First of all- I can not thank you enough for tuning in to The Mommy Influencer Podcast. Launching a podcast has been a goal of mine for YEARS but I let the fear of failure and other peoples’ opinions stunt me from ever even trying. When it truly hit me that I was holding myself back, I made I promise to myself that I needed to share my voice and message so no other mama finds herself in the same position!
My goal with The Mommy Influencer Podcast is to create a space where passionate moms can come together to find tips and strategies to find freedom and satisfaction through PURPOSEFUL online content creation. Whether you are a blogger, influencer, business owner, or just plain curious what actually goes on behind the scenes of social media marketing- there is room for you here, sister!
I hope hearing the stories of women who have chased their dreams while juggling raising a family, you will be encouraged to take the leap to follow your own passions — and have the tools to do so.
You guys- I already have such an amazing lineup of inspiring mamas sharing their stories in the weeks to come! Their words have made me feel more motivated and encouraged than ever and you are going to want to get a notebook out and DIG IN!
The first super inspiring mama I have had the pleasure of chatting with on the podcast is Chrissy Powers. Chrissy is a licensed marriage & family therapist, creative career coach, and host of the Sure, Babe podcast who manages to juggle it all while raising three small children. Chrissy and I get in to how she was able to blend her career, passion for photography, and unique voice in order to create content that builds women up in various seasons of life and how other moms can take the leap to do the same.
“It really is like stepping in to your own wilderness and being okay to fail.” -Chrissy Powers
Notable timestamps:
4:25- Why Chrissy stopped sharing what she thought people WANTED to see and started to share her true self (and the amazing results from that shift)
9:00- Chrissy’s strategy to getting her first 1000 followers
10:55- versus how I got my first 1000 followers (haha not recommended… gonna go crawl under a hole now lol)
15:19- Chrissy shares details on her Find Your Voice course that digs in to authentic influence and how to turn your passions in to sustainable PROFIT.
21:15- You won’t want to miss Chrissy sharing a free tip from her course to help you find your voice and grow your audience today (AND she shares how you can access a FREE version of the course!)
26:15- Rapid fire questions where Chrissy shares her favorite camera, editing tools, and apps
Where to find Chrissy:
FULL EPISODE TRANSCRIPT
Christy Keane: 00:05 You’re listening to the Mommy influencer podcast where we dive into motherhood, social media marketing, and hear from inspiring mommy influencers, brands, and industry experts to bring you the inside knowledge, tools and strategies to grow your influence in business through purposeful online content creation. I’m your host Christy Keane and I’m a navy veteran and registered nurse turned Stay at home mom turned full time motherhood influencer on track to be a six figure earner this year through social media marketing alone. So come in and cozy up mamas and get ready to take your influence to the next level. So I am so excited about today’s guest Chrissy powers, who I have had the pleasure of getting to know through Instagram is a licensed marriage and family therapist, a creative career coach, and she also is the host of a podcast, The Sure, Babe podcast and she manages to juggle it all while raising three beautiful babies. Chrissy, I’m so happy you’re here today. Thank you so much for joining me.
Chrissy Powers: 01:08 Awesome. Thank you so much Christy. And that was an amazing intro. You made me feel so good.
Christy Keane: 01:13 Oh my gosh, you’re sweet. No, it’s easy to introducing you, You’re such a Boss babe and I definitely want to talk more about how it is that you do juggle all of those things that first, why don’t you share a little bit more in detail the listeners about who you are and what you do.
Chrissy Powers: 01:27 Yes. Okay. So I started off in my career long time ago in my early twenties thinking I wanted to be in like a magazine editor or something like that and I um, didn’t like it and it just was kind of like sitting at a desk. So I was like, ah, I really want to help people. Um, but I didn’t think I was smart enough to like go back to school. Like I told myself that for some reason, but then I was like talking to her career coach who really put it in perspective for me and I gave me the courage to go back to school and got my masters in psychology, became a licensed marriage and family therapist along the way. I met my husband and we started having our family. And it was such a great job to have while having kids because it was like, um, well I should say I worked at a private practice, so I was building my clientele on the go, um, you know, here and there and scheduling them when I wanted to see them.
Chrissy Powers: 02:21 So it was really awesome and I loved it. Um, but then there’s this huge creative side of me. I’m in school, my Ba was an art and I’ve always been artistic and creative. And so in my head when I started having kids, I had this idea that I really wanted to like go back to my photography roots and learn how to capture their childhood in a beautiful way. And then I learned about Instagram and blogging and it was literally something I fell into and I loved it. It was like that whole side of me came alive again. And then I was like, wait, I can write about like the mother had asked back in parenting and all the other mental health issues that go along with like just being alive. And I shared all that on my blog. And then it wasn’t till recent that I started to really open up more on my Instagram about, you know, those kinds of things. And, uh, really it just was organic. I fell into the whole blogging in Instagram world, but I loved it and it felt like a full circle. Like it felt like it completed me in a way of like who I am professionally
Christy Keane: 03:25 and yeah. Now. And then I started a podcast don’t top of that, which I love.
