Episode 37 - Meet Entrepreneur And Drybar Co-Founder Alli Webb, On Keeping It Real And Paying It Forward (Full Transcript)
This is a full transcript of the Nirvana Sisters podcast Episode 37 Meet Entrepreneur And Drybar Co-Founder Alli Webb, On Keeping It Real And Paying It Forward.
Editor’s Note: Please know that this podcast transcript is automatically generated and may contain minor errors such as typos and word switches. For more information, be sure to listen to the podcast here or view our podcast episode guide.
Amy: 0:06
Welcome to Nirvana sisters podcast where we take the intimidation out of well being and beauty to help you achieve your highest state your nirvana. We are sisters in law and your hosts. I'm Amy Sherman.
Katie: 0:18
And I'm Katie Chandler. So let's get into some real conversation
Amy: 0:28
Welcome to the show Nirvana sisters family. So today is a really, really special episode for both of us. But today we're talking to someone who has been so inspirational to me, and really a role model to me whether she knows it or not. But anyone who knows me well knows that I've always looked up to you, Alli. And just from from, from, from a business sense, from personal sense, your honesty and transparency. And also, you have two boys were the same age like we just have a lot of similarities. And so I'm so excited to have you on the show. And just thank you for spending time with us today. We have Alli Webb on the show, who I'm sure most of you know, but if you don't, she is the co founder of dry bar, the founder of dry bar. She's also now the co founder of squeeze, which I'm so excited about because we have an opening up in Bethesda near me. We interviewed Britt on the show a couple months ago, and she was amazing. We loved her. Okay, humans, the future face to face talk therapy, and Beckett and quill. And we also interviewed Meredith Quill a couple weeks ago, and we're always gonna vote because we love our necklaces, we got our earrings. We're all we're all judged. And we're so excited to talk to you. But I think the reason why I have been so inspired by you over all of these years and like I've spoken Katie's ear off about you and your background, all of this stuff is because I think when when Drybar launched I was it was like, I think right before I moved out of New York, and it was the first time it opened my eyes up to like, oh my god, like, if I thought of this idea, I could have opened this, like, this is actually something because I always was into hair because I have curly hair and my whole life. It's like, you know, yep, doing a million things to try to make it look better. Like, there was this. Salon Davishon in New York, I don't know if you remember back in the day that like curly hair, and they had a whole system. And I was like one of the first people there. And I was always talking to people there. So it was like really into hair and beauty and all this stuff. I work in Marketing, but that's a different story. But anyway, I just thought the concept was so simple and groundbreaking to me and the branding and the experience and the whole vibe of it. And, and the bigger meaning of course behind it, which is you walk out you feel confident, you feel happy. And the whole thing, that whole experience does that for you. And so like it sort of opened my eyes to like, wow, like, I could open something one day for myself, I've been in corporate America forever, and it could actually be in business. And it could be something that I'm passionate about and love because they think prior to that you think of opening a business as like, I don't know, like an accountant or a lawyer like nothing that you actually would be interested in. So anyway, it's always opened my eyes and since then I've followed you, and seeing your, your career and all of your ups and downs and just, I've always been so inspired and like you're the one person that everybody knows, I like just have a total girl crush on because you just You mean a lot to me. And so, thank you, thank you again. So yeah, that's
Alli: 3:18
it, say that and it's nice. It's nice to hear. It's always great to hear that kind of stuff. And but mostly like the fact that you know, my story, my journey has resonated with you and inspired you to you know, get the confidence to go out and do your own thing, which is really, I'd say where I am now in my life. You know, I'm I'm starting to write my second book, I just got a book deal, which is like such a big deal adulation, exciting to me, thank you, and, and I'm excited to really, you know, write about that. And like this kind of, like, if I did it, you can do it story because, um, you know, I'm not your typical, I mean, I don't think there is a typical anymore. And I think it's evolved so much. I feel like, you know, we first started dry bar, and, you know, entrepreneurs weren't as accessible as they are now especially, like female entrepreneurs. And just to your point about, you know, companies were like, big conglomerates and nobody knew who ran them and no, you couldn't reach anybody there, you were never talking to the CEO, like nothing like that ever happened. And, you know, I happen to come in, at the, you know, somewhat of the forefront of like entrepreneurs, you know, being accessible and available. And, you know, I've taken it to pretty extreme with, you know, being pretty open and transparent with things that are going on in my life. And you know, that's been an interesting evolution and I I often like kind of ponder why, you know, talk about so much of that stuff, but But hearing what you said and things like that, and the feedback that I do get so much is like, it is this like, you know, you're talking about it. It's relatable to me, whether it's like building a business or how you raise money or going through a divorce, or whatever it is. Yeah, I feel I feel really compelled and drawn and to this, like, you know, be, you know, share what you know, and pay it forward and all of that. So, so it's really nice to hear. So thank you.
Amy: 5:21
Of course, of course, before we get into it, though, I do want to take a step back, because in our show, in the beginning, we always like to do a nirvana of the week or day or whatever. It may be just a little something that sparked joy that made you feel good that you kind of like that put a smile on your face this week. So Katie, I'll flip over to you first to give us your nerve. Okay, great. Well,
Katie: 5:40
thanks. Well, Alli, first of all, you know, I'm so thrilled that you're here. So thank you. My Nirvana, it happened yesterday, it was this weird little moment, I was speaking to this woman that I'm thinking about doing some personal work with. And she is a type of coach and I had to have like full disclosure about my health issues with her. She was the first adult that I've ever spoken to, that grew up with a sick mother that had autoimmune issues and had challenges and was a child and had to have a sick parent, which is what my daughter's go through. And I got emotional talking about it, because I've literally never spoken to someone that was that. And she said to me that she thinks that it made her very resilient and very strong and more empathetic. And like, you know, she's this wildly successful, fabulous woman, and she accredits a lot of that adversity as a young child, to helping her gain those qualities. So that was a little nirvana for me, because I never thought about it from that point. You know, we always think we're screwing up our children all day every day. So yeah. Oh, we are.
