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Serious Lady Business is the podcast where we dive into the serious—and sometimes not-so-serious—realities of being a female business owner. Host Leslie Youngblood keeps it real about entrepreneurship as we dive into the hard lessons no one warns you about to the surprising wins that make it all worth it. Tune in for honest conversations, unfiltered insights, and stories that prove you’re not in this alone.
LESLIE YOUNGBLOOD (00:03)
Hey there, I'm Leslie Youngblood and this is Serious Lady Business, the podcast where we get real about what it takes to build a business as a woman today. From late night Google searches and client curveballs to the wins that make it all worth it, I'm talking about the stuff no one puts in the highlight reel. Each week, I'm bringing you honest conversations, lessons learned and stories from women who are out here doing the work. Messy, meaningful and unapologetically bold.
Whether you're just dreaming about starting a business or deep in the grind, this podcast is your space to feel seen, supported, and fired up. Because let's be honest, this journey is hard, hilarious, and absolutely worth it. So let's dive in.
Leslie Youngblood (00:49)
Welcome back to Serious Lady Business. I'm Leslie Youngblood, your host, feminist and founder of Youngblood MMC, a marketing media and content agency. And today we are joined by Johanna Almstead. Johanna is a consultant, advisor and investor with over 25 years of experience in the fashion industry. She has worked for legacy brands like Prada, Ralph Lauren, Giorgio Armani, Coach and Kate Spade. She's also the creator and host of a new podcast called Eat My Words.
a platform for bringing together badass women for conversation, connection, and community. Plus, she's a wife, a mother to two daughters, a dog mom, a horse mom, and an avid equestrian. She believes in taking big bites out of life and saying the quiet parts out loud. Johanna, welcome to Serious Lady Business. I'm so stoked to have you here today, yay. Yes, I cannot wait to dive into
Johanna Almstead (01:36)
Thank you so much. ⁓ my gosh. Thank you so much. I'm excited to be here.
Leslie Youngblood (01:44)
storytelling standards starting over and what fashion taught you about power. think fashion, you know, we have the, we're the devil wears Prada generation, right? And we're just so glamorized by fashion and we love fashion. I love what fashion has become. And so many people have embraced fashion and you've seen it from the inside working at places like Prada and Kate Spade. I would love to start at the beginning when you've worked with such iconic brands like those.
Johanna Almstead (01:54)
Mm-hmm.
Leslie Youngblood (02:13)
How did that shape you and your standards for what looks good when it comes to branding and storytelling?
Johanna Almstead (02:20)
I mean, it was sort of a master class, honestly. My first job out of college was actually at Prada. And ⁓ I know, right? I mean, why not? Go for it. Just go for the big guns. didn't even double, I never second guessed myself at that point. I had lived in Italy in college and I moved back and was just obsessed with working for an Italian luxury brand, particularly Prada. I had a huge respect for the brand and the.
Leslie Youngblood (02:22)
sure.
Wow. Start at the top. Why not?
Yeah.
Johanna Almstead (02:46)
clothing and the level of the quality and sort of the whole thing was just really exciting to me. And so I had to do an internship as part of my senior year at FIT, which is the Fashion Institute in New York. they, I was like, I want to work for Prada. And they were like, we don't have an internship set up there. And I was like, well, could you set one up? And they were like, sure, we'll call them. And I was like, okay. So it's always worth asking, I suppose, right?
Leslie Youngblood (02:59)
Mm-hmm.
Mm.
Johanna Almstead (03:12)
And so I started interning there and then it was like the I interned the whole summer and it was definitely the hardest place to work in my life. And it was like the last day of my last week of my internship. And they're like, hey, know, so and so is leaving their their position here. Would you like to interview for the job? And I was like, kind of like, no, this place is so scary. But also, yeah, partially because it was my first foray into real luxury fashion. So I didn't understand.
Leslie Youngblood (03:30)
Really? Wow.
Mmm.
Johanna Almstead (03:38)
the level of detail, the level of control, the level of editing that goes into making an image of a luxury brand. So I was learning that baptism by fire at like one of the best, it was certainly an education and it was intimidating. Anyway, I ended up getting the job there. So.
Leslie Youngblood (03:42)
Mmm. Mmm.
Sure.
Johanna Almstead (04:02)
I worked there and honestly, you know, when you when you work with the best of the best and there's a reason why Prada has been around as long as it's been, not only is it beautiful clothes, there are a lot of people in the world that can make beautiful clothes. But what they do is they create these beautiful images through their advertising. They create these beautiful environments in their stores. They create these beautiful events whenever there's anything that Prada touches.
Leslie Youngblood (04:12)
Mm-hmm.
Mm-hmm.
Johanna Almstead (04:29)
It has a certain level of luxury, detail, design, all of those, this thoughtfulness. And I think that those are the things that build a brand, right? You can build beautiful clothing and, know, honestly, Miuccia Prada is a master at what she does. But also there's all those other elements. And I quickly learned that that was what
Leslie Youngblood (04:38)
Mm. Mm-hmm.
⁓ Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm.
Johanna Almstead (04:51)
made the difference, right? You know, that was what made the difference. If you think about Ralph Lauren, I worked at Ralph Lauren and talk about master brand builder. I mean, it was about storytelling really for him, especially too. And it was about creating this lifestyle. was about creating a life that people wanted to be in and that if they bought into that, you know, whatever, I don't even know how much they cost now, but you know, a $65 polo shirt that they were buying into.
Leslie Youngblood (04:52)
Mmm, mhm.
Right. Yes.
Mm-hmm.
Right.
Johanna Almstead (05:19)
this entire universe. ⁓ And so I think that that's where I really learned that you have to sort of create this universe beyond the clothing or as part of the clothing that people want to be a part of, that people aspire to be like, and that the story, that's where the really important storytelling comes into play.
Leslie Youngblood (05:21)
Yeah.
Mmm.
Yeah. ⁓
Mm-hmm.
Yeah, I love that. And I'm curious about Prada. Do you feel like it was even more important there to be as dialed in because she was a female designer and like the female head of a house and it was led by a female? Or do you feel like it's just really when it comes to luxury fashion in conveying all those things that they need to convey to be a success, regardless of male or female, it's dialed in.
Johanna Almstead (06:05)
Yeah, I
don't think it necessarily had to do with her being female. I think it had to do with her being incredibly, incredibly focused on the details. ⁓ And I think, I mean, she may say differently, you know, maybe she felt the different kind of pressure to compete against some of the other luxury houses that were run by men. But to be honest, she's a force to be reckoned with. And her husband does run the business side of the business with her. But,
Leslie Youngblood (06:14)
Mmm.
Yeah. Mm-hmm.
Yeah.
Mm-hmm.
Johanna Almstead (06:30)
I don't know if it necessarily was about her being a woman. I think it's more about just like...
being so exacting about everything you do. And when I say this, like, our desks had to be arranged in a certain way. The corporate offices were very, very specific. You was very specific about what you were allowed to wear in the corporate offices. It was very specific. Yes, yes. So it is all, it is like behind the scenes, also incredibly controlled and incredibly detail oriented, for sure.
