00:00:04:23 – 00:00:08:18
Serena Reynolds
Hi, I’m Serena Reynolds from Conceptiv.

00:00:08:20 – 00:00:33:18
Sara Ferrer
And my name is Sara Ferrer from saraferrerco.com. And today we have a treat for you. We have Lisa Sands on the podcast today. Lisa is the owner of shop 2 to 5 online boutique that offers apparel and merchandise infused with positive messages and affirmations. But let me tell you, it’s more than that. We’ve chatted with with Lisa before we do the official podcast recording.

00:00:34:00 – 00:00:43:18
Sara Ferrer
Her energy is dynamic. Her story is awesome and she’s just a real pleasure to be around. So Lisa, welcome to the podcast and thank you for being with us.

00:00:43:20 – 00:00:52:00
Lisa Sands
Thank you for having me. And it’s so funny even just hearing you talk like that, I get a little teary because it brings up a lot of emotion.

00:00:52:02 – 00:01:11:21
Sara Ferrer
Well, you know what we’re big believers in, I think, you know, before we of course, dive into your story, which is why we’re here, I think it’s important to start with when, you know, we do this and we enjoy this podcast to learn about all different types of women in charge and what they do and there are those moments where we talk to people and we just feel their energy.

00:01:11:21 – 00:01:30:12
Sara Ferrer
One thing is to hear a story and the other is to feel the story, if that makes sense. And you, you embody that without trying. So I think that’s why it’s such a treat. It comes easy to you where I’m receiving and it’s like, oh girl, lead us on this journey of like, how did you get here? Where does this great energy come from?

00:01:30:12 – 00:01:49:18
Sara Ferrer
Did this come from struggle? Were you born with it? Like, did you have an moment and say, hey, I’m going to become this great, positive, infused with, you know, all types of good message type of lady or was there a turning point in your journey? So take us back to the beginning of Lisa Sands in 2 to 5 design.

00:01:49:20 – 00:02:13:05
Lisa Sands
Oh, my husband would say it started in the womb. No, no, it’s I, I will say I was born, I was born an optimist. I’m the oldest of two sisters. And along the way, I was always an optimist. And I remember having these moments thinking, gosh, life must be so boring because everyone’s so similar. And as I got older, I realized we all weren’t really similar.

00:02:13:05 – 00:02:29:20
Lisa Sands
We all had different stories and different backgrounds, and we have the ability to look at things through a different color lenses. And I had this natural ability to look at things through rose colored lenses, and I felt very lucky and very blessed, and things didn’t come easy to me.

00:02:29:20 – 00:02:31:14
Lisa Sands
They didn’t come.

00:02:31:16 – 00:02:40:15
Lisa Sands
As difficult as some people have had it. So I just always want to preface there’s always a story that’s always more, I don’t want to say significant, but more challenging.

00:02:40:15 – 00:02:41:15
Serena Reynolds
Your story.

00:02:41:17 – 00:03:13:20
Lisa Sands
It’s my story, but in different ways. So I always preface that because, you know, I was not an abused child. I had a happy childhood, but I was a shy child. I was in a special class for shy kids. I really couldn’t get out of my own way. But I walked around with a smile on my face to the point where they used to call me gums in high school because I always was smiling and I always had this, I guess, look of joy on my face, even though inside I was kind of like dying of anxiety because I was so shy.

00:03:13:22 – 00:03:34:02
Lisa Sands
So it was really interesting, a, you know, interesting perspective looking back on it, because people don’t believe me when I say that I was in special classes for shy kids like my mother used to try to do things to get me out of my shell. So anyway, fast forward, I became a competitive baton twirler and I used to travel all over America.

00:03:34:02 – 00:03:58:14
Lisa Sands
I traveled to Russia and Denmark and it was really cool places. And then I decided to pay for my tuition by doing these Miss Massachusetts pageants and Miss America. And I was able to kind of fulfill this need to share and put myself out there more, which really filled like this hole in me. And it felt great and I loved it.

00:03:58:16 – 00:04:21:01
Lisa Sands
And then I ended up going into sales opportunities and I, I happened I, you know, I did really well and I think it was just because I authentically didn’t care about the end goal, which was the money, which I was lucky enough to create a good, monetary cushion for myself. But I really cared about my customers, and I really cared about, you know, what they thought and their perception of things all not knowing it.

00:04:21:01 – 00:04:45:12
Lisa Sands
But looking back, I really created a brand for myself. So it’s really interesting reflecting back. So fast forward, I ended up, working for Monster.com. I got married to a great guy. I had three beautiful boys back to back to back and life challenges kind of had, between sickly parents, my kids who had their own set of issues.

00:04:45:14 – 00:05:03:11
Lisa Sands
My husband’s dad, he wasn’t doing well at the time. Think I was doing well now. And there were I was having my own issues. I, I was going to have a hip replacement. I ended up having a hip replacement. I had a hard time walking. I was not finding my crowd of people where were living. And I really felt alone.

00:05:03:13 – 00:05:34:14
Lisa Sands
I had, one of my kids had needed some extra assistance. I felt like I was in this quicksand, this this bowl of quicksand, and I just couldn’t get out, and I was stuck. And for the first time in my life, I felt truly depressed. And I didn’t know how to get out of it. So one night, I was sitting in my bed and looking over there because my bedroom’s over there, I sitting on my bed and one of the many nights where I was not just crying, bawling, sitting on my bed and I bought this gratitude journal.

00:05:34:14 – 00:05:45:14
Lisa Sands
And every day it would have, a note of gratitude. So I would sit there, read it on my bed, and literally just shut my eyes and just let the tears fall. And my husband looked at me and he’s like, oh my God.

00:05:45:16 – 00:05:46:14
Serena Reynolds
But I mean.

00:05:46:15 – 00:06:05:22
Lisa Sands
He’s a cynic. He’s he’s a sarcastic cynic. He would say he’s not a pessimist, but he’s a realist. And he took my hands and he said, you know what, Lisa? I don’t want you to wake up when you’re 70 years old and realize life passed you by, and all of a sudden something just clicked in me and it made me realize, you know what?

00:06:05:22 – 00:06:34:14
Lisa Sands
He’s right. So I took a step back. This is back in 2011. I took a step back and I, for lack of better words, I do my life, you know, and that’s what that’s what I actually call it to this day, when people ask me about it, I got rid of, negative karma in my life and, people who really couldn’t lift me up, they weren’t the friends who were there through thick and thin.

00:06:34:14 – 00:07:00:20
Lisa Sands
They were the friends who were there through, you know, the fun times, but couldn’t handle me having my moments. I did things for myself that made me feel good. I never put my kids second, but I made sure to prioritize something once a day that made me feel so. Whether it was having coffee with a friend or I wasn’t able to work, I had to be home with with my kids for different reasons.

00:07:00:20 – 00:07:23:12
Lisa Sands
But I, you know, whether it was having coffee with a friend or going for a walk around the block or, I would go see movies by myself. I know it sounds silly, but I actually enjoy being by myself. I enjoy that downtime. So again, we’re fast forwarding another 12 years. So now I have two kids in college and one is still in high school.

00:07:23:12 – 00:07:52:08
Lisa Sands
There’s two years left. My husband has, reinvented himself into being a college teacher, where he was with a family business before, and we’re all in a really good place. And I wanted to do something to rekindle that optimism in others, that I had to fall so hard on the pavement and bring myself up to find. Because the more I spoke to women, the more I realized how they didn’t.

00:07:52:10 – 00:07:53:01
Sara Ferrer
They didn’t have.

00:07:53:01 – 00:08:18:18
Lisa Sands
The ability or the tools to lift themselves up. And I’m not I’m not a therapist. I’m not an executive coach. I never want to claim to be one. I just like sharing my story because I’m a real human who has real feelings, and I have real emotions, and I’ve been there for. So about a year and a half ago, I started designing army jackets with positive sayings on it and fun, different features on it, and people really enjoyed them and love them.

00:08:18:18 – 00:08:47:02
Lisa Sands
And I’m like, you know what? I kinda am thinking maybe I should do some more with this. And I ended up making this company that’s called 2 to 5 to my husband and myself to five, my five boys or my three boys and my David and myself. So I wanted it to have a reflection on what I’ve been through, been a reflection of what I’ve been through, and also fuze the goodness that there is within people because they’re funny enough.

00:08:47:02 – 00:09:11:10
Lisa Sands
There are studies that show when you surround yourself with positive influences, positive sayings, bright colors, you actually feel better. It actually releases endorphins in your body. Which I mean, hell yeah. A it’s, you know, for the most part free if you surround yourself that, you know, stuff like that. And B if, if you wrap yourself up in it, imagine how much better you’ll feel.

00:09:11:10 – 00:09:34:02
Lisa Sands
I mean, it’s like if the good had osmosis and the clothes that you wore, you would feel like $1 million. And that’s truly what we were all meant to feel. And we all deserve to feel because we’ve all gone through it. We all have our stories, we’ve all gone through it. It’s just a matter of your perspective, and I love to just give a small example if it’s okay.

