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On the under $3 menu at McDonald's, a McChicken is $2. Because when you're craving a McChicken, you deserve a McChicken.
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Most people don't realize how much their personal information is being bought and sold every day. Data brokers are making billions, pulling details about you from public records and the Internet and then packaging and selling it, usually without your consent. That's how your information lands in the hands of scammers, spammers, even stalkers. It's why you get endless robocalls and why ads seem to follow you everywhere. That's where Aura comes in. Aura actively removes your data from broker sites and keeps it off. They also instantly alert you if your information shows up in a breach or on the dark web. But Aura goes beyond data protection. With one app, you get a vpn, antivirus, password manager, spam, call protection, dark web monitoring, and even up to $5 million in identity theft insurance, all backed by 24. 7 US based fraud. Other companies might sell just credit monitoring or just a vpn. Aura gives you all of it together at the same price competitors charge for just one service. Start your free trial today at aura.com remove. Protect yourself now@aura.com remove.
- [01:17]
B
Stephanie, welcome back to Kettleblowers. It's such an honor having you back on the show.
- [01:22]
C
Such a pleasure to be here. Thanks for having me back.
- [01:25]
B
Yes, I am really excited because now Merak is up and running, but we have to rewind the story because I think this is so, such an important conversation. So I want to do this very clearly, step by step, so anybody out there that needs help, that is interested in getting help, can, can understand. Okay, so before you explain the meaning of the word meraki, which is super beautiful, can you explain what is meraki and why did you create it and who is it for?
- [01:52]
C
Okay, so Meraki is a movement. So it is really designed for women who are navigating life's transitions. And it's really focused on women at midlife who are trying to change the trajectory of their lives. And so we started this a couple of years ago, well, about a year ago, in real focus, when we started to realize we could have a technology platform that could do this, that could create a space for women. Because there wasn't a place for women to go and there wasn't a place that allowed women to be in a safe, secure place where they can be acknowledged with dignity. And I know we talked about that the last time. So this really came out of my own personal experience, trying to navigate my own transition in life, really going from a corporate. Corporate role into something totally different and realizing that not only did I not find the resources out there to help me, that saw me the way I needed to be seen, that were focused on women and focused on women who were navigating, but. But other. Everyone I talked to, all the women that I talked to felt the same way. So it felt like someone had to do something.
- [03:21]
B
So, yeah, and thank goodness you did, because I was on the same boat. A lot of my listeners know the story. A few years ago, I lost my mom, I lost my husband, I lost all my assets. It was hell and high water, and I. I rebuilt. I did everything on my own. But of course, it would have been amazing to know that I had a place to go for help, because I know there are a lot of women out there, like myself, that don't have a support system, that don't have someone they can talk to. So, yeah, that would have been incredibly helpful when everything was going on in my life, for sure.
- [03:56]
C
And I love what you said, Kat, because you said two things. And I mean, yes, definitely your story is a perfect example, but what you said is women don't have a. They don't have a place to go, and then they don't have a support system. And that's one of the things that is unique about the Meraki platform, because Meraki realized. What we realized is even. Even with the resources and the tools, women want to feel that they can talk to other women, they can connect with other women, that they're not alone in this journey. And I think that it wasn't enough for us to create a place where you could find the tools and the resources and you could learn about what you needed to do, but also a place where you could connect with other women so you didn't feel like you were traveling this path all by yourself.
- [04:54]
B
I love that. Because the truth is, obviously, each one of us has a very specific different story and different things we go through. Some are going through divorce, some are changing careers, some are having financial trouble, et cetera, et cetera. But obviously, in our world, we think our problems are the biggest problems. Like, oh, my God, what? But the truth is, when you realize there are so many women out there going through the same, I think it gives you a little more clarity. I think it gives you solace in the sense that, you know, like, wow, you know I'm not alone. Maybe even I, I think sometimes and I, I, I'm not saying anybody's, I'm not trying to, to, you know, say that anybody's pain is not valid. But when you think you're going through something horrible, maybe there is someone who's going through something even tougher than you and it puts your problems in. So I think it's amazing that you're opening up the space that women can actually find each other and communicate.
