The Boys
Welcome to "The Boys" podcast, where business partners Jeremy, Stuart, and Dwayne come together after two decades of collaboration to share their expertise and passion for all things decor, home design, business, and floral design. Join this dynamic trio as they delve into the world of aesthetics, offering valuable insights, practical tips to elevate your living spaces, and a few laughs along the way.
But it's not just about design; it's about spreading joy and making the process enjoyable for everyone. The podcast is infused with the camaraderie and humor that comes from years of friendship and collaboration. Expect lively discussions, entertaining anecdotes, and a genuine passion for creating spaces that bring happiness and comfort.
The Boys
S1:E30 Somethings We've Learned A Long The Way
It this episode, The Boys discuss how interactions with Customers or Clients transform into true relationships and some wonderful things we've learned along the way! Being open to opportunities might have you laying with a child woken from a nap/waiting for a lasagna to come out of the oven while the client runs out, or days later have you on a plane to the Bahamas! Both are true stories that have happened to us! Plus Jeremy shares a wise bit of advise a treasured friend gave him.
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Okay.
jeremy_1_08-29-2024_090656:are you ready for your trip Stuy?
stuart_1_08-29-2024_090715:Oh my God. I was ready on Monday.
jeremy_1_08-29-2024_090656:No. Physically packed. Ready? Not
stuart_1_08-29-2024_090715:Lord. No, I won't do that till tomorrow afternoon no,
jeremy_1_08-29-2024_090715:Do you all pack ahead of time? I mean, obviously you don't stir at this moment, but do you, Dwayne?
stuart_1_08-29-2024_090715:like the night
jeremy_1_08-29-2024_090656:No, no, no. I just threw stuff in. No,
jeremy_1_08-29-2024_090715:Every time we go somewhere, mom's always like, you know, five days out. She's like, well, you packed and ready? I'm like, no. And I thought originally it was just like a saying, right? Like just saying, oh, are you packed and ready to go? Like, you know, and then I'd be like, no, no, I still, I'm not packed. I mean, I gotta wash clothes and do this and that. And she goes, well, I'd have to be packed. And I'm like, we took how many family vacations and I know you were literally throwing stuff in the bag when we walked out the door. There's no way you'd be packed.
stuart_1_08-29-2024_090715:I mean, three caftans and some flip flops. Don't take a long,
jeremy_1_08-29-2024_090715:she also wants to know, uh, what flight, what time, and what day. And I am lucky to know that when I'm getting on the plane. Nonetheless, days ahead of time. So, I don't know mama, I'll text you when I'm
jeremy_1_08-29-2024_090656:Oh my gosh. She's
jeremy_1_08-29-2024_090715:Well, what are we wanting to talk about today?
jeremy_1_08-29-2024_090656:Jobs, clients, people that make you happy via Stewart's idea, which I love. What are projects for people or things that you've worked on? And if it's not correct how you're proposing it, you tell us. But, uh, things that have brought you joy. We're bringing everybody else joy. What have they brought to us that are bringing us joy? Who's,
stuart_1_08-29-2024_090715:Whoa.
jeremy_1_08-29-2024_090656:your special, who's your special peeps that you've worked with that were already friends and it turned into even a better friendship? Or who have you worked with that were like, Oh, okay. And then it evolved into, Oh, I like you. I want you to be in my life. And I instantly think of, Noelle for, um, Stewart, for example, right? I think they were friendly, but as you worked together, it evolved into much more.
stuart_1_08-29-2024_090715:Yeah. Yeah. I mean, and that, that was actually one of my, one of my people on that spectrum. And then I have another person on another spectrum. So, but she, you know, I've known her, um, and her husband, Sam for, Oh Lord, 20. Seven ish years, so a very long time. And we actually met because we were on a committee for, um, Susan G. Komen. I was on the design committee and she was on the social committee. So,
jeremy_1_08-29-2024_090715:is a social
stuart_1_08-29-2024_090715:uh, no, and during the first board meeting, we were talking the whole time and they had to stop the board meeting and said, um, if you two are going to do that every board meeting, you need to separate. So We just kind of became instant friends from that point, and did social things together, and then I, you know, through the years, I have worked on six of their properties, I believe. Some of them were rental stuff that I just kind of suggested stuff with, but their personal homes, I worked on three of those. Throughout the years. And, um, the last one I worked on for them was considered their retirement home. And that was about three years ago. And in the process I built a little baby house next to him. So, so that's how close to friends we are and
jeremy_1_08-29-2024_090715:you really gotta like him.
