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every yes, you say is a no to something else.
squadcaster-b652_1_06-14-2024_120924:Hmm.
maria-baer--she-her-_1_06-14-2024_120923:And. I'm sure, like, we are probably all similar. When you make a commitment to something, I'm not going to bail. it's like my yes, you know, today to being, to being a guest on the podcast. Maybe that means I had to say no to lunch with somebody that I really wanted to have lunch, you know, but it's like come first serve kind of thing. But also I think you do have to realize like, is this, is this something that I'm going to get value out of, or I'll just really enjoy the conversation or this person maybe is, is, Able to open some doors for me or, or vice versa, am I able to give back to this person? And I, I, again, I think some of that comes with time in a business,
squadcaster-b652_1_06-14-2024_120924:Yeah.
maria-baer--she-her-_1_06-14-2024_120923:starting to feel like it's okay to say no. I just don't have the bandwidth for that.
squadcaster-b652_1_06-14-2024_120924:Yeah. And in
cheryl_1_06-14-2024_090924:Well, every choice in our life, it's all a cost benefit analysis, I, I don't think I have the bedroom voice in me today, Colleen, but I do think we're doing this right.
squadcaster-b652_1_06-14-2024_120924:We are. And your internet is
cheryl_1_06-14-2024_090924:It's been morning.
squadcaster-b652_1_06-14-2024_120924:and you guys, Cheryl had a, has, California's having power outages again, probably cause it's hot. Right.
cheryl_1_06-14-2024_090924:so the fire season, which essentially means the wind blows in a Like one of the power cables moves and PG& E just shuts the power off in case there's a fire and They well, they don't want to spark fire because they don't want to pay millions of dollars again So it's like a preventative thing they shut all the power off and then they come and they have to manually inspect every power line and Then once they've done that to make sure there's no issue then they can turn the power back on. It's a real thing Thorn in my side. And I understand cause shit rolls downhill. This is thing, maybe some people don't understand this, you know, like, okay, we've filed all these massive lawsuits against PG& E because all these massive wildfires that we decided were their fault. And now number like, Not only are our rates through the roof now to have power, but also they have to do preventative measures so that it can't be proven negligent again. And so we lose power for hours at a time now. It's a real pain in my rear. So our generator's on, but like our internet wasn't working. Working like it should, but we seem to be fine now. So fingers crossed. We're going to be good to go.
squadcaster-b652_1_06-14-2024_120924:We're doing it.
cheryl_1_06-14-2024_090924:Thanks Alex for the generator. You're the man. So we have a special guest from Indie today.
squadcaster-b652_1_06-14-2024_120924:our guest freaking out.
cheryl_1_06-14-2024_090924:So shout out to Inspire Her Indie, the Inspire Her Collective Indie, because I just heard she's a member and I love that. We have Maria Bear here. She's a twin mom, a wife, a friend, a business owner, an organizer, an occasional marriage officiant, and of course, master of all color coded closet and highly proficient with a label maker. Maria Bear is the founder and lead organizer of the Bear Minimalist, focused on helping busy families across the Indianapolis metro area cut the clutter. Donate and do good and cue the confetti. So welcome. Thanks for being here, Maria.
maria-baer--she-her-_1_06-14-2024_120923:so much for having me.
squadcaster-b652_1_06-14-2024_120924:Also we were talking about this before the show, but shout out to our good friend Allie, who connected to Maria Allie and rally follow her on Instagram. She's a realtor, a compass realtor out of, Raleigh, North Carolina, but in the weirdest roundabout way. Maria and I live very 10, 15 minutes from each other and got connected through our mutual friend Allie, which is just, I love, I love the world. I just, I love the world. I think it's so fun.
maria-baer--she-her-_1_06-14-2024_120923:I do too.
squadcaster-b652_1_06-14-2024_120924:And
maria-baer--she-her-_1_06-14-2024_120923:Allie.
squadcaster-b652_1_06-14-2024_120924:And so I've, you know, like and I have worked together on different projects or like shared mutual clients and it's been just a lovely relationship. And now we're she's in our inspire her group and. just fabulous. And I'm so excited you're here. I'm so excited to chat with you. So she always says like, okay, we had your two, two second bio, but like, tell us, tell us about yourself. Tell us who you are. Tell us all.
maria-baer--she-her-_1_06-14-2024_120923:So I I'm originally from Minnesota, but I did something very kind of uncharacteristic. And I studied abroad, uncharacteristic for me because I'm a type A, I'm a planner, like I've got my plan, got to stick to the plan. And just on a whim in college, I decided I'm going to study abroad and I'm going to go somewhere that no one else from my college is going. But I did want English speaking, and so I found myself in New Zealand. while I was there, I met a guy from Indiana, and so after I graduated, I ended up moving here. So, outside of knowing him and his family, I, I really didn't know a single soul when I moved to Indiana. And It's been a long time now. I've been here for 18 years, but it's so cool to see I think like a career trajectory and then starting a business and how that business is embraced and the fact, like, just the amount of people that I've connected with over those years, knowing that I, I really only started my time here. 18 years ago. So after graduating, I actually graduated with a degree in television broadcasting, which at that point, social media wasn't that big of a thing. But now I'm like, gosh, I, I almost get to use that degree every day on like
squadcaster-b652_1_06-14-2024_120924:Yeah.
maria-baer--she-her-_1_06-14-2024_120923:And but I, I worked for a company that did meeting and event planning for pharmaceutical businesses. I was there, I was there for about four years. I noticed a couple of gaps in our process and pitched new, new roles for the company that I thought, you know, if I take this one thing off of all of these people's plate. The first thing I did was I built all of our websites where people would register for meetings and, and their events. because there were like all these program managers and this was one little piece of the puzzle of, of what they had to do. And sometimes there were, you know, typos or a link didn't work, or there were just a lot of inefficiencies. And I thought. if I just become the website girl and I just make all these event websites and so I pitched that role and then a little bit later on, our company had grown. We had about 100 people and outside of like a benefits person, there was no one that kind of like managed the first couple weeks of a new employees event. And so I thought, well, what if I started doing the first round interviews for all candidates then kind of managed the orientation for the first couple of weeks for all the roles? So I pitched that role and that went over well. Then I went to a startup and I did marketing for them and I didn't really have much of a background in marketing, but they were willing to take a chance. Then I found myself at Angie's List, which anyone who's done sales in Indianapolis has probably worked for Angie's List. I managed some of our national accounts. And, and so that was really my first opportunity to work in a sales role, especially when that was pretty much a hundred percent commission
squadcaster-b652_1_06-14-2024_120924:Hmm. Hmm.
