From Artist to Agency A Jewish Entrepreneur's Success Story

Jewish community in general is very entrepreneurial in spirit. On the flip side, when it comes to women, I see two things. The either they're very entrepreneurial in spirit and they're tough as nails or they're sheep and they follow whatever Moa told them to do and whatever mommy and daddy told them to do and then they get married and they do whatever their husband tells them to do. My message is to like wake up. Like wake up. What do you want for your life? We talk about ROI, return on investment. Well, what about ROI, return on intention? It's Azar connectto. Like, I literally couldn't do what I do today without my husband. I said he does laundry. He takes my kids to school every single day. I want to give women the education that they can do anything they want to do if they want to do it. If they don't want to do it, that's fine. They don't have to. >> You're none of your business, Oshi. None of your business, Michael. It's the None of Your Business Podcast hosted by Michael Anoshi. >> Welcome back everybody to another amazing episode of the None of Your Business Podcast. Thank you to the Prime Source production team. Thank you to our newest sponsor, Twillery. >> Oh my gosh, Oshi, you're wearing a Twillery shirt. >> This is by chance. I did not plan this. >> That's amazing. >> Is that for real? >> Yeah, it's official. >> It's official, guys. We're getting a check. >> We're getting a check and we're going to be getting clothing. This is not a twillery shirt, which is why it doesn't look as good and I have to give it to the cleaners. But if I was wearing twillery, I perhaps might look a little bit better. What would you say? >> You can use all the help you can get. So, >> thanks Ashi. I appreciate that. >> Well, again, thank you to the Prime Source Production team as well and the Twillery people, Ali Mel Plumestein and uh Saki, who was the person that brought it up in our conversation on the podcast. They heard us, they reached out, and uh here we are today. So, it's amazing. We appreciate it. >> I love it. I'm excited. >> Yeah. They're actually opening up new stores. It's their new thing, you know, like Charles Turret like has stores now, like you know, and they >> they have one store now. >> They they're opening a store now in Lakewood and I think they're opening another store in Five Towns, which is pretty cool. >> Beautiful. >> So, yeah, we love their clothing and Usher, you look great. >> Thank you. >> And uh I guess now I know why. And uh yeah, so we have with us a very special guest. >> The reason why I say special is because Ushi and I both share something together with this guest is that we don't know you. And the exciting part about this is that we're going to get to know you on the podcast. And uh welcome Abby. >> Thank you for having me. >> We appreciate you being here. Abby Woolen. Am I saying that correctly? >> Woolen. >> Amazing. Abby, you know, we have this thing that we do to get the guests and our listeners to get to know who you are. But the wonderful thing about this now is that we're going to get to know you as well. I did not read this yet, and that's the way I like to do it. So, we printed out as a chat GPT said, "What about you?" >> I'm a little afraid. Have you ever seen what chat GPT has to say? >> Um, I've seen what the internet, you know, has on me? I've been on, you know, social since its inception in 2009. So, it probably has a lot of data. >> Is that a thing? Social inception was 2009. I didn't know that. >> So, Facebook, I think, was around maybe 2004 maybe. I don't remember. Don't quote me on that. >> That's okay. >> But in 2009, it asked me if I wanted to have a business page. So, like I remember that popup coming up. >> Really? >> Yeah. And I said, "Okay, I don't know what this is." And that's how I started my business. >> Why not? Right. >> I don't remember a world without the internet. I just don't. It feels like it's been around forever. >> Yeah. Yeah. But well, this is the next step of this. This is social. >> This is the world of Facebook and Instagram and all the other people. Stefan's going to check for >> Haven't Fact. I could be very wrong. >> Be careful what you say. >> No, but it was 2009 when it asked me. I believe 2010 was when I started. So, >> Wow. Okay. I don't remember dates like that, by the way. Good for you. I like that. Uh, people remember those things. >> I'm right. >> All right. Chat GPT says, "What?" Let's see what we got here. Um, she turned a paintbrush into a business plan and somehow made both look effortless. >> Yeah. Wow. >> Okay. What are they talking about? Well, I have no idea. What is >> Keep reading. >> Okay. Well, that's that's the first thing they say. We're g you're going to get into that in a minute. Abby doesn't just paint mugs. She paints road maps for women who want to crush it in business. Yeah. >> Oh, >> that's really good. >> So like consulting for women on business. >> So basically I started my first company was hand painted glassware. I sold it all over the world. And glassware I mean like pictures, caked domes, salad bowls and I sold it to stores. I um I did I started on um I I'm from Long Beach, Long Island. So my sister had once said to me, "Hey, do you want to come and you know sell your glassware that you've been painting like on a boardwalk?" And I was like, "Okay." So, you know, they have like Long Beach has this art fair every summer. So, I did and I sold out that day and I was like, "Maybe I have something." I started the circuit, you know, like you go to all the Shaw circuits like on Khan and like before the holidays and one store came to me and said, "Hey, have you ever thought of wholesaling?" And I was like, "What's that?" And then she kind of like taught me the business. This is Breezy's in the five towns. And then from there, the company just grew. I was selling to like hundreds of stores all over the world. >> Wow. You're a teacher, an artist, a strategist, and an entrepreneur. Abby Woolen collects job titles like most people collect coffee mugs. >> This is true. >> By the way, speaking of which, serial entrepreneur, >> you are going to get our none of your business coffee mugs. >> Yes, it was already worth the trip, wasn't it? >> Was. But I also like that line. I need to steal it. >> You know what? You could take any of these and use it. But uh it's I guess Chachi gets used to it. I I tell it in advance like, "Okay, this is the person's name. I have a segment called Chachi said what? Give it to me." And it just spits it out. Yeah. Very good. And uh well, so far it's positive. You never know what turn it might take. >> I don't know. >> Take a nasty turn. >> She built not too shabby with the number two, which is ironic because nothing about her hustle is shabby. >> What is that? >> My company was called Not too shabby. My mom used to I have a sister named Shaina. And so my mother used to like scream out like, you know, it sha shabby. And so I became shabby shabby. >> But I'm not shy. But my mom used to call me that. So then I was like, oh that's cute. I can call my company not too shabby. Yeah, that's not a bad twist on the word, especially with your name in it. >> We like that. Coming up with a name is not easy. >> Not too shabby. That's pretty creative. Okay. >> I remember when we came up with the name of None of Your Business. It was like a very good name. It Thank you. I appreciate that. And it was like a 10-hour brainstorm session with my neighbors and my family and some creative thinkers. And it first we were going to do in your in the couch. That was like the first thing that we came up with. And then, you know, in your business and then it went to none of your business. That's how it evolved. But um cool. So, some people sell products. Abby creates movements and then teaches you how to scale them. >> Yep. >> Oh, Chachi really likes you. >> Yeah, it does. >> And how have you done that? >> So, um, in about I think it was 2018 2000 well 2016 at the at that point I got very overwhelmed. I was painting way too many pieces per week. I was almost like 500 pieces. Um, I had I had about six employees. So you have to understand like I would get glass from all like from China it would come and I would have huge containers coming to my my my studio and then every single piece of glass had to be checked when it came off the truck because you have to account for the broken pieces and if it was sitting there for over a week they would you know the the distributor would say oh well it could have broken in your place so I had to count every single piece we had to account for it fine. So now I have we we take that off. We put it on the on the on the shelves. Then from there we have to clean every single piece. Every single piece has to be prepped. Then it has to be painted. Then it had to be clean. Oh, fired. Then it had to be cleaned. Then it had to be shipped. So we were selling so fast that let's say for example on a Thursday we would get everything to our stores because Sunday is a big day for stores. So we would get it to them by Sunday. Sunday they would sell out. They would put another order in on Monday and I was painting about 500 pieces a week. >> Yourself? You yourself were painting them? >> So like we would prep them. So it would have like let's say a background or would have like some sort of pattern in the back and then I would paint the roses. I went through so many people trying to get them to learn how to make my roses. Nobody could. It's mostly floral. The the geometric ones I could get people to do, but the florals it was just it was all me. And at the time I also had one of my sons was going through a a pretty difficult time at school and he was sent basically he we we moved him from one school to another school and then he ended up starting at another school but they would only take him half day and so now I have this child who is disruptive in a glass studio. >> How old was he? >> He was five. >> Oh boy. >> So that was like it was just very very difficult. So now I'm having I have a child at home. I'm trying to build this business. My husband and I were actually passing ships in the night because I would get the kids off to school. I would then go to work. I would come home by 3:00. I would then, right, cuz all my kids were coming home. Then I would get them all the dinner. I would get them everything they needed. I would do homework with them. My husband would walk in at 7:00. I would go back to the studio, work there till 2:00. Wow. >> And then come back home. And he was getting up at like what 5 to go to cuz he was he's in construction so he was up and out like very early in the morning and he would do basic. And so like we were just passing ship in the night. my son was having these issues and my stores couldn't get enough of it. And so at some point I just said like enough like enough enough. Um because I wasn't I wasn't also making enough money. Like I was working so hard and I wasn't the profits weren't as good as what it should be. Right? if you're working that many hours and you're working that hard. And so I decided to do something called the 30-day challenge. And I was like, I'm going to figure out what's wrong with my business. And I'm going to take you guys along the ride. I had a followers and I had in at that time Facebook had mitig mitigated to or migrated to Instagram. So I'm on Instagram. I have about I don't know 4,000 5,000 followers at the time. That was a lot. Like this was like a really early new it was like 2015 2016. And I'll never forget, I ended up getting online and talking about it openly about business. This was before, you have to remember this, there was no education on YouTube. Nobody was talking about entrepreneurship on YouTube. And every person that I would go to in the women who were in business, if I asked them business questions, they were like, "Figure it out on your own. I figured it out. You'll figure it out." Like, nobody would give me like, "Well, how do you look at like what are COGS? What are, you know, how do I figure out how to price something? Did I even price it right?" Like nobody would help me. Um, my husband finally found somebody with inner our shul who would sit down and he was a man and he actually gave me a ton of support and a ton of help and I vowed that I would never do that to another woman that if that if I would never gatekeep my knowledge. Um, and so that's when I I just started talking about it like here's what I'm doing. Here's what my pricing was. This is why I'm failing. This is why I need to fix and I'm going to do it. And all of a sudden I went from 4,000 followers to 10,000 followers within like a month or two. And people were just hollishing for the knowledge. They just wanted to like it was like almost like opening up the floodgates. And