stuart_1_08-29-2024_090715:Yeah, I know. I know. Which is so funny because when we're there, like I'll wave at him from the porch. That's about it. Or if I'm like out of noodles, I'll walk over there and be like, I need some noodles. So, you know, you know, there's a time we do have a drink or two every now and then, but a lot of times we can be there the whole weekend and not see each other. And that's okay too. But, learning her process, because she's also a business owner, a woman business owner, so she is, um, headstrong in a very good way. So when you take that into design, uh, even though she knows I do what I do and I can do it well, she still questions some things. So I let her do it, and then she realizes in a month that it was wrong. So I redo it again. So, um, and I also designed her business too, her Cycle U business, uh, designed the flow of that and how it looks in the different studios and things like that. So, um, so yeah, that's, that's been. ingrained and we're really tight in that way. And we can still be friends. And the caveat to that too, is I'm actually her employee as well, because we've mentioned before that I do teach a cycle fitness class where she owns that business. So when I'm in that building now, she's And I have to listen to her, but really only 70 percent of the time I listen to her. So, um, yeah, it's a good relationship.
jeremy_1_08-29-2024_090656:the joy do you get from her? What does she bring to you?
stuart_1_08-29-2024_090715:Uh, she actually, um, brings, I wouldn't, This is gonna sound awful. I wouldn't say it's joy per se, but she Brings an insight on topics of conversation that maybe I hadn't thought about so it makes me think a little bit more Yeah, okay, so I guess the end result of that is a more Joyous demeanor, but making me think about things certain things and topics when I've already made a decision in my head. And she's like, well, why don't you look at it this way? So,
jeremy_1_08-29-2024_090656:She seems like such a nurturer that she's always wanted to take care of anybody she's around, and to make sure that they're, they're well taken care of, that, uh, that they're okay. I get that vibe from, from
stuart_1_08-29-2024_090715:yeah, and she
jeremy_1_08-29-2024_090656:that she's,
stuart_1_08-29-2024_090715:Yeah. Yeah, she does. Like she picked up Allie the other day to give
jeremy_1_08-29-2024_090656:Yeah, she
stuart_1_08-29-2024_090715:go take her Manny, Manny
jeremy_1_08-29-2024_090656:She's the person that wants the best for you. She truly is happy for your success and your joy. She's your gal.
stuart_1_08-29-2024_090715:She's my Gail.
jeremy_1_08-29-2024_090656:is. I get that vibe from her. Yeah.
jeremy_1_08-29-2024_090715:No, you
jeremy_1_08-29-2024_090656:she do with Ally the other day?
stuart_1_08-29-2024_090715:I picked her up from school and took her to go get Manny petties. Just be, just to have a girl's day.
jeremy_1_08-29-2024_090656:Cute.
stuart_1_08-29-2024_090715:was
jeremy_1_08-29-2024_090715:you know,
stuart_1_08-29-2024_090715:super fun.
jeremy_1_08-29-2024_090715:when we, you know, I made that comparison as a, as a joke, but, you know, learning about Oprah's and Gayle's friendship, one of the things Oprah says about Gayle is allegedly, that she has, there's never been any jealousy or, whatever. I doubt that that's 100 percent true, but you know, come on. Um, just because, but She has always just been, she's always celebrated, whatever, right? Uh, and always been her biggest fan and always excited when whatever presents itself. And I thought, what? And like, what an amazing friend. And that's the friend that I've wanted to become for other people. Like there, it's always like my journey is my journey. I want to be someone's Gayle. And I think that that to me is more fun than being Oprah.
stuart_1_08-29-2024_090715:Yeah, and it's, you're Right. Right.
jeremy_1_08-29-2024_090715:Would I take a bathtub that has the ass shape carved to fit mine? Yes. But,
jeremy_1_08-29-2024_090656:I think you are our Gayle. You
jeremy_1_08-29-2024_090715:I
jeremy_1_08-29-2024_090656:what?
jeremy_1_08-29-2024_090715:to be gay,
jeremy_1_08-29-2024_090656:exude that. I think you're happy for anything good for us. Each one of us, I've never felt anything but
jeremy_1_08-29-2024_090715:Mm
jeremy_1_08-29-2024_090656:joy and positivity from you that with anything good happens, you're truly genuinely happy for each of us. I think it's true for anybody that I don't get anything from you other than you're happy for other people's successes, but I'm only can speak for myself. And I know that you're just happy if something good happens in my orbit. And you, you feel it, you know, people are, if you're on your side or not, you get
jeremy_1_08-29-2024_090715:hmm. Mm hmm.
