Are you ready to start living your best life today? Hey, you all. I'm Mallory, and welcome to the Living Fully podcast. I'm a wife, mom, and entrepreneur here to encourage you toward a life of joy and fulfillment. My heart of big dreams took me a long way from growing up on a farm in Kentucky, from Miss America and the Amazing Race, all the way to writing a best-selling book and creating two multimillion dollar merchandise lines. Through this crazy journey, I've had a lot of highs and some some lows, but I found my true self along the way. So now my hope is to motivate you to find your own version of living fully. Here, we believe you have a choice in your legacy. So let's start living it out today. I'm Mallory, and this is the Living Fully podcast. Hello, everyone, and welcome back to the Living Fully podcast. You are really in for a treat today because I have a guest on who we all love her clothes, and we love her family, and we love her recent move from Houston to Nashville, and we love her transparency, and we really love everything about this woman.

And that woman is my friend Dee Dee Rad, who you may know as Dress Up Buttercup, but we're trying to get that changed. And this episode is so amazing. And you're going to laugh, and you're going to cry, and you're going to learn some things about Dee Dee Rad that You did not know. And I'm so excited to bring this to you today, because when I tell you that Dee Dee is truly one of the truest, purest, most amazing human beings on the face of the Earth, not just on the Internet, it is true, and you're about to see why. So we talk about a lot of things, like her recent move from Houston to Nashville and leaving her village. We talk about transparency and letting people into your life. We talk about building a business. We talk about this amazing management company that she and my favorite person in the world, who also happens to be her husband, Ted Rad started. We just really go down so many amazing paths on this podcast, and I am so excited to bring this to you today and bring my friend Dee Dee to you today. So you guys are going to love this one.

So let's get started. All right. So I want to start off the podcast this season with just a moment of gratitude, if you will. So who's somebody in your life that you feel like you're grateful for because they help you live fully and why?

Okay, this might be a cliché answer, but my husband, Ted Rad is the guy that I've... I've leaned on him since I was 15 years old. It is someone that he has such a great perspective of life. Don't take things too seriously. Obviously, roll it off your shoulder when I'm in a rut and things like that. So he gives me a great perspective of when I'm out down in the trenches and I'm like, Oh, I need help or anything like that. He's there to give me great perspective, be my best friend, lean on him. I think that we both have really made it our mission just to live fully for ourselves, together and create a family like that, too, that we're able to just pour into our kids and do life together, create companies together, travel together, do all those things. I think he truly is my best friend. I want to hang out with him all the time. I'm the one that follows him out in different rooms. I'm, too. And he's like, Leave me alone. But I love him. I love him, and he's the one that... My best friend, truly, truly.

I love Tadrad. I'm going to echo this because you know what's funny, too? That I can remember, I think I followed you probably before you followed me. And I'm glad that now we're real life friends. But before we were real life friends, we were Instagram friends, which count as real life friends in our world. So I can still remember, Dee Dee, when you all announced at your first... The first comes love, then comes marriage.

That was like- The stroller. That was like- The Rosie Rad.

The Rosie rad. That was the sweetest baby announcement. And Ted is one of those people like you, and we'll talk about this today. You just shone such a light of joy and just a genuine heart through the screen. I think the word authentic is so overused, but you are authentic. Thank you. But it's just this genuine, very soulful way that you guys live. And Ted, even in the background of your stories before Ted was on his own Instagram and being Ted on Forbes, Ted is the same way. You can just tell that he's just genuine and sweet and kind and so damn funny.

Fun. Yes, fun and funny. I I love to laugh, and I need that in him. He just cracks me up all the time.

And it's really hard sometimes not to take things really seriously. And it's really nice when your spouse can remind you of that. A hundred %.

Or even take it personally. Sometimes you take it so personally, and he's He always sees the good in other people, too. So he's like, Maybe they're not thinking that. Just always lift your spirits up. I love that. I need that. I need that. I love that. I love that.

Shout out to Ted red here right in the first one minute of the podcast. I love it.

Ted, Ted, Ted. Ever since I was a little.

It's a Ted talk.

I know, right?

It's been almost 10 years that you've been in this space, right?

Dinosaur. I'm like, How do you work this anymore?

I think I have been in maybe even a second longer than you, but I do feel a little ancient, which is fine. It's fine. We were here before the Instagram stories, you all.

Really, really, truly. We were taking pictures. I had no Instagram stories at first.

So okay, in 2015, you got laid off from your job. I want you to just tell me a little bit about how you got started in this space. So you were working in oil and gas, right?

I was working in oil and gas, and I absolutely hated it. But Houston, that was the thing to do. Everyone do oil and gas. And it was great hours. I was a wedding planner before that, and I loved it. I knew what- I could see you doing that. Yeah, I loved it. I knew what having a good job meant and a filled job. And so when I went to Oil and Gas and I got stuck at my desk, I was like, Oh, my gosh, there's something more. There has to be so much more than just putting up a hop-up banner for these guys and some beer and calling that a party. I was miserable. I was at my desk, and I just had in my gut feeling like I was following these blogs and these bloggers. I was like, I can do this. Why can't I not do this? I got laid off, and I was like, Ted, I'm going to start a blog. And he's like, What are you doing? I was like, I'm not getting another job. Trust me, I'm going to make money. I'm going to start a blog. And he was like, Okay, you are happy wife, happy life.

