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Contagious Victories is a community for individuals to share positive perspectives, artistic endeavors and miraculous moments with others. Whether it is through storytelling, art, music or word, the members of Contagious Victories create space for vulnerability and act as an audience for support in creative works. We all have something to courageously celebrate- and even small victories are contagious!
Welcome to the Contagious Victory's podcast. Each week, we talk inspiration, explore possibilities, and share insights from creative perspectives. I'm Tori Blackmon, and I'm here to remind you that your purpose in life is to celebrate the victories because victories are contagious.
Victoria B. Glass:Hey, hey. And welcome back to the Contagious Victories podcast. I am so happy to be back here on the show. Last week, I took a personal week. We were out of town visiting family, and then the week before was July 4th.
Victoria B. Glass:So it's been a few weeks since I've talked to you last, but I'm so glad that you're here and that we are getting back into the routine of posting every Thursday. So thank you again for having Grace with me. Me. So today, we are gonna be talking about entrepreneurship and motherhood, and how you can juggle being a stay at home mom, a businesswoman, a content creator, all of the things. And you might be wondering how in the world could you do that?
Victoria B. Glass:Well, we are gonna be chatting with a super mom today who has mastered the art of taking it one day at a time. Let's look into the world of Liz Wengerd, who has spent the last handful of years balancing motherhood and entrepreneurship. You know, there's always gonna be that constant pressure to do it all and be it all. It's easy to feel overwhelmed and even a little defeated, but our guest today has found a way to thrive. Through her faith, determination, and intentional routines, Liz Wengerd has created a life and business filled with encouragement and purpose.
Victoria B. Glass:We're gonna learn from her experiences and gain valuable insight today on how to take it just one day at a time and build that life and business that brings both fulfillment and joy. Liz has a business where she curates a collection of wooden signs designed to add a touch of modern elegance to your home, your wedding or bridal shower, or even just party decor. So sit back, relax, and let's talk to Liz from Liz's Wood Designs.
Victoria B. Glass:Hey, everyone. Welcome back to the Contagious Victories podcast. I have another special guest. Today, we're talking to Liz Wengard from Liz's Wood Designs. Liz, welcome to Contagious Victories.
Liz Wengerd:Hey. I am so happy to be here. I'm excited that we are finally doing this. I've been looking forward to it.
Victoria B. Glass:Yes. I've been looking forward to catching up again with you. It's been a couple months since I saw you and got to actually meet you in person, but I love following along with your everyday activities online and seeing how your business has just been growing and taken off and then also your personal brand. So thanks for coming on today and and talking about it. It's gonna be an exciting conversation.
Liz Wengerd:Yeah. I'm so excited. Thanks for having me.
Victoria B. Glass:So, Liz, I know that you have a business and a personal brand, like I said. Can you tell us a little bit about who you are for anyone who is meeting you for the first time?
Liz Wengerd:Yeah. I'm Liz. I'm a wife, a mom, a believer, and a business owner, content creator. I wear lots of hats, but, primarily, wife and mom. Those are my primary roles. I am just your typical everyday stay at home mom, but I have a small business that I run on the side as a creative outlet. And that all started because I quit my 9 to 5. I had a corporate job that I really loved, but the plan was always that I would become a stay at home mom once we started having children. And I really looked forward to that season of life. We worked really hard to make so that I could do that. I'm really, really grateful for the opportunity to stay home. But I did not anticipate how hard it was gonna be to make that transition from working full time. I had been working full time for 5 or 6 years, and, making that transition to being a stay at home mom was really difficult for me. I am an extrovert. I love being around people.
Liz Wengerd:So all of a sudden, being home every day with this tiny little baby that I'm just getting to know, was really hard. So eventually, I started Liz's Wood Designs when my oldest was almost a year old. And I've been doing it ever since. Just kind of as like a little side hustle, gives me a little creative outlet, and that has turned into so many other things. It's given me opportunity to become a content creator. I discovered I really enjoy that. So, yeah. It's just kind of one thing leads into another, I guess, and more doors open and more opportunities come about, I guess.
Victoria B. Glass:Well, it is a very creative business, and it's one that we haven't gotten an opportunity to hear about on the show, Contagious Victories. So you work with Wood. Yes. Why did you pick Wood? Was that something that you were familiar with before you had the business or you, you you know, you grew up kinda learning about?
Victoria B. Glass:Or is that something you discovered and, kinda made all your own? Tell me a little bit about why why wood is the material.
Liz Wengerd:Well, my husband is Tyson. He works at a wood shop at a local wood shop, actually. And he's very familiar with it. He's worked with it his entire career. And as I was kind of on this journey to find a creative outlet after, my daughter was about 3 months old, I was like, I need to find a hobby. So I was like, I have more hobbies. And so I kinda went on this journey. And one time, him and I were shopping, And we saw these wooden cutouts, and he's like, you love designing stuff on the computer. He's like, why don't you design things and have them cut out? Because where he works, they have lasers and everything.
Liz Wengerd:And so they are set up to cut everything. And he's like, you could design things, and we could cut them out, and you would just become one of our customers, and then you can sell them. So we kind of threw around a few different ideas, but that's really where the whole wood thing came from. I would have never thought about this. And at first, it was kind of like wood.