- [05:49]
C
You know, I agree and I think that was where I was, I mean, similar to what you were saying, I felt that, you know, I could certainly look around and scour and try to find the answers to a medical challenge or how do I caregive my mom who was diagnosed with Alzheimer's, or how do I think about leaving my career? What are the financial implications of that? And how do I find someone that's going to talk to me in a way that I understood it. You could seek all of those things out and it's really time consuming. But even with that, to your point, feeling like I'm not, I'm not crazy, I'm not alone, I'm not, I'm not the first one to go down this path. And, and I appreciate your point and not that you wish someone to have a worse situation, but maybe it does allow you to put it into perspective that others are feeling some of the same pressures. Yeah, for sure.
- [06:45]
B
And another thing that I want to mention before we, we, we dive in practically, I want to explain to you guys out there listening exactly how Meraki works and how you can find it. Because now it's, it's up and running. But I think I'll give you an example right in my life I thought, oh my God, this is a lot of tragedy, right? You lose your mother, you lose your husband, you are broke, you lose all your assets, you are alone. My own relatives turned their backs on me. My friends blocked me. I really thought like I'm at the bottom of the bottom. And then two years ago, and I think it's really important to tell the story because it's perfect for Meraki. My sister lost her husband to suicide. She has a 13 year old little boy now, he's almost 15. And she found her husband, sorry, but he blew his brains off. And when I heard her story, I was like, I cannot imagine going through this. It really made my pain like, okay, this is better. And hers is like so much. So it made me feel like maybe I need to help her and guide her and, but my Point is, I'm very resilient and she's not. And I know there are a lot of women out there that are going through horrible things, such as me and my sister. And maybe they are not resilient like my sister. And when I look at Meraki, I think it's perfect for women that need like a pick me up, like a friendly pep talk, like maybe a mentor. Right. Because it's not fair to say, like, oh, you know, you're just gonna bounce back and rebuild. Because I know for a lot of women, it's not that easy, you know?
- [08:24]
C
Exactly. And that's exact. Absolutely. And you're right. I mean, it's not only. I think when you see other. When you are with other women who are challenged, who are going through a challenging situation, you step up as well. So I think you kind of create this place where. Which is where dignity comes in, where we realize that we're all common. I mean, we have one thing in common. We all have dignity. And so not to get into the sort of philosophical part of dignity, but I think what you said is exactly right. When you see. When you hear stories of other women or if you're struggling and there are other women there that have been, They've been through it, or it allows them to put their challenge in perspective, it gives you a moment to say, wait a minute, not only is my situation not unique, it may not be so bad, and maybe I can support someone else and I can help someone else kind of find it within them to navigate, to get the confidence to make that change.
- [09:31]
B
Yeah. And I also want to mention that I think I believe in my experience from doing my show right, you feed off of each other's strength. Like when you feel like there is no hope and you're exhausted, you're having a horrible day, you're having financial trouble, whatever it is that you're going through, if you talk to someone out there, if you know there's a community out there that you can lean on, it's almost like that little bit of a fuel that you need to keep going until you get out of your hole. And I think that's what's so beautiful about your work. And that made me, like, literally fall in love. The first time we talked, I had goosebumps. I love that you use the word dignity. I had forgotten about this word. I had not heard that word for years until I met you and you said we all this. And I were like, wow. It's so important to bring that up because especially for abuse victims, Right. People in horrible. We forget that. We forget that, you know.
- [10:29]
C
Yeah, absolutely. And. And yes, we forget. And it's a hard word. I mean, it's a word that is hard to define, but we all know it when we feel it. We know when we're being treated with dignity. We know when our dignity is being violated. So I think that was the other part of this platform. We've been just like, I'm sure, you know, in your own show and what you're doing, you set the standard of what you want on your show. In our platform, we've set the standard for what we want and we've centered it around dignity. So it is a place where women are not. Not going to be sold to. They're not going to be told that they're, you know, they're not going to be shamed. They're not going to be, you know, we, we did. We sort of require that of the community. And what we found, even in the few months that, the few short months that we've been rolling it out is women are so relieved to find that place. So one of the pieces is that, you know, to your point, like, knowing there's a place you can go where you can be, you know, you can be respected, you can be acknowledged, you can get that. Pick me up. I love the way you said that. And, and I think women have a hard time doing that sometimes. I think in work environments, you know, I think that, that we, we tend to sort of feel like there aren't enough seats and there's a lot of tension and a lot of pressure. So we wanted to take those gloves away and really kind of create a different environment, 1 million percent.
