Speaker 1: 0:42

Danielle, have you ever noticed that Walmart has upped their game on fashion?

Speaker 2: 0:47

I have. I remember a few years ago I went to the NWA Fashion Week and they did a whole runway show to the NWA Fashion Week and they did a whole runway show and I found that if, like, I went and did like online shopping, I could find a lot more than in the store. And I don't know why that is or maybe I'm just not as good at looking through it when I'm in the store but I realized they actually have some really cute stuff.

Speaker 1: 1:09

They do have some really cute stuff, and we have a special guest here today who I dare say she's an expert in Walmart fashion. She's probably going to laugh at me for calling her that. She's an introvert, I think. So I'm pretty sure she doesn't want too much attention, although she and her friend Amanda run a social media account on Instagram called Whoa Wait, walmart, and they showcase a lot of things that you wouldn't expect to find in Walmart, and I remember stumbling upon their Instagram, like years ago, and so I'm excited to have Bethany here in the studio today to talk about her journey and growing up in Bentonville and all of the things that have to do with Walmart. So welcome to the studio, bethany. Thank you for having me. We're so excited to have you here, so tell us about how you ended up in Northwest Arkansas.

Speaker 3: 2:01

Yeah, so, like you mentioned, I grew up in Bentonville and after college I moved back for about a year and did product development for a supplier and then I ended up moving to Nashville, Tennessee, and I was there for about seven years and during that time I got married and switched careers to teaching and had a baby and I think eventually, you know, we just realized that it was kind of hard to live so far from family and both of our families live here. So that's kind of when we decided to move back, and that was man, I guess almost 12 years ago now.

Speaker 1: 2:34

Oh, that's so, so exciting. So we've been here for a while. So you grew up in Bentonville, right, tell us about what Bentonville was like back in the day well, you, there was only Walmart.

Speaker 3: 2:45

There was only Walmart. I'm so serious to to shop at that time. You either had I mean I can't remember when the Fayetteville Mall opened, but there was a time when you had to drive to like Joplin or Tulsa to get any type of name brand department store, anything like that. And then the mall in Fayetteville opened so you could drive to Fayetteville. It was wild times, guys.

Speaker 1: 3:08

That is wild. Well, it's really wild that you're like we went to Joplin.

Speaker 3: 3:13

Joplin used to be. I mean, it was bigger than Benville, for sure.

Speaker 2: 3:18

It was wild and like pre-online, easy online shopping. Yes man, that was hard times.

Speaker 1: 3:28

I can't.

Speaker 2: 3:28

Imagine living without online shopping, but I do. I do remember those times.

Speaker 1: 3:33

Yeah, you had like your magazine that you went through or the ad.

Speaker 3: 3:38

The ads, yeah, spiegel's did y'all have that magazine, oh my gosh.

Speaker 1: 3:41

Or delia delia's or something oh yeah yes, yes, yes, that was a little bit like I was kind of probably in college when those started becoming more popular. Late high school I remember there was like the jc penny cattle oh my gosh oh yeah, we would circle what we wanted, yeah if

Speaker 2: 4:00

you go on tiktok there's if you just look up mervyn's. We like to watch old mervyn's ads because it's so funny, like my daughter likes us to tell her stories about shopping in the 80s and 90s when you had to go to like mervyn's or like I don't know any of those department stores. Where are you from? Dallas, okay.

Speaker 2: 4:18

I doubt there was a Mervin's here. No, but my husband's from Tulsa, so he will tell the stories about having to go into Mervin's with his mom. And so we looked up some old ads on TikTok. They're so funny. Just look them up, I'm telling you, you will love it.

Speaker 1: 4:37

It's just moms in the 80s look trying to stretch dollar and it's, it's pure gold. It's so funny they talk about do they talk? About layaway. My mom yeah, do you guys remember?

Speaker 3: 4:42

that I mean I remember it.