Chrissy Powers: 03:31 Um, and I raised three kids, yeah. With my husband. So that’s,
Christy Keane: 03:37 and we’re building a house this summer, so congratulations. Oh my gosh. I can’t wait to get into how you juggle that all because I am like, my head is spinning just thinking about it and you make it look so easy. Yeah.
Chrissy Powers: 03:49 It’s so funny. It’s a, yeah, it, when you say it out loud, it sounds like exhausting, but in real life, it doesn’t all happen at once.
Christy Keane: 03:58 That’s, that’s true. Um, and I love that you were able to kind of blend your professional background and what it is you went to school for with your Instagram and the content that you create. And I think that that is something that people have a hard time balancing and you do it so beautifully. Thank you.
Chrissy Powers: 04:15 Yeah,, no, it was like a wilderness in the beginning cause I was like, I hate the fact that I was a therapist for a while and then I was like, wait, people are really talking about who they are and like off part of me. And then I felt like people just wanted to see pretty stuff, pretty pictures, pretty outfits. So I hit that and then I was like, you know, this is like who I am. I really shouldn’t hide this. I think people will be interested in this part of me. And so I kind of opened up more about it and realize, oh that’s the part that people are most interested about, you know, is, and it’s just funny that you know what it really is just learning from your experiences. And that’s how I’ve learned most things in my life is just by doing them and learning as I go.
Christy Keane: 04:59 Exactly. It is motherhood. Motherhood especially, especially, yeah.
Chrissy Powers: 05:05 Yes, it is scary. It is. It really is just like stepping out into your own wilderness and being okay to fail being okay with that.
Christy Keane: 05:13 Amen. Are you still working as a marriage and family therapist on like yeah, practice setting?
Chrissy Powers: 05:20 Interestingly enough, I was up until I think I was like six months pregnant with Ruby and I just was exhausted and I was, you know, my, my blogging, um, and Instagram income surpassed my therapy income far surpassed it. So I was like, you know, I’m going to make the decision right now to just choose my family and do this, uh, thing that is helping us financially more. I can always go back to therapy in the future and I will, I love it. I have dreams of having my own office space someday when I can have, you know, a babysitter and I want to, I’m okay that, but right now I’m just really enjoying being at home and not having to like rush off to an office at night, which is what I used to do. I used to go when Sam came home, I would leave and be like peace out and then I would see a few clients and it was really hectic and it just wasn’t worth the time and the money. It sounds like it sounds bad, but it was,
Christy Keane: 06:17 it’s the truth. Sustain a similar income through doing the social media work in the blogging then why not? And I think that’s part of the big reason I wanted to start this podcast is because it is possible to have a creative outlet and have a sustainable income for your family. And that’s why I kind of wanted to take away the stigma of being an influencer, especially as a mom, because it opens up the opportunity for you to be with your kids and capture memories and have a little income. Like, it’s a, it can be a very big win win.
Chrissy Powers: 06:55 It is such a win win. And then I started doing coaching over facetime and or Skype. Um, meaning I combined like the therapeutic aspect of my background with like what I’ve learned about blogging, Instagram and mark online marketing. Um, and I have helped like a handful of people grow their Instagrams, grow their businesses, rebrand and it is so fulfilling. I absolutely loved that. So I feel like I do see a few clients here and there, but they’re all on Skype or facetime and they’re usually more like coaching. We’re not really talking too much about like, you know, relationship issues and things like that, although the, that does come up. But we’re talking more about like how to build your business and your brand and yeah,
Christy Keane: 07:41 so, and I mean balancing a relationship with a business and a brand is part of it as well. And I know that’s a part that I struggle with sometimes. So it’s so important that you can share that
Chrissy Powers: 07:52 and helped them out in there. Yeah. So that’s kind of more of the therapeutic work I’m doing lately. But I do have dreams of like going back and really, you know, honing in on like who my ideal client is in that world as well. And I love helping moms. So I have like this dream of having group sessions and things like that. But for right now I’ve just, you can’t really do it all. That’s the truth. So you have to choose what’s best for your family. And right now that’s me being home more with my kids.
Christy Keane: 08:23 I 100% agree and I think there is a time and a season for everything. And I think that the different opportunities that you have through each season just build, build you up to, to the next level and what your next step is going to be. So it sounds like you’re getting all those really beautiful stones and stones right now. Yeah. And so you talked about helping other businesses grow their following and influence. So, um, why don’t you tell the listeners how you got your first 1000 followers on Instagram, if you can even remember. Cause I’m trying to think that myself.