Liz Wengerd:I don't know if I wanna do that. But as I researched and kind of looked to see, like, what the market looked like and exactly what direction of wooden signs I wanna do, because there's so many different kinds of wooden signs out there. But I chose just to do the simple cutouts. It's just a simple word, cutout of wood that you can hang on your wall or your party backdrop, all kinds of things really.
Victoria B. Glass:Yeah.
Liz Wengerd:And we love the simplicity of it. And so that's the route I chose to start with, and it's been the most successful for me.
Victoria B. Glass:Oh, I'm so happy to hear that. And, yes, I love the wood designs that I've seen you've made online for I think the last one I saw was a a baby shower where you had the cute little wood sign be a part of the decor at the baby shower, but you're right. You can use them, you know, in baby rooms or in a living room setting where you wanted maybe your last name or your child's name to be on the wall, and they are so pretty and simple, and it's it adds a lot to be something that is very clean-cut, and, it makes a lot of sense that there's a laser involved. I didn't know that originally, so that makes a lot of sense. You're not carving it, but instead you're cutting it. And to hear that that was a venture that you and your husband decided to do together, but it was something that he had a background in, but you were new to, seems really interesting and exciting, and that's a fun origin story for Liz's Wood Designs. So I'm glad you elaborated on that.
Liz Wengerd:Yeah. I really love it. It's a story I haven't really talked about for a while, I guess, now as we're chatting about it. But it's really cool because when I have questions about like, when I was first starting, I was learning so much.
Liz Wengerd:Like, what files do I need for the laser to be compatible with, you know, when I design things? Or what about different wood types and different wood thicknesses? Like, he was my go to. And I also love that I get to work with a local business. And so they make all of the signs for me, and then he gets to bring them home because it's where he works.
Liz Wengerd:And so it it works out really well, but I love that we started it. The idea started with us, like, brainstorming together, and then I was able to kind of run with it, which I think is a lot of fun.
Victoria B. Glass:Yes. And that's a victory story of, like, to anyone listening, you might have something out there that you haven't even tapped in to yet or haven't even been exposed to yet, and it could be a love that you could turn into a business or just have a hobby with. So we're always growing even in our adult lives and even when we get married or become mamas or wives. There's always an opportunity for us to start a new story, to start a new chapter.
Victoria B. Glass:So I always I love hearing how people got to where they are. And tell me how long have you had Liz's Wood designs? Is it, how long have you been doing it?
Liz Wengerd:I've been doing it for 4 and a half years. In November, over 5 years.
Victoria B. Glass:Yeah. Wow.
Liz Wengerd:You say you just you just have to be willing to try. That's I've tried lots of different ventures and different side hustles, I guess, you could say. You just have to be willing to try things. Like, Tyson always told me, he's like, keep trying until you find something that you love, that clicks. And that's that's kinda what I did. I tried, like, 2 or 3 different things before I started Liz's Wood Designs, actually. You have to be willing to try new things because like you were saying, you just never know what's out there that you haven't tried, you don't know anything about. But don't be intimidated about it. Just go into it with an open mind and open heart and, you know, take one step at a time.
Victoria B. Glass:Yes. And you're never alone whether it's your husband or you've got the Lord there. And so if it doesn't work out, you can always try again something else. And like you said, that's a perfect example of how it might not be the first 2 or 3 things that you tried. But look at you now. You've got Liz's Wood Designs, and you've been going for almost 5 years. And this is pretty new, but still you've got those 4 or 5 years behind you where it's like, this is working. And I'm getting a lot of market feedback that this is working. So so congratulations, kudos, or, you know, to that. And, let's talk a little bit more about just being a stay at home mom and being a wife who has a business. What does your kids think about you having your own thing? Like, how how do they are they involved? Do they know what what that looks like? Tell me about what it's like to have a business while you're a stay at home mom.
Liz Wengerd:It's a balancing act that is never perfected, basically. I just don't think that I ever have 100% balance and everything. But my daughter, she's my oldest.
Liz Wengerd:She will be 6 this year, and she thinks it's so cool. And every once in a while, she'll be like, I'm gonna have this business when I grow up or or I'm gonna do this thing. And I'm just like, you know, I love that she is so intrigued by, like, having her own. Obviously, there is no pressure from me for her to have her own business. Like, I don't, you know, don't want my kids to feel that sense of pressure.
Liz Wengerd:But, they definitely know what's going on. And, my son, he is 2, and he loves when I go down to my office to package orders. He likes just kinda hang out there while I do that. I do try to often work while my kids are sleeping or having quiet time slash napping. That's kind of when I get the bulk of my work done because I really try to be present when they're awake and are around, and try not to do a lot of work while they're around.
Liz Wengerd:I like this just because it gives me a sense of, like, I can do this as my own time and my creative outlet, but then when the kids are around and I have to be present as a mom, then I can do that. I find for myself, it's hard to balance working and being a mom at the same time, like, in the same like, the kids are awake and with me because I get overstimulated fairly quickly, and then I'm just not the mom that I wanna be. So that's, like, a priority to me to try to make sure that I'm the kind of mom I wanna be, which is probably all moms. You know? We all wanna be the best we can be.
Victoria B. Glass:Yeah.
Liz Wengerd:But so that's kind of how I do things. Most times I get up early and work, or I'll do it during nap time and quiet time. And I will say, like, right now so I started in November of 2019 is when I started Liz's Wood Designs, and my daughter was a year old. So it was much easier in some ways when she was younger because I only had one, and she slept a lot more than she does now, you know, during she took naps and stuff during the day.