from there I started to do a business challenge with other women. And I started teaching them and I had workshops and I had classes and I started to pivot into this education piece. And at the same time I grew my profits on my not too shabby business by 20%. So, it was amazing and I wasn't working there all day and I was able to be home with my son and it was like I was able to like focus on him and it just like the whole thing just opened up. I was like, "Wow, like I really understand this and I need to get this back." And at the same time that that was happening, uh, the Jewish woman entrepreneur, JWE, I don't know if you've ever heard of them. That's an organization for non- for women. Um she came to me and she asked me Kaya um Haya Pal Fishman. She said to me, would you consider helping us run the new the conference in 2019 and I said uh yeah absolutely. Before that I was I was an educator. I was a teacher for 14 years prior to growing my own company. And I ran that conference. We had 500 women there and like I was obsessed with it. I I just it was it was amazing. We had all these women. I remember saying there's two things that I really want women to get. Number one is I want to open up the floodgates of China. Nobody understands how to buy in China, how to sell in China, how to how to get product from China. And we had somebody who literally told them everything from beginning to end. It was like amazing. And the other thing that I really wanted was uh a Shopify representative because Shopify was so new back then, but like it was the biggest e-commerce site and we had an actual Shopify representative come to conference and give a class and people were just the women were just I don't I don't know how to explain it. They were like sponges like just taking in the knowledge and then from there I helped the JWE find help I helped them grow get funding. I walked out and I built my own agency cuz uh what I heard from women mostly was well if I had more eyeballs on my product or service I would make more money and we we all know that that's not necessarily true because that's only one marketing is only one tool in jewelbox. But I figured maybe that was my way of getting more like helping more people. And so I built a marketing agency because once I first because I wanted to help more women grow their businesses and second of all once I did the conference people just started like coming to me. So like nualam covid hit by the way co hit in 2020. So that was right after the conference. Uh 247 came to me and said hey we need to raise $1.5 million. Will you help us? Well, really, they needed to raise 1 million, but we raised 1.5. Um, we actually did Supermarket Sweep at Evergreen. We did like a huge celebrity like I don't know if you ever watched Supermarket Sweep in like the 90s. It was like my favorite TV show. When you were sick, you would watch it. It was on TLC. It was a great show. But basically, you have like these guys and women, they're like running down a supermarket with their like shopping cart trying to put things in. So, we did that with um 247 raised 1.5 million. Then, Tonkabas of Brock County came to me and they asked me if I would, you know, help them, you know, do a campaign. I did that for them and then slowly but surely it's just like snowballed into like a a a fairly large marketing agency and we work with some very big clients like American Dream, the Alter Hotel, uh Yah which is under the OU. So >> I got I got to be honest, I'm overwhelmed. >> You need to slow down. Wow. >> You're giving it to us all on one leg, you know. >> That's great. It's great. >> It's fantastic. >> I'm thinking like, okay, now's the time when Oshi says slow down. Yeah, I was about Michael. It was in the tip of my tongue, but I was and one way I wanted to be respectful and I also like I you're on you're on a roll. >> You're on fire. >> You're on fire right now. I didn't want to stop you, but a part of me is thinking like I got to remember that so I can come back. I got to remember that. I got you. I heard like three or four different big things. >> No, this is great. We just uh >> which is amazing and you're a powerhouse. >> You really are. Uh congratulations and uh I'm like inspired by this. I'm motivated by what you're doing. I just want to go back to the office right now and go back to work. I'm like, what am I doing over here? Kit Cigarella. Look at what she's accomplished. I got a lot of catching up to do. But we got to dial this back. We got to start somewhat from the beginning. We always say, what does the beginning mean? I don't want to hear when you were an infant. We we want to go back to when things somewhat got interesting for you, you know, when uh you started getting some notoriety in your life, you know. Let's let's take me back to the earliest thing you can remember. Who are you? Who is >> when did you when did you recognize that you were an artist? At what age did you start doodling? Crazy story. It >> goes back a little bit. Yeah. >> Okay. So, I was raised in LA, grew up in in Los Angeles. Um I my mother Okay. My father passed away when I was 11. My mother remarried when I was 13. So, we moved from LA to New York. Okay. They had five They had four kids. We had five kids. It became a Brady Bunch. >> Wow. >> Not the TV show. >> You combined families now have nine kids. >> Nine kids all together and moved to Long Island. >> Do you remember that time when your father passed away? Do you remember that? >> Oh, 100%. Yeah. Yeah. >> You remember the details? You remember how you felt and all of that? >> Yeah. I'm saying he Well, he was diagnosed when I was six. >> So, I remember them sitting down and telling us um you know, he has cancer. He had melanoma cancer. He was a redhead. So, everybody please like put your suntan lotion on. But, yeah. So, he he was diagnosed at well, he died at 36. He was 36 years old. So, >> really young. >> They gave him five years. So, he was diagnosed at 32. Very very young. Very young. >> Wow. Um I was 11 when he passed. My youngest brother was one. So you know >> Were you the oldest? >> No, I had an older I have an older sister. >> One older sister. >> Yeah. One older sister, then a younger sister, and then two brothers. And um >> And you were living in LA at the time. >> We were living in LA. >> You were born there. That's where you're from. That's where your parents are from. >> I'm a Valley girl. And um I remember them just sitting us down. And I thought it was like a stomach ache. didn't know the gravity of the issue. Um, as he got sicker and sicker and sicker, it became pretty evident like there was I mean, you know, there was just there's a there's a lot there's a lot which by which by the way like as an adult like you start to especially when you become a parent and especially when you you you know, like I'm way past that age now, but when you hit 36 and you're like, "Oh my gosh, I live past my own parent." That's a huge like huge milestone and like a lot of childhood trauma comes out. Yeah. >> Um and you have to like deal with a lot of it. Um a lot of a lot of it. Um >> but yeah, so I I my mother remarried and when she remarried, he was also we were we were all raised bas. But when they remarried, they actually sat us down and said, >> you know, I'm going to uncover my hair. I'm going to become, you know, more modern. Um your mother your mother >> my mother said that you could wear pants, you go to public school, whatever you want to do, you do. Um, and I think it's because like all of us as children were just questioning and we were wanting more and you know different things. And >> at the time like I was always like a questioner. Like I was always like um pushing boundaries like bad. So my mom so I was like oh heck yeah this is awesome. Um happened to be that my eighth grade teacher was from LA. Her name was uh Shashana Haymon. She I love she passed away. She was actually in the Sparrow attack. She was she was um she was pregnant. She was 4 months pregnant. >> I remember that attack. >> Yeah. And she she was 4 months pregnant and she passed away and it was devastating for me. But she was from LA. She actually knew about my dad. She knew that he passed away. And when she asked me in eighth grade, where are you going to school next year? And I was like a public school probably because I didn't care at the time. I was like just trying to survive. And she was like you are not going to public school. She ends up getting me in Hank Hebrew Academy. So I ended up going there and in around it's a crazy story that we could bring in also. But what happened was that I was every summer I would go back to LA and I actually met my husband when I was 15 years old um in LA. He's a city boy. I was a valley girl. He went to Ula. We just randomly met and um I always say that his my father was the shad because his father was my father's cancer doctor. And I remember meeting him when I was in second grade and he and I had like pigtails and he's like, "Oh, I have a son just your age." And I was like, "Oh, okay, whatever." Like, "What are you supposed to say back? You're like six or seven years old." Anyways, I meet him years later. We're 15. We're hanging out, friends. And like we became best friends and we would like see each other like every like, you know, like just twice a year, but we would talk on the phone all the time. I remember saying to him, remember, you know, one day maybe we'll be able to see each other on a phone. Um, but it's very hard to have like a a long-distance relationship in general, and second of all, when you're in the Orthodox Jew, even if you're in a modern Orthodox Jewish school, like everyone's trying to break you up and everything, but we end up going to Israel, got married at 19, the rest is history. We're been together for 29 years. But anyways, side note, >> I want to I want to pause on that side. So what's your feeling on that in terms of teenagers and uh boys and girls and dating? You have any thoughts on that? Cuz you went through it. It's an interesting topic. >> It is it's what's interesting is that my husband became is very very like he's moved much more to the right. >> Um and like it would not even be possible in like the way that we've raised our children. So we never really had that question like come to us, >> right? Um, but I do believe that when you're soulmates, like you the far the harder you push them apart, the more they're just going to want to come back together. So, you have to give them freedom. That's the one thing that I say to my mom that I give credit to my mother because even though people were like questioning her, why did you like allow your kids to do what they did? That freedom allowed me to actually figure out who I wanted to be, right? Because the I'm I'm I'm such a resistor. Like, you know, I'm always going to be pushing boundaries. So I do I give her a lot of credit for that because when I ended up in Hank it was an NCSY school and through NCSY I was able to like really ask a lot of my questions and the teachers were prepared to answer those questions because a lot of those kids were coming from non-firm homes or questioning homes um you know so you know even after like I got married and I decided that I wanted to cover my hair my mom was like wait why are you doing that like we decided this and I said but that this is what I want for me you know like I remember when you covered your hair. I remember what my family was like that's what I want. Um which was like it was kind of like awkward. I will say that but um yeah. So um I so basically my entire high school career you as you asked me a question about art. My whole entire high school career was just trying to survive and I had a best friend and my best friend lived in LA. Um, in 11th grade I was given the opportunity to go I was very much into music. Never picked up a pencil or paper yet at that point but I was very very very into music as a pianist. And I don't know if you guys know this the school fame like the show fame. Yes. Okay. So I was >> I want to live forever. >> Right. So I was I was pitched I guess to go to a performing arts school. It was in SAS public school. I'll never forget my husband said well my boyfriend at the time said if you go there you will never be religious ever. like so you know you need to make that decision and I remember thinking and then he said oh he said the thing that was such a clincher he's like what would your father want >> that's not fair >> that was not fair it was not fair so I stayed in Hank and I said if I'm going to stay in Hank then I'm going to really grow in my Yiddish kite like I'm not going to like because I'm giving something else up so if I'm going to give that up then I've got to like really see like is this really what I want for my life and then in 12th grade by that time I was friends