Garrett Wood Kusmierz is the CEO & Founder of kozēkozē. In this candid conversation, Garrett shares the challenges and joys of motherhood and the impact it’s had on her own journey. She also talks about the innovations she’s created through her company kozēkozē to make life a little easier for other women. Amongst other things we also discuss life as a female entrepreneur and the complexities of ‘doing it all at once’.
In this episode we discuss the complexity of taking care of yourself and a newborn, and explore the unique challenges and experiences that come with motherhood. As Garrett shares her own experiences, she also delves into the products that made a difference in her life and how she and her family decided to create a company to provide solutions for other moms. Garrett shares that “The early stages of postpartum life redefined the word “comfort” for me and now I'm on a mission to help others get cozy while doing the hard things including but not limited to parenting, birthing and business building.”
She also touches upon the need for support and understanding in those critical moments, emphasizing the role of men as allies in this journey. This is something that we’re all too aware of at Oka, as well as matching women to mentors who have been through similar experiences (like for example returning to work after having a baby) we guide the allies (e.g. male colleagues, partners) in how to provide the best support while also looking after themselves.
Prior to kozēkozē and motherhood, Garrett wrote and published a novel based-on-true events from her own life called, "Dare To Move." She also hosts the kozēkozē podcast where we bring in experts doing the hard things, like birth and business, to share their vulnerable stories on business and self-development.
Garrett’s first career was in real estate development and she helped with the US rollout of Caffè Nero. Her love of fitness guided her to teach at Shred415 in Chicago and also Barry’s Bootcamp in Boston for 7 years.
Join us for this insightful episode as we explore the challenges and opportunities that come with motherhood, entrepreneurship and personal growth.
To find Garrett’s products go to:
To sign up to Oka where we can help you back on your journey to fulfilling your potential in a way that fits or to support another woman through your own experience please sign up to
Fiona 0:16
Today I have the lovely Garrett wood, although that's your maiden name, isn't that correct?
Garrett 0:22
Correct? Yeah.
Fiona 0:24
So your married name, you can pronounce it for me because I think I'm gonna get it wrong.
Garrett 0:27
And it's not eloquent. It looks like it should be cuz miras or something. But it's because my ears in the American way of saying the Polish name. And I wrote a book. So I like to keep my author name on most things, which is my maiden name.
Fiona 0:44
So both are pretty cool, though, aren't they? I mean, Wood is simple, but it's a lovely name. It's a lovely representation. And so we met on a course virtually, I'd only seen your face sort of smiling. And I think you might have said something I might have said something on the same one. But I was really keen to connect with you and we have. And it's great to be able to speak to you today.
Garrett 1:11
Thanks for having me. And yeah, I I was hoping that out of that course would come some good connections. And so when you reached out I was very excited. Cool.
Fiona 1:20
Yeah. So you're in Boston so it was reaching out to someone across the pond as it were. And you've had a really interesting career path if you, I mean going by LinkedIn for example, which obviously doesn't tell the whole story. You've been and correct me at any point - a broker, a corporate realtor, realtor advisors, Barry's Bootcamp instructor, which we have to dive into because my eldest daughter is obsessed by Barry's whenever we're in the US, she's at one Barry's or another. And I must say I'm a bit scared to go I do a lot a lot fitness but that just scares me a little bit. So I let my husband go with her to that. CEO and founder of Crossroads of Fitness. Author of Dare to Move, member of Catalyse, mother and the Oh my goodness. Yeah. So you said you did podcasts. And I thought I have a look at I'll have a look at her podcasts 290 something episodes? Yeah, phenomenal. I'm only on 80. So I'm a long way behind you.
Garrett 2:29
It's, we've been at the podcast now for four years. So and I started with two episodes a week. So it kind of built up pretty quickly. For years.
Fiona 2:39
So that was before your son was born. Which makes sense - why you could do two episodes a week, possibly at one point
Garrett 2:47
I had been creating. When I started Crossroads of Fitness, I used to write two to three blogs a week. And that was kind of in the heyday of Facebook. And so you could write a blog, share it to Facebook, and it would get tonnes of reshares. And I was super LinkedIn to the not to use that term, but like connected to the fitness online fitness industry. And so other online coaches would share my articles and you know, different hubs like MindBodyGreen might pick it up. And so it was really how I got clients. I never paid for marketing. I just wrote two to three blogs a week. And then I kind of toned it down to one a week while I wrote my book, which took me about three years. And as soon as the book was published, I was like, Well, what do I want to do for content now I'm overriding, I am so exhausted, I don't want to edit I don't want to do any writing. So podcasts were picking up steam if I only wish I had started like a year earlier. But I sat on the idea for about six months. And then I decided to do it at the end of 2018. And I was so used to creating content that two episodes a week for me it was really no problem because it there was no editing involved with like grammar and spell check and all of that or uploading photos on the article blog or whatever. So it worked well.
Fiona 4:04
And I've got that feeling as well, I wish I had started earlier. My husband, it was me being stubborn because my husband had said to me for a long time, you need to do a podcast, you need to pick her. So I was like, I'm not doing a podcast, because you're telling me to do a podcast. And actually, I love doing the podcast and I love meeting and talking to different people and it's just a way of connecting into worlds that I wouldn't necessarily be part of otherwise. And hoping that that opens things up for the people that are listening as well. And I like you used to write blogs but I did not ever manage to week. It's a lot. It's a lot. I think one a week was my max and then once I wrote my two books, I kind of I still like Now occasionally write a blog, which I know is not how you're meant to do it to consistently keep going but now it's been a couple of years since I've written a book, I find it more enjoyable again. But initially like you, I was just like what I'm overriding? Just give me a break.
