the herd. The little ducklings, they're gonna follow me. Oh, but man, it's hard sometimes because I'm very sensitive to sound because of the trauma in my life. Honestly, I watched a reel on trauma mamas And I was like, that is so me. Like, I have had so much. Not just my marriage and my other relationship, but, like, growing up and stuff, the parents. But also other things to where I am so sensitive to noise and, like, people crying. Like, I. I can't. I mean, you're like, oh, you have six kids. People probably cry all the time. So I have to. Okay, I can't control them, but I'm gonna put my headphones on or just remind them one person at a time. And it. I have to honestly just prune a lot of unnecessary stuff from my life, from my house, just to make space and time for these kids. And sometimes I shut them down, and they don't get to fully express themselves. And I'm like, I'm sorry, but I can talk to you when I'm done. Whatever, you know? And sometimes I fall short, and then I forget to come back. And their feelings are hurt, but I always repair. Always repair. And they are so forgiving. They're like, it's okay, Mom. I forgive you. And sometimes we'll pray together and, like, ask for more help or whatever from God. And we're just like, we're not. We're imperfect. Can we please get some help here? And, you know, we take those moments, but, man, I'm not perfect, but I do. I am very aware of, like, they all have these very strong needs, but they're also going to get something from being a big family. So, like, an only child is going to get something different than a child of six siblings. So they're going to get something good. Right? It's not going to be all bad.

Yeah. And I think you and I have the same goal. Which? To give our kids a childhood they don't have to recover from. And that's not easy as we're talking. I mean, you're just giving me really good advice on parenting. And I know you have a mompreneur accelerator, which I want to hear more about, because it feels like you're helping a previous version of yourself. But with that in, I'll skip to the chase. Like, you're obviously helping them develop their own businesses. I want to hear more about that. But I'm wondering what percent of that is, like, the business side and what percent is you saying? Like, here's how to be a present mom, or here's how to forgive yourself when you slip up. Like, how much of it is, like, almost like mom coaching versus business coaching.

We do half and half. We do. I mean, I've got my curriculum in the Accelerator that teaches them how to do all the things in the right order to make this kind of business that I have. And then I've got a little course on mother by design, like how to do it intentionally. But to be honest, everybody's so different. So I do two, two or one combined coaching call split in half. I do half and half business coaching and mindset coaching and I'm going to tell you, they always blend together. But the mindset coaching is where anything goes and we talk about anything and everything because it could be something so unique to that person that's tripping them up, that's keeping them from being able to start their business or even come clear on the idea or have confidence or anything or time. And we moms trying to start businesses is a whole nother ball game than the man hustle kind of thing. No offense, but it's, it's so different because we are relied upon by so many people and so many functions. We wear so many hats. So I, and I love, you know, I was trained as a therapist, so I love doing mindset coaching and like helping to figure out what is the block here. And we do both of those things in the accelerator pretty equally because you can't do one without the other. And I did one without the other for so long. And it really held me back till I started getting coaching and I started getting my head screwed on right and doing the self care and valuing my work. And that really has been the last five years. So like the divorce and the couple years after. So yeah, I've. And I'm excited because I had all those bad things happen. I'm like, oh, I can coach you through that. I can coach you through that. Like there's almost nothing I haven't seen yet that I can't help somebody through.

Yeah. And I mean in your program, I think again, what I was saying earlier is like you're the personified version of who your audience wants to be. Like, you're that mom that made it out. And I feel like as a result of that, you probably feel like an emotional connection to your members as well. So I'm wondering, is there someone like in particular, you don't have to say their name. They'd like to just share their journey and how through your help they're able to get to the outcome that they're seeking?

Yeah, absolutely, all of them. But I'm coaching about. I've got a, I've got a pretty tight group right now. So out of all of them, I've got Two of mine, one has an exit, had an existing audience of over 70,000 on Instagram and was doing amazing, but not monetizing well. So she had the same issues as me when she got to the burnout point, but she didn't have the systems in place behind the scenes so that she could actually relax. And I remember one day she sent me a picture of her feet in a bubble bath, and I was like, you have made it. You have done. That is it. And not only has she doubled her audience and also made back. I mean, goodness, she did about $30,000 the first month we worked together. Her biggest month ever. That's actually what she would have made in a year. But we have been working really hard on just giving her space and time and trying to get her husband to help, you know, a little, or, like, get nannies, get daycare. Figuring out how to not be so attached to your kids, but also be there for them in the way you want. Like, that is probably the hardest struggle. Like, the guilt if I'm away, the guilt if I'm there and not present. Oh, there's so much there. But we broke through all of that with her. And then this other one, she couldn't even get time to work. Her child was so clingy. Single mom, one kid. And so we slowly worked every week. Nothing on business. She has a great idea. But we worked on her mindset to where she's finally gotten her kid into a Montessori school. And it's. This woman has so much to give. So, like, yeah, that's not a monetary success like the other one, but it's huge. If she's been struggling for a year or more just trying to get something, you know, out there, and now she finally has the time and space to do it, and no guilt. It's huge.

Yeah. Because, I mean, I imagine that impacts other aspects of her life, too. Right. She has more time for herself in general. It doesn't feel like you're a kid all the time, which I know is hard, you know, as a parent and as a mom, but you got to live your life, too. And, you know, my. My personal philosophy is live your legacy. And I think to myself, how do I want to be thought of once I'm gone? And that's how I live now, just to kind of reinforce that. So on your end, I'm not saying you're defined by being a mom, but how do you want your kids to remember you?

I want them to remember. Remember me as present, caring, loving, as someone who did not put her dreams aside and really was able to experience such a such a really diverse and wonderful fulfilling life and good relationships and was really there for them. Like, I want them to think of me as someone who was really there for them, but also at the same time watching me follow my dreams. I'm hoping they're inspired to follow their own. They're already all little entrepreneurs, so I don't think there'll be a problem with that.

Awesome. Well, Andrea, I think it's safe to say you've accomplished that goal thus far, and I appreciate your time here. But for anyone who wants to learn more about you and follow along, what's the best way for them to do so?

Andrea Olson.com is my mompreneur stuff. And then the tiny other stuff, tinyundies.com and go diaperfree.com are my other businesses.

Awesome. Andrea, thank you very much. I appreciate this.

Thanks, Terry.