Speaker 2: 4:43

I don't think my parents used it, but yeah, I remember it with that now and I, before I'd met you, had heard of this account and I loved it because you know it is. I feel like, harder when you go into the store to find these particular products because there's so much and I'm the type of person that I get a little bit overwhelmed when I go into a store and shop yeah because I forget about my list and I don't know what I'm there for anymore and I often leave without what I went there for.

Speaker 2: 5:11

But if I'm online shopping, I can be very focused and strategic. Yes, so, okay, wait. So we've talked about why we love it, but tell us why you started.

Speaker 3: 5:22

Yeah, so essentially we were like we find really great things at Walmart. You can have, you know, the cute trendy pieces and not spend a lot of money. So we should share that with people. That's basically how it started the. I had started a personal blog and I was doing a regular woe wait Walmart feature and then I was still living in Nashville at the time and Amanda and I were at the library with our kids and we were like talking about it and she, she was like maybe we should let that stand alone. I was like that's what I've been thinking about doing. And so we decided to start it and it was just Instagram in the beginning and we had a website to do linking, because back then you couldn't link on Instagram which is so funny how much it's evolved.

Speaker 1: 6:15

Yeah. What year was that when you guys started, or around it was 2013.

Speaker 3: 6:20

Oh my gosh, I know the word influencer didn't exist, like nobody was calling us that. People try to call us bloggers, but I felt bad, like we didn't deserve that term, because bloggers were doing a whole different set of work than we were doing, you know, writing full length blog posts and stuff like that. So it was strange.

Speaker 2: 6:42

I love that. It was a feature and you just decided to go with it standalone. Did you just feel like passionate about it or you just saw success in the attention that it was getting?

Speaker 3: 6:51

I just felt passionate about it. So I was a lifelong Walmart shopper, mainly because we didn't have a lot of options here and my mom worked at the home office. I mean, all of my childhood. I can't remember when she retired, but it was just our world. You know, we got that, we got a discount, we didn't have tons of money, so that's where we shopped. My mom just raised us to be like bargain shoppers and hunters in that sense like we never would just walk in somewhere that wasn't one more and pay full price for something you know, so that was just kind of in me, I guess yeah, interesting.

Speaker 3: 7:27

Did you ever do like consignment shopping growing up and like thrift shopping or we did flea markets and in college I loved thrift shopping, but outside of that not tons yeah.

Speaker 2: 7:42

What year do you feel like Walmart's clothes really took off? Because I feel like it's been more recently. I love podcasts and I listen to this podcast about Target. It's like business wars and they did a Target versus Walmart. You know, target's thing has always been clothes. Yeah, that's always been their thing. Right, because they're not cheaper than Walmart.

Speaker 4: 8:05

No, they're actually very expensive yeah.

Speaker 2: 8:07

And I feel like I don't know, maybe within the last seven or eight years Walmart's really upped their clothing. Seven or eight years Walmart's really upped their clothing. Like I love there and you can, you can get like really good pieces that you can mix with other, you know if you like designer yeah, you can mix it, but all the time I'll see stuff and be like where is this from? I can't believe it's from.

Speaker 3: 8:29

Walmart. Yeah, well, in that I mean, it was born out of people having that genuine reaction of being shocked that something that I was wearing was from Walmart. But yeah, I would say let's see, amanda and I have been doing this 12 years in June, and so I would say probably seven or eight years ago it really started to level up, where it was so much easier to find trendier items in store and then, of course, online.

Speaker 1: 8:58

All right, I'm going to take it back. You talked a little bit about that. You had a blog with a will wait walmart section in it. What was your blog about?

Speaker 3: 9:06

it was just lifestyle. It was like oh, I can't even remember what all I posted. It was very short-lived, it was very short. I'm not, I don't really like writing in long form, and so Instagram just seemed like a better format for my personality and being product centered.

Speaker 1: 9:25

Yeah, that makes sense. Like, yeah, have you always been interested in fashion? Like, what did you study in school and what kind of got you?

