A LOT with Audra

Ep40
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​[00:00:00]

Audra Dinnell: Hey, welcome back. Thanks for joining us this week. I'm so excited about this episode because we are celebrating here at the thread. What are we celebrating? You ask. We have hit five years in business. Yay. Woo. Go Team. This is a team episode and we are gonna be talking about the best of the last five years.

And before we get into it, here's why we're celebrating, because according to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, about 50% of small businesses survive their first five years or more.

Next up. Only one third make it to the 10 [00:01:00] year mark. So that's what we've got our eyes on. But before we talk about that, think about that. Go there. We're gonna take time to celebrate.

Team Introductions and Party Vibes
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Audra Dinnell: So today I have the team with me. Hey, Kendra and Kristen. Hey. Hi. Yay. Mm-hmm. We just, Kristen just said we should be wearing party hats.

Mm-hmm. Confetti. Yeah. Should have gone all out. And I said instead we got party coffees.

Kendra: Yep. We'll take any. Reason to celebrate and get coffee. I know. I'm like

Audra Dinnell: very, very on

Kendra: brand. It's raining. Raining today. Let's get coffee

Audra Dinnell: and celebrate. Yep. Yep. And I'm a cool mom. I went to a concert last night, Tuesday.

On a Tuesday, so so cool. Coffee was totally warranted. Mm-hmm. So wild. Yeah. Okay.

Reflecting on Early Days and Workshops
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Audra Dinnell: So the last five years of the thread, we hit five years in August. Kristen has been on board for four years. Kendra three. Mm-hmm. What's your best of team like moments, memories over the past five years?

Kristen Selby: Okay, I'll go first. [00:02:00] So I was thinking about this.

I have so many memories of our team and just the different things we've done together and the lessons learned, but I, I think when. I look back, Audra, at when you and I were setting up those workshops for cohort one in the white building on Douglas. Mm-hmm. And just how early we would get there.

Mm-hmm. It was dark still. Mm-hmm. Because we hadn't shifted our workshop time to later. So we would get there. We would like both of our cars. I just remember both of our cars being just filled with stuff. And I don't even, I was trying to remember, we made two or three trips every workshop in and out of that white building and we were making tea for the women.

And we got there like an hour, I wanna say like an hour early at least, just so we could. Be really intentional about the setup and like being in the right head space. I learned so much personally from you in that way. Let's get there and have like a beautiful energy for when the women come in and just how important every choice felt.

And five [00:03:00] years later we still operate with that same level of intention. Like it might look different, but I don't think that has. Ever faded since those early days, but I just have such sweet memories of like that first cohort, these 17 women who had taken a big chance on this new thing that was in Wichita and just kind of like those early mornings of like, I don't know, excitement.

I still kind of get like those. Anticipate anticipating like butterflies when I think about those early days. So that's what I thought at first. And then when kinder came on, I just remember like there being such added beauty to our team, like a tiny team of two, and then this mighty team of three and just, you know, in this little office of yours, like crowding around this desk.

And we had so many like laptops and ideas and just like the collaboration and what it, a more interesting, robust, like complex like perspective you brought mm-hmm. In. And I think just like getting to know you has been so [00:04:00] beautiful. And then also like. This isn't a thread memory necessarily, but just like doing life together through these years.

Mm-hmm. Like, it wasn't just the work we were doing. We were, you know, momming together and we were going through really hard personal seasons. And celebrating each other's wins. You know, on our personal lives too. So I think that was a lot that I just said, but those were the things that kind of popped up for me.

Audra Dinnell: I have to say cohort one, those memories. And then Kendra was there too. Yeah. So she was a part of it in the cohort as a

Kendra: receiver of

Audra Dinnell: it.

Kendra: Yeah, you could feel the intention from you guys. And we started at 8:00 AM didn't we? I know that. Wish I had to be at work at 8:00 AM back then anyway,

but I remember several, several of the entrepreneurs. We're stragglers rolling in at like nine

Audra Dinnell: 30 and that's when I was like, maybe we should ship this to nine. And then finally,

Kristen Selby: maybe it works best at Well, and you and I would go the day before sometimes.

Audra Dinnell: Yep. Yeah, that was like ideal if they did not have another event because that, you know, it's an old a hundred year old building and it like [00:05:00] creepy and creaky and in the morning, in the dark and now it's a, a therapy spot, which is really cool.