- [12:04]
B
So let. Okay, for you guys out there, listening, if you're going through anything hard, any struggle in your life, and we're going to talk about the categories that you highlight. Work, health, relationships and money, which I believe encompasses pretty much everything that anyone might be going through. Let's guide them step by step to make this very easy and practical. Okay? Because we want practical, we want results, we want to help each other. The platform is up and running now. It's meraki.com, correct?
- [12:35]
C
Well, actually, so that's. So the website is meraki.com the place you go for the platform. Just go straight to my Meraki. AI. Yeah, that's right, my Meraki.
- [12:46]
B
And I'm putting the link here on this episode, by the way, guys, because I was just testing it out this morning and you literally just started.
- [12:53]
C
Right.
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B
It's in.
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C
Is it.
- [12:54]
B
It's in beta.
- [12:55]
C
Correct, it is in beta. So it is, it's. We're looking for people to give us feedback, co create. So it's evol and changing every single day. So you go on it tomorrow, it'll be different, it'll be, it'll be improved from today.
- [13:08]
B
So living, I think it's a living being, right. So to speak. It's gonna evolve and get better and better. But so let's say I go there Meraki A my Meraki AI like I did you register, let's explain step by step what it. So you register and that you, you guys are not asking anybody for money because I know a lot of women are like I can't afford that. I can. Obviously financial difficulties are one of the top problems of a lot of women. Right. Starting life over especially after divorce and loss and things like that.
- [13:41]
C
Right, right. That's right. So you basically. So you come on to the, you go to my Meraki AI and if you want a little bit more information, there's a little video that you can get a sense so that you have a sense of what's coming up. But it's really, you basically register with your email address. That's all you need there is, you know, dual factor authentication. So you go through that, it takes about a minute. We're all used to doing that. And then you get introduced to Sophie and Sophie is spelled S O P H Y because it relates to a Greek word called sofresni. And that word is, it is really this sort of combination of humility. So being humble and being. And being respectful. So it's this and wisdom. So it's three things. It's wisdom, respect and humility. So she is not going to be your best buddy. She's there to sort of guide you in the most serving way. Anyway, so you meet Sophie, she asks you a few questions. Yes.
- [14:54]
B
Talk about that. So you go there. So guys, number one, it costs you zero. So if you help, if you want to connect with other women communities just, just find some, some way so you don't feel alone. Go there. It's really fun, very user friendly. I tested it because I'm like the worst user. So if it works for me, works for anybody. So it's very. Yeah. And it's fun. So she asks you questions like do you want to talk a little bit about your health? Do you want to talk a little bit about. And I know a lot of people are very shy in the beginning. Right. So maybe you can start with a few minor things that bother you, and then you decide, if you build it up right, it asks about financial problems, like where are you at in your life about finances. Do you want to dip me? Because each person has a totally different issue that they want to share and vent and talk about. Right, Stephanie?
- [15:44]
C
Exactly, exactly. And what you start to find. And I, I appreciate what you said. We recognize that different women have different levels of comfort kind of sharing information. We don't require you to share anything that you don't want to share. It's really your own, your own guided tour. So doesn't cost you anything. You just come on and you answer these questions. And what people start to find is that while they may have come on to talk about money or career, they start to realize. Women have started to realize, wait a minute. Because I'm going through a career transition, I'm really concerned about money. Like, if I leave my job, how am I going to pay my rent? How do I think about that? So you talk to Sophie. I don't know. How long did it take you, Kat? Like 10 minutes? Yeah, very quick.
- [16:33]
B
Literally, like I had like a 20 minute window. And yeah, it was super quick, but I want to dive in deeper. But yeah, in terms of setting it up, it was super quick. Yes.