Leslie Youngblood (06:37)
Mmm.
Really?
fascinating.
Yeah, I think, you know, coming into that, like you said, it must have been a shock as an intern in college, like you're walking into truly like Willy Wonka's world, right? But much, much chicer right? But how did that feel? Did you feel like, I don't want to say like imposter syndrome or anything, but did you feel like, oh, this is what it's going to take. This is what it takes. I have to step up. Or was there any fear there that you had to overcome?
Johanna Almstead (07:08)
Mm-hmm.
Mm-hmm.
was terrifying.
was terrifying. I was terrified every day of my life at that job. I mean, it was a really intense place. And it was it was very scary. It was scary because it was my first, I think, too. So I just didn't know. And I think there's a certain point. It's funny. I had a guest on my podcast just like talking about how you just don't know what you don't know in the beginning of your career. And I really didn't know. Luckily, I didn't make any major guffaws or anything. But
Leslie Youngblood (07:28)
Hahaha!
Yeah.
Mm. Mm-hmm.
Mm-hmm.
Johanna Almstead (07:51)
there's definitely a certain etiquette. There's a certain way people speak. There's a certain pace. I mean, I think people very often underestimate the pace of the fashion industry. is wild. It is fast and it is long and it's hard. And so I think it was like I say, it was baptism by fire because it was my first. think if I had come into that company once I had more experience under my belt, I probably still would have been intimidated because it was a pretty intimidating place. But I would have had a little bit more
Leslie Youngblood (07:54)
Mm.
Mm.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Mm.
Johanna Almstead (08:19)
confidence, but I was really learning on the job and that's really scary to do in a place where there's not a lot of room for mistakes.
Leslie Youngblood (08:22)
Yeah. Yeah.
Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. For sure. What is something, like, what do you think is the most important lesson you learned about storytelling that you take with you? Is it that everything is dialed in and it's very controlled or, you know, was there a lesson or a challenge you overcame in that first internship that you still think about to this day or that carried you through the rest of your career in fashion? Because that was the beginning and it was intense, but you succeeded and you kept going and rising. And so.
Johanna Almstead (08:53)
Yeah. Yeah.
Leslie Youngblood (08:56)
Tell me something that you learned.
Johanna Almstead (08:57)
I mean, I think part of it is like that the storytelling has to be consistent. think so. Part of one of the things that I learned, I think there probably if not somewhere next the next place. But the idea that when someone interacts with your brand, no matter where it is, whether it's in Shanghai or whether it's in Cleveland or whether it's in Dallas or whether it's in an airport duty free shop that
Leslie Youngblood (09:21)
Mm-hmm.
Johanna Almstead (09:22)
the brand storytelling and the brand visuals and the brand sensory experience all need to be consistent. So that when you walk into a Prada store in Milan or you walk into a Prada store in Tokyo or you walk into a Prada store on Rodeo Drive, you know very quickly where you are. You.
Leslie Youngblood (09:28)
Mmm.
Mm-hmm.
Johanna Almstead (09:43)
Know the signals, you know the details, you feel comfortable. It doesn't mean they all have to look exactly the same, but it has to mean that the same level of thoughtfulness, the same level of storytelling and the same level of detail are consistent in every experience. So if that means that you open up an ad and you see a Vogue spread in a magazine, you know, you see it in Vogue or in Harper's Bazaar if anyone even reads magazines anymore.
Leslie Youngblood (09:48)
Mm-hmm.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Mm-hmm.
I do.
Johanna Almstead (10:09)
or you
see a billboard on the side of the road or you see, you know, an Instagram post or you see, you know, packaging or you see an event, a celebrity event that there that it all feels like it's coming from the same place and that it's, you know, we used to joke that like everybody needs to look like they're going to the same party. It's basically that idea. You know, this idea that like, again, it doesn't have to be the exact same thing, but it has to have the same ethos. It has to have the same spirit.
Leslie Youngblood (10:11)
Mm-hmm.
Mmm.
Yeah.
Yes, sure.
Mm. Yeah.
Johanna Almstead (10:38)
It has to have the same thoughtfulness behind it and the same story behind it.
Leslie Youngblood (10:41)
Yeah,
yeah. I think that it's so it speaks to how well not just product, but all the luxury brands in fashion do so well. And then I find outside of fashion, when I work with small to medium sized businesses, they think, branding or I just need a logo or whatever. Right. And they don't see how important and integral it is to telling their story because they think, well, we're just doing X, Y and Z now. And it's like, but you might not be doing that in the future. Is that something that you've
felt to and how do you convey the importance of those consistent threads throughout the brand and every step of the way to somebody that feels, it's just my logo and some colors or whatnot, right, Johanna?
Johanna Almstead (11:21)
this
is like making my stomach turn already. I'm like, So yeah, I'm a psycho. So I would say that I'm definitely like a brand nerd because of my upbringing in the fashion industry, not my upbringing, not my childhood, but my career upbringing. And I would say branding is everything. So I actually do these workshops and have done them with like a lot of incubators and stuff like that. People hire me to come in and talk about this. And one of the things I always, the examples I use, there's two examples that I use all the time.
Leslie Youngblood (11:23)
right?
Yeah.
Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. Yeah, yeah. Mm-hmm.
Mmm.
Hmm.
Johanna Almstead (11:48)
One is Tiffany's, okay? So Tiffany and Company, the luxury jewelry company. At the end of the day, they're selling metal and stones, right? They're selling high quality metal and stones. That's what they're selling. You can buy metal and stones many other places. You can buy high quality metal and other stones in many other places. But why does Tiffany's have the highest, like most successful engagement ring business?
Leslie Youngblood (11:50)
Mmm.
Mm-hmm.
Mm-hmm.
Mm.
Johanna Almstead (12:14)
because
they have painted a picture and they have built a life and they have built a vision and they have built a world that you want to be a part of. So there is something, I still, I'm a branding person and I still get butterflies if someone gives me that Robin's Egg Blue box and I know that something's in it. Right? And I also, right.
Leslie Youngblood (12:19)
The world.
Yeah. ⁓ yeah. Immediately you know. You're like, ooh, right? Or the Bottega green. I'm like, ooh, right? Like
they've leaned into that too. I love it.
Johanna Almstead (12:41)
Right? So
I think that that's just, that's all you have to think about is Tiffany's, think is a great example. There are women around the world that have insisted that their engagement rings come from Tiffany's. Even if you're paying more money for a smaller stone because it comes with all that, it's, it is a dream that they have built and they have made you want to be a part of it. So I think about that all the time. And then I think the other one I use all the time is Coca-Cola. There are a zillion other
Leslie Youngblood (12:47)
Yeah.
Right.
Right?
Hmm. Yeah.
Mm.
