From Corporate Burnout to Business Owner

Welcome to the Working Moms of San Antonio podcast. We're your hosts, Erika Radis and Marie Lifschultz, a realtor and lender here in San Antonio. But most importantly, we're working moms just like you.

This podcast is all about creating a space where we can come together, share stories, and learn from each other. We love connecting with local moms in business Hearing about their journeys and how they're balancing it all, because let's be honest, it's not always easy, but it's so worth it.

Before we dive in today's episode, we're excited to share some big news with you all.

Our business community and coworking memberships are officially open. Whether you're looking for a supportive community of moms in business or need a beautiful space to work and grow, we've got just what you need here at Working Moms of San Antonio. You can visit the link in our show notes or workingmomsofsanantonio.com/membership for more info.

Now onto today's episode. Grab a cup of coffee, settle in, and let's get started.

Welcome to this week's episode of the Working Moms of San Antonio podcast. We have a guest on today, Megan from Solana Photo Magnets, and I'm going to turn it over to her to share all about what she's got going on.

Thanks, it's so great to be here. I'm like, I'm like really excited.

Yay, we're glad to have you. This is your first podcast, you said?

Yes, it is my first podcast. I've never done this before, so, um, yeah, it's interesting, new experience, but I'm, I'm glad to be here because like podcasts are all the rage. So if you can say like, I was on a podcast.

Yeah, I think I listened to more podcasts than I do YouTube.

Yeah, no, same.

Yeah, absolutely. Yeah.

And honestly, I just feel like it's such a good way to, like, for marketing reasons, you know, you can like do a blog or like send an email, but like having someone be able to hear your voice, I feel like is so, so important.

Well, it makes you a real person too. Like, we're normal and yeah, yeah.

And like, sometimes, like, I don't even, like, I don't listen to music when I'm like cleaning the house or something like that, doing the dishes, whatever. It's always a podcast.

Yeah.

And yeah, you get to be a little fly on the wall and hear someone's conversation sometimes.

Yeah, yeah. And I feel like it's, I can hear my friends having a conversation as opposed to like, like music, you almost feel like you have to like be into it, you know? Yeah, yeah. But like a podcast, you can just like marinate, just sit there and like not do anything and listen.

We're just your friends and you're joining us in the conversation.

That's right.

Yeah, we're just in the background. Yeah, we're in the background.

Yeah, I, I like it, but I like the podcasts too that are, um, like business-based too. Like, um, I listen to, what's that called? Her name is, um, Alison Prince.

Yeah.

I don't know. Have you heard of her? Um, she's had like several online businesses that have been successful and she sold them and, you know, so she has a podcast about different like business type things. Um, yeah. And so I listen to that sometimes just to get some tips and tricks and of course, yeah. And things like that. But how cool.

Um, yeah, it's, that's a good way to get ideas that you might not have thought about.

Yeah.

You know, especially a lot of us work remote or we're not in an office where we can collaborate. It's another way of collaborating with people, you know, listening to their ideas. And people share tips and tricks about business, and it can completely go across all industries. That, hey, why reinvent the wheel if you can get someone who gives you the, you know, the tip to do it? And hey, I can do this too.

Yeah. And for me, it's like, because Allison and some of the other podcasts that I listen to, they're, they're moms like we are.

Yeah.

And they're around our same age, right? Like they're, they're in the thick of it raising kids and, and things like that. And so to me, for my life and my situation, that they have more credibility.

Yeah.

They make more sense to me than listening to some like tech bro or somebody.

Yeah.

You know what I mean? Someone who's like so far removed from my reality that totally, that anything they say doesn't make sense. And so I like the connection like to people who are like me that are just moms that Yeah.

I love it.

This is some stuff.

I'm so tempted to be like, welcome to Talking Podcast with Megan Marie and Erika.

I love it.

Someone take notes. We're gonna make that happen.

Yeah, it is. It's truly a way of just to, to get, I, I think people forget what it's not like, what, what this is like when they're out of it or, or, or they've never been part of it. So you're like, really? No. I mean, cars are not $5,000. Like I, I used to be an adventist. Dave Ramsey fan. I love, I love the, you know, the snowball, all the things. And I'm like, he's not realistic. He has so much money that he's like, just buy a car for $2,000. There's none. There's no used car for my kid. I cannot find one that's drivable, right? Like, you ridiculous. You're not— reality's gone. So yes, so we are very, um, the mom next door, right?