Garrett 5:08
Yeah, it's a lot. And I think that the key to content creation is just showing up somewhere that feels good, because then it doesn't feel like work. It's like, Oh, I really want to share this idea. I'm so excited to get this out there. And then, you know, it doesn't mean it's easy. And there's also there's obviously, like muscle developed around a new, you know, this like to be able to actually follow through with the publication of a book or publishing of the blog. It takes a minute to kind of build the muscle. But once it's there, I think it's still underrated as far as marketing and advertising go for whatever you're doing.
Fiona 5:43
Yeah. And I don't know what you found. But I find it's very different people who there is some crossover, but who read my blog, versus who listened to the podcast.
Garrett 5:53
Yeah. And I don't, I have to laugh a little because I don't I'm so obsessed with podcasts. Like, I'm a junkie, that I don't understand if people who don't listen to podcasts, and one of my upcoming guests, has never listened to a podcast and I'm like, You need to go listen to a podcast before you come on. Like, she doesn't actually have to, but I was like, it's it's super normal. It's just a conversation. Like, I think you'll really love it. But some people just like to read over. Listen.
Fiona 6:22
Yeah, and I guess there's that initial step as well. But like writing isn't there as you listen to your first podcast? Oh, absolutely. This is good. I mean, yeah. What's your favourite podcast? Oh, that's
Garrett 6:34
such a hard question. Um, there are some out there right now that I think for where I am in my new venture cosy, cosy are really, really helpful. So female founder world with jasmine, I'm gonna say her last name wrong. But she's Australia. And I believe she lives in LA. She's amazing. And has had so many brands that have kind of gone from zero to 100 on and we're a CPG company. So that's been super helpful. And then DOMA, there's one called due diligence, she's giving some quick she's weighing like 100 day challenge right now. I really like her. And then I am, so I'm kind of a spiritual net. So I'm into some kind of far out stuff. That's just for fun. I listen to a weekly astrology podcast with Molly McCord. I listened to Akashic Record readings for every month for like what's coming on the line podcast. And then I listen to Joe Rogan as well, because I think he does a really good job of just being really curious, really creative. And while he comes off as a super masculine person, he's actually very tuned into his feminine and the way that he doesn't structure his over structure, his interviews, his interviews are able to be in flow, because he's actually in his feminine.
Fiona 7:49
I think that's really interesting. And I, you know, what, I haven't actually listened to Joe Rogan, which I feel slightly shamed that because I feel like I've formed an opinion, which is like what I tell everyone not to do with anything. As you go in open minded, I need to listen to him. And I also love the what you're saying there about the sort of the curiosity and the organic nature of it, because I think that's just where we hear the most interesting, engaging conversations. And I found I don't know if you've found this with podcast guests, but I've had a couple who are authors who are so well rehearsed. Obviously, listen to them on other podcasts and thought you just say exactly the same.
Garrett 8:32
Yeah. And then what that brings for me, because you know, and I'm sure this to YouTube, because you host podcasts as well, you've been on both sides of it, it sometimes will. If I know someone's doing a circuit, and they're like, just trying to help, you know, bring the word out about their book, I will look at some of the hosts that I love and say, Okay, I wonder if they can find something interesting. How are they doing that as a host, and it kind of just makes me think creatively about that skill set. But I also had a really, I don't know why but I have that I was really like resistant to Joe Rogan. And like 2018, 2019. But I think I started listening when he had Andrew Yang on who's a really has some really interesting thesis is about American politics. And he's out in New York. And the thing I love about him is that he is a born and bred entrepreneur and loves entrepreneurship. So I was like, Okay, let me listen to an entrepreneurial guy, who's you know, not like Trump at all. And let me like, hear him in this three hour long podcast, that sounds like a unique thing. And then I listened to that, and then I don't remember at the time, but you know, then he had three more episodes after that, that I happen to love and he has an outdoorsy side to him and he's really interested in conservation and hunting and just some stuff that my husband is interested in. So it's also a way that we connect, which is kind of fun.
Fiona 9:57
That is fun, because My husband listens to car podcasts, which are you know, it sounds really unappealing. But when they come on on the car on our car just because they've been on his phone, they're actually really good fun that it's, it's about the people, and who's talking and their passion comes through. Yeah, no, you
Garrett 10:19
can't you. I mean, passion is infectious. So
Fiona 10:22
it really is. Have you listened to armchair expert at all with that Shepherd?
Garrett 10:28
Oh, I used to listen to that all the time. I don't know why I stopped might have been when they switched over to Spotify. And I just like didn't have it queued up. But love him love his vulnerability. Love all the guests. I as a writer, I would love my book to become a mini series someday. And because so many actors he has on are also writers loved hearing those stories. And yeah, he's amazing.
