In the latest episode of The Social Impact Podcast, I had the pleasure of sitting down with Erika Hanafin Feldhus, a dynamic mom, business leader, and startup advisor who has been making waves in the world of entrepreneurship. As the CEO and co-founder of Hello Mamas, Erika has dedicated her career to empowering moms by providing them with the tools, connections, and experiences they need to thrive both personally and professionally.
Highlights from the Episode:
1. The Power of Community: Erika shared her journey with Hey Mama, a membership community that has grown to support over 400 million moms across the U.S. Whether it’s finding a business partner, hiring a marketing agency, or simply connecting with other like-minded moms, Hey Mama offers a 360-degree support system. Erika emphasized how this community has become a vital resource for moms in business, helping them navigate the challenges of entrepreneurship while balancing the demands of motherhood.
2. Normalizing "Motherhood on the Resume": One of the key initiatives Erika has championed is the "Motherhood on the Resume" campaign. We discussed the importance of recognizing the skills and leadership qualities that moms develop during their parenting journey—skills like time management, negotiation, and project management. Erika believes that these should be celebrated and acknowledged in the business world, and she’s been working to shift the narrative around career gaps caused by motherhood.
3. Navigating the Entrepreneurial Journey: With over 15 years of experience in growing small businesses, Erika provided invaluable insights into the entrepreneurial journey. She shared her advice on how to survive the first few years of a startup, highlighting the importance of gathering feedback and being willing to pivot when necessary. She also talked about the critical role that company culture plays in long-term success and how fostering a supportive, inclusive environment can make all the difference.
4. Surviving and Thriving in Business: Erika discussed the challenges and rewards of building a business while raising a family. She offered practical tips on how to manage the chaos that often comes with entrepreneurship, including the importance of self-care, networking, and being present in the moment. Her advice is a reminder that while the journey may be messy, it’s also filled with opportunities for growth and learning.
Why This Episode Matters:
This episode is a must-listen for any mom in business, whether you're just starting out or looking to scale your enterprise. Erika’s story is a powerful example of how you can turn your passion into a thriving business while making a positive impact on the lives of others. Her insights into the intersection of motherhood and entrepreneurship are inspiring and practical, offering a roadmap for navigating the often challenging path of being a mompreneur.
Get Involved:
If you’re interested in joining a community of like-minded moms in business, consider becoming a member of Hey Mama. The connections and support you’ll find there could be the key to unlocking your next big opportunity.
Connect with Erika Hanafin Feldhus:
Instagram: @erikafeldhus
LinkedIn: Erika Hanafin Feldhus
HeyMama Community: HeyMama
Coming Soon: Watch for the launch of Hello Mamas, a new platform to support moms at every stage of their journey.
Summer 100 for $100 HeyMama Membership
Stay Connected with The Social Impact Podcast:
Instagram: @thesocialimpactprojects
LinkedIn: The Social Impact Firm
Website: The Social Impact Firm
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Raw Transcript:
Intro: We did launch our "Motherhood on the Resume" campaign with the goal to support more moms returning after they take a break to become a parent and normalize the conversations that businesses need to have. We’ve kind of started to see a trend where we really need to educate more companies to create guidelines and parameters—even as simple as creating a job description for an employee and making sure that the language can fit for a mom. Welcome to The Social Impact Podcast. My name is Bree Jensen, and I will be facilitating the conversation today. On the podcast, we explore stories of leaders making a difference in the world. Today, we're thrilled to introduce Erika Hanafin Feldhus, a devoted mom, sophisticated business leader, and startup advisor. As the CEO and co-founder of Hello Mamas, Erika empowers moms with the tools, connections, and experiences they need to thrive. With over 15 years of experience in growing small businesses and a passion for fostering healthy corporate cultures, Erika's journey is nothing short of inspiring. Let's dive into her incredible story of leadership, philanthropy, and impact.
Bree Jensen: All right. Well, Erika, thank you for joining The Social Impact Podcast. I tap you in or ask you to do lots of things because you have such a powerful voice in business and so much to learn from you. So I'm just really thankful that you would join the podcast today.
Erika Hanafin Feldhus: Oh, well, I'm always happy to support you, Bree, and all the incredible work that you're doing. So, thank you for having me on.
