0:00:00 - Joanna Newton
Welcome to the Her First podcast, a platform to help online business owners, coaches and creators gain the confidence needed to build a successful business while creating a sustainable lifestyle balance. We are here to help you prioritize yourself in business and life. Please be advised that the content in this episode covers topics that may be triggering for some. Please review the show notes to ensure you feel safe listening.
0:00:23 - Michelle Pualani
Today we have special guest Liz Clancy, founder of Hooha and a photographer's agent with Faster. Faster, an artist's first agency representing talent. Liz and I met at the Yellow Co-Conference and I was very quickly taken by her magnetic energy, her very clear fashion sense way better than mine and certainly clever personality. We got to sit next to each other at the table on the initial night of the Yellow Co-Conference and she was just funny, kind, energetic and very quickly I also learned about her side hustle, Hooha, which had me very, very, very intrigued. Just this bright, beautiful, colorful brand and so welcome Liz. Thank you so much for joining us, and can you really just start by sharing what is Hooha?
0:01:12 - Liz Clancy
Yes, hi. So Hooha is really about accessibility and options and it is period care. So I have my little box right here and I'll show you what is inside the box. Essentially, it is like a little cocktail of your favorite period products. So we have a pad, we have a liner, we have a regular tampon with an applicator, deeper tampon with an applicator and then two little digital tampons. Which did you guys know that these are called digital tampons? I'm confusing everyone when I was doing my research. I mean, this is what you call it in the industry, I suppose, because you use your digits, no applicator needed. But a lot of people are like is it Bluetooth? Not the case, beeps?
0:02:04 - Joanna Newton
when do you need to change it?
0:02:05 - Liz Clancy
Exactly Connects to your.
0:02:07 - Michelle Pualani
Android or Apple device.
0:02:09 - Liz Clancy
Yeah, hooks up with your health app, no problem. But essentially it's got options right. So what might work for you guys may not work for me. I'm a liner girl on Tuesdays and pad girl on Wednesdays, so there's not really a place you can get a mixed little bag like this you know what I mean Like an assorted, curated pack.
The thought for Hooha came about when I was traveling honestly, I think it was during COVID and we were kind of like trying to state to ourselves in like you know red little spaces and everywhere we went, I was kind of astounded by the fact that there weren't any period products like available in the rooms and I was like this is weird, this has to be a fluke, like let's investigate a little bit more. It had happened to me so many times that where I just got my period kind of randomly and you know I didn't have something on me or I was somewhere that didn't, I didn't, wasn't close to a CVS or whatever, and I was like why isn't this a thing? Why isn't this a thing? You know, in the boutique hotels they have whiskey, vodka, condoms, beef jerky, vegan beef jerky, yet I can't get a tampon Like come on, yeah. So that's kind of how it came about, is I was just frustrated, honestly.
0:03:26 - Joanna Newton
That's so fascinating and I think some of the best business ideas and best things we can bring to the world come from really true pain points.
Right, this is a problem that a huge percentage of our population deals with once a month.
Every month they need these products and the fact that they're not ready, readily accessible in places we go, where we might emergency need one, is kind of really amazing. And when I heard we were interviewing you and I looked through your Instagram and scrolled through and kind of familiarized myself with what you do, I actually immediately thought of my early elementary school, middle school days, like young girls first getting their periods, and the embarrassment that you feel when, like you're in school I was actually one of the first girls in my grade to get my period, you know, and I was pretty young. And so when you like, started your period in the middle of the school day and like you didn't have anything on you and you don't want to tell a teacher, you don't want to tell the nurse, you don't want any extra attention on you because you're so embarrassed, and the fact that these products aren't readily accessible, but then also that like talking about your period when it's something that literally happens to us every single month is really fascinating.
0:04:48 - Liz Clancy
It's fascinating and it's also insulting, in my opinion. I'm sick of being an afterthought, you know what I mean. Like, women are 50.5% of the population, we technically, are more. It's just astounding to me that these things don't exist and that we have to do it ourselves. Right, we have to do the work as well. So that's fine, we're going to do it.
0:05:07 - Michelle Pualani
I think it's an unfortunate thing that we're so progressive in so many ways, but it's still a hush-hush thing when you get your period, like again, something that happens so consistently for menstruating folks that we deal with on a monthly or some cycle basis. That affects our lives. It affects us physically, it affects our hormones, it affects us mentally, emotionally, it affects our productivity, our focus, our work life and it's just something that we're not talking about openly enough and it is always something that we have to be discreet about or quiet about. So I love that your brand is big and bold and we're definitely going to get a little bit more into the motivation and the storyline behind your passion for this brand. So I'm excited to chat with you about that, liz.
What's funny is, I'll just say personally, at Kajabi Hero Live, where I met Joanna, I actually started my period while I was there. So here I was in a nice hotel, the Fremont down in Austin, and, thankfully, of course, room service. I was able to call and they were able to bring something up but incredibly outdated, like, still something that you don't feel comfortable talking about. The pads that they brought up were nuts, huge, just like, and I understand and respect the need for those in certain situations, but realistically, it's just outdated. It's really outdated.