maria-baer--she-her-_1_06-14-2024_120923:still don't think of myself as like a traditional sales person, but I found that, you know, if I I really listen to people's needs. I'm honest when I feel like maybe the product isn't going to work for them. And I let them know, like, these are like, this is what I'm selling you today, but also these are all the things that we need to do together, or you need to do on your own to make this work really well for you. It's not just about having a listing. And so I ended up doing very, very well there. And I stayed there for about four years. And then I was taken back to the startup world. And I was a sales leader for a marketing platform is what we were building and I worked there for a couple of years and it was really interesting because I've always wanted to own my own business, but it wasn't until I was working for this startup where I thought would sit on calls and we would explain, you know, like the vision of what we were building. Okay. But it wasn't a real platform yet. It wasn't something like a tangible thing people could. And the CEO and the CMO were often on these calls and they're like, of course we can do that. Yep. You know, we would get off the call and they'd be like, okay, team, like, how are we going to make this happen? Like, these are features we need to build in. And it really was like working at that company that I realized. You don't have to have all the answers to start a business. And if you kind of going back to the sales, sales, you know, roots, like if you're honest with people, you listen to their needs, maybe you let them know. This is the first time I've ever done a project like this. People are good and they want to see small businesses succeed, I think. And so I ended up going to the CEO who was a woman and said, I'm going to start. Um, I, I really want to do organizing. It's my passion. I think there's such a need and she was so supportive. She kept me on for about 4 months in a part time capacity. So I could really get the foundation of my business down, do a couple, you know, Kind of test jobs for people. So I had some photos to share and I mean, that was such a gift to be able to transition out of kind of the corporate world and into this entrepreneurial role and that was seven years ago and now I have a team of six people do organizing in Indy. If, if I haven't really mentioned that and we're lucky enough to work with amazing realtors like Colleen, where we're. Potentially helping someone declutter or depersonalize in advance of listing their home or having photos taken. We also do concierge moves, so on the backend, we will be there day one, unpack all their boxes, organize every space, bring in product, label, everything. I mean. We can do the whole thing and it's, it's awesome when it happens that way for clients. we also just work with people who've lived in their homes for a long time and maybe a space needs to transition into something else, or they just kind of need to make sense of some of the things that have accumulated over time.
squadcaster-b652_1_06-14-2024_120924:I, I mean, you are talking our language. You are everything that we love about entrepreneurship, like all the backstory, right? The, the doing different things, the different types of jobs that you've done, being able to take those
cheryl_1_06-14-2024_090924:Picking up different skills. Yeah.
squadcaster-b652_1_06-14-2024_120924:to
cheryl_1_06-14-2024_090924:Hmm.
squadcaster-b652_1_06-14-2024_120924:take those skills, turn them into something that you're really passionate about. And then, you know, be successful in what you're doing. What Maria's not is that she's successful here. Like very, very successful. When Allie first introduced me, and I tell her this all the time, she's like, Hey, do you know Maria Baer? I'm like, yeah, I know Maria Baer. Like I didn't know her, but I was like, she's like literally famous here. Yeah. Yeah. Like her business is like very famous, very well known. She does a lot of really cool, like. But you've built that business and to build that business in seven years, which is a long time, but also not right. Like is incredible. And we just love that. And other thing just, I'm going to just personally brag about you right now, like I think is so cool is when you are a twin mom, which is like, shout out to the moms that are running their own businesses and working and all of that I love what I love about you and your business and your brand is sometimes when I, when we see organizers or we see organized brands, like what I see is like lack of color and like lack of personality and everything feels really white and really like stark and really like, mm, super organized and not. For me makes me feel it's not really my vibe, but when you see Maria, like she's super colorful and like, you know, if you can see when, when we post this on social media, like her house is like full of, I would say like your aesthetic is almost maximalist color wise, which I think is really cool.
maria-baer--she-her-_1_06-14-2024_120923:because I'm always, I'm minimalist on color, but like maximalist on, or minimalist on clutter, but like maximalist on color.
squadcaster-b652_1_06-14-2024_120924:Yes.
maria-baer--she-her-_1_06-14-2024_120923:I love color. I love pattern. I love wallpaper. I love, don't have a lot of
squadcaster-b652_1_06-14-2024_120924:Yeah.
maria-baer--she-her-_1_06-14-2024_120923:knickknacks. So I'm intentional,
squadcaster-b652_1_06-14-2024_120924:I love it. I mean, I love that it has like your personality and your, it's very much your brand. And I think that that is something also when building a business that you've done so uniquely and so well as you've really built a brand that speaks to who you are and what your business is about and about, you know, it embodies your personality, which I just think is really awesome.
cheryl_1_06-14-2024_090924:I also think that somebody in your role at that startup, that last business that you described before you went out on your own, there's two ways somebody could have interpreted what they were watching there. One, somebody could have been like, these people are frauds. They don't know what they're doing. And they're out here just selling this thing. And like, this is crazy. Or Or it could have been you that interpreted it as, Oh, you don't have to have it all figured out. And you can just jump and like, let the parachute catch you and like figure it out as you go. And then be brave and realize, Oh, I could do that too.
maria-baer--she-her-_1_06-14-2024_120923:yeah,
cheryl_1_06-14-2024_090924:you took that route. That's the entrepreneur spirit that you have. And that's so inspiring. And I love seeing that that's the, I love that. So fun.
squadcaster-b652_1_06-14-2024_120924:I mean
cheryl_1_06-14-2024_090924:It's my vibe.
squadcaster-b652_1_06-14-2024_120924:is the thing, right? Like I, you know, when you're starting a business or you're when you're starting a business, like my philosophy was always to say yes, Yes. And then in the, in my mind, I'm like, I will figure out how to do that. That's the rest of the sentence that happens in my head, right? You know, when I ran my construction business, there were times where people would ask me things and I'd be like, yes. then I would go home and I would figure out how to do that. Right. Like, and you figure out like, You know, I remember there's one thing, one time where somebody wanted this specific type of door on their closet. And I was like, we can do that. And I spent day hours and hours and days and days researching, like, how do we construct this particular door? But to the client, the answer was just yes. And that's not always great, but when you're starting out, like that's kind of a, it's important. It's an important skill to understand.
maria-baer--she-her-_1_06-14-2024_120923:It is. And I think over time I've also learned like my limits
squadcaster-b652_1_06-14-2024_120924:Hmm. Yeah. Yeah. Mm hmm. Mm
maria-baer--she-her-_1_06-14-2024_120923:trying to take something off of their plates so they have capacity to, you know, do whatever else. And so I also know my limits as a, as an organizer, right? Like I, I'm not a general contractor. And so I know when I need to hire in some assistance or work with the client to kind of figure out like who their trusted people are because I, I don't need like a full shelving system falling out of a wall,
cheryl_1_06-14-2024_090924:No,
maria-baer--she-her-_1_06-14-2024_120923:And so I think it is important to kind of know your limits too, and, and have really great resources and partners.