- [16:44]
C
So that, so you do that and then once you've kind of given, answered Sophie's questions in as much detail as you want, then she, she basically says she sort of shares back what she heard. So she wants to reaffirm. Because one of the things we found is that women feel sometimes they're not heard and nobody listens to them. And so particularly when they're around men who, you know, kind of ignore the words they say. So we felt it was important that Sophie sort of check back and say, is this, you know, did I hear you correctly? Is this what you heard? So that'll happen. And then you get, then you get. Well, you can tell me. You get a map. And the map is this visualization that she attempts to sort of visualize where you are in each of these categories. So if you're really, really clear on your health and that's not your focus area, it'll look really, really clear. If you're really, really fuzzy on your career or on your relationships, it'll be really, really fuzzy. And so that map is kind of your, that map changes every time you go, but it's sort of your starting point. It gives you a visual representation of where you are.
- [17:58]
B
I wanna, I, I wanna read really quickly. After I did my profile, I, I answer about relationship Money and where I'm at, just to test. And then you get a really nice little quick message from Sophie. Now, I love the name because we understand the meeting. It says, welcome to Meraki. I'm Sophie. I'm glad you're here. So immediately you feel like, you know, I'm. I'm being welcome into the safe space. Meraki exists because health, work, money, and relationships don't happen in separate boxes. I completely agree. They're connected. And what's going on in one part of your life often shows up in another. I'm here to help you make sense of that whole picture. Not to give advice or tell you what to do, but to help you see things more clearly and find the kind of support that actually fits. So, okay, Sophie's not gonna give us advice. She's. And I, she's guiding us. And yes, it helps us see the picture. Like, because I agree, if you see your problems a more clear light, it's easier to figure out, well, how am I going to fix that? But in practical ways, I feel I. Answer the question. Let's say, for, as an example, if I'm having financial problems. Oh. Like a lot of women, I. My husband is abusing me, but I cannot leave the marriage because I don't have any money. Let's say she puts it there. How does Sophie connect that woman with help for her specific problem?
- [19:23]
C
Okay, that's. That's a good question. And that's something that's very unique about our platform. So you could go on to ChatGPT or a very generic AI large language model, and you'll get very generic answers. What we've done over the last year, what we've been doing is we've been working with experts in finance, experts in medicine, and experts not just in finance, but in women navigating finance. So it really is people who understand what women who are facing challenges like an abusive relationship or a financial advisor that doesn't listen to them or recognizes that women tend to give more philanthropically or want to give more to their community or have caregiving responsibilities for their aging parents. So we've kind of collected and selected very, very carefully resources that are specific. So whether it's a podcast, so it could be one of your podcasts, Kat, about a specific issue that relates to what this woman is challenged with. And because she's shared with Sophie, Sophie can get very, very specific about the information that she shares with that woman, and that's going to be different from the next woman. And to what you said earlier, I love like we're all having similar journeys but we may be in different places and the pain points may be different. So you will get, you know, and if you say, look, I don't want, I don't want hard to read articles, I just want podcasts or I really like, I really like very, very detailed, research oriented information about breast cancer, she will dig into her content and find that. So you, the more specific you are about the type of information and how you consume it, the more targeted she can be in giving you up to date resources that are specific to what you're looking for.
- [21:31]
B
Okay. So it guides you to the right place. Now it's interesting that you mentioned other AI sites because I'm sure the critics and I'll probably get this, this question. Oh, but I'm, I'm putting a lot of personal information in there. Talk are you guys. Because a lot of AI sites, right, they sell your information to third parties. They start storied, la la la. Now there is ads at the bottom. Like if you talk about taxes, all of a sudden you see an ad for bookkeepers. If you talk about vacation, you see an ad for like Airbnb.
- [22:02]
C
It's crazy.
- [22:03]
B
I don't know if it's happened to you guys. It happens to me on ChatGPT all the time. So what would you say to those? Are you doing anything with that information? Are you keeping it private?
- [22:12]
C
So we are. So there's, there's, that's a really important part of the dignity piece about our platform. So what we're doing is so we have a. Not. Obviously our product is it sits on top of the large language models, but it is in a secure space. So we've created, the best way I can describe it is we've created a layer between you and the large language model. And that layer is been trained in a way that is dignified, respectful and keeps your information private. And so it doesn't see back into any language model that can sell it. It's private, it's bespoke. It allows you to be comfortable that your information, your personal information is not, is not being used in any way that you are not clear, you know, it's private. Also, we commit, we're not going to, we are not going to sell you things based on what you share. So you will not see, you know, once you mention, once you mention, you know, health, we're not going to sell you health products. There's no lead generation on this platform at all. What we do, however, to be perfectly transparent is we believe that if we can get enough women and we can aggregate what women are saying so we can say. Out of the 9,000 women that were on the platform today, 90% said that they really feel that they don't get enough caregiving support and that they would love caregiving support in their workplace. We will aggregate that and share that out publicly. So. So that women's needs are made clear. Because our view.