Speaker 3: 9:31

yeah, um. So in high school I would go to line reviews with my mom because she was a buyer at Walmart and what's a line review? Oh, it's like. I don't know if it even works like this anymore, but used to. They would bring in all of the samples and they would kind of narrow down what they were actually buying and putting in stores, and so I would sit through those meetings with her and that is how I got into fashion that's so. I had an undergrad.

Speaker 1: 9:59

I majored in fashion, merchandising, with minor in marketing and yeah, so it's kind of always been there and I've always been interested in home decor too, so it was a natural transition for us to do this and focus on style, absolutely, and for our listeners, for those of you that are not following yet they highlight a lot of things at Walmart not just fashion, but home goods, homeware, even food, and what are some of the other items that?

Speaker 3: 10:28

you showcase. I mean it's probably easier to list the items we don't showcase. And that would be like the auto department is rare for us. We have done like some car cleaning products, but otherwise I mean it's literally almost every single category has touched our pages who or what are some of your biggest fashion inspirations, like, who's inspired you in the work that you do?

Speaker 1: 10:52

and just even from an early age to even now you talk about your mom was your mom an inspiration for you with fashion?

Speaker 3: 10:59

at all. I mean with work, yes, yes, my mom was always a really hard worker and I think my sisters and I learned that from her. Just her. She's very tenacious, but as far as inspiration goes, I mean, I don't think there's ever been like one person. I think when you're getting your own personal style and as your personal style evolves, it's more like seeing what so many people are doing and picking and choosing what makes sense for you.

Speaker 3: 11:29

Because, I could see somebody with a cute outfit who has a totally different body shape than I do and it might not work, yeah, or it might not feel comfortable, but I can pick and choose. Maybe it's a pattern play or maybe it's, you know, on a chromatic or maybe you know. You can kind of pick and choose what works for you and what makes sense for you yeah, have you seen that?

Speaker 2: 11:53

this is totally off subject, but on subject. Have you seen that account online where this woman and I want to find her actual account name? But she will look at runway, looks like celebrity and she will piece? It together with whatever she has around her house I haven't seen it is amazing, like okay, I've got to send it to you.

Speaker 2: 12:14

Well, the reason I say that is because I feel like some people have an eye to do that. Some people truly don't Just like how you can go in and pick the things that are like just really stand out Like you've got to go find this, and some people do. I don't. I'm not that person that has an eye, but I appreciate the people that share that gift because I do not have it like someone show me mimic it then.

Speaker 1: 12:40

Yeah, yeah, look at what they did there.

Speaker 2: 12:42

Okay, all right, and it really is the way that people shop now that's true.

Speaker 1: 12:48

I mean it's the whole, you know, influencing. I know that word influencer is kind of you, you know it's kind of icky now when it first started it was like maybe it felt icky for somebody in that space, but you know, it was kind of. I think there's just this neat trend to people having that influence and being in the space that we're in online.

Speaker 4: 13:09

What's the new term?

Speaker 1: 13:10

Yeah, what is the new?

Speaker 3: 13:11

term Content creator.

Speaker 2: 13:13

Creator. Okay yeah.

Speaker 1: 13:15

So that's really interesting. What are some of the brands that inspire you to look for? Like dupes at Walmart, like what are some of your favorite places to shop outside of Walmart Dare I even ask you that?

Speaker 3: 13:32

Well, I mean, I've always loved anthropology, but but I mean who can afford same buying that on a regular basis?

Speaker 1: 13:39

it's tough.

Speaker 3: 13:41

So if anything feels like it has anthro vibes, that's always a good you know, I love anthropology yeah I could just spend hours walking around in that store. Same. I mean, I will just touch everything, pick every little spoon and cup and candle up, put a shirt for $150?.

Speaker 2: 13:56

I'm sorry, yeah.

Speaker 3: 13:58

I can only do that like once or twice a year Maybe jeans.

Speaker 2: 14:01

Fine, right, because jeans are going to last you a long time. A shirt in my house? Well, with just me as a person, I just need to bulk purchase white shirts, because I love to wear white, black and white all the time. White shirts just don't last for me so funny, do you just?