Liz Wengerd:And so I had a lot more time to kind of get the ball rolling with the business. And now I I don't work a lot. I work, like, 5 to 10 hours a week probably, on the business, and I really like that. It gives me an hour or 2 a day. Also, when COVID started in the spring of 2020, my business really skyrocketed because everybody was looking for affordable home decor because everybody was at home.
Victoria B. Glass:Yeah.
Liz Wengerd:I had, like, I think, 50 sales in my Etsy shop in March of 2020 to, like, over 900 by September. So I had a huge yeah. It was wild.
Victoria B. Glass:Woah!!!
Liz Wengerd:It was a learning curve, but it was a lot of fun. But since then, it's been a little I feel like my numbers are a little skewed because ever since then, like, everything has slowed down more because as the world started opening up and people started going on vacations again and spending their money on other things, I think home decor has become less important in some ways. Not that it's not important, but people were really focused on it during when the world was shut down, because they were at home all the time. So since then, it has, like, slowed down a lot, which in some ways has worked out really well for me as my kids have gotten older because it's still a fun creative thing I do on the side, but it's not so busy that I feel like I can't be present as a mom as well.
Liz Wengerd:I feel like that was maybe a bit of a bunny trail, but I try really hard to keep a good balance, because I wanna be present with my kids. And but I also think it's really important for me to have a creative outlet because I Feel like I'm just a better mom, I think, when I have a little something to do that's, like, you know, for myself, I guess, you could say in some ways.
Victoria B. Glass:Well, what I'm hearing you say is that the balance that you want is more like harmony and that you're able to have that harmony that you want and keep it a little bit flexible because you do have kids, you do have, you know, priorities that are taking being the mom first. And you were a person before you were a wife or mom, which is great. And now that you're at home with them, there's pockets of time where you can put it into productive things like a hobby. And so this hobby has now become a business, but it's still not something that's so demanding of your time that you can't put what you really value, which is your family, first. And I just love that.
Victoria B. Glass:That is one of the things I love about being a business owner is that we all have our own different balances, if you will. You know? Like and so that balance looks different for everyone, and it's usually more like harmony than balance, like I said. And so to have that freedom to be able to serve your clients and help them when they need it, whether it's on the decor side or on the signage side, you can do that because you do have the ability to make something using, you know, the materials that you have, and it's not such a high pressure situation that, like, corporate would have. You know?
Victoria B. Glass:And so there's not to say that's good or bad, but a lot of times, we wanna be with our families and stuff. And then sometimes our families will take a nap, and we're like, now what am I gonna do? So it seems like you've developed that harmony really well just by knowing yourself and knowing what you want, and then also having the curiosity to be able to grow and try out new things. And that, to to me, our listeners might have a completely different dream. But to me, that is, like, the ultimate dream, you know, is is having having the ability to do it all, to be a Jane of all trades.
Victoria B. Glass:You know? Like and, and, yeah, you've really balanced or harmonized that mother, wife, business owner. From what I've seen, you've done that really well. And I know that there's gonna be listeners who tune in who are like, how does she do that? So do you have any, like, tricks or, like, you know, tips or anything, like, that you might be able to give to to a past version of yourself who may not even believe that this version of you exists? Like, what would you say to her?
Liz Wengerd:I would say to take it one day at a time. Take it one day at a time. There are times when I feel like our personal life and motherhood feels like there's a lot going on and it really needs my attention more. So the business takes a little more of a back burner. And as long as my orders are being processed on time and I'm, you know, fulfilling my obligations to my clients, then the back end things can just kinda fall off.
Liz Wengerd:I might not be pinning on Pinterest. I might not be sending out an email for marketing or posting on social media or, you know, adding new products to my website or creating a website. I just created a website recently. I've been selling on Etsy this whole time. And I just found that this summer, it's a bit slower.
Liz Wengerd:Summer is usually slower. And I was like, this is gonna be my summer project to work on this. So, like, you really just need to take it one day at a time and one step at a time. And it's okay if sometimes your hobby falls on the back burner because we do sacrifice a lot as wives and moms for families. And I think a lot of stay at home moms can relate with me on this one because we are constantly serving our families.
Liz Wengerd:And I definitely do not have it perfected. I make my fair share of mistakes. But, also, the big thing for me is I try to ask Tyson every once in a while, like, hey. How do you feel like I'm balancing work and being a wife and a mom? To kind of keep his perspective with me, because he is the first person that's gonna be like, hey.
Liz Wengerd:Yeah. You have maybe been falling short here, or you're doing really great here. And, like, gauging where he is at is really helpful for me because we're a team, and we work together for our family. And so that's really important to me. But there are just seasons that come and go, like, when I had so I started my business when my oldest was a year old, but then I've had a baby since then.
Liz Wengerd:And I've had a miscarriage since then. So, like, going through different seasons, you some things take the back burner, in business, and that's okay. Then there's other seasons where I have a little bit more time and energy, and I feel like I can, you know, push it a little more. But I think one of the biggest things for me when I started my shop, I had an Etsy coach tell me this, and I don't think I'll ever forget it. But she really encouraged her students.