So I'm super excited that you're bringing this brand to the forefront and talking about this mission, because there's a lot more to it that we're going to get into today. So, real quick, before we expand on that, your full time is as a fashion photographer's agent. Now, that's something that I just learned about through you, so if you could just give us maybe a little bit more background on that. And then what's it like? You know working the full time while also starting HOOHA as a side hustle, this full like product based business. Give us a little behind the scenes what that investment is like when it comes to energy, time, resources and where you're at.
0:07:08 - Liz Clancy
So I'm very fortunate to love both of my jobs. That's something I don't think I've ever been able to say before, but I mean it wholeheartedly. I'm so happy where I'm at right now at Faster Faster. Yeah, so I'm an artist agent, so essentially we have a roster of artists photographers, directors and then we help assist them. You know, getting jobs doing contracts, getting fair pay, all of that good stuff. So truly, it's my job to protect the artists, make sure they're getting everything that they want fair pay, you know, in a timely manner and just like managing their accounts essentially. But it's really fun and I love it. I went to school for fashion, so you know we have some cool clients and it's so neat to be able to see the work and you know, work with these photographers who are truly like some of them are pretty young and they are killing it and like it's so exciting to see them like get a billboard in Times Square and be able to be like, ooh, I worth the contract for that. You know, it's fun and it's a very small. It's a very tiny little agency, but it's great. It's great.
But, that being said, doing Hooha on top of that, she's hard. It's a lot of late nights. It's a lot of multitasking. It's probably going a lot slower than I would like. You know, the struggle is real, but it's because I'm so passionate about both, it doesn't feel as hard and I think that, yeah, I'm just kind of on my own timeline and I have to remind myself that, like, even though I want to go fast, fast, fast, faster, faster, and I want to, you know, really get Hooha off the ground, I kind of need to give myself grace sometimes and be like all right, like let's take a minute. You know Rome wasn't built in a day. Yeah, it's tricky to balance, but enjoying it along the way.
0:08:43 - Joanna Newton
That's so amazing and being able to balance, like all of those different things you're passionate about. I think is really takes a special kind of person you know to have that motivation to keep yourself going. One of the things that I find I work with a lot of creators is they can see an envision, that like end result of what they want, and then they have where they are now and it takes time even if you were doing Hooha full time to get it to your end vision. Just takes time and being okay with that and saying, okay, I'm going to do this step and this step and this step, move it forward and move it forward and eventually you'll be there, right. But I think where people lose steam is when they take those baby steps. They have a hard time not being at that end result. When I see successful creators and successful business owners, they're all people who were good with the baby steps and could see that long-term vision as they move forward.
0:09:42 - Michelle Pualani
I was really surprised, actually that who? How was your side hustle, liz? When I saw it at the conference in full force, it seemed like it was this living, breathing entity. So, even though for you it feels small, I think that the perception of it and what you're creating is really large and I don't think we give ourselves enough credit for the evolution of how we're moving through it, what Joanne is talking about, those baby steps along the way. So, identifying where you are and acknowledging, as a listener, that you may have something that's a side project, you may have a couple side projects, you may not be full-time involved in what it is that you're working to do or creating, and that's okay, knowing that you can navigate both successfully and enjoy both along the way. It doesn't have to be full-time, full-force. Go strong Because, again, the perception of it is a lot more than you think that it is and I think we don't give ourselves enough credit behind the scenes because we're in it right.
We're seeing the day-to-day, we see the missteps, we see the challenges. And then also I want to identify Liz and I had a little bit of this discussion before we hopped on is that financially it can be really challenging to get a business off the ground, and I think that the perception of it can often be that it's really simple, it's easy. Oh, they made this happen. Oh, this was an overnight success. We hear the highlight reels and we've talked about this on the podcast before. Keeping in mind and being cognizant that that building process behind the scenes takes a lot more effort, time, energy and resources than anyone can see on the outside, so give yourself credit for everything that you're doing and what you're working towards.
Now, speaking of what goes on behind the scenes, one of the things that Liz shared with us in preparation for this interview was a stand-up comedy skit, and I was totally blown away. I mean, I know Liz is funny, but I didn't expect this presentation of informative, thoughtful, educated, but also edgy type of content that came out in this comedy skit that she did. So I really want to ask you, liz, where did that come from? Can you share more about that experience and what really inspired that speaking out in that way?
0:11:53 - Liz Clancy
You are so kind. Thank you so much. That was actually my first time on stage in a stand-up setting, yeah, so comedy is something I've always been interested in, ever since I was like three. I would consider myself kind of an introvert, honestly, and so it was something that was always very intimidating to me, very scary to me, and when I moved to LA, I just wanted to meet people and get out of my comfort zone. So I started doing improv. That was so fun. I met the best people did that for years. And then I convinced my buddies to do stand-up class with me.
I was so excited to go into it. And then, once I was in it, I was like, oh no, you have to write, you have to write your set. And when I went to sit down I was like, what am I going to talk about? Y'all like, I'm not trying to be sign-piled here, I'm not going to go up and talk about my Tuesday. I just didn't know what to talk about.
And then, as I was thinking more about it this is post-Robbie Wade, we can get into that later but I had a lot of anger that wasn't going anywhere. Comedy has been always kind of a way of expression for me, right? And so then I started writing and then it started flowing. The second I started writing about something I was really passionate about and that actually emboldened me to not be as afraid on stage, honestly, because I was talking about something that I was mad about, that I wanted people to know about, that I wanted people to understand, relate with, and so it was actually so much easier for me to do that comfortably because I was so passionate about it.