Amy: 6:54
So I like that. Yeah. I never thought about
Katie: 6:56
that. It was it was nice to hear. So that Yeah. So Amy, what about you? What was yours?
Amy: 7:01
Well I have two. So the first one was just as Katie knows, I have time to myself on Saturday. No, Alli I saw this on your Instagram stories recently about talking about time to yourself and I treasure that's so much like I love being alone and just having time to myself just to regroup because then you just come back and you feel refreshed. So I've been stuck in the house because of COVID yada, yada. I haven't been anywhere. So I have to like run errands and return things which so I did some shopping, I returned some things, walked around, did a little shopping around some stores. And I'm like, oh my god, this is so amazing to be my I felt like I was on vacation. My final letter. I'm like texting Katie. I'm like, oh my god, this is so amazing depth time to myself. So that was great. But really, more importantly, a really cute moment. Yesterday, I had in the car with my son who's 14, almost 15 I have two boys like you alley. One's 15. And one's almost 15 and one's 12, almost 13. And we were driving in the car is taking him to his girlfriend's house. And he was like, you know, in a good mood. And so like when I catch him in a good mood, it's like amazing, because we'll talk to me. And car time is always the best. So he was just talking to me the whole time in the car and like just telling me a million things and talking about when he's older this and college and just literally talk to me the entire time we're in the car, which is so nice. So usually he's like quiet or says one thing. So that was so sweet. And then the cutest thing was, I'm dropping it off dropping him off at his girlfriend's house. And he looks at me before he opens before he leaves the car. And he goes, Mom, do I look good. And I was like, it's cute. You look great. I love you. But it was he never does stuff like that. So you could tell he was just like, excited to see her. And it was just like, so heartwarming and sweet. And I just drove away with like, the biggest smile on my face. So that was my happy moment of the week. What about you, Alli?
Alli: 8:40
Um, those are such good moments. And I feel like I can I can share in both of those with you guys. I mean, you know, Katie, going back to what you were saying about this woman that you met and how it build resiliency in her, you know, it is interesting, and I was joking that we all mess up our children, but I think we do. And I don't think it's a bad thing. I mean, I think it's like, we just, it's just we're just like we're doing the best we can as parents, our parents did the best they can like I can point to lots of things that my parents did that were like, you know, I wish quote unquote, they had done different Not really, but in the moment, you know, and I remember when I was going through, you know, my divorce and my financial advisor, ironically, of all people at the time was like, you know, because I was so worried like that I was gonna fuck up my kids because I was putting them through a divorce and our divorce wasn't. I mean, it was it was it was really rough internally, but we kept it pretty like smooth on the outside for my boys. And I remember him saying to me, similar to what you just said that it was. It was his parents were divorced when he was young, and it was so character building and it made him so strong and now I'm not advocating for divorce by any means, but I do think that there is like, we're so worried about putting our kids through anything hard because we want us to shelter that, I mean, it's just our natural, like motherly instinct to want to shelter our children and shelter them from bad and evil and harm and all of that stuff. But like, it doesn't really prepare them. And, you know, I mean, I had a fair amount of sheltering. And I had, you know, and I didn't have anything really crazy to happen to happen to me. But I do think that there is like, some resiliency and strength in that. So, I know, I just really relate to what you're saying. And I bet your kids will end up being really strong as a result, you know, and I think mine are too as a result of going through divorce. And, you know, and they and, and, you know, they see me so much happier on the other side of it. So like, while we were in like the mud and trekking through to get to the other side, it seemed like, Oh, God, are we ever coming back from this? And we have, and it's really beautiful now. So anyways, um, but as far as Nirvana moments, I mean, you know, I love that, by the way, and it's a good it's a good reminder to like, talk about the things that, you know, I have this like, Yeah, right here, this like Five Minute Journal thing that I write in pretty regularly. And it asks you really awesome questions, which I like, because it's like an interactive thing, and which I like. But I, you know, this this weekend, Adrian, and I went to where we're going to get married, nice in May. And, um, you know, we were doing a walkthrough and our wedding planner was there. And it was like, everything really, like, is working out and going well, and it's like, in a sea of like, shit that's been going wrong for like, what feels like, for so long. It was just so nice. And I remember feeling like, Oh, my God, like, I'm just such a, like, everything's wrong. We have to fix everything, like, where's the problem, it's just my nature. The fact that it was like, everything was pretty smooth. And we had, you know, a moment where we were standing where we're going to get married, and a moment where, you know, my boys are going to actually walk me down the aisle. And we like sit, we were kind of walking through and we were standing we kind of stood where my boys will like, pick me up and walk me down the aisle. And I got so emotional. And I was like, Oh, my God. Like, some real emotion about the wedding hit me and which is just like a weird place to be. Because, you know, this is my second wedding. And it's like, it is just feel a little weird to be having a wedding again. Even though it's, you know, a natural progression. So anyways, that was like a moment that really hit me. That was really,
Katie: 12:32
that's great. I love that. Yeah. Thanks. Sweet.