00:09:34:03 – 00:09:56:06
Lisa Sands
Yeah. So of course. Okay, so, I have this one sweater and it’s this really heavy sweater and on the back it says stars can’t Shine Without darkness. And I was wearing it the other day and my husband looked at the Vatican. Well, damn, that’s depressing. I who do are you talking about? I said, that’s so depressing, I said, the stars are shining around the darkness.

00:09:56:06 – 00:10:06:07
Lisa Sands
Like you look for the stars. You look for the bright. He goes, well, no, the darkness is so depressing. And I’m like, well, excuse me, mister. I’m looking at the glass half empty.

00:10:06:09 – 00:10:09:02
Serena Reynolds
You know what I was thinking, right?

00:10:09:04 – 00:10:52:01
Lisa Sands
It just reminds me it’s all your perspective. It’s all your perspective. And that’s something that I was telling Dave. And he. I think he’s getting it, you know? But that’s how I choose to see things. And I really value people around me who see how I see things and people who don’t. I love to share and communicate that because I know, and I’ve heard how my clothing and accessories make them feel, because everything that I do, it has those positive vibes, good karma, positive sayings on it, and that brings me joy, which in turn hopes I hope brings them joy.

00:10:52:03 – 00:11:13:14
Serena Reynolds
So I’d like to take you back a little bit, because something I noticed that you did when you mentioned your family and your boys is you have a little caveat. Oh, I didn’t neglect him. I just put myself first occasionally. Why why do we all feel the need to have that little, caveat into in, in that situation?

00:11:13:16 – 00:11:32:22
Lisa Sands
That that’s an excellent question. So, you know, there are times I there times listen when what am I sense needed a lot of different therapies for different things. And and they’re older now. So I don’t like to disclose too too much. But you know, you get the point. It’s, you know, when you’re a mom, you they, they are your life.

00:11:32:23 – 00:11:56:03
Lisa Sands
And you can lose yourself and, you know, time gets away from you. So there there are moments where you do lose yourself in those kids. And I think that’s normal. But the important thing is bringing yourself back to you so you can then be a better parent and a better human to share with others and share with your family and see how you’re moving forward.

00:11:56:05 – 00:12:14:22
Lisa Sands
So yeah, I had those moments and I had those moments of, you know, sulking, you know, holding him in these time ins, trying to calm his body down and which in turn didn’t bring the next four hours of happiness to me, or joy because I’m in turn sulking because he’s sulking and I can’t calm anyone down in the house.

00:12:15:00 – 00:12:34:18
Lisa Sands
But then a day passes, I regroup, I get myself back into it, and I think it just shows that I’m human. And I think a lot of women, you have to be okay with that, you know what I mean? It’s not. It’s when I say the caveat, I don’t mean long time caveat. You know, it can be a day.

00:12:34:20 – 00:12:53:20
Lisa Sands
It could be a half a day. But it is, it is, it is a life sucks sometimes, and I don’t. That sounds awfully negative. I don’t mean it like that. But, you know, there are times where you do the best for yourself. So then you could put forth the best for your child, and then you kind of have to regroup and do it all over again.

00:12:53:23 – 00:13:02:22
Serena Reynolds
I have I have a very good friend that reminds me on a very regular basis that who’s going to look after your children if you don’t look after yourself?

00:13:03:00 – 00:13:05:12
Lisa Sands
And it’s true. And I think that’s.

00:13:05:14 – 00:13:12:20
Serena Reynolds
That’s the statement that we all kind of have to be reminded of every now and then that we have to look after ourselves so that we’re the best for them.

00:13:12:22 – 00:13:38:13
Lisa Sands
We have to look up after ourselves. And it’s good to teach your children that you’re looking after yourself. And I think a good example of that is years ago when when we were kind of like in the crux of everything, I would find these podcasts, YouTube channels, Spotify, whatever it was. Meditations for children. And we’d all get on my youngest son’s floor and we would all meditate together.

00:13:38:13 – 00:14:05:09
Lisa Sands
And I by the way, I’m not an A-plus meditator. I actually don’t have a lot of patience for it, but I wanted to prove to myself that I could do it and teach my children how to do it, because I felt like that was something positive that I could pass on to them. So there are moments where you can incorporate them into your daily, your daily piece, and that’s another piece of the puzzle that really helped and moved me forward and hopefully move them forward.

00:14:05:11 – 00:14:28:16
Sara Ferrer
That you speak so much about. I’m really fascinated about your story. I just kind of want to put something at the at the forefront. You mentioned about your husband reinventing himself. You’ve talked a lot about, you know, your, your kids journeys, which there is some personal reinvention that has come. There’s some emotional and, you know, all the stages of development, if you, if you will, who do we want to be?

00:14:28:16 – 00:14:48:08
Sara Ferrer
What tools do we have? But I, I keep thinking of reinvention. Reinvention. You know, you go from this really shy girl now who is in the special shy classes to becoming a baton twirler in those, you know, the. Yeah, yeah, yeah. We’re going to we’re going to we’re going to we’re going to dive into that.

00:14:48:08 – 00:14:52:08
Lisa Sands
Like I’m not twirling for you, just FYI. Okay.

00:14:52:10 – 00:15:05:12
Serena Reynolds
Don’t ask okay. I’m British. We don’t have batons here. Not really. But you’re talking about, you know, marching bands the past the the the yo from. No. Well,

00:15:05:14 – 00:15:20:12
Lisa Sands
Kind of sorta. So, you know, there one is Notre Dame University, which is, which is here in America. We used to go out for nationals every year, and it was a huge thing. So I would twirl one, two, three batons, I twirl knives. And then I was a good, well, nice. Yeah.

00:15:20:14 – 00:15:23:08
Serena Reynolds
Just just checking. I heard that right. Knives. Okay.

00:15:23:09 – 00:15:43:03
Lisa Sands
I mean, listen, they’re like that big butter knives, you know, it’s, but, you know, you attach them together, you twirl around. But what? The part of the story that I personally love is it brought me to pay for my, a portion of my, my college tuition, because then I was a finalist in Miss Massachusetts for a couple of years, and I met some amazing people.

00:15:43:03 – 00:15:59:13
Lisa Sands
I actually had a moment where I thought I wanted to be a TV anchor. I it opened up other opportunities for me. I met these wonderful women who we had to turn in transcripts. And, I mean, it was all about a, you know, scholarship. When people say, well, it’s a scholarship pageant. This this one happened to be a scholarship pageant.

00:15:59:15 – 00:16:18:14
Lisa Sands
So I really was blessed with the opportunity of meeting these amazing people, finding an internship with a TV station that I wanted to work with, learning how to speak to the best of my ability, where I still have a lot of friends who couldn’t even get in front ten people and speak. So you know,

00:16:18:16 – 00:16:44:08
Sara Ferrer
It seems like like you really there’s constant reinvention and it’s shygirl to baton twirler, to news anchor, to monster.com, to mother, to. So where do you feel do you find because nowadays, you know, we often think reinvention is just something Sharon Madonna do. Right. It’s like every day do but reinvent. You can be scary because because there is an element of starting from zero, beginning again.

00:16:44:08 – 00:17:19:03
Sara Ferrer
How can you just talk a little bit about your experience, what that is? Look like, reinventing yourself as a mother, right. Being a mother, but also taking care of yourself as a partner. You have a husband. I always joke, you know, the optimist. Usually Mary’s a pessimist or the realist. Be right. So yes. Right. So how do you how do you reconcile these things, but also not just reconcile and acknowledge but but become better because of them as opposed to saying this is too tough, this is too tough.

00:17:19:06 – 00:17:28:18
Sara Ferrer
I’m too tired. I can’t do this again, I can’t reinvent. Where do you get that energy from that support? Is it internal? Is it external?

00:17:28:19 – 00:17:50:06
Lisa Sands
So it started internally. Because I grew up in a pretty pessimistic household. And it was there’s a lot of envy and I never understood it. And because there’s always someone who is more than you and always someone who has less than you. So for me, it was a very internal, I, I love my parents, you know, my family.

00:17:50:06 – 00:18:08:18
Lisa Sands
But for me, I just felt like a black sheep, you know? But it really did come internally for me at first. I don’t know if it’s a chemical in the brain. I’m not. That’s that’s not my jam. But what I can tell you is, first, there’s always something that sparked in me that always wanted to be better.

00:18:08:18 – 00:18:13:21
Lisa Sands
And I think, you know what it is. I am not a student.

00:18:13:23 – 00:18:14:18
Serena Reynolds
Okay?

00:18:14:20 – 00:18:39:14
Lisa Sands
I, the way my brain works, I was not I was never going to get a PhD. I but I have brains in my body, you know, I’m a smart girl. I’m just not a book smart. I like to be on the streets talking to people. That’s always where I have developed opportunities. It’s never been in back of, you know, reading a book or staring at a computer screen or getting an A-plus on an exam.

00:18:39:16 – 00:19:07:02
Lisa Sands
Not my jam. I was an accounting major who went into sales. So, I had I intuitively found my strength was me being social and reaching out, and I intuitively knew that I was not going to sit my butt down on my floor in an apartment and not do anything to better myself. Years. There’s I guess there’s another piece of the story I probably should tell you.