Fiona 10:53
He's so funny. And I love I love his vulnerability. And I love the way he seems to try and bring any conversation around to someone and the father figure they did or didn't have, because bless him, that's a that's something that he has issue with. But he's so sweet the way he does it. And even when he was talking to a bomber he was bringing trying to bring a bomb around to the same question. It's really endearing, but he's actually incredibly bright as well. And I think he's got a bit of a he feels like an underachiever when I'm fat. He's actually incredibly accomplished. Yeah,
Garrett 11:28
yeah, one of the things that I think while we're just on the subject is really fascinating about, and I've never shared this before, I'm kind of processing it in real time, is that when you think about self awareness, and and anyone learning about self awareness and learning about perspective on themselves in the world, you kind of have to be able to do two things you have to be like in the content of your life. But you also have to take a bird's eye view on your life, too. And that's what podcast hosting really is. Because you're weaving between the presence of the real conversation, your own internal, two steps ahead to think what do I want to where do I want to go from here, and then also being witness to it all, and it's so trippy, but you know, I think he does that? Well, you're doing it? Well, right now. It's something that I don't know how you learn it, but I think maybe just repetition gets you there. It's
Fiona 12:16
it's a really interesting perspective. And actually, I had, I don't know if you've heard of Tosh Uhrich. She's does the she's written a book on self awareness, and where she does all her research on self awareness. And she's got one of the big TED Talks is by her. And she's very science based in terms of her approach. But it all makes so much sense when you hear her speaking about self awareness, and the curiosity and the ability to look within but look without as well. So how do other people see you? Because that's as much part of self awareness as anything else. Yeah, basically, just Yeah. agreeing with what you just said. So cosy, cosy. Tell me, tell me about that. Yeah,
Garrett 13:07
so all start from the beginning, which is, I had a very traumatic birth with my son. Luckily, he was a super healthy little fighter. And after three days of labour, three days of no sleep, he was healthy. Everything was good. But it's very traumatic on me. And I came home like a zombie. And my milk came in and I was leaking everywhere. I couldn't sleep so that like through the 90 Minute gaps that you get with a newborn, because I was waking up in my own breast milk and night sweats. And I just kept thinking, like, what do I do? So I googled, and you know, it's like, dress appropriately. Don't pump too much. But like, I wasn't even pumping it because I was, my milk had just come in, where a bra was pads. But my bras didn't fit because I was so in gorge, I didn't have the mental capacity to pull up Amazon and brush up. And the pads I did have fell out. So I was sleeping on a towel. And I'm like, This is not we should not I should not have to deal with this this far into society like we are here because women have been giving birth for hundreds of 1000s of years. And like why is this happening? So I decided I wanted to invent the world's first absorbent disposable bra for hospitals. And we filed provisional patent this month. So I can finally say that which is exciting. And we are that kind of led to this venture and call me crazy for wanting to start a business around one product, but I just in my gut knew that the other ideas would come. And as I we launched the LLC in September, and when I say we, my mom was in my back pocket, knew there would be a hospital play with this product because so many women have to do extended stays in the hospital. People that have top surgery and mastectomy is any type of chest surgery where you have wounding You might want an absorbent, cosy throb. We're calling it nipple diapers for fun right now. And my mom has a very vast history in medical sales. So I was like, okay, she can help me, I'm just going to pull her on board, she had just quit her job. And then my college roommate, I've always just known, I don't know how I've just known that I was going to work with her. We ran my sorority together, I was the president, she was the Vice President, maybe like 12 years ago, and we I just knew I was gonna hire her. And so she is currently still working full time, but is done in May. So the three of us have been kind of trudging through this. And as I stand here today, we have fingers crossed by the end of the week, we'll have six products and development, which is really exciting. And we're hoping to launch at least two maybe presale to sell to by June. So that's amazing.
Fiona 15:55
That's amazing.
Garrett 15:57
Thank you. It's very exciting.
Fiona 15:58
So those are the five came in, you know, you trusted your gut, and the other five products followed. Yeah, we, we, our
Garrett 16:07
core, three core pillars are to provide comfort to reduce the maths and to enhance trust, we're really keen on oxytocin creation, and how the bond is able to be made when we feel safe when we're not in fight or flight. But still, much of early parenting is fight or flight. And I'm like, Okay, if I can take someone off of sleeping on a towel in their bed, if I can keep them from dunking their finger in nipple balm, because we have a nice swipe on applicator. I'm reducing that stress. And I'm creating an opening for greater bonding for the actual sacredness that motherhood is. And so that's really what we're focused on. And we knew that we wanted to test our third party logistics and that we wanted to kind of have I hate to say it this way, but like practice with our margins and understanding our market and our customers. So we decided that we could probably launch a nipple bomb, which we're calling nip glass first. So that is hopefully going to launch in March. And then we are in the works with a prenatal through one of my actual consulting clients, I helped her start her business three years ago. And now she has a supplement line. And they can do a custom prenatal for us a collab. So we can sell that, because we are targeting customers from the moment you think about getting pregnant through the fourth trimester. So one of our early phase products that will meet someone when they're trying to conceive is an ergonomic pickup, because we which we're hoping to pre sell in March, because testing for ovulation, you know, five to seven days out of the month to make sure because sometimes, especially after you've had one baby, your ovulation might be super early and might be super late. So you're peeing in a cup, which the ones that I've found are just not easy to use. So my husband actually made one for me. And that's our prototype for our product. It's super exciting. And so it's super messy. It's super annoying. It's such an I've been trying to conceive now for 12 weeks, or 12 months, and to pee on yourself for seven days out of the month, if not more, it's exhausting. And it's annoying, and it makes the whole process even worse. And then you start testing for pregnancy. So you're paying even more so between the prenatal the ergonomic P Cup, the nipple bomb, the postpartum bra. And a couple other I can't talk about yet. We're feeling really excited.