Liz Wengerd:She said, you decide what success looks like to you. If you want a side hustle where you work 5 to 10 hours a week, that's amazing. If you want a full time income, then that's also great. But you'd have to decide what you're gonna sacrifice. You have to decide what's important to you, and you get to decide what success looks like.
Liz Wengerd:Society doesn't have to tell you what success looks like. You have to decide what that looks like for your life and the lifestyle you want to live and what's important to you and your partner. Or if you're just a solopreneur, you don't have a family, like, you decide what is important to you. And those are conversations Tyson and I have often. And I try to be very intentional about it at least once a year to sit down and be like, hey, am I prioritizing what's important to us?
Liz Wengerd:And do it like, just reevaluating kind of. But I don't think that you figure all that out right away. Like, it takes time. You don't know exactly what you will do in every situation until you get there for some of those situations. But I think just knowing what your goals are and what your intentions are, is important.
Liz Wengerd:But then also, like, don't get too hung up on your goals and intentions. Like, also allow yourself to live and be spontaneous in life and, you know, do fun things. But I think that's, like, one of the big things for me is, like, deciding what is important to me, what is important to Tyson, and what do we want for our family and for our children, and then basing my success off of those goals.
Victoria B. Glass:Right. I love that. I haven't heard of that before, but it's so it seems like common sense to say, I need to check-in with my partner and just make that time to see myself from his perspective a little bit. And it's not so much about the world's version of success as it is your family's version. And for the wives, then that looks like the husbands.
Victoria B. Glass:If you don't have if you're not married, maybe look in to a friend or a parent who could shed a little bit of light on just grounding us back to who we are, and then that version of success that looks which is what it looks like to us, not to the world. And then on top of all that, having the grace to say, if I don't meet that goal or if it doesn't look like what my version of success looks like today, then there's always tomorrow, and there's always next week or next year if it's a different season, and saying, I'm gonna have grace always. So what what a good little check-in tip that you just offered. I love that. That is really nice of you to share that little tip, and I'm gonna have to have little, you know, check-in points with loved ones.
Victoria B. Glass:That's a really good way to make sure that you're on track with with your family, with your business, with your wife, and then also making sure that you're looking at looking at everything with a really good a lens, a good a good heart in a way of, like, is my heart in the right place with that?
Liz Wengerd:Mhmm. And I think Yeah. What I think they can change. Your intentions and goals can change. Like, when I first started my business to now, a lot has changed. And there have been times where Tyson's like, hey. You know what? Like, I think we need to change what we're doing. Like, one of the big things I remember, I think it was in the 1st year. And you know when you're starting a business, it's a lot of grinding to get it off the ground and get it going and you're figuring out so many things. When I first started shipping wooden signs, I didn't know what I was doing.
Liz Wengerd:I've so many of them arrived broken and I'd have to replace them, and I had to really refine my packaging process. Process. So you really learn as you go. And I remember I believe it was in the 1st year. I'm a night owl.
Liz Wengerd:He is well, we're both night owls, but I would like to stay up late and work because that's when I felt like I was most productive and energized. But then my daughter would wake up at, like, 6 or 7 AM. So I was going to bed at, like, 1 or 2 in the morning and then getting up with her. And then I wouldn't be the mom I was wanted to be because I was tired and I was grumpy. And, Tyson, at one point, he's like, I don't think this is working for our family because I know that you are not the mom that you want to be.
Liz Wengerd:And so this is we need to discuss something different. And that was really hard for me. Like, it was it was kind of humiliating because I'm like, oh, I'm failing. You know? That's where my thought goes right away.
Liz Wengerd:But he encouraged me to, like, wake up earlier because he had to be at work at, like, 6 o'clock or something. So he's like, why don't you try waking up when I go to work, like, going to bed when I go to bed, waking up when I wake up, and getting a little bit of work done before our daughter wakes up and see how you like that, and kind of and then work while she naps. And I started doing that, and it really changed everything for me. Now I actually prefer getting up in the mornings and working in the mornings. I'm not a morning person still, but I like my mornings now.
Liz Wengerd:When the house is quiet, the kids are still sleeping. But it that's just an example. Like, it it takes humility, I think. And I don't do this perfectly, so please don't hear me say that. But it's just checking in with one another, and I think being honest with your partner if you are married or in a relationship, just being honest about what is important, and encouraging each other in ways that you see that you can do better.
Liz Wengerd:And for me, that was one of the things. And I think it made all the difference, and that was, like, one of the first big hurdles I had to get over was, you know, it's okay to do things differently than maybe what you originally preferred. Like, your goals, your intentions can change as time goes on, and you can always, redo things. You don't have to start here and then just do it like that forever. You can you are allowed.
Liz Wengerd:You have permission to change your routines and your systems if it serves you and it serves your family better.
Victoria B. Glass:And what I'm hearing you saying is you might actually enjoy it. You might not like it, like like you said, not being a morning person, but you actually find joy in growing. And I think that for so many people who have thought about starting a business, the idea of not knowing how to do something, like packaging or finding the the pockets of time to work and stuff, it can seem daunting because it's just a big unknown. But there are there are things that you can enjoy from the change of it.
Victoria B. Glass:And that growth and evolution, it's not scary when you enjoy it and you're willing to have that grace of finding a good fit. And it's it's not perfect. I don't think anybody, you know, wants to be perfect or, like, thinks that they are perfect, but it's in those moments of, like, okay. I know I'm not perfect. I've got a family or I've got children or I've got a husband who works in these hours.