So he just went with it. So he was getting his master's working full-time. He'd meet me at this wall, I'd take four or five outfit photos, and then he'd go to his master's, and I'd go home and edit my blog and my photos. I just had a gut feeling of like, this is what I need to be doing. I took it so seriously. I really had no idea how to make money. I really had no idea. He kept saying, Oh, all those girls that are doing so well, that's like their husband's money or their company's money. Everyone just assumed that. They do. They still do. Yeah. It was hard for me to even realize how they made money. But I think God was just kept saying, This is your calling. This is what you need to be doing. And so I just took it seriously full-time. I did do photography, too, because he was like, We need some income. Come on. Let's go. And so I was like, Okay, photography, I still need that for blogging. So I blogged Monday through Friday for two years. Made no money, but I still was like, This is my calling.

This is my reason why I do it. And I'm so thankful for it. I just trusted my gut to be able to do it. And it It's changed our lives. It truly, truly has in the best way possible.

And it's so awesome, too. When you're a person that when you feel something on your heart or wherever you feel it in your body, to follow it. Because you know what's so unfortunate now, and I hear people say it to me all the time. I know they say it to you is, I wish I could do it.

And I'm like, you can. You can.

You can. Because we started where you're starting from now.

Yeah, 100 %.

And yes, this space looks different, but what an awesome thing that you follow that calling. Yeah.

And I know I could have listened to all the people that are like, What are you doing? Or, We're not making any money off of this, or all the negativity that came through. It could have been so easy to focus on that, but instead, I just focus on what I'm being called to. I had a heart for it. So if someone has a heart and a passion for something, don't let any of the negativity get in your way. Just keep going forward, put your head down, and just keep grinding for your goal.

Yeah. In the very beginning, it's just your friends consuming your content. I think a lot of people overthink that because it's like, What are What are you doing? We know you, and you're like, What are you doing?

No, really. They're like, are you going to take a photo of this? Do you need your photo taken? I'm like, actually, yes. I need my photo taken. No, for all. A lot of it.

Okay, so what kept you going? That was just that you just had it on your heart, and it stayed on your heart. Because a lot of people can't push through those early days where they're like, I'm not making any money. Agree. How to keep going. My friends are saying, This is weird. I think that there are so many cases where if if they just pushed just a little bit more to get out of that phase of it, they could have a full-blown career supporting their family. A hundred %. What advice or how did you push through?

I will say I loved playing the game of Instagram. I feel like it was such a game in that time and blogging, too. Of like, one, all of the things that blogging in the space come naturally to me. I'm just so open with people. I love telling them, Oh, where you got that? Where did you get that shirt from? I love that to my core. When you're traveling, I know we had no money, and my mom was a flight attendant at the time. So we just did, instead of saying, Oh, I can't travel because I'm limited in funds, we made it a way to budget around our priorities to be like, Yeah, my mom is a flight attendant. We could get on this plane. It was called Hotel Tonight or something that we'd get really, really cheap hotels from and just go with it because that was our priority. I feel like this, too. That was my priority of making it happen. I was like, I need this to work out, and I don't know what is on the other side of the fence, but I think it's going to be great.

What a good advice, too. When you focus on your priorities, I always say it. I say it in a little bit of a different way, but if you focus on your priorities, the things that are truly your priorities, which I think you can figure out what your priorities are. If you don't know what your priorities are, look at your values. What are the things that you value? And then pull your priorities out. So many people are focusing on so many other things, and then they don't get to that amazing end goal that is a career in social media or whatever that is for you. And so what good advice? Right off the bat, I think that that's really something that I wish for more people. I wish that more people would do. I love that. Okay, so what was the moment that you realized, oh, this is This is working? This is a thing.

This is working. When I got paid $50 for a campaign, and I was like, Ted, we're doing it. We're rich. This is happening. That was the moment when I was just enjoying it. I was buying the clothes. I was returning to at the time. I was playing the game of like, I need to share these clothes, but I can't afford all this clothes, so I returned it. And then someone was like, I will give you all these clothes and $50 because your girls are really responsive. They love what you're wearing, and they are shopping my site. And I was like, You want to pay me? That's crazy. And then from there, I learned about affiliate marketing. I learned about brand collaborations. And I was Okay. But I also put those not first. I put my community, my girls first. I really did what I thought was best for them and what they really wanted to see. That $50 was great at the time. Let me tell you, it felt great. But if it also was a boutique that I was like, Oh, they're not going to be able to shop here, or it's not the right quality or the right fit, I'm like, No, I don't need that $50.

At the very beginning, I knew to take this so seriously and to treat my community, my girls I'll protect them at all costs and think of them first before anything. You still do it? I do.

Yes, 100 %. You can tell when people do that and when people don't do that. And it's no fault. If that's how people want to run it, that's okay. But when you treat your community like a baby bird, I feel like you and I both do.

A baby bird, little chick.

They're special.

These are our people. I agree.

And we have to take care of them and protect them at all costs. We're the representative.

Nothing's worth it. Nothing's worth it to lose that trust. I love that. Trust. If you weren't going to tell your sister or your mom or something about this product or these clothes, why would you share that to the masses? That's not something... You've known your gut, too. Yes, you do. What is good, what is bad to share.

That's one piece of it is sharing all these fun things that this is the way that we make money, but it's also sharing with our community, and it's awesome. So bring in, especially with Instagram stories, I feel like that's when our world shifted a little bit to be, oh, okay, we need to show our life. And there are still stories that I can remember. I remember when you all lived in that little apartment, and you were making Ted and Rosie share a closet. There are so many stories from you for those days, dude, that I will never forget because they were just like, I love you. They were so endearing and so real, and so... And then I remember when you were walking in the new house, and I think that you all were building, and I remember seeing that arched hallway, and I was like, She's made it.

Oh my gosh, I love you.