Fiona 18:32
Ah, I'm ready. So ice. It's amazing. And I think So truly, there's a there's that question of how, how can this be in the society we live in? But I think it's largely driven by the fact that women haven't been in a position to drive innovation and then and what have you. I mean, I it resonates to me, my first daughter, I was in labour for three days. And she was early. So they wouldn't help or do anything because they wanted to just wait and see. And then I was utterly exhausted and just wanted to get out of the hospital and they wouldn't let us go. So the paediatrician had said yes. And then the woman that that the nurse at sign offset, no. So we ended up just checking out anyway. And then there's all these panic thoughts going through my head as we're driving away, it's what am I doing? Why am I doing this? I'm taking this tiny little baby out of the hospital, maybe they should be in the hospital. And then I got mastitis and all sorts of things. And it's just hard because you feel so alone. I mean, at the time, we didn't have any hot water. Our heating had broken, it was December. And I was told with the mastitis, make sure you're having a warm bath and I'm like, Well, I can't have a warm bath because we haven't got any water. I'd say but you know there are things obviously the water thing is shouldn't be a problem in the first world but there are so many aspects that you do question done, how is this still happening? How then not more out there to help this? Well,
Garrett 20:06
and the other thing is like I Yes, women have been sometimes put down, not invited into conversations around entrepreneurship have been forced to be homemakers and all of that. But at the same time, it's like, I see it also differently. Now, I'm like, even if you whether you're working, or you're working in the home, it's all work and the mental load of just especially in those first six months, the mental load of taking care of yourself, and another human, especially as a first time mom, is so complex and intense, I don't mean to scare anyone, but it just, it's, it's a whole new level of awareness that it's also like, of course, nothing's been invented, because men haven't sat in our shoes to experience that, which is the leaking and the healing after birth wall caring for a baby that needs you. And, again, whether you're breastfeeding or not. And it's like your mental capacity is going towards yourself and your child. And so it's like, we are finally whether it's through in my case, like more supportive partnerships, where you know, my husband is really, truly an equal parent, like, there's no default parent in our household like we're both it and or just women supporting women that I think we're finally coming up for air a little bit and saying, Oh, I have a little bit extra mental capacity to put towards this innovative product. And it's, it's fascinating to
Fiona 21:45
me, it's so interesting, and it's so true. I remember, I, when I'd had my first daughter, Libby, I remember afterwards thinking, this is such an identity shift. It's so massive psychologically. And I remember talking to a friend about it, who had, who then had a child shortly afterwards, and she was a friend I'd been to university with and she had had, and went back to a very sort of high powered job. But there was this piece around, shall we write something, shall we write a book about the identity shift you have to take and how you lose that sense of identity when you have a child or a baby. But we didn't. And that's probably because we didn't have the mental gears, because it's not that I won't write books I've written but didn't have the mental capacity. There's just too much. And there's also I think, a feeling of when you've done it, I know you're hoping to go through it again, which is great. But in some ways, when you've done it, you want a little bit of distance from it. It's a bit like when you've written a book, and you say, I don't want to write blog anymore.
Garrett 22:53
I don't want to read anything like yeah, it's, I think about this a lot, because we've been trying to conceive for 12 months. And I say that, in all seriousness, we timed it. We've tracked the ovulation we've done the whole thing. And at the same time, when I entered this new year, I was like, I'm thankful I'm not pregnant yet. Because I it's like the universe is smarter than me. Like I needed a minute. I needed a full year. So this weekend, actually like today, a year ago, I stopped breastfeeding. So I've been a year with my body to myself. And it's not that consciously I didn't want to have another and I still don't want to. I've always wanted to have more kids. But it's like, you know, the universe knew that I needed a second to myself more than I thought I did, because there is something so even though it's so hard, it is so magical, that I think it's it's not for everybody, but a lot of my friends have one and they're like, I want another like I want another even if I'm not ready yet, like they're just kind of like I know in my heart that I do want to do this again at some point. So it's interesting the timing of it all because I feel like I got pregnant with cosy cosy in August so and now here we are, and it'll be about nine and a half months by the time we launched the postpartum bra.
Fiona 24:14
So that's really cool. I like that I'm, I'm I massively excited and I'm definitely going to be following your journey. And I'm thinking whilst I will definitely not be having any more children because I am past that now. It's maybe ridiculous not but at some point my daughters will be having children and I'm thinking about what you're doing. They may not but I presume they are. And what you're doing is providing things that I will be so pleased that are in in the marketplace when it comes to being their turn. So things are better. Things are easier. Things are more cosy.
Garrett 24:52
Yeah, my mom had this really interesting experience she said like watching me go through it and like being brought Back to so many of her own, almost like unprocessed things that she didn't realise she never got a minute to be like, Wow, how did I do that? That was awful. Like, now there's, I mean, there's already so many great products that have come since since I was born. And she's like, now I know what I want to send to like my, all these other new moms that you know, my brothers and I have friends that are having babies. And she's like, I know what I want to send, because like women deserve to feel comfortable. And then little did we know, we would end up creating a company together to have our own descend to people, but it really makes all the difference. And I know a lot of moms probably listening know this. But when you find a product you like, like, it makes such a difference.
Fiona 25:41
It really does. And it's more of a support than you can imagine. Any ease and comfort that you can provide is massive. And it's interesting what you say about your mum, because I'm sure that must be the case for a lot of women, we don't have time to process our thoughts at that time, because we are doing everything we can, as you said earlier, to keep our head above water to be able to get there. You know, it's hard, and it's full on and it's incredibly rewarding. But it's, you know, we consolidate memories from emotions by reflecting on them. And if we don't have that time to reflect, we don't necessarily process them. So it doesn't surprise me that you're saying that about your mom. And it's interesting. I wonder, I'm gonna go and do some research on the research because there must be research on that. It's it's a fascinating topic, but something else that I think it's really important to highlight for new moms. That is not to say, Oh, this is going to be like the most impossible thing you ever do. But it is a challenge. You know, getting fit to challenge but it's rewarding. It is rewarding, but it is a challenge.