Amy: 12:34
Yeah. Yeah, congratulations on your wedding. We're so happy for you. I feel like you know, we watch the journey of everything going on. I feel like I just there were so many raw emotions and like to see you come out with an amazing guy and actually heard the podcast episode when you met those that matchmaking company I remember the episode from raising the bar. And I'm just so happy you found such an amazing guy. He just seems so intuitive, but evolved introspective. Yeah, like introspective. It's very, my husband's like that, too. And it's it's an incredible quality. And it really brings out so much more. So that's awesome. And when you're getting married again,
Alli: 13:13
we're getting married in May. Nice. Yeah. And it's like, it felt like, you know, we had like, no logging is longer than my first marriage anyways, and, or my first engagement, and it was a felt like it was so far away. And I can't believe it's less than five months now. It's like, you know, we have so much going on that these next five months are gonna fly by and yeah, excited. And it's like, you know, it's like, it's a little, it feels like a do over and a lot of ways. And, you know, to really be planning this thing exactly how I want it exactly how we want it and not like, you know, unfortunately, my mom passed away about six years ago. So she's not in it, which is a bummer. But I mean, it's just, it's also like we're paying for it. We're doing everything exactly how we want it. We're making it exactly what we want. I'm you know, it's not
Amy: 14:00
there's some tradition of all the people there you want. Yeah, it's awesome. You know, we're
Alli: 14:03
Yeah, where my first wedding was like, all my parents friends, which is awesome, right? They gave us a lot of money. It's a different, totally different vibe. And, um, you know, and I think also just based on like, how last couple of years have been to be having everybody in one room together. Feels like, you know, super special. So,
Amy: 14:24
yeah, for sure. Special. Um, I see you got to see kind of a preview this weekend and got to like, take it in for a second because you're probably running a mile a minute. And so to have that reflection moment, so nice. So nice. Awesome. Okay, so we're gonna give you some quick fire questions, get into some stuff. So I guess I gave a little bit of your background and I'll probably give some in a pre record. So just speaking about your mentors. I mean, I think a lot of people look to you as their inspiration and like mentorship Who were your mentors. I know you've talked about your brother a lot, but who kind of gave you guidance and still gives you guidance and who you're getting inspiration from lately. Yeah, I
Alli: 15:00
mean, it's really all over the place. I mean, I, you know, I'd say like, first and foremost was largely my parents and my mom, as you know, growing up as like, you know, in, in, in a family where my parents had their own business. And, you know, I mean, going back to her saying about our parents and the things they are doing that we think they should be, like, you my parents worked, I came home from school, my parents were rarely there. And I used to always joke around that I wanted to cookies and milk mom, because like, my dad, you know, and I was like, why aren't you that for me. And when I was little, it really bothered me and I was I got older, I learned at the older and older I got, the more I realized that like, I, I watched my parents work really hard for what we had, which, you know, took a long time. And, and it, you know, I don't even think I was aware of it, it was building such a strong work ethic in me. And I really realized that once I went out into the world, and I, you know, I went out into the world, and I was like, you know, getting my first jobs, and I was treating every job like it was my own. And I was, you know, and I was like, what, like, what, where did this come from, and I realized it was really from what as I got older, and I understood it more was like, from watching my parents and how hard they worked. And, and they just always instilled that in us. And I worked for my parents when I was young, too. And so, you know, my dad and my dad, my parents always had such a great work ethic, they worked really hard, but they also had this like, you know, kind of work hard play hard mentality where I like my parents was like, if you do it, you know, you you're supposed to do in your responsibilities. We, you know, did you can, you can leave when you want or, you know, you know, have a little more freedom, just do your job and do it supposed to be done. And I think always it versus like, people be sitting out at us from here to here, I was like, there was a flow of like, you can kind of as long as you're doing what you need to be done. And that and that, that attitude, I think instills a stronger worth that work ethic of wanting to do something versus having to do something, you know. So I would say, you know, for me, it really started there. And certainly my brother along the way, you know, has been a strong inspiration for me and mentor for me and, and then I think it's like varied over the years, you know, from like, people like Jenna gurwitch, who was is the founder of Laura Mercier, cosmetics. And she, you know, introduced me to some really great people and taught me some really great lessons about building a product line early on. And, you know, like, I don't know if you know, who Wendy zonder is, but she's the founder of Urban Decay cosmetics. And we had, yeah,
Amy: 17:36
I know that name.
Alli: 17:37
Yeah, we had the same financial guys, the same private equity guys. And so, you know, she, she was, like, helpful in like, bridging a gap when we were raising money, and I was learning how to, like, deal with private equity guys, and, you know, I feel like, just like friends and relationships and, you know, mentors, like, they come into your lives in the time where, like, you need them. And it's like, you know, just like anybody else. It's like, sometimes you just need somebody to help you with this thing that you're going through, and then you don't anymore, you know, and I think that's like, kind of the nature of mentors and people who are inspiring to you. And, you know, and then there's been people like, you know, like Whitney Wolfe, who's the, you know, founder of Bumble who has become, you know, a friend of mine who I don't really talk to you all that much anymore, but I did when I was ironically, when I was going through my divorce. She was really there for me, like unexpectedly and really helped me and like, Maria Shriver is someone I've always looked up to, and when I'm not like a big I listen to a lot of books. I like audiobooks now, but I never I can't sit and read I don't have the patience. I get time. But I can listen and walk and I'm very happy. I love you orderly, yeah, that way. But I happen to read a lot of Maria Shriver's books, when I was a kid, I was just really inspired by her and it was very serendipitous for me as I got older, and I, she invited me to, she interviewed me in the early days of dry bar, and she, Catherine, her daughter, like stumbled across dry bar and loved it and told me about it. And Maria called me and was just like this, like love fest, and we became friends. And, you know, and kind of intermittently and then once when I was also going through my divorce, and you know, I didn't have my mom and she just really was like, buried, like, she's very tough love if you know her, she's like, no bullshit, and like, won't do it. And, and I kind of needed that, you know, I mean, I remember being on the phone with her one morning, and she was like, basically, like, get the fuck out of bed. What are you doing? You know, and so, you know, she was helpful for me in that way. And, you know, so I don't know, I could probably go on and on about the different. I've been really fortunate and lucky to have some really amazing women around me in my life that have, you know, inspired me and helped me and guided me through different, you know, phases. And, you know, I think all of my I would, I would say it's safe to say almost all of my friends are founders, entrepreneurs or, you know, running big companies are at the helm of big companies and you know, we all lean on each other from time to time So I feel like I'm I have a pretty big network of women that I can call on when I'm like, need help with something confused about something you'd bounce something off. So, yeah, they come in all shapes and sizes. Yeah.