You know, you root for people, and you cheer for people. But we We do. You do let people into your lives. And that transparency piece is something that comes along with the territory. And I like, I thank you. I do love it. But once you let people in, they get to be a part of everything. And I love having people in the delivery room with me. And the postpartum underwear, and all the places that people get to come with us. But it's It's also tough. It's also tough. And I think you're the one of the most transparent people. Can I tell you why? Yeah, I want to know why. That was what I was going to ask you is why?

I feel like growing up in my high school, I've thought about this so much, but high school and college, I felt like, Oh, I was the odd one out. I'm the only one doing this. I'm the only one that... My parents are immigrants. My mom was an immigrant. I'm the only one that... I don't know. It's hard to... It My upbringing was very different than everyone else, and I felt very alone. Then with my parents, I lost my dad when I was right before our wedding. It was a month before our wedding. I was at camp. I was 20 years old, lost him with a heart attack. I felt like my only self. I was the only one that I felt like I didn't have a dad. Then fast forward, eight years later, my mom had breast cancer, and I felt like I was the only one that my mom had breast cancer, and everyone else got to go on with their lives. I realized after I pull back that veil of like, if you just share who you are, other people are not going to feel less lonely. They're not going to feel like they're the only ones, and I'm tearing up.

I don't know why.

You're making me feel too.

It is one of the greatest joy is to be able to share what you're going through. I bet you've experienced that with your grandpa and other people being like, I've been there, and I want you to know you're not alone. There's another side to it that you're going to get over. I just think that has given me purpose of sharing it all. Even postpartum, I didn't know that you were going to wear diapers after having a baby until I went to lunch. This girl was like, Do you have your diapers? I was like, For the baby? Yes. She was like, No, for you. I thought it was going home in jeans. Let me tell you, I had no idea. That's why I felt called to share postpartum, too. I know a bunch of articles picked up. I was not expecting that at all. But it was so cool to share. In my vulnerable stage, I'm an open book, so I didn't really mind. And I don't think about it. I bet you do, too. You don't think about how many people are watching you. No, I don't. You just think about one person that you could help, too.

And so that's where I was at. I was like, All right, here's my diaper. Because I had no idea I was walking away with the diaper. So let me tell you all, you're not going home in Jean's sister. You're going home in a big dress.

Oh, in your diaper that you got a Before. It was wild.

I just feel like, you know? I just love sharing because someone's like, years later, they're like, Oh, my mom is going through breast cancer. I remember you sharing that, and I couldn't relate to that then, but I can relate to it now. I'm so sorry. Or your strength and your way that you can keep going shows that I can keep going. I'm like, I love that. That is what keeps me going the most.

That is so awesome, Dee Dee. I say it to a lot of people, not on a podcast or off camera. People are like, Who are the ones that are just really the real deal? You're always the first one that comes out of my mouth. You are too, Allie. Just the real, live, just amazing, salt of the Earth type of person. Love you. That's so real. And you know... Thanks. But I can remember those stories. I can still remember to this day the story that you shared when your mom... Because I know that it was a longer road there at the end. And I can still remember you all were in the hospital, and you're holding her hand. I I vividly remember this. It gives me chills. And then I can remember Ted getting on and just being like, these mom wants to be with Jesus. And you know what? I also remember in that time, and it just makes me emotional, I think, too, because just having gone through it, it is... Losing someone is such a... It just really- Rocks your world. It rocks your world. It shifts the whole Earth. And then we are public people who it is our job to show up- Keep going.

And keep going on the Internet, but also keep going in our households and with our children. And I can still remember you coming back on to Instagram and exuding the same joy-filled spirit. And I was like, what a testament to anybody who is going to lose someone or who has lost someone that you can continue on, not put your head in the sand and ignore what happened. But I can still remember that day that you showed your face again, and it was just like, there's Dee Dee. And look at what she's gone through. And just to show up and be still smiling and thanking people. It was just what a gift and a beautiful thing social media can be in moments like that.

It really is. I just felt to be able to share that, people were able to just be there with me as well through the grief process and two years to come, too, to be able to do stuff. I don't know. It's just like they're part of the story that I'm going through, and that God's written my story, and they get to see that, too. And hopefully It just touches their hearts and lives in some way to be able to share on stories. What a cool concept that I can just share my life on this little tiny phone, and people can relate to it. I think it is the coolest thing ever.

It really is. And those Instagram stories It's just letting people in on little tiny moments of your life.

I will say through it all, I was thinking of this, and I think me and my sister talk about a lot gratitude. And instead of the mindset of, Oh, I don't have my parents anymore, we talk about how we want the mindset of, I'm so thankful for our parents. I'm so thankful for that time of our parents. So it sucks that I don't have them anymore moving forward, but we had great parents. And so that's what I want to shift my mindset on, the positivity of things and not, Oh, boo me. I don't have parents anymore.

But that is really unbelievable and very...

You cry. Don't look at her.

It is just... No, we can't look at each other. It's straight. It's That is a powerful testament to the way that you can live your life moving forward from any form of adversity. And I think that losing your parents is the absolute hardest. I think losing a child and losing parents at a young age, those are the two hardest things I think that you can go through.

I think all of it is. Even your grandpa, anything. All of it is. It's so sad that it's part of life, but I know it's part of it. It is.

I know. It is. Why is it part of life? I know. I wish that they could live forever, but it's just... I know. Yeah. You're just so well-spoken, and that was just very well said. Okay, so let's keep shifting into personal life, because this is really funny to me. Let's get into it. Okay, let's move on, because this is talking about part of life. Okay, so Now you've had your third baby, and I'm so glad you didn't find out what that baby was, because when you had that little girl, that precious angel. So we were at the Farmer's Market, like two days before Dee Dee had this baby, and I was like, Well, what are your names? And she was telling me all these baby names.