Speaker 1: 14:17

are you like a magnet for spills?

Speaker 2: 14:19

yes, I guess I'm just a chronically messy person. I don't know, I'm not messy?

Speaker 1: 14:24

no, I don't think it's messy. I do have a comment about that, but I will like I will keep it internal.

Speaker 2: 14:30

I know well, I just I always spill coffee on myself or whatever, yeah I don't know my daughter's the same way too. She'll always like want to eat spaghetti in a white shirt. I'm like, no, you need to go change.

Speaker 1: 14:44

So true, I know, yeah, I love anthropology.

Speaker 2: 14:47

There's so many stores I want to shop at, but I like, I like what you're saying, cause you're like, let me get inspiration here before you like, I'm all about investing in a good piece though 100.

Speaker 3: 15:01

It's a jacket purse shoes purse shoes, yeah, maybe a coat coat for sure.

Speaker 2: 15:07

Yeah, oh, that's a good one. We want to know your best dupe at walmart oh man, that's tricky. There have been so many I tried to get the walmart what they call the the birkin lookalike but then they took it off, oh yeah, I mean I was telling you about that.

Speaker 3: 15:20

I totally missed the whole conversation.

Speaker 2: 15:22

It was in my cart, and then I got distracted and went back later and it was gone. I was like no.

Speaker 3: 15:28

Amanda was telling me about that, but I missed the whole thing. I know it was short-lived. Very short-lived it was short-lived and I was not paying attention. Some of my favorite I don't even know if they're, well, I can think of one dupe. There's like they did a really cozy cardigan that was like Barefoot Dreams-esque, and I think they did it. I think I've had it for a year. I still throw that on around the house all the time. It's so comfortable and oversized and just cozy, you know.

Speaker 3: 16:00

So that's one as of recently so what's in your closet oh gosh, it's rough in there, it's rough in there.

Speaker 1: 16:08

It is well you don't have a perfectly curated closet. I don't.

Speaker 3: 16:13

I'm a little add with my apparel same, you know it just happens, does. I feel like those are two different sides of my brain that don't work together well. But it's a mess, but it's fun.

Speaker 1: 16:27

Are you somebody that likes to wear something more than once, or you try to mix it up and change it up and try to find something unique.

Speaker 3: 16:36

Often, I am definitely an outfit repeater. Once I find something that works, I will repeat it fairly regularly. But I do try to mix it up. Also, it depends on the outfit. Like, if it's something comfy, I'll repeat it over and over again.

Speaker 1: 16:52

Like the sweater.

Speaker 3: 16:53

Yes, but if it's something a little more elevated then I'll like try to space it out, but I definitely will re-wear things it makes. My brain is very I don't even know. I don't think budget conscious is the word, but I'm very like I need to make sure that I got my money's worth out of something. So I'm very conscientious about making sure I've worn it a lot if I spent more on it or whatever it is, because otherwise I'll feel guilty about that investment if I'm not utilizing it.

Speaker 1: 17:21

No, I think that's great. What about, like fast fashion? That's such like a topic. Do you not want to talk about that?

Speaker 3: 17:27

We totally can but I mean Walmart's fast fashion.

Speaker 1: 17:30

Yeah, yeah.

Speaker 3: 17:31

So it's a tricky space to be in and I think there's definitely a certain amount of privilege that comes with being able to afford slow fashion, because it's not inexpensive by nature. So I just feel like it's a really nuanced conversation where fast fashion gets a bad rap and I, I get it, yeah, but it's nuanced you know yes not every, not everyone can afford, afford, like a wool or cashmere sweater, yeah, or a brand that's more conscientious and that sort of thing. It's just not always accessible to everyone.