stuart_1_08-29-2024_090715:Noelle,
jeremy_1_08-29-2024_090656:you Gail
stuart_1_08-29-2024_090715:you know, her nickname for me is Bam. B A M. So she calls me Bam all the time. So she walks in and she'll be like, Hey Bam! Blah blah blah. Well, that's brother from another mother.
jeremy_1_08-29-2024_090715:Mm hmm.
stuart_1_08-29-2024_090715:Bam. And that's just what she calls me. That's just her nickname. So,
jeremy_1_08-29-2024_090656:That's cute. That's cute. Jeremy. You know who I think of? I always think of you and your little love fest. Uh, Jen Rothbauer.
jeremy_1_08-29-2024_090715:Oh,
stuart_1_08-29-2024_090715:Yes.
jeremy_1_08-29-2024_090656:she's your team. She's your team.
jeremy_1_08-29-2024_090715:Yes, Jen. Jen and I, um, have always said she's just a little bit older than me. I really don't know how many years older, but she's, we would've not been in school at the same time. Um, but we've always, She's you,
stuart_1_08-29-2024_090715:She's me age.
jeremy_1_08-29-2024_090715:but we've always joked that if we were in high school together, we would've been arrested together because we would just get into every bit of trouble. And, she is another one of those like ultimate cheerleaders and, you know, whenever Stuart texted about an idea for today's podcast, I really got really uncomfortable because I was like, I, and y'all know this about me, like, uh, I'm like, how do I choose somebody? Like, cause the way that my brain took it in was like my, our favorite, right. Or our, like
jeremy_1_08-29-2024_090656:Oh, no,
stuart_1_08-29-2024_090715:no. I think it's a learning, learning tool, not a favorite person. It's a
jeremy_1_08-29-2024_090715:Yeah, and I get that I get that now but at the time I kind of like, you know, stressed out, not stressed out, but I kind of like, you know, how do I how do I do this? And because honest to God, all of my clients that I am with now listen, there's some that are no longer around that this does not pertain to. But I really feel fortunate because every customer or client that I have Even if I haven't seen them in like six months, I would still move in with them because I feel like we all have, there's a, uh, a love factor there and I don't, I don't want to be too smushy, but I was going through the list. I was like, yeah, no, I love them. I love them. I loved it. Like, no, I would live with these people. Like these, we would have a good time, but I do have the ultimate, um, And the ultimate is Shawnee, but we connected many years ago and honest to God, the first time I showed up at her house was made at the door and said, Um, there is a lasagna in the oven. It needs to come out in 30 minutes. One of my children is asleep upstairs taking a nap. If they wake up, crawl in bed with them, they'll probably cry. They'll go back to sleep. I have to go pick up my other kid from baseball practice. I'll be right back. This was literally the first encounter at the front door. And I was like, I'll be right back. Is this, am I being punked? Is this for real? And so sure enough she leaves and I'm left in this house by myself with the small child upstairs sleeping I don't remember how old they were but you know They were old enough to know that they didn't know who I would be and they'd probably be
jeremy_1_08-29-2024_090656:Don't worry.
jeremy_1_08-29-2024_090715:And I thought oh my lord. Well, she comes back in about 20 minutes, you know long enough to go drive to pick up the kid and come back and we Immediately Connected on so many levels and, um, she told me from the beginning, she's like, we're going to be, I'm a lifer if, if we're in this, we're in this together till the end, and it has been very true, but the thing, um, The thing that I have found most rewarding from them and our relationship is the trust that's been placed there for me. Um, and because I have been not only included in the personal, like, home, but I've also been introduced into a friend circle that When my husband and I went to go work on one of the houses and met a lot of these friends in this new area that she was moving. Um, He was ready to leave our home and move there because her friends were so amazing and so welcoming and so loving. And it's everybody is so real. Everybody's so authentic. It's there who they are. They celebrate each other. It was like a community of gales. And I was like, What the hell is this? Because we have great friends here. But um, but it was different. And they have all accepted me into their life. I'm one of the girls, if you will. Um, and they, it, we get to go out and see them, uh, usually once a year. Uh, and it just brings so much, um, joy, but the trust, I don't take it for granted. And then I, and I do try to, to relay this to my other jobs or other interior spaces that we work on, because there is a trust there that when We were doing a new home, you know, going through a divorce was really painful. When I went out to go do the home, they never saw one thing that was going in the home. They were literally arriving at a home that was fully done top to bottom without having picked anything. And I felt so much pressure to get it right because one, I loved them and I wanted them to feel like a new home, a new beginning. Um, But that trust there, I was like, okay, I know that the trust, I got to get it right. Right. And the other places I've worked on for them as well, it's always been kind of like that. And so that trust, I'm like, okay, people, if people trust you, which is always our ultimate goal, right. Let's be honest enough, right. To focusing in, get it right, do your best, do what you can, and then make magic happen. And for me, our relationship has been all about the magic. Um, all about the trust and knowing when someone's there that has your back. Um, and to just make the best outcome possible. But yeah, Jen and I would be in jail. hmm. Mm hmm. Mm
stuart_1_08-29-2024_090715:Well, I guess who's your learning experience, Dwayne?