0:13:18 - Joanna Newton
I think sometimes comedy can really help people see things right. When you combat something with anger or really good argument, sometimes that shuts people off from really hearing your point. But when you can bring humor to something that's serious, that can open people's minds to seeing that perspective versus just closing off from hearing that different perspective. And we as women in America have a lot of things to be angry about and are justified in that. But a lot of times when you come at that anger you get trolls and get yelled at. I'm sure you on social media probably get really interesting comments Whenever we get trolls on our content because we get them about people coming. If we're talking about it being hard for women in the workplace and presenting actual data and facts and studies that support things, I'll just get like that's not true, you're just whining.
Someone commented on one of my videos once saying she looks like she'd be the kind of girl to ask you what's wrong and then get into a fight when you told her what was wrong and then you'd end up apologizing. I'm like, yeah, I do. Sure Do you know what I mean. But it's just amazing the kind of reaction that women get when they share their issues with the world. The trolls do come out. I like sending pictures of them to Michelle and like look what we got today. I like it because it helps the algorithm, right, if they're going to fight with me, I fight back and get those comments up so more people see what we're doing right. But there is that reality when you're a woman, you come into the world, you're sharing issues women face, you're going to get that resistance and I think comedy can be a really great way to break that resistance and let yourself be heard.
0:15:08 - Michelle Pualani
Absolutely and realistically. There are eight billion people on this planet Like you're not going to please everyone, and everyone's going to have different opinions, which is valid and it totally makes sense. So it's harsh the criticism that we see in the online space, especially with things that are so emotional and everything is emotionally charged and everyone has a belief system that they're working from, and the overturning of Roe v Wade was a really impassioned experience for so many of us here in the US and for so many of us female identifying persons who navigate reproductive rights. So I think that, that being the inspiration for your writing and also an opportunity for you to challenge yourself you weren't a public speaker before that. You weren't writing comedy on a consistent basis. This wasn't just like a new topic for you. It really challenged you to get up in front of people, to have something to say and to speak out about something that you care about. So I think that, as creators, as business owners, when you find something that you're passionate about, it can really shift the fear that you might have or the insecurity or the doubt surrounding showing up, and use that as motivation, use it as excitement, use it as a drive to find a platform, get out into the world and share your message, because it's so important. When you are that personal brand, it also is a differentiating factor. Like Joanna, using that leverage of difference when it comes to the people that are responding to you and distinguishing yourself.
In the industry where there is a lot of noise, it is important in the online space and when you're creating a brand, to speak out about those things so that anger, that upset, that sadness with something like Roe v Wade overturning completely makes sense. Fundamental human and women rights are being obscured. The story, I know as we've been prepping for this interview, really does go beyond, on a very personal level, and you have shared that. You feel comfortable talking about this and discussing it today, and so we so appreciate and honor it. And can you just tell us a little bit about your experience with abortion and how that has played out for you in the narrative of your story, your brand?
0:17:24 - Liz Clancy
Yeah, thank you.
Yeah, all right. So I had abortion in college. It was my senior year, I was directing the fashion show which is like the biggest thing you can do in fashion and I got pregnant and I was in denial, 100%, the entire time. I was just like that's not real. I didn't tell a soul, I didn't tell anyone, I didn't tell my roommates, I didn't tell my family, I didn't tell anyone and I really went through this process alone and it was by the time I had found out I was too late, for the pill had had a DNC, which is a whole other like traumatizing experience.
And again, I was still going to class and like doing you know, it was just I just shut it off, I just didn't accept it at the time. And I am so grateful that I had the choice at that time, because God knows what I would have done. And I didn't tell anybody because I was so ashamed, I was so embarrassed I was, so I thought I had failed. I felt like I was a statistic. I was, you know, young girl from Louisiana and I was like this wasn't supposed to happen to me. Yet it did. And I never thought I would be put in that position until I was. And so because I think I didn't let myself really process that at the time when Roe v Wade was overturned I had buried it. You know, I hadn't really discussed it with many people at all and as the years went on I could kind of tell a friend here and there. But when Roe v Wade got overturned, it like like an arrow to the chest, and I think it just really triggered something in me and it just unlocked. It just unlocked everything. It unlocked all those years that I didn't talk about it and at that point just I'm going to curse no bucks, no bucks. Just, you know, and like you were saying, like that, that passion and that anger, just like propels, you and I just went off like a rocket and I had no idea I was going to do that.
And again, like I said, I was, you know, mostly a softer, introverted, somewhat person and I had a mental breakdown in the grocery store in Louisiana and I was in Louisiana at the time and you know it's a conservative area and I was just so mad at and I was just so mad at everyone anytime I saw anybody I just wanted, I was just so filled with rage and I just went online and started posting on Instagram and I started. I told everyone. I went from telling no one to the entire internet being like all right, look, I had an abortion that you didn't think I did it, you know it just my heart breaks for these, you know, girls that aren't going to have the same chance that I did. So I started yeah, just posting about it, and it was overwhelmed immediately by the amount of support that I had, the amount of friends that told me they also had similar experiences, like friends of friends were coming out, like people were coming out of the woodwork talking about it. And it was so cool because it's not something that we, you know, have discussed and I myself buried it for years.