The baby wasn't even on my list.

And then she comes out with this baby, I'm like, Did my friend Dee Dee deter me with the names?

I didn't hide it from you. It wasn't even on my list. That is so our personality. We're like, Yeah, okay. And just like, we just didn't have a name. We had Ford for a boy, and we didn't have a girl, and nothing was sticking to me. And for some reason, I don't know, I heard Vivi.

She's such a little Vivi, and she's so pretty, and she looks like your mom to me.

I know. I get that message. I think that's one sweetest part of this community. Sometimes I forget how my mom, her face, it's hard to imagine that. We knew her, too. Yes. You all knew. Those DMs that I get all the time, I'm like, Oh, how special that you all see my mom and her. It's the sweetest. It's the sweetest, but very, very cool. But she is a gift. She is our angel baby. I was just thinking, if she was a hard baby and we moved to Nashville, you'd never seen me. I would be at home trying to rock this baby and not have friends. She's just been our angel baby that goes with the flow. They say that about threes, right? The third kid, they have to. The third is an angel. They have to nap everywhere. They have to do the things. And so she's been our gift because I'm able to go anywhere and do things.

Yeah, because that was unbelievable. Because I know you're a community person and you're a family person because you got all of your aunts and this amazing community. And I love seeing your family's culture, too, continue to be passed. That is so cool. As a person that's from a really big family like you, it's so awesome. It's so awesome because there's so many people on on the Internet that don't have big families. We get to share our families with them, and it's just really cool. But I remember when you were at my house, you and Ted were at my house. I still remember because we were up in Sunday's room, and Ted was like, Yeah, I'm trying to get Dee Dee to move here, so we can open this office. And you were like, You know, maybe. I don't know. And I was like, Dee Dee, it's a great place. When else are you going to be able to do this? Because your kids aren't in second, third, and fourth grade. Just do it.

Just try it. Yeah, I know. You were the push. And you were You gave me all the recs, too, which you were the best friend to come over here. And I'm like, Where do I go for a guy? Where do I go for this? Where do I go for that? And Mallory, you hooked it up.

So I appreciate you doing your recs. I don't think you were pregnant at that point in time.

No. Nashville came first, then Baby Can't get right after.

And I love it, too, that you took that leap, because I think that so many people... Okay, we've got one life here. We are living it. And so many people will not go out of their comfort zone. And I'm just like, you all, a really great life can lie there. So just push yourself and make these hard choices and do these things that seem a little crazy.

For sure. I will say it's not all rainbows and butterflies.

So talk about that, your move from Houston and Nashville. Okay.

Houston, I had... It was just my comfort zone, my safe place. I grew up there. I went to college there. Ted and I grew up together. His dad was a pastor of a church. We just had so many safe zones there. And then moving at a time where I was also having a baby, but that's God's plan. I couldn't plan that at all. But I feel like some people glamorize moving, and there are hard parts to it. There are a little isolating parts to it where you don't have your people anymore. You don't have all these birthday parties to go to, or your kids have all these events to go through. You're trying to get your footing in the door and figure out what even is going on? Where do people celebrate Christmas holidays at? I don't really know what's going on with the restaurants here. I don't know. It is different. Who's who? It's been so rewarding. Our family has been so tight. We spend all the time together when in Houston, we had so many discussions. So many people. Yes. We were at everything. We were pulled a hundred different ways. I will say it has been the best thing for our family.

It has been the best thing for us because we are such a tight unit now. I can't rely on Ted's mom to get my kids all the time. I'm like, Okay, I'm going to be there. The mother will be there. I'm like, It's me, me, me only now, which I love. But I'm I was able to... It was like, I was raising my kids with a village of people in Houston, and now I just need to recreate that village. I just need to find those people to be able to lean on and be like, Hey, I'm running late. Can you pick up my kids, too? Or things like that that you can lean on. Or I am a better mom because of other moms. They tell me what they're doing at this stage of life of like, Oh, last night someone was talking about the thankful bite. We just got to tell our kids, You got to be thankful that you get to have this It's like, Oh, it's a good site. So try it. And I'm like, I love that. So I just get so many tidbits from moms hanging out with moms. And I think iron sharpens iron.

And I'm able to be a better mom for my kids when I'm around that community. It has been always important to me. It is important to me in community online, and community in person. Those real life touchable moments with people.

But it's so awesome, too, because you can probably connect so much more with your community, too, because a lot of members of our community are not around a huge village like you had in Houston. Yes, I'm learning that, too. Yeah, showing people that, you know what? Hey, we're starting from zero. Yes, you had friends. You had a handful of friends here already, but it's a new school. It's a new community. It's a whole new thing. A whole new ball game. And just being like, okay, I'm putting myself out here, and we're figuring it out, and we're going to do it. I think it's awesome.

I will say, this is when I first started blogging, my role was say yes all the time. So not to campaign-wise, but for an event-wise or meeting people. So I was so tired, and I really didn't want to go to event. My goal was to say yes for an entire year, and I got to put myself out there. I said yes to any event you went to in Houston from 2015 to 2016. You were there. I was there. And so now moving here, I was in back in my safe zone. I created a village. I created everything, my footing in Houston. Coming here, it's pulling you back to those early days of being like, you have to say yes. You have to go out there, you have to meet these people, or you're not going to create that again. I'm in the year... I'm a little more selective. I have kids now that need me first. But I'm in my yes phase again to being like, all right, I have to put myself out there. I have to meet people. I have to create this if I want to love this place, too.