Bree Jensen: Yeah, absolutely. You're top of my list always. You know, there's so much to dive into your story, but I'd love to kind of start with the present day and how we know each other. I'm a part of the HeyMama community, and I know there was just a big change that I'll let you share, but HeyMama, we're going to link to it in the show notes. But I've been a part of the community for probably six or seven years now, and I'm not a digital community person. That's how great this community is. It’s kept me all these years, and I feel like I have relationships that are lasting and so supportive from this community. So I just want to give a big thank you to you, Erika, as the CEO, and Omri, and you know, just all the whole team. So, but will you share with us a little bit about Hey Mama and what’s going on with that right now?
Erika Hanafin Feldhus: Sure, and thank you. You’re an incredible member, but HeyMama is, of course, a membership community that supports moms in business and accelerates their business with events and programming. We've impacted over 400 million moms. We're the largest community accelerating moms in business here in the U.S., and we have members in all 50 states. So whether you're looking to connect IRL through our programming, our meetups, or our smaller events, or just finding your business partner or finding a marketing agency, a social, you know, PR person, you can find that all in our membership community, which does have a 360-degree approach. You can access it anywhere, either on your computer or on your phone. Most of us are on our phone, so you can join in on the conversation that we have on a regular basis. If you're in different business-oriented groups, we have different business groups, and we're expanding on those. So much to be had. I will say that I always get goosebumps talking about our community because, particularly in business, and particularly as women start their own businesses and entrepreneurship, our community, and you see all the data, right? You see all the stats on what it’s like to be a woman and to raise money. And you know, less than 2% of VC funding goes to women. Well, it's even less for moms because moms are bucketed into that women group. But within our community, the number that I have is our members have raised over $20 million, and it's incredible to show the impact that a collective can bring and the support that each member brings to another. So that's a little bit about Hey Mama. We think what you're hinting at is that we were recently acquired in March, and as part of that acquisition, actually, we are rebranding as another parent company. So our parent brand is called Hello Mamas. Omri and I are co-founding Hello Mamas. We are slightly different, but that will be around supporting every mom’s success, whether they're in business, whether they're, you know, working on professional or personal well-being and growth. So it’s really a collective where shared wisdom can help improve joy, right? We see that when we are supported, and when there’s really what it takes a village, right? There's a meaning to that for moms, and so we are building a more accessible community on a foundation of empathy, of inclusivity, fun, but really ensuring that we’re building a supportive system for all moms to thrive across their entire motherhood journey.
Bree Jensen: Yeah, and I've definitely experienced that. I know I already said how grateful I am to the community, but it feels like, you know, when you put something out, you're trying to find a marketer, you're trying to find these services, or even just ask questions into the universe of, like, social media or something. You don't really know if you're getting valuable feedback, but when you have a community like HeyMama, it’s like already vetted, and I already trust. When I have that initial meeting, there are such quality people there. And I think the tip there is, I mean, we’re always kind of preaching, don't do it alone, right? So wherever you can find your circle of trust is so vital. Entrepreneurs can be so solo and isolated, and then it’s like burnout, and you just can’t find the resources you need. And then on top of that, moms, right? So I would consider HeyMama, and you can correct me if I’m wrong, but a social enterprise because there are so many social issues and things that you're supporting through your work and creating this beautiful business alongside. So one of the things that I know has been around is having "mom" on your resume. Will you share a little bit about that and what that has meant to the moms that you know?
Erika Hanafin Feldhus: For sure. You're right. I think that having a purposeful mission, really, you know that in a sound environmental well-being does bring together a social enterprise, kind of collective that HeyMama does thrive in. We do believe that motherhood is a training ground for leadership. I mean, when we think about becoming a mother and the traits that you are innately developing at every journey, right? Whether it’s figuring out how to put on a diaper, project management, or time management, you know, all of the doctor's appointments and the meetings, and you know, even taking time for you, all of that takes a schedule, the schedule with your partner. We always joke, like, negotiation is always with your toddler. You learn it, right? You're negotiating non-stop. My oldest is 11. Like, there’s no way I'm still negotiating. I was negotiating at lunch. It’s just that the negotiation tactics change slightly. These are traits that you can bring to a business. And so we did launch our "Motherhood on the Resume" campaign with the goal to support more moms returning after they take a break to become a parent and normalize the conversations that businesses need to have. We saw that initially, early on, it was really around bringing more moms back into the workforce. And over the last two years, we've kind of started to see a trend where we really need to educate more companies to create guidelines and parameters—even as simple as creating a job description for an employee and making sure that the language can fit for a mom, right? So that's what we’re seeing as a trend—that we need to do a little bit more education. And certainly, you know, this whole concept around COVID helped create more values. It did create a little bit more flexibility and a bigger understanding of prioritizing family, right? But now, we’re kind of past that. We’re seeing that more businesses want their employees to go back to work and how to find a balance. And how do we also understand that it's okay to take that time to become a parent and still come back into the workforce and feel confident? Really, it's around confidence that we are kind of building. So it's a two-pronged approach: supporting more moms and then also supporting businesses to be able to create flexible work schedules and all the benefits that they can bring for their mom employees or, quite frankly, any of their parents, right?