Chrissy Powers: 08:59 Well back in the day, not as difficult to get a thousand followers. I feel like, um, I think, I do remember, um, so it was back when like having everybody had a brand rep, like you or your kid was a brand rep for this shop where this shop are those like, and it was like you can enter them into the competition to like get chosen and then you would get their free tee shirts in the mail and you would take pictures of them and then they would use your photos. And like that is really how I started to grow because I had a very cute little two year old boy and he was just, you know, I just took pictures of him all day and I loved it. And, um, we had so much fun and we, that is how I grew like a network because then I learned like, oh, this mom makes this and that.
Chrissy Powers: 09:49 And I love to supporting them, um, in their businesses by taking the photos for them to use. And so that’s really how I grew because then they would share my photos. Um, and then other moms doing the same thing. We would kind of like follow each other and build each other up and support each other. And that’s how I grew like an online, um, kind of like a, I’ll call it a cohort cause it’s like, oh well group gather, we all are like starting this together. And that’s how I got my first thousand was just um, doing work like that, like taking photos for other people to share and use on their platforms. Um, but then it just morphed and changed and I realized like that was a time of, you know, window where it was like, okay, that’s what my Instagram looks like, but really, you know, I don’t want my feet just to be my, my son for ever, you know, and he’s going to get older and he has, he’s seven now and here you don’t see, I’m not much on in my feet because I’m trying to be respectful of his wishes and he doesn’t always want to pose for photos.
Chrissy Powers: 10:51 So that’s just the natural progression of things. But that’s how I grew in the beginning.
Christy Keane: 10:55 Well, I had a way different background and how I got my first 1000 followers. It’s probably a little more embarrassing because I was in the fitness space. I feel like back then you just threw up an ab shot or a booty shot and you just got a big following in the beginning. So I love that you’ve been in the mommy’s space the whole time and just awesome. I did not know that about you. Yeah. Oh my God. I just changed my Instagram name today to my name. Just I saw that I just took the plunge and did it, which people are very passionate about. I didn’t realize that, but I did have a few people message me that they’ve been followers since I was fit girl on the go and I was like, oh my gosh, I forgot. Like that is amazing. My beginning. So a little different than yours. Yours is much cuter.
Chrissy Powers: 11:40 Yeah, I was actually, um, I mean I can remember when I, you can scroll back and see my first photo. I think it was like my friend is sitting at my table in my condo. I took the picture from the couch cause I was on bed rest with Waylon and I was just sitting there, so bored and she had her newborn. I just could remember like wanting to be there, wanting to not be on bedrest anymore. And that’s wow. That’s what I first started Instagram. Having no clue that it was something that you would actually curate and make pretty and make like make a story out of it. And yeah, that’s really funny where we all come from.
Christy Keane: 12:17 Oh yeah. It really, really is. And then so how did you, did you have a background in photography or arts?
Chrissy Powers: 12:28 Yeah, so I went to school, my path, my Ba is an art, um, slash photography. But this thought was before digital cameras, like right on the cusp of digital cameras blowing up. And so I learned like back at like how to develop photos in the dark room and all these things. And it was like, okay, no, no one uses those kinds of cameras.
Christy Keane: 12:51 You know how to do that. Yeah,
Chrissy Powers: 12:54 I couldn’t do it right now. But I’m like, I’ve done it. And I’m like, you know, it’s so, it’s, it’s good to know like,
Christy Keane: 13:02 yeah, so you’re legit. You’re the,
Chrissy Powers: 13:07 I felt like I really, photography is all in the eye. It really is about like the subject and the person holding the camera. Like I am not the most technical person, technical photographer or anything at all. Like I seriously learn as I go, I youtube everything or Google it. But um, just like your perspective and what you’re choosing to take photos of the people care about and, and people want to see things through your lens so to speak.
Christy Keane: 13:35 So, yeah. And I love that. Now Instagram, people are starting to care more about the story behind the picture too. It’s, you know, it’s almost less pressure to be the perfect picture and to have the perfect backdrop and more like the realness of what’s going on in the picture and the story behind it. And like you said, the beautiful job at that.
Chrissy Powers: 13:58 Oh, thank you so much. That means a lot to me. Yeah, because I tried to balance the two of like I, the, the photographer, the designer in me loves a beautiful curated photo. And that’s why I’m like, there’s still a place for that on Instagram. Like don’t post in the real stuff cause it’s like I love the real stuff but I’m like, I also come here to get inspired and see beauty and that’s why I think Instagram is such an amazing place because it has room for both. And so in my Instagram I try to do that. It’s a mixture of, you know, digital DSLR camera photos as well as like this is a snap on my phone and I love this moment cause it’s a real life moment.