jeremy_1_08-29-2024_090656:You know, what sticks to me when you say that question? It's, it's a lot of clients who I worked with the mom, then the daughter, and now the other daughter, right? So, I'm getting old. So, I'm, I'm having multiple clients where I've worked with at least the parent, and then it morphs into, uh, the child. But now I'm even working with some that's the grandchild. Mine goes back to that level of trust, just like what we've all said and heard. Jeremy's saying for sure that there's a trust there. So the, the person that stands out to me the most is, uh, first is Kathy and I have been working with her for 20 plus years and I just know every time she thinks of a project, she thinks of sits there and tries to think of stuff to do. Uh, she's like, I want to do this. What do you think? And there's that run by, uh, and we talk about it and we think about it and dream about it. And I just always, um, I've always loved that, but then I revert back to when I first started working on her house, I remember she had a teenage daughter and the teenage daughter was sitting in her family room and met her and moved on. And I worked on that house and then Kathy then build a new house. So we, we worked on that and then the teenage daughter went to school and the teenage daughter, uh, became a physician. The teenage daughter moved back and bought a house. And I have been working on the, now these teenage daughters, grown daughter, house for years and years and years. And actually my son works for her now. And, It's that kind of long term relationship that always is just with all of us. Like you, Stuart, you said that you've known, um, Noel for 27 years, right? And Shani has been in your life for how long now? 10 plus years?
jeremy_1_08-29-2024_090715:Uh, yeah, probably more than that, yeah.
jeremy_1_08-29-2024_090656:More than that. Yeah. And, uh, with Kathy, it's been 20 some years. And, When you work with the mom, then the daughter, and there's this complete trust, that's just says something that makes you feel good that you know that you've got something that you've done something bright. Um, you know, I'm in the current, uh, situation where it's basically finished. I literally have one piece of art. Uh, it's my bar owning music playing, Hillbilly Judge, and I just love her and I love him. And there's everything good about them. And again, it's been 10 plus years when I first met them. And, the story that stands out on that one was, typically I go to somebody's house during the day and there's a point to that. When I first started doing design stuff, you know, that I had the retail store and if, and I've worked there five days a week, six days a week, you know, whatever it was. And if I went to your house to do design stuff, it was after five o'clock, it was six o'clock because there was no other person running the store. It was me. So I used to do lots and lots of appointments at nighttime, right? Well, the luxury has evolved and I don't have to do all these evening appointments. So I'm usually at somebody's house during the day, right? In this situation, I was supposed to go to my bar only, music playing, hippolyte judge's house during the day. And she had a court case that was held over and she couldn't get home in time. So she asked if I could come in the late evening or afternoon. And I said, of course. And so I go there and she says something to me. And I'd worked with her for a while. a few months, you know, so it's just when we was first getting started to know each other. And what she said to me, there was a certain tone, a dialect, uh, a twang that came through. And I looked at her and I said, Hey, where are you from? She said, Betsy Lane. Now invite those Eastern Kentucky. Betsy Lane is this little community right side, right? So that's where I grew up is outside of Piedmont. So I know Betsy Lane real, real, real good. And I said, wait a minute. So you were a bar owning. Music playing, hillbilly judge, and she said, uh, I said, anyway, I liked you from day one and couldn't figure out why. And at that minute, there was a connection to where we grew up. And that sometimes you can't understand why you like somebody or there's a particular connection in our situation. It's the fact that we could feel each other's energy of we knew each other. Cause her mom was also a school teacher. Like my mom was a school teacher. Um, there was a lot of similarities growing up in the same area and the same, um, social income kind of bracket. So sometimes it just happens because you can just feel somebody and you, you trust them for, and you don't know why you trust them. So she has been the most lovely, loyal client that you ever, ever could imagine once it's all said and done. And a few years ago, um, You know, there was a house, that was out of state that we're working on. And this is not true because things are changing. Uh, some of the newest jobs, uh, design jobs I've worked on, I'm working with the husband more than the wife, which is not something you, Really would ever heard of or guys would have been comfortable with 10 years ago. But some of the jobs lately, it's been the husband, which is fun. I think that's wonderful. It's a, you know, men are allowed to have good taste and express their opinions. Um, but
jeremy_1_08-29-2024_090715:they're loud.