Bree Jensen: And I like that you're doing that corporate approach or that business approach because I was just talking with a mom. Two of her kids are out of the house, or soon to be out of the house. She has, you know, a teenager coming up. She just re-entered the workforce, and she is incredible, you know? But she has to—she’s saying how she’s doing all these certifications, and she's trying to play catch-up. So now that moms are maybe like, they raise their kids, and they’re deciding to go back to work, and it’s a 15-year gap or whatnot, they're also having to work double or triple hard to catch up to be able to get to their peers that are the same age. And there's all these kind of challenges. What's your biggest advice for even getting in the door, like with your resume, if there's a gap? Which I hate that, because it's like you’re doing so much during those years and learning so much. But how do you even get the interview if you're competing against people that stayed in the business workforce?
Erika Hanafin Feldhus: I think there are two folds, right? We launched this initiative to normalize that time, so I wear that badge loud and proud. I have it on my LinkedIn—you know, "proud mom." Interestingly, LinkedIn now has a field for moms or parents who took a gap right on their LinkedIn profile, and being honest about that, right? Like, "I took time off to care for my son or daughter, and during that time, I learned X, Y, and Z," obviously tailored to the role that you're looking to have, right? And using those traits and what you learned and how you can really provide a benefit. What we do see, too, and it's true, is, you know, I am a firm believer in networking. And we often say at HeyMama, "networking equals net worth," right? Women, in particular, moms, don't make time for themselves to get out there and network. And that’s why we have a thriving community where you can network with other like-minded moms and women that can help support you on that. So find a network, find and use that network, right? And part of that role could also be helping you build the confidence to ask, right? Ask, "Are you looking for somebody?" "Do you know somebody here?" Or go to that meetup, or that dinner, or whatever it is. Take that hour and don't feel bad about doing that if that’s a professional goal that you want to have. You have to put in the time. And you know, there is a reciprocity, right? You can’t expect it all to come to you. You do have to do the work. But I think that certainly building the trust, using your voice, and using the skills that you certainly gained as a mother—and I highly, highly recommend finding a network and a community that can support you. And that might mean many, right? It could be a community like HeyMama, could be a more professional community or even a more personal community or group that you want to be associated with. There's not a one-size-fits-all to everything, but find what works best for you.
Bree Jensen: Yeah, that’s really great advice to get your people and get those conversations going, and they can even kind of advise you on the practical things like resume building and all that good stuff. So I want to take a step backward to kind of the beginning of your career journey. I know that your parents were entrepreneurs, and so you were probably around that, but I'd love to hear, you know, what was 20-year-old Erika like, and what were—what—I want to hear all the things. It doesn't even have to be career-related, but yeah, what were you like when you were 20, 21?
Erika Hanafin Feldhus: Probably not as polished as I am now, for sure. But no, you’re right. I did. I was very fortunate to grow up in a family of successful CEOs. My grandparents started a business in their garage, so true startup, and ultimately grew that to a global organization that got bought and sold to a public company. So I just thrived in business. I loved—I was naturally curious. I wanted to know. In fact, it was my dream to officially take over the business from my father. But, you know, that innate skill set was certainly, you know, a combination of the natural aspect of being the oldest of four girls and having that innate kind of leadership capability, but then also very learned around, you know, recognizing that if you want to grow a business, the dedication that it takes. And sometimes there’s a give and take, you know? And it doesn’t have to always be that way, but being aware of what it takes to build. I would say, you know, I’ve mentioned I’m the oldest of four girls. My family is incredibly close. I was just visiting my third-in-line sister, who just had her second baby boy. And, you know, we get—we’re all on the East Coast now, and so we had very strong family values around all of that. I went to school in Manhattan. I never thought I would leave Manhattan. So 20-year-old Erika was, you know, at Fordham University in the Bronx, and—but I was certainly enjoying the college life, I would say. But I also had an internship. I worked with Tommy Hilfiger as an intern, and ultimately, I’m a firm believer that that helped me get to where I am as well, right? I always knew that business was important, and I didn’t—I—my career growth was really important.