Christy Keane: 14:40 Yeah. You do a really great job balancing both of that. Thank you. It looks really cohesive and pretty. I’m the same way. I love like a pretty cohesive feed. Some people don’t, that’s fine. Like that’s why there’s a follow or an unfollow button and you can choose, you know what it is that inspires you and brings you joy every day. But you definitely have a profile that makes me so happy. But with, um, talking about how you are so good at your storytelling and how you, I don’t know, you have just honed in on the content that you create and what you want to share. I do want to share with followers that you actually have a course called find your voice that digs into authentic influence and how to turn your passions into a sustainable profit. And I think that is what every listener that’s tuning in today is really, really looking for right now. So why don’t you tell us more about the course and who benefits from it or you could benefit from it.
Chrissy Powers: 15:39 Yes. Okay. I am so passionate about this. Um, so I kept getting questions from people like how did you do this and how did you do that? And then also took on some coaching clients and I was like, I really want a course that I can like give to people and it’d be like, all this information is in one place to help them. Um, so that can, you know, cause I only have so much time. So for one, it was like this fixing a problem of time, meaning I don’t have enough time to take on all these clients. Um, and then two, I really wanted to help people understand, figure out what it is they’re meant to do, um, online or you know, in life in general, um, and grow a following in their authentic way on Instagram. And it’s not just about Instagram. I think that a lot of people got confused in the beginning thinking it was just to how to grow your Instagram course.
Chrissy Powers: 16:33 Um, it really is like everything I do, I try to combine all the parts of me. So it really has a different approach. It has a mindful approach and that’s why we called it find your voice, a mindful approach to making your passions profitable because we first went into your head and your heart with like meditations and guided imagery to really understand what it is, is popping up for you. What, what sorts of things make you unique from all areas of your life and then how it, you know, what is, what is it that’s calling you forward? What is it, Instagram and growing your following? Um, is it bill making a shop? Is it, um, growing your photography business or you know, making headbands and growing that business? Like what? So it really is for everybody. And when I say that, I mean it’s like for everybody that has a business or just wants to grow an Instagram following, um, and so that’s where it starts.
Chrissy Powers: 17:33 And then it goes into more in depth of like how to work with brands, how to know you’re worth, how to charge for that. Um, how to edit photos on your, like we actually have a tutorial, like it’s split screens and shows you like how to take the, with your digital camera and then how to edit it in light room. So we’d like really covered all the bases. Yeah. And then we have the same thing for on your phone. We show you how to do it on your phone. And so, and then it goes into like making it a business and like owning that and like overcoming your roadblocks that would keep you from thriving and growing and not, so we really wanted to like hold people’s hands from the very beginning all the way to the end where they feel confident enough that they can run with their business, um, and be profitable with it. So that in a nutshell is what find your voice is. But um, yeah, I already, the feedback was so good. People are just like growing their businesses finally figuring out like what is it they need to focus on and how to make it uniquely them. And I love it. Yeah.
Christy Keane: 18:38 Yeah. That is amazing. And that’s like a one stop shop. I’m like, Hey, everyone should just go over to find your voice. Or is there it is,
Chrissy Powers: 18:49 this is such a community and like you need things like this, you need podcasts to keep following. And I still like I get daily inspiration from podcasts like this and you know other ones like Jenna Kutcher is and all that stuff. Yeah, I mean that’s just kind of like the daily help. But yeah, this is the, the course really is something I feel like everyone can benefit from because it really is like going into each person’s own head and heart and not just saying do this, do that. Then you grow
Christy Keane: 19:24 really, really personal and that is, you can get advice, you can hear every mommy influencer or blogger or business owners story and there’s still something so different and unique about your own that you need to really dig into and pull up your super power from. And I love that. That is like the first and foremost thing that your course is about to start the basis. And that’s like a big thing with the mommy influence podcast too, is that it’s about purposeful content creation, not just, you know, doing it and seeing the dollar signs. You’ve got to feel good about what you’re doing.
Chrissy Powers: 20:03 Exactly. And you know what, like the businesses and the brands that are putting money behind you, they will see that. Like it’s just, it isn’t necessarily about the follower account. It is always about the content. That’s what I think it’s, you know, some pet, some people have hundreds of thousands of followers and you can see that the content might not be as purposeful like you said, or as connection connecting to your audience or their audiences as it could be. And so it really is about like, um, being a servant to your following and, and you can tell in the comments like if that following is dedicated or not. And it really is about the content. I mean, Gary v says all the time, like when people ask him, how do I beat the algorithm, they all, he always goes back to, that’s the wrong question. You should be talking about how you can create better content. And I will love that because then you’re in control. You’re in control of the content parts.
Christy Keane: 20:55 Amen. And you have to be able to sleep at night with it. I know in my past there has been some posts, I’m like, oh, why did I do that? Like, oh, was it worth like 300 likes that I got there? Whatever the case may be back in the day. But yes, I hundred percent agree. So can you share like one big tip from the course that maybe just like a free little piece of advice from the course that people can expect when they decided to check it out? Absolutely. Absolutely.