jeremy_1_08-29-2024_090656:so you don't have any clients where the man is the lead in
jeremy_1_08-29-2024_090715:No, no, no, I have, um, I would say most of them are mostly women, but I do have a few and where the men are involved. I really like when they're involved. I really, I absolutely do. Yeah, no, a lot of times I don't hardly ever see the husband, but, um, but there are some that are equally involved and I love that because I think it should be, you know, a mutual home.
jeremy_1_08-29-2024_090656:No, I'm, when I say to you, I'm not dealing even equally. I'm dealing with, um, 80 percent of the answers on a couple of jobs. Yeah. Yeah. That's been, that's been unusual, um, evolution in my world. Uh, so that was interesting. Uh, anyway, what that said, uh, that wasn't this case in this scenario. So this house that was out of state, you know, obviously I'm working with her. We're picking out stuff and all things have, we figured it out and it's all To the house, and it's literally in boxes, or they drove it down. They had somebody drive it down, moving company. And it's sitting there in, in the house. So, this is not a good testament to allegiance. Uh, tin can in the sky airplane. So, she and I meet at the airport to fly down, uh, that evening. And, the flight gets cancelled. So, there we are. We don't get to go. So, the next morning, this is how, really weird how this worked out. The next morning, get another flight, we're going to fly out. Whatever court case she's working on, something blew up. She couldn't go, right? It just blew up. So, she said, well, can we go the next week? And I was like, yeah, no. It was like, gonna be Christmas in July here or something. Whatever reason, I, or we might be going to Chicago trip. I just couldn't go. I was like, yeah, no. And she's like, okay, I can't go. I got to get this house done. And I said, yeah. She said, what about if you and Jeff go, if that's the husband? And, I said, I don't care. I don't know Jeff, but if Jeff and I want to go, that's fine with me. So there we are flying down to Florida and not knowing it's like giant speed dating and truthfully, The nicest, most humble man you've ever met in your life, right? Love her, but he's, I hope she don't hear this, she, he's the better of the two. Uh,
stuart_1_08-29-2024_090715:edit that out,
jeremy_1_08-29-2024_090656:did I edit that out
jeremy_1_08-29-2024_090715:throw you in jail.
jeremy_1_08-29-2024_090656:She gonna throw me in jail. No, and they're both lovely, but what a humble, good, kind man. And really got a friend out of it. He's just a good, good guy. And that all happened because of Allegiant Sucks. Uh, and we worked together and here's the best story. So this house was in a state that's very hot and it was Summertime and, uh, the, the car can't go in the garage cause all the furniture's in the garage and we're unboxing stuff and truthfully, it kind of helped because like he could help unbox and help me move furniture cause, uh, my little judge girl, she kind of tiny and I was like, it kind of worked out because I, I would have killed myself trying to move all this furniture by myself. So with that said, he goes and starts the car because we're going to go, pick out some other stuff that we need to finish up with. And, The car's been running for like 20 minutes, and we go get in the car, and he apologizes to me because the car is still hot. Well, this gentleman thought about this 20 minutes, went and started the car, had the car running, had it, tried to be cool, just to be kind. It was still hot, and I said to him, well, you did buy a house in hell. I don't know what's making it so hot here, right? Well, well, well, well, well, well. But that's the kind of kindness and that you that that's there and it's this evolution of first, you never know what kind of joy you're going to get from somebody. You got when you walk in somebody's door and you knock on the door and you're getting lasagna out. It's like, this is not what I expected, but you went with it. Didn't you? Right? He just went with it. To have to get on a plane to go work with somebody for a week to unbox stuff for this guy you don't know, right? You're like, this is not what I expected, but you go with it and look what you get from it. Look what you get from it. It really is a testament just to say, just be willing to say yes to something and be open to it and don't shut it down to go, okay, this is where we were meant to be this minute. Let's just see what happens and let's go for it. And it's always the ability and the ease to kind of roll with it and say yes to something sometimes.