Yeah. And I'm sure that it's not all rainbows and butterflies. And we've talked about this because there are probably hard days where you're like, oh, my gosh, I got this brand new baby, and all the people that I love and that I know are at home. And I think that there's so much positive that comes out of there that you've shared with me before. Also, the fact that when your family comes in, you're just really spending and cherishing time with them. Like, you all just going to Gatlinburg and just all your little parties at your house. I just think that they're awesome. But in the moments where it's hard and you're struggling and you're like, Oh, just take me back to Houston, what What is it that pushes you through that and helps you continue on?

I think we're here for a reason. I think the same reason why I had a pit in my stomach that I needed to start a blog on social media is the same reason why I think we were called to Nashville. There's a reason for it, and it's I'm not going to be all great. Life's tough. There's parts of life that are tough, but I'm not going to sit here, cry about it and be like, take me home. Ted's aunt was like, why don't you cry every night to Ted and just say, let's go home? I'm like, Auntie, it's not that bad. I can't be crying. Nashville It feels beautiful. The people are great. Our life is great. I'm not going to sit there and cry about it. I'm the positive mindset, the optimistic side of it. I just need to focus on that, the bright part of things. Yes, I'm missing my family. Yes, I'm missing my friends. But I'm also living in a beautiful... It's so pretty here. I have such great friends and people that I'm able to connect with. You get all the seasons. Oh, amazing. The kids are in a great school, so I can't sit there and cry.

I think it's great. There's pros and cons to everything.

Okay, so let's talk about Katie. I want to plug Valère because I love Valère because I use... Am I saying it right? Valère, yeah.

Okay, that's what I thought. It came from her flying planes. Valère is like a Spanish- I love it.

I remember whenever they They sent me that. Actually, no, I bought it for the first time.

I saw this online, and I was like- You were so sweet to buy it. I'm like, We'll send you anything.

I love all of the things that you have created in the world, but I just love a family business. And so I just think that that's so special and so sweet because I know that Katie was probably really mad that you're moving away from her, especially. Very mad.

Especially, we had babies. We both got pregnant at the same time. But again, Nashville came first. So I was like,.

I know, but that's- Breaks. And I know that that has been probably really tough because you guys lost your parents, so you really clung to each other.

We had each other, and that was it. And that's why I want a big family because I had her, and I have her still. I'm like, I want that for my kids. She's so precious.

I got to sit by her at the Vince Camuto event that you had, which I loved that collab, too. I wear my platform. She's all the time. I love you. You're just doing a million things. And then the electric pics that you got on your arm, they're coming out. Did he? He was like, You don't have to say anything about anything. I was like, I want to say something about these things because I think they're really great, and it's inspirational to people.

It's really cool. But I'm like, There's a lot going on.

And Poppy Kids Co. I mean, I love Poppy Kids Co because my kids wear Poppy Kids Co all the time.

Being Sunday in Poppy Kids just makes smile. You're all your kids, and they're puffy jackets, and they're PJs. It's because I love it. It's just so bright. It's so you. It's so you. It's in my Sunday. It's so you of a brand, too. I love it.

It's how I feel within my Sundays. When I see you just talking on your stories and you're just wearing it, or anybody online, it just feels like...

Yeah, it's exciting. I love it. It really exciting. It's one of the best parts of it. Okay, so if you all didn't know, we did this whole shark tank idea. I was like, because everyone keeps asking me, What's next? What are you going to start? I told Nala this.

I was like, This is my favorite daily story.

I just want to be a mom. I don't really know. I was like, We'll figure it out. Because my greatest calling, and I know this is yours, too, is just being a mom. I want to raise really good kids. We've had all these opportunities and things thrown at us, but I want to raise the best kids. But also, we have such cool opportunities to be able to do things. We do. To be able to... I was like, Instead of me creating something from scratch, I wanted to help small businesses out. We did this whole shark take thing- That was so cool. That we did. And Papy Kids came. I was a customer first, and she showed up and pitched this idea to be investors. We've done that with Valère. We've been able to do that with Katie. Papy Kids is creating a boy version now, too.

Finally.

Thank you. I'm so excited because people don't get that matching moment with their sons. No, they don't. Guys, I mean, Ted lives in golf pool.

It's all the time. Yes, he does, because he gets to golf. Kyle didn't get to golf as much as Ted.

You're a great wife. I need tips because Ted, I need to wrangle you in more.

Ted Rad. Where is this less so that we can put around Ted Rad? Keep him at the house.

I need it. Oh, that's awesome. I love it.

I'll never forget that day. I mean, in all those collaborations, like you said, they're so amazing. And it's just such a... There's pros and cons to being in this space and having this amazing opportunity because you can do all these cool things. But also, Dee Dee totally just has a heart and a soul that just wants to be at home with these babies and just be like, I'm just going to get my chicken, and everything's fine. I'm going to take eight weeks off, and we're going to do this, and it's going to be fine. And I will never forget that because every single other blogger, or influencer, or business owner that I've ever asked, I think, ever in my life, what's your future plans? They'll list off five things to me. So we're standing in Sunday's nursery, and me and Ted and Dee are standing there, and I said, Dee, what are you going to do next? How do you feel about this? What next is the question. Ted Rad looks at her and he's like, Yeah, Dee Dee, what's next? And it's very funny, Ted. And Dee, it is so endearing and special. And this is just why you're just salt of the Earth and just so pure and amazing.

I don't know. I just really want to be a mom, and I love what I'm doing here, but it's just, I don't know. I don't really have any future plans. It was truly the most endearing thing that I've ever heard in my life.