Yeah, absolutely. Um, and that's, that's relatable to me because, you know, I'm in the thick of it too with my kids.

Yeah.

And I'm trying to, um, build a business at the same time. And, and, and part of that goes to, so I, um, I still work a corporate job. I still have a 9 to 5. Yeah. But they have, um, implemented a return to office mandate. Oh. And in my position, it's never even been an office. Oh. So they're like, now all of a sudden it is, they want everyone in the office.

Return to something that you've never, I know, right?

Make it make sense.

Yeah.

And it doesn't make sense. And, um, and the office is in another city in another state, which would mean uprooting my family and, oh my God. And having to move and all that. And we just can't do it.

Yeah.

We can't. And, um, and so myself and a lot of my coworkers right now are trying to figure out what do we do? Where do we go from here? Um, that's horrible.

I'm, I'm, oh, it makes my heart hurt.

Oh my God. And I've been there for 12 years, you guys. I was like, I'm gonna work here until the day I die.

Yeah.

Like I'm, I was a lifer and I, And happy with it.

Yeah.

Yeah. And it worked great cuz I was remote and so I was able to be there for my kids. I can still, you know, take my afternoon break for school pickup and you know, all that stuff. And it, I mean, everything was just smooth and working so well.

Yeah. And then they just dropped that bomb on us and they had to screw it up.

Yeah. They really did. And I'm like, and so, so my work is in turmoil now too because there's a lot of turnover now. They're having to backfill places, spaces because people are, they're finding their new jobs now and they're leaving and they're taking all of that. All the institutional knowledge, you know, everything they know and they, it's all gone. And then, I don't know, projects are disrupted and it's all just kind of chaos. And I'm like, I don't, I don't even know this place anymore. Yeah. You know? And so, and then part of me is like, okay, I could find another remote job, but is it gonna be like this again? Yeah. Are they gonna pull something like this and have it, and it's gonna be terrible, right?

Like right when you get comfortable.

That's right. Very likely. I was actually talking with them. I don't remember her name. She was at our last brewing business. The, the lady from UTSA, she came, was talking about their entrepreneur program for their college students. And she's like, I was talking with my sons wanting to go into business. And so we were speaking and she's like, the problem is, is that all of our students want to be remote— excuse me— working from home. That's, that is their goal. But they don't. So they're missing out on the skills of building with other people. But she has to— she says businesses are moving away from those remote positions, right, on a regular basis. So you're right, it could be a good possibility that you go to another remote job and they do the same thing in a month or two. You have to go back into the office, right?

I don't— I mean, I have not worked for another person in a super long time.

Yeah, but you're lucky.

Yeah, sometimes. Yeah, sometimes, but sometimes no. Um, but, um, I guess— and I just don't understand the mentality behind that. I felt like after COVID everyone was like, hey, we don't need so much overhead, like, and all of this, we don't need offices, like, people can actually do their jobs, like, right out of their own home and all of this stuff. And so it's like, why are they now going back the other way?

I don't know. And, and with the company I'm working for, they're, you know, they, they've been at least, gosh, probably like 90% remote for 20 years. Like, it's always been the model. And now they're actually having to go and look for more buildings because they have more people that they're come bringing into an office and so they're, they're causing themselves more costs that way. Plus like relocation expenses for the people who decide to move.

It's huge overhead.

It's a huge overhead. Yeah. It's wild. And, and we can't make sense of that.

They're dumber than dumb.

That's dumb. That's a dumb move. We've tried, we've tried. Like there's been so much feedback given to them and they're, it's basically like, do what I say.

Yeah.

You know, like that strict parent that's like, don't question me, just do what I say.

And so you're currently there now. I am, but you're planning to not be there. Right. And that's why your, your business has come about.

Yeah, absolutely. Yeah. So they did give us lead time as far as relocating. So I do have my job until August.

Okay.

And so I'm like, okay, so I've got some time to figure something else out.

Yeah. That's the perfect time to build a business.

Exactly. And I'm like, I don't wanna work for some, like the thought of having to go out there and still, and like look for another job and try to sell myself to someone else.

Yeah.

When it's been so long since I've had to do that. And I, the wheels are rusty when it comes to that kind of thing.

Yeah. It's like dating when you've been married a long time.

Yeah. It's like, I don't wanna like, and anyway, so I'm like, I need to work for myself. I need to just do something.

Yeah.