Speaker 1: 18:05

That's true, that's really true. I think I love that perspective that you're giving as far as from the point of view of somebody, it's not as accessible or it's not as affordable for someone, whereas you hear so often that people are getting mad at fashion, fast fashion, because it's bad for the environment, or we're only chasing trends or we're only we. We don't care about the environment, or something like that. But I think it's. It is a lot more nuanced and I think that you know that I mean like I am, I wear a lot of fast fashion for sure, just because it's it know that I mean like I wear a lot of fast fashion for sure, just because it's affordable.

Speaker 2: 18:45

So do my kids, I mean, oh well, and kids, especially they're growing.

Speaker 3: 18:50

They need fast fashion because they're fastly growing out of everything and they destroy it almost immediately.

Speaker 2: 18:55

Yes, they're so rough on things, even the reinforced knee leggings.

Speaker 1: 18:59

I love that both of you are moms of girls only and you're saying our kids are so rough on things.

Speaker 3: 19:05

Oh my gosh, all of all of my 10 year olds clothes have holes in the knees and and don't get me started on the fact that they reinforce boys pants way before they reinforce reinforced girls people always think, girls aren't rough and and tumble. Thank you, no, my girls are rough and tumble.

Speaker 2: 19:22

Well my youngest is. She's savage sometimes.

Speaker 1: 19:26

She, yeah, she scares all of us. She's savage. And then your oldest is savage with her tongue. She got some words to say You're like, okay, one is physically.

Speaker 2: 19:38

one is I have to tell my oldest like fight back. You were bigger than she is and older, and she's like no Such a pacifist.

Speaker 3: 19:49

So funny, I know.

Speaker 2: 19:51

Yeah, but fast fashion plays an important role in my life and always has.

Speaker 3: 19:56

Well, and you know to our point earlier about how different Bentonville was when I was growing up here, a lot of towns really still do only have a Walmart store to shop at. That's a reality for a lot of people and I think we forget that.

Speaker 2: 20:12

Yeah, that's true, that's very true. I grew up in the city so I had a lot of options, but I mean still, I always like we had more, I think, more targets around where I was at. But you know, when we were growing up it wasn't expensive like it is now. Now it's like crazy expensive and you know, my husband works for the company, so I love that discount, so it's like yeah, I'm like girls, we're going to walmart, to get all your leggings because I know you're going to need like a 10 pack of black leggings.

Speaker 1: 20:45

Because they're only going to last a week.

Speaker 2: 20:46

Yeah, it doesn't matter what brand I get, they will always get holes in them. Or they'll come home and I'll be like did I send you to school with a hole in your leggings, or did you get that there Like?

Speaker 3: 20:55

I don't all the time.

Speaker 1: 20:57

Definitely got it there, yeah, got it there, yeah. And then they grow overnight and you're like why are those pants?

Speaker 4: 21:07

so short on you.

Speaker 1: 21:07

At least it feels like it's overnight our dillia likes to say that she's like mommy, I grew like a whole inch last night and I'm like, okay, I know, but she is so tall right now her pants like we've had to go up and up and up and up and up because she's grown so much this year.

Speaker 3: 21:25

That's happening to both of my daughters, it's just never. It's like they never stop growing.

Speaker 2: 21:30

So what's next for you, and can you share anything about any future plans?

Speaker 3: 21:36

Well, it's really right now. We're just really trying to focus on efficiency. Amanda and I have done this on our own for almost 12 years and we're trying to avoid burnout, so we're trying to find ways to contract out different aspects of our workload, but there's nothing specific on the docket. We have always just kind of approached it very open-handedly and went with the mantra of whatever comes comes, and that's been really useful in the world of social media, where the algorithm is king and changes all the time and we have less and less control over the way our business goes. But yeah, right now it's just like working on efficiency, so we can keep doing this as long as we can.

Speaker 2: 22:59

Are you guys completely independent of Walmart? Are you, do you partner with them?

Speaker 3: 23:03

The short answer is yes, we're independent of Walmart, but the long answer is I mean we are part of their Walmart creator program. So then, in a sense, we do partner with them on affiliate links and stuff like that.