Chrissy Powers: 21:25 Um, well we did create like a free version of it. So if you go to my Instagram profile or, yeah, I think that’s the best way to find it. If you go to, at Chrissy j powers in my link, I have a whole free course that just gives away a few of the videos and sections of the course so people could get a taste of like what it is. Um, of course we want people to experience the whole course because that’s where you’re going to get, you know, the most out of it and grow. But, um, what would I say, um, is like a really good free advice that I could give. Um, I feel like sometimes it, maybe I’ll just tell you what I’ve learned. Um, in the beginning I was like all over the place and sometimes I still feel like sometimes I’m like all over the place and I want to, I liked so much and I’m like, I want to do fashion, I want to do fitness, I want to do child, you know, baby stuff, I want to do travel.
Chrissy Powers: 22:25 And it’s like, I think there is a place obviously is a personal blogger for a little bit of everything, but you know, people really want to know what they’re going to get from you when they follow you on Instagram. And so it’s really important to be um, concise on like they will get these and I like to just say it, five things, what five things am I going to post to commit to posting about a monthly or weekly? Um, and then I try to balance that out in a plan only feed or plan. I think that’s another one. Pl A, n, n. And so then I know that like, okay, I’m keeping on track with my um, reason for being on here because I like to share about this, this and this and people are going to then know what to expect from me. And they like that people want to know the same kind of stuff.
Chrissy Powers: 23:16 Every, you know, they want to know like if it’s recipes, they want to know they’re going to get that from you. So that’s like number one, know what you’re posting, um, like what your feet is about and keep it to uh, you know, like a smaller amount of like these five things with what I’m about that I will be consistent with sharing in my Instagram. And then the other thing would be make sure people know in your bio what is, what are they going to get from you. I just recently worked with client, we changed her whole Instagram name. It was like central coast stroke help. But really she wants to encourage people with brain trauma injury and teach them how to get better even after they’re done with the hospital. And I was like, this is amazing, but we got to change your name because people aren’t going to know that.
Chrissy Powers: 24:03 So she changed it to healing the brain with Jane because she’s an OT or not so cute. She’s cute, she’s doing amazing. And so in her bio she had like more information about her. She said she was a mom, she was a blogger, she was an OT. And I said, okay, that’s great, but people don’t need to know that in your bio right there. They want to know they’re going to look at that and they’re going to say, why would I follow her? So she changed it to daily hope and help for the people with, you know, for people affected with brain trauma. And I was like that’s it. Yeah. That’s why people will hit the follow button because they know immediately what they’re going to get from you from following you. And so that’s what it’s about. Like if you are a mommy influencer, what sets you apart from all the other Mommy influencers and do something fun. Say something, you know, silly if you want, if you’re silly or you know, if you’re more serious and you know, be serious, but put something in there that will tell people what they’re going to get from you from following you.
Christy Keane: 25:03 That is great advice and even realized that you had a little free version of the course. So I will link that in the show notes and that way people can get out to get a little taste before they go ahead and dive in to find your voice, which I think they obviously will once say, I mean I’m like, I, you know, I have the pleasure of, I am a, I think I have access to find your voice. Yeah. I have not had the time to sit down and do it. And now I’m like, nope, I am making the time every night and do personal development because I’ve been searching for something and I’m like, Duh, it’s right here.
Chrissy Powers: 25:44 What did it all really just depends on time too. Like I know sometimes things are overwhelming. Education online education can be really overwhelming, but um, you can take it at your own pace. Once you purchase it or have have it downloaded or whatever, you have access to it all. Yeah. It doesn’t go away. So you can just do it at your own speed. That’s all great thing about ecourses.
Christy Keane: 26:02 That’s true. And Mommy’s need that for sure. Oh yeah, for sure. Well, the last part of the interview is kind of like a rapid fire questions, um, that I plan to ask everybody who comes on the mommy influenced their podcast. But I think that they are very important questions that everybody is going to want to know the answers to. And first and foremost, what do you influence that you are the most proud of?
Chrissy Powers: 26:28 Oh, that’s a really good question. Um, I’m most proud that I can encourage women daily in their lives, wherever they’re at, whether they’re like a single 20 old woman and they’re like sad and lonely. I remember I was there, I have a few followers that are like that and I just, I love that I can give them hope and encouragement even that even though I’m not there anymore. Um, I love that I can encourage moms. I love that. I have like even older women that follow me that are like, my kids are in college but I still love following you and I get something out of it. And I’m like, that’s amazing. Like a really is my why is to encourage women and feel less alone in life wherever they’re at. So I think I’m most proud that I have been able to help women where they’re at in life.
Christy Keane: 27:25 I love that. And you know, the biggest takeaway for me from that message is that you’ve created something that is not all about you. You know? And I think that that is where people get confused with purposeful content creation and finding their why. And it’s like your, you obviously your story and you are a part of it, but you also have to totally, when you, when you make it something beyond just yourself, it just, I know, just give them too much satisfaction. It feels so much.