Now. I think it's been such a shift and I'm honestly still very much working through it of going from never talking about it to always talking about it. Yeah, that part has proven tricky, but I'm still working through it and I'm just going to try to channel that anger into accessibility. And you know it was such a driving force with Hooha, like I had already had the Hooha idea, perhaps like floating around, and then when Ruby Made happened, I was like the Earth. We're going to do something about it, and so I was like, how can I marry these two things? And so a portion of all profits of Hooha will go to the National Network of Abortion Fund to help other people in this position.
And the other thing that has been really cool that's come out of this is being able to be a resource to people who have questions about abortion, who have friends of friends In the South. You're still screwed, you know like you can't get it there. The closest place to Louisiana to get one is Virginia, from Louisiana to Virginia, and you know Virginia might be losing it soon, so it's just trying to help as many people I can along. The way has been really, really neat and something that I've been grateful for.
0:21:39 - Joanna Newton
So yeah, and it's amazing that you've chosen to take like, take that anger and that experience. You could very much choose to like be a victim and just wallow in that, but instead turning that into something positive is amazing. And when I think about the overturning of Roe v Wade and even your experience, what screams the loudest to me is just the amount of double standard that there is for men and women. You know, I think I think that kids today are going to have a little bit of experience than we did, and I don't know how old everybody is, but the idea of getting pregnant at a young age, before you are married, for us and I think a lot of culture we're in is like so much shame.
You know, I grew up in a very religious household and I had nightmares about waking up pregnant and like what I would do I wasn't even having sex with anybody. Like I wasn't having sex with anybody and I would have nightmares that I would wake up pregnant and have no idea what to do, because if I told my parents I was going to be sinful for having had sex and then my life was going to be over. There was no choice there, you know, for like if I wanted to have an abortion because of that situation. So I had nightmares about it and it wasn't even something I had to experience, because the pressure and shame on getting pregnant at the wrong time was huge. And then, what's funny? Alternatively, when you get pregnant at the right time, it's like amazingly celebrated.
But then when you look at how men get taught to handle that, like they're just completely off the hook. That shame isn't put on them the way it is on us for having, you know, gotten pregnant in a situation where we wouldn't want to be pregnant. The responsibility is also not on them either. And when you look at the legislation that's happening and in process of happening in some southern states, there are serious consequences for women and there's no responsibility for men. It takes two people to make a baby. Nobody's going to go to the man and say, okay, well, you got her pregnant, so you're part of this and there is some sort of responsibility on you or some sort of consequence for you. But only women face the consequence and the responsibility, and something's wrong with that and what that tells me. At the end of the day, the overturning of Roe v Wade has nothing to do with anybody wanting fewer abortions, and it only has to do with women being controlled at the end of the day.
0:24:25 - Michelle Pualani
The content of Roe v Wade and everything that's happened in light of the situation and the way that women have to respond and deal with, has been really powerful. The other piece of that is actually seeing the businesses, the entities, the groups who are speaking out about it or generating funds. I think that Rachel Rogers of we Should All Be Millionaires actually started a specific fund to support abortion access for those in the states who are impacted by the overturning of Roe v Wade. So, like you, liz, like some of the other people who see the inequity with this type of ruling, are really starting to take the action and figuring out how can they do something about it, how can they speak up about it, how can they be present, how can they provide resources, how can they be an access point, a support for these people who need the support. So I know that for you, liz, it's taken time, it's taken processing and it's still an evolving journey. You spoke up and you shared about it at Yellow Co Conference and it affected you in a way that you didn't necessarily anticipate.
You've created the series on social media you call Unhinged, which I love the title, by the way. You're creating Hu-Ha as a brand that is bold and loud and a statement when it comes to reproductive rights and what women have access to on a consistent and regular basis. I would love to hear how you manage some of that, because what I'm hearing is right fear, shame, embarrassment these are topics that we try to hide. Everything from period to abortion essentially anything having to do with a woman's womb or reproduction in any way is something that we shouldn't talk about, that we should be embarrassed about, that we should hide. And so how do you navigate that fear? How do you navigate that embarrassment? How do you find something that is so difficult about your experience, a really vulnerable place for you, and show up in the online space and in your business speaking up about it?
0:26:30 - Liz Clancy
Thanks, yeah, still figuring that part out, like you said. You know, at Yellow Co we were so lucky to have Mandy Teefe of Wonder, mine there, and her speech, her talk, was my absolute favorite and I was able to ask her question. And you know it was the first time I had said to a room of people hi, I had an abortion and that's terrifying. It makes me want to die. I didn't realize how impacted I would be at that moment and how I am now like what? It's fine and yeah, I had to take a take a moment outside because it's just, it still sneaks up on me and I'm still not done processing it, you know, and I think it is because I locked it away for so many years and and I'm now just kind of dealing with the effects of it. So I'm still figuring it out. But I think I'm very lucky to be surrounded by amazing women like yourself and the women of Yellow Co, and I think support has just been the biggest thing, you know, talking and commiserating with other women who have gone through a similar experience.