cheryl_1_06-14-2024_090924:Well, and this goes back to why you were so successful in sales at Angie's list. because you were honest with your clients about what would and wouldn't work for them. And that is how you built trust. And like, I have been a commission only salesperson for my entire sales career, which is now 15 years. And it was a lot. I've had the success because build trust. I say, yes, this will work for you. No, this won't work for you. Exactly what you said. Like this will work for you, but there will be things you have to do. You will have to work as well. And that was something I learned with maturity and my company. Like I sold commercial insurance and we were not the most. company. So I had to sell on the value a lot of the time and our value was risk management materials and, and resources that we offered. And in the beginning it was like, well, I was telling the value of saying like, look what we have, look what we have. And then that was where the conversation ended. And as I got more, more mature and understood the business more, I would then really take the time to walk them through and hold their hand and make sure they started using those resources and explain to them the importance of using them and why they should use them. And then the relationship turned and they became lifelong clients because now they relied on this resource and this value that I added to their life. And to replace that thing that I had offered them and taught them to use, they, it was going to cost them too much money. And I had done that for them. I had built that trust with them. I had held their hand and taken the time out of my life to do that for them, which had gotten me like a 99 percent retention with my clients, you know, like that's. Yeah,
squadcaster-b652_1_06-14-2024_120924:that speaks. Hmm. Mm
maria-baer--she-her-_1_06-14-2024_120923:like, that plays into what we do with our clients. I, I rarely work with someone, unless it's truly like a concierge move where maybe they're like, okay, here are the keys to the house. We'll be back in a week, which I mean, that's like its own unique beast. But most of the time when we are working with our clients, I don't bring any product on day one. You know, I think people are used to like the HGTV, like done in a day. And there, there's something very cool about that, but I don't think those systems stick because you're not teaching your clients anything. And, and I feel like I have a lot of value and knowledge that I've, I've learned over the years to help people implement systems that make their lives easier. And so our first step, the whole first session, which is four hours is editing. And it's not like the client needs to sit next to us for that entire time, but we pull everything from a space. We're going to look through all, you know, the expired food or the expired products in your bathroom. We're going to sort through your closet so that it's color coordinated by category, and then we're going to pull you in. And we're going to say, okay. Looks like we've got, you know, a ton of X, Y, Z. Like, why don't we look through this and decide, are you still wearing these items? Do they make you feel great? Like these things have holes or stains on them. Then we make decisions on what to do with those items. And, and all of that is done before I propose a single like bin or basket or drawer organizer, because I really feel like the less stuff you have, the easier your life can become.
squadcaster-b652_1_06-14-2024_120924:hmm.
maria-baer--she-her-_1_06-14-2024_120923:When it comes to clutter and like, if we skip that step and we just measure and bring product, I just think we're doing clients a disservice. So,
cheryl_1_06-14-2024_090924:you're putting back a bunch of stuff that wasn't serving them to begin with.
squadcaster-b652_1_06-14-2024_120924:Yeah. I want to touch on one thing, but I want to keep talking about what you're talking about. But I, one of the things that I was hearing both of you say, as far as like when you're starting out your business and then as your business evolves, right? Like when you start your business, it's a yes, I'll figure it out. As your business evolves, you have more intelligence in your business and on your business and with your business. set those boundaries. just feel like that is something like for anybody listening, who is a new entrepreneur or new in their business, like that sometimes comes with time and experience and learning. And sometimes it comes with saying yes and realizing you shouldn't have, or saying yes and realizing you've taken on too much. I think that's an important piece of that, of that puzzle when you're building so it's just really important that you're following the rules and the practices of your business from scratch. Right. Yeah. Mm
maria-baer--she-her-_1_06-14-2024_120923:Yeah, and for the most part, I mean, I'm, I'm still a yes, yes, woman, you know, like, I say yes all the time and. But yeah, you do certain jobs or you do realize your limits and, and you realize like, I mean, most every day I get to do something that I just love so much. And I'm so passionate about, and I get to work alongside my amazing team, but there are, are some, you know, moments when it's like we bit off a little bit more than we can chew and we're going to get through it. And we're going to make sure this client's happy. But you know, but maybe, maybe there's like a better line of questioning just to make sure that we're the right fit in the future for you know, these particular types of jobs.
cheryl_1_06-14-2024_090924:Yeah, the most effective lessons we can learn come from mistakes.
maria-baer--she-her-_1_06-14-2024_120923:Yes, absolutely.
squadcaster-b652_1_06-14-2024_120924:constantly tweaking. That's so key, right? Like, okay, next time, you know, we talk about this, like when we're doing buyer consultations or, you know, working with listing, it's like, Oh wait, next time I'm going to add this to my, to my list of questions that I want to ask the person or this, I want to make sure that I really hit home on this point. So wanted to ask you because you have built such a cool business and you have done. I want to, I want to talk to you about your collaborative, your collaboration with style, right? Because I think everybody should know about this. And I know. Mike going to sell a lot more houses so you can come and do it for me. I think it's so, so tell us, Cheryl has no idea what we're talking about. So tell us all
cheryl_1_06-14-2024_090924:No, I'm lost.
squadcaster-b652_1_06-14-2024_120924:because it's really cool and such a cool business collaboration with another woman owned business.
maria-baer--she-her-_1_06-14-2024_120923:Sure, so a number of years ago, I met a local stylist, her name is Laura Walters, and her company is called The Style Riot. And she was doing a lot of editorial work at that time, but really wanted to branch into being a personal stylist for fabulous people in indie. And so I've watched her business grow and we, you know, connected at various events. We realized after sitting down like we have so many mutual clients or the clients I'm working with are people she would love to work with and vice versa. And so last year on in the year, we started talking about, you know, the, the client experience that people have when they hire her and then separately they hire me. And how we could maybe make that a little bit more streamlined. And so we came out with a a service called the Lux edit. And so basically what that is is she goes in well, everything's like streamlined through, I love process. And so like everything's streamlined through our website and we have a shared we use HoneyBook to manage all of our clients. And so we. are able to collaborate on the client project through HoneyBook. And so she handles two sessions with them. So she comes in and does like an edit of, of their wardrobe. And she's more focused on like, what, maybe what you would be wearing outside of the house, right? Whereas when we come in and we edit, we're, I mean, we are going through those old t shirts, we're going through the pajamas, we're, I mean, that's like, underwear drawer is so full, let's talk about it. And so so she kind of focuses on her, her edit, then she does flat lays for them of different outfit combinations, she does a shopping trip with them, and then we come in and we do our edits, so focusing on the areas that she didn't touch, we figure out how to make the closet just really functional for the client based on your lifestyle, how you like to get dressed and, and kind of flow through your space. Cause sometimes people are jumping from like the bedroom dresser into the closet, back to the dresser, you know, into the bathroom where they've got their jewelry. And it's like, wow, this is a complicated process to get dressed. So we like to like streamline that as much as possible. And then we come back for a final appointment. So two with her, two with us, and we install product to just make it feel like your very own boutique. So it has been so fun and, and we've had so many mutual clients and now we've been able to take a handful of clients through this process together. And I think that people come out looking fabulous on the other side, cause she's a wizard and then their closet is just amazing too. So.