Chrissy Powers: 27:55 Oh yeah. It’s so much more satisfying. And you know, when you do this job, people will, they will judge you. They will not understand it sometimes. Um, I’ve been through all of that. I’m totally open to talking about that. If anyone wants to reach out to me to go there because it’s hard and people don’t understand it. And uh, but when you know your reason and you get messages from people saying thank you for that, that helped my marriage. Thank you for that. Then you know you’re doing the right thing. And so I’m really proud of that. And I’m like learning to just, you just shake off the people in
Christy Keane: 28:29 the chief Bernay Brown, her name Brown, the best brown quote in there. Oh my gosh, I love you so much more right now. And you’re doing so many things like we talked about in the next. That’s so important is how much time do you dedicate to your social media and content creation and how do you juggle that with family and quality time and time management?
Chrissy Powers: 28:56 Oh Gosh, I wish I was better at that. Um, theme. I think I would have to look at my phone to tell me now that it tells me your screen time is down this week. And I’m like, yes. Um, I, I don’t, I don’t spend as much time on it, on social media as I used to in the beginning when I was trying to, you know, grow that, get to that like thousand followers because, you know, I feel like in the beginning it kind of is addicting cause you’re just like, so addicted to the, like the getting that next step. Um, and yes, I can fall into that trap very easily. So, um, I try to spend like, at least I would say every day I’m probably on social media at least a 45 minutes, you know? And that’s like, that’s responding. Yeah. I think that’s good too.
Chrissy Powers: 29:53 Cause it’s like that’s either posting stories, posting to my feed and then responding to comments and dms and it takes a lot of times. So, um, it is a job, you know, and, and it is something I’m like, Gosh, I wish I could get to every DM but I can’t. So, um, I try to dedicate the time I have like when my kids are asleep or when they go down at night. Um, but still sometimes you have to turn it off so that you can just relax and fill yourself up. Whether it’s like watching a show, we’re talking to your husband. Um, yeah, so I’m not as good with time management as I would like to be, but I think that will come as my kids got older and I have more set work hours and I know like, okay, I’m in an office at this time. Um, so yeah, it changes each week really.
Christy Keane: 30:47 That’s true. So it sounds like nap times after the kids go to bed, as long as you are feeling like your cup is full, which is the main priority after a long day of raising kids and babies and that’s how you do it. And I think that, yeah, I just thought of us moms have to kind of handle it. Yeah. Homer in the thick of it with the baby years. And I should mention, I will batch work like, like a boss mom, you batch work like a boss. I will
Chrissy Powers: 31:17 hire a babysitter every couple of weeks and like I have one on Friday and I’m like so excited and I’m putting down everything that I can do on that day and I get as much done as I can and then it’s Kinda set up for the future. So like podcasts and things like that will get edited on that day or I’ll record them. Um, especially when my mom and dad comes to town all batch work. But um, yeah, I try to batch work when I can. Um, and that’s another really good way for, I think moms to like feel like, okay, I don’t have to keep doing it every single day. Like I don’t have to take a photo. Every single
Christy Keane: 31:55 batching is like you have to do batching if you don’t want to lose your mind in social media and blogging or pod. Now podcasting, I’m finding that out too. You know, it makes it just take so much pressure off. So that is like the best time management advice. I’m glad you touched on that. Yeah. And is there a mistake that you’ve made in this space along the way that you wish that you could change?
Chrissy Powers: 32:22 Hm. That is a good question. Um, there’s plenty of mistakes that I’ve made. I think saying yes to too much, that’s always been something that I have to have boundaries around. And I realized it came down like loving myself like enough to say no to people. Um, even if it’s like saying no to a job because it’s like, no, it’ll come around, you will have another opportunity. It doesn’t, you don’t always have to say yes. Um, and yeah, so saying yes to too many things in the beginning or saying yes to um, even free stuff when I don’t meet and I’m like, that sounds awful, but
Christy Keane: 33:07 it really, I a hundred percent understand that I would, I would probably say the same thing. I think he picked the perfect answer and I am sure there’s a lot of mommy influencers right now in the thick of that that are like, Yup, I’m there. I’m trying to figure out how to get rid of, you know, try to, oh, now like at all. I remember was sending my friend Lauren I message and being like, I’m quitting Instagram. Like I can’t, like you wouldn’t think getting free stuff would be overwhelming, but there’s a lot to this that people don’t understand for sure.
Chrissy Powers: 33:42 Oh my gosh, there. Yeah. In the very beginning I was just, I think my first free thing was like a tank top and I was like over the moon that someone would give me that. And, and you know, at the beginning of our marriage and having our first child, we didn’t have extra money at all. So it was, it was such a blessing and it always has been. But then it was something that I learned along the way that I can’t just say yes to everything because then you’re not authentic and then you are overwhelmed with stuff that you don’t need. And then it becomes a job getting, learning how to get rid of it and things like, you know, so it really, you don’t have projectors space, you have to protect your brand, um, and, and your time. So I try to like leave space like maybe once a month for taking one, one free thing from like I have brands that I work with that I love that I will always take their free stuff.