There was so many smarties, like smarty pants, like they were all like going to like amazing schools and I was embarrassed to kind of say like I have really bad grades. I don't know where I'm going. So I was like, well maybe I can go to college like on ability alone and I was like I know I'm not good enough for Julliard like that. Okay, so that's going to go off. So but I like I like to color so maybe I can go to art school. I know what I was thinking. So I go to the principal and I said to him I need to get into the art program because I have to paint a portfolio to get into college. He said, "Well, you didn't take it in 11th grade." And I said to him, "Well, I don't care because I need a portfolio. So, either you're going to let me in or you're not going to let me in, but like I've got to I'm making this portfolio, so you're going to help me or not." And he was like, "Fine. If the art teacher lets you in, I'll let you in." So, I go downstairs. I walk down the stairs. I'll never forget it. I walk down the stairs. Go to her class. She looked like Miss Frile. Like big curly hair, like a like a flowy skirt. I walked in. I go, "Hi, Mrs. Gutman. My name is Abby Chinsky." Okay, that was my main name. She goes, "Hi." I said, "Um, I I am here. I have like all of these things I need to make for college for my portfolio. Can I can I can I come to your class?" And she's like, "Well, can I see your work?" And I was like, "I don't I don't I don't I I I don't have anything." And she said, "Well, have you ever like colored or like paint or like have you ever picked up a pencil?" And I was like, "No." And she's like, "I'll see you Monday." And I'll never forget that. She was like, "I'll see you Monday." And I was like, "Okay." So I walked up to Rabbi Shambrun and I was like, "Um, she said I could go in." So he goes, "Okay, fine. You can go in." In that class, I have to tell you, like I found myself, like I just found myself in her class. She also gave an art history class. I made a portfolio, got into School of Visual Arts and FIT, Fashion Institute of Technology, the top two like art schools in New York City. And I used to like think like it was her, like she did this, like she like if she had said no, like I would have still made a portfolio. I probably might not have gotten in. But the truth is is that I think it's a lesson for everybody because it really you have to be the catalyst for change. If you're not that catalyst, you're not going to like be able to manifest or get what you need or what you want. And so like I used to put so much stock in her. And I and I and now as an adult, I'm like, "Wow." like I was the one who actually went in there and said, "I want something more. I want something better. I want to be this." And so, in the end, by the way, I ended up in UCLA Design School cuz I married and I moved to LA. That's where we raised our babies. But yeah. >> Wow. >> That's how I became an artist. >> That's where it all started. >> You know, this is probably for the record, you're the second guest that we had on that went to FIT. Just do you remember the other guest that we had on that also attended FIT? >> No. >> Okay. You're the second guest. I forget what her name is. Very early on in and uh we had her on at the Bell Works. >> Oh yes. Yes. Yes. An older one. >> Designer. Yeah. >> Designer. >> Shift. Very nice. Stephan. >> That's without Chad GPT. >> Wow. I'm impressed. Yeah. >> This is why you get paid the big bucks. >> Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Exactly. But I have to say this is you're probably one of the first guests that I can remember that we've sat this quiet for this long. >> Am I boring? >> Not not to the contrary. To the contrary. Your story so far >> is first of all you remember things like as if it was yesterday. Your memory is very vivid. It's fascinating. Like I can't remember things from like a couple of weeks ago and you're talking about things from when you were a six-year-old to an 11year-old to 11th grade and and remembering all of these things and you're absolutely right. You hit it on the mark. You were assertive. You actually went down to the teacher and and you imposed yourself on her. I want to be in your class. I don't have anything to show you. But I know I want to try it. And she was a conduit that helped you get into it. There's no question. She gets credit. She was a passenger in your story. But you were the driver. You were absolutely driving. And this is for me. I'm taking away from this story of what you're saying so far. If you want to get something done, you got to go out there and do it yourself. No one is just going to pick you up and lift you up and do it for you. There are people out there that can help. They'll support you. They'll be in your surroundings, but you own your own life. You got to take charge. And that's what you did. And I'm I'm amazed by it. It's I'm not surprised now as much about everything else you've been saying about where you've gone and everything you've accomplished. I see where it's coming from. I asked her, I said, "Bring me back to when this started." Like this is when it began for you of taking charge of your own life. So So keep walking us through it. So 11th grade, you took this class, you got into college, you were in FIT, and you started >> and I ended up in UCLA Design School. >> Okay. >> Because I got married. I told my husband, I gave my husband um we were in Israel together. He he went to BMT and I went to Pinocchio. So I was on the top of the hill and he was on the bottom of the hill and I said to him either we get married or we break up because I mean or we can like you know be together but that's not appropriate. So you have you have like really like you have two choices here. So and he was like okay we'll get married but you have to give up and New York art school. Like you're gonna have to find >> And he was from your husband at this time like he was >> Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. He was raised very modern orthodox. So like his, you know, um he went to Ula, went to Hillel, he his mother never covered her hair. So when I decided to to wear a Shadel or cover my hair, he was like, "What are you doing? Get that off your head." >> So why did you decide to do it? Your mother didn't do it. You didn't grow up that way towards the end. Your husband, your future husband didn't have that expectation. Why was this important to you? >> It was important to me because I felt like it it >> Okay, so first of all, covering your hair is for you. It's for you as a woman. And it to me it felt like it wasn't that a symbol of oh I'm married. It was a symbol of there's something special that needs to be covered and there's something special inherent inside of me that only you as my husband get to see. And that was like very very important to me I think. And I also really it it like it it symbolized to me the status of what I was going to you know be moving forward. Now it was a much longer journey. For example, like I only started covering my hair with a hat and I had some hair out. Then it turned into, oh, let's, you know, put on a shade doll. Oh, then it turned in, you know what I'm saying? Like it evolved. >> It was, it was evol It totally evolved. Like I used to wear short sleeves and short skirts. But like I think that evolution of growth is is what we're all doing in some way, right? Like we're all batshas in some way, >> right? It's just a matter of how awake you are or not. >> Yeah. So overall, you were observant. It's not like you were overall and this wasn't something that you grew up with, but you felt connected to it. You felt like it meant something to you personally and it was important to you. So, you decided you're going to cover it. So, you guys get married. Okay. And then what happens? >> Um well, so we were living in LA. We were we had two children and um I was a teacher. Um >> you're not yet exploring your creative side. You don't have no business at this point. You're a housewife and and you also have a job as a teacher. >> Yeah, I guess. So, my husband has always been the housewife. I always say like don't like everyone always like how how do you do everything and I I really have an Ezra connecto because my husband I don't know how to do the dishes. I don't know how to do the washing. I don't know how to clean. I don't like I >> or you say you don't know. >> No I >> you still don't till today. >> No my husband I'm not joking. He does laundry. >> I'm just reminding myself of this you know everybody loves Raymond episode when he get he gets caught doing the dishes cuz he really wanted to Yeah. She's like ah exactly like >> but it's okay. Well your secrets it's good. It's good. and like thousands of other people. >> Yeah. On this podcast. No, but he does a lot like he does he he really manages the home. He's a really good home manager where I'm just very he's very type A where I'm more like just I'm an artist. I'm like all over the place. So, um he he's it's so good cuz he like really grounds, you know, the home so that I'm able to like get what I need to get done. >> Um >> so, he's working also at this time. >> Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. So, he he was in he was apprentice as a con in contracting in in LA. You have to have four years of construction before you can get a license. >> Oh. >> Um, so he was he was working on that. I was a teacher. Now, what happened was is that, mind you, I still don't have I don't have a bachelor's. Like, I have no like, you know, I'm in college for art school, but I ended up working at um at a school at Hillel and I was like, you know, the roaming substitute. And then what happened was is that in LA they don't have like special needs classes. They just didn't have it at the time. We're talking like we got married in 2000, so 2001, 2002, like early on. This wasn't like such a big thing in LA. In New York, it was starting up, but back in LA it wasn't. And he's like, I have a few girls that are in need of some support. Could you support them? I was like, okay. Like, yeah, sure. So, I ended up going into special ed. And because I was kinesthetic, I was a kinesthetic learner. So, I taught taught these kids like how to learn like through activities, through art, through projects, through all these things. And they loved me. So I ended up becoming the fifth grade dubby teacher. From that I ended up doing like all different Jewish studies and then I ended up taking a job um with nursery school in my which was totally different. And then we ended up deciding to leave LA. My mother ended up getting sick. She was diagnosed also with um like a like a bell lymphoma. And I was like I don't want my kids to not know my mom. Like you know they didn't know my dad. I don't want them to not know my mom. Let's move back to the east coast. So, >> so you solely for her, you moved back. >> Yeah, we like we moved back. I said to you know also LA I love LA like I would move back in a second. Um my husband would move back in a second also. It's very very expensive. Yeah. Number one. Number two is our whole family was in LA in in New York. So we ended up moving back um and we ended up settling in Pay and we were in PC for 18 years. That's where we raised all of our children. And >> And where did your mother live? >> My mother lived in Long Beach. >> In Long Beach. And you moved to Payic. >> Yeah. And it was actually a really good thing that we did because um over the next couple years, my stepfather, who they were, they were married for 18 years, he ended up having um cancer and he passed away. >> I'm sorry. He also had cancer. >> Yeah. He passed away. And a year later, my older sister passed away from um autoimmune disease. I think that at that point that was like probably the hardest thing that I ever went through because like my sister was my everything. Exceptionally close. And not only that, but she got me through my dad's death. Like we were like we were in it together. You know what I'm saying? Like we also had all the memories and we would you know where she where she would tell my brothers like everything and remind them of everything. I was like >> the closed person, you know, like when you go through a like, you know, like you have Holocaust survivors, one of them is like very much like let's talk about it. Let's >> and some are shut off completely >> and some are totally quiet. I'm the quiet one. >> I went through it. I lived it. I don't No one else needs to know about it, >> right? >> Whereas my sister was like, "No, if we don't talk about it, no, like they will not know about it." So, >> you have to live through our memories. Yeah. >> Yeah. So, she was like it was so good cuz like she was she was that for me and then she she unfortunately she passed away. Um >> how old was she when she passed? >> She was 