00:19:07:03 – 00:19:29:14
Lisa Sands
So, when I was a senior in high school, I grew up in a small high school. I only had a small class. We had 130 kids in our class, and my math teacher was from, England, and she went to a very prominent school, and I was getting the highest grade in her math class out of all 130 kids.

00:19:29:16 – 00:19:49:21
Lisa Sands
My English teacher was amazing, but I was failing and I couldn’t figure out what was going on. And it was frustrating for me because I would study seven. I mean, when I tell you I was studying seven hours and I would go home after band practice, eat my dinner and go in my room and just study. And I was still failing or failing English.

00:19:49:21 – 00:20:11:06
Lisa Sands
And it was very frustrating. And I called a meeting as a senior in high school because I couldn’t figure out why I wasn’t doing better. And here I am thinking, like, everyone in the outside thinks I’m this overachiever and I am failing. So we called together, along with my math teacher, all of my teachers, you know, and figured out what was going on.

00:20:11:06 – 00:20:41:04
Lisa Sands
Well, then they didn’t really know about learning challenges. And it turns out I have this learning challenge and the way which is very common, by the way, it’s not like something to be embarrassed about. And I learned how to work around it. So I went to UMass Amherst, which is in Massachusetts, out of Boston here. And I did well, but I needed support to change my way of thinking and my learning style.

00:20:41:06 – 00:20:57:16
Lisa Sands
And again, I do keep saying that I am not an anomaly. This is very normal for so many people, but I had to take I had to take that leap forward and do that myself to figure out what my next steps were. I refuse to be the kid in the back of the class. I was always at the front.

00:20:57:16 – 00:21:15:08
Lisa Sands
Everyone thought I was this great student, and to this day, I don’t even know if I got into my major legitimately. I ended up becoming friends with the dean and I would just go up and bring him coffee, and I ended up becoming president of the business club and bringing in a thousand companies to UMass and having them interview other kids, and then they intern.

00:21:15:08 – 00:21:31:07
Lisa Sands
They would take me out to eat. And, you know, so it’s it’s really interesting. It’s all in perception and how you market yourself and finding your strengths. And I think at a young age I found my strength because I was not I refused to be the kid at the back of the classroom.

00:21:31:09 – 00:21:33:03
Serena Reynolds
So what did he made you in?

00:21:33:04 – 00:21:38:00
Lisa Sands
I was a accounting major who barely could add two plus two.

00:21:38:01 – 00:21:39:17
Lisa Sands
And,

00:21:39:19 – 00:22:01:03
Lisa Sands
You know, and I come from a family of CPAs. And the irony is my grandfather, had the highest grade or the highest score in, CPA exam in the state of New York at the time. And my father was a great CPA, and I, you know, assets plus plus liabilities. I mean, like, I don’t get that far.

00:22:01:05 – 00:22:12:23
Lisa Sands
I don’t, but that’s not my strength. And that’s okay. That’s okay. I have other strengths that really, compensate for that strength. I mean, there’s a place for everyone.

00:22:13:01 – 00:22:22:00
Serena Reynolds
It’d be really boring if we were all the same. And where would we evolve both to if we all knew the same stuff and we were all great at the same stuff?

00:22:22:02 – 00:22:40:15
Lisa Sands
Right. It’s a snore fest. I mean, I’m telling you, I remember at a very young age thinking we’re not all gingerbread, Pete. I remember lying in my bed with my Michael J. Fox poster next to me saying, like in my head, we’re not all gingerbread people. It’s the world would be so incredibly boring. Why? I thought that and knew that at a young age.

00:22:40:15 – 00:22:49:21
Lisa Sands
Well, I don’t know, but there was always something inside of me that wanted to go further. I never wanted to be a face in the crowd.

00:22:49:23 – 00:23:14:02
Sara Ferrer
And went and went. Where does the owning my own business play into all this? Because all this is like you’re there, you’re bringing people into, you know, you’re you’re the dean of. Or if you’re, you’re, you’re, buds with the dean. And so then you become the president of the business school. But like, where does I’m going to become a business owner, spark your you know, your or a light bulb goes off in your brain, you go, yeah.

00:23:14:02 – 00:23:16:00
Sara Ferrer
Let let me try that on.

00:23:16:02 – 00:23:32:06
Serena Reynolds
Yeah. What you said. But you know, becoming buds with the dean and business and all the rest of it, it’s like you kind of said it in a way that was I wouldn’t say negative, but it was a little bit like, you know, you weren’t sure what you got in on your own merit and stuff like, hell yeah.

00:23:32:07 – 00:23:37:09
Serena Reynolds
That is a really big merit. And why you should have got in.

00:23:37:11 – 00:24:02:16
Lisa Sands
Yeah. And I think it’s it’s finding your strengths. I think my husband, you know, I, I say, you know, you know it, you know, he was top 20 in a class of 500 kids in his high school. So he always he’s the brainiac of the group. I mean, he is he’s just project management at Babson College, which is an amazing college here.

00:24:02:18 – 00:24:22:23
Lisa Sands
I that that’s not my jam. That’s. It’s just not. And I was telling him the synergies that came together for me creating this business. He goes, you know, you’re talking about the Toyota way. So what are you talking about? He goes, you’re talking about the guy. You take your passion, you take that. And and he’s like, I just did that.

00:24:23:01 – 00:24:44:20
Lisa Sands
You know, on my own merit, because that’s how what and how I knew worked for me. And maybe that’s from so much soul searching. I don’t know, but if if you have that in you, you have to have that drive in you to want to move forward. I, I can’t tell you how many times I’ve, I’ve and I’m sure you ladies are the same.

00:24:44:20 – 00:24:58:08
Lisa Sands
It’s you’ve given out advice to people. You’ve brought them to the water and they won’t drink it. So it’s a matter of getting over that hump, knowing that you want to drink that water and moving forward.

00:24:58:10 – 00:25:22:17
Sara Ferrer
So that is so true. That’s also very Babson. I went to Babson myself, and we love processes and systems, and it’s very like I always I’m chuckling inside because it’s like, you know, you take courses on like how to be a good leader. And then after you realize some of the very soft skills, like, you know, feeling, passionate, understanding that like your, your team is comprised of many people.

00:25:22:21 – 00:25:49:00
Sara Ferrer
It always used to make me laugh because don’t get me wrong, there are certain things that are very important to understand. And you know how to run a great business and certain mentalities and mindsets and processes. But sometimes it’s like, wait, we we need a course on like like like so. So I appreciate how a lot of what you are innately, innately, it just exudes from you or you’ve worked on it because there’s just an inner desire, right?

00:25:49:00 – 00:26:04:21
Sara Ferrer
To be like, I don’t want to be at the back of the class, so I know I need to be ABCd and E to be at the front of the class. Well, at Babson there’s a whole course on that. How to be at the class. So it’s it makes me kind of laugh where sometimes I think it’s important higher education, all that good stuff.

00:26:04:21 – 00:26:37:22
Sara Ferrer
Great. But, you know, there is such a thing is, you know, your soul, your passion, who you are. The introvert will never be the extrovert fully. And that’s okay. But instead of trying to mold ourselves into the Toyota way or the this way, it’s like, those are nice to pull from. But what I’m hearing from you is you kind of figured it out where the gift of gab, the gift of likability, the gift of community connection, all those things are taught in business school.

00:26:37:22 – 00:26:42:15
Sara Ferrer
But that’s also kind of part of life. Would you, would you would you agree with them.

00:26:42:17 – 00:27:10:18
Lisa Sands
1,000%? And it’s interesting that you say that David’s going to be thrilled. We are talking he he runs these these they’re called all groups and they’re for family owned businesses at Babson. And they really talk about issues they have in these family companies. And some of the issues are very deep and some are very, you know, it’s all, getting, you know, it’s all it’s about very private information.

00:27:10:20 – 00:27:43:17
Lisa Sands
But the information that we’re talking about that we’re innately good at, and we recognize a lot of these kids don’t because a lot of them are very rote in their thinking and what they’re doing. And the reality is, business is not rote. Business is listening and not talking and not saying anything until you really feel like you’ve gotten the information, you can recite it back and then add your value.

00:27:43:19 – 00:28:10:20
Serena Reynolds
I feel like education is aimed at making worker bees as opposed to making entrepreneurs and and owners. I think it’s only as they get older and they, they, they choose business courses and stuff like that. Did they realize you’re allowed to actually have your own voice and stand up and be different, or follow your own path? I don’t think were particularly encouraged at a younger age to do that or I.

00:28:10:22 – 00:28:20:08
Lisa Sands
I 1,000% agree. And part of me feels like, you know, college, College is wonderful. What did I get out of college? You know, do we want to.

00:28:20:08 – 00:28:20:21
Sara Ferrer
Talk about.