Chrissy Powers: 34:38 Like, because we’ve had that relationship for so long. Sure. Um, and I’ve, I’m just kind of like, I feel like they are like, I’m like their ambassadors sort of thing. So there are brands like that that I will just, I’m like, yeah, no problem. I’m, I am, we’ll do that. Um, or if I want to grow. Um, with them. Like recently I think I just signed on to do something with Everlane and I don’t think they had a budget, but I was like, I really like their brand and their mission and their clothes, so I’m going to do this if it, and then the next time they asked me for something free, I will then say I can’t do it for free because I know they should have a budget. So that’s another thing when you can take free stuff knowing that like, I want to grow, I want to build a relationship with them.
Chrissy Powers: 35:25 Um, but then there’s this like, you know, there’s smaller, like mom’s mom shops that make like headbands and things like that. And it’s like, I, Ruby doesn’t need another headband, but every once in a while just kind of get that intuition or that feeling like, you know what, you can take a picture for them and, and you can help them out and grow them because they are, you know, they start, they’re starting like you a few years ago and you, and I love that. I want to help moms so much. I can’t do it for everybody, but every once in a while I’ll be like, yeah, yeah, send that to me. So it’s, it really is. If I have the time, it really does come down to that.
Christy Keane: 36:00 I love that. Yeah. And, and that’s true. And I like that when you, I liked how you touched on, when you do free stuff to build a relationship, it’s nice because you’re proving, you know, what kind of content you can create and that you support them. But yeah, eventually you have to
Chrissy Powers: 36:19 take the car
Christy Keane: 36:19 relationship and the conversation a little bit further. Yeah. It’s, and I love that it’s about protecting your time and protecting your brand because it’s true. Like we don’t, you kind of have to mama bear it up with that stuff too or else it just gets out of hand. So I think you hit on that beautifully.
Chrissy Powers: 36:35 Yeah. And then I should also note that everything should come back to like, is it, how is this going to benefit my audience? Will they want to see this? And so if it’s something totally selfish, like I want like this robotic vacuum cleaner and I’m like, you know, maybe they don’t need to see that like, but I will take, you know something because I take pictures of my daughter all the time and people are going to want to help, you know, no shop is like, so I do think about that. Like what am I showing to my audience? What is one more thing do they need to see? Like, so you always have to think about that. Protecting yourself, your time and your audience.
Christy Keane: 37:18 Very smart. I love that. That was great. I love that. Okay, good. Then what is your biggest advice for someone who’s starting from zero?
Chrissy Powers: 37:28 Oh, just do it for the love. Do it more love and your, uh, why like know why you’re doing it. Are you just doing this to fulfill a need to feel popular or to feel like you matter because you do, you already mattered. You don’t need to grow in this around following to feel important or matter. Um, if you’re doing it because you absolutely love it. You love the community. Um, you know, and those reasons. Yeah, that’s that figure out why you’re doing it and do it for the love. That’s what I would say.
Christy Keane: 38:06 That’s beautiful. I love that. No. True. And um, the last little bit to get into is just equipment. Cause I know people are always looking at people’s speeds and wanting to know what they use. So what camera do you shoot on?
Chrissy Powers: 38:24 I use a Nikon d seven 50 and I usually shoot with a 20 to 70 millimeter lens. And Yeah, I’m like, I like Canon a lot. I kind of wish I could switch to a canon, but I always have had an icon. Like I just, my first camera was gifted to me and it was an icon and then I like bought my first lens as was a 50 millimeter fixed lens which will change your camera.
Christy Keane: 38:50 Yes. It is like the number one first lens if you can number one. Yeah, it’s a better camera body if you guys can get a nifty 50 on there. Yeah,
Chrissy Powers: 38:59 I remember someone telling me that will change your images and I was like Yep. It took them to the next level and so that was like the cheapest one. I could buy two I went to best buy, I bought it and so I always kind of had Nikon lenses and so I just upgraded to the [inaudible] a few years ago and yeah, it works. I like it.
Christy Keane: 39:18 Very nice. Well, I will link that camera and that Lens and I’ll definitely link maybe a more starter version of the camera and a 50 millimeter lens like you were talking about because that is probably, I’m so glad you mentioned that because that’s the number one thing you can do is get that first 50 millimeter lens and figure figure that out and we’ll change the way you think of your pictures and photography.
Chrissy Powers: 39:40 Oh yeah. It makes it so much more fun than 10. And then I just have like an iPhone 10
Christy Keane: 39:45 that I take, which is great.
Chrissy Powers: 39:47 Yeah, that is like sometimes on portrait mode. I’m like, Whoa, that looks like I took it with my digital camera. Yeah.