Garrett 26:55
Like a whole new level. Yeah, of hard. And I worked at Barry's boot camp for for almost seven years. But I for two and a half, I opened the studio for 5am workout classes, because a lot of people in Boston can be connected to UK time or they want to be in their desk by 7am. So they do 5am workouts and I would wake up at 330, Monday, Friday, yeah, seven hours, five days a week. I swear it aged me but I always used to say, well, I'm going to be so well practised to be a mom, because I get up at 330. And I but what I didn't realise is I would get up at 330 on my own volition, with my own alarm clock, and have the rest of the day to myself to recoup, to rest if I needed to. Whereas as a mom, it's like your child is your alarm clock. I thought for sure when I have kids, I'm still going to get up early before them I'm going to, you know, do my coffee and journal routine. And I didn't start being able to do my coffee and journal routine until my son was 13 Slash 14 months. Because he's an he still is an awful sleeper. And when you're up once, if not twice a night. Like I would just wake up whenever I heard him crying. And sometimes it would be at 6am. And sometimes it would be at seven. But when it started consistently being a little closer to seven, I was like, okay, I can get up at 530. He's sleeping in the night through the night more regularly. And I could get back to that routine. But when you're tired, it messes with everything like I don't know, I started making a bunch of TiC TOCs. And I was reflecting on this and how for some reason, the thought of putting my son in the car seat used to feel hard. The thought of cooking dinner was hard. And I'm like, well now I love cooking dinner for him and like, but thank goodness for my husband that he works from home was that I'm like, can you come down and put him in the car seat? Like, can you make dinner tonight? And he did because I just mentally I don't know why? Because it doesn't make sense to me now. But in the back then it was like, that feels like you know doing an Ironman. It's awful. Yeah, it's
Fiona 29:03
the it's the cognitive load, isn't it? I think because we're just utterly depleted. I remember feeling the same about putting my daughter's in the car seat because I also I don't know about your son but my daughters would squirm and arch their back and and it's just it that becomes an emotional challenge as well. Because you feel me you feel like you're doing something that they don't want to do. So then you feel all of that negative emotion comes with it and guilt and the concern and questioning and so I get it. It's a lot. So your podcasts you've had if you've changed it, haven't you I think in January you changed it until then it was dead to move which is the same title as your book. Yes. And you think it's some some of the episodes away? The guests and some of you speaking, and some really interesting guests from a whole spectrum of backgrounds, sort of health, fertility, peppered in with nutrition and founders as well. So the things that you've said really interest you. Now, I said, I think I said to you, before we came on there was there was one that really stuck out for me. And I love the name of it as well, the subtle nudge, intuition, how to know if it's intuition or your fears. Can you tell us a bit about that particular episode, if you can remember, because I know I've sprung it on you. So
Garrett 30:41
yeah, I always joke that anytime I solo cast, I have no idea what I said, I typically receive like an idea or a concept, I open my laptop, I record and I tried to write the show notes as soon as possible so that I know what I was talking about, or link any other episodes that are relevant. And then I kind of forget, and the title obviously is powerful enough to bring me back. But in. So I guess what I'll say is, just to sum up the podcast, I'm an Enneagram. Seven, I have no bounds. I want to do all the things all the time. And when I started my podcast, I was like, Okay, well, I have a history and that loss and wellness coaching, a lot of that has to do with motivation, which has to do with mindset. And I know a lot of really interesting, cool people in the creative space, a lot of people in LA, a lot of authors, a lot of writers, a lot of entrepreneurs, because I've been one. So I just continued to let allow the podcast to be a space where anyone I meet and connect with can come on and share their wisdom, and then I can use it as a tool to coach for free, because I've been doing my coaching business for almost 10 years. And so with that one, what I find in the journey of coaching people on mindset and spiritual business development is that when we haven't fully developed self awareness, we contend to not differ be able to differentiate what is intuition? Or what is our shadow voice, or what is our ego. And so what I tried to do in that episode is to help people discern the way intuition can come through, because it can be quite different than logic or your ego. And that, that it, it usually also has some level of body consciousness. So the idea of being in your body and not in your mind came up. And then from that we get into anxiety, because anxiety can also be an embodied experience, whether that's cold on your thighs, or tingling in your fingers, or butterflies in your stomach. And what some people don't necessarily have. The ability to differentiate is anxiety versus excitement sometimes. And in that experience, it's really the content you're overlaying. So if someone knows that the story of their life is I'm on my way to have a really big meeting about a job offer those butterflies, they might say, Oh, I'm so excited because I have a job offer meeting. Whereas you might have the same physical sensation, but be on your way to break up with someone I don't know. And then you're like, oh, I have anxiety. So the physical body experience is one to really know and track and feel into. And so I know, from whatever I can remember that that episode talks a lot about being in your body, embodied awareness, and then also how intuition speaks to us and how it's usually a soft whisper. And not anything that has to do with logic or reasoning. There's no back and forth, it usually only speaks once. Like, it's like, break up with him, you know, and you're like, what? Why would I break up with him? That doesn't make any sense. And then you logic you then you know, you're not listening. But sometimes we have to get comfortable with the Whisper or the subtle nudge before a while before we take action.