00:28:20:21 – 00:29:00:05
Lisa Sands
It? I mean, you know, it’s it’s not very PG sometimes, but, you know, I learned how to be social in college. I, I mean, I learned how to listen, I learned how to learn, but I really learned how to be more gregarious and deal with different personalities. And you don’t always know the type of roommate you’re going to have and how you have to deal with their moodiness or their excessive drinking at four in the morning when you’re trying to sleep or, you know, on a Tuesday or, you know, and I think, funny enough, that helps you deal with life and that helps you move forward depending on what industry you went in.

00:29:00:05 – 00:29:21:06
Lisa Sands
Because I went into sales, it helped me deal with sales because I knew how to deal with different types of personalities, and which in turn led me to start a business. Really dealing with what I saw brought out the best in me that I would feel like would bring out the best in others that I wanted to share.

00:29:21:08 – 00:29:28:19
Serena Reynolds
So let’s talk about your business. Let’s explain. You can explain to everyone exactly what it is that you do.

00:29:28:21 – 00:29:52:02
Lisa Sands
So so 2 to 5, designs is really about, it’s clothing, hats, apparel, bracelets, necklaces. Nothing. Nothing. Hi. I have wonderful High-End jewelers, if you ever need that. But they all have positive messages. Positive sayings? They’re all bright colors. A lot of the things are actually on the inside of your arm, so you don’t.

00:29:52:04 – 00:30:11:21
Lisa Sands
Other people might not see them, but they’re there for yourself. Because the reality is sometimes you have to lift yourself up and that’s okay. It’s okay to be human. So all that, all that goodness is there to make you feel good and there to make you feel like when you’re walking down the street, you know what? I am fearlessly authentic.

00:30:11:23 – 00:30:35:22
Lisa Sands
I am who I am, and I deserve to feel who I am. Whoo! And as good as I am in my skin. And that’s okay. It’s not being obnoxious. It’s not being self-centered. It’s just self-care and loving myself. And that’s really the premise of the company. It’s about building a brand that makes you feel good and the feedback that I’ve gotten from customers from it’s just we’re just in North America.

00:30:36:04 – 00:30:54:09
Lisa Sands
The feedback has been amazing, and I feel so lucky to have gotten this far with not a huge amount of, advertising or anything like that feels just so good. And it shows that we need that more in this world.

00:30:54:10 – 00:31:14:17
Sara Ferrer
How do you how do you. Because I’m on the site now and there’s adorable, I mean, really uplifting. Love always wins, you know? So full and and and just really like there’s also I love the toiletry bag that says bag of shit. Like, yeah on me. It makes you laugh like it. It doesn’t take itself too serious. It’s kind of the vibe.

00:31:14:17 – 00:31:39:20
Sara Ferrer
I get it live in the moment, have fun. But the reality is like there’s a lot of work to be done. You know, sourcing products, curating products, figuring out what works, what doesn’t work, creating a website, because, you know, perhaps maybe you’ve you’ve expanded. And I’m curious if you responded maybe in to retailers. So tell me about how the positive energy, the vibe, I feel it I feel it completely because it is you.

00:31:39:22 – 00:31:58:23
Sara Ferrer
But how is it been putting on the business woman hats of all of the more, let’s say, technical roles of running the business, i.e. the operations of sourcing? Do you do this solo? Do you have a business partner where you know, where do you keep the merchandise? There’s so many options on the site that do you have a warehouse?

00:31:58:23 – 00:32:06:18
Sara Ferrer
So walk me through kind of all those not so, not so pretty details, but necessary detail.

00:32:06:19 – 00:32:24:11
Lisa Sands
Well, I started as a shopaholic, so. And that’s one of the reasons why I decided to start this company too, is because I couldn’t find what I wanted on the market for myself. So instead of spending money on another random purse, I was like, you know what? I’m just going to manufacture something I love. So yeah, the manufacturing was a process.

00:32:24:11 – 00:32:42:06
Lisa Sands
You know, you start asking questions, it brings me back to my sales days. You literally grab any human you know and ask them questions. I like that. Let me look at randomly your label and see what that material is or, you know, everything is soft and ugly. I want to make sure I would walk into different stores and I.

00:32:42:08 – 00:32:43:08
Serena Reynolds
Would take pictures.

00:32:43:08 – 00:33:06:14
Lisa Sands
Of labels. So, you know, in terms of, of sourcing, it was, I’m very lucky to live around people who have been helpful to me to source things. Right now it’s all overseas. My goal is to bring it domestic. Unfortunately, now it’s really expensive for a small business owner to bring things domestic. Hopefully that will change one day.

00:33:06:16 – 00:33:27:03
Lisa Sands
So that part I didn’t mind the designing I love. It’s so much fun. It was a new world for me. I taught myself everything. The money is awful. I mean, like, I hate balance. I mean, we talked about me being an accounting major. You kidding? And there’s my husband, who’s the project manager, like, okay, let’s pretend you’re in Shark Tank.

00:33:27:08 – 00:33:47:03
Lisa Sands
Let’s see. Oh, talk about your expenses and your revenue. And so he’s really the one who keeps me in check. And, and then I go over numbers with him, and he he not only does he keep me in check, he has to keep me in check. Let’s be honest, okay? Because I could go out and just buy everything and design everything and be happy as a clam to have it.

00:33:47:05 – 00:34:09:19
Lisa Sands
My warehouse is currently my basement, thanks to my two thirds of my kids being out of the house, I told David I would be happy to move it out. It’s an expense we’re not willing to put out right now. The ideas that I come up with are just they’re all words that I have found that uplift me, that other people have related to.

00:34:09:19 – 00:34:30:04
Lisa Sands
And there might be something of a new it’s like, oh, we need to love more or, I, I wish that kindness was more prevalent right now or there are I have moments like, I just have to remember to protect my energy, and I’ll put that on the bag or, you know, something silly or. But funny enough, they resonate with so many people.

00:34:30:06 – 00:34:54:19
Lisa Sands
It’s the simple things that resonate with people. So, you know, in terms of brand awareness, I decided a long time ago I wanted to create a brand versus a product, because I want people to feel good about the brand. I want them to feel good when they put something on and say, wow, this this was designed by a woman that really understood what I was going through, and this made me feel better.

00:34:54:21 – 00:35:00:14
Lisa Sands
And that really is the end goal, is to create that brand that other people will feel good.

00:35:00:18 – 00:35:01:11
Lisa Sands
In.

00:35:01:13 – 00:35:05:01
Lisa Sands
And on when they wear something.

00:35:05:02 – 00:35:25:17
Sara Ferrer
It’s so cute, like I’m looking at again, I as I’m listening to you, I’m looking at the bracelets. You know, there’s the protect your Peace bracelet. But then there’s also that manifest that bracelet. Like I just love positioning of like, Yogi. But Yogi Badass is kind of the vibe I get, you know, living in those, those spaces, which I think ultimately represents you.

00:35:25:21 – 00:35:28:14
Sara Ferrer
Right? Like, why not open the box? You can be.

00:35:28:14 – 00:35:50:21
Lisa Sands
Yeah, exactly. And it’s funny because I’m wearing two of our necklaces. One says, inhale, exhale. Because funny enough, I forget to breathe. It’s hard to say, but, and it’s always a joke when I work out, the teacher is like, Lisa, you’re not breathing. I’m like, oh, yeah, you’re right, I mean it. And I when you inhale and exhale, when you box breathe, it’s physically impossible to have anxiety.

00:35:50:21 – 00:36:15:07
Lisa Sands
And I once had someone told me that it’s true. So remember to inhale and exhale. The other one says fear last and last is in italics. Because it’s okay to fear. It’s okay to feel emotion. I don’t want anyone to discount feeling an emotion, but you can fear less. You can put yourself in a position where you can fear less and educate yourself, or bring yourself to a level where something might not be as scary.

00:36:15:07 – 00:36:29:18
Lisa Sands
It might not be as scary to speak in front of whatever 50 people or put yourself on a podcast. You can fear that, but you you’re going to learn how to fear less. And that’s okay. Don’t discount your feelings, right?

00:36:29:20 – 00:36:31:21
Serena Reynolds
I’m putting that dinosaur quotes now.

00:36:31:22 – 00:36:33:04
Sara Ferrer
Can we do a double snap? I love.

00:36:33:04 – 00:36:33:22
Lisa Sands
It, I love.

00:36:34:03 – 00:36:34:23
Sara Ferrer
That.

00:36:35:01 – 00:36:36:06
Lisa Sands
You love that.

00:36:36:12 – 00:36:59:15
Sara Ferrer
Like lean into it, see what I like about this? What I like about the messaging too is like, you know, there’s always so much the love and positivity, always a great thing. But sometimes, you know, at least for myself, it’s like, but can someone talk about what’s really happening? I mean, I want to be positive, but I also want to live in the real world, if that makes sense, as opposed to just everything’s love, light and happiness.

00:36:59:15 – 00:37:19:06
Sara Ferrer
And I’m dancing around in an open field with my with my with my flower crown on. I mean, that’s nice, but that ain’t this life. Yeah. You know, like like I’m scurrying from one appointment to the other. The coffee spilled over me, like. But I still want to manifest in the three minutes I have on the train. Like that’s what I’m exuding from this brand, too.