Speaker 2: 23:15

That's awesome. Probably makes things a little easier.

Speaker 1: 23:17

Yeah.

Speaker 2: 23:17

Yeah, it's worked out fine. Yeah.

Speaker 1: 23:20

What percentage of things that you're showing or content that you're bringing to your audience on social media. What percentage of it is stuff that you found that you're like this is what I'm interested in versus you know you're going to bring in advertisers, different brands and products.

Speaker 3: 23:38

Well, the percentage varies month to month. Some months are slower as far as partnership posts and then some months are fuller, but we have always tried to post non-sponsored content at least as much as the ads. So I would say in the end we end up posting more non-sponsored content, which is easier for us.

Speaker 1: 24:07

Yeah, because you get to decide how, when, what, where we get excited about those products but in the end we still.

Speaker 3: 24:14

This is. This supports two families, two households. Like we still have to make money yeah, we're doing so hence the sponsor content.

Speaker 1: 24:23

Yeah, yes, I mean, I have nothing against sponsor content.

Speaker 1: 24:25

I think it's great I think it's really great and I love and and I've heard you speak before at just different conferences. I think we like met in person at a social media conference, but I was I really appreciated that you said you and Amanda are very mindful and it could have been Amanda that said it but that you guys are very mindful of the advertisers that you take on. You don't just say yes to everyone, yeah, and maybe tell our listeners a little bit about that and why you take on. You don't just say yes to everyone and maybe tell our listeners a little bit about that and why you do that.

Speaker 3: 24:56

Yeah, so we, every time someone, a supplier or brand approaches us with sponsored content opportunities, we basically run it through a filter of like is this something that we already love and use? Is this something that we can relate to needing, or is this something that we can relate to needing or is this something that, like, is a good deal that our audience would want to hear about? If, if we can't relate to the product we don't, we turn down the opportunity. So we don't take on partnerships that we don't have some sort of I don't know ability to relate. You know, try to be picky.

Speaker 1: 25:35

That's good. I think that's great. We talked a little bit about influencers and content creators and I would say that Whoa Wait Walmart was one of the first of in quotations influencers on social media, and so what has that kind of journey been like for you guys, as far as like going from one of the first influencers on Instagram and how that has impacted you and how you've seen that change in the industry of social media and content of what I already touched on, like it's been such a tricky ride of we had so much control over our business before the algorithm became a thing so we could tell.

Speaker 3: 26:23

basically, when we posted a product say it's a shirt, this top we could tell genuinely authentically whether our audience liked it or not because everyone was seeing it yeah and how they engaged with it gave us actual information.

Speaker 3: 26:39

However, now it's kind of evolved into we could post something really cool but we don't get a good read on if it's well received because not everyone has seen it a lot of the time. So it's a really tricky I mean roller coaster to be on like for your, the way you work, to shift so much right. So so I would say in the beginning it was so, we were allowed to be so much more creative, and then now it's turning more into like a we're like having to overthink everything about like well did, did everybody like this department more, this category more, this item more, or did they just not see it? So it's a different conversation than it was.

Speaker 3: 27:25

You know, yeah, years ago yes, very complex, harder to read the data that you're yes okay, yeah, and so that makes our jobs harder, because we're having to try to boil down the information and figure out, like, do we want to just keep posting what we like, or are we trying to be strategic with what we post?

Speaker 2: 27:48

and so then it just gets a little trickier what is the most popular category that people engage with or purchase?

Speaker 3: 27:54

I would say home, home apparel, beauty are all okay, usually big hitters for us, but, like I said, we could post something. I posted this really great dress from free assembly a few weeks ago and it, like the post, did not perform well at all and this dress is perfect it's perfect, like, send me the link we are going to look now we are going to go look for.

Speaker 1: 28:13

Yes, it is perfect, it's perfect, like, send me the link, we are going to go look. Now we are going to go look for it.