Johanna Almstead (13:09)
bubbly waters with sweet syrup put in them, right? That's what they're selling. Bubbly water with cola flavored syrup. Why is Coca-Cola what it is? Think about their beautiful ad campaigns. I think about their Christmas ads they do with the polar bears and the ice cream. like you think about this world and all of a sudden people are like confident when they drink Coke. Like they're like, I know what's gonna taste good. I mean, it is.
Leslie Youngblood (13:10)
Yeah. Mm hmm. Sure.
Yes.
Right.
Mm-hmm.
Johanna Almstead (13:31)
weirdly delicious, but like it is good and you have to have a good product like that. mean, that is that is also part of it. You do have to have a great product. Tiffany's also has a great product. They're not schlocking, you know, crappy stuff, but they've also created this whole like Americana and it, you know, it's so refreshing and this is what it is and all the different ads you can think about that you've seen since childhood are telling you that Coca Cola is it right? And so when you have the choice, you're like, yeah, I'm going to choose that instead. I'm going to, instead of rando soda brand, right?
Leslie Youngblood (13:33)
Yeah, it is. And it's so good. Right. You have to back up. Right. True. Valid. Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm.
Yeah.
Mm-hmm.
Mm-hmm.
right.
Yeah.
Johanna Almstead (14:02)
And that's the strength of a brand. That is where you see the difference between, yes, it's just a product, but it has an entire world and an entire story behind it that people wanna buy into and that people feel good about. Half of the time you're buying, like I always say with Tiffany's, like you're buying romance. And you're buying confidence, right? So it's hard to buy a diamond.
Leslie Youngblood (14:04)
Mmm.
Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm.
Yeah.
Johanna Almstead (14:24)
with if you don't really know about it and it's expensive and it's very confusing and it can be a weird world to navigate. But you know that you're buying a certain level of quality when you walk into that store and you're buying confidence. You're like, am carrying around this little blue bag that has this little blue box in it that has this incredibly expensive, beautiful piece of metal and stone that I know that I was able to do because I have bought into this dream.
Leslie Youngblood (14:25)
Sure.
Right. Yeah.
Mm-hmm.
Johanna Almstead (14:50)
And so I think that that is really, really important for people to understand that that, you know, yes, sometimes it is just a logo, right? It depends. But most of the time, there are very few products or services that I can think of that don't need a story behind it.
Leslie Youngblood (15:05)
Mm-hmm. Yeah, and it takes time to build those those worlds and those feelings right and I think also too that can be a roadblock when it comes to I'm trying to win somebody over on it or but to demonstrate the power of that because you know when you are growing you just want an immediate return you want to invest in like create something that it's gonna you're gonna see those dollars back in the bank but good branding and creating a world
Johanna Almstead (15:09)
Yes.
Leslie Youngblood (15:29)
You know, what is that done in a day? It takes time and thoughtfulness and consistency and all those things you were talking about before for that to come to life. But when you get there, it pays off, like because it does the work for you.
Johanna Almstead (15:39)
For sure, for sure.
And I think sometimes, I mean, I deal with a lot in my consulting business, I deal with a lot of startups and, or like new businesses, you they're not necessarily still in startup phase, but they'll come to me for like PR help. They're like, you know, we wanna get PR. And I'm like, okay, so what's your story? And they're like, I don't know. And I'm like, they're like, we sell, you know, XYZ product. I'm like, okay, so what is it? Like, and so I think that people often,
Leslie Youngblood (15:48)
Mm-hmm.
Mm-hmm.
Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm.
Johanna Almstead (16:05)
disregard that foundational brand work until they're like trying to do the next levels of marketing and communications and all those other things. And then they realize like they have no foundation to stand on. And that I think is really hard. one of the things I often insisted upon with my clients is like, we have to do some foundational brand work first. We have to decide like who we are and what we stand for and all those things before we can even begin storytelling because you can't just.
Leslie Youngblood (16:08)
Yeah.
brain.
Mm-hmm.
Johanna Almstead (16:31)
pull a story out of nowhere, right? And you have to figure out what it's rooted in and you have to remember if it has legs and you have to figure out what the next season story is. And so I think it's really important and people, like you said, they wanna skip over it, especially in the beginning when you're investing so much money in everything else and you're trying to get your inventory and you're trying to get your stuff out there. I understand that it's hard, but I also know firsthand how incredibly important it is.
Leslie Youngblood (16:32)
Right.
Mm-hmm.
Yeah.
Mm-hmm.
What do you think, what have you seen as one of the biggest mistakes brands are making today when trying to be relatable or when trying to tell their story, Johanna?
Johanna Almstead (17:06)
I mean, I think they try to be something to everyone. You know, I think that's really hard when you're trying to please everyone. I think one of the best things you can do is be, a lane, be true to yourself in that lane and don't try to be everything to everyone. I mean, I think if we talk about the two brands we were talking about before, Prada is not going after
Leslie Youngblood (17:12)
Mm. Mm-hmm.
Mmm.
Mmm.
Johanna Almstead (17:34)
you know, a giant segment of the market who doesn't have any interest in what they design, right? Like they're not interested in that. They are interested in sticking, they're not doing it because they think like, we're gonna try to get that segment. You know, we want tween girls. Like that's not who Prada is and they shouldn't design to that and they shouldn't really try, you know? So yes, there's also, know, there's always like expanding your market share, of course, but like you don't want to change your DNA.
Leslie Youngblood (17:38)
Mm-hmm. Yeah.
Yeah. Right. Yeah. She in. Right.
Mm-hmm.
Johanna Almstead (18:02)
to
try to appeal to other people, you know? And I think that that is, I think that's the biggest mistake that I see is that, you know, people are like, well, wanna be, I wanna, you know, my target customer is, you know, 13 to 18, but she also might be 24 to 75, and she also might be into sports, and then she's really, but she's really, really girly, and like, you know, they're like, well, okay. Like, she can be multi-layered and complicated for sure.
Leslie Youngblood (18:05)
Yeah. Yeah.
you
Yeah, huh? Yeah. Mm-hmm.
Johanna Almstead (18:30)
But
and I'm not saying, and I do think you should be specific, but I think it's like when you're trying to hit all the points across the board, across the demographic board, it becomes really hard and you end up becoming nothing to everyone instead of something to.
Leslie Youngblood (18:38)
in them.
Yeah.
Right. And that's something to people who you want to wear your clothes or buy your products or your services. I think that's really, really super important. Yeah. And a lot of people, yeah, the point of view, right. And that's what makes you so special and why you probably started your business to begin with, because you had a unique point of view or you saw something that wasn't being done or clothes that were not being sold. And so why would you give that up?
Johanna Almstead (18:48)
Yeah, yeah. I think they lose their point of view. Yeah, they lose their point of view.
Leslie Youngblood (19:06)
just to try to make more money because it's not going to come because now you're losing that point of view. So I think that's so really important for any brand to think about. you look at Prada, and Prada is very different from Saint Laurent, right? Like very two different women, and they're both very luxury. like, I'm wearing like an Acne Studios shirt today, right? And it's like that Acne.