Bree Jensen: If you don't mind kind of diving into your journey a little more, you started off as an intern at Tommy Hilfiger. And then where did it go from there? Because I know you've also been, you know, a founder and helped businesses turn right side up. Any details you want to share, we're so curious about just how your journey has developed, and also you had kids at the same time. So what was that like?
Erika Hanafin Feldhus: I did? I was very career-focused. I had an internship, I got a job right out of college in advertising, actually. And then I started—it was early on. I saw this trend in digital advertising. It was when digital was really starting to get big, and I actually worked in startups. And so for the last almost two decades, I’ve been in startup mode, either being the first hire or working directly with the CEO or the co-founder. And that journey was crazy, right? I started the taxi advertising in New York City, all of the screens, grew that. Wow. The journey has certainly not been very linear. It’s certainly had a lot of curves and ups and downs, particularly as most startups do. So I’ve been fortunate to have had—HeyMama is my fourth acquisition that I’ve been instrumental in, the first one that I have fully led as CEO, but one of four. And that also has—there’s also been some failures on that journey with other businesses that didn’t succeed. And I use all of that—really how, interestingly, what a company’s culture does to define its success, how you foster growth through, you know, leadership, through collaboration, what it takes to fundraise. You know, all of the things that an entrepreneur startup, as somebody who’s looking to become—build a startup, goes through and what that journey is like. I’ve been there. And you’re right, I had my son when I was in New York City. And, you know, looking back now, I did not have maternity leave. I—you know, day one I was back at work. So that was, I think, a low. Now, as I look back, I probably would, you know, I would have forced more. I would have really stood for a belief to take time to really enjoy. But I also believe that at the same time, it’s quality, not quantity. So, you know, there are aspects, and give and takes throughout that journey. So yeah, that’s been my kind of hilly, crazy—like I said, not linear, but really interesting journey as an entrepreneur and founder.
Bree Jensen: Yeah, I have so many questions around your taxi advertising. That’s so intriguing. But you know, overall, what would you say? How does a company—? I know there’s no, like, exact formula—if there was, we would all do it, right? But do you have, like, one tip? How do you survive the first three years as an entrepreneur?
Erika Hanafin Feldhus: Feedback. Get as much feedback as you possibly can. I do. Actually, I do believe in a venture building methodology that most startups go through right all the way from ideation to conceptualization. I think what happens is we often miss that period, and that usually is one to three years. And that patience around, you know, really looking at the data and understanding the feedback. And another part of that is being true to what you’re hearing. If you’re getting a lot of feedback that something’s not working, either adjust—a pivot is super easy to do—or fail fast. So by the time you’re at year seven, you know you’re in a much different place. So I think that we often now are seeing a bigger trend on what the data is telling us, but we can also be really single-minded when we’re so focused that we just want to, like, get to it. We don’t want to take the time to really understand what’s happening. Whether you’re, you know, a service-based business, like HeyMama is—I want to understand what my members are thinking, saying, and doing. Or if you’re a product, right? What is—what are your consumers saying? What are they doing? What is their purchase behavior? How are they responding? You know, having that conversation is super, super, super critical in the first three years.
Bree Jensen: That is great advice, and I hope everyone takes it. I learned that the hard way in my first couple ventures. It’s like you just get so married to your ideas and your product, and you’re developing it because you see the need, but maybe it doesn’t manifest in the way that is actually needed. So fantastic. Okay, so along the same lines, how do you survive the seven years? What’s that kind of, like, phase two?