Fiona 34:09
I love that the Whisper. I think that's that's so descriptive of what what in fact, it actually is. And like you say, it can often just tell you once but then when we start questioning it, it doesn't make sense. And there's no way or make sense because it's actually it's an emotion driven decision. It's not a logic driven decision. And we know that we need both. Even if you look at it scientifically, the science says good leadership, good Decision making involves both but we're trained out of almost the listening to the intuition.
Garrett 34:50
Yeah, I you know, it's funny, there's like a saying that millionaires look at data and billionaires look at astrology or something and I personally believe that like everything is energy and whether you have a higher self or God or the universe or someone kind of guiding you, I think our intuition is a specific level of consciousness that we can access. But we have to be grounded. And we have to be out of fight or flight and out of the chaos. And the intuition is sort of coming to us as whether it's a lesson or inner wisdom, we have to get quiet in order to hear that whisper. And very recently, I actually just dropped a podcast on Friday about intuition, anxiety and higher guidance, because I was invited to go on a ski trip, and I love skiing. It was a girls weekend, it was so aligned in a logical way. But at like three in the morning, my son had woken up for a bottle. I couldn't go back to sleep. And I heard like, Don't go, don't go, don't go to that trip. And I was like, but I want to go to the trip. Like, I have points to fly there. I have free lodging, like, I should go, what am I gonna have another girls trip? So I didn't listen. And I ended the saying is like, you hear the whisper, then you get pushed, and then you get like, hit by a bus to like, put the proverbial bus in order to get the lesson or get the message. So it can come through. So I didn't listen, didn't listen. And then my husband and I got COVID. And when COVID hit and my fever was breaking in the middle of the night, I literally heard like, you didn't listen, like you're not going to this trip, like you're not going and so couldn't go on the trip. Like I literally couldn't, because I didn't listen. And I still don't know why. I mean, I got a lot done that week and whatever. But sometimes simple stuff and or the universal give us like slow pitch, practice experiences to learn how we need to listen better.
Fiona 36:47
I think that's interesting. It's learning how we need to listen better. But maybe maybe we do know that naturally. But it's learn. Unlearn through the way we're brought up. But we definitely need to learn it. Either way. It's interesting talking about billionaires, I was watching there's a documentary, I don't know if it's available in the US, but on Richard Branson. Yeah, four part series. And the last one is looking at him going into space, but they will go through his life, talk to his daughter and his son and his wife and his mum, his mum's voices on it a lot. But it's definitely someone who, you know, he he'd say, when the numbers guy says no, I say yes. And that's intuition that saying, I will do what I think will work. And clearly he's taken some what others might consider massive risks in that sense. But you know, not everyone would say that being a billionaire is success. But a lot of people would,
Garrett 37:51
yeah, I joke like that he's not from here. But it is. So one of the this person, she was an advisor to him sort of, she has her own consultancy, and she was my first business coach. So she's kind of trained under him. And she I hired her as like my first kind of whatever, professional coach in 2019. And I will tell you, even though it was a very high, very expensive fee to work with her, and she has done a lot of amazing things in her career. 100% of the work I did with her was spiritual. There was nothing else except spirituality, and energy work, which to me was like, it was all spiritual. I mean, she gave me tactical things to do in my consultancy, which I did, but it all came from what's true within me, and my energy and where I'm going and doing a lot of Joe Dispenza work around that and mind movies and manifestation and it's like that's, that's the truth for her. And now for me and for Richard.
Fiona 39:03
It's really interesting. I am. I worked with a chief exec who's very good friends with him. So his this guy, Richard Branson's godparent to his children. And I said to him, I won't say his name, but I just said to him, will you introduce me to which branch and he went? No. That's my answer to that one. Hey, I appreciate it. Yeah, it's not gonna hurt to ask but the answer was very blunt. It was a no and a very clear. Oh, no. Yeah, clear. So the universe wasn't wasn't connecting me. I've always found him really interesting. And I remember writing an essay on him when I was doing my business masters, which was a long time ago. And just then sort of a friend of mine was an air stewardess with Virgin And then she went to Necker Island, because she, I don't know why they picked a few people and lots of people that have sort of come into contact with him. And I'm always fascinated to hear what people say and how they've experienced him. And I really enjoyed I really enjoyed that documentary because it did actually give a slightly different perspective to one that I may be experienced through talking to people and reading the books and all those sorts of things. We get sorry,
Garrett 40:29
I need to find it. Oh, yes.
Fiona 40:31
Well, I don't know how I can I can tell you the title. Anyway, the thing you said that I found interesting was spirituality and business really, founders, entrepreneurship. So you've given an example of how you think they go together with Richard Branson, but how do you think they go together in more everyday business? And do you think the fact that they perhaps don't always go together is the reason that everyday business is not as impactful or successful as the things that someone like Richard Branson has done?