Amy: 20:11
Yeah, that's so true. And it's really the thing about your parents actually, I was listening to it, because I have always worked as well. And like, barely, I mean, took off maternity leave, but like, have always worked. And I always struggle with that guilt of like, should I stayed home when my kids were younger, and like, I was never the milking cookies, mom. And I've always had, you know, a corporate job. And now I'm starting this and now I'm like, straddling both worlds and really busy but, but the pandemic has actually been like, such a blessing in disguise, because I've been home. Yeah, made me realize, like, oh, I can start my own thing and still work and be with them so much more, but it's your point. I'm also teaching them a work ethic. And they've been to my office and they like see all this stuff and see all these amazing trips I go on. And so it does give them that lens of like, you are card and you do these things. And you know,
Katie: 21:09
as the milk and cookies stay at home mom that doesn't actually make the cookies and put up the milk.
Amy: 21:16
Oh, please, Katie, you're she's an incredible mom.
Katie: 21:18
Yeah, but I can tell you, you know, what I always stress about is oh my gosh, my children aren't seeing me work. They need to I need to show them this great work ethic and all that stuff. So it's, it's just funny, but I love what you're saying about your parents. The work hard play hard thing, because we are household is all about that. And I never thought I never correlated it so much to the passion for for working and getting it done so that you can feel like, alright, I can do whatever I want. I've got it. The world is my oyster. You know, like you said, wanting to do it instead of having to do it is key. It's such a great lesson. Yeah, yeah.
Alli: 21:53
So and I learned that through parenting too, right? It's like, my kids are, you know, a lot like me, I think we're all like this. It's like, if someone's like, forcing you to do it, you're like, fuck that. I don't want to do it. But if someone like allows you to find it, and works, it's like, so true of all the things right? It's like, you can't be forced. It's like, you can't What's the old adage? You can't you can, you know, bring a horse to water, but you can't make a drink. It's like, you can only do so much. And you know, and get resistance. So yeah, it was a good, like, early life lesson for sure. Yeah,
Katie: 22:21
that's great. Now you're alright, so drybar, squeeze, Beckett and Quill, and they've all been like back to back to back to back to back. What have been some of your biggest challenges and like learning curves going through, you know, this journey? I mean, it's a lot starting one after the other after the other? Certainly, there's got to be a couple things that have stood out.
Alli: 22:45
Yeah, I mean, I think it's kind of different for all of them. I mean, with with Drybar, it was like, you know, it was going from, and I'll make this brief, because, you know, it's like 10 years worth of this, but like, going from it being like my baby, my business, me and my brother and like, slowly bringing on more and more people to it becoming this, like massive brand, and needing so much help and not, not being the one making every decision not being at the helm of the company anymore. And, and that transition was really hard for me, you know, and as I look back on it, you know, it was definitely like, a process, you know, that I don't think I was, I could see at the time of like, letting go and learning that, like, you need, I needed really smart people around me who knew lots of things that I didn't know, it's like a very crystal clear lesson, but at the time, it was like, I was a maniac about it, you know, and I and I had a hard time accepting, you know, letting other people do what they were really good at stuff that I didn't know, you know, so it was like, an interesting evolution of, you know, both a personal and professional evolution to like, you know, navigate learning how to be the boss and having to be the person that you, you feel like has to know everything and make every decision to being like, wait a second, I don't have to know everything, and I don't have to make every decision I can use, you know, I can utilize all these people around me and let them you know, feel empowered, and whatever. But then there's like ego, and you're like, No, no, I have to know everything. And no, no, this is my idea. And I have all the answers. And I'm the smartest person in the room, which was never the fucking case. But you you know, you're under this, like, what am I supposed to be doing what people expected me there's, you know, for me, there was no like, you know, there was no guidebook on this, you just kind of made it up as us which, you know, feels very liberating now, but at the time was very stressful. So, you know, I think it was like it was a process and I learned so much as a result and you know, and then I think what was an interesting transition for me was going from like being in the day to day to not being in the day to day to like finding my new role within the company as we grew it and brought on a professional CEO and all these people in the company it expanded so much to them like You know, figuring out where my place was, and then you know, because cam, my ex husband was the creative mastermind, and we had a creative office separate than our, you know, that our we had our main office in Orange County in Irvine. And then we had our creative office in LA. And then once we split, and that was the office I worked out of now I'm like, shit, you know, where do I, what do I do? I'm already not quite as involved as I was, but but not, you know, not completely out. So that was a really hard time for me. And also it was, you know, but it was a really great time, it was such a reinvention. You know, where I were, I was going to divorce and like refi rediscovering myself. And while it seems back to back, I really did have some some time, you know, we were starting to build squeeze, which Brittney who you now know, you know, who, you know, for people listening ran our marketing a dry bar, she, you know, Michael, Michael actually approached me about doing squeeze, when we were still in the, in the thick of it dry bar. And I was like, no, like, I don't have it in me to do that, because I was so burned out by that point. And life was so crazy. And, but Brittany wanted to do it, which we were so grateful for. And she's done a phenomenal job. You know, so I was really grateful I was able to like coast there for a little while, while we were like between and the divorce and then squeeze was happening. And, you know, I did have like a year there where I, you know, I think I led on to it a little bit, but where I was really just like sucking air and just trying to stay above water, while I was like dealing with my personal stuff, which then, you know, on the on the flip side made me a softer person, like probably a better person, you know, a stronger person and all of the things that I, you know, became and then that's kind of when, you know, that was kind of somewhere in the middle of the pandemic, and things were crazy to squeeze. And now we're like, up and running. And we're opening more. And, you know, about a year ago is when I discovered Meredith, and we became friends. And I thought, you know, that there's, there's really something here. And that's been a really fun, like, you know, labor of love kind of project. So they've all happened in this really interesting way. But it's been a lot of like self discovery, and a lot of like, I hate using the term, like lonely at the top. But there is some truth to this, like, I built this business, and we had a lot of success and like, and then and then in like what felt like one fell swoop, my life kind of completely unraveled, and like, what am I doing now? And I've had to like, figure all that out. And I'm grateful for it, you know, and I feel like I've kind of landed on my feet. And I still kind of feel a little like, all over the place, like, what am I doing? And my schedule, and my life is such a mixed bag. It's not it's not. It's not when, you know, I don't do the same thing every day ever. You know, so I'm, you know, and I'm exploring lots of different projects and investments and all sorts of different things now. So I'm, I'm finally at the point where I really like what I'm doing. It just doesn't look like anything like it's ever looked before. So no, I guess it's kind of just rolling with it. And yeah, you know,