Speaker 3: 28:15

Yes, it is perfect, and I was shocked Like it should have performed so much better. So, like I said earlier, it's just out of our control now and that's such a weird feeling because I felt like in the beginning we had more control. Yeah Over, I don't our whole business, it's just very strange.

Speaker 1: 28:32

It's very strange and very interesting. We could do a whole podcast just about the changes in Instagram and social media SEO, just the algorithm and influencing and content creation. That's just like it could be multiple episodes long.

Speaker 2: 28:49

So we won't get into that. Do you guys break your partnership up like one of you does more of that and the other do you split your gifts kind?

Speaker 3: 28:57

of equally. On the back end stuff. Yes, we have always split the posting load evenly. However, we recently have handed that off to a marketing company, so now they're posting for us, but we're still prepping all the posts and choosing the items and that sort of thing.

Speaker 2: 29:14

But yeah, the back end stuff we've kind of divvied up based on you know who's better at what well, danielle, and I kind of understand that she's the well, I'm the more analytical, like I do the kind of business side, and then she's definitely more creative and she's the dreamer, she, she's the connector, the inspirer, yeah, yeah. So like it's good when you find someone that you work well with, like that.

Speaker 1: 29:39

Yes, and then?

Speaker 2: 29:40

sometimes we cross over too.

Speaker 1: 29:41

Yeah, oh, for sure.

Speaker 2: 29:43

We try to delegate things based off natural talents. Yes, yeah, or what the other one just enjoys doing yes.

Speaker 3: 29:53

And I would say for the most part, I mean and I are very similar, but on the back end stuff, the not fun stuff, we've divvied that up based on, like you know, who's more? Inclined to do that.

Speaker 1: 30:04

I gotta see in business accounting, but I am doing our accounting you're like, but I am forcing myself to do it because it must be done.

Speaker 2: 30:13

I'm with you. That's what I have to do. I'm like, oh no.

Speaker 1: 30:17

I make her talk to people.

Speaker 2: 30:20

I'm an introverted extrovert so I can turn it on, but I feel like charged when I'm alone like my inner. You know what I'm saying some people have to be around other people to feel like, yes, their buckets being filled up.

Speaker 3: 30:33

It's weird.

Speaker 1: 30:33

I'm an extrovert who hates attention oh my gosh, that's so funny because I totally was guessing that you're an introvert and you're like, no, I'm not.

Speaker 3: 30:41

I keep asking my husband, adam, I'm like, have I become an introvert? Like what is that I can't figure it out?

Speaker 2: 30:45

I, I think.

Speaker 3: 30:45

I've become one.

Speaker 1: 30:47

Honestly it's so weird and maybe it's just more like the people that you need to be around. You know when you're with your closest friends and with, like your people.

Speaker 3: 30:57

Yes, there's definitely a when you choose who you're around.

Speaker 2: 30:59

It's the manner of conversation.

Speaker 1: 31:01

Yeah, Cause I would say I'm an extrovert. I mean I. I think everyone would say I'm an extrovert.

Speaker 2: 31:05

Small talk kills me. She loves small talk.

Speaker 1: 31:08

But I will also say that there are times when I'm just like, okay, I'm over strangers or people, I don't know. I don't believe that.

Speaker 2: 31:20

No, I really do have those feelings, though, every time we meet out at a coffee shop. She's like your actions say otherwise, I mean she'll talk to at least three different people and I'm like your actions say otherwise. I mean she'll talk to at least three different people and I'm like okay, Daniel, yeah, who else do I have to meet? No, but it's good, that's how I'm being allowed to get Maybe.

Speaker 1: 31:36

I just internally feel that way.

Speaker 2: 31:38

She's great.

Speaker 1: 31:39

I don't like lines, though, like I don't like big crowds overwhelm the IQ of people. Okay, I have two last questions. The first question is what keeps you motivated, like, what are some of the things that keep you motivated and balanced as a content creator? Because I know that you are much more than just a content creator, and so what is what does that look like for you in your life? Boundaries with work? Oh, I like that.