- [24:08]
B
Different. Right. That's a fantastic idea. If you figure out what everybody lacks and what everybody's complaining about, what everybody needs, it gives you power to try to do something about it. Correct.
- [24:21]
C
Exactly. And the beauty is that's. And you nailed it. Because power is the word. If we can take women and basically bring them together into a safe space, they have power. Women have so much power, Kat. We are economic engines. We are inheriting so much wealth. We are, we are. Have been in the workforce for a long time. We, you know, we are starting to. We are starting to collectively be incredibly powerful. But if we're not aggregated, we can't change the system. So our point is really to try to get women to come together. Yeah. And create a place where we can take that information and tell the world how to serve women better.
- [25:08]
B
I love that. So obviously, when you created Meraki, you are. You're not money oriented. You didn't create Meraki like, oh, I'm gonna.
- [25:17]
C
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- [26:10]
A
how much their personal information is being bought and sold every day. Data brokers are making billions, pulling details about you from public records and the Internet and then packaging and selling it, usually without your consent. That's how your information lands in the hands of scammers, spammers, even stalkers. It's why you get endless robocalls and why ads seem to follow you everywhere. That's where Aura comes in. Aura actively removes your data from broker sites and keeps it off. They also instantly alert you if your information shows up in a breach or on the dark web. But Aura goes beyond data protection. With one app, you get a vpn, antivirus, password manager, spam, call protection, dark web monitoring, and even up to $5 million in identity theft insurance. All backed by 24, 7 US based fraud support. Other companies might sell just credit monitoring or just a vpn. Aura gives you all of it together at the same price. Competitors charge for just one service. Start your free trial today at aura.com remove. Protect yourself now@aura.com remove make millions of
- [27:10]
B
dollars with this, this platform. That. That helps. She's shaking her head no.
- [27:14]
C
We are non nonprofit.
- [27:17]
B
I want to. This is one of the things that I fell in love with you and your work because you're so real and obviously you're so intelligent. You have so much going on. You really, you're doing this from your heart because like you just mentioned, it's a non profit because you want to help women out there that don't have.
- [27:33]
C
And we want to change. Our mission is to change the world one woman at a time. Oh, I love that. And that is we. That is what we commit to. Our view is we feel that women have power, as we just said, and if we can create a place to make that power powerful, that we can change the world. And you know, look, our hope is that women can benefit from what we're doing and women can start to really change their own individual lives as you did, but do it in a way that maybe is more supported than you and I had. And then in doing that, they can change it for the next generation.
- [28:17]
B
Yeah, because let's be honest, it's tough doing it all alone. It's tough figuring everything out alone. And even if you have like a girlfriend, right, and you go to happy hour and you vent or something, they have their own problems, you know, they want to help. To a certain extent. In my case, my own family turned their back on me. They were like, whatever, I don't have anything to do with you. My best friend of 30 years blocked me because she didn't want to have anything to do with me. And I'm not gonna sit here and say, oh, yeah, it was easy as pie. It was hell. Like, oh my God, I cannot even explain. I Don't even know how I survived, to be really honest with you guys. This is what I'm saying. When I found out about you in Merak, I'm like, I want as many women as possible to know that there is a safe space, there is a platform, there are other women out there that, that are going through the same. But most importantly, you are putting resources there for these women, people that can actually guide them and help them practically.
- [29:13]
C
Exactly. And the more we do that. And look, you are incredibly resilient.
- [29:19]
B
Yeah.
- [29:19]
C
Not everybody is like that. And not everybody can. Has the. Has the wherewithal. Or maybe the problem is so challenging that it feels like you'll never get. You'll never get through it. So just. Just knowing that there's a place you can go and that there are people there that are. That are willing to. That are. Are there because they want that support or they can give that support starts to create a different dynamic and, and just knowing there's a place to go. Our hope is we'll create some. Some more resilience for people to navigate that change.
