We, at Kuel Life, are excited that Java Love Coffee will be available in our Shopping section. And, the Kuel Kids who are members of the Kuel Life Community will enjoy the Java Love Coffee experience along with a discount.
There is power in story telling. There is power in community. There is power in sharing. The more we know about one another; the more we understand; the more powerful we become.
This is Jodie’s:
KUEL LIFE: What are you pursuing now, after 50, that surprises you or might appear to others as if it’s come out of left field?
JODIE: I am a clinical psychologist gone rogue and now self-prescribed “Accidental Entrepreneur” running a coffee roasting company. The whole pursuit is seemingly out of left field and there was really no plan for success when my wife and I started this venture 8 year ago. With a small business loan and a 400 square foot spot in rural upstate New York, we set out to start an organic coffee roasting company. We had a total kink in our side, passion project when, much to our surprise, people actually liked the coffee. Every day, we are grateful and always delightfully surprised at the customer loyalties we have garnered and continue to grow. Unbelievable. Talk about left field.
KUEL LIFE: What’s a typical day like for you?
JODIE: I’m not sure I have a typical day. Each day has it’s own special unique qualities. On days my daughters are not at their dad’s house, my days are bracketed by the kids and their activities. Getting them out the door with lunches in hand by 7:30am, madly getting myself ready for meetings and checking in on my brick and mortar coffee shops, only to find myself faced with the 2:30p mandatory high school pick up smack in the middle of my work day. No bus for high school in my town! On other days I toggle between my stores in NJ and NY while running the company as a whole. No two days can ever be alike in a retail focused business with customers and staff to keep things interesting.
KUEL LIFE: With what do you struggle?
JODIE: My first thought was “work-life” balance, like everyone else but I think that term begrudgingly coined by our generation is a misnomer. Shouldn’t work AND life be a full part of living? Work IS part of life so if you aren’t fully enjoying what you are doing to make a living then you aren’t truly “living”. We only get one shot at this. So my struggle is how to embrace life in its totality to look at all of the parts that encompass my life and find joy in each piece of my pie.
KUEL LIFE: How do you motivate yourself and stay motivated?
JODIE: When you work for yourself, it is sometimes really hard to stay motivated. I am most motivated by partnerships with other women who are in similar situations who are “doing it” in the same messy, imperfect way. I also find that when I have a success with my kids or in my work I feel a big sense of accomplishment and that keeps me motivated to keep my eyes peeled for the next success. As I get older, coming to the “other side” of middle, looking that the time left on this planet is also motivating. In these years, what do I want to accomplish? I think it makes me grab the bull by the horns more often because, heck, what have we got to lose at this age? HA!
KUEL LIFE: What advice would you give fellow women about aging?
JODIE: Embrace it. The alternative sucks.
KUEL LIFE: What are three events that helped to shape your life?
JODIE: Being born in Canada and maintaining citizenship for my family. It’s so awesome to have a Plan B. I think this is the real reason my wife married me.
2. Falling in love with and marrying a woman after being married to a man for 10 years.
3. The birth of my gorgeous, incredible daughters.
KUEL LIFE: Who influenced you the most in life and why?
JODIE: I was always a pros and cons list kind of person until I met my wife. She opened my eyes to another way of operating in the world. I believe that is one of the reasons we have been able to take our seedling business to where it is today. The mantra she taught me, for better or worse, is to “Keep moving forward until you can’t anymore.” That’s when we will know.
KUEL LIFE: What is the best advice you’ve been given from another woman?
JODIE: I’m not that big on advice. I think we always know deep down and intuitively the right decisions for ourselves and just look to others for confirmation. But I do know who to go to as sounding boards and to get different perspectives on a situation I am grappling with. I think we all just want to feel heard and have a connection with other women.
KUEL LIFE: What woman inspires you and why?
JODIE: My grandmother was ahead of her time. She worked full time and she and my grandfather actually had their own business. She was also a writer and had a great mastery of language, which I always admired – along with her sarcastic, quick witted humor. She was always my guardian angel.
KUEL LIFE: Are you grown-up?
JODIE: I try not to be.
KUEL LIFE: What do you do for self-care?
JODIE: Along with beautifying rituals, I love to put my feet up on the couch and luxuriate in calm, peaceful moments.
KUEL LIFE: And last but definitely NOT least: What are the top three things on your bucket list?
JODIE: Write a book. Travel to Bali. Live abroad again.
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