Amy: 28:05
you're Yeah. And you're, you're evolving every day. And it's actually I was listening to you. And I was thinking, you know, people that our listeners are entrepreneurs, founders, but also people that work, you know, in corporations or big companies, and a lot of the things you said resonated, because I'm like, kind of on both sides, right? I've had a corporate marketing role for so long, and the things and I've always been very entrepreneurial in the corporate world. And because I've always like come in and had to build something like, build the social media strategy, build the content strategy, because none of that ever existed. So I definitely, there's so many parallels in, you're moving your way and you're navigating, and then you're like, what should I be doing that should not be doing that I don't have as much control as I used to have wait, I used to work on that brand. And they're not doing it the way that I would do it. And, you know, it's there's a lot of comparisons, even though you're in a big company, like Chad, as you grow and evolve and lead. You just learn more and more about yourself what you should be doing, when you shouldn't be doing and like I'm still learning it myself. And I know you're you're starting to impact series, and we're excited to hear about that. I know, that's in a couple of weeks. And I think it sounds like such an amazing experience for people who are starting up if you want to tell us a little bit about that.
Alli: 29:20
Yeah, it is, um, you know, it's so funny. I don't know if I'm just crazy, but I feel like oh, yeah, I forgot about that. That's true. I am doing
Amy: 29:29
that a couple weeks in Nashville.
Alli: 29:32
You're doing too much if you forget about half the things you're doing. I was literally just sending emails about that before this call, anyhow. Yes. So the impact theory was serious was really born out of this, like, you know, a couple of different things like my desire to give back pay it forward. All that stuff is really important to me and and over the years. I mean, that's kind of how, you know, raising the bar started because Michael and I were getting you know, hit up all the time from people who wanting advice about starting a business running and growing and scaling a business. And, and we were that's the podcast was kind of our answer back then to like, get a lot of that information out there. And, you know, since we stopped doing that, you know, and I continue to get, you know, increase from entrepreneurs all the time, we're like, Hey, can we go have coffee? Can we sit down and talk about my business? I'm like, you know, Mike, I don't, my bandwidth is pretty small, like, you know, that's not realistic or scalable. You know, so how do I give back and I've tried, you know, a lot of different ways. And when, when Adrian I met, and he's, you know, he's, he's a founder, he's a coach of like, founders and entrepreneurs and CEOs. And that's like, what he does, like he coaches people like me, you know, so him and I, like, I could have definitely used him like five or six years ago when I was in the throes of it and I've learned so much from him. And there's so many things that I would think about differently now than I did then had, I had someone like that. And ironically, my brother and I used to talk about me getting a coach all the time, which I thought was like, the most ridiculous thing. Now I'm like, oh, it's really I mean, at least a coach, like
Amy: 31:01
I need a coach for work I've been, I needed an executive coach. So I might be calling Adrian Lee,
Alli: 31:06
it's really interesting. I really don't think I understood like what a coach does, and I think there's a lot of people like coaching out there, but he's like, and I always kind of joke around that I'm like, just to kind of tell people like, what they should be doing what to do. And he's like, No, you know, I help them see the things that they are missing, and I help them discover things about themselves. And I'm like, oh, and he certainly done that, for me in a large way on a lot of different things. And anyway, so you know, his his experience with coaching founders, people like me, entrepreneurs, like people that are maniacs and all over the place, and crazy, you know, who are mostly entrepreneurs, you know, putting to bring that together, you know, from his experience and my real world experience into the kind of combine those, you know, that that chocolate and peanut butter combination is seems so great. And so we were like, you know, and we love working together and being together and traveling together. So we're like, how do we combine these two things. And that's kind of how the Impact Theory series was born, like, let's get you let's keep it really small. We only allow up to 20 people in the room, and it's very much a deep dive into whatever's going on. We've done a couple of them now, like what's going on in your business? What's working? What's not working? What are your biggest challenges? What are you struggling with, you know, and, and what's funny is a lot of the people who come tend to come for like, one reason and mandap like dealing with another that they may not have been willing to talk about. And Adrian's just so direct and honest and has this way of like drawing things out of people. So and then I have the experience of like, you know, there's only so many things we go through as entrepreneurs like, you know, staff and scale and raising money. And like all there's like a handful of things that we all kind of deal with. And so I have, you know, I can speak to a lot of that. So and this and this particular impact series, which we're doing for all of them, we're bringing in like other successful entrepreneurs and Jessica Zweig, who has a book simply be I don't know if you guys know her, but she's has a marketing, a personal branding marketing agency, and she actually is doing I've hired her to do stuff for me. And it's been so great. And we've become really good friends. She's kind of CO headlining this with us. This last one, we're doing this next one, we're doing it in Nashville, in February, February 4. And it's just it's super fun to be in a room. It's very vulnerable. It's very honest, if the people are willing to be that way. And usually they are, it's a it's a pretty sizable investment. So it's like it takes you know, you, you really need to want to do the work when you're there. And it's very immersive. And it's super fun. I love it. I feel very connected to the people.