And so I started looking around, seeing, trying to find a niche that was still kind of young enough that wasn't too. Flooded that I could maybe get into, um, and, and use my business skills. Because I do have two business degrees. I've got my bachelor's and I've got my MBA, both in business. And I'm like, let's put that to work for me a little bit.

And yeah, definitely for you and not another company.

Exactly, right? Let's— I know, let's put all my, my talent to work for myself this time. And, um, and I wanted to do something that I enjoy doing. Like, I didn't want to build something that I, that I don't like, that I don't like doing. Yeah. And I'm like, okay, this is my time to find myself a little bit again. Um, because you know, you get lost in motherhood. You absolutely, you lose who you are and what you like. Yeah. And, and all of that. And so I'm like, okay, let me try to reclaim some of that and find something that I like to do. And in the last year I've, I've kind of figured like, okay, I like to make stuff with my hands. I like to, be a little crafty and things like that. And, and me too. Um, but there's, um, that's also already a huge industry. There's so many people that do like crafts. I'm like, how can I do this that's a little bit different? And so I found the photo magnets. Yeah. And it's just kind of starting to blow up and there's a lot of people that are kind of getting into it. Um, the barrier to get into it is a little bit higher cuz the equipment is really expensive and Oh, is it?

It is investment.

Yeah, you have to put some investment into it. Um, so to get the equipment, like, you really just need like a magnet press and a paper cutter and some supplies. But all of that, if you buy, you know, if you buy from a company here in the US, it's like very minimum about $1,500. Yeah, to get all that. Um, and you also have to commit to like, most people will do markets, which I Something I love about San Antonio is that there's markets everywhere all the time.

Yeah, we just had one.

Yeah, you had the outdoor market.

So, so there's lots of opportunity to do markets, which also makes this great because you can make magnets on site for people like, oh, you can, you can submit your pictures to me. And while I'm sitting there, I can print them and I can press them and you can walk away with them same, same day in like 10 minutes. So it's great for markets to do, to do that. But I don't wanna wait for markets, you know, just on the weekends. I wanna have an online, you know, build it online as well. And so I do have a, a website and I'm working on my social media.

That's a beast.

Yeah, it is. It's a lot, but it's, it's, it's kind of fun as I get more, more comfortable in front of the camera.

Yeah.

Um, and not feel so nervous, not so like stiff and like, don't be nervous. I do.

I say that to people all the time. I'm like, don't, but like, I hate to be on the camera.

Yeah. It's like, it's awkward for me and maybe that's I think that's like the Gen X in me where, you know, we, we spent all of our time ditching the camera. Yeah. And like trying not to get our picture taken.

Yeah.

And so now like that's flipped and, and if you want a successful business, you kind of have to put your, someone's face. Totally. Yours or someone else's in front of a camera to, to talk about it.

I would think you would have a lot of good B-roll kind of making this stuff. Yeah. Right. Set up a camera while, and you making the, the magnets and this, you don't, you can just see be your hands. Or the, the machine or how, I'm not sure how it works, but definitely have that and it'd be great to, I know I get fascinated with folding videos.

I can watch that forever.

I don't know what's about it. Yeah.

Me either. We've got a gal in the group that does laundry.

Yes.

Like she's, that's her business.

We love you, Candice.

Yes.

Flamingo Wash and Fold. Um, and she does these videos and like it's all these like special folds and I'm just like, I'm watching forever.

Yeah.

Yeah.

For me it's the people that like do like cookie cakes when they're like decorating the cakes and like, oh yeah.

Yeah.

They like slap on that like lump of frosting and spread it out.

Yeah.

I don't know why. I just sit there and watch it forever. But, um, so yeah, so I'm getting better at social media and I'm actually finding pretty good engagement, especially on TikTok. Like, I feel—

oh, the TikTok.

Well, I feel like social media is like going to a club and like Instagram is the VIP room, but TikTok is the dance floor, right? That's where like all the action—

that's a great analogy.

That's cool, cuz it's a lot harder to find followers and stuff on Instagram it's just a more discerning audience, I guess. Yeah. They're a little more picky about who they follow and things like that. But, but on TikTok it's like a free-for-all. Like everybody's out helping everybody else and following everyone else. And, and I think that's great because I am getting a lot more eyes on me and my business and what I'm doing through TikTok.

Totally.

Well, Megan, you just shared a really good tip for our working moms. It is.

Yeah.