Johanna Almstead (19:11)
Right.
Leslie Youngblood (19:28)
person is very different from the Prada person, right? Or like where you go and you identify with that and they're telling different stories. And one is, I'll still buy a product, but like I'm all those different pieces, but to be able to focus the things that I like about those brands are very unique and very different too, because they do a great job at telling those stories.
Johanna Almstead (19:47)
I think about Love Shack Fancy all the time. Do you know that brand? I mean, talk about leaning in. So it is not necessarily my personal aesthetic, but I have a huge respect for her because honestly, she is like not trying to be everything to everyone. She is being very, very, very specific about floral, girly, ruffles, over the top, you know, all of that. And you can spot.
Leslie Youngblood (19:50)
yeah, very girly, frilly, right? Same. Yeah.
Uh-huh. Yeah.
Yeah.
Johanna Almstead (20:11)
You can spot a Love Shack Fancy event. can spot a store. You can spot an outfit. You can spot it from a mile away because she has not diluted what she's doing. It's so funny. It was like a few years ago I was out in the Hamptons and I was like coming around the corner. I think I was in Sag Harbor and I was coming around the corner and I look up and there's like a building down the way and I was like, God, looks like Love Shack Fancy.
Leslie Youngblood (20:20)
Yeah.
Mm-hmm.
Johanna Almstead (20:35)
And I didn't know anything. And I walked up and it was like a Love Shack Fancy pop-up. And I was like, damn, that was good. Like they were so good. Like, yeah, I was like, you know what? Like I knew they hadn't ever been in the Hamptons before. It was like in the very beginning. It was early on in the stage of the brand. And I was like, bravo. know, I spotted that literally from a mile away. And I'm not even, I'm not a customer, right? I just know because it's in the ethos and it's such a strong point of view.
Leslie Youngblood (20:42)
Right? Like, snap.
Mm-hmm.
Yeah.
Right. Yeah.
Yes.
Johanna Almstead (21:02)
And it is not trying, you know, she's not trying to be like cool for the Tom girls, you know, the Tom boys or whatever. Like she's not trying to be edgy. She's not trying to be like bad ass and you know, in a like cutting edge way, she's like trying to be like full on girly floral explosion, uptown fancy, the whole thing. And it's working. I mean, it's like really working. So I think, I think of her as a great example, because again, you would
Leslie Youngblood (21:05)
goth girl yeah or cool edgy yeah she's like downtown mm-hmm mm-hmm mm-hmm
Yeah.
Mm-hmm.
Yeah. Yeah, for sure. Yeah.
Johanna Almstead (21:29)
someone I'm sure along the way has told her, you know, you really should do like athletic shorts or something, you know, like, I'm sure someone has been like, you know what, think it'd be, what if you did like active wear and she's pro, right. I mean, I don't know. Like I'm not in that business. I'm just guessing. And I think it's, I think it's incredible that she has, you know, kept her course so focused and, and really clearly knows her consumer and gives them
Leslie Youngblood (21:31)
Mm-hmm.
Right, right.
That's huge right now. Yeah. Yeah, I know. Yeah, same.
Yeah.
Mm-hmm.
Johanna Almstead (21:55)
everything that they want in the way that they want it.
Leslie Youngblood (21:56)
Yeah,
yeah, and I think that's, I love to see brands or people with that, a unique point of view like that. Like there was a mom a couple years ago and she, and this is one that you can tell from my little white, Lilly Pulitzer, right? Lilly Pulitzer has a look. And so she's in these like bright pinks and greens and my husband's like, you probably hate like what she's wearing. was like, are you kidding? I love it.
Johanna Almstead (22:09)
Mm hmm. 100%.
Leslie Youngblood (22:17)
She has a point of view and she leans into it. Like give me that every day of the week than somebody that's just in like another thing from like H or like whatever's on like on brand or on trend this year. I'm like, I just love that, right? Because you're leaning into it and that, and she, that the woman like loves those clothes. And so she's seeing herself in it and that's what she wants to wear. That's what she's relating to. Me, not so much, but I still love it and respect it so much because people, yeah. Yeah, yes. And people.
Johanna Almstead (22:36)
Yeah.
Right. And she's bought in. She's signaling something to the world, right? She's signaling,
this is who I am and this is what I believe in and this is a world I'm part of. like, mean, Lilly Pulitzer is a genius, like that whole Palm Beach vibe and the colors and all of it. I mean, it's very specific. And again, it's not for everybody. And that's okay. Like, it's great, because it's for a lot of people. And as long as you got a lot of those, it's fine. You can have a real business.
Leslie Youngblood (22:46)
Right. Yes. Yes.
Mm-hmm. I hear it. Mm-hmm.
Yeah. Right. Right. Right.
Right,
right and they're probably out there right now waiting for you to be to lean into that unique piece of yourself right and like people love people with a point of view and people that are doing things we want to relate to somebody we want to see ourselves reflected in clothing or a service or I don't you know all the things right because I feel like too especially today and I would love to you know get your take on this is we're
I mean, I think we're moving back towards being more connected because I think we all feel so disconnected, right? Especially in the post pandemic world, but it really is a way to feel connected to other people is through branding and something that creates a world that you feel a part of, even if you're sitting in your basement, like playing a video game.
Johanna Almstead (23:47)
Totally, totally,
totally. I mean, I think about like the Polo Bar in New York. I don't know if you've ever been, but it's Ralph Lauren's. It's one of Ralph Lauren's restaurants. And it is, it's just exquisite. And it's like, you go in and you like feel like you're part of this world. And like, you're like, yeah, I'm gonna eat my little like crudite on crushed ice while I drink my martini at this like beautiful mahogany bar. And it's so fun.
Leslie Youngblood (23:53)
Yes. Uh-uh.
Mm-hmm.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Yeah, that sounds amazing. Let's go right now.
Johanna Almstead (24:13)
But
you really are. I mean, that's a really immersive experience. But you really do. mean, again, I worked for the company. I'm a branding person. And I'm not immune to it. I still love it. I'm like, yeah, this is lovely. So I do think that, gives somebody. People want something to, number one, they want something to aspire to. I think that aspiration is a real thing. I see it with my daughters. There's like, you see them sort of clock the older girls.
Leslie Youngblood (24:21)
Mm-hmm, right. Yeah, yeah.
Mm-hmm.
Mm-hmm.
Johanna Almstead (24:40)
you
figure out the little signals of what those older girls represent and then all of a sudden they want that hoodie that that girl's wearing or whatever. But I do think it's, people underestimate the emotional connection to a brand and there are really important ways that you can build brand loyalty through your storytelling and through that emotional connection that I think so many people, you know.
Leslie Youngblood (24:44)
Yeah.
Mm.
Yeah. Yeah.
Johanna Almstead (25:07)
kind of just disregard or don't really understand the importance of.