But yeah, that was where it all started.

Kendra: How about you, Kendra?

Memorable Team Moments and Growth
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Kendra: So I, you kind of did an intentional segue for me. So when I think back to the best of the last five years, my mind immediately went to how our families have grown together. Mm. I think about all the fun things that we've got to do and, and like you said, I think it's the season of life that we're in, but I think about our.

Thread family night at Tanganyika where we all went and stayed the night together with the kids and did a cookout and we stayed in this mansion that the kids absolutely loved because of the spiral staircase. We stayed up way too late, ate way too much snack food. I think Kristen, your boys were trying to carry Murphy everywhere.

Like it was just so fun. And I think about, you know, when we've done couple dates, when we went [00:06:00] to Elderslie for our I think our Christmas or maybe, no, it was a Christmas. It was some spring,

Audra Dinnell: you're right, it was summer.

Kendra: Yeah, it was summer. Were you pregnant? I was think we were celebrating that and then Oh, and then your marriage.

Yes. Oh yes, that's what it was.

Audra Dinnell: No big deal. You're like, there was something else. I was like, there was

Kendra: something. We were celebrating engagement in baby. Not the same person, right. But like, I just think about how fortunate we are that our husbands get along, that our kids are in the same season of life.

I think about. Like getting to call both of you guys after we had Murphy and just like having each other through every different season. And the fact that, I remember when you guys came over for the Chief Super Bowl game and we've just done so much to together with our families, which I think.

Translates to the space that we create for the women because we genuinely love [00:07:00] being around each other. And that is absolutely, I think what helps us create the space of love and authenticity and welcomeness for our community as well.

Audra Dinnell: You know, and I think it, goes to show that like it can be done, you can work with people who.

Think different than you who believe different than you. On any given thing. Mm-hmm. If the purpose and the mission like is at the core For sure. If everyone can agree on the purpose and the mission. I just feel like we didn't set out to like prove this, but I do feel like our team has shown you can show up with love and respect and be a real human and let other people be real humans and you can create something successful and work together well

I just see so much, inside of cultures it can be, combative or just, [00:08:00] companies and people not doing it well when they could. And I'm not saying like, largely, I'm just saying that like. It can be done. Like Kendra and I are very different in many ways, but it's like there's just always that purpose at the core.

Mm-hmm. And then that respect.

Kendra: Yeah. For each other. I feel like our team does a great job of choosing to see our differences as the thing that makes us so strong. Yes. Rather than. You are different than me. I can't get along with you. We recognize, oh my gosh, I'm so glad you're different than me because like, you cover my blind spot

Audra Dinnell: Yeah.

Kendra: Type of thing.

Audra Dinnell: And I think the reason we do this is really a reason why women come to the thread. Mm-hmm. I, because we practice becoming more self-aware. We encourage one another. Mm-hmm. We learn about one another. I mean, this takes. Work. Mm-hmm. You can't just show up and expect it to happen.

You do have to be intentional about learning about yourself. [00:09:00] And learning about others. And it's like in a relationship.

Kendra: Yeah. Yeah.

Audra Dinnell: I think What's yours?

Personal Milestones and Celebrations
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Audra Dinnell: Okay. I think my best of I thought of three times. The first is,

which one happened first? You got engaged right before baby

Kristen Selby: April.

Audra Dinnell: Yep. No.

Kendra: So you were pregnant first? I was, yep. 'cause I had Murphy Yes. In

Audra Dinnell: 2023. So I, I mean, just like your story, and I was thinking about this and thinking, oh my gosh, this might be the first podcast I cry. Aw. But just your fertility journey.

Is that okay that we Oh yeah, absolutely. Your fertility journey and knowing. Part of the reason you were looking to make a shift in your professional life was to lower your stress level and that the thread could be a space that was just like a small part of that journey. Like when you shared you were pregnant with Murphy, it was just like.

I felt like I like it was just such a win. Yeah. You know, I will forever [00:10:00] remember that day

Kendra: at

Audra Dinnell: my coffee table.

Kendra: Me too. Or at my dining table. I was

Audra Dinnell: like, oh my gosh. And then getting to lead by example and be like, we will pay you for three months of maternity leave. Mm-hmm. Full pay. Like this is who we wanna be.