Katie: 33:39
It's really amazing, your, your drive and your desire to give back and to like pay it forward all of these years of grit and hard work that you put in learning as you went along. And you just want to teach it to people. I mean, I think that it's, it's just so admirable. And I mean, obviously that's one of the biggest reasons why, you know, you're one of our role models. It's just really, really cool. Amy and I, we, you know, we are just one day we woke up and like we want to do something, what is it? Okay, let's do a podcast. Alright, so we make this podcast, and it's fine, or we're talking about these really great
Amy: 34:14
people let me interrupt. It wasn't it wasn't "let's do a podcast", okay, it was. I was talking to my husband and I'm like, Katie, and I always have these really great conversations about well being and taking care of herself and she's got an autoimmune and I have vestibular migraines, and she's always researching and people always ask us, like, oh, what should I do for this? And what should I do for this? And like, how do we just talk about it? Like we're talking on the phone and people are listening in so we're like, okay, the podcast is the first way to do that. But that's just the start. And the only reason I'm cutting you off to saying that Katie is because it is it is. There is something special about Katie nice conversations they think and what we've been told is that similar to you, like we have a very real authentic way we're not like editors talking about wellbeing and beauty and all this stuff, like, it's more, we want to make it more approachable and not that intimidating. Sort of like, you know, your business has been right. Like, it's like, the accessible luxury. So we're like the attainable real like we really get into it. We ask all these like, silly questions, we'll have a doctor on the show be like, wait, what does this mean when you get, you know? So my point is, is I was just saying, Katie before we got on is like, my husband was saying, like, you guys go deeper than like, the typical well being and like, Don't you guys don't sell yourself short. And that's why I'm cutting you off. Katie just say like, it's not right that like Katie has, she's, she's a really incredible researcher. And she just knows so much about health and well being that I was like, You need to be telling people and I need to tell people my size. So anyway, sorry.
Katie: 35:53
The whole point is that we you know, we have like this young entrepreneurial spirit and us and we to be able to look to people like yourself to learn the ropes. It's invaluable. I mean, it really, it really is, because here we are, we're like spinning our wheels all the time. What do we do next? How do we get to the next week? They're
Amy: 36:10
like, what? 10,000 ideas and how do we put it all together? And anyway, I digress. Yeah. And your pot, the girlfriends and business. We love to because that I Katie and I said back episodes to each other. Because I'm like, listen to this. This is so helpful. Like the one the other day I forgot it was Lori talking to. I can't remember her name. But she was talking about like the different retailers like what kind of business you are the three R's. And that was so helpful. I was like, Oh, that like really helps us understand, like, where we fit in the Mac. So anyway, how's the podcast going? And all of that, is that
Alli: 36:45
it's yeah, it's good. I mean, it is I definitely, you know, challenged in time. Like, I
Amy: 36:51
know, you guys do a lot. It's like three episodes a week. I don't do all of it.
Alli: 36:55
We do a couple of them. Now I've had to like, you know, I mean, I've had to like pull back a little bit from it, because I just don't have the bandwidth between the you know, the book that I'm writing now in back series, Beckett and Quill, you know, I'm on not only like, still drive our board squeeze, okay, humans, I've joined a couple other boards, there's a company called ideal image, which is like the biggest medical spa in the country. Wow.
Amy: 37:20
Now that company, they they actually recruited me that we can talk about that offline.
Alli: 37:24
Funny. Um, and I joined the board of on site, because on site, you know, out of Nashville was really helpful. And just, you know, you know, Myles, who's the CEO of onside has become a near and dear friend of mine, and I love what they're doing. I mean, they're doing incredible work. And so, you know, I'm just pulling direction, a different direction. So, the podcast was a little bit challenging. So I do a couple of episodes here a month with them. So it's going really well, I'm just not, I'm not doing quite as much as they are. But you know, I'm just trying to figure out, you know, where to put my time, which, like I said, I don't even right, you got to prioritize the other big project that I'm launching soon as, yeah, it just, you know, I can't like sit still, you know, I'm trying all these things. So, I'm even getting into like, the NFT world, which is really, wow, you know, there's just like, fun stuff. So. But I love it.
Katie: 38:22
You mentioned your job, your book. So you have a new book that you're currently working on?
Alli: 38:28
Yes. Um, you know, it's so funny. I did another podcast right before you guys. And I was just thinking to myself, like, I don't think I can do two podcasts in one day, because I don't remember what I said. You're in there. Like, did I tell you guys that? I was like, Nope, I said in the last podcast, I did just get a book deal, which was like a very, very, like, big, you know, exciting thing for me that I something that I've been working on for a long time. And I had been working with the ghostwriter. And basically spent almost all of last year like outlining the book, it's about like, 19 or 20 chapters. And it's been, it's, you know, it's very cathartic going back to your life. And, and the purpose of the book is to be, you know, it is a memoir, but not, I really don't want it to be this, like, self indulgent story about me, you know, I want it to be, you know, kind of what you guys have said, Shawn, like, you know, lessons learned, you know, things that I've picked up and, and again, in that theme of paying it forward of like, here's, you know, what I've learned, here's what's worked for me, here's what hasn't worked for me Take it or leave it, you know, make it your own. Also, like a bit of a resource of like, you know, some of like, the crazy shit I've been through with my son and yeah, all sorts of stuff. So, yeah, I'm in I actually have a call with my new book editor this week to start, you know, mapping out the book, which I'm like, so excited and scared. The first book I wrote was was like a very like hair syndrich it was called the driver Guide to Good Hair for all was like breaking down. You know what I want to know about hair. And this is a much, much more personal endeavor that I'm excited about. And you know, I love obviously sharing and oversharing. So it'll be fun. But yeah, lots of lots of project sounds like that's fine. skills needed. Yeah.
Amy: 40:22
When is this? Yeah, seriously.
Katie: 40:24
Any idea? We'll be out? Do we is there
Alli: 40:28
probably early 2023? Okay, great is what it's looking like now, which just seemed really far, but not when you're writing a book,
Amy: 40:35
you read the Jen Adkin book. I heard that was really good. I started it. Finish it.