00:37:19:07 – 00:37:33:18
Sara Ferrer
Is like, it can be for everyone, you know, it’s it’s it’s not just for a specific type of person is for the real human who’s experiencing a very normal, natural human.

00:37:33:18 – 00:37:52:12
Lisa Sands
Experience. Right. And that, you know, that’s interesting. You say that too, because I always had issues with people. I, I don’t know if you get this goes back years ago. So there’s a movie Moonstruck. Do you know that Moonstruck. Have you heard of that wish? Yeah. Nicolas Cage okay, so the being where Nicolas Cage goes, I love you.

00:37:52:12 – 00:38:00:16
Lisa Sands
And Cher, she smacks him, she goes, snap out of it. And it always makes me laugh. And I feel like this is where I’m totally showing my age now. But.

00:38:00:17 – 00:38:08:15
Sara Ferrer
You won an Oscar for that, didn’t your Academy Award, but I didn’t. Yes, yes, you were the class. Yes. And the beautiful dress, yes, I girl, yes.

00:38:08:17 – 00:38:10:10
Lisa Sands
Like half naked in the Bob Mackie.

00:38:10:12 – 00:38:11:02
Sara Ferrer
1990.

00:38:11:02 – 00:38:31:04
Lisa Sands
Two. Right. So she, I always think of that line, but when someone says snap out of it and you’re like, in a bad place, you know what? It’s I. I’ve always said this to my kids. They’re blips. You can lean into that blip. Just know there’s another side of that. You have to remember. It’s.

00:38:31:06 – 00:38:32:12
Sara Ferrer
You know.

00:38:32:14 – 00:38:51:04
Lisa Sands
I’ve had moments. I’ve had moments where I just want to sit and cry and listen to a sad song or get it out of my system or, you know, this year was a tough year. You know, it was, you know, you can go in the shower and cry. You can you can go to a friend and cry. It doesn’t matter.

00:38:51:04 – 00:39:14:19
Lisa Sands
You can go sit in the mall and cry. Just get it out of your system, have your blip, know your human. Embrace that you’re human, but know that you can move on. It’s okay. It’s okay to be where you are. Just know that there’s another side of that. And that’s the important thing. It’s when you can’t find that other side, the other side of your blip.

00:39:14:21 – 00:39:18:17
Sara Ferrer
Have your blip, put that on a bracelet, girl. Have your blip.

00:39:18:19 – 00:39:30:02
Lisa Sands
You know, my my girlfriend is funny. She’s like, Liza, you need a section of your site. That’s that, that’s X like censored and then just put like all the not appropriate stuff back there like the hats and there, you know.

00:39:30:04 – 00:39:31:16
Serena Reynolds
Have you got inappropriate hats.

00:39:31:16 – 00:39:32:09
Lisa Sands
I want some yeah.

00:39:32:11 – 00:39:35:16
Sara Ferrer
Arenas. Now here’s a perked up. Serena’s like, yes.

00:39:35:18 – 00:39:35:23
Lisa Sands
We.

00:39:35:23 – 00:39:37:15
Sara Ferrer
Keep getting all these in London.

00:39:37:15 – 00:39:41:21
Serena Reynolds
I’m looking at this thing now. If my daughter said to she’d love some of this stuff.

00:39:41:22 – 00:39:49:06
Lisa Sands
You know, that’s a great, all of our hats are ponytail hats, and there’s one that has a patch that says maybe swearing will help. You know, because it’s true.

00:39:49:08 – 00:39:51:15
Serena Reynolds
I love a big F-word. Well, you.

00:39:51:15 – 00:40:07:16
Lisa Sands
Know, I told you my favorite word is the F-bomb. So it’s it’s okay, it’s okay. So, you know, going back to those blips, half the blip give a good cry. Just know that you will move on. No, it’s a moment.

00:40:07:18 – 00:40:28:10
Sara Ferrer
It’s a moment. It’s not. It could be a fight. Like I love that because I think sometimes people myself let me speak for my own experience. When you’re in that mindset, even though you know that even though the logical brain says this is just a blip, right? Whatever it may be, the imposter syndrome blip, the anxiety blip, the running a business.

00:40:28:15 – 00:40:44:00
Sara Ferrer
Can I make the numbers work? Blip. You know, I’m I’m you know, I’m not a numbers person, but it’s how can the logical brain, you know, always kind of when, when when when the emotional brain goes, maybe this isn’t a blip. Maybe this is who I am.

00:40:44:02 – 00:40:59:06
Lisa Sands
You know, it’s interesting too, because I, I remember when I first had my first baby and I was, I was having a hard time because, like, here I am going from this create these crazy work hours to having kids. And my life just did a 180 and I was home all the time. And I’m sitting and I’m never dressed.

00:40:59:06 – 00:41:22:23
Lisa Sands
I, you know, I was a woman who was wearing suits every day and, and heels and, you know, I loved feeling good in my skin. And then I didn’t, you know, so it was really tougher. I remember telling my husband, this is, like, so hard for me. Like, this is because here I am, an educated woman who, you know, got through college and was working and I was making a really good living.

00:41:22:23 – 00:41:39:07
Lisa Sands
And now I’m home. And and that was it. You have to you have to get on with it. You have to move on. Because we do take those blips and make them mountains versus the little tiny molehills that they should be.

00:41:39:09 – 00:42:02:16
Serena Reynolds
But you can get a topic that most of us women kind of skate around there, but a whole, you know, I’ve become a mom. I should be so happy and yet really kind of not. I don’t really I, I get that like, I, I see where you’re coming from there and it is it was, you know, my, my mum friends were all like, oh you’ve got baby.

00:42:02:16 – 00:42:03:15
Serena Reynolds
It’s a wonder.

00:42:03:15 – 00:42:05:03
Lisa Sands
For. Oh yes.

00:42:05:05 – 00:42:06:15
Serena Reynolds
Yeah, I knew it. Just thinking.

00:42:06:17 – 00:42:07:23
Lisa Sands

00:42:08:01 – 00:42:16:07
Serena Reynolds
You know what I’m doing with this? Like no baby on my life has actually turned upside down here.

00:42:16:09 – 00:42:34:20
Lisa Sands
Yeah, and I was I need I needed hours of sleep. I am absolutely miserable when I don’t have that. I have three C-sections. I’m very bad when I need to take pain meds, or I’m not 100% myself or at the weight I need to be, or I’m short and five to like when I just like I need to be running around doing things.

00:42:34:20 – 00:42:54:16
Lisa Sands
And when my kids had to be home and napping. Oh my god, I was like bored out of my mind, you know? And it’s really hard now, in the interim, they mean the world to me and my life. You know, I can’t imagine my world without them being in it. They are my everything. My husband is my everything, and I’m so lucky to feel like that.

00:42:54:18 – 00:42:57:07
Lisa Sands
But it was it was it was hard.

00:42:57:09 – 00:42:58:00
Sara Ferrer
You lose.

00:42:58:00 – 00:43:14:04
Lisa Sands
Yourself. You work so hard to get an opportunity to make your own money, make your own mark. And then you think, am I really making a mark by having children? No. You are. You’re making a difference in these kids lives. But did I make them homemade squash?

00:43:14:04 – 00:43:15:15
Lisa Sands
No.

00:43:15:17 – 00:43:23:16
Serena Reynolds
Do things like that. Yeah. Come super mum for a day. And I’d home cook and it was. It was literally a blip.

00:43:23:18 – 00:43:25:20
Lisa Sands
Yeah, well, my husband knows when I’m married.

00:43:25:22 – 00:43:28:07
Lisa Sands
Yeah.

00:43:28:09 – 00:43:45:06
Lisa Sands
You know, I would feed them Cheerios sometimes for dinner. You know, other moms are making these roasts, and I. I’m a. Listen, guys, I’m an awful cook. The air fryer makes me look fabulous, but otherwise, I’m an awful cook. I don’t enjoy it. My kids know my. My son just joked, everyone’s excited to go home for a home cooked meal.

00:43:45:06 – 00:44:04:23
Lisa Sands
I’m excited to go home and order out. I’m like, me too, me too. I mean, it’s you just have to know what you are and embrace it. And that’s okay. Your kids are going to love you just the same way. I would drop everything for them, you know? And in the interim, by the way, they would drop everything for me because they know what kind of parent I am.

00:44:05:01 – 00:44:20:22
Lisa Sands
So I have a huge show tomorrow. We actually have to go unbox everything tonight. It’s a huge, huge show. I normally don’t do shows. I do everything over e-commerce. And I texted my my two kids who are home and I said, listen, I’ll pay you if you help me. And my oldest just wrote back, hey, you don’t have to pay us.

00:44:20:22 – 00:44:27:13
Lisa Sands
You’re your kid or we’re your kids. And then my youngest wrote, I’ll take his money.