I'm guess I'm bougie. I like the VIP room. Yeah. I can't get on, I mean, I have done TikTok, but I just tend to divert to Instagram as my go-to when I want to veg or, you know, look at stuff or look at products. Yeah. But I had never thought about that. That's a great tip.

For me, um, Instagram is super helpful. Um, like for our business.

Yes.

Like realtors and lenders and even working moms, something that you need like super localized.

Mm-hmm.

But like for you, an online business, you could sell to anybody. Yeah. And so TikTok is totally where I would be at, you know, it's, Thanks so much. It's not super helpful for me as a realtor. I have not found, um, versus Instagram.

Yeah.

I have gotten some clients and things like that. But, um, for somebody that can sell to anyone, I would absolutely do that.

Yeah. And I'm doing both.

Um, yeah.

But I mean, I grew, I've got over 3,000 followers on TikTok just in like, what, like 2 or 3 months?

Yay. Like, great for you.

It's been super quick. And, but then on Instagram I'm still at like 212 or something.

Yeah.

I could still help you with that. Yeah. You love that.

The working moms love to help. Yes.

Follow me on Instagram. Everything, @salanaphotomagnets. On all of the things. So come and find me on social media and follow. Oh, um, cuz I do, I do post a little bit of my life too because my kids are full of content. Sure. Like there's a lot.

Yeah.

They give me a lot cuz they're just, they're a wild bunch. And so there's a lot to share there. But, um, but yeah, so I'm just, I'm just trying to build up my business with the hope that at some point it'll be able to replace my income where I'm at now.

Yeah.

And I can just start working for myself. And, um, I'm— I realize how incredibly privileged I am because I have a husband who works. And so even if I am out of work for a little while, we're not going to starve.

Sure.

You know, and so I do have a little bit of flexibility, but it took us a long time to get there because you know what it's like to have little kids and like someone's still in school and, and All of that's just so hard.

I mean, daycare is a mortgage, so, oh my goodness.

Oh, we just paid for 3 years of daycare for my twins.

Yeah. Oh gosh.

And so I'm all hung up.

No, thank you.

Yeah. They finally, I mean, thank goodness here in Texas they have full day pre-K and we, we got 'em into pre-K at the public school. And so, um, thankfully that's not an expense we have anymore. And so we have a little more breathing room.

Isn't that just like getting a raise?

It is. It is.

You know?

Yeah.

I chose private school. Because of daycare. Private school to put my sons in 3K or Pre-K 3 and so forth was cheaper than daycare.

Than daycare. Yeah.

That's the only reason.

And we had a really reasonably priced daycare. Yeah. They were really good and their, and their prices were good. And, um, and we liked it there. I mean, we just got lucky. Yeah. We just got so lucky. And I realized that most families out there are not as lucky as we were with, with the daycare that we found. Um, So, and I call it luck cuz I don't feel like we've done anything to deserve anything special.

Oh, bless you.

But it, it really is luck. And, um, but we have worked hard. My husband and I were both in our forties. We both, you know, went to school, went to school while we had little kids and yeah, you know, we, we put in a lot of blood, sweat, and tears to be a little more comfortable now except for my job deciding that.

Yeah.

You know, well hopefully it'll pay off. So tell us a little bit about Banggood, like, What made you choose magnets to do?

So one big reason I chose magnets is, believe it or not, weather.

Oh.

Because if you're gonna go to markets, making the magnets, the magnets don't blow away in the wind.

Yeah.

They don't melt when it's hot outside.

Yeah.

You know, all of those things. I feel like, you know, you could have done a bakery or you could have done this or that.

Sure.

But if you take that kind of stuff out in the weather, it gets Yeah, it could be problematic. Yeah, if it gets hot, it gets melty and gross and whatever. And so they're very durable in that way. Highly portable, they're not very big. The machines to make them are not very big. The biggest thing I have to lug around is my printer to print things. They can be made very quickly. Like as soon as a photo that someone sends me hits my inbox, I can have the magnet made in less than 5 minutes.

Yeah.

Like it's super quick. And, um, the margins are good as far as profit. Yeah. You know, the, the cost of making it opposed, you know, compared to what I can sell it for is it's a pretty good margin. And so all those things put together. Yeah. And, and again, coming, you know, from a little bit of privilege, I actually could get the machines to, to get started.

Sure. Once you have that bit, then it's not too, too bad to make.