35. >> Wow. >> She was not married. She didn't have any kids. um like my kids were her kids like you know we were we were very very close. So I'm glad that we moved to the east coast because you know at the time it was very very important. Um my mom by the way remarried 5 years later and she's so happy lives in Baltimore. Like you know some people can't find one. She found three and it's it's really like it's amazing. It really is amazing. >> My mother is like the strongest person I know. Like really really. >> Yeah. She's been through a lot. two husbands who died untimely and in a in a tragic way. >> Yeah. Yeah. >> That's tough. >> So, you're back in Payic now. And by the way, you're going through all these uh traumas. I'm sorry for you. Which makes it even more impressive of everything else that you went on to accomplish. uh despite everything that happened to you, a lot of people would have folded three, four times over a lot earlier than you did. But you apparently used that as fuel and apparently you you got stronger from it. >> Well, you have to because you have to think, okay, so you're thinking to yourself, okay, I'm not dead, right? Like all these people like you you kind of like become very desensitized about death when there are so many people dying around you. Okay, so you have to think to yourself, okay, so I'm on this I'm in this world for a reason. Hashem and in this world for a reason. So why am I here? Okay, why why am I here? So if you're constantly asking that question to yourself, it starts to wake up something in you that's saying, well, what is my top kid? What am I supposed to fulfill here? Do I want my legacy to be that I have a marketing agency or do I want my legacy to be that I actually help entrepreneurs do something >> right? Do I want to light how do I want to light them up? What do I want to do? How like is my tough kid for my children? Yeah, of course it is for my children. But what is there something else? Right. Some people Yeah. Some some people know, but the question is is like what are you here for? And so if that's like for me, I guess that's just like the the rolling narrative in the back of my head is why am I here? Like why am I still here? >> Yeah. >> Right. >> That's your trigger. Yeah. >> That's a huge trigger for me. >> So >> So when's the first time you decided that you're opening a business? Like talk to me about that when that started unfolding for you. >> Okay. So every summer, here's the thing. like you know as a teacher you're off on break right in the summer and that gives you time to like be a little creative, figure things out. So like I every summer I would learn a different craft. One summer I decided to learn how to paint on glass. Um and from there it just I don't know I again as I said before it just like it snowballed. I went to this art show and then that's just it snowballed. But like also like fun fact like people found me through other ways. So for example like Keter Judeica which is the number one Yamaka and Situs company you know Keter Judeica right >> I painted all their Yamakas for like three years like all the little fire trucks and all the little cars and all the little like like the painted I know what you're talking about. >> I literally painted all of them in my house >> in my house in I would drive them over. I would ship them over like my husband used to say it's like elves, you know, like cuz they were all over our couches, all over our tables cuz like you had to like it's it takes up a lot of service space. Um and then as it was interesting like as my sister was getting sicker, we were like I have to get out of my basement and I need to get a space. And um at the time I had a I had a business like a consultant within the community and uh that my husband had found and he was advising me to to to get uh an actual location, a studio space and I was like really really afraid like I was really really afraid and it was at my sister Schlloam that my brother read a note about how my sister was like I'm going to like every setback is a comeback and like you know how you have to like really push forward and it was her note that actually gave given me the confidence to like sign on the dotted line on my lease. >> Take a chance. >> Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. And so that's when I I opened up a studio space. So the back was manufacturing and the front was like a paint your own studio. So like you know like how you can go paint pottery, right? >> This was paint glass. So different an activity for kids. So what does this mean painting on glass? Just give me a visual of that. Paint me a picture, no pun intended. What does that mean? >> Like think about it as like a picture. Okay. And the picture has roses all over the picture. It's painted. >> So, it's hand painted. >> It's hand painted >> versus like embroidering it on through a machine. >> Well, you can't embroider glass. >> Not embroider. I don't know what the right word is for glass. Um >> like you could do a silk screen. So, if you go to China and you like for example, if you go to Target and you see lemons on a picture that was silk, like it's a screen on it, >> right? >> Right. They screen printed. >> This is not screen printing. This is actually taking your handbrush and painting it. Now, you could go to China and you could have them do the painting, but it's going to look very different. And what my my people loved was that they could get roses in purple, they could get roses in silver, they could they could get stuff that like if you have a store that's on 13th Avenue and then you have another store that's on 16th Avenue and they could go to either store. Well, why are they coming to them over the other one? Well, they have the purple roses, but they they the other one only has the green roses, whatever it is. So, like they used it to one up each other. But it made me crazy cuz I was like literally at the whim of these people. What I did was is I switched it and I said, "This is what I have. >> Take it or leave it. >> These are my SKs. This is >> these are my SKs." >> And I was like, because it was making me crazy and then and then and then I and then I looked around and I was like, what do other people do? Oh, they have SKs. Oh, dummy. Like, just make it like that. And >> you're figuring it out as you're going 100%. >> You're working very hard, but you're not working very smart >> and you know, you have a lot of demand for your product and you're just you're not monetizing. Your margins aren't great. and you know, you're not making as much money as you as you could be and you needed help. You needed guidance and you couldn't find it. There was nobody out there that was willing to take you under their wing and finally you found this guy you mentioned from Yeshu. Yeah. um he sat you down and you know he made a business plan for you I guess and uh you decided I want to do this for other people other women that are struggling that don't have the same resources maybe as the men do cuz it's much harder for them to find another man to you know have that relationship with. So you're doing a woman towoman which is fantastic. So tell me a little bit about this business first. Like in your peak in your peak of this business, like what what was the revenue looking like? Like how many stores were you supplying? Tell me a little bit about the business when it was really doing well. >> When it was really doing well, we were about like 90 90 to 95 stores all over. We did like my favorite was we did the Washington Zoo, like the National Washington Zoo. So I would make like cheetah prints and um we did cheetah and giraffe. Like that was like fun. >> Like they would sell it in their souvenir shop. >> In their souvenir shop. Yeah, that was really fun. We would do that. I did a New York Now show, you know, at the Javits. I did the Americas Mart in Atlanta. I did I um I was in Las Vegas at their home show. Like I would just go from >> And who's doing all these sales? Like who's who's >> I did it. >> So you were doing everything. So you're actually making the product, your sales and marketing, your finance, your everything. >> I was I was everything. I was like everybody. And then my team, I had a team of five people, but they would they would ship it, they would prep it, they would get the glass ready. They would do everything that I needed so that I could just come in and paint the glass. >> They were doing the packaging. >> They were doing everything. So like that's why when I would come in at like 7:00 at night till like 2:00 a.m. I was painting all the roses cuz during the day I was doing all the business, you know, I was making I was doing invoicing, I was doing marketing, I was talking to my followers, whatever it was. I do know that uh I went once to a Young Israel event where they had like almost like a market of different booths of people selling their things and you mentioned it earlier. So if someone has a product or a service or something they want to how do they find out about these things? Where do they uh >> so there's a circuit. So all you have to do is find out about one and then you connect to all the other ones because then you find out okay where are you going next? Oh I'm going to T-C next. And you're like oh can you send me the information? And then they send you the like they'll give you the information. Nobody nobody's in competition with each other because usually the way that the shows work is that if someone is selling I'm just giving you an example. If somebody sells hats, they're not going to have another hat vendor. >> So you always don't have to worry um >> one per category, >> right? And it's funny by the way, you should just know that you never know. You never know where one thing is going to lead you because my my favorite show my favorite favorite show that I always did was in um Washington Heights at Breers and Aviva Gmasian ran that event every single year. And years years later when I had my marketing company she came to me and said we're thinking about opening up a department store at American Dream. Would you help us market it? And I said to her why are you picking me? like I work with nonprofits because I know you, I trust you, and I've watched you grow and I know you can do this. And then we launched the address at American Dream. Like that was our project. Like so you never know what like little things are going to get you to like your next level. So I run the entire social media department. So I >> for the American dream for American dreams. Needless to say, what I do is I oversee all the social departments. So we um oversee like so we do all the content for Instagram, Facebook X, Tik Tok um and LinkedIn and then we do all of their organic content, paid content and earned media. So all of like different celebrities that are coming in and which is very cool by the way because we're always >> Have you gotten to meet anybody? >> So like we had Jonas Brothers which was super cool. >> Yeah. Did you meet them? >> I didn't. I got very close. >> Okay. >> But I got very close. Good. We got closer than I was going to say. Actually, actually, we actually did meet one of the Jonas brothers, Michael and I. We were on the same flight. >> Oh, yeah. Which one? >> As one of I uh was it Nick? >> It was Nick. >> I think it was Nick. Yes. >> We were so excited. >> Yeah. We were coming from Arizona. >> We were trying to play it cool though. You know, you ever see like a celebrity and you're like two seats behind him. >> And uh like every time he got up like we leaned over to look where he's going, what he's doing. Oh, he's just waiting for the bathroom. You know, it was it was uh very like I don't know that feeling of like a a famous person like a celebrity. >> Yeah. >> That just feels like you're amongst greatness even though they're just like us. They're literally regular people. >> They're literally regular people. >> Literally regular. In some cases, they're actually worse than us. You know, we have a view. They always say, "Don't meet your your heroes." Like, don't meet, you know, because then you'll realize, "Oh my god, they're actually not as good as I thought they are." Right. Right. >> Right. They're actually worse off. But anyway, so uh so you're doing all the social media for American Dream Mall, which is fascinating. >> I'm curious what which platform do you feel like in today's world social media like you said 2009 till now so much has happened? >> It's got to be Instagram. Instagram is probably >> know that's what I want to ask you. I'm curious. Can you break it down for us for just a minute? >> Okay, >> let's touch on this topic of >> where's the most interaction? >> Exactly. For a business to promote >> American dream or for general >> I guess a little bit of both. Just educate us. >> American dream and then in