Leslie Youngblood (25:10)
Sure, unlapped, untapped opportunity they're in for their brand and their bottom line too, right at the end of the day, you know? So I completely agree. Now let's shift because you also have a really unique experience, Johanna, in working on a project. it Fille de Vie? Am I saying it correctly? Fille de Vie? And that was a relaunch, correct? Tell us about that and the experience from that and knowing everything you know.
Johanna Almstead (25:16)
For sure.
Fill the V, yeah.
Leslie Youngblood (25:35)
Sometimes things don't work out exactly the way that you plan for. Oh, that wasn't the relaunch. Oh, that was a full launch. Okay, gotcha.
Johanna Almstead (25:38)
So that was not a relaunch, that was a launch. Yeah, yeah, that was a full launch.
that was really, I mean, talk about like a labor of love and passion. That was a really special experience for me because it was created and designed by a good friend of mine and somebody who I had worked with for many years at a couple of different brands actually. And she and I were always counterparts. She was a creative.
Leslie Youngblood (25:55)
Mm-hmm.
Mm-hmm.
Johanna Almstead (26:02)
designer, creative director and designer, and I was head of communications at several places. And so we worked very, very closely together. And so but talk about. Specificity and creating a world, she really had a very clear her name is Sharon Lombardo. She's an amazing designer. She really had a clear, very, very, very clear vision of what she wanted. Again, it was not trying to be everything to everyone. She was like,
Leslie Youngblood (26:07)
Mm-hmm.
Mmm.
Mm-hmm.
Johanna Almstead (26:26)
you know, she knows better than anyone that the world doesn't really need a new, you know, clothing brand. Like there's a lot of clothes out there. People can get dressed, right? But what you need to do is like create this incredible world. And so that was, you know, she was committed to working with women artisans in Morocco and all the products were like beautifully, built with with incredible like this incredible technical designer who helped us build these products to like make women feel beautiful and
Leslie Youngblood (26:31)
Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. Sure. Right. Mm-hmm.
Mm-hmm.
Johanna Almstead (26:52)
make women feel part of this sort of luxurious boho world. And it was incredible. got we went to Morocco and shot the ad campaign. And yeah, so that was a that was like a major labor of love and still one of my favorite projects I've ever done. The relaunch that failed was actually a different brand, which I won't name. But I think you wanted me to talk about my experience there. That was a different thing because so again, that was a
Leslie Youngblood (26:57)
Mm-hmm.
amazing.
Mm-hmm.
Johanna Almstead (27:18)
It was a brand that had gotten really sleepy. So it had been around for many years. It started out to be a really cool and aspirational brand for women in the like 60s and 70s. And then through time and life and selling the business and acquisitions and a bunch of different things, it had gotten really kind of watered down and had all these, I'm not sure how familiar you are with like the licensing business, but basically like designers.
Leslie Youngblood (27:21)
Mmm.
Mm-hmm.
Yeah.
Mmm.
Johanna Almstead (27:47)
Most of the time when you're making something, you might be an apparel designer and you make the apparel, but you don't make the branded sunglasses or the fragrance or the bedsheets or whatever it is. You have a company called the licensee, licensor, licensee, licensing company. I'm gonna get it wrong. that they, you so it's like you hire a sunglass company who makes sunglasses for everyone, by the way. They make sunglasses for Chanel. They make sunglasses for Prada. They make sunglasses for every, all right.
Leslie Youngblood (27:55)
who
Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm.
Mm-hmm, yep.
Yeah. Mm-hmm. Right. All those sunglasses are made in the same
factories, right? Like, feel like everybody should have had one. Exactly. Pay the money for the Chanel ones when you their same factory as the Ray-Ban ones. Right. Right. Mm-hmm. Right.
Johanna Almstead (28:15)
Right, and they're just, and that's where branding becomes really important, right? Because the product is not that different. Right.
Right. So
anyway, so that business had gotten had had like a bunch of different like really bad licensing deals. And it was just like the brand had gotten totally watered down. There was no point of view. There was no storytelling, anything. So they hired me as part of a team with an amazing creative director, another amazing head of like strategic marketing, me as head of creative marketing and communications, a new CEO.
Leslie Youngblood (28:36)
Yeah.
Johanna Almstead (28:50)
like a whole new team and our whole job was to come in and we were like expensive, like we were a big team.
Leslie Youngblood (28:54)
Yeah, sure.
Sure. They wanted the best, right? Because it was a legacy, I'm sure a legacy brand that lost its luster along the way. I can think of a couple. I know that happened. Yeah, well, I know it's not DVF. I know it's not Diane Von Furstenberg, but that did happen to her along the way and she got it back. And so we've seen that happen. So it wasn't DVF, but that did happen. Yes. Yes.
Johanna Almstead (28:57)
Yeah. Yes.
Yeah. We could play like a drinking game where I like blink if you could guess it right. It wasn't a DVF. Yes. She had to buy her business back. Yes. It wasn't DVF. But if you watched her documentary, you learn about it. So yes, it was not DVF. But.
So anyway, got hired, we were a part of this whole brand. mean, and we worked our butt off. We were so excited about it. It was such an amazing, the creative director that they hired was the perfect fit. Like she had the exact vision of what this should be. We could all see it. We were all so bought in. We spent so much money on ad campaigns and an e-commerce site and samples and a collection being designed and shoe collection and ready to wear and handbags and.
Leslie Youngblood (29:33)
Yeah.
Mmm.
Good.
Mmm. Mmm.
Johanna Almstead (29:49)
craziness and we worked so hard to bring that brand story back together. In fact, I actually did that Tiffany's exercise internally with that company so that I could like teach them what it meant to be a brand again. And, and we all put our blood, sweat and tears into it. And then, and we were, was owned by a private equity company and
Leslie Youngblood (29:59)
Yeah. Right. Mm-hmm.
Mm.
Johanna Almstead (30:11)
at the last minute, never, so we never launched it. It's not like it launched and it failed, right? That would be one thing. If we launched it and it wasn't good, no. So at the very last minute, they basically just like pulled the plug on it. And we never got to see, it never got to see the light of day. Literally we had ad campaigns that were like the most gorgeous, we had hired the most incredible photographers. Like it was crazy. None of it. Yeah, they sold all the clothes.
Leslie Youngblood (30:16)
It never launched?
None of it came out. All of it is sitting like in boxes somewhere, Johanna.
Johanna Almstead (30:38)
at like an internal sample sale. Like they didn't even let it go out into the public. I actually own like a ton of it because I got a lot through the sample sale. And I kept I was like this is these are like archive pieces every single time. No joke. Every time I wear a piece from that collection, people stop me on the street. That's how good it is. The shoes, the dresses. It was like a it was like an internal fighting between licensing and between between one of the one of the.
Leslie Youngblood (30:43)
Yeah, of course.
Mm-hmm.
What happened? Why? Why did, why, why?
Ugh.