Alli: 40:40
Read it. But I love Jen. And I've heard it's amazing. Yeah, I've heard. I've heard really good things. And she's a gem of a person. And I'm sure she's very smart. And so I'm sure it's great.
Amy: 40:52
Yes, like you. I'm listening to it. But I this is what I do. I listen to five things at once. I'm sorry. She repeated herself. I don't know. I actually that one. I started reading on my iPad, like the night when I couldn't sleep. And then I bought the audiobook, but I actually, I don't know if it's her because I've only listened to it a few times. I
Alli: 41:11
mean, I love obviously, we both have a love of audio books. Like I love it when the author reads it. I plan out so much better mine too, because there's emotion and you know, so I'm excited to do that. Yeah,
Amy: 41:23
I think it is harder now than before. Yeah, I have like 10 books open right now. Just like
Alli: 41:31
these kinds of books. And then I have like, just complete like, you know, non, like helpful books at all, just like guilty pleasure books. So
Katie: 41:41
those are something to help shut the brain down that very, very busy brain of yours. Yeah, exactly. All right. Well, you know what else we should touch on really quickly, just because we did have Meredith on recently, and it was right for the holidays when we saw her. How did Meredith How did Beckett and Quill do during the holiday season? She had some some super exciting promotions and everything. It was great.
Alli: 42:02
Yeah. I mean, we it was such a great holiday season. We were you know, blown away really by you know how, you know, the last like two months of the year where our, you know, hands down made our year so that night really exciting. And even we learned a lot about what works and what doesn't work and what to where to put our energy and it set us up for you know, this year to be able to, you know, go do a little bit more so we she had a lot of success when she was in New York with you guys in doing the trunk shows that she did.
Katie: 42:35
That was so fun. So it was a great time.
Alli: 42:38
Because she's so you know she does so well when she goes out and does the trunk. She's so cute. She's so cute. So she's,
Amy: 42:45
yeah, no. Cindy Crawford clone. Yeah, I know what she was on. I was like, did anybody has anybody told you look like Cindy Crawford? Because I can't like she's spitting at it. She's like, Oh my god. Ali says that all the time. I'm like
Alli: 42:58
You You're exactly her was oh, and the thing, the whole thing. Just take a picture of her today because it's her birthday. And I think it's the picture that is a picture of her that really I feel like looks like Cindy Crawford. Yeah. Nice. Yeah, well,
Amy: 43:15
congrats on on a good holiday season. That's exciting. We love love love what you guys are doing with decadent quality.
Alli: 43:21
Thank you so right up our alley for you guys have been awesome.
Amy: 43:24
Yeah, of course. So we have a couple of like fun questions a little rap session and product review. So what is your holy grail? haircare product? Because obviously you're the queen bee here. So we need to know like, what is your favorite thing? Do you have a favorite one or two things that are your go twos.
Alli: 43:40
I mean, they fluctuate so much, you know, it's just kind of depends on like, where I'm at in my hair journey. And I you know, I don't, I mean, I don't really blow dry my hair all that much anymore. I mean, as you can see my hair a little bit dirty right now. I kind of like it i really like undone hair. And I've always sent me to him even in the throes of drybar. But I would say like my the tool, whether the product that I stuck with for as long for very very long time is probably our three day Bender, which is a curling iron, you know, that hasn't been the barrel we I the one inch, like I've used it forever, it's such a great iron, you don't need to make it very hot. And it gives you all sorts of different curls. I would say that's probably like a staple in my hair wardrobe. And then you know, I kind of go back and forth with different like serums you know, we make a great one that's a treatment. It's called that the treatment oil 100 proof and but I really use a lot of brands a lot of different hair products from different brands that I that I love. And gosh, what am I using that I really love right now. Um,
Amy: 44:55
can I tell you a funny hack? So the dry bar dry conditioner which I love smell and I know like smells like you're very sensitive to smell and like, I am too and I love that smell. But I spread. I have a puppy, we got a new puppy recently. And I spray it in her hair every once in a while just to like, I don't know, give it a little bit of life sometimes. You know, she's outside, whatever it makes her smell good. And like my mom, remember the other day she smells so good. I'm like, Oh, I put some dry conditioner. Really good.
Katie: 45:28
My dog particularly smells
Alli: 45:32
that's so funny. And I would say like our dry shampoo is one of I use the brown dry shampoo a lot to cover up like my gray that comes in and that's like one of my favorite go twos.
Amy: 45:42
Oh, I didn't even know they had that. Nice. You.
Katie: 45:44
Nice we do you talk. Yeah, yeah, these are good ones. All right. Well, let's let's wrap into kick it to our rap session, because we have taken up so much of your time. You've been so generous. So you have a favorite wellness or beauty hack.
Alli: 45:59
You know, I would say my my latest beauty hack is I recently discovered there's this company called canopy they make. They're kind of like a revolutionary humidifier. So it's like not the humidifier. Oh, I know that brand. Yeah, it's really cool. Because they figured out this technology. So like your humidifier doesn't get gross and moldy and gross and gookie. And there's some really amazing data on like how good it is for your skin and your scalp. So I'm, I use it, it's on constantly, we never shut it off. And never you know, you have to change the filter once every, I don't know, a month or something. But it's really really easy upkeep and I love it.