No, it's not bad at all. Yeah. And then like, um, so And the machines take maintenance, but it's only, you know, it's a little bit of oil and you clean 'em and things like that. So it's, it's not hard to do or, or expensive.

Have you always been like a crafty person?

No, not at all.

Uh-uh.

Not even a little bit. You could ask my sister, she'll tell you. But she, I was never the crafty one. I was never the talented quote unquote one.

Oh.

Like my, my sisters.

Did you see her, her business? She's in business.

Business.

They're in math. They're in, yeah.

Yeah.

And so, um, all the things my dad wished I had done, but instead I went and got an art degree, so.

Oh no. And, and math was a struggle.

Yeah.

Um, but, but yeah, I've, I've never been really crafty cuz I remember growing up we'd sit and, um, we'd get these Christmas ornaments at Christmas, the ceramic ones that you buy like at Michaels or whatever.

Yeah.

And we'd go to paint 'em and mine looked a mess. But then my sister, she'd have these perfectly clean lines and it would just be this perfectly painted little ornament and I'm like, meh.

Okay.

All right.

Maybe this isn't my thing, you know?

Yeah.

And so I just never felt crafty, but I think part of it too is that, you know, I got married 20 years ago and then it was instant survival mode.

Totally.

So I could not, until about a year ago, I could not even, like crafting was the furthest thing for like, yeah.

Who has time for that?

Yeah. When would I ever even think about, if I have extra time, I'm taking a nap or a shower.

Yeah.

You know?

Cause, cause you already had little kids at that time.

Yeah. Yeah. And, and I was just trying to survive from one day to the next. So a hobby just was like not on the table.

Yeah.

Unless I was gonna read a book for an hour or something like that. And so just about a year ago is when I was like, I gotta do something with myself. Like my youngest is, we're done having kids. That's over. The youngest ones are, you know, going off to school. Um, I have some time. Sometimes work is slow. I work remote still.

Mm-hmm.

So what do I do? During the day, do I wanna do the dishes? No. Do I wanna fold that laundry? Absolutely not.

Right. Anything to not.

That's, that's a tomorrow problem. Right?

Yeah.

Like, and so I'm like, fuck. And so, um, my sister kind of, she gave me some suggestions. She's like, oh, you should try to make this or try to make that. And then my husband bought me a Cricut for Christmas last year.

Yeah.

With all this stuff and what a cool husband.

Yeah.

Like, well, I mean, He's so great. Like I say, I want this. He's like, well, go get it then.

Yeah. Yeah.

And, um, so support from my husband that way. He's like, yeah, you want this? Like, let's go get it. And, um, and so I started making some things. Like just last night I made my son a t-shirt cuz he's like, mom, I want this shirt and I want this design. And I'm like, all right, I guess I'll figure it out. Yeah. And I did. Okay.

And, and you know, love that.

Got the design done and made him his shirt and And it's kind of cool that you can, like, your son comes to you one day and like the shirt he wants is like just made. Like you can just do it and you don't have to go shopping for it or spend $25 on it or, or anything like that.

So, right.

Um, anyway, so my little Cricut kind of changed my life.

Yeah.

A little bit. Even though I don't use the Cricut at all for the magnets, it's been kind of this evolution. Yeah. You know, it kind of starts with one thing and then as you get into it, Things change and it, it just kind of evolves into something at the end.

So, you know, Megan, I think we're about the same age or around the same age. Mm-hmm. And I think as my boys started to get older, I had a little bit more time on my hands.

Mm-hmm.

And I've had that need. I'm not a crafty person. Um, I'm a somewhat musical. I play a couple instruments, but for the most part, I've always wanted to do or make something with my hands. And I just had this conversation with my family not too long ago. Like, I'm jealous. My husband's a welder. And he can weld and he can woodwork. He can do all the things. I'm like, you're so blessed to have these talents to make things, make stuff. I wish I had the talents. I have this need to— I want to create something, right? Not just the life. I did that, created life for someone. But I would love to like make a pretty something and someone would want it. Well, that would be great.

And I'm here to tell you that you can do it even with no artistic ability, because I have none. Yeah, it's, it's just a matter of learning the tools that you have available to you. So you go, you learn where you can find designs online, you learn how to use the software to cut things out. So you don't necessarily have to be the one who designs anything.

Yeah.

Um, but you can if you want. The tools are there too for that. So, um, give it a shot if you wanna.

I will, definitely.

If you wanna.