general. >> Oh, you're like give me all the secrets. I need to know that. American dream, by the way, is a >> You can, by the way, you can always use this term if you'd like. When we ask you, >> but you get to use it once only. That's it. Yes. That's our rule. >> You should have told me that before. >> Sorry. Yeah. Yeah. We didn't even prep. Yeah. Yeah. >> No. Okay. So, um, needless to say, what was I what was I saying? We were saying, oh, social media about American dream. Um, okay. So, each place is very different. It depends on the the demographic or the population. So like for example X is very male heavy where Instagram is much more female heavy right? So um whereas Facebook is much more familyfriendly. So each one has to speak to a different demographic. I will say this just in general because I think it's important to note is that the way that the de the platforms work for Instagram versus Tik Tok is that when you go on to the Instagram page the first thing you see are the people you follow. It's called the newsfeed. And you're going to see every single person that you follow and you're going to get to know, you know, what they did today, what they posted today. And some of it will be like because Instagram has changed and evolved. You'll get some things that are like uh like referred to you or like they think you're going to like it. So it's like kind of like new stuff, right? But mostly it's the people that you follow. Tik Tok. However, the minute you get into that app, all you're seeing are new stuff and you actually have to go to another page to see who you follow. >> Very interesting so far. Keep going. >> Right? You actually have to make the step to go to somebody that you're following. So, what happens is is that you are actually put in front of people that have no clue who you are on Tik Tok, which is why you can grow a lot faster. >> A lot faster. So, Instagram, I always say, is like kind of like playing the long game. like you know cuz you have to start creating content. Now they started something called trial reels. So you can post it and it'll only go to people who do not follow you. Like it will never send you um it will never send a post to somebody who's following you. >> It's called trial reels. So you can you can do that and and some people have got gained a lot of followers that way just doing trial reels because it's going out into like the the metaverse whereas um Tik Tok is really really you know where you can actually gain a lot of new followers. Now the thing is is that you have to really know who you're trying to talk to and you're h you have to know who you're trying to get in your followership right so like some people say like I want a million followers or I want 30,000 followers or I want a 100,000 followers. Well, are there that many people in your actual demographic that you can sell to or that are really interested even in your product? >> How big is that community even? Well, having a having a a mall like American Dream is must be fun because there's so many different demographics, right? There's >> there's so Yeah, you you have to really know every platform really well because >> yes, >> you got to get them into this store and that store and that. >> What's your favorite platform? >> Um, I mean, I'm an OGer, so I like Instagram. M >> I just find it more safe and more I don't know. It feels like coming home where Tik Tok's a little scarier. >> Do you have your own following on Instagram? >> Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. >> How many followers do you have? >> Um how many followers do I have? >> You don't know? >> No, something like 24,000. >> Oh, that's okay. We almost hit a thousand. >> Yeah. Are we? Oh, really? Yeah. Can you do your social media? >> Okay. It's been a month. >> I'll do your social media. The thing is is that like you know for the last few years I've been really working for other people. So like I've been building their platforms. So a lot of my friends have like 50 60 70 100 and I'm still at 24 and like I'm I and I don't compare myself at all but like I just having >> you're doing this for a living. It's the old adage the shoe maker goes shoeless with torn shoes >> 100%. But I also will say that the people that I have met in entrepreneurs women entrepreneurs who are actually making millions of dollars they don't even have a presence. Wow. >> They just don't. >> By the way, you're almost at 25,000. So, congratulations to you. That's fascinating. And and to your point, you know, as an influencer, you know, you can keep growing your brand, but you've taken it to the next level. You've turned it into a business already. So, you have your agency and you know, kudos to you for that. >> Give me some of your successes that you've done for others like taking them to a next level and how you've done it. Um I think my 247 was one of my favorite things like in the entire world because um I had gone to that it was crazy cuz when my sister was so sick she was in a coma for 8 months. We were at the room in Colombia for like eight months. >> So for those that don't know 247 does >> oh they support they put the food in all of the beer column rooms. I guess you call them beer rooms but they're called rooms. Um and they are in 21 hospitals around the tri-state area. Beautiful. So if you ever go into Hackinack or you're at Colombia, um they are there that that's what they do. And I what it was so bad their their branding was so bad that people would give checks to be hol as opposed to 247 because they didn't know who was actually supplying the food. So that was like one of my favorite things because we really put them out there and on the map. And now you see like I mean here in the tri-state area you see like every summer they do the nine days event where like there's this big sign and they do the shabas in a box and like like those types of things like it propelled them. Like I always say like marketing is not a roller coaster. Like you shouldn't be like like doing a campaign and then hiding or going back and fighting the good fight and taking the money to go do what you need to do because and then coming back when you need money again. Like that's not how it works. >> You got to stay top of mind. >> Yeah. It has to be like step consistent. So you get them up, right? Then you nurture, then you go up and then you nurture. And you can actually see that analytically if you are um you know tracking data. You can actually see that they're growing year over year. >> That's very hard. You got to always up yourself level up every time. You're setting the bar high. I'm just curious about something random, but about 247. So they're doing the meals at these hospitals. There are other organizations that do other hospitals, but they're committed to their >> Well, they support the the Beaker Holland room like I see. Okay. So, Baker Hollm secured the room and they're bringing in the food and >> right so like for example in Colombia Zmer Beaker Holm I believe >> was giving food to my sister but they were not filling the room up in Beaker in the actual room like the room. Got it. They are they're they're the rooms. >> Great. I've been to a lot of these rooms and they're lifesavers literally and uh which is amazing. >> Do they have things that they put for shabas? I'm just curious like you know like pamphlets you know like you go in shul and you have like so many different options of pamphlets for shabas. Do you know if uh if anyone does that >> like do they fund raise? Don't you ask? >> No if they put out pamphlets in these rooms. >> I told them I gave them an idea and I'm waiting for I'm like let's do it. >> Let's hear it now. where where we put an iPad in there and the iPad basically because that way you can get like a donation right then and there but basically it would ask for the name so that they could dav in so that people who are supporters of Kasa 247 could davin like they could have a ha like a ha list and then after you put your person's name in that you want to have davin it would ask you for $18 donation or $36 donation because people want to put their names in if they're in the hospital and they're sick >> right Um, and um, I'm waiting for them to do that because I think it's a really good idea because then now you're also asking for their email, right? So now you have an email list. Now you can go back to them and when you're having your campaign, you can go back and >> I like the way your mind thinks when it comes to these uh, creative ideas of marketing. >> She's a marketer. That's what she builds brand. >> Is there is there a company that you see a lot and you say, I want to do something with that company so badly and I have this idea. >> So yes and no. But it's funny. I had a conversation cuz you guys are in the what is it? Healthcare, right? Um nursing homes. Yes. Okay. So, I had a really interesting conversation with somebody about nursing homes and they were like, "Well, they don't really need social media." And I was like, "Uh, yeah, they do. Of course they do." >> And they were like, "No, that like the demographic is older people." I'm like, "Who do you think is going into the nursing home in the next 20 years?" >> Like, it's us who are on social. So, if you don't start it now, you are going to be so behind the age. Not only that, but who do you think is putting their parents in >> inside of these nursing homes? Um, it is my age group. So, if you're not marketing to Gen X or upper limb millennials, you are losing a lot because what they want to know is number one, is the facility nice? Is the facility going to take care of my parent? Is the facility like just going to like be, you know, uh, what's the word? Destructive to my mother or, you know, not take care of my family or whatever it is. And here you can show like how amazing it is. It's almost like imagine the amount of energy and effort you put into the marketing of schools and getting your kids into little schools and things like that. That's how much marketing you're going to need to do to these nursing homes very soon because the demographic is going to ask for it and they're going to want it. >> The more transparency you can give, the better you're off. >> So anyways, that is a sector I would love to get into, >> but that's that that's for another day. >> I don't know. Maybe we know somebody who can help you get in. We'll talk about it. >> I just think I just think that it's like it's so it happens to be there there is a lot of forward thinking operators out there these days and they are doing a lot of what you're saying. They even have podcasts >> so uh it's out there and people are thinking and the people that are not they're just going to fall behind. >> They are going to fall behind. But anyways, this was a conversation I had about a year ago with >> Yeah. >> Um that >> what's your primary thing right now? What are you focusing most of your day on? >> Um okay. So I have a team and I've learned to delegate. I think that's like a big thing for entrepreneurs is like how do you delegate? Get things off your plate and it's gotten to the point where my project manager just went on maternity leave and she left and I she I delegated so hard I can't even like I couldn't like I couldn't even do half the things that she's doing. >> No, you gave her too much control. >> Too passive. >> It's always a question that that over the years that when someone goes away for a week or she just went away for a week. It's always a question that you ask when they're when nothing's happening in that department. Yeah. Like, did they do such a great job, correct, that they manage everything properly or do they do nothing? >> You notice what somebody does when they're missing, right? >> And then you have to see, well, was it so bad when this person was gone? Like, are things falling apart or are things status quo? It's like, you know what, what does this person actually even do exactly? >> You know, so that's always the that's always the sign that you want to look for. But again, this somebody who leaves for two, three days, you're not going to really tell. But somebody's going to leave now for 2, three months. It's really hard. >> You're already feeling the pain very quickly. >> I feel the pain very quickly. I mean, yeah, it's been it's been hard. Um, >> she better not be listening to this because you know what's coming next. She's going to ask you for a big big big raise. >> She's gotten some good raises over the last year. All right. All right. >> We always uplevel our people. No, but um I think that, you know, it's interesting like, you know, every time we've brought somebody into the company, they're always like, "Oh, I love that it's like it's woman driven." Like, and >> is everybody women in your company? >> They are. Yeah. Somebody once asked me, they're like, "Why is those all