jeremy_1_08-29-2024_090715:It's kind of like being open to the unexpected joy.
stuart_1_08-29-2024_090715:Right.
jeremy_1_08-29-2024_090656:There you go.
stuart_1_08-29-2024_090715:And that,
jeremy_1_08-29-2024_090656:I think that's what's happened for all of us in that situation.
stuart_1_08-29-2024_090715:and that actually kind of leads into, I guess, one of my favorites. I have a lot of things that I've worked on that I really, really like. And I've learned through all of them. But one of them, um, was the big one. And, uh, I had worked with this lady before, you know, did some stuff in her bedroom, got her some lamps, you know, just small things. And it had been, you know, a little while. And she called me one day and said, can you meet me for lunch? I was like, sure, why not? And, uh, went to lunch and she has like these photos of this place. And she goes, what color should I paint this door? I said, well, Honey, where the hell is this? What, what is this? She went, oh, this is over, uh, and this is in the Bahamas. And she said, I got this property, and she goes, but I think I might tear the house down. I said, well, if you're gonna tear it down, why'd I need to pick out a front door? I said, what's the whole concept of this place? I said, you know, you gotta give me a little bit of background information. She goes, you know what, it would just be better if we just go. We're leaving Friday. We already got a plane ticket.
jeremy_1_08-29-2024_090656:for The Bahamas.
stuart_1_08-29-2024_090715:And this was on like a Monday. And And so, later that afternoon, my little Delta app dinged and I sure as shit had some tickets on there. So we left. And I was like, what in the world? Where am I going? And, you know, it's not that she was a stranger, but it's not somebody I'd spent a ton of time with. So, I'm like, okay, now I'm going to another country. see what to see what's going on here, you know,
jeremy_1_08-29-2024_090656:got some little muscles, but you're a small man. She could have took
stuart_1_08-29-2024_090715:I she could have she could have took me
jeremy_1_08-29-2024_090715:little did she know how much you just dislike flying.
stuart_1_08-29-2024_090715:Oh, I know well, and i'm gonna credit that to This project that i'm not okay with it. I do not want to sit in a car for seven hours I'm gonna get on and go Because over the course of this project I had to make 28 trips So I had to be okay with flying a couple times. We flew on a plane with the chicken You We made it. So, you know, in, in that project took almost three years from start to completion and, um, it taught me a lot, not only about design, it taught me a lot about shipping. It taught me a lot about working with different groups of people. It taught me a lot about what I could tolerate and what I could get used to. And so, I mean, I credit all of those things to that project. And not only did it turn out wonderfully, it, it, it, I think it made me a better person to acknowledge certain things and do certain things that I would never do before. So in her trust in me to just let me do it, and that's what made it happen. Cause she, I mean, I showed her a picture of a lamp and one tile for a 10, 000 square foot house and a 2, 500 square foot guest house. So. You know, when I went in, I went in a week before her, towards the end after the structures were built. You know, her and I did 28 trips together, back and forth, progress trips, this and that, and this and that, and this and that. But I never showed her anything that I was going to put in it. And so I went a week before, and actually I took one of my friends here, Carrie who I think we're going to have on a guest a couple weeks. And she went with me to help me unbox these five containers of things for this house. And then Ann showed up a week later. And it was like, it was the first time she was seeing it for her eyes too. So that was super exciting as well, you know, and that's actually where I'm leaving to in two days. So for some relaxation, but, um, I think that that is a project that taught me the most. I learned something with every project and I learned personality with every project. and um,
jeremy_1_08-29-2024_090656:workers
stuart_1_08-29-2024_090715:but I learned about me on that project too. Yeah,
jeremy_1_08-29-2024_090715:You know, I think another running theme through this is that, you know, from, I think one of the first podcasts, when you mentioned that lady that said, what we do is frivolous. Um, I know that I don't think any of the three of us have ever really been able to let that go. Um, but what we do is more than stuff it's people, right. And, and that is, um, more than. flowers, and that's more than home accessories, and that's more than putting the right piece of furniture in a, in a space. It's about being involved in someone else's life, opening yourself up to them, to what their life is, and connecting on whatever empathetic level that you, you can, right, to have empathy and, and connection. And out of all of that, comes respect and joy and friendship and I think that's why all three of us I think we're all three people persons like we like people now listen I'll be fine just to stay home some days right like I'm okay with that I need to recharge myself um but it's amazing when you open yourself up to other people and you allow that room for connection and joy what can really come out of it and what you can learn both sides
jeremy_1_08-29-2024_090656:Oh, it's it's just just 2 weeks ago. This got finished up. Uh, a client that lives in one of the surrounding counties. Um, 2 years ago, her husband passed away. Um, mid 60s, uh, physician had a great life, uh, from brain cancer and so it was, um, they knew it was coming and not an easy, not an easy path. And, um. After he, he came home, he wanted to pass away from at home. And so after he passed away, she had a little bit of time. She felt like she wanted to not cleanse the house. It's not the right word, but to kind of take some of the memories away. Uh, it wasn't erasing by any means, but she needed to edit the house some to make her feel more comfortable. And that's where I got involved. And I. I was helping her with some new things. And one of the things that she had asked for at the very beginning was beautiful old historic house. She wanted a piece of artwork at the bottom of the landing, uh, in the foyer. And it's the whole situation of me.