Erika Hanafin Feldhus: I think by year seven, you have to make it to year seven, or if you don’t, then change really fast by year three and find something else. But I think year seven is always that magic number where you start having conversations that could lead to—if you’re looking for an exit, you’re having those conversations, or you’re aware, you’re kind of creating those opportunities strategically. And you know, by year seven, you’ll start to feel more in rhythm, hopefully, if you’ve done the early work, right? But I think that at that point, you kind of are understanding what it means to get into a scalable business model and to that growth. And again, that could be either—we’re going to—I’m a big believer that every entrepreneur has an exit in mind, right? And let’s be honest, the exits that we’re seeing or that we’re used to on the tech side are not what we’re seeing today. So, you know, it’s—yeah, we would love to be a unicorn, but, you know, be okay with either having a profitable business that is making, you know, a low seven-figure revenue, and you have no debt, and you’re profitable, and you’re great. Or look for having those conversations to get you to a better place, whether that’s finding a strategic partner, or, you know, nine times out of ten, it’s really not the one that you think it will happen with. It’s something else that gets sparked out of having those conversations. So, you know, I think that’s really where, by year seven, you’re kind of figuring out what that looks like.
Bree Jensen: Yeah. And when do you start thinking about an exit plan? Especially for—a lot of social enterprises are service-based, I would say. I mean, there are some products too, but especially in, like, the sustainability world, you see more of the products. But as a service-based business, social enterprise, how does that even—? Like, how do you even get there? Probably a lot of entrepreneurs are like, that’s so just out of my understanding. What would you say about that?
Erika Hanafin Feldhus: Well, I guess it depends, right? I mean, to your point, sustainability—if it’s an innovation, and there’s an innovative approach that you’re using to solve a problem, then, you know, that could be a different conversation than more of a service. But even the service, you know, does—it depends. Or a charity, right? And that’s a much different conversation. I think that you should always have a strategic plan that incorporates an exit of some kind, whether that is—like I said, whether that exit is really getting to growth and being profitable. If it’s selling to another strategic or another group or community or whatever that might be, whether it’s being bought by a brand or going into more of the private equity—it just varies. But definitely, day one, have a strategic plan that outlines that goal.
Bree Jensen: That’s great. When do you think it’s right to take on a partner? This is, like, the biggest conversation I feel like I have with various groups—is when to stay solo and when to do it with a partner, like a business partner, yeah.
Erika Hanafin Feldhus: You know, I’m a firm believer in finding a strong business partner early on. I think that—you know, I’m naturally a social person. I thrive around being able to bounce ideas and thoughts around with somebody. So I love that. And I would say, you know, early. And that way, I think that there are two different aspects around that, right? Like, as we were just talking about, entrepreneurship can be very, very isolating and very lonely. And finding a partner that can support you is important. Now, having said that, there are some pros and cons to that, right, around a business aspect or what you see, what you’re building, and how you’re building it, and, you know, your beliefs. Before I would ask anybody to be a partner, I would test and, you know, create some strategic opportunities to kind of see how you work together. You know, look at—I love, like, personality quizzes, looking at, you know, how...
Bree Jensen: Are you a lion or a golden retriever?
Erika Hanafin Feldhus: I mean, but it’s true, right? When you bring on a partner, this is somebody that you are actually spending more time with than your partner at home, right? And so, so you do want to make sure—like we have, you know, love language quizzes. Why don’t we have that for our business partners? Yeah, in many respects. And we do, you know, there’s so many—like a DISC profile, or any of those different conversations, you have to find out how you match and understand, you know, where those triggers are going to be. I think that’s really important. And having those conversations to know, okay, this is, you know, this is going to be something I’m going to have to understand their perspective on. And then when you do bring in a partner, I think it’s really critical to make sure that you have very clearly defined roles and responsibilities. And if there are any roles and responsibilities that you are duplicating or that you're working on together, make sure that’s outlined early on. Because, you know, you want to have different—you don’t want to—it doesn’t make sense if you’re doing everything together all the time, at the same time, and, you know, you’re not going to get much done. So clearly define, you know, the roles and responsibilities that each one of you is going to have. Who you’re going to be talking to. If one’s working on partnerships, and the other one’s working on the business, or one’s working on, you know, communications, and the other is doing the other—you have to be clear and get that defined early. You’ll avoid so much when you do that.
Bree Jensen: That’s fantastic advice. I think that’s great, and especially the part of working together first and seeing how it goes, because you just never know until you actually do it, right? So, and I think there might be some people listening that are heavily involved in nonprofit, and they’re asking, well, why are we having these business conversations? One of the biggest things that The Social Impact Firm is trying to do is shift mindsets in the social impact space, especially in nonprofit, you know, to pay people what they deserve and to get excellence at the top. And, you know, all those things that really build a beautiful, kind of lasting organization, whether it’s for profit or nonprofit. So I think this is a great conversation that if you have a social cause, this absolutely applies to you. To build a great business, and then that means a greater impact. You know, unfortunately, stuff takes money, so even impact...