women?" Like I I you know, I I want like to be able to I think maybe he just felt uncomfortable. >> Excuse me. Nobody asked that question. If you see an office with like 19 men, no one asks, "Why is it all men? Why isn't there any women here?" >> True. But I also want to be sens like we work within the Jewish Orthodox community, right? So some of them areish and so sometimes it can be very difficult for them to be able to have, you know, a conversation, especially if you're a strong woman. >> Yeah. Yeah. But I will say that their wives are usually very very strong. Yes. >> Very strong. So they can usually handle and and >> that's my experience as well. I've seen that. I've seen the women. >> You don't want to mess with them. Uh they stand up for themselves. I do not. >> Yeah. >> No, they're they're very tough. They're very very tough and I like that. And I've learned >> sometimes unreasonable by the way. >> Okay. But I've learned a lot from them. A lot from them on how they just like you know we did we did h this is a controversial topic. We did Ezra Nashim, the organization that does uh >> Whoa. >> Yeah. That does the ambulance in >> Oh, I heard about this. >> Frier. >> Big politics. >> Rrookie Frier and her daughter Leia are they are people to look up to. I mean like just the way that they do things and they're not they're they're like we're here. We're doing this. They're not husband. >> They're very classy about it. >> All right. Just explain what it explain for a second what it is and what the challenge was. They are a female Hutzella group. Well, not hatella, but they're they are there for women to call in an emergency. >> Emergency response for women >> who are not comfortable with a man coming. They want a woman to come. What's wrong? Why do people not like it? What's what's the hate about? >> Um the hate. >> It's not sneez for women to be doing something like this. Is that what it is? That's the argument. >> I can give one response. Uh you might say that the response time will be longer because there's not enough women in that category, right? >> Yeah. their their response time is very very fast. >> Sure, but I'm saying that's a potential challenge >> and they're probably also servicing a smaller little segment. They're not servicing the greater >> what happens generally though this is a this is definitely a hot topic. Um in Lakewood, New Jersey, there's an entire new hot. So, you know, in a in a community Yeah, they started a whole new thing just because >> what was wrong with the current one with the existing one? >> Well, I guess we'll get one of those people on and we'll talk about it. We'll figure it out. Um but >> it's like a slap in the face because Atel has been doing such an amazing job for >> but again a lot of it has to do with the response time. A lot of it has to do with the members that they take whether they take you know people who are married versus single and versus men versus women. It's challenging. It really is. But the good news is that more and more people are seeing gaps in the industry of need and they're stepping up. So kudos to them for doing a good job with uh I guess filling a need that's >> what community did they start this in? >> They're in Burough Park. >> They're just in Burough Park. >> They're in Burough Park. I think >> this is going on for years already. This story started five, six years ago. >> I think the whole controversy started because they originally were trained alongside the men to be part of the hot group and then there were a few that kicked them out and then they started something else and it's that friction that has just continued for like 30 20 years or whatever it is. >> The fact is it's working right. People are calling them right. There are women that need help and they call them%. >> So obviously there's a need for it. So I'm not sure why people shouldn't get behind this. like why are we fighting this? There's a lot other things I can think of that are not sneas that is happening in and no one is out there protesting and making a big scene about it. Suddenly this is the area that decide to take a stance on this is where they're going to put their foot down and say women should stay in line. They shouldn't they don't belong in the front lines. Come on. I I I don't buy this for a second. Quite frankly it upsets me. It bothers me cuz someone's just trying to go out there and do a really good thing and do a major service to our community. That's all they're trying to Well, does that have perhaps women available if you need it? That could, you know, maybe maybe they do. You're saying >> obviously not. That's why they started this. They were the women says they got kicked. I don't know enough about the topic, but I do invite the conversation. In fact, uh we do have someone coming in that is representative of Salah uh soon to the podcast, so we can talk to him about it. We can even have the other people. It's definitely an interesting conversation. The concept of wanting to help but having challenges, >> call it politics, call it restrictions. We need more women like you that are leading by example. Leading by example. You're not, you know, uh, scurrying into the corner and folding under the pressure uh, or under life circumstances. You're taking all of those things as ammunition and you're taking the lead. You're grabbing the bull by the horn, as they say, is literally what you're doing. And you're running a very successful business. But not just a business. You're also making an impact in other people's lives. You're helping people. >> And, uh, we got to get this word out. More people should know about this because I'm thinking about my daughters, you know, when they're going to get older. I want them to know, and I've said this before, you've heard me say this. I want them to know they can do anything her brother can do. Anything that her father did, you can do also. There's no restrictions. There's no lane you can't drive down. Okay? Uh you have long hair, he has short hair, but other than that, and a few other minor things, there's no difference. There's no difference. Okay? >> I will I will I have argued with you on this topic, and I'm not going to get into it now, but I am curious. What is your message? We we like to take a pause in the middle of our podcast and ask our guests, what would be your message to those women or to the men or to anyone in business? What would be that message? >> So, I think right now, not even right now, but like I think that, you know, right now I'm on this anti-manifestation kick. Okay? I see it everywhere where everyone's like just manifest your dreams. And by the way, I've manifested many things. I think manifestation without Hashem is so wrong. So wrong. Because I think that people think that you're I'm not the CEO of my company. Like I'm not. Hashem is I'm in partnership with Hashem. Like I have a partner. My my partner is Hashem. And I think that the more you like say that I'm in the driver's seat and I'm doing this and I'm getting this done and I like it's me me. And that's what manifestation is. It's like what do I want to bring in for myself, my wealth, my house, my my life, my this, my that. Um, first of all, how do you know that it's good for you? How do you know it's good for you? That's number one. Number two is is that you cannot do anything without understanding what your top is in life. And your tough in life is has everything to do with Hashem. So I I I every single morning I start my day, I dive in. Okay? I dive in. I And if I don't have time to dive in, at least I get in my braos, right? Like I at least I do that I say um I do I and then I go into paras you know param to me is like the biggest thing you can do it the the kazal says that it's pronouncely guaranteed like say it every day pronounc guaranteed every day I read the story of the mud and how the Jews were like in the desert for 40 years and Hashem just literally took care of them like they just literally walked out we needed something I can't I cannot tell you like every time I make payroll you know like cash flow cash flow is the hardest thing for all businesses is I just want to say that okay and if your cash flow is a mess or if you have a hard time with cash flow it's normal right it is it is a normal thing it is a normal thing for growing businesses especially if you're bootstrapping it I want women to know that because I think that people feel like like if I don't have this then there's something wrong with my business no it just means that your business is growing and there are ways to help with cash flow but anyways needless to say there are times that I was like really growing okay like I hired new people I was getting new new clients but the clients didn't pay me in. And I I was like trying to figure it out, the money came. Like the money came and I and I feel like the more you resist, the more you are trying to think of like trying to fix it yourself, the more it actually like eludes you. But the minute you give it up to God, like it just it flows. >> It just flows. And so I feel like a lot of times like women like we have so much on our plates. We have to make dinner. We have to get the kids to school. We have to get them the uniforms. We have to I mean just back to school. We have Russashana coming. Well, there's just so much on our plate. And on top of that, we have to make sure our clients are happy, that our businesses are good. And if you don't have your own business and you're working for a boss, is your boss happy? Are your students okay? Or or wherever it is that you are, and you're always having those things onto your head. And so, it's easy to say, "I need to control what's in front of me." But the minute you give it up to God and you partner with him, it's just all of a sudden like, I don't know, it just it just flows. >> Wow. >> That's where the success happens. Wow, what a nice message. And you know, I have to say, Abby and Michael, you're going to know exactly what I'm talking about. But we have somebody who works at Prime Source, one of our sales reps. Uh, she's a mother. She has six children. >> Oh god, I might be five. I don't I always get it wrong. I don't remember if I get it wrong when I say six or when I say five. So, five or six children. >> She has at least a handful. >> She has a handful. Exactly. And all ages from 18, 19 down till 5, six years old in between. and she's very successful here at the company. Um, she has a really good career. She's been with the company for many, many, many years. And she's an a spectacular mother. Um, and she's very very everything is Hashem always. And she doesn't like to freak out about things because I'm not in control anyway. Hashem is in control. She has that mentality and she lives by it. She doesn't just speak of it. She actually acts out her life that way every single time. And she's amazing. And I always tell her, I said, "No, Karen, you should you should mentor other women. Um, you should show people that there's a way to juggle um a personal life, a professional life, and for a Jewish woman, it's harder than that. You know, ya, you have to prepare and it's like it's cooking and cleaning and a and she's just a oneman show. She she does it all. And we're big fans of her. We're big fans of her. We She's part of our family, of our Prime Source family. Uh, but you and her have a lot of similarities in just how you're making it all work and you're sitting here inspiring me. You're sitting here inspiring me. It's just it's crazy. It's >> I don't want to hold back. Her name is Kva Wine Garden. >> Okay. He always does every say, but he's like known as Karen used to be and she's amazing and her family is amazing and she does mentor people and she does she she does exactly what you're saying. When we go to events and conferences today, it's a different world. they have women programs and they have specifically groups where they, you know, empower each other and it's really beautiful to see and uh I agree with you. It it's it's something to look out for and to appreciate when you have people that are managing a life of a business called home and a business of finance. >> You should know this is one of the reasons me and a lot of people like me hated so much this woman from my unorthodox life. You know about her. >> It really bothered me. It bothered a lot of people because she completely misrepresented the Jewish community and women making it sound like they're stifled, making it sound like they're held in captive in like chains in the basement or something. And it's utterly ridiculous because there's so many women that are from full from life and have a beautiful life and are very successful business people and are out there and don't feel like anybody's holding them back. And she came out with a big soba story as if you know like a lot of