I wrote a poem called Other Doves and it's like Other Doves are like the only ones that can understand it, like because I felt like I was flying and then I got like hit with an arrow, like it just took me down. It's still taken me a minute to come back up, but I'm trying. And you know, with the branding and, like you were saying, like the, you know it's very loud and it's very like in your face and it's called who ha, which is like it's not quite. I wanted it to be that way because again earlier I said like no fucks, because I'm over it. I'm over not talking about it, I'm over not calling vaginas vaginas. I'm over all of it. And I wanted to play on that kind of like 60s trippy, like still kind of 50s housewives, because we're still there. We're still there, it's 2023. And yeah, but it's also be wearing an apron. You know what I mean. And I, yeah, trying to like just poke fun at the fire, because if you don't last, you're going to cry and I'm sick of crying.
0:28:33 - Joanna Newton
And you went through so much with no support. Like you are quiet, you are by yourself, and bringing all of that to the light, well, one, I think, have a profound impact on you but also help other people who have a similar story. You know, when we think about like the Me Too movement, you know, and all of these women started coming forward about their experience being sexually assaulted in the workplace or other places, I think people were like, oh, it's a trend. You know, now everyone's just coming out for all of these men, but it's like no, someone had the was brave enough to bring that story to light and now we're going to talk about it and we're going to talk about the abuse that these women faced. One thing that's really interesting and hard for me to think about is I have a six year old daughter, so I have a little girl that I'm raising, who asks questions and talks about things, and I think about how different I'm raising her to how I was raised, but then also thinking about, like, how do I navigate these topics in a very healthy way, talking about your period when the time comes, talking about sex and what that means, and how she should navigate it as she starts being sexually active. All of those things are just in the forefront of my mind and I even think about the way I talk about my period versus the way, like I learned about a period. She already knows you know she's six, sorry. Kids come into your bathroom Like I don't know who's listening, who has kids, who doesn't, but like kids just walk in. So she's seen a period and has asked me and I've told her you know, I've literally told her the facts, and with no, you know, it's not positive. These are the facts, this is what this means, this is what that is. Will she remember all of it? I don't know, but I'm not going to say, oh, this is mommy's little secret you'll learn about one day. Why would I say that? I'm just going to say this is what a period is. And sometimes she's like, oh, am I going to have blood? And I'm like, yeah, someday, like when you're a certain age.
Now, for me, when I got my period, I had no idea what it was, and you know, my parents are great, like we have a great relationship. But again, I grew up in a very like conservative, religious environment and so my parents actually did not sign the waiver to let me do normal sex ed in school and then no one taught me anything. I actually learned what sex was. I was in a Christian bookstore and I was thinking. I was like I don't know 14. I was like I don't know what this is and I like found a book and like read it in a book, like because nobody told me.
But previously, when I got my period, I literally didn't know what it was. And my mom like, so I was like changing my underwear a lot and like I don't know what to do. What's happening. And my mom was like Joanna, you have your period. And I was like no, I don't, because I had no idea what a period was. And what's funny is she thought I was in denial about like growing up, like I literally didn't know it was happening to me and like how different I was Six year old, who under knows what a period was? And I was what 12 or something, and I had no idea it was happening to my body. No clue.
0:31:55 - Michelle Pualani
I think it really underscores the things that we try to suppress, suppress, oppress. There's this sense of shoving things down embarrassment, shame, guilt and, as an audience member, you may be wondering how is this relevant to my life and to my business? Because the things that we don't talk about come out in a negative, positive way. The belief systems and underlying understanding of who we are as individuals whether that's how our bodies work, how we show up in the world, how we work effectively with others in our relationships and our communication affects the way we live our lives every single day. Having something like an abortion, going through it alone and then navigating that over the next 10 years of your life is going to affect the way that you show up. It is going to subconsciously undermine your ability to be vulnerable in certain settings, to be your true, authentic and honest self in certain settings, to affect whether you create the content or not, whether you build the course or not, whether you reach out to someone and make a connection. So, understanding that the things that hold that shame, embarrassment, guilt are things that need to be looked at. They are things that you need to uncover about yourself and identify so that you can overcome them and grow beyond them, because that's a part of our story, it's a part of our narrative, it's a part of each one of us as we've gone through this world, and it might not be abortion for you. It might be something else, joanna not identifying and knowing what sex is or a period is. We all have these little pieces of ourselves that come out in some way and, as you can uncover them as you grow, that's where you'll see the most development, that's where you'll see the most expansion. The most scalability is when you uncover those things that you are embarrassed, shameful or feel guilty about. So, starting to think for yourself and identifying what does that mean for me? What does this look like in my life? How is that being represented in my day today, and how can I start to take action to uncover it? Can I tell someone? Can I reach out? Can I find someone who is a support, who's going to understand where I'm coming from and actually move me towards that acceptance? Because whatever that choice is, whenever that piece of you is, it's a part of you and you need to accept the entirety of you and who you are as an individual in order to expand and grow beyond it. So, just keeping that in mind as we move through this, and something that you've shared so far, liz, is that you're sick of women being an afterthought in our politics, businesses, lives. Her first prioritizing you in business and life. That is the mission, the intention behind this is so that each individual really recognizes how they're able to show up in their own lives as the director, the creator, the main what do we call it? Ingenue Joanna the main starring role of their own experience, whether that is professionally, personally, in their health, in their relationships and all of the ways in which they live their lives.