Erika Hanafin Feldhus: 1,000%. And I can speak from experience, actually. I’m currently going through this. I’m chairwoman of a nonprofit that is called EQUI-KIDS here in Virginia Beach. It’s equine therapy for special abilities and veterans. And I—this is not—you know, I’ve been on nonprofit boards, foundations, etc. Business conversations are critical even at the nonprofit level, because whether you are going directly to—whether you’re bringing in income in some way, fundraising is income. How you handle fundraising, if you’re building programs that support that, making sure that those are pillars within your business that are defined, right? It’s so critical. And I think that actually is a huge detriment, is when we don’t bring in leaders or when we don’t have business conversations at the nonprofit level. Because a nonprofit doesn’t necessarily mean you’re a small business, you know, you’re small—you could have a nonprofit that is making $15 million, right, and paying salaries that are equivalent to that. But you do need to understand business acumen and how, you know, the topics might change, but every business has the same structure. Every business needs a strategic plan. Every business has operational capabilities that need to be defined, and roles and responsibilities of every person in that organization—whether you’re a for-profit or nonprofit—that needs to be really, you know, part of the conversation at every single level.
Bree Jensen: Yes, absolutely. I’m so glad you said all of that, because why not, when we’re trying to make an impact on the world, do it with excellence and at a high level? And, you know, bring in the funds to really do a lot of good. So, love it so much. Anything else? Because I’m going to start going into the questions that we ask everyone, but is there anything else that has come to mind as we’re talking about social enterprise that you want to share? In fact, maybe there’s a learning that you’ve had along the way that’s maybe an oopsie, but it’s turned into a learning that you want to share with people? I mean, we’ve all had lots of oopsies.
Erika Hanafin Feldhus: Yeah, I love—you know, I think that there’s that calm in the chaos, they say, right? That messiness does lead to opportunities, whether it’s forcing you to take a pause and really evaluate what’s happening, or reevaluate your mission, vision, and values, which everyone needs to have defined. Whether it’s looking at the way, you know, your business practices, or however it is—whatever you’re using to measure and demonstrate impact at any level, look at those mess—look at the messiness for those opportunities to show up and come back much better and stronger.
Bree Jensen: Love it. I love it so much. There are so many times that I just lived in kind of, like, regret, or "why did I do that?" or "that failed," and now I've just learned, man, I’m using all those lessons in my successes. So it all comes back around. So don’t be too hard on yourselves, everyone. Just keep going. Just keep moving forward. Okay, great. So, three questions that we ask everyone to get different perspectives. The first one is, kind of, what’s your purpose of motivating change? So, you know, what drives you? What keeps you going?
Erika Hanafin Feldhus: You know, it’s interesting that you asked this question, because I was sitting in church last weekend, and I’m sitting there, and I was like, this is my purpose. Like, really, I was really even called, even on this bigger level. And my purpose is really to serve women. I’m so incredibly passionate about advocating for women, whether they’re in business, whether they’re working on their professional abilities. You know, and I do that by raising them up through leadership, collaboration, philanthropy, mentorship, etc. And I believe that I’m called to serve more, and especially as we’re building out Hello Mamas, it’s an even bigger calling and purpose to continue to ensure that moms are supported at every stage of the game along their motherhood journey, feel like they can build confidence all while they’re navigating all of the messiness that life brings to them. So I would say my purpose is to raise women up.
Bree Jensen: That’s great. That’s fantastic. And you know, even you were having that moment of thinking and processing in church, I want to encourage everyone to kind of have those recentering moments, you know, where you remember why you’re doing what you’re doing, and then that kind of gets you going to that next step. Second question, just a simple one, and I know this is important to you, and even the HeyMama community has so many great events, but what are your well-being tips as we’re building social change?
Erika Hanafin Feldhus: I am a big believer—and it’s taken me a long time to get there—and we always say, you know, there’s a reason why we say, "put your oxygen mask on first." So, well-being is front and center to everything I do, whether it’s, you know, waking up with gratitude and writing in my gratitude journal. I have a therapist that I work with on a weekly basis, so finding my team that can help support me personally is really important. I do not do well if I don’t work out—whether it’s something as small as, like, stretching for 10 minutes or going out, getting outside and going for a walk. Or, you know, I had the big 40 two weeks ago, and so now I’m ready...