squadcaster-b652_1_06-14-2024_120924:I, this is like my dream. This is my dream. and what I love about this is, is, and I think. Is important for us to touch on is just the collaboration of two women owned businesses and how that comes together. So, so talk to us a little bit about like the nuts and bolts of how you guys worked out. If you can, if you want to, but like, I love this idea of like, Hey, Hey, I noticed that you have the same kind of ideal client that I have. How do we make this a, how do we make this an actual business or service? Like, how did that happen for you guys?
maria-baer--she-her-_1_06-14-2024_120923:Yeah. I mean, I think it came from the fact that we did have a few mutual clients. And so I had contacted her and said, okay, I know you've just been in Colleen's closet, for example. And I just want to make sure that I'm not going through, through items that you've already edited for her and, you know, saying like, Oh, you don't need these things if you literally just told her that, that they were useful. So it kind of started from there. And then it was like, okay. Why, why have two separate business processes? Why don't we come together, create this thing, make it really like feel super luxe, you know, the LuxEdit for clients. And so I don't want to give away too many secrets, but when we start working with clients, we send them a beautiful bouquet of flowers, like before that first appointment ever happens from both of us, and it's like, we are so excited to transform your, you know, your, your look and your closet. And then at the end they get this beautiful branded acrylic hanger that says, you know, Tomorrow's Outfit and it has both of our brand names on it. And that's made by a local company here called The Painted Letter Co. And she does amazing work. Any like acrylic signs or we use them for like closet rod hangers and things like that. And, and just like the handwritten notes and like check ins and stuff. It just, there's no. like, we're not both doing the same thing either. Like, she's checking in and I'm, you know, it's like, there's a, there's an order to how things are happening. So I, I think the client feels like it's easy to work with us. Whereas sometimes if you're working with 2 businesses, even if those businesses know each other or refer to each other. still like miscommunication or things get lost in translation. And so this just keeps everything really open between Laura, the stylist, and the client.
squadcaster-b652_1_06-14-2024_120924:It's such a cool, I love it. I mean, I think it's such a cool and smart, smart business idea, business feature, and I love that. It's like, Oh
maria-baer--she-her-_1_06-14-2024_120923:working in people's closets. And so to drive more business to one of the spaces that I love the most is, you know, intentional too. It's like, I could spend every day and basically closets and pantries are So
cheryl_1_06-14-2024_090924:That's interesting you say that. So I was on a call this week and we were talking about, he did an example of like, you know, if somebody's handing you things and they just keep handing you things and then you eventually get to a place where you can't hold any more things and it's like, And then if somebody's trying to hand you something that like you really want and your hands are full, you have to release something to be able to grab that other thing.
maria-baer--she-her-_1_06-14-2024_120923:Yep.
cheryl_1_06-14-2024_090924:kind of the, the idea really of like minimalism and like the decluttering, if you will, is like, don't have too many things that you can't, don't have room for the things you want to have, which kind of brought me back to the whole Marie Kondo era on Netflix. And, and when I watched that and it shifted my mindset to, my time and how I want to fill my time and like getting rid of the things that I'm feeling like the things that are taking time out of my life that, you know, and then I was, I shifted to, okay, well, if I wanted to fill my days with only the things that bring me joy, you know, if I could shift that mindset. And only work with the clients I want to work with and only work in the arenas I want to work with. And it sounds like you've just made this shift in your business intentionally to, you know, fill more space in your business doing the thing. I love working in closets, so I'm going to make this very intentional shift so I can spend more time doing this thing I love. Like how remarkable is that kind of full circle declutter of your, of your life where you made space to fit this thing you love? Yeah. Okay.
maria-baer--she-her-_1_06-14-2024_120923:something I, I will do, but I don't, it's not my favorite is garages. So like we will do garages for existing clients, but if that's all someone needs done, I generally recommend some of the other companies in town who love doing garages and are, and they're so capable and do a fabulous job. And I realize I'm probably like losing out on future business because normally one organizing project leads to the next, but I just. You know, it's like, that's just not my bread and butter. So I kind of stopped posting about garages. Like we'll do them, but I do not market that because like today is a perfect example. I don't want to be outside working in a garage when it's
squadcaster-b652_1_06-14-2024_120924:my God.
maria-baer--she-her-_1_06-14-2024_120923:degrees.
squadcaster-b652_1_06-14-2024_120924:hot here right now.
maria-baer--she-her-_1_06-14-2024_120923:want to do it. And, and so. just this like very short window of time throughout the year that, that, that like makes a lot of sense for, for me. And so I think I've like gotten to a good place with that. Like, it's okay to let some of that business go because like a quote that was shared a number of years ago, I probably heard it on a podcast, but it was like every yes is, is you like every yes, you say is a no to something else.
squadcaster-b652_1_06-14-2024_120924:Hmm.
maria-baer--she-her-_1_06-14-2024_120923:And. I'm sure, like, we are probably all similar. When you make a commitment to something, I'm not going to bail. it's like my yes, you know, today to being, to being a guest on the podcast. Maybe that means I had to say no to lunch with somebody that I really wanted to have lunch, you know, but it's like come first serve kind of thing. But also I think you do have to realize like, is this, is this something that I'm going to get value out of, or I'll just really enjoy the conversation or this person maybe is, is, Able to open some doors for me or, or vice versa, am I able to give back to this person? And I, I, again, I think some of that comes with time in a business,
squadcaster-b652_1_06-14-2024_120924:Yeah.
maria-baer--she-her-_1_06-14-2024_120923:starting to feel like it's okay to say no. I just don't have the bandwidth for that.