Victoria B. Glass:So, like, instead of saying that's my reason to not go at all, it's saying those are gonna be the reasons that I'm going and that I can change and make it fit and find those grooves or, like, you know, find those routes that you can take that might not have been the one that you would have stepped on first. But because you were willing to get up and try and change and evolve and have that grace, that you are able to successfully go down the road, you know, or, like, you know, make it work and stuff. And it can be fun to to actually, you know, find that joy and stuff. And I say the road analogy because I follow your personal Instagram and follow your personal adventures as well as your business win, and you've been doing a lot more content creating and showing off your real life and and the moments where you're finding those grooves. And sometimes it looks like you getting on there and saying, hey.
Victoria B. Glass:I didn't know how to do this, but I figured it out, and I'm sharing with you. This is the way that I figured it out. So I'm trying to save you time and money and energy and stuff by by giving you this answer that I found already. So I love that, and I love the content creation part of the Liz Wengerd brand. So tell me a little bit about how you've been getting into that and the the joy that you've been finding in showing up more as a person online and not just your business.
Liz Wengerd:Yeah. I love that question. I actually started creating content for the business because I was like, oh, if I'm gonna have this business, I need to promote my products, you know, on social media or wherever you promote products. And I was really excited about that. But the more that I started learning the content creation process and actually discovered that I really enjoy just sharing more everyday moments in my life and in motherhood rather than just promoting my product.
Liz Wengerd:And I know that when I follow a brand, I love seeing the personal touches. I love knowing the creators. I love knowing the story behind it and what they do. But I just really fell in love with creating content, and I'm a big relational person. I love connecting with people and meeting new friends and pushing myself outside of my box a little bit.
Liz Wengerd:And I don't know. I just started. I just started creating content, and now here I am, it feels like. But when I started my personal Instagram account, it just felt like kind of a re- like a fresh start for me because my business account had kind of been through the ringer with just me figuring out what direction I'm going with the business and also just life things. It's been a lot of fun.
Liz Wengerd:I really enjoy connecting with all of my followers, my community. That's a big thing. I think we're all just looking for community and connection. And my goal is just to bring hope and encouragement and inspiration to people.
Victoria B. Glass:Well, you do a great job with that. I love looking at your, you know, daily ventures and your conversations, like, you're telling of family things that maybe you're working on or, like, you know, earlier we were chatting about the cup that you put in your dishwasher, and it was so funny because I had just had that conversation with my husband. And it's amazing how these little moments happen to us all even if we're not, you know, we're not putting it online. They do happen. And so I love your bravery and the courage that you have found in sharing those moments and how, as an audience member, I'm like, I had that happen too.
Victoria B. Glass:So, like, the relatability that you're bringing in to the online space, that is encouraging and that is different from the encouragement that you give through your business. So I wanted to just bring it up and talk about it, and I love talking about your personal brand and stuff. And for anyone who's listening to this conversation between you and I, who is a fan of Liz, is there something that you wanna share that maybe they don't know? Like, what's something that a friend or a follower might not know about you that you would love for them to know but you may have not gotten the chance to tell them yet or share with them yet? Is there anything like that?
Liz Wengerd:Oh, that's such a good question. I don't know if I can think of 1 off the top of my head because I tend to be such an open book. I am I'm a external processor. I'm a verbal processor. And so it is really hard for me to hide anything because I tend to just kind of wear my heart on my sleeves.
Liz Wengerd:It is hard being a content creator sometimes is difficult because you do wanna share so much with your audience and really be relatable. And this is something I struggle with sometimes because I wanna be relatable, but then there's also an element of, well, some things are also meant to be private, and I don't share my kids on social media hardly ever. I try to keep their faces off of social media. Just a personal decision I kinda made as my social media grew. At first, I was a little bit more, picky about it when my daughter was first born.
Liz Wengerd:And then as she got a little older, I said, you know, I think it's okay. Like, I'm not too concerned. But over the last few years, I just more and more felt that nudge. That's a little bit of a bunny trail. But it is I'm I'm such an open book and I'm such a verbal processor that it's really hard for me to hide anything.
Liz Wengerd:So long story short, I guess, it's I don't know. I can't think of anything off the top of my head that I'm just, like, dying for people to know that they probably don't already know.
Victoria B. Glass:Well, I was gonna say, I think I was gonna ask what's your favorite color. Like, I just a random question like that, but I think I know. Is it yellow?
Liz Wengerd:Yes!! It is.
Victoria B. Glass:Yeah. Okay. So that can't be the question. Favorite food, maybe?
Liz Wengerd:Sushi. Sushi!!
Liz Wengerd:I love sushi. It's one of my favorites. I was introduced to it, like, a year and a half or 2 years ago. And, I mean, I had had it before, but I didn't have a good experience with it. And so I just never tried it.
Liz Wengerd:And then some of my girlfriends introduced me to some new sushi, and now I'm obsessed.
Victoria B. Glass:Okay. Well, I love sushi too very much. I'm very much obsessed with it, like, to the point where I'm like, I can't I have to reserve it for, like, birthdays and anniversaries because otherwise, I'd just be getting the sushi lunch deals, like, every day.