Do you have any advice? Um, cuz I feel like there are so many people right now that like have been doing this one type of job probably for much of their life, you know, that's that's the way they went and now they're looking to kind of get into other things like business for themselves or even other careers. Do you have any advice for women listening, um, who may be in that kind of same boat on like how to really get started or how to get motivated in that way?

I think it, the first place you have to go is like inside your own head.

Yeah.

Because that's the first roadblock that you have to get over. Because we instantly are like, oh, what? I love to bake. I wanna make cookies. I wanna, oh, but nobody's gonna buy them. Like, what makes mine special compared to anyone else's? Or, you know, things like that. Um, and get out, like, I'll tell you, I'm 45 years old and I am at the point in my life now where I'm like, I don't care. Yeah. You have to stop caring what other people are gonna think.

I am also getting there. And, and you have to, and it has been liberating.

Yes. You have to just have that like, I'm gonna do what I want and I don't care what you say kind of attitude.

Yeah.

You know, and, um, get over that feeling of, well, what if people are gonna, what if people judge me?

Yeah.

It's like, well, you could, you see the biggest, most successful celebrities in the world and they're judging, getting judged by people all the time. Judging. Like, it's like those aren't the people that you need. Like, just ignore 'em. This is your life, not theirs.

Like, yeah. They're not paying your bills also.

Yeah, exactly. So I think the first, roadblock for anyone is just that mental roadblock of self-doubt and I'm not good enough, or I can't do this, or I'm not as good as somebody else is. Yeah. Or that, like, you never know, you could be better than somebody else.

Totally.

But you don't know.

Yeah.

Until you put yourself out there and you really just have to stop caring what other people think. And I, and it's hard, I think when you're younger and especially when you're a mom, because there's all those Um, we face a lot of judgment as mothers.

Sure.

Right. Of other people. You should do it this way. You should do it that way. And I think that gets to us mentally, that we're always worried about what other people are gonna think about what we're doing.

I think social media's done that to us. We get to see all the great things that people are doing and, you know, all the prettiness that other lives are happening, but they don't, you don't show the ugly stuff that mm-hmm. We're all going through this and, well, my life doesn't look like that. Well, neither does theirs. They put a filter on it.

Exactly.

It's a filter. They're not always clean and dressed and matching clothes. We don't walk around that way all the time.

Right.

I remember watching people like take photos and whatever. I'm like, we're never matching. Like we never look alike. Like how do people do that and stay clean? Like my boys are never clean. We're always dirty in, in the dirt.

Yeah.

Mine don't want to wear, like all my kids I swear have like sensory stuff going on. And so like if I were to pick out like an outfit or like a type of outfit for us to all wear, one would think it was too scratchy or it'd be too loose or it would be whatever. Yeah. And it's like, oh my God, no, we can't. So we do not have. We too do not have matching outfits.

No matching outfits for photos. No.

Mm-hmm.

It doesn't happen for me. Like, yeah, I'm lucky if we, all 5 of us are even in a photo together, or all 5. I have 5 kids. There's 7 of us altogether.

Yeah.

I can't even count anymore. But all of us together in a photo and it literally looks like this ragtag bunch, like gang of ruffians, you know, that are in a photo together. Um, but that's, I mean, that's us.

Yeah.

We're just a ragtag bunch of ruffians trying to get through this life.

My middle child like won't. Smile in a photo.

Oh no.

Like never.

She's the best.

Oh my gosh. She is wild.

She's the best.

The littlest one is the most feral. I always say that. But my middle one, just like if she knows that you want her to smile, like she just will not. And so like everyone's like, I have one, it was from Thanksgiving this year.

It was, everybody was like, oh, that's right.

She's like this and she was like this.

Oh yeah.

And I'm like, for real? Like, can you just like crack a smile for this one? Nope.

And she will not. My second one was like that too. Every picture I have of him, he's just like stone face. Like, he's like, get that camera out of my face. Like, he's not having it. And finally, he's in 7th grade now, and his football picture, he smiled.

Oh good. So you got—

I'm like, gosh, it took you 13 years to give me a smile in a picture.

That's funny.

It's good to know we're not alone.

There's always one, right?

He's just—

he's grumpy about life in general. Ever since he got here, he's just been grumpy about life.

Displeased. Yeah, he has grievances.

Yeah, I was fine where I was at. Why'd you get me out.

Yeah, no, that's exactly how it's been with him. But, but we— I mean, that's just— you just roll with it, right? You get to know your kids and you're like, pick your battles.