squadcaster-b652_1_06-14-2024_120924:Yeah. And in
cheryl_1_06-14-2024_090924:Well, every choice in our life, it's all a cost benefit analysis, whether you're making it or not, if, whether you're analysis, analyzing, analysis, doing the analysis. Thank you. Thank you for working through that with me. Thank you. Whether you're working the analysis or not, it's all a cost benefit. And, you know, you're either doing it or you're not and you, I invite us all to be intentional about it and make sure this morning I had the pep talk with my kids as I went in my garage and saw they dumped an entire bag of cat food out again. So I have to go get another bag of cat food five days later because these little shits and I'm like, girls. Listen, you can either make good choices and have a fun summer or you can make bad choices and be in trouble all summer. You can either choose that your sister is your best friend all summer or you can choose to fight with your sister all summer and have a miserable summer. Like these are all choices you get.
maria-baer--she-her-_1_06-14-2024_120923:Mm-Hmm.
cheryl_1_06-14-2024_090924:have a consequence. Like choose wisely here. And it's the same as we like get older and we have all these other choices. Like yes, you chose to be on the podcast, which meant you maybe didn't get to have lunch with someone. And there was a cost in it. You know, cost and benefit to that. Maybe
squadcaster-b652_1_06-14-2024_120924:Yeah.
cheryl_1_06-14-2024_090924:it's whether we speed or not, it's happening.
squadcaster-b652_1_06-14-2024_120924:yeah,
maria-baer--she-her-_1_06-14-2024_120923:being here. This
cheryl_1_06-14-2024_090924:I know you've made the right choice, made the right choice.
squadcaster-b652_1_06-14-2024_120924:But also like, you know, and I think Maria, you have done a really intentional job of setting aside days with your kids. And I love, I love that. And I know that that does limit you in some capacity in business, but also, gives you Gives you so much, right? Like with your children. And I think when we talk about, and maybe I'm a broken record about this, but when we talk about entrepreneurship and we talk about what that means for our business, it means that it is that integration of life personal life and business life and making those decisions and understanding what, and being intentional about those decisions and understanding what the consequences or benefits are, right? if I'm going to a listing appointment at six o'clock at night, I know that that's going to take away from having dinner with my kids that evening. Right. Now, if that's a listing appointment, that's going to get me, know, million sale plus a million dollar list that that's worth it for me. that's going to be beneficial to us as a family. So, you know, I very well could have been like, you know what? I need to reschedule this appointment because it's really important for me to pick up my kids from camp and take them to dinner or whatever it is. Right. And so.
maria-baer--she-her-_1_06-14-2024_120923:Mm hmm.
squadcaster-b652_1_06-14-2024_120924:That's something that we, you learn as you get deeper into your business and you have honestly the privilege of, as you get more established in your business to start making those really intentional decisions, I just want people to know that, like, sometimes that you don't always have that capability when you're first starting your business, but
maria-baer--she-her-_1_06-14-2024_120923:Right.
squadcaster-b652_1_06-14-2024_120924:come your business gets more established, as you have more systems and processes, I mean, Maria, you're speaking Cheryl's language over there with the systems and processes. And, and I think that,
cheryl_1_06-14-2024_090924:Like knowing with that partnership you've had, like who reaches out when, and you're not, you're not both doing something like that is just like almost an orgasm for me. Just so you know. Like, that really was like yes,
squadcaster-b652_1_06-14-2024_120924:love that,
cheryl_1_06-14-2024_090924:my girl,
maria-baer--she-her-_1_06-14-2024_120923:I mean, I, I have a new I mean, she's not new to the company, but she's, she's growing into a team lead, which means she'll start leading her own projects. And she was over last week and in our headquarters here at my house. And yeah. And we were going through like, I was like, okay, here's, here's the SOP guide for everything and here's links to all of our, you know, our open invoices and our pricing spreadsheets. And this is the back end of HoneyBook and all the templates we built. And she was like, Oh my gosh, like I had no idea, you know, because our, our organizers most of them. They come to work, like they, they show up and then they go
squadcaster-b652_1_06-14-2024_120924:Yeah.
maria-baer--she-her-_1_06-14-2024_120923:there's nothing else for them to do. And, and so that's a really cool opportunity. I mean, everyone on the team is, is a mom. It's not a requirement, but it is the current makeup of our team. And so it's like they show up, they do an incredible job, they get their steps in, we, you know, we laugh and, and then they go home and they don't have to really think about. What product needs to go in the space or how we're invoicing clients or, you know, how we're marketing and selling to new clients. so it was really cool to sit down with someone who's been a part of the company for a while and be like, and, you know, like here's behind the magic curtain, like all the stuff
squadcaster-b652_1_06-14-2024_120924:Yes.
maria-baer--she-her-_1_06-14-2024_120923:really it's been the last, I would say year, year and a half that, you know, we've put into place in terms of processes where it was like, if I want to go on vacation. this is like a business that should still be making money. I need to, I need to have people on my team that can still be working. And in order to allow that, I need to have processes in place so that they feel empowered to work and not have to ask me every step of the way. And so Last January, so it's been a year and a half now, I hired a local company called SourceUp, but they do work
squadcaster-b652_1_06-14-2024_120924:Mm-Hmm.
maria-baer--she-her-_1_06-14-2024_120923:and they are my operations
squadcaster-b652_1_06-14-2024_120924:Hmm.
maria-baer--she-her-_1_06-14-2024_120923:do all invoicing. I, I just texted my receipts or forward along receipts. They categorize it to the right client. They handle payroll. When we have like a new process, they write the SOP first, and then I just review it. And that, I mean, it took me a long time to get there because the beginning, it was like, well, I don't like doing this work,
squadcaster-b652_1_06-14-2024_120924:Yeah.
maria-baer--she-her-_1_06-14-2024_120923:the invoice, but I don't want to pay somebody to do it because I can do
squadcaster-b652_1_06-14-2024_120924:Yeah.
maria-baer--she-her-_1_06-14-2024_120923:you know? And so I was just working all the time and I do still work all the time and I, I do work most nights, but I, I get to work on things that are fun for me. Versus like things where I'm just like, okay, I guess I'll go watch a YouTube video
squadcaster-b652_1_06-14-2024_120924:Yeah.
maria-baer--she-her-_1_06-14-2024_120923:a help for how to, you know, do X, Y, Z. And so I hired them and then it just like propelled our business.
squadcaster-b652_1_06-14-2024_120924:Oh.
maria-baer--she-her-_1_06-14-2024_120923:Spend a little money to make money.
cheryl_1_06-14-2024_090924:uh, that's that hard. That's that hard part of like, when do you make that jump? Because you always hear like making that jump is what propels people, but it's so scary as an entrepreneur to know when, like, when do I make that investment? When do I make that? When am I willing to spend that money to make that investment? And that's where I'm at because I'm like, Ooh, I can't imagine committing finances every month to something like that. Cause I feel like we still need it, but I know that like, that could be the thing that's going to just launch it
maria-baer--she-her-_1_06-14-2024_120923:Yep.