jeremy_1_08-29-2024_090715:I think you, did you, did he mention this
stuart_1_08-29-2024_090715:you just told this on the last podcast.
jeremy_1_08-29-2024_090715:Ha!
jeremy_1_08-29-2024_090656:Oh, well, guess I won't tell it again then.
jeremy_1_08-29-2024_090715:Oh, well, just, just change it in some way! Ha ha!
stuart_1_08-29-2024_090715:Yeah. I was like,
jeremy_1_08-29-2024_090656:Thank
stuart_1_08-29-2024_090715:just told this story about this
jeremy_1_08-29-2024_090715:He he he he he he he!
jeremy_1_08-29-2024_090656:we need guests, uh, guests on the calls. I'll just keep telling the same stories because I just don't want to say every, every day,
jeremy_1_08-29-2024_090715:This is proof when we say that Dwayne is the preacher who stands on his soapbox in the store 17 times a day Ha
jeremy_1_08-29-2024_090656:is one of those that just touched my heart. It really did. It's just, that was
jeremy_1_08-29-2024_090715:Well,
jeremy_1_08-29-2024_090656:it was a good
jeremy_1_08-29-2024_090715:people who may have not heard it, why don't you go ahead and tell that story again. Let's not, let's not take the breath out of that flame.
stuart_1_08-29-2024_090715:Oh, we already
jeremy_1_08-29-2024_090656:So abbreviated version then is, um, that I asked her if, what, what, what gives you joy? And she said it was about the last vacation. It was a European vacation and she walked past this pergola. So we took the picture of the pergola and her. student that she had as a teacher is an artist in Cincinnati. She had the piece painted of that picture and it got framed two weeks ago and hung at the bottom of the steps. And every time she now walks past that, she thinks of that memory and she thinks of Frank and, the joy that it was. And so for me, that's the reason I share that. It's like I heard her and was able to share I think relieved some of her pain. Uh, and then, and it did it in a way that every time she sees this, it's joy for her. And again, it goes back to that situation of hearing your client, hearing your client.
jeremy_1_08-29-2024_090715:Well, listeners will know that we lost our, our sweet Gracie, our cat a couple of weeks ago. And, you know, this was, uh, the first kind of like, hmm, lost it. My husband and I had had, uh, that was in our home, right? Like we've lost family members, but this was in our home. Right. And trying to be respectful of each other, trying to give each other space to grieve in the way we needed to grieve. Part of it was also working on the house and, um, what, what it makes sense for me when you were talking about the, the, the client there, Dwayne, was that when she was re, reassessing the house, she was, was doing a little bit of adjustment in the house, Jeremy needed to do the same thing, because he said he needed to adjust some of the house to be in line with our new reality. Um, and it's as small as that was, right? And so it was, you know, re accessorizing a little bit, but that was also for us to make the perfect little spot on a shelf that has her ashes, right? And so it was like those kinds of things of like, okay. That was my life. It's still, you know, it's part of my life, but we've moved on and being open to that to realize that we're, it's now the new reality, which is the hardest thing to accept when you go through something that's like that. And when you can do that, and then still honor and have that love there. I think that's really
jeremy_1_08-29-2024_090656:Mm-Hmm. a hundred percent. That exactly. You said it in a better way than I did. That's exactly what it was. It was about paying respect. It wasn't editing, it was about paying res respect. Exactly.