00:44:27:15 – 00:44:46:23
Sara Ferrer
Lisa, yours is so many, so many truths in one body. And it’s such a delight to like. And I can relate to this. I know, Serena, I’m not a mother. Serena’s and her experience as a mother. It’s so refreshing to hear, like both sides of the coin I can be. I can love my kids a lot, but at the same time, hey, I’m used to like working that nine to a.

00:44:46:23 – 00:45:07:01
Sara Ferrer
I’m used to like bringing home the bacon. Now I’m I’m watching them as they sleep. Like, I think that that’s so honest. I, you know, I can be really, quiet in one arena. Yeah, I can also have the gift of gab. So, like, all these things in one I think are are proof to the listeners are not even proof.

00:45:07:01 – 00:45:27:03
Sara Ferrer
It’s it’s reaffirming that you don’t have to stay. The only thing that keeps you in the boxes yourself. If you feel like you can’t be many people, whether it’s within a day, a week, or a lifetime, what I’m hearing is you control your destiny and you realize that at a very early age, I get to be at the front of the class.

00:45:27:05 – 00:45:32:05
Sara Ferrer
How do I get there? Would you say that that’s kind of accurate, that feeling.

00:45:32:07 – 00:45:54:13
Lisa Sands
1,000%. That 1,000%. I just found out, some of my goodies are going to be featured on, Good Morning America, Connecticut, which I’m so excited about. And their holiday guide, and I sent the message out to my kids, and within a nanosecond, they were texting me back. We’re so proud of you. We’re so. You know. But could I have done that 12 years ago?

00:45:54:13 – 00:46:19:09
Lisa Sands
No, no. You know, because I had other things that I was trying to attain or trying to whether it was with my kids or my husband or, you know, it was everything in due time, everything. And you just have to keep going and knowing where you are and knowing what you can handle. And it’s okay. Not maybe not pushing yourself over the edge through the water every day.

00:46:19:11 – 00:46:32:01
Lisa Sands
Just keep going. Just keep going. That’s all. It might be a little left. It might be a little right. Sometimes straight. That’s great. Just keep going.

00:46:32:03 – 00:46:35:03
Sara Ferrer
Keep swimming. As my mom used to say, just keep swimming.

00:46:35:05 – 00:46:37:19
Lisa Sands
That’s right. I know that’s one dory.

00:46:37:21 – 00:46:54:10
Sara Ferrer
Yeah I don’t yeah I, I’m not sure. Yes, yes. It’s from the movie. My mom that was, that was not from the movie. That was real life experience Barbara Ferrer was giving me. She was like, just keep swimming, kid. Just keep swimming. I’m like, I love it. Do even know what this means? But okay, I’ll do it. You know, just keep going.

00:46:54:10 – 00:47:19:23
Sara Ferrer
And I think a lot of that too. It sounds like in your your journey, gratitude being in the moment, being present has probably has that also facilitated the understanding of like what’s for me will not miss me or hey like time for everything. Do you feel like gratitude in that journey has helped, or have you always kind of felt like, hey, whatever happens to me, it’ll happen in due time?

00:47:20:01 – 00:47:27:08
Lisa Sands
You know, I have to ask you a question in this area because it’s about it, right? So when your mother said, just keep growing, did you feel inside you could or you couldn’t work?

00:47:27:10 – 00:47:57:17
Sara Ferrer
Just keep swimming, she said. And, and and when she said that, she said it’s really those affirmations were usually said to me. Those positive, encouraging moments usually said when I felt like I was drowning. So you don’t actually end up in a way I, I have since grown a lot right in, in, in really being in the moment and being present in gratitude and appreciating the journey, you know, and all that good stuff.

00:47:57:19 – 00:48:21:16
Sara Ferrer
But I think what happens is we can hear these things, just keep swimming, just keep going. You know, what’s meant for you will not miss you. It sounds so great when you’re when you’re in a moment, you know, you’re well-rested. You’re well fed, you know, your PNL doesn’t look like shit. You’re like, okay, this is good. But then, you know, come the holidays and things in, you’re out of stock of ten things and you’re employee sick and you don’t feel great.

00:48:21:16 – 00:48:25:15
Sara Ferrer
And someone goes, just keep swimming. You go, wow.

00:48:25:17 – 00:48:41:10
Serena Reynolds
I actually have that going in my head. On the days that I’m struggling, it’s come on, just keep swimming, just keep swimming. And yeah, and tomorrow’s better day. Another day is a different day. And it’s so I actually say that to myself.

00:48:41:12 – 00:48:53:17
Lisa Sands
I, the just keep swimming start. I totally can relate absolutely to, when I have my moments of self-doubt, I think to myself, who’s saying I can’t.

00:48:53:19 – 00:48:55:00
Serena Reynolds
Learn to.

00:48:55:00 – 00:49:13:13
Lisa Sands
Say so? Funny enough, I work out with the the group of badass women. We all lift heavy weights and throw them down on the ground. It’s the best feeling ever. And yesterday I had a moment. So I have a fake hip. I hit my hip replacement. And I don’t take any moment of lifting or moving for granted.

00:49:13:13 – 00:49:35:14
Lisa Sands
I mean, truly, I wake up, get out of bed and realize, oh my gosh, I didn’t have pain last night. And I’m so grateful for that, because chronic pain is awful. Because I had chronic pain for two years. I forgot to mention that. So 2014 had a hip replacement at 41. And so I remember well, just yesterday I was trying to lift something and I’ve done it before.

00:49:35:15 – 00:49:50:21
Lisa Sands
And then I thought to myself, who’s saying I can’t do this? Of course I can do this. I yeah, so it was, it was me. I brought it back to me because I’m responsible for me. You’re not responsible for. If I can lift that, I’m responsible for that.

00:49:50:23 – 00:49:56:06
Lisa Sands
So it it’s.

00:49:56:08 – 00:50:11:18
Lisa Sands
I selfishly whatever bringing it in. It’s it’s about me. It’s about what I can do. It’s not about what you can tell me to do. It’s about what I can do and what I can achieve. And I have to remember that I can do that, and I and it’s not being. And I know I Syrian. I see your twinkle.

00:50:11:18 – 00:50:14:10
Lisa Sands
You know, it’s selfishly it’s it’s.

00:50:14:12 – 00:50:15:15
Lisa Sands
It.

00:50:15:17 – 00:50:33:15
Lisa Sands
It’s about you innately believing that you can move forward and you can do something. It’s not my coach saying to me, you can do this. It’s me saying, I can do it. And I think that’s a piece that a lot of women forget. It’s you saying that you can do it.

00:50:33:17 – 00:50:35:11
Lisa Sands

00:50:35:13 – 00:50:38:03
Lisa Sands
And that’s something I want every woman to feel.

00:50:38:05 – 00:50:39:06
Lisa Sands

00:50:39:08 – 00:50:41:21
Lisa Sands
And man I mean you can do it.

00:50:41:23 – 00:50:50:17
Sara Ferrer
Leave the men out of this. But I always feel badly because I’m kidding, I’m kidding I was so funny. You know I have to.

00:50:50:17 – 00:51:07:06
Lisa Sands
Tell you a funny story. So I have these two bomber jackets and I have like this bright blue one. And a man Bob three of I don’t know who he bought them for, but he bought three of them and he’s in LA. And I was like, this is so cool that I’m selling to men. I love it, and I have another shirt that’s coming out that says love wins.

00:51:07:06 – 00:51:20:04
Lisa Sands
It’s pink and it has dice on the back. It’s really cool. And I had a photographer I worked with and he came over. He goes, I want that shirt when it comes out. And I’m like, okay. Like it’s just so funny. So now I feel like, oh, am I being like exclusive?

00:51:20:06 – 00:51:22:02
Sara Ferrer
Like. And then I said, I’m like, wait, am I going.

00:51:22:02 – 00:51:25:15
Serena Reynolds
To be canceled? Like, I don’t, don’t cancel me.

00:51:25:17 – 00:51:41:00
Lisa Sands
But yeah, no. I’m out. Listen, I’m all about like the pro woman, I, I just, I want us to believe in ourselves. I don’t want to have to tell someone all the time to be able to do something. I want. I want me to know that I can do it.

00:51:41:02 – 00:51:41:09
Lisa Sands
This is.

00:51:41:10 – 00:52:03:09
Sara Ferrer
And you. I think, you know, the important thing is hearing your story. Hearing you say that in then in parts in women, you go, yeah. Like, we can all have supportive communities, right? Serena’s my my support system. You know, every Friday we chat and and I feel uplifted. My mothers, my support system, my husband. But it means nothing if you don’t believe it, right?

00:52:03:11 – 00:52:21:01
Sara Ferrer
Right. Now you say it. It’s like. I think what it helps to do is affirm. And other women like that message of like, you’re worthy, you’re worth it. You got it. And just who’s saying you can’t? I love that it’s so simple. Who? Who said you can’t? Oh, no. No. Who said it? Turns out nobody. The old brain said it.

00:52:21:03 – 00:52:22:08
Sara Ferrer
Okay.

00:52:22:10 – 00:52:25:20
Serena Reynolds
That’s always the worst critics we are.