- [29:53]
B
Oh, my God, one million. Now, if somebody's there, whatever the reason, right. Like you said, let's say finances, I'm in trouble. I can't leave my marriage. Do you ever connect them with the per. Like with the mentor directly or just digital things, etc. Can you connect them with people?
- [30:11]
C
So, so right now you're like, you're exactly where we're going. So right now, in addition to getting those resources, right now, what you can do is connect in communities. So there are. You can. You can find a variety of communities, and they're growing every day. So they range from how I can have caregiving support to financial support to exercise. What can I do to exercise better? There's a range of communities, and like I said, they're growing every day because women who are coming on the platform are opening up their own communities and women. So when you join, you'll be able to see what the communities are out there and you can join them in those communities. You can connect with people in those communities. Right now it's, you know, you can connect through conversations within the community. Our. The next iteration is that you can actually connect with people individually if you choose. So if you are looking specifically for some type of support, a financial. Someone that has financial expertise, we can connect you with that person. So that's coming. That's not there yet. I don't want to promise anything that we haven't delivered, but potentially, by the time this airs. We may actually have that stood up. Yeah.
- [31:33]
B
So I saw the communities, and I'm like, I'm gonna start one, because I just want to test it out and see how it works. I think I did something about aging, right? Aging well.
- [31:41]
C
Aging well.
- [31:42]
B
I'm gonna tell you why. Because. And it's funny, because one of Sophie's questions in the beginning, she's like, do you mind telling me how old you are? And I'm always saying, women, stop lying about your age. Stop being embarrassed about your age. Embrace it. Be proud of it. If you're alive, if you're healthy, there is no such thing as like, oh, I'm done. I'm done. On the contrary, I think a lot of women. I'm living proof. You're living proof that you can go through hell and high water, go through a divorce and everything, and start over a whole new path and make all your dreams come true in your 40s, in your 50s, whatever age you are. So I think it's a really important conversation because a lot of women going, it's like you said, going through divorce is, can I even start over? I'm in my 40s. Can I do this? And the answer is, of course you can. Right? You can age really well, and you can keep going, and you can reinvent an entire new life for yourself. So I think that's why I picked that thing, because it really bugs me that women are so embarrassed when it comes to talking. Talk about their age, you know, Stephanie.
- [32:51]
C
And we should change that. I mean, that's exactly. I'm. I appreciate that. And I think that there's no. Let's just change that. In fact, I think women have so much to offer because the wisdom and that one of the things that we've been talking about, our platform is it's where intelligence meets wisdom. So Sophie is the intelligence and the women are the wisdom. And not wisdom in a like old wise, but wisdom in that we have so much experience in terms of how things can get done. What you know that the fact that you can make it through so that you know that. That it's not the end of the world. I think a lot of women. I know for myself, I'll speak for myself. It took me so much longer to change my relationship to divorce, to go through a divorce, because I was so afraid that I was going to be, you know, all alone. And I was in my 50s, and it was this fear of, oh, my God, my life is over. I'm not going to be able to do anything. I'M not going to be able to meet new people. And so I, I agree with you that there is so much more. So much more. And it's so much more exciting and it's actually so much more energizing.
- [34:12]
B
Yeah.
- [34:13]
C
Because you realize that you don't, you know, you don't have to, you don't have to pretend anymore. You can just be yourself, lasting.
- [34:21]
B
Right. And I will say as long as we're alive and healthy, because health is the name of the game.
- [34:26]
C
Right?
- [34:27]
B
Go for it. Try new things. Start over as many times as you have to. I'm like, look at me. I was crazy. Abusive marriage for 15 years. I could barely open my mouth. I could barely literally leave my house. And now I get paid to do a show. I talk, talk, talk. So, you know, just go for it. And I hope every woman out there. You guys listening? Try Meraki. It's beautiful. I think it's in the. It's a baby, right? It's in the beginning. So jump in. Find your communities. If you have something to help, start a community. If you need help, don't be shy. Because it's so much easier to go through anything tough in life if you have a support system. Right, Stefan?