Bree Jensen: Yeah, happy birthday!
Erika Hanafin Feldhus: Thank you! Everybody in their 40s needs to start doing strength training, right? So whether any kind of movement is really important for well-being. And finally, being present—I’ve really taken, you know, a lot to ensure that when I—you know, we have those small moments with our children—to take that hour and just be present, and, you know, get in the pool, or go for a walk, or a bike ride, or, you know, lay on the floor with them, whatever it is. Create those moments, because that just releases so much and is so, so important.
Bree Jensen: I agree with all of those things, and I’m a year ahead of you. Actually, my birthday is July 19, so...
Erika Hanafin Feldhus: Mine’s the 12th!
Bree Jensen: Oh my gosh, yeah! So I’m almost exactly a year ahead of you, but it’s so true. Movement just makes such a difference. And being present—I had begged God, like, "teach me to be present," like five years ago or so, and when I did my master’s program, it really—it just clicked with me. I think it was a couple of professors that put some things in perspective. And honestly, it was life-changing to learn—not that I’m always great at it, but I’ve gotten a lot better at living in the moment and just being like—I’ll even tell myself, "what moment are you in right now?" if I’m feeling a little bit spinny. So I love that.
Erika Hanafin Feldhus: Well, it’s important, even in your meetings, right? Especially now that we’re, like, multitasking all over the place—like, really, just put it down and focus and hear what your team or your potential partner is saying. Start there, and then build those moments, particularly...
Bree Jensen: That’s really good, yes. Being present in all things. And then the last one is, you know, how can all of us that are listening make an impact? Because, obviously, there are different levels. There are people that have made a career out of social impact, and then there are people that want to make a difference in their neighborhood, you know? So what would you say to all of us about that?
Erika Hanafin Feldhus: One step at a time. Just do it. Get out there and do it and face the fear. You know, you have to—you have to start. You’re not going to know unless you start. So do it one step at a time, but do it.
Bree Jensen: So true. I saw recently my softball coach—I was thinking of this because softball was a huge part of my life, and now my daughter’s playing, which is fun. And he had retired, but then the field—they just did like a turf field, so he went out and threw the first pitch for the new field dedication. And I started to think about, you know, just every season, he would just show up and be a good coach and care about all of us. And now, you know, I’m 20 plus years out of school, and I’m still thinking fondly of him, and he’s retired. And how meaningful that first pitch was, because he just made a difference in people’s lives year after year, and probably didn’t know the impact, you know? So it’s really cool.
Erika Hanafin Feldhus: Yeah, yeah.
Bree Jensen: I love that. You just don’t know the difference you make in people’s lives. So one day at a time. Erika, it’s so great to have you on the podcast. I can’t wait to go back and listen and get the tips again from you. What can you share with us? How do we find you? What’s up and coming with HeyMama and Hello Mamas that we can be a part of?
Erika Hanafin Feldhus: For sure. You can find me on all social channels. It’s Erika Hanafin, whether it’s LinkedIn—Instagram is @ErikaFeldhus—you can reach me any way. If you're a member of HeyMama, you can DM me in our platform. And I’m always excited to talk to and happy to make the time for anybody who wants to ask for the time. And what is really exciting is, stay tuned for September. Hello Mamas is when we launch. It’s a native app, so you’ll be able to download it and hopefully feel connected and supported and certainly experience more joy and well-being. So stay tuned for that launch coming at the end of September, and more.
Bree Jensen: Very exciting. Always something fresh and new from you. I love it. Well, thanks again, and I just appreciate the conversation. And there’s probably something else I’m going to tap you for in emails. No, I’m just kidding, but thanks so much, Erika. I appreciate you.
Erika Hanafin Feldhus: Always good to see you, Bree. I appreciate you as well. Thanks for having me.
Bree Jensen: Thank you for tuning in to The Social Impact Podcast. We hope that you found this encouraging and inspiring. If you did, we’d love for you to go and share it with your network, as well as leave a review that helps amplify these important conversations and drives the change we want to see in the world. Don’t forget to follow us on social media. We’re @TheSocialImpactProjects on Instagram, and we’re also on LinkedIn. And our website is TheSocialImpact.co. If you’re looking for project management support, entrepreneurship support, please feel free to reach out. We’d love to have a free conversation. Thanks again for joining us, and don’t forget to hit subscribe so you don’t miss the next episode. We’ll see you next time.
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