And just That's hard for a small business. Yeah. But it's like if a small business can do it. Other companies can do it too. Yeah, for sure. And this is the way that it should be. Mm-hmm. To support, women and families mm-hmm. In the workplace. Mm-hmm. So Murphy was one such sweet memories. I know.

And then Kristen's engagement to Chase was another you know, it was like the day you said Yes. I remember you had voiced text me or regular text me and I was kind of like a little bit in burnout mode and didn't read my text. It's like one time the weekend. I know, right? And so on Monday morning I dropped my kids off at pre-K and elementary school and I.

I'm sitting in the parking lot and I'm like, okay, I'm gonna go through this mountain of texts. I'm gonna get this Monday started. And Kristen's had been sitting there for like [00:11:00] 48 hours. I was like, oh my gosh.

Kristen Selby: Oh, it's okay. I was like, cloud Nining all weekend. Anyway, so it was okay. Ugh. But I

Audra Dinnell: just remember being like, oh my gosh, Ugh.

So, and then just, you know, your wedding and getting to give a toast and. So meaningful. Mm. So I loved your wedding. Oh, you have so special. You a beautiful, intimate wedding. Oh, thank you. Yeah, it was a really special evening.

Kristen Selby: Thank you for giving that toast.

Audra Dinnell: Oh my gosh. And we like Chase too. Yeah. And Murphy.

Yes. Jason Murphy can stay both of them. Oh, I know keepers. Those are, yeah, those are keepers. Those are some of my favorite memories. And then I feel like. Just me 2023. So 2023 was like kind of this year that all of this happened. Mm-hmm. I feel like personally my family was going through a lot of hard times.

Mm-hmm. So I feel like those two things were such a light for me and those hard times and I am just so grateful that you two gave me space and, and just helped me work through just a hard season for my family, trying to figure out some mental health stuff. And I was traveling a ton. The business was growing a [00:12:00] ton.

It was just the most challenging year I think of. Probably had. Mm-hmm. So I think just summing it up, doing life together. Love it. Agreed. For sure. Kendra, you start this one. What is your best of in the past five years for our community?

Community Building and Workshops
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Kendra: So I, there are so many every workshop, every time we get to be with our broader community, I.

When I looked at this question and thought about it, I went back to when I felt just immense. Gratitude for the community that we've built. And that was at our last alumna workshop. And Audra, you and I connected after this because we were like, oh, we feel, we just felt so centered that day. And I think what made that day so special is, it was our largest workshop to date.

We kicked it off and walked to a nearby coffee shop, to the venue we were hosting, got [00:13:00] coffee, had conversation, walked back, did a really intentional community building, and that was the first workshop that we had members from every single cohort at, which just felt so special. And so I think any alumna.

Or an opportunity for our alumna to be together is just my best of, because when women go through the cohort, there's like this sense of the first few workshops, they're still getting to know each other. There's maybe some hesitation to go deep, there's some fear, which is all natural. And I love being able to see women.

Progress through that. And then towards the end, there's none of that there. There's tears, there's friendships. With our alumna, you just dive right in. There's, there's no fear. Women are connecting with each other. They're introducing friends to each other. They're giving each other hugs. It's hard to get them to quiet down.

Mm-hmm. [00:14:00] To start anything. And so I, that was one that will, will forever stick with me that and I think we had that workshop right after the announcement that we were closing Kansas City. So it was kind of a, raw period for us. And so it just felt very, very good.

Audra Dinnell: That workshop was on my list as one of my best memories too, and I think someone, an alum member said it this way. They said, you know, when we're coming to the thread space, we already we're already primed and prepped. Mm-hmm. Like, we know what the space is gonna be like and feel like, and I just totally agree.

Yeah. It's like you don't have to. The hurdles aren't there because it's like if you're coming to a threat event as an alum, you know what to expect. On an energy level. Yeah.

Kendra: And I, it also, the thing that makes me laugh about that day is that we had been. Toying with maybe experimenting with our model.

And so we were like, perfect opportunity. Let's ask our alumna. [00:15:00] And I just love this community so much because many of them had like a visceral reaction to some of the changes we were just thinking about making. And it was just so funny that. And I love that we can get in front of our community and ask really good questions.

And they are not afraid to be like, that's an awful idea. Do not do that. Yes, I loved that deal. Like they're just genuine and they're not scared to tell us things that are important to them. So I just feel like that day was special for many, many reasons. And I was really jazzed about that idea too.

