Searching for validation: with possessions, respect from others, and from within: Conversations with Sisters

On last week’s episode, Kelly Breakstone Roth brought up conscious consumerism – being aware of what we’re buying at where it came from.  But why do we purchase the things that we do? Is it because we need them? Or because it validates us in some way?

Plus, we explore regret and the concept that, if you have no regrets in life, you’ve never examined yourself enough to make a change.

Transcript

Dana: It was 10 years later. This is make or break at time. Like, I don’t have time to dick around with this. It just needs to work. Whereas before we’re like, eh, fails, we’ll just live in the house, a fine house to live in. You know what I mean? Yeah. Like it’s a very different mentality. And so to me when she said that, and the question is, are you ever too old to reinvent yourself? And I think the answer’s no, I think you can always do it. 

Courtney: Welcome to Hustle and Gather, a podcast about inspiring the everyday entrepreneur to take the leap. I’m Courtney 

Dana: And I’m Dana

Courtney: and we’re two sisters who have started multiple businesses together, and yes, it’s as messy as you think. We know that starting a business isn’t easy. 

Dana: I mean, we’ve done it four times. And on this show, we talk about the ups and downs of the hustle and the reward at the end of the journey. 

Courtney: And we love helping small businesses succeed, whether that is through our venue consulting, speaking, team training, we love to motivate others to take those big leaps. 

Dana: Or you can just use our misadventures to normalize the crazy that is being an entrepreneur, because every entrepreneur makes mistakes.

Courtney: And we like to call those unsuccessful attempts around here. 

Dana: cuz we know it’s just part of the process. And today we’re talking just the two of us about last week’s episode with Kelly Breakstone Roth co-founder and CEO of The Nopo. The Nopo connects online shopper to exceptional artisans in some of the most intriguing markets around the world by bridging geographical distances and language barriers, facilitating safe and secure payment, providing reliable and efficient shipping and promoting fair trade. They enable both a comfortable and stimulating consumer experience. 

Courtney: All right. Dana let’s get started. 

Dana: All right. So there were so many things, let’s jump right into, I think one of the biggest things was when she talked about conscious consumerism and I talked a little bit about this in the podcast about how, the way that I, I feel like the last three or four years has really made me think about what I buy and how I buy it, doesn’t change a hundred percent. Like there’s still things I probably like still shop at Walmart You know, still go target. 

Courtney: Yeah. It’s unavoidable. I think that I’ve always been on some level, a conscious consumer. I was never an accumulator. Do you know what I’m saying? Like, everything was like very intentional, especially like, I, I guess when I’m thinking about my house, let’s say, or like clothing that I buy, like, I’ve always been very thoughtful as to like my taste or what I like   or it’s something had to have a meaning, like most of my pictures are from trips   or from memories that like I look at and I want to remember being there Like I’ve never really been one to just put something on the wall, just to put something on the wall. You know? Yeah. In general,  , that being said, like definitely bought my fair share of Ikea things and like to fill a gap and whatnot. 

Dana: I don’t know much about Ikea’s practices. I know they talk a lot about sustainability, although yeah.

Courtney: But I definitely think as I’ve gotten older and like had more finances to think about how I’m going to spend those finances. I mean, sometimes I think you make decisions out of necessity. Cause you only have money for what you have.

Dana: But that’s my biggest question, do you think conscious consumerism comes with privilege? Like you can’t be consciously consumed when you don’t have the money to spend more money on something.

Full Episode Transcript

Hustle and Gather is hosted by Courtney Hopper and Dana Kadwell, and is produced by Earfluence.  Courtney and Dana’s hustles include C&D Events, Hustle and Gather, and The Bradford Wedding Venue.

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