But I think it was great advice, like when you're looking at some— trying something new. I, I have a hard time. There was a time that I was thinking, okay, I need to change careers. My— our industry is really hard right now. I don't know if you know rates, interest rates, and real estate. It's not the easiest, uh, profession to be in right now, and it's, it's been a struggle. Um, so I, I've had doubts and I'm like, okay, I want to do this, or I want to— but it's so hard to get past the, what if I don't, what if I fail? Or what if I don't do it? Or maybe I don't do it as well, but they've been doing it for 5 years and this would be my first year or whatever the case is. I, I know personally I've had that doubt.

Mm-hmm.

To try to move when I know I'm good at things is just, it's hard to take that leap.

Right.

Mm-hmm.

And I've, I've come to start telling myself, my little mantra is kind of, if someone else can do it, then so can I. Heck yeah. Like, how are they any better than I am?

Yeah.

Like, if they can do it, then I can too. If they have figured it out, I can figure it out.

Yeah.

I've got a brain that works.

Yeah.

You know, I totally agree with that. So, I mean, I, I think we can all figure out all the things. Um, and I know like for me, it may take me a little while longer and in some cases it totally definitely will take me a little while longer and maybe a lot of money and like trials and errors and all the things.

Yeah.

But I will figure it out. And if you tell me that I won't, then I know for sure I will.

Yeah.

Yeah, yeah, exactly.

It's like, that's when people, that's all I need is for you to tell me like you're not gonna do that shit. And I'm like, oh no, I definitely am.

Oh yeah. It's like, watch me.

Whether I even want to now or not.

It's true. Cuz you then it lights that fire and you're like, yeah. You're like, well now I'm proving you wrong. Yeah.

I'm not even interested in this anymore, but fuck you.

Cuz I'm gonna do it. That's exactly it. And like, and I, I tell my older sister this all the time. Like sometimes I tell her, I'm like, you don't use your middle finger enough.

Yeah.

I tell her it all the time. I'm like, this is like, there are just some things you flip it off and you walk away.

Yeah. Like, It is what it is.

It is what it is.

Yeah.

That's like, and, but yeah. And then even if you're not sure you wanna start a business yet.

Yeah.

My advice would be gain a following. Mm-hmm. Like on social media, like make those accounts, make the posts, have people get to know you so that way when you do decide like, hey, I'm gonna start this business, you've already got people invested in you as a person.

Yeah.

And so they're gonna be invested in your business adventures.

Yeah.

You know, and especially if you put out like the real and the raw.

Yeah.

And say, well, I can't afford to do this with my new business, so I'm gonna do this instead.

Or, yeah, totally.

This is how I'm making it work. And people love to see that. And because social media really, if, if you're not a big corporation with a ton of money, social media is basically your marketing plan. Yeah.

Right.

And so if you, get, get in on that early, even with just like a personal account that you can at some point like start posting about your business once. And, and there's already people there to see it instead of starting from scratch. So you're starting a business and starting your content at the same time.

Yeah.

That's hard to do. And that's what I've been doing.

Yeah. It's rough.

No, for sure. So I've learned from that now. It's like, oh, well I should have started, you know, I only got on TikTok 3 months ago. I should have done this a year ago.

Yeah.

Yeah.

So things like that. Um, I think that would be helpful too. So, you know, get over your doubts and start to build your audience.

And, and also, I mean, obviously we're big about it here. Find a community, like people that will support you. Yes. You know, um, that's what we try to do here. And I just feel like these ladies are so quick to support each other no matter what. I can't tell you how many things I have bought that I don't need, that I never know, that I would never know or, or even know exist. Yeah. But I buy 'em 'cause I love these ladies.

Yeah.

But you know, we buy the things.

Yeah, it's true.

Well, and even if in our, with going to the community, having that support system gives you the confidence to go out there and do more and maybe do more markets or do more content or whatever the case is. But even if they don't need your product, they'll definitely share it.

Totally. They'll tell everybody about it.

Yeah.

You need some magnets? I got a girl, I got someone. Yeah.

And now we do.

We do.

Yeah.

Megan, we don't have anybody who does magnets in our, in our group. Yeah, that's right.

Now we have somebody that does these magnets.

Yeah. I mean, and they're great and, I use magnets as my business card too. Yeah. So my magnets have a QR code that go to my website. And so I hand those out at markets and things like that where most people, it, if someone hands you a business card, where does it end up?