So I know that for you specifically, this came up again with the Yellow Co-Conference and it's been a struggle of mine with anxiety and things that I've dealt with in the past. We know that mental health is really, really important. It's also very significant for women. I think that women are disproportionately affected by mental health and there's a huge stigma. I'm grateful I feel like that's getting lifted. We're seeing a lot of shifts towards accepting and discussing mental health Again. Mental health, anxiety, depression and the things that we deal with on a deeper level used to be things that we don't talk about, that we don't share, that we just push that down and don't address it. So I'm grateful that that shift is happening. You've really navigated, being vulnerable in the online space, and we've talked about how you show up, but how are you putting yourself first? You've got the full time, you've got the side hustle. You're still navigating and going through your own healing journey. What are ways in which you take care of yourself in order to make sure that you're navigating this successfully and for the long term?
0:36:13 - Liz Clancy
That's a great question. Well, I'll tell you, I was up to the therapy quite a bunch, which has been really helpful. I've been with my therapist for like so long. She told me about Yellow Co. My therapist, abhikram shout out told me about Yellow Co Because I think she was a member at some point. So I'm so grateful to her for so many things, but especially for introducing me to this conference, because I would never have met you guys.
But yeah, so therapy number one. Number two is honestly talking about it, like you're saying, and letting it out has been such a relief. And just being able to really connect with everybody and people have similar experiences or they know somebody that has a similar experience, and so that's really been a huge part of this healing journey is honestly just talking about it, and the more I talk about it, the better I feel about it. And it's always two steps forward, one step back, but I feel like I am inching my way. And massages love getting massage. I think that's very important, again, for somebody who has like crippling anxiety. And then comedy honestly, I try to see comedy once a week if I can. I need to laugh it out. I need to be taken out of my head and that's a great, great, great self care thing for me.
0:37:24 - Joanna Newton
That's amazing and I think it's important when you're like burning both ends of the candle. Is that the phrase? Is that the right phrase? Burning both ends of the candle, maybe.
0:37:34 - Liz Clancy
Ok, I'm leaving now.
0:37:35 - Joanna Newton
So just make sure you're finding time to refresh, do something fun. I know this is not the point of self-care, but I always find when I take that moment to step outside of what I'm doing, I come up with my best business ideas. I know like, and then I'm like jotting them down, like think, be in the moment, have fun. But being able to get out and do things and do things that are enjoyable is really important. Especially when you're performing at such a high level. You need to be able to have those moments where you can kind of like shut off your work brain, shut off those things, so that you can be better, you know, the next day and the next day, knowing it's a process too.
0:38:16 - Michelle Pualani
You're on an evolution, you're on a journey. Nothing has to be figured out right now. Nothing has to be solid and perfect on a day-to-day basis. You know you're going to invest time in the full time. You're going to invest time in hoo-ha. You're going to invest time in yourself.
I love that you do comedy as an outlet. I think it's such a unique way to think about the way that you care for yourself, because laughing is such an expression of emotion I love. There's a Joni Mitchell song that says one minute she's laughing and then she's crying on someone's knee. You know laughing and crying they say it's the same release and it's an opportunity for us to express ourselves and be in that emotion and, of course, all of the endorphins and the good mental health that goes along with it. And I don't think that we give ourselves enough opportunity.
Sometimes, on a day-to-day basis, we're working, we're focused, we're doing, we talk about serious subjects and we care about what it is that we're doing. We're passionate about what we're doing and sometimes we get lost in the seriousness of it that we don't take the opportunity to laugh and to have joy and to bring in that energy. So I think that's a really good way to embrace it, whether you're doing it yourself or going to a comedy show. We just actually went to go see Hassan Minhaj at Vina Robles in Paso Robles. It was just such a great night to just be able to laugh, to be immersed and to poke fun at things that are challenging. It does it breaks down the barrier and again, when we consider things so politically incorrect that we don't discuss them we'd rather not talk about them, we don't want to go there that's when things become an issue, and so if we can break down the barrier of discussion and dialogue and have a narrative around the topic, it opens up the opportunity for understanding and compassion and relatability and connection, and so it really allows us to kind of drop the walls and uncover something that is vulnerable, that is shameful, that is embarrassing.
I know that through Hooha and I've seen this demonstrated, obviously in the branding and everything that you're doing, and you come from a creative background. You study fashion in college and I think that on a day-to-day basis at least to me from the outside it's very clear that you represent who you are, what you believe in, and you really demonstrate that creativity in that kind of like bold way, through packaging, through design, through content creation, and I think a lot of people really struggle with that, especially as content creators and business owners in the online space. So, when it comes to business, when it comes to how you're approaching the presentation of the brand, how can someone listening leverage their passion, their creativity, their purpose and what they feel like their values are to align with the brand and how that shows up in the world?
0:41:04 - Liz Clancy
Something that I say to myself all the time and write down all the time and have to remind myself all the time is that when I'm being myself, good things happen. I think it's taken me a really long time to figure that out. I was always an anxious, self-conscious person, always wondering what everyone's going to think of me, and I was instant styling in the fashion world and was so obsessed with how I portrayed myself outside. And when I moved to LA, I was so confused.
I think I wasn't being myself and I found myself kind of like trying to drift like a Kardashian or like you know, like I just found myself like kind of getting swayed by the LA thing and then I got to a point where, like all right, who?