Johanna Almstead (31:04)
companies that held a license for one of the categories didn't want this whole reboot to happen. And they basically had so much power because at that time, they, guess, were doing a lot of business in that category. They were generating a lot of sales in that category. And it was just really messy and there was no strong.
Leslie Youngblood (31:05)
Mmm. Mmm.
Johanna Almstead (31:23)
Like we were fighting our way to try to be the strong brand team, but it had gotten, the system was so broken and it had been broken for so long. And I have to say it was like, it was devastating. And it was.
Leslie Youngblood (31:26)
Yeah.
Mmm.
Sure.
Johanna Almstead (31:36)
Again, if we had launched and we had failed, it would have been different. Okay, so it didn't work. We tried and we thought it was a good idea and it didn't work. But like we all knew deep down, like it was so good. You sometimes you're working on something and you're like, nah, it's fine. It's okay. You're like, it's cute. You know, the world will survive probably without it, but we're gonna do the best to like get it out there. And then there's times when you're like, this is so good. And this was one of those moments and it was so sad.
Leslie Youngblood (31:47)
Yeah.
Yeah, like I like it. It's fine. Yeah, yeah
Yeah.
Right.
Johanna Almstead (32:04)
So that actually was basically like what the final, I don't know, nail in the coffin, because that sounds really depressing, but it was sort of the last straw for me when I was like, I can't work in-house anymore. can't put, because I don't have a middle ground, I'm like a, I'm a very much like in-or-out person, and I was in. And I take it personally, and I like invest a lot emotionally, and.
Leslie Youngblood (32:09)
Mmm.
mmmm
Mm-hmm.
Yeah, yeah, sure.
Johanna Almstead (32:28)
I, as much as everyone's like, don't take it personally and like, you know, don't define yourself by this. I do, because I care. And after that, I was like, yeah, no, I'm not working in house ever again. Unless it's like a dream project that like is, you know, an offer that's like too good to refuse. But I can't like pour myself into something like this and not have the control over whether or not it succeeds, you know?
Leslie Youngblood (32:33)
Mm-hmm. Yeah.
Yeah.
Mm-hmm.
Mm. Yeah.
Looking back, Johanna, what is a piece of advice you would have given yourself in that situation?
Johanna Almstead (32:56)
I mean, I would like to say that I would give myself the advice of like, don't take it so personally, but I just think that that's sort of counterintuitive to who I am. And I don't know if I'd be as good at my job if I didn't take it personally. So
Leslie Youngblood (33:00)
Mm.
Sure.
Johanna Almstead (33:07)
I know. Sometimes I feel like we should have fought harder. I don't know if I had the power to fight harder. But I do think it probably is somewhere in the lines of like, don't take this as a personal failure. You did everything you could. I think, yeah, I mean, I do think that part is something that me and the team are all really proud of. We never cut corners. We knew we did the best we could.
Leslie Youngblood (33:10)
Yeah, sure. ⁓
Yeah, right. Right, you succeeded, truly.
Johanna Almstead (33:34)
created an amazing brand, like it was amazing. And so I think that I would say like just always do your best, like always do what you think is right and do give it your all, like really do give it your all and then don't take it so personally if someone pulls the plug on it, which is hard to do. I mean, it's sort of bad advice, but.
Leslie Youngblood (33:35)
Mmm. Mmm.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Yeah, sure. Right, right, sure. Not
really. Well, I think it leads me to my next question. It's like, did you ever feel like you had to dim down your standards or your voice to fit in? And if so, how did you reclaim it? Because it feels like you're very determined and confident, and you know what you're right. And you knew and discovered early on through your experiences, like I have to show up, I have to be on my game, I'm taking charge.
Tell me a little bit, like if you felt like you had to pull back or how did you navigate that, whether it was that situation or another situation.
Johanna Almstead (34:22)
I I definitely, it was definitely a little bit of a whiplash because I was coming from a company where I was expected not to dim down, right? My value was coming into a room with a strong point of view and fighting for that point of view, right? Not fighting like dramatic, but like advocating for that point of view and negotiating with other people who might have a different point of view, but like.
Leslie Youngblood (34:31)
mmm
Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. Right. Right.
Yes.
Johanna Almstead (34:47)
that very much was part of the culture at the company I'd been at before and that was very much encouraged. Like, no, you go in there and you fight for it and you make your point and you tell them why we need to do this, this and this, right? And so that, and then when I went to this other company and it was obviously like a much messier just business situation, it was because of all these licenses and stuff, it was...
Leslie Youngblood (34:50)
Hmm. Yeah.
Mm-hmm.
Johanna Almstead (35:08)
very strange to walk in with that same sort of, I'm like, you hired me because I'm supposed to have a strong point of view. Or you hired me because I'm supposed to be able to do this. And to have people be like, what? No, don't even say that. And you're like, what? Really? We're not going to fight for this? And really, we're not going to push harder? Because I had really come from, no, push harder. No just means they didn't understand. Go back in.
Leslie Youngblood (35:15)
Right. Yeah.
Right? Right.
Right.
Mmm. Yeah, right?
Johanna Almstead (35:36)
We
really did and that was like, that was the culture. So it was very, when they'd be like, and I'd push again and they'd be like, no, like no. And I was like, okay. So yeah, I guess I did have to dim myself for a minute. And that's when you sort of start to know that like, maybe this is not the right thing. I probably should have listened to those red flags a little bit more or seen those red flags a little bit more because.
Leslie Youngblood (35:47)
It's not right.
Sure.
and
Johanna Almstead (36:01)
Most of the time when people hire me, they know me. Most of my business is based on referrals. They know me and they are specifically hiring me for that strong point of view. so, and when I can express it and navigate it with the other team, however big that team is, even if it's just me and a founder or whatever, like most of the time we're in good shape.
You know, not saying I'm always right, but I'm saying like, it's important to keep that. It's important for me to keep a strong position and a point of view. So, I would say like, it's probably more of a red flag and you should listen to that and know that like, again, of course, like there's decorum and there's etiquette and you're not gonna come in like a bull in a china shop, but if people are really not getting you and like getting your.
Leslie Youngblood (36:22)
Yeah, sure.
Mm-hmm.
Yeah, sure.
Mm-hmm. Sure.
brain.
Johanna Almstead (36:44)
I mean, I wouldn't say value. They did value me. they, you know, not getting your perspective or like really always sort of fighting back on it, it's probably not the right fit eventually. Right, right, right.
Leslie Youngblood (36:51)
Mm.
It's like any relationship,
Just because it's work doesn't mean that you ignore your feelings and emotions or your gut, right? I mean, every time we all ignore our gut, we get ourselves into bad situations, work experiences included. Johanna, I'd love to know, what does power look like to you now versus what it looked like at the start of your career? How has that changed?
Johanna Almstead (37:01)
Right.
I mean...
Power, would say to me, feels like freedom now. So I think the fact that I have built a life for myself that has flexibility and that has room for other things, including being a mother and being a wife and being a daughter to an aging and sick parent, I think that to me feels powerful.