Into the garbage sometimes. Yeah.

Or lost in the bottom of your purse or whatever.

But if it's in Marie's pocket so she can remind me of this person later.

I know, right?

I do keep business cards.

I do. I, I do too. But they, they live tucked in little corners of my wallet. Yeah. You know, I don't see them all the time, but if it's a magnet, then maybe you use it and you stick it up on your fridge and you see it. See it. Um, it holds the school artwork. That's right. Yeah, exactly. I mean, I've got 'em all over my fridge and, and they're great for gifts too. Like my dad's 90. What do you get a 90-year-old man for Christmas?

Yeah. I don't know.

Magnets with his grandkids' face on it that he can put on his own fridge.

Wow.

That's, you know, so if you need like mother-in-law gifts or, you know, things like that, it's, it's a really great gift and they're not super expensive.

Mm-hmm.

You know, and they're easy to do.

How was your day? They'd be great in goody bags.

Yeah, I do that for, um, teacher gifts.

Yeah.

Are gonna be magnets this year too. So they're great for, um, uh, you know, and they're inexpensive.

Yeah.

They're not super expensive to buy. So, um, but businesses could put in an order and get, you know, absolutely.

I don't know, 50 of these and have 'em out at a table if they're, they're doing, you know, a presentation. That would be a good thing for people to grab and have.

And absolutely. You know, if you need a swag, something for a swag bag.

Yeah.

Or something like that.

Yeah.

Um, that's not going to get tossed. If you make it a little bit useful, people are more likely to hang on to it.

Well, and they're nice. They're good quality and I would use them.

Yeah, for sure. Yeah, they're really thick and they're tough. And the kind that I make, there are some where they, you know, stick the magnet on the back of it after it's put together.

Sure.

But this one, the kind that I make that presses the magnet into it, so it's all one piece and it's not a separate magnet that's stuck on the back. Oh, cool.

So it won't come apart.

Yeah.

Yeah. So it's not going to come apart. They're water resistant, not waterproof. My 4-year-olds have proven they're not waterproof yet, but they are water resistant because there's an, um, like an acrylic piece over the top that makes it, you know, protected, whatever. Um, but you can— I mean, they could take a marker to it and you can still wipe it off, you know, that kind of stuff. So I don't know, I like them. I think they're cool. Yeah, they're great for business cards, and if you just want something with your logo on it to pass out, or Yeah. GIFs. I mean, any image, if I can get it in my Canva template, I can put it on a magnet for you.

Yeah.

So that's cool. Yeah.

Um, well, towards the end, we usually ask our guests, um, to share how folks can get ahold of them for their services. So can you tell our listeners how, uh, they can get your magnets?

Yeah. So I have a website, it's, um, solanaphotomagnets.com.

Okay.

And Solana is spelled S-O-L-A-N-A. Um, and then Photomagnets. Hopefully we can spell that.

And you'd be surprised. Yeah, definitely put that in the notes so people can spell correctly.

So that's my website, and there is like a contact form on there. So if they want to email or have any questions, if they have, you know, anything that they want special or, um, bulk orders, that kind of thing, I mean, email me for anything. Even just if you want to say hi. Okay, that's fine too. Um, and I'm, I'm running a special right now, just kind of honestly, I don't know when I'm, I don't know when this podcast is gonna come out, but I'm gonna keep it on for a while. Um, where if you spend $50 or more, you'll get 50% off of your order. And that's kind of like my grand opening kind of deal. Um, but I'll probably keep it open until like the end of January or so.

Nice.

Very cool. So Megan, what about the social medias?

Like where, like a, it's Solana Photo Magnets on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok to go live. I'm on TikTok.

Yeah.

Follow me on TikTok. Cool.

Well, thank you so much for being on. Yeah, this was such a fun, like, mom business conversation. I really enjoyed it.

Yeah. I thank you for having me.

Absolutely.

Podcasts are fun. Yeah.

As it turns out, you like it.

Yeah, you like it.

And then I'll also quickly thank our listeners for tuning into this week's episode, and we'll catch you guys next time.

See you guys next time.

Bye.

Thanks so much for tuning in to this episode of the Working Moms of San Antonio podcast. We hope you loved today's chat and found a little inspiration to take with you into your week. If you have a podcast topic suggestion or a question you'd love for us to cover, definitely send us an email at hello@workingmomsofsanantonio.com. We'd love to hear from you. And until next time, See you in the community!