Liz Wengerd:Yeah. I had sushi this week!
Victoria B. Glass:It's so good. So what is your sushi roll? Like, what's your order when you go? Do you have a favorite sushi roll?
Liz Wengerd:Yes. I love the American dream roll, which I don't know. There's a local restaurant that has it that I really love, and I'm not sure I've had it anywhere else, so it's quite the same. But that's a favorite. I'm a big like cream cheese person, actually. And I love like deep fried sushi. That it I just it's so good.
Victoria B. Glass:We would really have a great sushi experience because those are my favorite sushi characteristics too. But I haven't heard of the American dream roll, so I'm gonna go to my local place and see if they could if they've heard of it. And, that's a good little thing that your followers may have not known about you. So I feel like that answers the question well and is helpful to someone who hasn't tried the American dream role. So I'm gonna have to go and try that.
Victoria B. Glass:It does make me wonder though, because they have, at my local sushi restaurant, a Bama roll that I don't now that you're saying that, like, I'm like, I bet they don't have that everywhere. And so I wonder if the American dream is similar where it could even be the same as the Bama roll, but, like, the name changes.
Liz Wengerd:Maybe. I don't know. Yeah.
Victoria B. Glass:That's true. Makes me wonder. But yeah. Yeah. It is. So I didn't mean to go on a tangent of that, but I did love the idea of, like, finding out something new about you that I might not have known as, like, an audience member. Well, what's something that you would recommend to someone listening?
Liz Wengerd:I think one of the first things that comes to my mind, and this is probably because it's something I've been struggling with lately, not being as consistent with my everyday devotional time. I know as a mom and as a business owner and a content creator, when I get a little bit of that quiet time in the morning, I like to try to prioritize just getting in the word, having a little bit of time to just sit sip my coffee if I make it, and just read some scripture. I lately, it's been really difficult for me to, like, one, prioritize it, but then also, 2, I think we just go through seasons where reading scripture is a little bit harder. And if that's the case, listen to worship music.
Liz Wengerd:Have a friend that you can talk to or pray with, or they can pray for you. But that's something that I just find it helps me to just, like, have my perspective in a good place before I start my day. And, yeah, I don't know. I guess that's, like, one piece of encouragement I have. If you are a believer to continue to prioritize just that little bit of quiet time with the Lord at some point in the morning.
Victoria B. Glass:Yes. Amen. And I love that you mentioned doing it first thing in the morning. Anytime really is good.
Victoria B. Glass:I mean, like, you know, to someone who hasn't done it in a while, find the time at any point in the day, even if it means, like, you know, the last thing you do before the you go to bed. But I do agree that having it first thing in the morning really does set that intention. And if you, you know, maybe read something that was encouraging and then maybe later on in the day have something come up that you didn't expect, It's nice to have that in the back of your head of, like, wait, earlier today, I just read this. But it's funny how, like, when those things do happen and you have read your scripture that morning, it usually points to, like, that. And so it I I think it's funny in the way of, like, it's usually needed.
Victoria B. Glass:You need to have that in the back of your your head for those hard days. And the example that comes to mind, I don't know if you saw it or not, but the other day, about a week ago, I went I got, got up early. I pulled I have these little cards that have bible verses on, and sometimes I use that as, like, a place to start whenever I sit down with my bible. I'm like, oh, well, this is a good Bible verse to freshen up on today. So it was do not be afraid.
Victoria B. Glass:And then later on that day, my husband opened the door and there was a snake on the reef that fell inside the house. I've never had that happen before, but I was
Liz Wengerd:Did you burn your house down?!?
Victoria B. Glass:Yeah. Well, that's what I wanted to do. And then literally, I thought it was so funny that I had that card happen, and it it came on.
Victoria B. Glass:I think, actually, that was later in the day that I saw that. And so that made me really recalibrate with, like, okay. This was a scary situation. I don't need to burn the house down even though, like, the human first response was to do that. But, and so, yeah, it's it's funny in that way of, like, how a lot of times when we do take in the word, it really does directly apply to that day's set of circumstances, whether we've had them happen or if they are still to come later on in the afternoon or whatever.
Liz Wengerd:I love that.
Victoria B. Glass:I love that you brought up having that devotion and creating that space for yourself and how it's helped you. So what a good recommendation. Yeah.
Liz Wengerd:Thank you. I truly and I didn't think I would ever be a morning person, but and I used to never understand when people were like, read your scripture first thing in the morning. Because I truly, genuinely believe you can read your scripture anytime of the day, and it's still meaningful and it's still important to the Lord and, you know, all of those things. But I think I don't know if it's just since, like, becoming a mom or if it's like I'm getting older and it feels I'm a huge routine person. And I think that's just one of the big things for me.
Liz Wengerd:It's like, if I don't do it first thing in the morning, it's kind of like exercising. If I don't get my walk in first thing in the morning, I'm much easier to skip it. You know? And that's just one of those things as well that I've just learned that I tend to overlook it if I don't do it. And that's just me. It's different for everybody. There's no right or wrong. But, yeah.
Victoria B. Glass:Right. I mean, very true. There isn't a right or wrong, and that goes with everything. And I'm glad you said the part about working out.