the Jewish women are like this. It was total garbage. And I think that's what really bothered a lot of people. And it's okay. She's allowed to have her experiences. She's allowed to have her own personal, but don't portray that as this is how it is in general. This is how it is all over the place. It really wasn't right what she did. And um I think most people didn't take her seriously anyway. And I would love to have her on the podcast one day just to call her out just to hear because I want to understand from her like why she did that. I think she and I think she's softened her tone over the years. >> She has. I think from after October 7th, I think a lot of people >> especially after October 7th, she's coming more and more around now. She's realizing that, you know what, you're part of a community that does care about each other and looks out of each other no matter what you do in your personal life. Whether you cover here, you don't cover, you wear pants, you don't somebody cares, we really ultimately have each other's backs and we're all one. And stop fighting it. We're not your enemy. You know, we're we're all really part of one big extended family. But anyway, you Abby um are a part of this. You're a part of this and I commend you. Really, what you're doing is is amazing. And it's not just that you're being successful. It's a lot of people find success, but it's your approach to it. It's really just your style, your demeanor, and the way you're talking. Like, your mama gave me Kazik today. You should know. You really did. >> I feel like Chad GPT underated who you are. >> We're going to rip it up. We got to re They did a great You like the bit. I'm saying >> I liked it. I thought I was good. I That's very You could use it for marketing and >> Yeah. It's also a nice way for our listeners to get to know who you are right away instead of just asking you and then holding their breath. >> So, you know, you know who you are and then we break it down, which I think we did. >> Last question for you. Oh, >> what's next? >> What's down the pike? What are you looking forward to? What is something you're aspiring to? Where is all this going? A lot of life experiences, a lot of accomplishments. You got a lot under your belt. A lot under your belt. What's coming next? And what's the big dream? >> Okay. So, what I really want to do, I haven't told anyone yet, but um what I really want to do is actually start my own academy. I want to start a school that I mean, I went to the school of hard knocks, but why should others? And I feel like there's, you know, you can go to like, you know, the, you know, the sneerers, the TTI, you can go to that, get a business education. I agree, you should, but no one's really going to teach you like how to actually convert, you know, your your your followers. No one's going to actually teach you how to grow your followers. No one's going to teach you really like how does it actually work when I have an actual business and like how do I figure out my cogs? How do I figure out my pricing? How do I figure out my things? And I think that um but it's not it's it's it's it's besides that even strategy like go past strategy it's like also mindset it's also balancing it's also there's just so many different pieces and I think that there are so many Jewish women that are out there who I've met who I've learned from people who are like you know um you know Tob furniture who's this incredible beautiful Jewish soul who's like you know a furniture designer and furniture manufacturer like she has so much knowledge about China or uh another a clothing company and maybe this aspiring young girl wants to build a you know a Jewish brand like well how do you do it and so I think that there's like just so many things that we have and that we've learned and I want to actually build out like some sort of like online academy to like a business school like a B school um I really want to do it before like Jewish Orthodox girls I also really am very very very passionate about like high school seniors, um, 11th and 12th grade girls or girls that just came back from seminary to like give them like I don't know like a shot of like like you know information before they actually get into the real world so that they could >> a dose of reality. >> Yeah. Like I I want I used to work for I used to do a lot of stuff with Stern um YU business school. Okay. And they actually offered me a job as a professor and I really wanted to take the job but I don't have a bachelor's. Remember I I never finished school. So like they were like okay well you can't really be an adjunk professor but you can come in and like speak. So, I used to come and speak at YU business school and I used to go and speak at um they they're also connected with a school maybe it's central high school I can't remember what it was but I used to go to like some high schools and give classes and business like I loved it like I want to go back I think I want to go back to those teaching years um and just give back to the next generation of girls because I really think that like you know even my daughter she's 23 I recently became a grandma which was like really I'm a Bobby so it's like the best thing in the world. Are you guys grandparents here yet? >> No. No. No. >> Okay. It's like the best thing. It's the best thing. It's the best thing. Anyways, but >> of course when the diaper's dirty, just give it back. Yeah. >> Yeah. No, like No, she's she's like so he's so delicious. Anyways, but like she she's like, you know, she's going into whatever she is and like in another 5 years she's going to want to start her own company. I know it and I'm going to like support her. Her husband also like he's an entertainer. He's like he he he is an incredible human being in himself and so he asks me a ton of questions all the time and I sit with him and I help him. But I think that, you know, giving that over, um, I think, you know, that's what I would like to do. I used to do it a lot. Then I started going and helping all these businesses and now I kind of want to go back to >> Love it. Do you have a name? >> I'm going to take a I'm going to make a prediction right here. My prediction is that this is going to happen. If if historically, if we could learn anything from you, if you really want something to happen, you go out there and you get it. You don't let anybody stop you. And by the way, what a wonderful idea. What a really neat idea. This doesn't even have to be like an official school. This could be like an ancillary thing like an afterchool program or or a separate thing that like a a class that people can take over a certain amount of time. >> I always thought that we don't give our kids enough of an education on on the real world just like how to send a proper email like you know what like how to actually construct an email that you could convey over professionally a message to someone. the importance of your credit score. >> Basic things like that like importance of your credit score, right? How to maintain your credit, how to build your credit, things like that that you have to learn, you know, when uh when something goes wrong and you just you got to figure it out. Then you ask people for advice. Where's the prevention versus the treatment? That's what it sounds like you want to do, right? >> But no, but it's also even investing, right? Like we don't talk about investing in in women's circles. It's not talked about. >> It's a man's thing. It's a man's thing. I make money. I want to understand how to invest my money. like how do I do that? Right? So, I think it's it's about giving it's really about empowering the women to have the knowledge that if they decide that they need to do it then they can do it and if not not but like at least they understand. >> Yeah. But I think we're missing a step here and I think this is the very important piece right now is that there's a lot of the women the girls that are growing into women grew up in a lifestyle where that's not even on their mind like I should be a business owner one day. I should invest money. It's almost like a given. I think that's a cultural thing that maybe we have to change the psyche. We got to change the narrative. And this is I think where the education could come in is where you can make a difference is you could tell girls that you should have your own financial road ahead of you. You should never be relying on a man to take care of you. You know, and and if you give them that extra information, maybe it'll empower them a little bit more. Do you hear what I'm saying? >> Yes. But I just want to make a point that I don't believe that women should do it in spite of a man. Not in spite. I didn't say in spite. >> No, but No, but >> I don't want you to feel entitled like anyway, my husband's going to work, so what do I need to get a job? Why do I need to learn these things? >> I think that most women in in general, okay, there's two there's two Okay, I'm going to I'm going to make two very gross statements that kind of like are going to be separate. Okay, like kind of like opposite of each other. But the first thing is is that I think that most Jewish girls or the Jewish community in general is very entrepreneurial in spirit. Okay. We have always like been like the underdog trying to, you know, uh figure things out. Like we've, you know, the even the way that the yeshiva system is set up, right? It's like we're asking questions all the time, right? So like being an employee and having an employee mindset. Yes, we have employees in in the Jewish world, but most of us are entrepreneurs. Like that's just we build entrepreneurs within the Jewish Orthodox community. On the on the flip side, when it comes to women, I see two things. The either they're very entrepreneurial in spirit and they're tough as nails, okay? Because they've had to be or they're sheep and they follow whatever Moa told them to do and whatever mommy and daddy told them to do and then they get married and they do whatever their husband tells them to do. Okay? in some communities, not all communities, but what I want I guess my message is to like just wake up. Like wake up. What do you want for your life? Where do you want to go? Why are you actually even here? Like why are you here? And if you're here for a reason, then do something about it. Don't just do it because don't just like, you know, wake up and just do and and go through your day without like living intentionally. Like, you know, we talk about ROI, return on investment. Well, what about ROI, return on intention? Like, be intentional about the way that you live in life, right? And so, it's like, if that's the case, then I'm not saying like you should um get an education and you should invest because you know, you as a woman should do it and not a man. No, you it's Azar Kaneto. Like, I literally couldn't do what I do today without my husband. I said he does laundry. Like, he does he goes he he actually he takes my kids to school every single day. Like, they could take a bus. though he wants to actually drive my ch the younger ones because he didn't get the opportunity when the older ones were in that age group. So because he was working in the city at the time. So that's something that's really important to him. So it's like you know you do things together like you know if my husband is good at investing so he does investing. If he's not good investing then I should at least have that knowledge to be able to invest. Do you hear what I'm saying? like you have to work within a team so that I want to give women the education that they can do anything they want to do if they want to do it. If they don't want to do it that's fine they don't have to but I I just want to make it clear that I like cuz I think like a lot of people like you know like the river you know like the woman like we can do it >> you're not coming from a feminist perspective that because you should have the right to do it. No if you want to then let me give you the tools let me show you a path of how you can get there. >> Exactly. I'm very much into like femininity and the woman and and honing in your own, you know, god-given talents. Like I remember like when I first started entrepreneurship and I was looking for questions. I would go to Marie Forlio, Hillary Rushford. I went to all the non-Jewish women and I was trying to get information because I couldn't get it from anyone Jewish in my town. Do you know that people were saying she was talking about how you should have a gratitude journal? Okay, so every morning you should wake up and write down your gratitude. I was like, what the heck? That's Munda Ani. Why? Why am I listening >> to Marie Forlio when I'm literally have like it was given to me like as a woman as a Jewish woman I have the tools already in my I have nishmas nishmas is