Please introduce yourself (name, countries where you lived, your passions and hobbies?)
"Hi, my name is Ali Wolf. I’ve lived all over the United States, but currently live in Nashville, Tennessee with my husband and 1-year-old daughter.
I’m a creator at heart, I love to write, tell stories and connect with others.
That passion led to a decade-long career in Journalism. In my free time, I enjoy traveling, going for long walks with my husband and daughter, and doing yoga."
When did your passion for entrepreneurship first begin and what was your first entrepreneurial project?
"I have always felt I had an entrepreneurial spirit, but I never had the opportunity or time to act on it until having my daughter during the pandemic in the fall of 2020.
I left my job as a reporter for an NBC station in California and suddenly had lots of time on my hands. Being locked down at home forced me to search for a new creative endeavor.
I started creating printable planners to help new moms navigate pregnancy and postpartum.
I opened my Etsy shop ("The Baby Steps") in December 2020 and after a slow start, I’ve sold hundreds and hundreds of planners to people all over the world.
Once that was off the ground, I launched my podcast, Mom’s Calling."
What are the biggest lessons you learned (achievements vs. failures) in your first entrepreneurial project?
Achievements: "I’m proud that I was able to churn out so much work while also figuring out parenthood. I maximized any free time I had during naps and early mornings. I was laser focused on my goals and when I didn’t know how to do something, I figured it all out on my own. Graphic design, marketing, sales… it was all new to me."
Failures: "The toughest part was getting over the self-doubt and putting my work out into the world. I worried a lot about what others would think. It’s hard to know how potential customers will respond to your work before you launch it into the world as well. Getting over this took time. Another challenge was dealing with customers’ questions and learning customer service."
What is your current entrepreneurial venture? Please write down the name of your venture and describe it.
Currently, I focus most of my time on my interview podcast show, Mom’s Calling.
The podcast features interviews with moms, entrepreneurs and experts. Its goal is to provide inspiration to other women who want a fulfilling and exciting career while being a mom.
What are its mission and vision?
The mission of Mom’s Calling is to help women feel inspired, connected and seen as they navigate life as a parent.
Becoming a mother can be isolating. It’s common to feel a loss of identity after having children – I did.
Through each episode, I hope other women realize they are not alone. We are all experiencing a similar juggling act of motherhood and career ambition. No one has it all figured out, but we can all learn from others.
What does a normal work day in your business look like?
"Every day is different. I do not work 9-5 and I typically do a little every day.
I spent the first year home with my daughter and found time early in the morning before she woke up, during naps and after she went to bed.
Now that I have childcare, I have more time to dedicate to my work.
Some days I have multiple recordings, others I focus on editing and other days are for creating graphics and marketing the show."
I love that every day is different because it’s never boring and there’s always something to learn.
What is the most fulfilling/exciting part of your career?
The most fulfilling part is learning from the amazing women I interview.
"I get incredibly inspired from the moms who come on my show, willing to be incredibly open and honest about their success and their struggles.
Of course, it’s also exciting to get positive feedback from others who listen to my show and love it! I have a growing, loyal audience and I love hearing from them on social media.
On Etsy, I love hearing from customers who leave reviews saying how much my planners help them. It’s a real honor knowing I have helped hundreds of moms around the world feel less stress during pregnancy."
What is the biggest advice you can give other female entrepreneurs based on your experience in the business field?
To anyone navigating entrepreneurship I would say, try not to spend too much time questioning your work and your ability.
"If you believe in your products and your talent… go for it! If you are putting yourself out there authentically and for the right reasons, you are on the right track. I’d also say, start small but give yourself room to grow bigger."
What are your favorite biz apps? (social media apps, graphic apps, networking apps…?)
I love using Canva for creating graphics, I also love instagram and facebook groups for promoting my episodes. I’m also trying to get back into twitter! You can find me on all of those platforms, linked above.
What projects do you have in mind for the future of your business?
"I want to continue growing my digital products and podcast.
For now, I’m focused on creating quality content, delighting my listeners and customers and growing a loyal audience of moms!
Hopefully in the next year or two once I have more time (toddlers are tough) I hope to offer more products and merch."
Which entrepreneurs, historical figures or family members do you look up to and why?
Oprah has always been a huge role model for me.
"She’s iconic, but for good reason. I also relate to her because she also started her career as a local TV news reporter!
I love that she is a savvy businesswoman, yet she never lost sight of who she is. She is authentic and does things with heart and passion – I love that!"
Please list your favorite books, podcasts, songs or movies (does not have to be business related) and explain why you love them.
I love the book "Big Magic" by Elizabeth Gilbert.
It’s all about tapping into your creativity!
In addition to my podcast, I love "Goal Digger", "How I Built This" and "The Daily".
Please list your website and social media so our followers can get in touch with Momscalling Podcast.
You can find everything on my website HERE. My social media links are linked in my previous answers in the interview.
ABOUT ALI WOLF:
Ali Wolf is the founder of Mom's Calling Podcast & founder of The Baby Steps shop. She won an Emmy Award in 2018 for a TV and podcast series about the Golden State Killer. During her career in television, she has covered presidential events, wildfires, hurricanes, mass shootings and riots.
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