cheryl_1_06-14-2024_090924:scary. So scary
maria-baer--she-her-_1_06-14-2024_120923:at the end of the year when they like, or like, you know, they, they pay our like sales tax every month for me. They handle my quarterly tax payments, they communicate with my accountant at the end of the year. And I'm like, I'm always like, I cannot believe that, like, I have this luxury. It does feel like a luxury. And now I feel like I'm on that cusp of like, Do I hire someone for marketing? Cause I, I, I still like do all of that, but I feel like social media is getting so complicated that I'm like,
squadcaster-b652_1_06-14-2024_120924:Yeah.
maria-baer--she-her-_1_06-14-2024_120923:is that worth it for me?
squadcaster-b652_1_06-14-2024_120924:and that, I mean, like, I'm just like, people when they watch this will just see me nodding like furiously back here. I'm agreeing with everything. And that goes back to that, what's his name? The guy who wrote the book, who Not How, and that is really all exactly what you're talking about. Right. There's a, there comes a point when you are a business owner where you're like, I can do this, but
maria-baer--she-her-_1_06-14-2024_120923:hmm.
squadcaster-b652_1_06-14-2024_120924:who can do this at a higher level or a better or more efficient so that I can spend my high value time doing something that I enjoy. Or being with my family or whatever. And I, and I
cheryl_1_06-14-2024_090924:could bring more revenue into my business.
squadcaster-b652_1_06-14-2024_120924:right. Spending the time doing the, for you, higher dollar value activities, like coming up with collaborations, coming up with, you know, like going out and marketing your business because you are the face of, of this business versus YouTubing, how the hell you pay your sales tax at the end of the year. And like, not even knowing that you're supposed to be doing that, you know, like,
maria-baer--she-her-_1_06-14-2024_120923:Right.
squadcaster-b652_1_06-14-2024_120924:those are, those are so. So, I mean, that's a pivotal point in anybody's. Business, And I did that earlier this year
cheryl_1_06-14-2024_090924:I, I spoke, I spoke to a business center this week. Who told me, and she's like, honestly, I'm afraid I'm going to get arrested for like business fraud of some sort, because I don't know what the I'm supposed to be doing. Cause it's so goddamn complicated.
squadcaster-b652_1_06-14-2024_120924:the
cheryl_1_06-14-2024_090924:She's like, I'm going to get arrested just because I simply don't know what I'm supposed to be doing because it's so hard to figure out what I'm supposed to be doing. I mean, we're in California, so it's like extra layers of complicated here. And I'm like, I feel you, I completely feel you on that. Like, it is just like, you are setting us up to fail here in California. It is unfair. Business centers are just like. What? Who am I paying next?
maria-baer--she-her-_1_06-14-2024_120923:it does get to that place and that's how I'm feeling about social media too, like what's the Instagram algorithm, like what is happening and how many reels a week do I need to make? And you know, it's
cheryl_1_06-14-2024_090924:What's trending audio? Huh?
maria-baer--she-her-_1_06-14-2024_120923:yes,
squadcaster-b652_1_06-14-2024_120924:the hell, man?
maria-baer--she-her-_1_06-14-2024_120923:this is so complicated.
cheryl_1_06-14-2024_090924:How many hashtags?
maria-baer--she-her-_1_06-14-2024_120923:truly is a full time job. So yeah, it's, it's tricky though, to be like, I'm going to just give you this money that I put
cheryl_1_06-14-2024_090924:I want to rewind to another thing you said about, because Colleen and I had this conversation earlier this week, the thing about how you made it look so easy,
squadcaster-b652_1_06-14-2024_120924:Oh my
cheryl_1_06-14-2024_090924:Colleen.
squadcaster-b652_1_06-14-2024_120924:Okay.
cheryl_1_06-14-2024_090924:So go ahead, go. You take it girl. That's awesome.
squadcaster-b652_1_06-14-2024_120924:you know, had a client and I got them under contract and it, it seemed very easy to them and they were kind of questioning my value. Because they were like, well, you didn't, you didn't like do that much. It was really quick. And I had to not defend. But. of, you know, just be like, Hey man, this looked really easy because I'm really good at my job. And it looked really easy because of the time and energy and effort I built into creating my business to what it is and the relationships I've built. But I also was doing a lot behind the scenes that you couldn't see. so talk to us about that in your business, because you do, I mean, make it look really easy, but obviously, I mean, you're, you're peeling back the curtain for us on everything right now. Like, do you, is that something that you run into? Is that something that you've had to of. Overcome in, in the growth of your business?
maria-baer--she-her-_1_06-14-2024_120923:I think that, you know, it's interesting because so much of the work that the two of you do is done offsite where the client can't see
squadcaster-b652_1_06-14-2024_120924:Mm-Hmm. Mm-Hmm.