Speaker 3: 32:06

We had a magazine for a few years and that was one of the things that we had to walk away from, because the balance was out of whack. So, just making hard decisions to say, like, even if this is a cool opportunity, it might not be right for us to keep our sanity and and be, you know, present in our families and that sort of thing. So we try to say, I guess, use discernment to say yes to the right things and no to the things that aren't serving us anymore, I mean but what is balance?

Speaker 1: 32:41

Yeah, you know, like are any of us doing it?

Speaker 3: 32:44

Are any of us?

Speaker 1: 32:45

playing off. It's like when my doctor says how are?

Speaker 3: 32:47

you managing your stress? I'm like I have a 14 year old daughter who has an existential crisis every single night at bedtime. Like how, how tell me how I'm supposed to manage my stress levels and sleep good, you know this is where we talk about disassociating. That's the way I manage stress I disassociate for like a moment and then when you remember that you did it, you're like where did that go? Where is it hiding?

Speaker 2: 33:12

No. Whenever you find how to manage it, tell me, because. I'm an old daughter and we're on the cusp of that, so maybe you need a separate blog.

Speaker 3: 33:23

It is so fun, don't get me wrong. I really, really love a certain percentage of it, but the other percent is really hard. We want them to act like adults and their brains are not fully developed to do that yet and their hormones are going crazy.

Speaker 2: 33:38

It's just so hard for this, you know and okay, I don't know if you'll notice this, maybe your daughter, I'm sure it's the same but it's always those moments when I'm just the most tired from whatever my day has looked like, and I'm like gone off in my room to like take a breath, and my daughter will come in and just hit me with some sort of something that happened or question, or a hardcore situation, and I'm like here we go.

Speaker 1: 34:04

Here we go, it's go time. That is exactly.

Speaker 2: 34:09

They like how do I do this? I'm like okay, I thought I was done for the day in my head.

Speaker 3: 34:14

I'm going never your expression manage your face, change your face don't like, don't overreact just be calm that's good cool I love that this is relatable for everyone I know, not a shock at all.

Speaker 1: 34:28

Oh my god. Yeah, well, we do need to wrap things up.

Speaker 2: 34:31

We try to, you know, keep we could go on all day, we could go on all day about all of the things.

Speaker 1: 34:36

But what, what is? This is, you know, kind of the last question we like to ask our guests. So what is your favorite thing about northwest Arkansas?

Speaker 3: 34:44

oh man, that's a really tough one. I I will say we said we would never move back here and we got to eat those words and I'm really glad that we did.

Speaker 3: 34:54

It has, I feel like, grown into this place that has so many great local restaurants and I mean the museums and all of the things in the trails and the greenway and the hidden coffee shops Like we love all of it. And we love it when our friends come here and we get to show them all of our favorite things, and all of our friends love it here when they come visit. It's just all of it. The culture, yes, and the people are great and I feel like you know, making friends as an adult is a very tricky thing.

Speaker 3: 35:33

Making friends as an adult is a very tricky thing and it just keeps getting better as you get to know more people in the area and get to experience the town with yeah, yeah, where can our?

Speaker 2: 35:39

listeners follow your account. Will you give them the handle and anything else you want to share?

Speaker 3: 35:44

yeah, they can follow amanda and I at whoa wait Walmart on Instagram and we also have a Sam's club account called Sam's club score and rate account, by the way. Thanks, and yeah, that's where we're at Follow for more inspo.

Speaker 2: 36:00

Thank you.

Speaker 3: 36:01

Thanks guys.

Speaker 2: 36:02

Thanks, hey. Thanks so much for listening today. If you liked what you heard, please consider subscribing to the podcast so you never miss an episode. You can also follow us on Instagram at People of NWA. Thanks so much.

Speaker 4: 36:12

People of Northwest Arkansas with the two Daniels Produced by me, brock Short of Brock Entertainment. Please rate, review and like us on any podcast platform where you listen. For more information about today's guests and the show, please check the show notes. Thanks for listening.