Okay, you know what, though? In my life. Such a season. Maybe in 10 years. Well, Ted's also so busy, too. So Ted has a whole company. Okay, yes.

I want to talk about trend.

So I'm helping him, but I'm not in the weeds of trend at all. So he's going 100 miles per hour. I'm going 100 miles per hour. I'm like, We have kids. This is a time where they're so little, and we never could get it back. So I'm like, I need to hold the brakes. And I'm an Integrum seven. Are you a three? You have to be a three. You and Ted are threes.

A hundred %. You know what? I bet Ted's the same wing as me, too. Oh, probably. What's his wing?

Up or down. I don't know.

So I'm a three wing, too. So the three wing, he's totally three wing, too. It's like the helper. And so you are the achiever, but you're also the helper. So you want to help other people. What is the Integrium 7?

Seven, me, adventurous. I love adventure. You're the I'm adventurous. Yeah. I love a good time. I love to go.

I love it.

I'm like, another business. That's not a good time.

That's a lot. That's work. That's a lot of work.

I'm like, Let's go to my Cami. Take me on a boat with a yacht. Oh, my God. Courtney Kardashian and that tidbit. We're the best.

We're just the best. But it's so funny because Kyle and I are the exact same enneagram and wing. No way. Exactly the same. Really? Which is so funny because you and Ted are opposite. So you push and you pull and you bring each other into all these. And Kyle and I are the same, which is funny because you can be each other's worst enemy, and you can be not good together. But if you're both cranking and going for the same goals and everything, you can be really great. But I love this that you and Ted are the opposite, because not the opposite, but different ones.

Yeah, we're different.

Because us starting in this space, how many agents and management companies have we dealt with that were Yeah, they're great because they're bringing you work. But it's also like, they're looking out for the agents and the manager's company, and they're not looking out for the brand, which you and I have created a brand from what we... This can be a flash in the bucket career, just like selling oils could have been 10 years So oil, however you want to say it. My accent, everyone feel like, what is it? Oil.

Love it. I really do it. I feel it.

So I feel like if you really want to build this into a brand, you really have to be cognizant of that from the very beginning. And so I love it that The husband of one of the biggest people in this space, especially that husband being Ted Rad, which, like I said, this is just a Ted talk today. We're just going to talk all about Ted because we love Ted. I love it. I love what trend is, and I love what you all have had the idea and created. How did that happen?

I'm so proud of it because I was in a space at a time where everyone was like, Sign with this management company in LA. That's when you made it. And I signed, I got there, and I was like, this isn't for me. I I don't know what everyone was talking. Maybe it worked for them, but they are missing the mark on what campaigns I want. They're missing the mark of what I do and how I relate to my community. They're missing the mark of... I got men's shaving cream, and they're like, You really should I'm like, I'm not going to make this. It's a good deal. I'm like, Is it? And I took it. I was like, No, I'm never going to... I don't ever want that feeling ever again. I don't want that feeling of being like, You should buy this men's shaving cream. No, absolutely not. There's other brand deals out there that are great partnership that I genuinely would be excited to share. And that was not one of them. And I just remember always Ted. Ted was trying to get his masters. He's like, Leave me alone. I have a career.

You do whatever you're doing over here with your little thing. And I was like, Ted, you got to be on the call. Help me. Tell them, This is not it. And I remember him getting on the call over and over again being like, This is our vision. This is her vision. This is what she wants. And they were like, just didn't listen. And so he got on the call with me to break up with them because I was crying all the time. I was like, This is not what I thought it would be. Then we just saw a negative space in the industry that truly cares for their creators and what they're doing. Ted always says, If you have good management, you're in a great partnership to keep going. If you have a management that does not know your values and you're aligned with what you're doing, it's going to tank for you. Instead, they want to be a business partner and Excel in your career with you. So we just saw such a need in this space of good people, people that are into your business, that really, truly care about your business. And he's done such a great job of fostering a community that the girls are there, want to be there.

It's so cool. I see all these influencers going in and out of Ted's office. And when they leave the office, I just see them on Instagram stories just be like, great meeting.

So excited about this. It's fun. We love to have fun.

Well, they're always proud of what they're doing. Yes. And isn't that wonderful? To be able to do a job that you love and to be proud of what you're putting out there. And I think that's what Trend has really facilitated.

Thank you. I appreciate it. I'm not in the weeds. I love to say that, too, because people were like, What is Trend doing over there? I'm not in the weeds at all. I just tend And I have a strict six o'clock. We're not talking about work at all. That's awesome. This is not going to be it. But we'll come home and chit chat a little. Now it's more high level stuff of what's going... Next week, they have a conference that they're going to try to put on. So we're like, Let's go look at the hotel before. So I get to do the fun stuff, all the events and stuff. I'm like, roll me in for that. But it is really cool to see. And that's why we're in Nashville to begin with. I don't know if everyone knows that, but we moved here to open a second location.

Which is like, you can tell it, Ted, he is like you are with your work. He's really passionate about it and doing it right. And I can tell. And I had a conversation, too, with Trend early on when I was wanting to start the Pajama brand and in my Sunday's. And it was so cool because... And we ended up doing it on our own. But When I was talking to Ted about this, and he was just like, Hey, do it this way. Or like, If this isn't a good fit for you... Ted coached me into doing it one way. He's just so genuine and real and so smart. And I just think that it's really so amazing because I think this is one of the best spaces that you can be in, being a creator and influencing people to live their lives better or use better products or have an aspirational way that you're living that they can put on their vision board or put in their mind and be like, I want that life. I just think it's the most wonderful thing. And the fact that someone with values like Ted Rad, that he's at the helm of it, I just think it's so cool.