Garrett 41:06
Um, I think I guess I joke, not joke, because it's serious to me. But I think it throws people off that I talk a lot about spiritual business development, like your business will evolve to the extent that your soul is evolved to the extent that you believe in yourself to the extent that you are unblocked, because if you are experiencing limiting beliefs, if you are not aware of your shadow, if you are not aware of your ego, you are going to run into problems in your business. Because as my spiritual teacher says, we're always working our shit out. So you're either working it out in your relationship to evolve your soul, or in your business, or with your children, or with your best friend. So it's like a lot of people who are putting, you know, 80% of their life force into their business, if they haven't done the work to work on themselves, they're going to manifest their, their their own lessons through their business, which means it might be a bumpy road. And so, in my experience, the more I've worked on myself, and the more I've gotten clear on who I really am and what I'm really here to do, and what's aligned for me and understanding my human design, my Enneagram, my astrology chart, all of that, I can then look at what is truly truly aligned for me. And then I can live be in listening to my messages because I'm a more clear channel because I'm not dealing with my ego in the way that I may be used to receive messages to create my business. So you know, the idea of coming to me in the middle of the night with my son next to me and saying, I'm going to create this someday and the name of the company cosy, cosy, it's because my son does this little snuggle move and I always say cosy, cosy, get cosy, cosy. So it's like, okay, that's right in front of me. I think I was telling you the story about being in Shavasana. And like seeing a red barn and being like, I wonder if there's a red barn ventures, let me Google and then there was and their most recent, well published on their website, it was old, but their, their most recent investment was in the fertility space, and one of our products will put us in the FEM health tech space. So it's like, you can be connected, it's like we are always creating and we're much more powerful than we realise. But we can't be in that realisation. If we haven't done the personal work, which is whether you want to call it energy work or personal development or spiritual growth. So to me spiritual business development, is really understanding the higher purpose, the higher vision and if you can get really clear on that, and your north star and feel it in your body, then to the Richard Branson point, like, you know, exactly like for him. It's like he can be like, okay, music, aeroplanes, rocket ships. To me, that makes sense, right? Like, he can be like, I can see it, but no one else can see it and no one else is gonna think it's logical. And that doesn't matter. Because all he has to do is what my teacher taught me she, I have it on my desk somewhere enrollment and engagement. Your only job as a CEO, is to get people to see your vision, the way you see it, get them enrolled, get them engaged, keep them engaged in what you're doing and where you're going. Because it's going to take a minute for them to see that music rocket ships and aeroplanes all connect. And my guess is he decided he wanted and I think he probably has said this, like, he wanted to go to space when he was like eight. You know, like it to him. It's like, of course, that's what I'm gonna do. I just might have to do a couple other steps First, which he did. But it's that unblocked sense of power and creation, that if you can get to that through self development, your business won't be the thing giving you lessons.
Fiona 44:32
Everything is so interesting, and I think it's also like you said it's, it's different people will call it different things, whether it's spirituality or personal development or but when you are able to work on yourself or you're able to understand yourself, and constantly be tuned in not in a way that's draining, but in a way that's empowering. Then it also means you're better able to optimally exercise Is that you're better able to optimally eat. And you might call it mindfulness. But it's, it's a combination of all these things. And I think spirituality in one way explains the complexity of it. For me, obviously, I'm a psychologist. So I would say that it's about, you know, I would say, maybe a psychometric, and it's about a 360 feedback. And it takes a slightly different angle on it. But yet, I'm still trying to get the people I work with to think about intuition. And what are you really feeling? What is this really about? It's not about what the data says. It's what you think what you feel. And there was a clip, actually on the Branson documentary where someone said, you know, he always seems to be so many steps ahead of the rest of us. He's got, he's already he's, it's already there in his head, he's already doing it. And, and, you know, that's something I see a lot with good leaders I work with, and I tend to only work with good leaders now, because I can't be a bad leader. And there's always this that many, many steps ahead, and then it's coming back round, and bringing everyone with you on that journey and helping everyone else understand that what if that's where we going? How do we get that?
Garrett 46:16
Yeah, but the word that came up for me when you were talking about trying to get your clients to really tune into what they're feeling is sovereignty. Like, I feel like in various generations, we weren't taught that we have full capability and power. And we don't need approval, we don't there's no proverbial police that are going to tell us our ideas wrong or our Instagram posts is stupid, or, you know what it's like, we like accessing true and full sovereignty and doing what you want, when you want how you want it to the extent that you can, is the true kind of operational level I think you need to get to, because sovereignty is is everything. And the best way to say it is like I'm choosing this just because I want to not because it's cool, not because my mom said I should not because my husband likes it like, because because I want to drink this today, because it sounds good. Because Because just because and I think that that's missed sometimes, within people to be able to hear their intuition.
Fiona 47:24
Do you think that it's a bigger barrier for people who are from less privileged backgrounds, in that they do not have necessarily the agency to be able to do that?
Garrett 47:36
Agency is super powerful world, or word? And yes, I think that, for me, the best agency comes from someone showing you that it's possible. And so I always ask people when I'm meeting with them, like, regardless of their background, like, who did you see whether it was someone on TV that showed you that it was possible? Or like for me, my grandfather was a very, very astute businessman, like everyone said he had a sixth sense. He created an amazing business. But he came from a mom that was a single mom in the 30s. And he had to hunt for food. And so I always wonder, like, where did you realise that you could do this? And, you know, I come from that lineage. But I also, my mom had a really bad prenup. And she basically, I mean, I remember cutting coupons to buy cereal. And it was it was a challenge. But seeing her figure out how to build a career after being a stay at home mom for 10 years, like, showed me agency. And so I think the power of accessing agency and and being in the remembrance that we do have sovereignty is so looking for examples. And just knowing that you can access that belief.
Fiona 49:00
So you probably don't know. But my second book is how role models make us human. So that completely resonates. But the other thing that I'm not sure you do know is the platform that we're building is around mentoring. Because it leverages mentoring and role modelling because they you have to be able to see it. And that's how we learn. That's how a massive amount of our learning takes place, both social and emotional. But then there's also the piece where someone else believes in you. And I think that is what often enables you to believe in yourself. But you have to let them believe in you as well. Oh, both both points
Garrett 49:41
of that. I think that's major because I had I had numerous parents and grandparents are people who would always say, you can dream it, you can do it, you know, but I think you make a real it's almost a bigger point to receive it. It's like the ability to receive a compliment someone says you look beautiful. Oh Oh, no, not me. It's like, no, like receive that. Because if you don't allow someone to nearer to you what you're capable of it's the rejection of wanting to believe in your, your true power. So thank you for bringing up those two points.