jeremy_1_08-29-2024_090715:With that said, this is just a funny little story. In that trying to You know, get the house as Jeremy said, you know, our house is still set up for someone who has a has a cat has has a pet and we currently don't have that. And he goes in our house feels like an empty shale right now seeing these things. Right? And, um, I was like, okay, I hear you. Like, I totally get it. We were just taking our time of dealing with the stuff, right? You're not in any kind of timeline. You do it how you do it. So it came to the litter box and Jeremy's like, oh, just throw it out. And I'm like, I, I, I can't just throw it out.'cause for me it felt like discarding, right? Like just that, the action of throwing the litter box away. I was like, uh, okay, how about this? We'll, we'll clean out the litter box. Let me put it downstairs in the, in the basement. And if I, at some point am okay with like, letting it go, I'll let it go. And he looks at me and I mean, again, we had been so. Um, Oh, side note, our friend Toi, who we love, uh, this weekend, uh, when heading into it, she said something to me and it resonated, resonated with me on such a level that I have to share with our, our listeners, whatever it is, whatever you're going through. If there's, if it's a loss, if it's a struggle, if it's a disappointment, if whatever it is, she looked at me and she said, be gentle to yourself.
jeremy_1_08-29-2024_090656:Mm
jeremy_1_08-29-2024_090715:I thought that could have knocked me over. I thought that was just like the most it spoke to my core because it was be gentle with yourself and let yourself feel this and don't beat yourself up and don't anyway, so be gentle yourself. That's what I'm leaving. That's that's how I'm now live living part of my life with everyone is just be gentle to yourself because we are all Um, dealing with a whole bunch of stuff. Um, but back to the litter box. Um, so gingerly, I was trying to deal with the litter box. So we cleaned it out. And he was like, alright, you can put it in the basement. It's, you know, he didn't want to, but he was fine. So then we cleaned out the litter box and I'm like lifting up. And I'm looking at this litter box that we've had to have 12 of the 18 years that we've been crazy. And it is scratched and dirty and you know, it is 12 years old, if not 14. and
jeremy_1_08-29-2024_090656:and a litter
jeremy_1_08-29-2024_090715:the, and what's a litter? And I'm like, why the hell am I worried about keeping this litter box
jeremy_1_08-29-2024_090656:a very very used
jeremy_1_08-29-2024_090715:I processed, yes, very easy. I processed it very quickly and it went into the dumpster because then I said if, when we if we, if and when, which we will, when we get another little fur baby. Um.
stuart_1_08-29-2024_090715:get all new stuff.
jeremy_1_08-29-2024_090715:We're going to get well, well, it's, she doesn't need the 14 year olds the divorce. So yeah, I was gentle to myself as I thought I needed and then
stuart_1_08-29-2024_090715:Good.
jeremy_1_08-29-2024_090656:threw it away
jeremy_1_08-29-2024_090715:Sorry. I know a random tangent today.
stuart_1_08-29-2024_090715:No, I mean, I have a, I have a box of, uh, it is the favorite toy in the, uh, collar of every dog of my past. I keep their favorite toy in their collar and
jeremy_1_08-29-2024_090656:lord as old as you are you have a lot of
stuart_1_08-29-2024_090715:I know! A whole curio cabinet. No, no, I mean, because it's just, that's, Everything else is gone, but that's the two things I keep out of every, every pet that has moved on. So, I'm never gonna use them again.
jeremy_1_08-29-2024_090715:no
stuart_1_08-29-2024_090715:They in a box.
jeremy_1_08-29-2024_090656:hope not
stuart_1_08-29-2024_090715:It's like a hope chest for my dogs.
jeremy_1_08-29-2024_090715:for the next wedding. Will that be your dowry?
stuart_1_08-29-2024_090715:Lord!
jeremy_1_08-29-2024_090715:Well, um, I think we've had some interesting conversations today, guys. I think it's been, it's been good. And it's been good to dig in a little deeper as far as like our relationships with our customers and realize that it's not just some. Well, I won't take it past I'm not gonna take I'm gonna take it past customers. I'm always it's about people, right? That's what we're, that's our short time here. It's about people connecting and finding the joy with each other and being open to the unexpected joy. I love that. So all right, well, guys, go and be and be gentle with yourselves today. And, uh, I hope everybody has a good week. We will be back next Wednesday with a new podcast. And if you haven't downloaded our app house floral, please do so. That's linked downstairs downstairs is linked down in the notes below as well as our hotline. And we'll go from there, but until then, we will see you all next week. All right. Thanks. Bye.