- [35:05]
C
Funny. Exactly. That is, that is. It's really women helping women. And that's so powerful and so game changing. And it doesn't have to be a big thing. You can help somebody by just being there, just listening.
- [35:19]
B
Yeah.
- [35:20]
C
And you can offer help by just, you know, and you can receive help by just being willing to be. To tell your story. So I think that there's this, you know, creating a safe place where women can be seen, where they can be supported. Giving you the resources to have some clarity about what your next step, that you don't feel like it's. You don't know what the first thing to do is. I don't know about you, Kat, but for me it was like just, what's that first step? I was paralyzed.
- [35:52]
B
Oh, my God.
- [35:53]
C
Yeah. I think I spent weeks sitting in the same spot and not moving.
- [35:58]
B
Let me tell you.
- [35:59]
A
I.
- [35:59]
B
And I've done a million videos about it and I really talk about it because I think it's important. There were points. I'm like, okay, I'm gonna be homeless. That's it. I'm gonna sleep in the car with my dog. I started making plans like, where am I gonna shower? Because I was so abused. I forgot I was intelligent. I forgot. I'm not kidding, you guys. I forgot I could work. I did not know what to do. And I know there's so many women out there similar. Sometimes it's finances, sometimes it's abuse. Sometimes it's just like somebody cheating on you or. Or abandoning you. It can be a million different things. You feel lot. You feel broken, and when you're broken, it's hard to think straight. And I think when you go to Meraki and you exchange ideas with other women, with experts, you read something that gives you, like I said, that little. The little fuel that you need, it helps you. One more step, one more step. And that's how you rebuild. You don't rebuild overnight in 24 hours. Right. You rebuild one step at a time, one day at a time.
- [37:02]
C
It is about. And it's kind of not to. Not to go back to dignity. But I know that's a word that you kind of love and I love, but it is about sort of nourishing and honoring your dignity, Having a place that honors your dignity, that isn't selling to you, that isn't sort of shaming you, that isn't, you know, that you don't feel paralyzed. So it. And it doesn't have to be a big thing. Just kind of creating the space. Especially in a world that we live in today where there is so much hatred and so much anger. Like, can we find a place where we have some dignity and honor? Dignity. And that can be enough to just get you to take that next step. Yeah.
- [37:45]
B
You know, thanks to your beautiful work and your beautiful heart, we have that place. And before I let you go, I know it's such a beautiful meaning, so I don't want to forget. Can you explain to people what meraki means?
- [37:58]
C
So Meraki is. So it came to me from my mom. My mom was born in Greece and she immigrated here not knowing the language. And she would paint in her basement. You know, she would paint in our basement. And that was her way of communicating. And that was the essence of Meraki for me. So what is meraki? It's that it's doing something where you immerse yourself in it, where you do it with creativity, soul and love. And it's that sort of, I don't know, flow Zen. Just that feeling of I'm in the right place, doing the thing that I love. I have the agency to do it. So that's Meraki. Creativity, soul and love, and immersing yourself in something you absolutely love to do.
- [38:43]
B
And every. And I think every woman in the world deserves that.
- [38:46]
C
Every.
- [38:47]
B
The world deserves to find their path and something they love to do.
- [38:51]
C
And are passionate about. Right? We. We deserve it. We. We should. We. We should honor it in our own selves. Yes.
- [39:01]
B
Thank you so much for coming back. Congratulations on your incredible work. Thank you for creating this space for us. I will be posting in my community. I promise you guys.
- [39:12]
C
I see you there, Cat.
- [39:14]
B
Yes. I'll be there to greet you. If anybody wants to reach out to Stephanie, I'm putting the link here. But please, whatever you're going through, go there. Go there. You don't have to go through it alone. And as Meraki grows, we'll touch base with you a few months down the road. So maybe you can come back and update us and help us. But guys, get help. Okay? You can. And I say one thing. We are way stronger and more resilient than we think we are.
- [39:39]
C
Yes. And together. Yes. That's wonderful. Thank you.
- [39:43]
B
You're amazing. Thank you so much for being on the show again, guys. I love you, Meraki. Do right my Meraki. AI. The link is right here on the audio episode. And the link is down below. If you're watching the YouTube episode, go get help. I love you guys so much. Thank you. Stephanie. You're amaz.
- [40:03]
A
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