Katie: 46:38
Nice. Yeah, I literally don't use humidifiers because of that exact problem. Like after a while they get gross. But you know,
Alli: 46:45
it's fascinating and I've learned a lot about this company because the long story but you know is also like men on humidifiers and use some kind of when you're sick and whatever, they get too gnarly and you throw them away you know? Yeah. However it's like multi billion dollar industry and like how in the world and these guys who started canopy who I've gotten to know which is you know, it's been kind of an interesting evolution. You know, they're like, Yeah, we just real I was like these guys started it who realized like their girlfriends were like, you know, saying that their skin was much better from having a mini humidifier but there were so many issues with them so they are kind of entering this beauty space and I was like I've been using it now for a little over a month and I'm like my skin looks and feels so much better and there's so much technology and like the fact that you know doesn't put it like a big a big water molecule into the air which would be really bad for our hair. So it's it's pretty awesome yeah, there's some really cool technology with it that I've geeked out on a little bit so I'm amused to try
Amy: 47:43
that cuz I same thing same thing didn't I think Lauren Bostic like did like a collab with them? She Yeah, okay, that's how I know the brand. Okay, cool. We got to try that. Yeah. Okay, then the next one is called our five minute flow. So you just got out of the shower your Uber pings you They're downstairs their weight or they're five minutes away. So what is your quick beauty routine? Like what are your go to is what do you throw on what do you put on your face to get like downstairs and in that Uber on time? Well,
Alli: 48:12
I would say the biggest thing is like I am kind of it's because of like my age but like skin is really important to me so I always put on like I'm like very religious with Shawnee garden products and I'll put on like toner first because I've learned that like if you put that on first it helps the other stuff seep in more I always use a serum i You start with Shani I was a serum and then I like always I usually have if I have time I'll put on like blush and lipstick but I always have my I always have eyeliner and mascara on it's like I do not feel like myself if I don't have that on everything else is like kind of like me but it's eyes for me and like a lot of shit on my face I
Amy: 48:56
feel you on that one.
Katie: 48:58
Now that's funny I refuse to leave the house without like liner Yeah, that's yeah,
Alli: 49:03
I always have liner I used to like line the inside of my eyes and then I started realizing that like my eyes like my eyes are very small and that looks much smaller now I just do the top and I I'm embracing it I'm good with it.
Amy: 49:17
Do you get lost in the TIC tock world of like hair and beauty hacks I'm like a really gentle stop oh my god I
Alli: 49:24
get it and if I if I get into if I see something I can get locked into it but I'm honestly like so embarrassing but like you know um, you've probably seen me post about my cat which I'm like such a dog person Yes
Amy: 49:37
cookie but we talked about the air tag the other day Yes.
Alli: 49:40
Oh right you guys I just ordered the collar to her because good our tag on her because that was the most traumatic thing thinking I lost her I was such a fucking wreck. And so I I'm in like, I end up my my I end up watching so many fucking kitten videos. What's wrong with me? It's really fine. I see these like cat and dog videos like where the kitten like runs into the room and like jumps on the dog's face. I'm like, Why doesn't cookie do any of this stuff? A little bit of such an animal person and like it's my dream to have like a farm one day and have tons of dogs and cats and chickens and all of that. But that's, that's coming.
Katie: 50:23
Well, maybe that's a good segue into how you maintain your daily nirvana is it possibly the kitty videos
Alli: 50:33
you know, I mean, I I you know, kind of like the post I posted this weekend of like, I realized I need like alone time and I'm, I definitely think I'm like an introverted extrovert, like, I can really turn it on and be on for the camera, and all that stuff. But then I like, I really like my downtime. I really love my downtime. And I think that's kind of what keeps me like in flow, you know?
Katie: 50:54
Yeah, yeah, totally agreed.
Amy: 50:56
Okay, well, typically, on the show, we end with a quick product review, like what we're loving now and a quick mantra. So we're gonna do that quickly. So and I think you'll like this alli, because it's kind of well kind of related, but not related to something we just talked about. So I don't know if you've heard of this brand, called Vatroovie. These diffusers Oh, no, I haven't seen that. They're air diffusers. And that the reason why I like it is it's stone and it's really beautiful. So when you have it so you can I never was like a diffuser person. But I saw these and I'm like, Oh, they're like pretty and they look nice in your office or your home. And there's I'm going to show my phone if you can see right now. But there's all these amazing colors. I don't know if you can see this, but there's like, why and pink and yeah, I was like like if you go on their website, but they have you. They have eucalyptus color and, and and gray and yellow. Not a buttercup yellow, but like mustard yellow, and they have a teal and like just always wrong with no, nothing I'm saying they have a drive a muster. where's the where's the yellow cup? Buttercup yellow. But anyway, they've cream it. Anyway, they have all these beautiful colors for TV. They're just very like, chic and Luxe. So they look nice in your home. They'll like a piece of decor versus just like an ugly diffuser.
Alli: 52:14
And one of the things I love about canopy is they're like that, too. It's like yeah, so it's so beautiful
Amy: 52:19
body and then I got like three different scents. I love grapefruit. So I put grapefruit in there. And then I also have like this grapefruit eucalyptus kind of mix and then one with lime and juniper and whatever and yummy smells. But anyway, just start using it. And now that I have my smell back after COVID I'm loving it. So it's just a really nice product. If you want a diffuser that like look chic and nice and all types of colors. It's I think it's around $110. But it's a good one. So that's what I'm loving right now. Love it. Love. The fun
Katie: 52:54
one. Yeah. All right. Well, I will wrap with our mantra in honor of Martin Luther King Day. This is a Martin Luther King quote. And it's also very appropriate to your unbelievable entrepreneurialship. So you don't have to see the whole staircase. Just take the first step. And
Alli: 53:15
that one I knew a good one I love that's
Amy: 53:19
true. Say that one more. Thank you so much. I just want to say thank you, I know are getting so busy. And we really appreciate the time you spend with us and we know our audience will love it and we'll have to meet one day in person next time. We're in L.A.
Alli: 53:32
Yeah. Thank you. Yeah.
Katie: 53:35
Thank you. Thanks, Alli.
Amy: 53:36
I say Have a good one. Thanks for listening to Nirvana sisters. For more information on this episode, check out the show notes please subscribe and leave us a review. also find us on Instagram at Nirvana sisters. If you loved what you just listened to or know someone that would please share it and tag us. Tune in next week for a fresh new episode of Nirvana sisters will continue to watch out for all things wellness so you don't have to. Bye.