00:52:25:21 – 00:52:51:06
Sara Ferrer
It’s like, why? Why? I mean, women can give birth. The idea that, like, I always take a step back and go, wait. Women are literally propelling humanity forward. Is there any like, more responsibility on this? Were in this world, you know, even if you choose not to have kids, I think it’s the idea that, like, you know, the the role that women play is just it’s more than just, you know, oh, take care of the kids.

00:52:51:06 – 00:53:09:01
Sara Ferrer
It’s like, wait, this is like you’re raising the expectation in many households is like, hey, like the woman is going to raise the child. Even if she’s working, she’s still going to play that, that quote unquote motherly role. But it’s like you take a step back, go, holy shit. Like, this is this is this is bigger than a job.

00:53:09:01 – 00:53:24:10
Sara Ferrer
This is bigger than her role. This is literally, I think, what humanity is based off of. And as women, we we, we we have that. And I want to say burden, but we forget sometimes how powerful that role is or can be. Right?

00:53:24:12 – 00:53:48:08
Lisa Sands
So powerful. It’s so powerful. I think back and, you know, everything else goes back to our childhood. I think back and I again, it was, you know, I had lovely, lovely parents who were supportive, but they never. They never pushed me. I had to find that innate ability to push myself and be my biggest cheerleader. And that was it was fine.

00:53:48:08 – 00:54:09:19
Lisa Sands
I mean, I did, and I will, but because of that, I know who I want to be or I know who I am, and I know who I continue to want to be and become, and and I keep going back to it. That’s what my goal is to make everyone feel like, because there’s no reason you can’t.

00:54:09:21 – 00:54:31:19
Sara Ferrer
I want to be Lisa Sands. Put it on a jacket, put up. Well, I want to walk around Madrid and be like, If Lisa Sanz energy. Oh, can we trademark the Lisa Sanz energy method? Like how to listen? Listen. I mean, we’re all about stories, but also about business here. It’s like, how can we can we? I could see my brain like, yes, this is good.

00:54:31:19 – 00:54:52:17
Sara Ferrer
Is this good? I love it, I want, I want, I know that we’re we’re kind of, you know, winding down now and coming to the end. We we typically have a fun little surprise at the end of, every podcast interview where we like to ask you a question from the previous, interviewee. And so we are going to Serena, do you have that in front of you?

00:54:52:17 – 00:54:53:23
Sara Ferrer
The question from our last I.

00:54:54:00 – 00:54:54:20
Serena Reynolds
Do.

00:54:55:01 – 00:54:57:07
Sara Ferrer
You you okay? Do you want to fire away?

00:54:57:09 – 00:55:06:04
Serena Reynolds
I can if you could go back into time and change one thing personally or professionally, what would it be?

00:55:06:06 – 00:55:15:23
Lisa Sands
My wardrobe. Now, I, personally or professionally accepted. Personally and professionally.

00:55:16:01 – 00:55:17:12
Sara Ferrer
Yeah. Take a moment. Think it through.

00:55:17:12 – 00:55:19:08
Lisa Sands
Because that’s a hard one.

00:55:19:10 – 00:55:21:13
Sara Ferrer
But remember it’s it’s you can make I.

00:55:21:13 – 00:55:45:08
Lisa Sands
Have to tell you this is so cliche I can’t I can’t and I wouldn’t change anything because if you haven’t gone through your past personally and professionally, if you haven’t gone through what you went through, how how does it define where you are? How does it bring you to this place where you are to learn what you’ve done in the past, to then propel you forward?

00:55:45:10 – 00:55:55:07
Lisa Sands
I don’t think I would make truly changed the hairdos, but otherwise than that I’m good. I very big hair. Yeah.

00:55:55:09 – 00:55:57:12
Serena Reynolds
I think that’s a great answer. I had a perm.

00:55:57:12 – 00:55:58:11
Lisa Sands
That was bad.

00:55:58:13 – 00:56:08:11
Sara Ferrer
Oh yeah, perms are all the rage, right? It was like the oh Bob. Yeah. You smell chemicals for like, you know, for three weeks after and you’re like, this is how you.

00:56:08:13 – 00:56:10:13
Serena Reynolds
Most to that kind.

00:56:10:15 – 00:56:12:09
Lisa Sands
Of crispy hair.

00:56:12:11 – 00:56:16:03
Sara Ferrer
I’m so glad that we universally connected on the crispy hair.

00:56:16:03 – 00:56:22:10
Lisa Sands
Oh, absolutely. And oh, I’m sure there’s a hole in the ozone layer right above my head.

00:56:22:12 – 00:56:34:17
Sara Ferrer
I love that the playfulness of like, you know, fashion and hair and all that, because that is hashtag facts. But also just I find it very refreshing. Like nothing. Nothing, like you said, like you are your experiences.

00:56:34:19 – 00:56:50:17
Lisa Sands
Right? It’s I mean, I really that’s why I took me in the next. I’m like, wow, do I really have to come up with something? I really wouldn’t, I wouldn’t I? I really like me, you know? And I like what I went through when I if listen, if I change something, I won’t have a story for you. Right.

00:56:50:19 – 00:57:05:18
Sara Ferrer
If I really like me, I, there’s so many soundbites here that like. Right. Serena every single time I’m like, I’m like, okay, thank God we have this. This is recorded because there’s so much when I listen back to it, there’s so many little freaking gems you bring us in this Lisa Sands.

00:57:05:20 – 00:57:06:19
Serena Reynolds
Oh, shucks.

00:57:07:00 – 00:57:27:03
Sara Ferrer
I really like me in. Especially in a world where I think, you know, as women, sometimes it’s, you know, the beauty industry, the hair industry, anything, you know, where it’s like, do this, make those lips bigger or make this hair more sleek. It’s kind of nice, but I kind of like me. Doesn’t mean I don’t want to add the accouterments on, but, like, I like me.

00:57:27:08 – 00:57:28:09
Sara Ferrer
Yeah, I don’t, I like me.

00:57:28:09 – 00:57:33:14
Serena Reynolds
It’s that something that you’ve learned as you get older or is that something that you would just.

00:57:33:16 – 00:57:54:19
Lisa Sands
I it was a process. I, I’d be lying if I said I, you know, I, I always liked me because I definitely didn’t. But 2011 really was pivotal for me and made me realize what I need in my life and what I don’t need in my life. And once I got rid of that, I just my life.

00:57:54:21 – 00:58:22:23
Lisa Sands
I really began to like me better because I realized what I wanted to be around, what I, what I, what I wanted to represent as myself, what I wanted people to think of. And do I care what everyone thinks? No. But, you know, there is an aura that you, you know, give off. And, you know, I, I wanted that aura to be one of love and caring and kindness and, you know, bringing that positive energy.

00:58:22:23 – 00:58:31:12
Lisa Sands
And I wasn’t having that in 2011. So it was I mean, here we are in 2024, and I can finally say, I like me.

00:58:31:14 – 00:58:45:17
Serena Reynolds
You are bringing that energy. I’m feeling it. I’m thousands of miles. I don’t know how far I am actually a miles away. And I can feel it. It’s coming through the screen at me. I’m very energized and and positive in this.

00:58:45:19 – 00:58:52:13
Lisa Sands
You deserve it. And that’s the thing is, we deserve it. You know, we’re on this earth once. Guys just make the best of it.

00:58:52:15 – 00:59:10:08
Sara Ferrer
So let’s ask what what would your question be then for the next interviewee? Because, you know, you answered so lovely, so authentically your question. What do you want to ask the next, next person that ends up in the fearless and flawed hot seat?

00:59:10:10 – 00:59:14:21
Lisa Sands
Oh, boy. Let me thank.

00:59:14:23 – 00:59:22:03
Sara Ferrer
You for taking time. Take your time. We’ll make sure to write it down, because we have a history of, like, nodding our heads and then forgetting exactly.

00:59:22:03 – 00:59:25:05
Lisa Sands
What was it? You guys are so funny.

00:59:25:07 – 00:59:26:01
Serena Reynolds
Lord.

00:59:26:03 – 00:59:29:04
Sara Ferrer
That’s my girl, Sarah.

00:59:29:06 – 00:59:40:05
Lisa Sands
What would I always like? This question. Well, what would you tell your younger self? That would propel you forward? Now.

00:59:40:07 – 01:00:02:04
Sara Ferrer
Which are your younger self that would propel you forward now? Perfect. Love that love that love that. I also like like, you know, we always I’m waiting for the day. This is a great question. Fire. Great question. You can really get deep into it. But I’m waiting for the day where someone just like ask the question like, do you like pink?

01:00:02:06 – 01:00:13:12
Sara Ferrer
Purple? Like, I’m really I’m waiting for the day where someone just, like, make a shade for breakfast. Yeah, right. Right, right, right. Like, are you a waffle person or a pancake person? You know.

01:00:13:15 – 01:00:15:09
Serena Reynolds
I’m. I’m still sticking with my gyno.