Fiona 50:15
And actually the title, which I got wrong of my second book, because that's how good selling my book is actually mirror thinking, How does make us thinking how role models make us human? So it's funny you use the word mirror there, because it's, yeah, maybe interesting. So you've got a lot coming up a really exciting journey, you're on an exciting journey, you've got an exciting journey. Your little boy keeps you busy. But also this business where you're patenting new designs. And I mean, back to what you were talking about right at the beginning, which is this disposable, what was it disposable bra. And the point you also made there was that it's for someone that potentially has had something like a mastectomy, and it's not even just for that postpartum piece. That is massive as well. And I think it's providing such a service to so many people. But I think it's also to your point, it's showing people that it's possible. It's saying women can do this for women. And you know, I think men can do things for women and men want to do things for women as well, but they're not always sure how to. And that takes us showing them as well. So I think you're, you're role modelling that piece for, they'll be role modelling it for your son as well, I know he's to at the moment, but when he's older, he'll look at you and actually don't want to keep referring to Branson, but just once more. He said that he didn't realise until he was actually he was referring to as if it had been the last few years and he's in his 70s. Now that he took so much learning on how he is from his mom. Well, way she operated. She said, she just she didn't say don't do it. She said try it. See if if you hurt yourself, you hurt yourself. But go try that that feeling of nothing is impossible was instilled in him from quite a young age. Yeah, it's, uh,
Garrett 52:30
my dad is coming up from home. My mom is my superhero. You know, raising three kids and putting herself into building a career in our 30s is beyond me. But my dad had this really interesting experience with studying botany and then ending up in the US Air Force. And then following that active duty circle circling Iraq during Saddam Hussein's era to becoming a Thunderbird pilot, which are they do the big demonstrations and the air shows and taking local newscasts. I mean, he was sort of like a celebrity, and then now runs my grandfather's business, he signed the papers over to him on his deathbed. And my dad, all of a sudden had 1000 employees and no business experience. So Wow, dad has really shown me too, and watching him for the last decade in that role, and what he's expanded into, and how he's kind of grown, the company has really given me insight to like, as long as you're following your passions to us outward. It's like a whole level of consciousness, really. You can all connect, there's no boundaries, there's no firm lines in the sand. If you do this, you can't do this. You know, if you're a psychologist, you can't be a founder. Or if you have a fitness background, you can't do entrepreneurship, like it's whatever you want. It's like we're all making it up. As long as it's aligned.
Fiona 53:54
Yeah, we're all making up and it's having that I think some people find it harder, because they like to see exactly what's in front of them. And I think some people will have an a more natural propensity to say, let's see what comes. Let's see how it works out. So I do think it's harder in that sense for some people. But I think if we can all look at ourselves, like you said, that self awareness and awareness of our environment and then I mean, the other words you used on on some of the titles of your podcasts, which I think searchers intent is what do you intend to do with this? What what do you want to happen? How, how are you making something deliberate rather than just by chance? But we're so nuanced with all these tiny little things that can push you one way or the other? Is it is it intuition or is it fear is it you know, but that I think it can sound overwhelming and daunting, but it's also immensely exciting, because we've got our whole lives to learn about ourselves and other people and how we all interconnect and To gain that, I call it social and emotional wisdom of the world around us. Yeah, I've already eaten up loads of your time, and you have a lot to do around your wonderful patents and your wonderful business and being a mum. So, I am going to wrap up, but I am definitely going to request that we stay in touch. And we keep talking. And we're going on our founder journey together.
Garrett 55:30
So yes, thank you so, so much for having me. And one last thing I'll say for people is like to add to what you were just sharing is that I think most people are familiar with goal setting. But goal setting usually assumes that there's this linear timeline and their steps. And it's like, I think it's the worst advice of all time, I think you should use the word intention setting. And don't worry about the steps and don't worry about the timeline and let the quantum universe take over. Because if you can forget about the how and know that there's probably like, there's a cosmic intelligence smarter than you, that's gonna have better steps. And you can even imagine, all you have to do is set the intention and hold it fiercely. So that's my two cents on on letting go of the the how and being interest and it's been so much fun talking to you. And I didn't realise how many, many things we have in common. So it's been lovely.
Fiona 56:26
It's certainly been lovely for me your book, where can people find it? Can I put a link to it in the show notes?
Garrett 56:33
Absolutely. Have you searched dare to move on Amazon or the internet. You can buy it. Amazon's probably the easiest way and sometimes Well, I think Daring to Move you could put by Garrett and it'll pop up.
Fiona 56:46
Amazing. And other things by use of cosy cosy. Have you got a website for cosy cosy,
Garrett 56:53
We're not sure when you're going to drop this but our website will be up soon like in the next few weeks. It's just cosy cosy.com And then the podcast is the cosy cosy podcast
Fiona 57:03
Amazing and people be able to find it on your name as well. But I will put those links in the show notes so that people can explore more of your stuff and the wonderful things you're doing which are really exciting and follow your journey. And I actually I'll also put if you've got an Instagram handle, I'll pop that in there as well so that people can find you on Instagram. Great. Thank you so so much!