I know. I was like, I think you were like 99% there. Here we go. Yeah. I was like in my head planning and you're like, trainer,

Audra Dinnell: I know. Pull back. And it's like, that's that. I think that's what makes our. Business so great is that we listen, we truly listen to our people and try to implement.

Kristen Selby: Yeah,

Audra Dinnell: I personally love Culmination Day as probably my best of, so now we've had nine culminations and [00:16:00] it is just so special and beautiful to see six months in these women carving out time for themselves.

Deepening relationships that are really impactful to their season of life and career. At cohort nine, one of our entrepreneurs at Culminations said, she walked in with the question like, what am I doing?

She had just started her business and. She walked out at culmination with that sentence changed to, I can do this. And the, I mean, just there's too many individual successes to share, both personal, professional, but just seeing these women just have the courage to pour into themselves and to, you know, get something that they want through their willingness to.

Just be vulnerable and surround themselves with other women [00:17:00] and try and grow. I mean, the success stories or the like, I don't even know if you'd say success stories. Just the, just the individual. When someone says, I had this hard conversation with my boss that I. Wasn't even considered having, having before I came into the thread and it resulted in X, Y, Z.

Kendra: Mm-hmm.

Audra Dinnell: Like that. Just, those always feed my soul.

Kendra: Yeah.

Audra Dinnell: Okay. Another one aside from like culmination and just all the words we hear our cohort members share about their experience. That feeds me, but then another one that even though it didn't end in the way we thought it would, that I, I will just never forget the way IF.

Felt is opening the Kansas City chapter. Like that was so special to me. It, was such an effort to get it up and off the ground by our team and their team. And just opening night, having the place be packed. And I went up there [00:18:00] with my dad and stepmom and Corey and saw some familiar faces.

I had my pipeline crew come. And support me and then getting to meet a ton of Kansas City women and then walking after the celebration and we went to this little corner restaurant and had oysters and wine and just, it felt so good to see that come to fruition. And even though, like I said, it. Is currently paused.

I still, it was just so worth it. Mm-hmm. So worth the effort. And so that's always gonna be

Kristen Selby: one of my favorites.

Kendra: Mm-hmm.

Kristen Selby: How about you, Kristen? Yeah.

Serving the Community Together
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Kristen Selby: The things that came to mind for me were the ways in which our community has gotten to serve others together. And so, participating in a habit for humanity build together was just so fun.

It was, It felt so different than. Sitting in a workshop and learning and you know like that. That obviously is like the important work we do, but then to like collectively serve others and have fun doing it, that was a really [00:19:00] special. Mourning for me and then also when we sponsored a couple of families from I-C-T-S-O-S and just getting together for our holiday social and obviously enjoying one another's companies, but like working toward a greater good there like that.

Just the power of the women in our community and the hearts that they have for others, I think was super impactful.

Kendra: Hmm.

Audra Dinnell: What about lessons? Best of lessons as we wrap up this episode. What lessons have you learned through the thread

Kristen Selby: over the last five years?

Lessons Learned Over Five Years
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Kristen Selby: Yeah, I think the biggest lesson I have learned is, and it kind of like to tag team on what you were saying Audra, about culmination.

You know, I think we as a team can get so into the weeds of the day-to-day operations that, the decision making kind of just doing the work that we don't feel the work. And so when we hear these stories come out at culmination, it's just such a [00:20:00] beautiful reminder that. That intention and that heart has always been there and that that is what matters.

And that is the glue and that is already created. Like we create the space for women to do this really important work that sounds so simple, but that is what it's all about. And so I think a lesson for me is kind of, you know, looking back over the last five years and how many. Pivots and new ideas and experiments and things that, failed and things that succeeded and, the highs and the lows and like through it all.

It's just that heart for women and those stories that come out at culmination, that is the steady, sturdy foundation of the thread.

Audra Dinnell: Kind of like if we just keep showing up. With this intention. That's our work because the right women are going to come to this community and do the work they need,

Kendra: It's so funny. That is exactly what I wrote down, was the space. I think at the beginning I felt [00:21:00] an immense pressure to, provide more than just the space, like help women along their journey maybe provide aha nuggets to each workshop I don't, I think that when there were some workshops that maybe didn't land for some, just feeling that gut of like, oh, I'm so disappointed.