Christy Keane: 39:54 I’m like, I phones are going to be putting all of us photographers out of business. They’re easing. And then do you, do you use any editing apps or presets for your photos?
Chrissy Powers: 40:06 Yes, I, I edit in Lightroom. I used to in this go, but now I just love the abilities that light room gives you. Um, and I have, I’ve used, um, what’s her name? Jane JC Marie preset. Yeah. Yeah. And then I recently found Chelsea gene presets and they are a little bit more crisp and clean and I, she’s from Hawaii, so I loved all the tones that she would bring out of her photos. And I thought they were kind of beachy too. So I have been using Chelsea gene presets lately.
Christy Keane: 40:42 Oh, I’m going to look those up. I’m a preset junkie too. I just, I love them.
Chrissy Powers: 40:48 I would love to create my own sense.
Christy Keane: 40:50 If anybody, anybody to do it. It’s, you absolutely know.
Chrissy Powers: 40:55 It’s just one more thing that I’m like, do I really need that? Okay,
Christy Keane: 40:58 well I’m going to say, yeah, I feel like I want him. And then I know you mentioned, um, plan a Lee and the plan pla and an APP. Are there any other apps that you use that make your life easier for time management or planning your feet and just living in this
Chrissy Powers: 41:17 [inaudible] helps me plan my feed and I, everybody always asks me, what’s that vintage, uh, how do you get your photos look vintage or your stories, stories. Um, and it’s called eight millimeter. So it’s really just an APP that’s eight n o and I was curious about that too. So fun. Cause it’s like you can record videos for your stories and it looks like from the 70s or the 60s and whatever it, he asks me. So yeah I use that. Um, also I use in shot for like editing videos for Ige TV cause that’s pretty easy to do on your phone and I think that’s pretty much it. That’s all I use. Sometimes I use snap seed to brighten the photo. Um, but that’s, those are my number one ops to go to for photo editing.
Christy Keane: 42:08 That is awesome. I’m going to check out all of those right now. And if you like vintage, uh, video stuff, did you ever use a color story for editing?
Chrissy Powers: 42:17 Yes, actually have it on my phone and I’ve used it for if I like want to add like a pink fog.
Christy Keane: 42:24 Yeah, there’s so many things you can do with that. I only use like the, there’s like a folder called flashes of delight, which has really keep presets and then there’s one that makes your photo’s a little more pink. So I use that, but they just launched an APP, I think it’s called film F. I l m m. And they have really cool vintage like camera video settings. And I’m, I’ve been into that lately. So you should check that out.
Chrissy Powers: 42:49 That’s amazing. I did see that and I’ve saved it cause I was like, I need to come back to this.
Christy Keane: 42:54 Yeah. And it puts all, you know, you can just do the effects or you could do the filters. It’s really cool. It’s probably the best one of the better. I mean, I’m just plugging them for no reason right now, but it’s one of the better video apps that I have have used in a little while. So you should tell them finally, where can listeners find you?
Chrissy Powers: 43:15 You can find me on Instagram. That’s where I’m at usually during the day, um, at Chrissy Jay powers. And you can also find me on my blog, Chrissy powers.com there’s a contact me page through that so that, that will send right to my inbox. You can listen to me on my podcast. Sure Babe. And that’s on apple, iTunes, Spotify, and Podbean. Um, and yeah, that’s pretty much more, or you can find it
Christy Keane: 43:46 me and I will also link in the show notes that Chrissy was awesome enough to share a few pound code for her. Find Your Voice course that will give you 15% off. So when you do her free course and you ultimately decide you want to do the full course, then you can head over to that link and get 15% off.
Chrissy Powers: 44:06 Yup. I’m excited for you guys to try it.
Christy Keane: 44:09 Yay. Well Kristy, thank you so much for coming on. Um, if anybody doesn’t know, Chrissy is my very first ever interview on the Mommy implements or podcast and I just thank you for making, making it so comfortable and fun and I just wish our year in San Diego, right? I am. You did so good to feel good about it. I wish I was in San and could give you a big
Chrissy Powers: 44:31 hug and into this person, but I appreciate you so, so much. Well, thank you so much for having me, Christy. You did awesome. And I am excited for your podcasts, a totally untapped area that you like people need to know about, moms need to know about.
Christy Keane: 44:50 I hope you guys enjoyed this conversation with Chrissy as much as I did and I think one of my favorite parts is that she was able to blend her career and her passions with her social media marketing in order to really help people and hone in on finding her voice. So I would love to hear stories of how other moms have used their careers and blended that with social media marketing in order to find their own voice. So if you head anonover to the mommy influencer podcast insiders group on Facebook, that is the conversation I would love to dive into today. And I appreciate you so, so much tuning into this podcast. It has been just such a passion of mine and so exciting for me to share. And if you liked it, please, please subscribe and leave a review. It would just mean the world to me. It would help out this endeavor so much and I know me and my entire family would appreciate it. Thank you so, so much.