Victoria B. Glass:I've been very inspired by your you sharing your workouts in the morning and that being in the morning too. And Dylan and I just had a conversation earlier today about finding a a good time for both of us because we really like motivating each other. And so having the online community where you get on, you're like, oh, well, she's doing it. So, like, not to compare, but just having that encouragement of the community, it makes it easier because, you know, especially when we are being honest about it and saying, like, this might not have been what I wanted to do. I wanted to do this, but, you know, I said I'm gonna do it, and I'm gonna do it.
Victoria B. Glass:So having those people, those whether you wanna call them influencers or content creators or just community online who are also in that same season of life, it's been really fulfilling for me because it makes me do things that I may have put on the back burner, but I'm like, I know this is good for me. And so, yeah, just having that community is good. And I wanna go ahead and tell the listeners where they can find you if this conversation is lighting them up and if maybe they're listening and thinking, I don't have that community or I don't have that person who helps me to stay accountable. Where can they find you online? Because I want them to feel confident about showing up and becoming a part of that community.
Victoria B. Glass:So, tell us where we can find you online and why it's important for them to follow you.
Liz Wengerd:Well, I just love meeting new people. So if you wanna come hang out with me, then please come say hi. You can find me every day, pretty much every day on Instagram. That's the primary place I like to hang out, just at at lizwengard, or you can check out my website, lizwengard.com, and you can find, like, all the links and everything you need there. But I try to just kind of hang out on Instagram stories. That is one of my favorite places to be. But I do kind of come and go sometimes in different seasons of life. I give myself grace as we were saying to also step back and, be present.
Liz Wengerd:That's something I've been thinking about a lot today or recently, I guess, is how to be present today and not just looking to the past, but not just looking to the future. But I love hanging out and connecting with everybody on Instagram. And my hope is just that you'll feel encouraged, inspired, and just feel a little more hopeful.
Victoria B. Glass:Yes. And, Liz, I think that you're doing a fantastic job, and you are having a lot of grace with yourself and with others too who are still figuring out this content creation online thing. You know, it's pretty new to all of us. And I think when we create when we have, like, a website like you've recently launched, and when we have really good stories that maybe we can put in our highlight reels, then those things exist beyond us, and that's kinda miraculous in itself to have those encouraging Instagram stories or, you know, things that exist online on the days that when we don't feel like it, or maybe we've had a hard hard couple of days, or maybe we are you know, you and I are women. So maybe, like, emotionally, our hormones are just not we're not doing good today, so we don't wanna be online.
Liz Wengerd:Imposter syndrome kicks in for everybody at some point.
Victoria B. Glass:Yeah. But I was gonna say
Liz Wengerd:Go ahead.
Victoria B. Glass:I was just gonna add that, you know, having those things available to people who might want to hang out with us, but on the days that we're not physically able to be there, then it kinda goes beyond us and, and exists online where people can still find the encouragement or they can read the blog post or read the caption or watch the Instagram story so that, you know, on those days when we're just we're human, so, like, it happens. You know? We might be sick physically or, like, you know, have the sniffles and don't wanna show the sniffles on on Instagram or whatever. Yes. So I just wanna also share that with you because I've been feeling that too a lot lately.
Victoria B. Glass:And, I think it's nice for us to talk about and have that grace with ourselves, with each other, and then also have kinda like an antidote of, like, well, the website never gets sick or the website doesn't have a bad day or, like you know? So they so that's a good representation of who you are that goes beyond the flesh of the human part of us. And, and so and not to get, like, weird about it, but, like, it's gonna it's gonna exist even outside of our own selves and stuff. And so when, you know, you take that kind of perspective of it and say, I'm putting this out there with the intentionality that it's gonna help someone even outside of the time itself, then, I think that we're all being used in the way that God wants us to be used. And so, and He's using us. And so just I don't know if that makes sense, but I feel that.
Liz Wengerd:Something I am fairly passionate about and I think I have become more passionate about this since I created my personal Instagram account outside of just Liz's Wood Designs Instagram is that as content creators, it can often feel like, oh, we need to show up all the time and be, like, on social media all the time. And I think it's really good for us to also, like, give ourselves grace and, like, let's not try to always be beating the algorithm. Like, that's one of my goals is just to show up and create content that feels really authentic to who I am and the goals that I have and what I wanna share with my community, I would much rather have a smaller community and feel like the content is authentic. The and I feel like authentic and community are worse.
Liz Wengerd:It get thrown around so much on social media these days, but I'm really passionate about creating a space for my community that they can feel inspired and encouraged by and feels authentic to who I am versus trying to have, like, a huge following and, you know, all of these things. I think all of those things can be okay, and I think that they can come and it can be fine. But for me, that's just a goal that I have, because I want people to who come into my little corner of the Internet, to feel safe and feel like they have a place to belong a place that they belong, and that's something that is really important to me.
Victoria B. Glass:Well, I feel that and I applaud that, and I'm very thankful for that intentionality, that perspective, and for that freedom that you bring to the online space of just being yourself. Because when you're yourself, it gives other people the permission to be themselves. I think of, like, a garden and being the flower that they bloom into and just being the best flower that they are. And you do that very well with your Instagram and just with your own intentionality and with your business. But when we connected, it was through that Instagram part.
Victoria B. Glass:So, I just wanna say thank you, and thank you for coming on and talking about it because that is a victory too. And I just, think that's really cool.