What did we do wrong? Now, five years in. I feel very content with the fact that every workshop is gonna hit everyone differently, and that there is something for everyone to learn in each workshop. And that's not up for us to say or decide the only responsibility that we have is to provide the space,

we just need to provide the space for the women to do the work that they need. That we're not able to say what that work is that it's, it's truly the [00:22:00] space and that's it.

Audra Dinnell: And I think that's why it's hard to talk about what we do and who our ideal community member is because.

There's many different reasons women come to the thread and they're so individual. And yes, we can totally lump a handful together. Many women come because they want to be more confident, have more trust in themselves, get the tools they need to do that. Clear down their goals, but really. You know, it's so much more than that.

And so it's hard to just say, yeah, here's what we do. I feel like one of my biggest lessons over the past five years is that not one person has a roadmap for me. You know, as a lifelong learner, I'm always, you know. Interested in getting coaching or meeting with mentors or learning from other [00:23:00] podcasters, reading books?

Every workshop that we have, I always either learn something new or hear it a different way, or it's a reminder of how I want to apply that tool in my life. But it's really just like building that self trust of like we. will take it one messy step at a time and we'll keep showing up and we'll keep doing the work.

And that's all that we can do. No one has a roadmap to make, you know, our business look like X, Y, and Z. And I think, you know, when you're first starting out, it's easy to think like, what am I missing? Who has the answers? And it is very valuable to be in accelerators and have mentors and get coaching for sure.

But. It's almost like the shift for me of like looking from external to more internal, letting my values, our values, the business's values sort of guide us. [00:24:00] At five years, our team sat down and did, a purpose planning series where we just looked at, what is our mission? What was it when we started and what have we done?

Where is it now? What has it become? And we just take one messy step at a time. No one has a roadmap.

Kendra: Mm-hmm.

Audra Dinnell: Which is kind of scary. But also freeing of like, we're just gonna do it one step at a time. Okay. Anything else before we wrap up?

Kendra: Hmm. It's been so fun. Like it does not feel like five years.

I know. It's wild. It just gets me so excited to think about the 10 year mark. I know. Like we're starting cohort 10 next month.

Kristen Selby: I think that's so beautiful that we're still so excited. Yeah. Like probably more so I feel more excited going into the next five years. Then At the beginning, yeah.

Maybe. 'cause we didn't know exactly what we were beginning to. I don't

Kendra: know. I thought of another one. Speaking of cohort 10. [00:25:00]

The Power of Planting Seeds
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Kendra: I feel like I have learned the power of planting seeds. There are one of the things that we continue to hear is that the thread comes for women when they need it most. And so there are many women, a few of which are in Cohort 10 who have been following since cohorts one, two, or three.

And so it can get discouraging when we're. Having recruiting efforts, having conversations, and you get nos, which you get in every industry, but knowing that it's like the seeds that we've planted and the community that we've been building, it's just so cool when we get people that come in and they say, I have been wanting to be a part of a cohort since cohort two.

And you're like, oh my gosh, that's eight cohorts ago. So it's so cool to me and I just remember. Or I want to always remember the importance of planting seeds, having conversations, building community because the [00:26:00] thread presents itself to women when they need it most.

Audra Dinnell: Yeah. And not forcing it.

Correct. Yeah. The right people come at the right time for them. Exactly.

Kristen Selby: Yeah. And it's like two, it's twofold, right? It's like having those sturdy systems and plans and like the mm-hmm. The operations piece and just like trusting the process, right? Yeah. I think it's just, yeah. That's small business.

Kendra: Mm-hmm.

Trust the process. Yes. Boom. The processes that we've put in place. Yes. Thank you. Thank you, Kendra. Kendra. I like we have so many more processes to put in place in a good way. Like I get excited for that.

Audra Dinnell: Yeah,

Kendra: I get excitedly. You get excited. Right.

Audra Dinnell: All right.

Looking Forward to the Future
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Audra Dinnell: Well thank you for just listening to our team reflect on the past five years, and we're so excited as you heard about where we're going in the next.

Five years. We are absolutely so grateful for every single one of you who listens to this podcast, who follows us on social, who shares the work that we're doing with other people in their community. [00:27:00] So thank you. Thank you. If you have not yet, we would love for you to subscribe to this podcast. It's so easy.

Click that follow button. Like my kids would say, smash that like button on the podcast app that says Follow. You know what I mean? I'm a cool mom. I went to a concert last night. Thanks for being here.