I think they're just such a great crew. I think it's so cool.

Yeah. And I told you this earlier. I'm not surprised. Ted and I grew up together.

Wait, I don't know this part of the story. Can you tell this part of the story?

His mom and my aunt were best friends. And so we used to be babysat together when we were little. And then we moved into town and then came back. And I was like, oh, who's this guy? I went to his dad's church. He was the pastor's son. I was like, okay, I like this guy. And so we've grown up together. We really know each other. It's been so long. We've been married, I think, almost twelve years in August. I was a baby. I got married at 20 years old. I can't believe you got married at 20 years old. No alcohol at our wedding. That's so not like us anymore.

It is so awesome, though.

It was cool. It worked. It was so God. God definitely showed us our story, and we need to be in word together. But every time we'd be like, What do you want to do? You're in a time of your life where they're asking, what do you want to do when you grow up? What are you going to be? And I think it's so cool now to look back at it and be like, Wow. I wasn't surprised. I'm not surprised that Ted... I always knew he was going to start a company. I knew he was a natural born leader. I knew that, but I didn't know what it would be until now. And it's really cool to look back on that and be like, remember when we were there, little, and being I'm like, what are we going to be when we grow up? That's so awesome. And to be able to be here together and be like, all right, God's provided. It's been a cool, cool ride.

It's all of the parts of your story and all the tough parts of your story. It's really easy when you're in the position that you're in now to look back and be like, Oh, my gosh. Look at all what we went through. And like, Look, we made it through those hard things. That's why I'm always like, Gosh, keep pushing through those things in the times where it's hard, because life on the other side can be just so amazing. And And it's just, yeah, your story is really... It's such a God thing, and all the ups and downs. Okay, so when you were around each other, and he's the pastor's son, and you liked him, how did the relationship start?

My mom and my grandma were so for it. They were like, A rad, 10 rad, go for it. I was like, 15. We are four years different. He's going to hate that I say this. I was 15, and he was- A child, bro. Yes, in college. He was in college. I was in high school. It was I hush hush for a little, but it was great. It worked out great. Everyone was so happy for us. That's awesome. I mean, if my daughter came to me and was like, I want to get married at 20, I don't know how I would react. But for Seth, it worked out. It worked great.

It worked for you. Okay, so you and Ted are so funny, too, because on social media, sometimes you're not on the same page about things. But Ted just lets Dee Dee do what Dee Dee wants to do. And he makes jokes about it, and he's like, Oh, my gosh, Dee Dee, here we go. The chickens. Ted ain't no chicken, man.

No, but I'm eating chicken.

Dee Dee and me are in Our Chicken era. And I love it that you finally talked them into it and you're like, Oh, this is a thing. We're going to do it. And then you got the chicken coop in and it didn't fit through the fence.

Because obviously, chicken coups go to acres. So they're probably like, Make sure your fence is down. So Oh, that's awesome. When it came here, we were like, Oh, okay, we got to knock this fence down.

That's a great story. So us, so us. Okay, so I was laughing so hard around Christmas when you had decided that you wanted to have Irish twins. Yes, I For some reason, because most people have Irish twins- On accident. Or accidental. For some reason, Dee Dee Rad decided that she wanted to plan out Irish twins.

It was on my heart. For some reason at that time, it was on my heart. I was like, I'm in it. I'm in diapers. I might as well just do this nine months later. I died. And have a kid. But now I'm so extreme, too. I'm like, Yes, Irish twins. I'm extreme, too. It's going to happen. And then we're like, No, it's not for us anymore. So now I want to wait a couple of years, maybe. Five.

That is just like, I'm like that, too. I'm all or nothing. I'm extreme. I'm totally this end or I'm totally this end. And I just think it's really great that you share that.

But I mean, the Lord protected us because we didn't get the Irish twins. The Lord protected.

So what did Ted say when you said you wanted to have Irish twins? Why is Ted so easygoing?

He's like, okay. I don't even think he thinks half the time. He's like, okay, these chickens. He is like, I'm not going to touch these chickens. I've heard, chickens die a lot. They're not animals that you can keep alive. And he's like, it's- It's not like a dog. No. He's like, it's just not going to be me that's cleaning it. I'm like, oh, okay. I got to figure this out. But he's still like, go for it, whatever. You're my wife. Do whatever your wife does.

Okay. We haven't talked about this yet, and I know we're coming to the end of this because I want to mention this because I think it's very inspirational, and it's something that we share. So I had a major health journey after I had had four miscarriages between Sheppard and Sunday, and I had all All these tests run, my blood sugar. I was having all of these major health issues. It wasn't anything even about a weight thing. And one of my friends who I was friends with through my friend, Shon, she was a nutritionist, and she was just talking to me all the time and encouraging me through this. And she became... I was her first client. I can't believe that. That's amazing. I was her first person. I was like, Yo, you got to do this with other people. She's like, I know. I'm going to do it with other people. You sound like her. I've heard that voice in my ear for three and a half So who we're talking about is our mutual friend, Amy. And Amy changed my life in introducing me to health. I'd always like, I'd lost weight for Miss America, or I'd gotten in shape for Amazing Race.

It was never to just be a healthy person on the inside. And so it changed my life. And then I was at Sarah Knuth's house one day, and Natalie Kennedy was over there, and she was like, Can you tell me about what's going on with this health stuff? Because I'm dealing with a bunch of health stuff. And who's this person you're working? Then I introduced her to Amy, and Amy and Natalie started working together. It changed Natalie's life. And then I think Natalie introduced you guys to it. So you guys started this, and it's this eye-opening thing.