Liz Wengerd:It is! And all of these things to say, like, I do not want anybody to hear me and be like, oh, she's got it all figured out because I certainly do not. I still get impostor syndrome. Just 2 weeks ago, I was like, I'm gonna throw my phone away. I am so you know, I just feel like I can't do this or, like, I don't fit in the content creator space. Like, who am I to think that I can be a content creator?
Liz Wengerd:And I think we all go through that. For me, usually, it happens when I'm comparing myself too much to other people or I'm looking at other people's content and comparing my content to theirs. I lose sight of, like, who I am and what I bring. We all have unique stories, and we all have unique perspectives, and that is all shaped by your life. And I think that it is so important to remember that.
Liz Wengerd:Like, we are unique. God made us unique, and we all have a perspective to bring to the table. And we're not everybody's cup of tea, and that is okay. We don't have to be best friends with everybody. But I think the more that we are open and vulnerable with people and, we are our truest self when we communicate with people and connect with people, we will find our people.
Liz Wengerd:They say that in the business world when you're talking about marketing. Like, you market to your ideal customer. And I think I need to look at life a little more that way. I've been challenging myself to look at life more that way. You will find your people and and connect with your people.
Liz Wengerd:And sometimes it's hard. When we're going through seasons where we're struggling, maybe there's something we're struggling with internally and we're trying to figure out, it can feel very isolating and lonely, but we're not alone because we do have God as believers, and that's really encouraging. But those seasons are hard. Oh, I don't know. That's just a bunny trail to say.
Liz Wengerd:I don't want anybody to feel like, hey. She's got this all figured out, because I don't. I'm just taking one day at a time. That's what I always tell everybody. Just take it one day at a time.
Victoria B. Glass:Well, I think too. Yes. We all have it figured out by thinking that we don't have it figured out. Like, I think that's kind of the the caveat of, like, when you think of, like, I don't have it all figured out. It's like, yes, but that's exactly what you're supposed to realize. And so,
Liz Wengerd:You don't have to have it all figured out.
Victoria B. Glass:Right. Exactly. And the fun kinda like at the beginning of this conversation. The fun is by growing and having the curiosity to learn new things. And the exciting part is that sometimes, those new things actually turn out to be your favorite new things to do, and you can, you know, people will pay you to do those new things or, like you know? And it's a fun time to have the conversation about how we all don't have it figured out.
Liz Wengerd:Yeah. When you asked me earlier if there was something that I want people to know, this is actually a good one. I feel like 5 years ago, if you would have told me that I was gonna be quote, unquote a content creator, I would have been like, you're crazy. Because I had no desire to post everyday life things and moments from my mom life and being a business owner on social media. Like, that was not something that really intrigued me that much.
Liz Wengerd:But as I started my business and creating started creating content, that's where my love of creating content came from, And I really just, I don't know, I just fell in love with it. I kind of found a little community and I discovered that I really enjoy it. So, you know, just never say never. That is that is my life motto. You just never say never because you don't know what doors God open God will open.
Victoria B. Glass:Yes. That that's very true. Well, this has been a fantastic conversation. It's been very authentic and honest and also very informative. And there's been a lot of tips, like you said, checking in with your husband or your family and seeing if they have any feedback on how this season's going for your life, and also, you know, trying new things and letting them develop and become what you might not even imagine that they become.
Victoria B. Glass:And then also just the idea of, like, you know, realizing, hey. I don't have it figured out, but that doesn't mean I can't try to figure it out in that exciting journey that life could take me on when figuring it out. So I've just really enjoyed this conversation. I know that both of us, have a lot of different things that we're doing and stuff. And so anytime I get to chat with you, Liz, it's always something that I feel, like, excited about afterwards because it just lets me know I'm not alone and that there are other people out there who are facing some of the same things even if it's a cup in the dishwasher.
Victoria B. Glass:Yes. It's just phony to, like, have those check ins with with people who are, you know, distant, but also friends. It's like this fun community that we have here online that that really is helpful. So thanks for coming on and being vulnerable and sharing your victories. And is there anything you wanna leave us with?
Victoria B. Glass:Yeah. Yeah. Thanks for coming on.
Liz Wengerd:I honestly just live one day at a time, live in the present, and just focus on being where God wants you to be and, you know, just take everything one step at a time. You don't have to have it all figured out right now.
Victoria B. Glass:Alright. Well, that's great advice. Go and follow Liz if you're listening. Her Instagram handle is @lizwingard. You can find her on her new website, which is lizwingard.com, and then she also has her wood design business account, which is Liz's Wood Designs.
Victoria B. Glass:So you can check out all of her work and her life and just the beautiful things that she's sharing on a daily basis online. So go and check her out. And, Liz, thank you for coming on again. I'm gonna be keeping up with your victory story. So
Liz Wengerd:Yes! Thank you so much for giving me the space to share. It's always so much fun chatting with you.
Victoria B. Glass:Awesome. Well, we'll talk to you again later. Bye, guys.
Victoria B. Glass:Thanks for joining us for this week's episode of the contagious victories podcast. If the show inspired you to hear your own victory story, I'm here to tell you the world deserves to hear it. Submit it to me online at toriblackmon.com. Review and subscribe if that feels right. Telling your friend about the show helps Contagious Victories to grow. Plus, we all appreciate a little sunshine. I'm Tori B. Thanks for listening. I'll catch you soon.