0:41:50 - Michelle Pualani
are you?
0:41:51 - Liz Clancy
This, just like you love vintage. What are you wearing? Like, come on, you know, I just I kind of finally realized that like I just need to be myself and that's okay, and I think that comes with age for sure, because I did not have that same view in high school. But I think, truly, the older I get, the more confident I am in who I am and I think I've proven it to myself with you know who. Ha, because this was just an idea and I'm I'm doing it. Like you said, like this me, like this is who I am.
Like, if I was a box, I would be this box, like I can't be anything else and I think it's. You know, I've been so fortunate to have, you know, a lot of support and everyone was just everyone really likes it. And because it's different, because I'm being myself, I'm being true to who I am as a person, and I think that's just the best thing that you can do in whatever business journey you're you're going into, is just separate yourself, because people will remember that. You know, people remember this, like I put it on the shelves next to other boxes and like it stands out, and I think you just need to do that. Differentiate yourself. Try not to get lost in the you know over there doing this and they're doing this and this is how it should be done, because who says we, we create those rules for ourselves and I don't know? I think the best good things happen when you do yourself.
0:43:09 - Joanna Newton
That's so important. We actually talked a lot about this exact topic in the podcast episode that came out today, the day we're recording this, where we talk all about making yourself small and in the opposite of that is really showing up as your authentic self in your day to day, in your content creation and all of that. And what's funny is when I look back at some like older content I've created before and this is something I feel like I'm still working on but when I look back at some like older things I created, I definitely had stuff I created that I was creating to be like someone else or have an attitude or a voice, and that wasn't me. And then when you figure out how to just be yourself on camera and talk about the things you care about, I think one the results are actually better. You're going to do better in what you're doing, but you're also going to find your people. Finding your people is more important than finding any people. I don't want any people. I want my people who care about the things that I care about.
And you know, I think there can be this desire to like, oh, I have to be super cool or I have to look really, really rich. You know what I mean. Like I'm a mom from western Pennsylvania. Do you know what I mean? I drive my SUV to drop off and pick up. I'm not that cool and that's okay. Do you know what I mean? Like that's just like who I am. And then I sit in my basement making podcast episodes about, like women's issues right, which actually does make me a little different than a lot of the moms in Western Pennsylvania. So I just think that being able to embrace who you are is so important One for your own self right To like actually be satisfied with yourself and happy with who you are. But I also have found, personally, that it brings about more success, even when you're just saying this is who I am, this is what I believe in. I'm going to show it to the world instead of trying to package yourself like you're somebody else.
0:45:12 - Michelle Pualani
Sometimes it takes the juxtaposition of doing things so wrong and not in alignment. Liz, your story I feel very connected to that as well is that I feel like I've been trying to kind of bitch other creators oh, they're being successful with this type of content. Oh, this is how they showed up or this is what they said, and so I'm going to kind of mimic that to some extent. And where there is some strategy when it comes to like titles and understanding what people are looking for and searching when it comes to views, totally different discussion.
Ultimately, at the end of the day, those people who are successful at carving out a space for themselves are authentic to who they are and they're showing up.
Whether that's nerdiness or sexiness or goofy awkwardness or really smart and cool and savvy, none of it's bad, not one is better than the other.
It's just really finding for you what makes sense, what feels good and how you can show up in that way to be more authentically yourself and being really present in who that is and celebrating it and, like Joanna says, attracting those people who are going to connect and align with your values, your mission, your purpose and really finding that passion on a day to day basis with how you're creating, whether that is in graphics or video, or courses or programs or physical products, whatever that looks like is just having the boldness to be able to show up and make that happen and do it that way. And it takes a little trial and error and it takes experimentation, but you're not going to know until you get it out into the world and give it a try. So, before we start to wrap up our conversation, thank you so much, liz, again, for joining us today. We want to know where can we find you, where can people hang out with you and how can we support you in this evolution, in this journey of Hooha.
0:46:55 - Liz Clancy
Thank you, yes, well, I'm in LA, so if you're in LA, holler, so Hooha, basically we just got our first order. We me and I have all the products, and so right now is really just talking about it. I have not been in this industry very long, but I'm excited to get into it and I want Hooha to be everywhere. It should be in coffee shops, it should be in bars, it should be in anywhere a menstruator could get their period, just literally everywhere. And if you're not going to give it to me free what you should be, that's fine, but at least let me buy it. So I really want this to be in stores all over, and in stores that you wouldn't think.
Another part of the branding is in the inside of the box. It says the cranberry woman is coming. And when I was doing my research, there's a little info card in here. It was about how we talk about periods in different cultures and how, in different countries, people say different things, and I'll just read a couple of quickly popular period terms around the globe In Denmark, there's communists in the fun house. South Africa, they say granny stuck in traffic, why? But in Germany they say the cranberry woman is coming, and I find that horrifying and amazing, and so I wanted the second. I read it I was like, yes, that's the tagline, and so the cranberry woman is here.