It really is eye-opening.

And it changes your whole life.

It's very cool, though, too. It is very cool to know what is going in your body and what products you're putting on yourself, which I'm still not 100 %.

Oh, no, I still use some of the chemicals. And I'm still burning the candles.

Sorry. Not Amy approved is what we say at our household.

It's way better, though, than it used to be. No, 100%.

It's better. We are living... Okay, so I think this really truly stems from me losing my parents. I just want to be healthy. I want to be the best version I can for my kids. And so to be able to be knowledgeable about what we're eating and the product and reading food labels. All that was overwhelming for a little until I listened to Amy and we got together. She's been working with Ted for two years now, but just knowledge is power. If you know what food you're putting in your body... I remember we went to Target this weekend. I was like, wow, I have not just scrolled the aisles of the grocery store at Target and read labels in a long time. It is everything. It just will inflame you and just not make you feel your best version. And why don't you want to feel your best version?

It says organic on the thing, and it looks healthy. But she taught me so much about... I mean, it's very simple. Just read the label. And she's like, if you don't understand something in there or if it has this or this in there, it's bad.

You know what I miss the Farmer's Market because you get all those great ingredients.

It's going to start back soon.

I cannot wait. I love it. We love it. We always see each other. Can we talk about seasonal depression real quick? Yes. Because Tennessee is insane. It gets dark at four o'clock.

Wait, it's not like that in Texas?

No. It's just always daylight? No, but our time change is 5:00, 5:30, at least that extra hour. Oh, it's like 3:50. It was insane. My kids come back from school and they have to play inside. I'm like, This is sad. How do we get out of this? I was looking up Arizona houses at one point. I'm They don't have a time zone. We got to go, Ted. Get me out of here. But I just never- I guess I'm used to it. No, dark and cold. Don't sign me up for that.

If you're not used to it, because see, I love all the seasons. The season that I do not like the most is when it gets super, super hot, heavy heat. Oh, I love that. Sign me up for that. No, I'll do that. Where I can't breathe. I can't lay on the beach for nine hours.

I love being moist with the humidity. You do? Give me that. Yes.

You're just a Texan at heart. You're going to end up.

Give it to me. I know. We're not I'm not going to Houston during the summer. I'm like, Yes, we are. Yes, we are. I'm like, What are you talking about?

It's definitely like... I guess people just make do with where they live.

Guys, I just didn't understand when people would say I'm seasonally depressed. You get it now? And then I'm like, Oh, okay. We're just at home stuck from four to bedtime.

I'm just seasonally depressed, too.

Having to figure this out. It was wild. I'm glad we're on the other side of it. It's springtime. Hallelujah. I know.

Well, Dee Dee and I like this little farmer's Farmer's Market, too. And now you're not going to be pregnant there, so you will be able to really walk around and then be free. That little farmer's market is so sweet. Those little moments, like those family moments. There's so many times, and it's like times like that, being at the Farmer's Market. I'm like, oh, my gosh. I got three kids. And I got a husband that I really like, and I'm doing my dream job, and like, what is life right now?

Yes, I know. I agree.

It's a good season. I'm really glad that I was able to I witnessed to you about Nashville, Tennessee. Thank you. Ted probably needs to thank me, too.

No, Ted loves it here, too.

And even if it's a season, I always encourage people, be where you're at.

A hundred %.

And it's a season. It's not forever. It's like anything in life. If you're going through something hard, if you need to face something hard, if you got to move somewhere for two years, it's a season. And embrace it because this is your life. And you can be dissatisfied for a season where you're like, Oh, we got to live here because my husband's job. Or you can say, We're living here right now. This is where we're at with my husband's job.

Put yourself out there.

And let's look at it in a positive way. Just like you, what an inspiration that you've been today. Because I'm sure so many people listen to this podcast that are in a season like that where things are not there where they want them to be yet. And just looking at them through a different lens of positivity and being like, I'm going to make the most of this. I think that it's really awesome.

I agree.

Okay, this is just one question and then a half question, and then we're done. Okay, so if you could put... If you're driving down the interstate in Houston, Texas, or Nashville, Tennessee, and you could put any message up on a billboard of what would help people, one message, what would help people live their life to the fullest? What would that message that DD would put up there?

Lately, I have been saying, we got to stop and smell the roses. There is such great things, and it smells so good. You got to focus on that. And I've talked about this, this whole podcast, like positivity Gratitude. You got to just stop your life. And instead of being like, Oh, me, poor me, why is this happening? You have to see the beauty in it. So just stopping Smell the Roses has been the one thing that I keep saying over and over again. My Nashville move, Stop and smell the roses. Focus on the great. Stop and smell the roses.

Well, thanks so much for coming on. Thank you. You're just the best. Love you. Can't wait for the Farmer's Market.

I know. Tuesday night. I love you.

Tuesday night. All right. So thank you guys so much for tuning in to this episode of a Living Fully podcast. What a gift that was with Dee Dee. So many wonderful pieces of wisdom. And like I said in this podcast with Dee Dee, she is truly the real deal. So I know you guys saw that today, and I'll link everything Dee Dee-rad @dressupbuttercup in the bio so that you guys can find Dee Dee if you are living under a rock and you don't know her. And thank you guys so much for listening. Give this a rating if you like to listen to this podcast. Subscribe if you haven't subscribed. And thank you so much for tuning in. Hey there. If you're loving the show, we would love to have you subscribe. So go find that little plus sign or follow button in your podcast app to make sure you won't miss a single episode. See you next week..