Leslie Youngblood (37:32)
Mm-hmm.
Johanna Almstead (37:39)
It feels like and when I meet other women who are making room for all of that in their lives, that feels like power to me. I think that there was a time in my life when I did not feel that way. I felt like I was sort of I don't want to say like working for the man because that sounds horrible. But like I definitely didn't have as much control over my life and I didn't have as much flexibility and that didn't feel powerful. know, so I think for me, power is confidence.
Leslie Youngblood (37:39)
Mm.
Mm.
Mm-hmm.
Yeah.
Johanna Almstead (38:02)
I think, that goes hand in hand with being able to say, I know I'm good at what I do. I also know I don't need to be here 12 hours a day. I also know that I can still do my job well and go take care of my sick mother. You know, like, I think that to me feels like power now.
Leslie Youngblood (38:12)
Mm-hmm.
Yeah. Yeah.
Yeah,
I feel like that's something that we've really been, how do I say it, like not leaning into, but we've been advocating for women specifically over the past few years. the girl boss hustle culture right now, everybody's like, like you don't have to, if you want to and that feels right to you, great, but that doesn't mean you have to work for the man or say on that hamster wheel. And if you're...
joy is in freedom and having more autonomy over your life and your decisions, that equals success just as much as somebody that is working those 12 hour days or is in the CEO position. I'm not sure if you listen to this or you must know Emma Grede right? Like at Skims and Good American. And she was on Diary of a CEO recently. And she's like, a woman that says she has balance in my position or like is lying, right? Like it's, you know, and she has four kids and she has a husband. She's doing all these things. And I'm like,
Johanna Almstead (39:00)
Mm-hmm.
Right.
Leslie Youngblood (39:14)
Wow, okay, so it really does take a lot if that's what you want to do and that's what makes you happy. But that doesn't mean that taking another avenue, it means you're any less successful. It's really like unique to the individual. And I love, especially for women, because we want to have great careers, but we want to be there for our kids. We want to be there for our spouses and parents. And we want to have more control and autonomy over our lives. You can do it.
you can have that power. You just have to be bold enough to take the step to advocate for yourself in that regard. Is that something that you can relate to?
Johanna Almstead (39:47)
Yeah, I mean,
I don't think that there's any such thing as balance for sure. I am not balanced. I'm not taking care of myself the way I should be. I'm not going to yoga as much as I would like. I'm not eating organic salads as much as I would like. That part is still something. I don't know, but I'm really, but good for them, good for them. So balance, I think she's right. There is not.
Leslie Youngblood (39:51)
Yeah, right. Right.
Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm.
Who is? I would like to know. Anybody out there? Good for them. Good for them. I'm so happy for you.
Johanna Almstead (40:13)
there is not balance for people who are doing big jobs. ⁓ There just isn't. have a dear friend who is, she's like a chief, what is she? Like a chief real estate officer of a big technology brand, a technology company. And she's traveling all, and she's working her ass off. And she has a kid and she has two step kids. And she, you know, she's like, I sleep every third Friday. That's literally what she says.
Leslie Youngblood (40:15)
Mm-hmm.
Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm.
Mm.
Mm-hmm.
Mm-hmm.
Johanna Almstead (40:38)
She's like, she's an incredibly, incredibly present parent for somebody who has a big job. She's an incredibly present friend. She shows up at stuff that I'm like, how are you even here? Like I'll have a dinner that she's invited to and she'll like post from like the Alps the day before. And I'm like, what are you doing? And she's like, she shows up at that dinner even though she flew in at four o'clock in the morning. And you know, she's like one of those people, but she's not balanced. She's happy. She's powerful. She's amazing.
Leslie Youngblood (40:42)
Mm-hmm.
Mm-hmm.
aww how are you here?
teleporting?
Johanna Almstead (41:06)
She's not balanced, you know? So
I think this idea of balance is bullshit, to be honest, but finding what makes you feel powerful, that's to me the next best thing, right? So for me, it's important. Working is very, very important for me. I like to make my own money. I like to have my own projects. I like to have my own thing. That's important to me. It's important to me to model being a working parent to my children. Okay, check, fine.
Leslie Youngblood (41:10)
Mm. Mm-hmm.
Mmm.
Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm.
Johanna Almstead (41:32)
Also, it's important to me to be present around my kids and it's important to me to be able to Take time off when something happens, right? So I'll never forget I think I've told this story but I had a I had a client who was a legitimate billionaire third-generation billionaire and it was She had a lot like a lot a big life very big very complicated
Leslie Youngblood (41:41)
Mm-hmm.
Mm-hmm. nice.
Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm.
Johanna Almstead (41:55)
Lots of jet lag, lots of planes, lots of all the things, right? And starting her own brand and doing all those things. And it was, I was working with her and when I, it was basically like a full time and a half job when I was her, I was a consultant, but it was like a big, big job. And it was during the time when my father was sick and was passing away. And I called her and told her that like this was happening. And she said to me, stop working right now.
Leslie Youngblood (41:57)
Mm-hmm.
Mm. Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm.
Johanna Almstead (42:22)
Do not think about this place. Do not answer emails. Do not get on meetings. Go be present with your father." And I was like, really? And sadly, I needed that permission from her. wish I had, now I'm in a place where I would take that, you know, without sort of permission, but I needed to hear that from her. And I kept thinking like, now that's power. This is somebody who like, who has a very, very big life, but that this is what matters and that she understands.
Leslie Youngblood (42:23)
Wow. Mm.
Brr.
Mmm. Mmm. Yeah.
Yeah.
Mm-hmm.
Johanna Almstead (42:47)
that this is a once in a lifetime or once in a death time experience. And she was like, you need to be present with your family. You need to go do this. You need to go through this for you and for your father. And then call us in a few weeks. And that to me is my, that's not balance, but it's power. it makes me feel like I can get up in the morning and I can look myself in the mirror and that I'm gonna be able to.
Leslie Youngblood (42:49)
Mm-hmm. Right. Right. Mm-hmm.
Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm.
Yeah, that's wonderful. No. Yes.
Johanna Almstead (43:15)
do what I have to do to take care of my family and take care of my life and take care of my creative side. So I guess that's, I don't know, that's a very long answer to like, maybe not even an answer to your question, but.
Leslie Youngblood (43:20)
Yeah, yeah.
No, I love
it though. think that touches on something extremely important and really profound is that it's not about balance. It's about power and what makes you feel most powerful and joyful in your life. Because like you said, balance doesn't exist, but power and freedom and joy can and do.
Johanna Almstead (43:41)
Totally,
and I have friends who are stay at home moms who feel powerful in that role. Like I have one friend who's like, I am the CEO of this fucking family. Excuse my life, I don't know if I can curse on this. And she's like, this is my role and she loves it and she thrives in it and she's good at it. And so that's her personal power. And I'm like, bravo. It doesn't have to be some sort of external societal power. It can just be your own. And I think that that's more important than anything.