But what I would love to do, ideally, is have stickers, because that's the other thing too. It's like the secret language that menstruators speak to each other, right Like do you have a tampon? Do you have a tampon? And so, ideally, you're walking down the street and you see a little circle in the window and it says the cranberry woman is here. Then I know, okay, I know I can go and get pre-ordered products safely at this place. I don't have to walk a mile and a half down to the pharmacy. You know what I mean. So, ideally, kuhal would be in all kinds of stores, and particularly in hotels, so boutique hotels, anywhere again, like if you're on vacation. We don't want those giant pads that are the size of our heads. We're trying to be sexy. Give me a liner, you know what I mean. And I don't want to go somewhere where I have to buy a box of 36. I don't need that right now. I need one. So that's the vibe.
I also have my first shelf at these hands makers collective, which is an art studio in Venice, california. It's an amazing, amazing space. If you're looking for art classes, please go, but that is currently our only stockist hour me and if anyone is interested in Hooha and getting it on their shelves or they know somebody that they you know saying, hey, this would be great in your store, like boutiques, truly anywhere, it's a great gift. I had people at the conference this was so cool, like you were saying, joanna, about you know, younger girls just starting their period like I had a mom. She was like I put it in her backpack so that way, if it happens, she's had you know, she's covered, and like that is so cute to me and so exciting.
So I just hope that people, word of mouth is, you know, the biggest way I think that we learn anything, truly. So I also have to go fund me right now happening because Hooha is completely self-funded thus far. So if you have any angel investors out there, call me, but until we get there, I'm doing the GoFundMe and that's available for access on my website and all that good stuff. So you know it takes a village. I'm just excited to see where it goes.
0:50:10 - Joanna Newton
That's so exciting and the beginning stages of things like so fun, like so full of possibility and all of those things. We will link the GoFundMe, your Instagram, everything on our show notes. So if you're listening and want to keep track of what Hooha and Liz are doing, make sure you check out those links. I know I am a follower on Instagram and I like to make internet friends, so I will likely be commenting and liking over there and keeping an eye on what you're up to. I'm really excited to see where all of this goes.
0:50:44 - Michelle Pualani
Yeah, joanne is really good at that relationship and networking. I am not so great in the engagement in the online space, but that doesn't mean that I'm not paying attention, that I don't care, because I really care and I think this brings up a really great conversation with the GoFundMe is that financial startup costs for a business are very real and, as I am also launching my own product business, there is not enough discussion around women starting businesses and yes, there are entities out there and yes, there's support and I get tapped into them. So if you ever have questions so listener, as an audience member about what that looks like whether it's grants or VC funding or bootstrapping company or loans or anything else feel free to reach out. Not an expert, but it's something that we have to learn and that we have to equip ourselves for, because the cost of starting, especially a physical product business service based online, very different. You do have a much lower initial investment cost and lower overhead, but there are real costs that come along with starting a business and launching a brand. So, keeping that in mind, it's really important. So, if you are an investor, if you are looking for something interesting, reach out to Liz.
We will link everything down below and I just want to wrap up with some final thoughts.
So we'll come to each of us for this. For me, really uncovering that fear, shame, embarrassment, guilt like that, I feel like, was a through line of the conversation today, and the narrative around reproductive rights and reproductive health for women, which is ultimately the conversation that we're having, how that shows up in your life personally, professionally, and in the way that you again navigate and lead your day. So just keeping in mind that uncovering these things and talking about them, even though they're uncomfortable or even though we've been taught that it's not something we're supposed to discuss, is really important. Just having that conversation with a friend, having that conversation with a partner or spouse, having that conversation with your child, with a parent, whatever that looks like for you, in order to start to uncover some of these things that we feel like we've been pushing down for too long, and what that could mean for your life and what's on the other side of that. So, liz, I'd love to come to you and just hear some final thoughts from today.
0:52:57 - Liz Clancy
Thank you. Yeah, I think being yourself has been the biggest piece of advice that I've related back to, and then finding comfort and relatability. Joanne, I was saying talk about these issues. Talk about it with your friends, talk about it with people on the other side of the political line. It doesn't have to be political, it's truly a human issue and I think the more that we talk, the more that we relate, the more that we laugh together. Like you were saying, it breaks that barrier down. So, yeah, just talk about it guys. Let's just all talk.
0:53:31 - Joanna Newton
I was talking to one, a friend of mine and one of our regular listeners, Jackie. She's amazing and she listens to all of our episodes and then she talks and shares her insights with me, and what we were talking about today was just the importance of sharing these stories. Whatever we're talking about, whatever these topics are, as women I think a lot of times we're told not to talk about it. Whether it's just mistreatment in the workplace being called abrasive, even things like not talking about how much you make so that you can compare how you're being paid compared to your male counterpart All of these things we are told not to talk about.
It is so important to talk about because then you realize you're not the only one who's faced this. All of a sudden you go because I know sometimes for me, I've thought am I the problem? Is this just me? Is this just happening in me? But then when you hear someone with a similar story or relatable story, you go okay, this is actually like a systemic problem. This is not just me.
There's hundreds, thousands, even way more women who face the same thing as me, and then you can become empowered to change it you know what I mean and make that change and I just am so in awe of you and your willingness to share your story, because I know the impact that that will have on people who faced a similar thing and help them go on a healing journey and help them move past that and take that anger and that pain and that trauma that they've experienced and turn it into something amazing, and I think that's so important for us for women to do that together. So if you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, share it with a friend and leave us a review, and make sure you check out Hooha on Instagram and there go find me. What is one thing you can do today to prioritize you in business and life?