maria-baer--she-her-_1_06-14-2024_120923:And The work that we do is very much on site. And if a client is around, I mean, they see like they can see us like pulling every single thing out of a space and categorizing it. And, you know, working through them with an editing process and loading donations into our car and taking consignments, you know, over here and putting it all back in. So I think once we're in a client's home, I don't run into that. And sometimes though, clients will say, I mean, I would love to do this myself. I, I, I love organizing. And so I always think like, it's not that maybe half of our clients, it's not that they're not capable of doing it. Right. And, and they might even love it. They just don't have time for it because I think to truly like organize. Well, It has to get worse before it gets better. Like you do have to pull it all out and like dig to the back and see what's happening back there and then put it all back in. so but for some clients, it's like, they really don't It's just not, it's not the way everyone's brain works. Right. And, and, and yet we live in households with other people who maybe have different learning styles or different organizational styles than we do. And so to kind of come in and. And figure that out is something that's really unique that we can do. I will say like on the phone sometimes I do have to maybe explain our value and like the, the, the point of like why we charge what we charge. And I think much of that comes from just years of experience and we are efficient on site. And, and a big reason for that is. We do training offsite, you know, everyone's brought up to speed on our processes. And so when we're there, like we are hustling and it's amazing what can be done in four hours, even with. Um, I think I get like a little cringe every time we change our pricing to keep up with the market because everyone's like everything's so expensive and everything is really expensive. And I'm always like, I don't want to price us out. Like, I do want to be able to work with everyone. Right? Like, I, I don't. Yes, it's a luxury to have somebody come in and organize for you, but I don't want it to be unattainable for people. Know, so I, I think, like, if, you know, it might be something that you save for, but I want there to be an extreme amount of value that you get during that session. With our team. And I mean, it's kind of like, what's the value of your time,
squadcaster-b652_1_06-14-2024_120924:Yeah, yeah,
maria-baer--she-her-_1_06-14-2024_120923:you do four hours or, you know, sometimes we have to talk about value in other ways. It's like we're working in a, in a closet with, with really nice items and everything is on a wire hanger and it's like, hangers aren't really that expensive, even really nice ones. It's not like a, it's not a huge thing. You know, product invoice that we're sending if we're switching over hangers. But it's like, why spend, you know, 75 or a thousand dollars on a blouse or whatever you're doing. And put it on a wire hanger that's going to destroy the shoulders, you know, but I'll still have to justify like the value of a nice hanger for someone. And so it is, it's interesting. But I do think because we are in people's homes and we're like hustling right in front of them. we're in, people are like, I can't believe you did all of this and you know, in four hours. So,
squadcaster-b652_1_06-14-2024_120924:yeah. I mean, some of that comes down to just like, at some point you do have to prove your value to people, but also like,
maria-baer--she-her-_1_06-14-2024_120923:Mm
squadcaster-b652_1_06-14-2024_120924:it's also
maria-baer--she-her-_1_06-14-2024_120923:Mm
squadcaster-b652_1_06-14-2024_120924:It's also, I think that that is a huge part of, of, any business owners. And, and it takes a bit, I think, to get there, but really figuring out who is your client and, and, you know, you're talking about that even with marketing and, and, and you brought up a great point as far as Not, and this was something I learned through three years. It's like, if you don't want to do garages, don't post about garages. and if you do, if that's not what your ideal client wants, it has, and you want to do, don't do it. We, I, we had something similar where we had this great, when I had my construction business, we had this amazing client, we were doing a pool for them, backyard landscaping. And they also asked us to do a playhouse for their kids. And I was like, Oh, what a cool thing. So I posted a picture about the playhouse. I, when I tell you that we got so many requests for fucking playhouses and I'm like, okay, this was like a, it was my, and that was a learning experience, right? I got, I had, I went on within a week. I'm not kidding four or five, like site visits for people who wanted us to build a tree house, basically. And I was like, no, no, no, no. I'll have to be like, okay. But when we started pricing out, it didn't make sense. Like the price for these tree houses, people, it was just like insane. But we did that as an add on because these people were building a pool and doing a full landscape and we painted the inside of their house, whatever. I quickly was like, well, I will never do that again because I can't be going on all these calls. That, that was. Very quickly. I wasted my time just for like, you know, you don't want to do garages. Like I also, like, I have a certain clientele that I want to work with and that's okay, and we want to help everybody. And I, you know, I always say I don't work with price points. I work with clients, but, also a business. And so we have to market towards whoever that ideal client is. And I think that, uh, yeah. Mm hmm. Yes.
maria-baer--she-her-_1_06-14-2024_120923:that, you know, that ideal client it's written for the ideal client and then, you know, and then you just have conversations with all the inquiries and figure out if, you know, if you're as good of a fit for them as well, you know, in terms of like the services we offer because I, I do still feel like sometimes there's confusion around, you know, What we do or where our services begin and end. You know, I'm not an interior designer i'm lucky enough to participate in the decorator show house here in indy. I've done that for three years And so I get to kind of pretend i'm a designer because i'll you know It's like paint and wallpaper and and make these effectively storage spaces look Just beautiful but i'm not a designer and so when someone's like well You I've got this closet, but then I, I need like a new dining room table. I'm like, okay, well we can help with the closet. And that's definitely where like, these are some other partners that we have. That might be a great fit for you. And so, yeah, I mean, I, I always feel very comfortable being like, that's not in my, my wheelhouse for services that we can provide. So, and, and like you were saying, like the ideal client, I think the ideal clients over
squadcaster-b652_1_06-14-2024_120924:Yes.
maria-baer--she-her-_1_06-14-2024_120923:as you you know, as, as like you get more confident in your skills, you're like, yeah, I, I do feel comfortable. in those types of homes or with those, like designer clothing or, you know, this level of China in the kitchen and, and, you know, maybe packing it up for a client or something like that. It's like you, you get more comfortable over time. and referrals are everything, you know? I mean, I feel like that's how I built this business. I really haven't done much in the way of spending money on advertising. I do a lot of like. free marketing options, you know, social and TV appearances and podcasts and things like that, where it's my time, but not necessarily like pouring money into something. And it's just, it's all been built on referrals. And so yeah, just got to do a good job for people.
squadcaster-b652_1_06-14-2024_120924:For sure. I want to touch on one thing because I know we have to wrap up something that you're super passionate about, something that you, you do that's kind of unique to your business. Talk to us about the donations list that you've created and all the donation stuff that you do. Cause this is, this is awesome.
maria-baer--she-her-_1_06-14-2024_120923:This was like, like when I talk about those four months where I was still employed by my, my former company and like building the foundation of my business. This is something that I, I did then. And I just, I found every charitable organization in town that was physically taking donations from people. So not an Amazon wishlist, but like, We need bedding. We need clothes. We need sample toiletries. We need pad folios. And I've compiled them into a donation guide, which lives on our website. And I also have like these cute fold down ones that I, I share with clients when I'm on site and they're in a couple of stores here in Indy. But it is it's like my passion project to just amplify the needs that these places have. Think Goodwill is incredible. And oftentimes we do drop at Goodwill because every day we have to show up with an empty vehicle to work to take people. But there's, there are just, I mean, Hundreds of organizations in town that have really specific needs. like, you know, one example, there's a group called project play and they put, used, but in, in great condition toys, books into the hands of kids in need here in the Indianapolis area. I love them for so many reasons, but one of them is they'll do a house call to pick up
squadcaster-b652_1_06-14-2024_120924:Oh yeah.
maria-baer--she-her-_1_06-14-2024_120923:so. Last week I had a client, we filled up a vehicle, I brought it all back to my house, I pulled my own donations, and they came all up, and now I know those are literally going directly into the hands of kids in need, which is so
squadcaster-b652_1_06-14-2024_120924:That's awesome.
maria-baer--she-her-_1_06-14-2024_120923:And there's just a huge need, and you can pretty much donate, like, You know, anything in good condition, there's probably another home for, or just educating clients, even on like the power of a buy nothing group, which those are, I mean, most communities have those where you can say, like, I mean, the craziest things are offered up on there.
squadcaster-b652_1_06-14-2024_120924:Oh yeah.
maria-baer--she-her-_1_06-14-2024_120923:up this, you know, bottle of lotion and I'm allergic to it. Like, who wants it? You know what
squadcaster-b652_1_06-14-2024_120924:Yeah.