01:00:15:10 – 01:00:40:19
Sara Ferrer
Vodka, junior. Vodka. Right? Right. I actually think those simple question, Jim. Yes, I. Serena has converted me to gin. That Lisa is a gin lover as well. Let me tell you, before meeting Serena, I thought there’s only one type of gin. No flavor. Serena was like, oh, sweetie. Sweetie. Okay, you haven’t tried lavender Jim gin. You haven’t tried, grapefruit.

01:00:40:19 – 01:00:52:20
Sara Ferrer
Pink grapefruit yet. My eyes have been serene. I’ve said this before. I’ll say it again. Thank you. Because life with a virgin is like. Like, 2.0 of living.

01:00:52:20 – 01:00:53:05
Lisa Sands

01:00:53:05 – 01:01:08:16
Serena Reynolds
Amazing, right? I was going through the airport at mass in Boston, and I’ve got the, the big scary guy standing there going, have you got any alcohol on you? I’m going. Yeah. I’ve got a case for the gin.

01:01:08:18 – 01:01:11:10
Sara Ferrer
Yep. You brought it on over, I remember. Remember we.

01:01:11:10 – 01:01:14:01
Serena Reynolds
Bought it. I remember I was okay.

01:01:14:01 – 01:01:14:14
Sara Ferrer
That is.

01:01:14:14 – 01:01:17:05
Lisa Sands
Amazing. That’s amazing.

01:01:17:07 – 01:01:24:16
Sara Ferrer
She’s great. We met for lunch. She starts pulling out bottles of gin from her backpack. It’s. She was like, here, this is for you. A huge. I was like, well.

01:01:24:16 – 01:01:28:08
Lisa Sands
Next time you guys come to Boston. Well, need for some gin?

01:01:28:10 – 01:01:29:06
Serena Reynolds
I’ll bring gin.

01:01:29:10 – 01:01:29:20
Lisa Sands
I love.

01:01:29:20 – 01:01:37:17
Sara Ferrer
It. Before. Before we before we wrap up, I have to know now that. Good. Now, curious minds. What would what would be your gin drink of choice? Lisa?

01:01:37:19 – 01:01:48:09
Lisa Sands
Oh, gosh. Well, lately I’ve been into. Have you heard of Empress? No, no. Empress. Is this purple gin? It’s just really pretty.

01:01:48:11 – 01:01:49:18
Serena Reynolds
It’s pretty good.

01:01:49:20 – 01:02:08:03
Lisa Sands
It’s. I love Empress in a short rocks glass with a cane cube, a splash of seltzer, and, usually any kind of garnish. They choose to put your next thing up to them. It’s really good. You can put a sprig of rosemary in it and. Delicious.

01:02:08:05 – 01:02:09:04
Serena Reynolds
That’s a very grown up.

01:02:09:04 – 01:02:11:13
Sara Ferrer
Thank you for the gift that just keeps giving.

01:02:11:15 – 01:02:13:04
Lisa Sands
I’ll just keep on going, guys.

01:02:13:04 – 01:02:20:01
Sara Ferrer
This is. But I mean, this has been such a treat and a delight. Serena, was there anything before we go that we’ve missed in her incredible story?

01:02:20:01 – 01:02:38:06
Serena Reynolds
This what? Yes, this. What’s your website? How did I get Ahold of you? We didn’t really talk about your products much. Well, we kind of talked to. Let’s. Okay. It was on your products. Yes. But. Yeah, let’s let’s share with the world who you are. What? Find you and what it is that you do.

01:02:38:07 – 01:02:52:16
Lisa Sands
You are so, everything. Well, my website is WW shop two, the number 2t05.com. Our shop two to 5.com.

01:02:52:17 – 01:02:58:03
Serena Reynolds
That will be on our Fearless and Fluid website under Lisa San. So you can find my there.

01:02:58:05 – 01:03:06:01
Lisa Sands
And then my Instagram is at shop shoot to five designs I believe. Why am I having a moment guys.

01:03:06:03 – 01:03:13:10
Sara Ferrer
You you know, because you’re free then. Because you’re. Oh, wait, wait. Just fire it up to you to procreate. I love this because this is a real human moment. Oh, shop two.

01:03:13:10 – 01:03:14:10
Lisa Sands
To five designs.

01:03:14:12 – 01:03:21:18
Sara Ferrer
That come up there. I love you for forgetting your website because that is such a human moment. Like, do you know. Oh my God, shop 2 to 5 designs.

01:03:21:20 – 01:03:27:07
Lisa Sands
Can we just preface by saying it’s morning here, by the way, and it’s evening. Yes it’s. Yeah, yeah.

01:03:27:09 – 01:03:28:11
Sara Ferrer
The shop 2 to 5.

01:03:28:11 – 01:03:34:21
Lisa Sands
Designs.com and shop 2 to 5 designs is Lee net guys you guys are crazy.

01:03:35:02 – 01:03:35:23
Sara Ferrer
I can’t believe I’m.

01:03:36:00 – 01:03:43:00
Lisa Sands
Having a moment. Shop 2 to 5 designs is my Instagram and that’s I post everything on my Instagram. I actually post about coming on today.

01:03:43:00 – 01:04:02:22
Sara Ferrer
So here’s the thing. When you’re so involved in something, when you love something and I, we all stream and I both get this. We have had moments that we’re so deeply invested in a project for months or years that then when someone asks us about it, like we forget, like the basic premise and people go, wait, wait, wait, wait, you how do you.

01:04:02:23 – 01:04:18:15
Sara Ferrer
It’s like that white space of like, I’ve just zoned out because I’m so knee deep in it. It is so me that, like, I don’t even know what I do anymore. Like, do you know what time? What do you do? I’m like, I don’t know. But you know, it’s.

01:04:18:15 – 01:04:35:10
Lisa Sands
So funny because I actually have I changed. So this is TMI, but I changed all shop 2 to 5 design, shop 2 to 5. Like, I kept changing it because I thought I really wanted the company name to be 2 to 5, because my family’s such an important part of my world. And then I was like, well, designs.

01:04:35:10 – 01:04:47:00
Lisa Sands
And then 2 to 5 was already taken on the website. And now then I had to add designs, but I’m having a moment. Yeah. So, you know, what’s this? What can I say? I still like me. It’s all good.

01:04:47:02 – 01:05:12:01
Sara Ferrer
Fearless and flawed. And the flawed is not a negative thing. It’s authentic. Real which connects people. So thank you. But for any of those who are still confused, it shop 2 to 5 designs that. Com it’ll be on our website. Follow her on Instagram and if any if nothing else like just follow her to feel good. I mean it’s it’s I think that the products and all that are are the extra layer, the icing on the cake, if you will.

01:05:12:01 – 01:05:15:14
Sara Ferrer
But I think just hearing your story and like I am, I am.

01:05:15:14 – 01:05:16:05
Lisa Sands
I am I.

01:05:16:05 – 01:05:24:14
Sara Ferrer
Wrong saying that you have sometimes on Instagram because I follow you every now and then you’ll have like little, like little like weekly or daily, like moments of like inspo.

01:05:24:15 – 01:05:27:21
Serena Reynolds
Hoping I was on there the other day.

01:05:27:23 – 01:05:48:01
Lisa Sands
Daily sprinkle. So I try to do a daily sprinkle of something that makes you feel good. It could be as basic as, you know, wipe wipe your feet before you walk in the house, you know? Or it could be something a little deeper about imposter syndrome or just being yourself or having having the blip in life. Or, you know, my my daily sprinkle is try something out of your comfort zone, which is this.

01:05:48:01 – 01:06:02:03
Lisa Sands
And I’ve done podcast before, but you know, I haven’t done one in a while since really the business has been established and it’s just you have to step out of your comfort that you have to step out of your box to keep going. So my sprinkle is you guys today.

01:06:02:04 – 01:06:04:09
Sara Ferrer
Will be a sprinkle I call chocolate.

01:06:04:09 – 01:06:05:13
Serena Reynolds
Sprinkle before.

01:06:05:15 – 01:06:16:19
Sara Ferrer
Putting on a jacket. I am a sprinkle and see what they’re reacting. I don’t know, might be controversial. People might be like what’s going on here? Sara is losing her mind. She identifies as it. Lisa, this has been.

01:06:16:23 – 01:06:18:23
Serena Reynolds
That was anything you want.

01:06:19:01 – 01:06:26:03
Sara Ferrer
I you know, I sure can. And right now, I’m identifying as a Lisa Sanz and.

01:06:26:05 – 01:06:29:23
Lisa Sands
You’re so sweet. Well, I’m a fan of you guys, and I so appreciate the opportunity.

01:06:30:01 – 01:06:47:07
Sara Ferrer
Thank you. Yes, and we’ll be sure, like I said, to post everything on our website. We are excited to see where where shop 2 to 5 designs goes. And Sabrina and I have been talking that, you know, in the future we would love to touch base you know in in the future to see hey how are things going, how have things evolve.

01:06:47:07 – 01:06:57:03
Sara Ferrer
So hold tight listeners for whenever that comes out. But first, just telling your story I think is a great gift and good for out good for the podcast. So thank you.

01:06:57:05 – 01:06:58:01
Lisa Sands
Thank you guys.