thinking God wh I should start nishmas like wh why why am I starting a gratitude journal like I'm a Jewish woman like Hashem gave us the tools already like 2,000 3,000 years ago like tap into it. So, I think like it's just I don't know that I think that that's pretty much my like my message and what I really want for women. I don't know. Sorry. If you think you should hear, >> she's okay. Abby, you're okay. >> Great. Well, welcome to our community. By the way, you're now living also amongst us. >> You should be a very, by the way, you know something? The the best things happen when someone gets frustrated, nothing. And then they go and they create it. Absolutely. And then they go and they >> You should start with the local schools and the people here. >> I know. But I still love to paint, by the way. I just want you to know. paint on my >> You do that in your spare time. You'll find that. >> I literally It's still my hobby. I >> just What did your What did your father What What did your father do? What did your mother work? >> Oh. Um No, my mother was like a stay at home mom. >> Okay. >> And she was like Susie Homemaker. She loved it. I would die in that type of like life. I would not be able to do it. Um and but my younger sister, she loves it. Like she's the stay at home mom. She's like that's with it. No. And I love it. I love watching her be that, you know, for her kids. If that's fulfills her and that's what she likes to do, that's great. >> I love it. Um and um it's funny because she recently got back into her photography and now she's starting her own business, which I like I also love. Like I love watching her do it now that her kids are getting older. Um, my dad, believe it or not, was um in, it's so not a Jewish thing, but his father had a company called Community Truck Parts, and they would um sell the truck parts, literally parts of a truck, and he would come home like grease all over his hands. Um, but yeah, that's what he did. He >> was in the auto industry. He >> was in the auto industry. He worked on it. That's cool. >> Back in the 80s. Yeah. Yeah. >> I have a friend of mine, by the way, you say that. It's just funny. I have a friend of mine that does meatboards, you know, for Shabas. That's pretty much the only thing he does, you know, as far as income. So, I heard him tell the other another person who asked, "Oh, what do you do for a living?" He goes, "I'm in the meat industry." >> I think I know what you're talking about. >> Yeah. Yeah. Let's leave it at that. That's a name we will not display. Uh, this was a pleasure and honor and it was really eye opening for us in so many ways. >> Because I want to be a part of this this journey, this this mission of yours at some capacity. >> Do you have a name for your academy? >> I'd love to be a part of this. >> All right. We should uh I don't know. I need a name. >> I think it's great. I like I don't I don't want I'm not looking it to be like a big business school. Like I just want it to be like this. >> I think to I think to Oshi's point, which I love, is that especially you're in you're in the Rockland community here. There's a select amount of schools. They're very open-minded. So many different women empowering women in our community here. Just make it into a course to begin with. Just do something to complement the 11th or 12th grade like you're saying. >> And uh definitely we're here for you if there's anything that you need in terms of getting that out there and >> is that giving you resources, whatever it is. Anybody listening, anybody that is resonating with them and feels like they can contribute towards this and and this is important to them as well as a mission should reach out to to Abby. Yes. >> And uh you know have a conversation about it. These are how the best. >> We don't uh we don't finish our podcast before asking you two things. >> Oh, okay. Two more. >> First of all, do you have any questions for us? >> Oh my gosh. >> You don't have to ask a question. Don't feel pressured right now. >> No, no, it's okay. It's just it gives you the opportunity to just ask us any questions. The other question, >> the other question is for you to select someone that would fill this seat as an guest on the >> talk to my husband. He's wild. >> Um, he's in the construction world. He can tell you so many stories. Um, >> who do I think should sit in the seat? >> You could start with that. Yeah. If he's >> someone can bring meaning into someone like, you know, uh, you want to grow personally, professionally. I feel like I grew a little bit personally today just from your messages. >> You should definitely interview Kaya from uh, JWE. She started the whole organization which is Jewish woman entrepreneur. >> And you know her? >> I do. Yeah, she lives in Baltimore. She's great. >> Okay, we do. Oh, does she? >> Oh, no. She doesn't live in Baltimore anymore. She moved to Florida about a couple years. >> Does she come down to New York? >> Yeah, I should definitely get you to have her on. >> All right. >> I'm trying to think who else. Um Um >> Oh my gosh, you put me on the spot. >> That's okay. That's fine. That's part of the idea here. >> Give us one name. Uh Kaya is great. Uh we, you know, we generally ask the guests to call them on the spot and ask them if they would join us. >> Really? Oh, that's terrible. >> Not terrible at all. >> It's actually how it works, you know. And then uh it it it actually works for us. If there's someone else that you could think of, you can think of that uh while you're uh asking us any questions and we can get back to that in a minute. But if you >> What about that that woman you were talking about from the hata in Brooklyn? What was her name again? >> Oh, Leia. You should totally >> not Leia, her mother. >> Her mother. Riy Frier. >> Rhy Frier. >> Oh, I could ask her. I mean, I I have Leia's number. I don't have Riy's number. >> Who do you think would be a better fit for what we're doing? You know, cuz you know them, so we don't really know them. I mean I would have Can you do both? >> Sure. >> I'm trying to think what else have you ever had? Um >> do you know so from 247 by the way it's D'vor Adler. You know her? She's in my >> Okay. No, we know 24/7. We don't know what D'vorah is though. >> Adler. Um >> well she wants an Instagram celebrity. That's what he's been asking me for recently. >> Know that when I first started social, right, like years and years and years ago, there was only like four of us or five of us. It was like me, Melinda Strauss, who just launched a cookbook. There was Sarah Lazyri who was patchka princess. Sharon Sharon Lingard who was like fashion isa like she was the fashion person. There was uh forshimer down in Lakewood who's like bits of glitz. She did like you know uh jewelry. Um and then then busy in Brooklyn came about right so the food person before like and we were like this rag tag team of like do you see this? Do you see that? Like we were like this like group of like women and then all of a sudden it has like grown. Yeah. >> And grown and grown and grown and I became so close to a lot of these people. You know who you should have on this podcast? Charlene Ammonghov. She's amazing. Good friend of mine. >> I heard her name recently actually. What does she do? >> Charlene. She's a really big nishmos person. She has a podcast on Living Lay. Um and she's just I don't know. She's powerhouse powerhouse woman. >> She's just she has um she has a Shael company called Gali's Wigs. >> Um I don't know. She's just she's very inspirational. Um, she lives in >> Great Neck. >> In Great Neck. Yeah. >> Amazing. Amazing. All right. So, who do you want to call? >> Oh my god. No. >> I won't call anyone. >> All right. We won't do that for you. It's okay. It's all right. Uh, before we wrap up, any questions for us? >> Why did you guys start the podcast? >> Everybody asks that question. >> I'm going to I'm going to tell you the I'm going to tell you the real answer. >> Any questions for us? The first thing they ask is why did you start? What is this podcast about? >> I'm going to tell you the real answer, which is almost like really that's what it is. But yeah, it's branding top of mind for Ushi Schwarz, Michael Greenfield, and the Prime Source brand. That's what it was. However, knowing that that's where the world is heading in terms of branding and promotion, we couldn't do it without being authentic and, you know, understanding what we're just telling you. Guests come on, it's, you know, and then at the end of the podcast, we ask the guest to call somebody. People have asked me also, do the people know that you're calling? They don't know. You see, you don't want to call and that's okay. >> Calls. No, it's I'm just saying. So, people don't know that we're calling. These are the things that we were just doing and I think the authenticity is what really drives us. So, u >> So, um what advice would you give Jewish women? >> Oh my goodness. I mean, you just gave us a mouthful. I mean, I I I would echo everything that you've really said today, but I think I said it before. >> I really want my daughters >> and any other girl out there to feel like in the Jewish community, we don't put less stock in females. We actually think females are more capable than males in a lot of ways. And uh stop with this. I can't do this or it's not appropriate for me to do that. Stop with that. Do whatever it is. Be a good person. Try to make a difference in somebody else's life. Live by the same bylaws that the boys and the men are taught to do. There's no difference, you know. So, yeah, we dress a little bit different and we have different. Okay, there are some differences. I get it. But living a full life, a complete life, and feeling good about yourself and feeling all those things that it matters to you the same. And go out there and get it done. And don't let anybody tell you you can't. And if someone says no, they're just in your way. That's all it is. And go past that person and keep going. Um, ultimately that's how because I sometimes get a little bit of anxiety. I feel bad. I I I look at my my daughters and I and I see my son and he has, you know, Shamas afternoon. He has friends and he's hanging out and he has he's always got something happening in the schools. They're going on trips and his camp and I think the girls sometimes are left out. Sometimes are left out. And my daughter has a great personality. She's got a lot to offer. you know, she should also be on the front lines. She should also be seen. And I think in our communities for a very long time, for many, many years, they have been stigmatized that way. And they've been somewhat sheltered and somewhat kept in a box. And we're getting much better about it. In the last couple of decades, I think we've been much more amendable and more open-minded with it. So my message is everything that you're doing, everything that you're speaking to, I don't even need to give the message because you're already doing it. You're enacting it. You're lit. You're an example. You're a living, breathing example of a woman that's sitting amongst two men of her holding your own. Arguably more successful than us in a few ways. In a few ways. More successful. And good for you. And And >> he means you have 22,000 more followers on Instagram. >> That's one way. That's one way. You have like 24,000 more followers than we do. But the bottom line is I would love for my daughters to emulate somebody like you and to see somebody like you that goes out there, gets it done, is hustling. You have a beautiful family. You got the nuclear family going. You got it all. You got it all. There's no reason why all the women shouldn't strive for that to one day reach that pinnacle that I think. Thank God. I wish you more and all the blessings to you, Abby. But keep doing what you're doing. Keep inspiring and keep showing girls and women across our communities all over that anything is possible. >> Love it. Ushi. Wow. That's I don't think I can say anything more. I'm going to echo what Ushi said and just say don't be afraid to ask for help. And ultimately listen to this podcast. Ask Abby. Talk to people. Ask and just uh go out of your comfort zone and ask for help. That's really what it is ultimately. You're not alone. There's many other women that are feeling this challenge of, you know, how do I break out there? Go to a conference. I'm uncomfortable. What should I do? >> There are other women who are facing these challenges and who have answers. And there aremies coming soon to help you. >> Yeah. >> Go down that path. Again, thank you to all our subscribers, our listeners, our followers. >> The comments are amazing. We're loving the feedback. Thank you to our newest sponsor, Twillery, and to the Prime Source production team. That's a wrap. Amazing. >> That's a wrap. Thank you so much.