Leslie Youngblood (43:44)
Mm-hmm. Right! Mm-hmm.
You cut! Damn right she is! Damn right!
Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. Yeah.
Right. Yeah.
Yeah. As we wrap up, Johanna, is that my last question was if there's one thing you want women listening to walk away with from this conversation, what would it be? Is that what it would be? Or tell me a little bit. Maybe there's something else there.
Johanna Almstead (44:22)
I mean, yeah, I think maybe it is. I wouldn't have necessarily known that, but I do think one of the biggest things that I am like a huge proponent of with my friends, with other mothers, with kids, I shouldn't say kids, young people that I mentor is like, find your internal compass, right? Find your true north, find what matters to you, and the career stuff will come or the life stuff will come even if it's not a career, right?
Leslie Youngblood (44:37)
Sure.
Mm. Mm-hmm.
Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm.
Johanna Almstead (44:48)
I feel like, you know, if you get really, really in touch with what matters and what feels good and what feels powerful to you, I feel like the rest kind of falls into place. With that, I mean, I'm not saying not hard work and I'm not saying you don't have to do be intentional about it, but I do think that like so many mistakes and so many decisions are made when you're not in touch with your true north and what really matters to you.
Leslie Youngblood (44:53)
Mm-hmm.
Mm-hmm.
Yeah. True.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Johanna Almstead (45:14)
And I
think, like again, my friend who's a stay-at-home mom, like that is what matters to her. And so she's doing it and she's thriving and she's great and she's happy and she's powerful. My other friend who sleeps every third Friday, that matters to her, right? She feels powerful in that moment. That wouldn't make me feel powerful, but like that is what makes her feel powerful. So I think it's really about like disregarding what the noise is outside and finding what makes you feel good.
Leslie Youngblood (45:18)
Yeah.
Mm-hmm.
Right. Mm-hmm. Yeah. Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm.
Yes. ⁓
Mm-hmm.
Johanna Almstead (45:43)
and fulfilled
and powerful and at peace with your life and excited about your life.
Leslie Youngblood (45:49)
Yeah, right, because we only get one and you're living it right now. Make it count.
Johanna Almstead (45:52)
We only get one. We only get one. Yeah,
totally. it's like life is really too short to not be in your passion and in your power. think that's like, that's what I would encourage people to try to get in touch with. It's not easy. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.
Leslie Youngblood (46:05)
Yeah. No, it's not. It's like the hardest thing in the world, right? I mean, it's easier said than
done. it's because we all, because there is so much noise, you know, especially with social media and, and, and seeing what others are doing or what you think you should be doing. And, and, and you feel like you're failing if you choose, if you make a choice that goes against the norm or that others don't understand. But it's not, if it's
what is right for you, just like you said. And I think there was just a round table with a group of actresses and the one, the segment or the little clip that was Kristen Bell was in it. And I think it was like, Kristen Bell, want to say Michelle Williams, they're in this round table. But she was saying how she kept trying out for parts and losing to Michelle Williams. And her husband, Dax Shepard, was finally like, why are you trying to be Michelle Williams? You have a lane. Like stay in your lane.
Johanna Almstead (46:40)
Mm-hmm.
Leslie Youngblood (46:55)
ramp up in your lane and she was like, and as soon as I kind of like did that, then things really took off. And it's so true, cause like Kristen Bell, totally different lane than Michelle Williams, both incredible, amazing actresses loved their projects, very different. And it doesn't mean one is better than the other, but they're just in their own uniqueness and in their power. They leaned into like that power for them. And that's where the magic happens. So much easier to say it than to do it. I know, I just think it's great to see.
Johanna Almstead (47:20)
I
Leslie Youngblood (47:22)
fun to be like, yeah, how the hell do I do that? Like, what the fuck? Yeah. Mm-hmm.
Johanna Almstead (47:25)
I mean, I think it's a process and I think it's a lifelong process. I don't necessarily
think there are people like, I mean, I happen to know my passion as far as like fashion right out of school, but like, or actually in school, but it's not even about that. It's just like about like trying all the things and just moving on from the stuff that doesn't work. Like, you know, don't keep trying to be Michelle Williams, right? Like just go on and try to be you and figure out what feels good to you. And I think now that's one thing that I have to say about sort of like,
Leslie Youngblood (47:34)
Yeah. Yeah. Mm-hmm.
Yeah.
Yes, right. Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm.
Johanna Almstead (47:53)
social media and the creator economy and all this other stuff. There are ways to make a living and to make a life for yourself that are very outside the norm of what it was 20 years ago. There are so many new ways that people can start new businesses or build teams or do whatever. I think it's okay to dream. It's important to dream and think about what you really wanna do. I used to say this all the time. How do you wanna spend your days?
Leslie Youngblood (48:01)
Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. Yeah.
Yeah. Oh yeah.
Mm-hmm.
Johanna Almstead (48:21)
Right?
Like if I just ask myself that question, that gives me a lot of answers, like all the answers.
Leslie Youngblood (48:24)
Mm. Mm-hmm. It's
a simple question with a deep, like, deep repercussions on it. Like, ooh, how do I? How do I?
Johanna Almstead (48:33)
Yeah, like I
promise you like spreadsheets are not involved in that day, nor are scrubbing toilets, right? Like, nope, nope, neither, don't wanna do it. So I think it's just like, that's a really simple question to ask yourself and get real, real with and put responsibilities aside and just be like, okay, what do I wanna do? Like, how do I wanna spend my days? And if you start to put that on paper and see what comes out, eventually sort of a life might come out.
Leslie Youngblood (48:37)
Mm-mm. No, same. Right. Right. Right. Yeah.
Mm. Mm-hmm.
Yeah.
Yeah, I love that. That's beautiful. I think that's so wonderful and a wonderful way to end this wonderful conversation, Johanna. Thank you so much for that and for everything you shared today. I would love for you to share with our listeners where they can find you, where they can listen to eat my words as well before we leave.
Johanna Almstead (49:17)
Okay, so I'm Jo Almstead on Instagram. That's like my personal, that's not that exciting. But if you like, you know, videos of my kids riding horses, that's what you can find me there. My podcast is called Eat My Words, and it is Eat My Words, the podcast on Instagram and TikTok. And it's available on Spotify and Apple Music and all those things. And it's really, really fun. And so I hope that you'll come on it sometime soon. Okay.
Leslie Youngblood (49:39)
Great. Yay. You got it for sure.
It's a fantastic podcast. Everybody please go subscribe, follow along and connect with Johanna. Just a incredible human full of fantastic experience and insight. Johanna, thank you so much for joining us for Serious Lady Business. I appreciate it so much.
Johanna Almstead (49:58)
Oh my gosh, thank you so much for having me. It was such an honor.
Leslie Youngblood (50:01)
Awesome, thanks. All right, guys, we'll see you next week. Have a good one. Bye.
Leslie Youngblood (50:08)
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