maria-baer--she-her-_1_06-14-2024_120923:like, there is a way to like, not fill the landfills, but also I just really. Try to work with my clients to educate them on like, just being a really conscious consumer, like thinking twice before you buy, because ultimately like all of that stuff has to go somewhere someday. And I think that we have a big consumption problem as a society, makes us feel really good to buy new things. And, and, and yet sometimes, it's maybe not the best for the environment or like, we just don't, we don't need it. So So I, I like to talk to people about that too, because I don't want you to just buy stuff that ultimately you're, you're going to donate tomorrow, you know, even though there are places that need those things. So
squadcaster-b652_1_06-14-2024_120924:Yeah.
cheryl_1_06-14-2024_090924:That's been my biggest shift. That's been my biggest shift over the last year is if it comes into my house, it's one day going to have to leave my house and. So what do I need to stop buying and stop doing? And the Amazon deliveries have slowed down tremendously. I still have the weeks where I need a little comfort and, and you do see an uptick,
maria-baer--she-her-_1_06-14-2024_120923:I
cheryl_1_06-14-2024_090924:but by and large, it's, it's improved tremendously over here.
maria-baer--she-her-_1_06-14-2024_120923:it's like, to take it one step further, and this could probably be like a part two conversation for another hour. But if you're not the one to make a decision about it, about like what's happening to it down the road, someone else has to, right? Like your kids have to. And so a lot of our clients, I feel like are at that age where maybe they've, they are helping their, their parents age in place, or they've moved them into like a senior living community. And the way that all of that stuff feels as a child, you know, an adult child, like, having to figure out what to do with all of those things, it is so overwhelming. And so, like, we're in that spot right now where we're experiencing it as a child, as an adult child, you know, like, what do we do with all of our parents stuff? But then, do we really want to do the same exact thing to our kids? some
squadcaster-b652_1_06-14-2024_120924:Oh my God. Dude.
maria-baer--she-her-_1_06-14-2024_120923:just really um, Like i'm a big proponent of pitching some of the artwork that comes into the house
squadcaster-b652_1_06-14-2024_120924:Dude. The artwork.
maria-baer--she-her-_1_06-14-2024_120923:keep it and like if you're gonna keep it like organize it sort it so that someday you can say like I cared so much about this stuff And I condensed it down and this is your very best work and here you go. And it's like a manageable amount, not just like a ton of cardboard boxes with just stuff thrown in it. And you're like, you know, cause it's like, no one wants that.
squadcaster-b652_1_06-14-2024_120924:No, my,
maria-baer--she-her-_1_06-14-2024_120923:adult
squadcaster-b652_1_06-14-2024_120924:my mom did that to me, by the way, she kept all this stuff. And then once I was an adult, she was like, here, come get all your stuff. And I was like, I didn't, I didn't choose to keep that stuff. Like you chose,
maria-baer--she-her-_1_06-14-2024_120923:Yeah.
squadcaster-b652_1_06-14-2024_120924:chose to keep my kindergarten artwork. I don't like, I'm going to throw it away. And she was like, how dare you? I kept it for all these years.
maria-baer--she-her-_1_06-14-2024_120923:Sometimes as a parent, it's like, well, I'll let my kid make that decision down the road. I'll let my kid make the decision down the road. I think most people as adults are like, no, I wish you would, would have made some of those decisions because like, like, I don't want to deal with
squadcaster-b652_1_06-14-2024_120924:I have enough decisions right now. I don't, I don't need to decide whether I keep my fifth grade basketball trophy. Like, I mean, like I don't need it. There's there's enough.
maria-baer--she-her-_1_06-14-2024_120923:That is other day, our kids have camp and when they came h do it like a, like a show a little, what's it c you know, with the bar on And so they did this show Tyler, my husband, I was You still have some of your trophies. I said, we need to go pull those out and give them to the
squadcaster-b652_1_06-14-2024_120924:Yes.
maria-baer--she-her-_1_06-14-2024_120923:our kids are just like losing their minds. They, they now have them displayed in their bedrooms
squadcaster-b652_1_06-14-2024_120924:Same.
maria-baer--she-her-_1_06-14-2024_120923:about it. So also it's like, if you're saving it as an adult and it's from your childhood, like, Why are you saving it? And could you potentially like, let, just let your kids play with it. Let your kids play with the American girl dolls
squadcaster-b652_1_06-14-2024_120924:Yeah.
maria-baer--she-her-_1_06-14-2024_120923:you know, give them your trophies, because honestly, like, what else are you saving
squadcaster-b652_1_06-14-2024_120924:What it literally those two examples. I, yes, I give my game, my boys, all of my kids, all of my trophies from when I was a kid and they fricking love it, I'm pretty sure. My son took it to show and tell, and then it broke and they were like, Oh mom, are you upset? I'm like, no, I don't who cares.
maria-baer--she-her-_1_06-14-2024_120923:Yeah.
squadcaster-b652_1_06-14-2024_120924:And then I gave my daughter and this was hard for me. I don't know why, but I think there was so much value and emotional attachment. Unlike. to American girl dolls, but I gave my daughter, my Samantha, my original Samantha, American girl doll. And she is like, she was just over the moon about that. Like it was so special to her. And it was such a nice, you know, like a gift that I could give her. And I had all the shit, but part of me was like, should we sell that for your college tuition? Like, like maybe don't mess it up because, but she loves it. And it's.
maria-baer--she-her-_1_06-14-2024_120923:And there's, there's like a sense of joy for you to see her playing with this thing from your childhood. So where it's like, I, I do feel like we love helping clients move because it is that opportunity to like go through everything you have and decide if it's still important to you. But even if you're not moving, I still think that like every couple of years, just doing an inventory of your house and like the stuff you're saving. And, and kind of thinking through like, why am I saving this? Is it still important to me? Do I, could I bless somebody else with it? Do I give it to my kids? Like really kind of thinking through that, um, I think can just ease a huge weight off of your shoulders at, at various points in the future. So
squadcaster-b652_1_06-14-2024_120924:Awesome.
cheryl_1_06-14-2024_090924:Well, Mariah, you have somewhere to be. A client is waiting for you to change their life. So please tell us where people can connect with you. How can people find you if they'd like to work with you?
maria-baer--she-her-_1_06-14-2024_120923:my last name is spelled A E R. So handles on social and the website is thebearminimalist. com. And on social, The Bear Minimalist. It
squadcaster-b652_1_06-14-2024_120924:Amazing. And everybody in Indie
cheryl_1_06-14-2024_090924:Wonderful.
squadcaster-b652_1_06-14-2024_120924:hire her immediately because she's fabulous just wonderful to talk to and hang out with and be. And she's such a light. So, um, thank you so much for being here. Thanks for chatting with us.
maria-baer--she-her-_1_06-14-2024_120923:wonderful.
cheryl_1_06-14-2024_090924:you.
maria-baer--she-her-_1_06-14-2024_120923:You too, Art.